Episode 3 - All Things Music

[Music] All right, hello. Welcome to Gen X Adulting. This is episode three. And today we are going to be talking about music. The musical influences from when we grew up, the various concerts we've been to, the different music our kids are into, the concerts we've gone to with them, and some of our house bands, which we all like as a family. And we'll kind of see where that goes. So I'm going to kick it off asking you, what was your first concert, and how old were you? So my first concert was Brian Adams, and I would think I was either seventh or eighth grade. I want to say eighth grade. I saw him at Pine Knob Amphitheater in Michigan. I don't think, well, it wasn't called Pine Knob for a while, but I think it's back to being called Pine Knob again. But that was my first concert, and I was hooked right from that. And that's when he was in his prime 80s. Yeah, he was popular. It was all so popular. How old were you again? So if it was eighth grade, I was probably 13. Okay, yeah. So that was my first concert, and then I just started going to concerts. My next concert was in excess in Portland. I don't remember what venue, but it was in Portland. It was inside maybe the Schnitzer Hall. I'm not sure. But it was in excess. We saw Robert Cray there. That was awesome. Yeah, we did. It was a great venue. Yeah. So in excess. And then I can't remember who I saw after that because then that just led me to in high school. I saw the Grateful Dead for the first time. I'm sure I saw people in between there, but I can't think of who it was like Brian Adams and in excess are really standing out to me. Interesting. What about you? My first concert was Grateful Dead, the giant stadium. I think it was man, it was either I think

Brian Adams and in excess are really standing out to me. Interesting. What about you? My first concert was Grateful Dead, the giant stadium. I think it was man, it was either I think it was 1986 or 1987. It was the Bob Dylan tour. So it was the dead and Dylan. And then after that, it was the fall Madison Square Garden, seeing the Grateful Dead again. Yeah. And then growing up on the East Coast, you know, it gets cold. There's not a whole lot going on outdoors wise. So the following spring, I think it was the dead again, and then got into the whole Crosby, Stills and Nash, Neil Young. And where I grew up, right around New York City, we had tons of acts that came through all the time. So we always had a lot of options. Yeah. I think once the dead started in my life, once the dead became, you know, once you're a dead head, you're always dead head. So after I saw my first concert, I was hooked, saw the dead as much as I could on the West Coast. It would have been a lot of it in Northern California, in San Francisco area, Shoreline, Cal Expo, Oakland Coliseum, the Warfield. I saw Jerry Garcia band at the Warfield. And then in Oregon, it was at U of O and. Yeah. Awesome. And yeah. And then in Wisconsin and then in Portland. So, but then of course I saw Crosby, Stills Nash and Young Crosby, Stills and Nash. I saw Blue Oyster Colts. If those guys could have kept their friendship together, it would have been a lot better, right? Yeah. Because seeing CSN, why Crosby, Stills Nash and Young. Yeah. First just CSN. Yeah. Slightly different. Very different catalog of songs. Yeah. And I think that was still amazing. It was wonderful. Amazing. I don't think I ever saw Neil Young on his own. Really? I don't think so. I thought, you know, what I

Yeah. And I think that was still amazing. It was wonderful. Amazing. I don't think I ever saw Neil Young on his own. Really? I don't think so. I thought, you know, what I did see that I cherish was I saw Stevie Ray Vaughan. Yep. I got to see him too once. Yeah. Amazing. Got to see David Bowie once too. Yeah, that's cool. And David boat. Yeah. That was, I don't know if I should share too many details of the event, but, um, that was fun. You also saw pink Floyd. I never saw pink Floyd. Yeah. Pink Floyd's pretty slick. Not obviously not in their prime, but got to see pink Floyd. I forget which maybe the delicate sound of thunder tour or something like that. I don't know. Late eighties giant stadium. A lot of fun. And then, uh, we saw the almond brothers a lot. Yep. In New York city. Yeah. Um, I'm trying to think, you know, we have our ticket stubs displayed here in the house. So we saw just a lot of jam bands, like, um, blues traveler. Yep. I saw Joan Osborne. She was amazing. That's cool. Yeah. She was, she was amazing. I love her. Um, She was such a good voice. Such a blue sea voice. Yes. She is good. She's great. Um, yeah. So, I mean, once I saw the dead, well, I mean, obviously, it started with Brian Adams. I was hooked to live music, but once I saw the dead, that was it for me. What was your last concert you've seen? Um, was Billy strings. Yeah. We just went and saw Billy strings. Yeah. Phenomenal. Don't overplay it. We don't want people going. Yeah. But, uh, unbelievable, unbelievable. And just refreshing and unique and amazing. Amazing. And, um, I think we have a, in the, the grateful dead, right? There's it's called shake down street. It's the parking lot scene. There is a Billy. There's a shake down scene at the Billy shows.

And, um, I think we have a, in the, the grateful dead, right? There's it's called shake down street. It's the parking lot scene. There is a Billy. There's a shake down scene at the Billy shows. Yes. Very cool. It's cool. I did a little shopping. No, it was, it was very, very, um, just encouraging. And I was excited to see. A youngin continue on with the whole vibe. His music is not the grateful dead. It's his own unique music, but the vibe is very similar. If you know, there were points that they're in the show where if you closed your eyes, you would think it's Garcia Grosman playing. And that's true. That's true. So that, that's, that was my most recent concert. Here's a, not a trick question, but who is the, what's a concert you've been to where you, I don't want to say this, we're disappointed, but you were, you were surprised that your expectations weren't met or it was just different from what you would, we're used to. And I have a very distinct answer for my, my own. I'll be curious if it's, if it's the same, but, and, and this is coming from a dead head. That's, I probably have been over a hundred shows. I don't know, but I've been to a lot of shows. I, in the last year, I guess, saw Bob Weir. And Wolf brothers, Wolf brothers. I've seen them before. I guess for me, it's just too slow now. It's just too slow. And yeah, so I'm not saying it was a bad concert. I just, I, it wasn't what I expected and I didn't enjoy it as much as I've enjoyed other concerts of his. Yeah, we did leave a little early. Well, I wasn't going to admit that. We're all admitted. We'll have to own that. Yeah. It was slow and it's just a trip. I'm not saying it's bad. And there were people there that were having the best time and I'm not

We're all admitted. We'll have to own that. Yeah. It was slow and it's just a trip. I'm not saying it's bad. And there were people there that were having the best time and I'm not saying we weren't having a great time, but it just, it's, I don't know. For me in that moment, it just, it didn't fit for me at all. Yeah. I was expecting more. Yeah. So that's for me. What about you? Mine would have to be the Eagles. Oh, I saw the Eagles. We saw them together. And we did. Oh, we did. We did. I've seen them twice. Yeah. I saw them once. I could have gone again. Right. But I was once was enough. And if you listen to the Eagles in your car or your house on the stereo, I honestly think they're amazing, right? They're one of the best bands of all time. But when you see them live, because when you see them, when you hear them in your car, whatever, you can easily drive down the highway a hundred miles an hour, you know, take it easy or whatever songs, you know, but when you see them live, I found it totally slow. Kind of what you're describing with, with we were in both brothers. That was my experience. I was like, let's go, let's go. And it was just like, okay, well, let's all sit down and kind of sway and hold hands. Okay. Okay. So listen, I think what you miss there is the Eagles. I saw them twice. They sounded exactly how they do when you hear them on the radio. And it doesn't translate though, for me. No, for you, it doesn't translate. Cause when you hear them on the radio, you're doing something, you're driving down the street in your car, your, you know, whatever you're listening to them. Usually while you're doing something in your life, but to sit and just listen to them, you need more, you need

down the street in your car, your, you know, whatever you're listening to them. Usually while you're doing something in your life, but to sit and just listen to them, you need more, you need more stimuli than just listening to them. A hundred percent. So if you compare that to a dead show or a Jerry show or a Tom Petty show or the almond brothers, Santana, hell even Bob Dylan, right? I guess that's just moving. Whereas this, that they was, it was almost like you're sitting in the backyard on pay bales and just chilling. But I think for a lot of people, that is what they, there's a ton of people that don't move at concerts. Oh, I know. Yeah. So I guess just to catch us up, we, we've seen Tom Petty, we've seen Santana. We've seen the black crows. We've seen Bob Dylan. Um, there was another one. I just lost it. But so we have, so most, a lot of the music we see we're dancing, we're moving. Um, but for a lot of red hot chili peppers, we've seen them three times. We've seen, um, Nickelback. Yeah. Yeah. They were actually great. They were good. The whole Nickelback hate is pretty much just like they've come back around. I think it's fake hate. Yeah. They're actually pretty good. They're great. So, cause we, so what we did is once we had kids for their birthday and sometimes for Christmas, but definitely for their birthday, we would give them tickets to a concert. So our oldest son's first concert was Bruce Springsteen in giant stadium. Yeah. He was five years old and our daughter's first concert was red hot chili peppers in the metal lands. And she was six years old. Yeah. And then our youngest first concert was actually, um, the fresh beat band, which was a show he watched. Remember we took him. That was in Miami. That was in Miami.

Yeah. And then our youngest first concert was actually, um, the fresh beat band, which was a show he watched. Remember we took him. That was in Miami. That was in Miami. I can't remember that. Yeah. But then his next real concert was dead in company in Atlanta. Yeah. That was really his, and he was seven, I think. Um, but then for all of their birthdays, we just continued to give them, especially our, especially our older two. Yeah. We continue to give them tickets. So by the time they, you know, we're in high school, they'd seen tons of concerts, spend a lot of life, been to a lot of live music. Dylan, our youngest hasn't been to as many concerts as our older two. Yeah. Um, he doesn't have as much of an interest right now. Yeah. Part of that's still living in South Florida. Our musical scene kind of sucks here. Yes. To be honest with you. Yeah. That happened as we got to travel. Yes. We left the Northeast. We have taken him to him to some concerts, but he's in that weird stage right now, ending middle school. He's not really interested right now. The interest won't be coming back in high school and college. Yeah. So I do remember when you were pregnant with him, Nathan and I went to see further at bay front in Miami, Miami. That was awesome. Yeah. Um, yeah. That was their furthers first show of the tour and first show in general. Yeah. It was pretty cool. It was cool. I forget how old would that have made him? He was probably eighth grade, I think. Um, so he was there. He, um, was 12. He turned 13 right after Dylan was born. Yeah. Okay. So he would have been 12. So. With the kids they've, so what happened was is with our older son and our youngest daughter, once she was around 15, he started taking her to music festivals

Okay. So he would have been 12. So. With the kids they've, so what happened was is with our older son and our youngest daughter, once she was around 15, he started taking her to music festivals with him because he was really into base nectar and that whole festival scene with DJs and all of that. So he took her to ultra and they went to ultra. Me too. A few times. You didn't go to ultra. You didn't go to ultra. You didn't go to ultra. He took you to base nectar, but, um, what that did for them is it's a hard time to stay, stay close for siblings to stay close sometimes, especially a boy and a girl. But what it did for them was it gave them something in common to do together. Her being 15. He was, I think his senior year. Maybe she was 14. I don't know. He was finishing high school. So she might've, I don't remember when that actually happened. He might've been finishing high school or it was when he was a freshman in college, he took her whatever. She was whatever age it was where I think she wasn't technically allowed. She wasn't allowed. She needed to get an, borrow an ID, fake ID saying she was 15 or 16 something like that. She had to be 16. Yeah. So, um, but then that continued for them is they continued to go to music festivals. They, they went to Okeechobee. Um, they've gone to one in, um, Atlanta and then seen base nectar. They went to sweet water, sweet water, sweet water for 20. Yes. Uh, which is a year ago. Yes. Yeah. I want to go to that, but, and then think they're doing it this year. I've not seen any promos for it. There is some big event, I think in Nashville. Mm. Um, yeah, it was on nugs.net looking for streaming music. Yeah. strings is on tonight in St. Augustine. Yeah. I'm looking forward to that, but yeah.

event, I think in Nashville. Mm. Um, yeah, it was on nugs.net looking for streaming music. Yeah. strings is on tonight in St. Augustine. Yeah. I'm looking forward to that, but yeah. Um, yeah, there's some event in Nashville tonight, but the four 20 fest isn't happening, which is a shame. Last year was Joe Russo. It was amazing. It's a whole bunch of goose. I think was there a bunch of jam bands. Yeah. Cause we, we listened to it and watched it in real time. And then they would see base nectar every new year's Eve together. So would you attended some of those? I would Dylan and I would go along to wherever it was. And while you guys were at the concert, Dylan and I would have our new year's Eve dinner together and then cheers each other at midnight. And then you guys would all come in after the concert to the hotel room. And those are really cool memories. I, you know, I do think part of, I think the conversation today really is about that. Right. So, um, it's almost like, you know, they say the, the families that pray together stay together. It's like families that list in our, in my world or our world families that enjoy music together, stay together. Yes. And to your point, so Nathan and I would go see base nectar on new year's, which was completely foreign to me, right? I'm a quote unquote deadhead. I'm that's not my scene. Right. Musically nectar was pretty phenomenal. I remember the first show where we get to, where'd we see him in Birmingham, Alabama. And we get there early and got the rail. The guys needed the rail and I get now why they wanted the rail, the rails to hold onto. Right. Um, as soon as the first notes drop, kids just start rolling their heads. And it wasn't, it wasn't head banging. It

why they wanted the rail, the rails to hold onto. Right. Um, as soon as the first notes drop, kids just start rolling their heads. And it wasn't, it wasn't head banging. It was just, it was pretty wild, pretty wild. And it's, it was, it's reminiscent of like a good, like a dead show or a Jerry show or any band that really connects with their fans. Tom Petty, Tom Petty's phenomenal, right? Almond brothers are phenomenal in terms of you've got the music and the, you know, the, the music plays the crowd and the crowd plays the music type of thing. Well, yeah, it's, it's the energy and that's probably what the issue you had with the Eagles is you felt that it was a low vibe, low energy show from the crowd. A hundred percent. The crowd's feedback was just not right there. That's a great, I think you maybe hit it. Yeah. But for those people that was a highlight for them, like the way we experience live music is mind, body and soul. We were movers were shakers. We feel feed off the energy of the audience as they feed off of us. It's an experience for us. It's not even, but that's not to say we're not dancing around and shit like that over like at building strings. We didn't get up and move, but it was a, you know, chilling in the seat moving around. But that's kind of a blue grassy jam type of thing. And not all bands required you to be dancing around and stuff. Think about Tom Petty, right? I think we were both still blown away by Tom Petty 20 years later. Yeah. We saw him in Michigan. Then we saw him at the, what's the hell is it? The Garden State. What the hell was that place? It's on the turnpike. Is it in Camden? No, it's a Garden State performing arts center. I think I don't know what it's named now in New Jersey, New Jersey,

What the hell was that place? It's on the turnpike. Is it in Camden? No, it's a Garden State performing arts center. I think I don't know what it's named now in New Jersey, New Jersey, but that's a small venue to see Tom Petty there was amazing. That's yeah. Tom Petty always put on a phenomenal show. Tom Petty loved his fans. He connected with them. He, one of the best shows, honestly, but you know, I just, I just remember that I saw Fleetwood Mac and Fleetwood Mac was not Fleetwood Mac. I'm sorry. I saw Stevie Nicks and Stevie Nicks. It was a wonderful show. She was amazing, but, and the energy was great, but it wasn't a show that I was getting up and, but I thoroughly felt it and enjoyed it. So I think it's just all, you know, but now we, well, our youngest has been to Red Hot Chili Peppers cause we, we recently went as a family. So for Christmas, a lot of times we'll give tickets to the family for one of the Christmas gifts and for a later date. What's crazy is if you take a family to a concert today, you're looking at a thousand bucks. Yeah. I mean, you could, you could, I mean, I think with those, we were under that, but it's, it's very expensive. It is very expensive. It's, it's crazy. Everything's very expensive, but like you said, it's bonded us as a family. We still go to see Grateful Dead cover bands with our older two. Dylan also has gone. We, it's something we do together. It's a family event that we do together that keeps us all close. We all relate to music. All of our kids love music, even though Dylan isn't into necessarily to going and listening to what we like. He's very much into his own music. Think about it. Last night picking him up, he was out with his friends. We picked him up late last night. As soon

listening to what we like. He's very much into his own music. Think about it. Last night picking him up, he was out with his friends. We picked him up late last night. As soon as we get in the car, can I get the aux cord drops in his, well, no, he wouldn't, that's old school. He wanted to connect his phone. Yeah. And then it was their music on the way out the whole way home. So he's very much connects to music, loves music. I think, I don't know what I would do without music. It's been such an integral part of my entire existence and how even raising children, we've utilized it. You know, what's funny is into music as we are, none of us can play an instrument. No. And I think I own two or three guitars, a couple of basses, a mandolin. Yeah. The only thing I can do is harmonica, which is very semi eccentric or weird or whatever. But Nathan actually was a DJ. Yes. A DJ through college and actually he's awesome. Yes. You know, he's not doing it right now, but I think he could fall right back in and be really good at it. Absolutely. I would say out of all of us, Nathan had the most musical talent. Amazing DJ and great timing, all of that. Hey, I can play the congas. True. True. We do own those and we have a piano, but no one can really play it. Yeah. I don't know. We love music so much that we surround ourselves with instruments in the hopes that one of us would figure it out. I mean, Nathan and Kaya had piano lessons and Nathan attributes a lot of stuff with his DJing. Yeah, he didn't like it as a kid. I don't think. No. If you ask him now, he's like, hey, that really helps me. He knows how to keep, he knows how to count, keep a beat, all of that stuff. Yeah. Neither one of them liked it. But and then Dylan didn't.

If you ask him now, he's like, hey, that really helps me. He knows how to keep, he knows how to count, keep a beat, all of that stuff. Yeah. Neither one of them liked it. But and then Dylan didn't. The thing with Dylan being so young compared to them is by the time Dylan was born, he was being dragged to all of their sporting events. Yeah. And he was just that kid where there just wasn't time to make, you know, I feel bad now. I know he doesn't care and he would have hated it. He's ecstatic about it. I mean, he's fine. Trust me. He's completely fine with everything he has. But so I know there are people that aren't music listeners and I always find that interesting or that don't have a band they're into or that it hasn't spoken to them. Like I find the whole thing with Taylor Swift to be so interesting because I was just thinking about this the other day. Taylor Swift, honestly, in my opinion, is the modern day Shakespeare for this generation, I guess. And but when I say generation, people relate to her from age five to 80. She doesn't even really have an age that she she covers everybody. So I the reason I say that Taylor Swift is this generation's Shakespeare is because her fans don't just listen to her music. They listen to what she's saying. They listen to her poetry. Her lyrics are poetry and they dissect it and they analyze it and they they relate to it. And it makes them laugh. It makes them cry. They feel it like if you were reading literature that you connect to. It's it's it's literally poetry put to music. And I think the artists who maybe put her down or people that put her down, but especially other artists that put her down. It's it's got it's just jealousy because to write the way she does to be able to write these songs and

put her down or people that put her down, but especially other artists that put her down. It's it's got it's just jealousy because to write the way she does to be able to write these songs and there's so many of them. There's so much inside of her that she writes about. It's such a God given talent and other not every artist can do it. You know, so many artists can just be made to sound good, you know, whether it's with the facts or, you know, what they say or they look good. They look the part. But for Taylor Swift, it's coming from inside of her and then it and then it comes out. And so it's it's nothing that anyone can ever kill or compare themselves to because it's so unique to just who she is. You know, it's the comparison, the Shakespeare, I find fascinating. Everything you just said, I find fascinating because I don't know if I've ever heard her in any of her songs. I do admire the social phenomenon she's become. And, you know, even yesterday or whenever it was recently, she just dropped some album in the middle of the night, I think. Yeah. And by the morning, the news was all about the lyrics and who she's dissing on or calling out and who she's referring to. And this whole swiftie phenomenon and they want her to endorse a president so that whoever she endorses, they think. Right. Right. This is crazy. I'll have to at least check it out, you know, as a musical, as a fan of music, but the Shakespeare comparison. And that's pretty. It feels kind of I don't know. It's wild. I'm blown away by that. Well, when I say that, I don't mean literally she writes like that. No, I know what you mean. But it elicits a visceral response from the people that are paying attention. Right. But not just to her music or her

literally she writes like that. No, I know what you mean. But it elicits a visceral response from the people that are paying attention. Right. But not just to her music or her voice or her performance, but literally to what she has written. It's it. Yeah, no, I think where you're going and in from what I've seen. So she writes about she was talking about, I think, recently, I pick all this up and whatever I read about it. But I guess she's had conflict with Kim Kardashian, probably because the the Kanye and that whole dickhead movie pulled at the Grammys or whatever it was. Now, it's more than that. But yes, there's probably a whole lot more than that. And then the whole recording. So it's crazy. I know the shit because I have a very minor interest in it. But she I guess she talked about she moved out of country, rented a place for a year and wasn't talking to anybody, really went into a deep dark spot or place with all this. Which so she feels it, right? She she she takes it to heart. And then her outlet is is the lyrics. Right. And the music. She's she is a writer. And she is a poet. I really believe that 100 percent who happens to sing and play musical instruments. I think her first I could be totally wrong. I don't know her. But she seems like a genuinely decent person. Oh, yes. This whole Travis Kelsey thing and the Chiefs thing and the you know, the the other players that have met her and their families have only spoken very highly of her. You know, someone talked about how in the booth, how she actually was cleaning shit up in the booth, putting garbage away, hoping, you know, so she's a normal person. Her parents are normal. She just happens to have this phenomenal talent and ability to. I don't know what it is, but to to drive

hoping, you know, so she's a normal person. Her parents are normal. She just happens to have this phenomenal talent and ability to. I don't know what it is, but to to drive it to Uber success. It's amazing, actually. Well, she's an incredibly hardworking person. She works her ass off. But I think a lot of it is that she's willing to take the risk to put out there what's inside of her head, what's inside of her heart. And she has such a talent to write. And then she just happens to also be a talented singer and musician because she plays musical instruments. She what does she play? She plays guitar. I think she plays piano. Again, I'm not. I'm you know what's funny? I think you're a closet swifty and it's coming out. Maybe, but I don't know now that I'm just kidding. That's like somebody saying like that. You're a deadhead because you know a little bit about the great. I'm not going to say that because there are real swifties and they know what they're talking about. I don't know what I'm talking about, except this is my opinion from what I've experienced. I have a daughter who is, I would say a swifty. She loves Taylor Swift. So I just think this whole era's tour is phenomenal. She's performing for three and a half hours straight. It's just phenomenal. And she's, you know, I she again, I don't know shit either. I know less than shit. It's too. You're hearing two Gen Xers talk about Taylor Swift. Yeah, this is pretty wild. I didn't think we'd be talking about this as a topic. But I think I would say what I admire about her is she is a young woman who's driving her career. She seems to be very much in charge of the decisions that are being made. And and I think, you know, you watch the news when she's doing things and I think she's

woman who's driving her career. She seems to be very much in charge of the decisions that are being made. And and I think, you know, you watch the news when she's doing things and I think she's genuinely a decent person. As she goes around the globe and there's different I can't even you know, I'm just trying to think I think somebody didn't somebody maybe die at one of her shows or en route to it or something. But something tragic happened. Yeah, she took pause to acknowledge it. Absolutely. Kind of maybe honor it or just at least acknowledge it. Yeah, a lot of performers. I don't know if they would do that or not. I don't know. I think that she definitely has good karma on her side. And I think she seems to be a very decent person. She's very close with her parents. They're with her. They've been guiding her. I'm sure protecting her. I think she's probably a family person. I think she's got good morals and values. But then on top of that, I really do think her true talent is writing. And she's a poet. She's a modern day poet. And her vehicle for that is music and performance. And what's so amazing is you have her fans truly listening to the words of what she's writing. And like I said, analyzing it and reading it and just appreciating it in a different way than you would just a song that you happen to like, if that makes sense. There is a certain danger with that in that you if you put too much emphasis and what she's writing and saying and saying that go a little off and go a little crazy. Because I do think she has a huge influence. But yeah, but her stuff. There's I don't think she's written anything that's gonna be, you know, you know, so just just I know it sounds crazy what I said, but I do think she is the modern day.

There's I don't think she's written anything that's gonna be, you know, you know, so just just I know it sounds crazy what I said, but I do think she is the modern day. I do think Taylor Swift is the modern day Shakespeare. And I'm sure that people will would think I'm crazy for saying that. But I 100% stand by that. You know, it was it reminds me. We're saying Nathan's the most talented. Kaya sang. Kaya sang in a thing. Oh my gosh. We totally forgot about it. Yes. And she wrote lyrics. Yes. So, and that was fun. That's I think that's where I get some of my admiration of Taylor Swift is because Kaya was in a band. And it's hard. Yeah, right. And once if you're in a band, you're up there on a stage. And if if you're pretty at all, or, you know, attractive at all, you people snipe you, you're a target, you've got a target on your back now. And that's a Taylor Swift phenomenon, right? That that one jackass at the Grammys or whatever she did, she had raving success and won an award or album of the year, whatever it was. But we saw that even with Kai, we're singing, you know, you're out there. So it's not it's not an easy thing. No, I can't believe we forgot that. So our daughter did sing in seventh and eighth grade, she let she was the lead singer of a band. And that was an incredible time. And just to watch her get up there and know the lyrics and know how to to perform it. And then later on to write some of her own lyrics. And I think that's a great experience. What a great experience that was it so and like you said, hard work challenging. So to have that be a career move and then to bring it to such stardom is just mind mind blowing. Yeah, you know, but I mean, look at Bob Dylan, right? I mean, what a lyricist there. And I but I'm not

to bring it to such stardom is just mind mind blowing. Yeah, you know, but I mean, look at Bob Dylan, right? I mean, what a lyricist there. And I but I'm not comparing him to Shakespeare. Yeah, because I think that the reason Robert Hunter Bob Dylan. Yeah. Great, great lyricists. We named our son Dylan after Bob Dylan. Yeah. Amazing lyricists. And you would say Robert Hunter's lyrics have reached 10s of 1000s of people of dead heads, right? So you could compare it right, Swifties and dead heads, you could say, but see with the dead, it's different. Because what got me with the dead, and I think so many people was the music was the musicians, especially Jerry Garcia playing guitar, and then the lyrics. And then the lyrics, right? For me, I can speak it was the music and then the lyrics for Taylor Swift. It's the lyrics first, like, they are reading it like a book. So that's what I find so interesting. Now, Bob Dylan, or her or her lyrics cryptic, like Bob, Bob Dylan tells a story, right? Robert Hunter tells a story, but he also leaves you hanging. Right. And it's very open for interpretation. Yeah, john Perry Barlow, the other half of the lit, lyrics for the day, right? Bobby side of things, right? He tells a story. Mexicali blues, right? Me and my own. These are stories that you can kind of travel along and see but then you go to hunter with Terrapin station. It's like, okay, I got kind of halfway there. But what's what's the rest of the still so she more than tells the story. And yes, there's a lot a lot of it's cryptic. Yes, it she takes you on a ride. Interesting. It's, it's, you should check it out. You should really check her out. Honestly, boy, that's a leap. I will just because I don't I'm not I don't think I'm missing out on

you on a ride. Interesting. It's, it's, you should check it out. You should really check her out. Honestly, boy, that's a leap. I will just because I don't I'm not I don't think I'm missing out on something because it's I don't but she's got something going there. Oh, yes. In to transcend the generations kind of like what you were talking about earlier. There has to be some some talent, some something there that that's good for everybody. Because the dead are like that the dead. You know, when when you you know, we've fortunately we've got to see them live on stage. And that's an amazing thing. Yeah. And you know, when I hopped on, I think I was 15 years old. And when we when it was over, it was probably what 2526 or something. I don't even know maybe a little bit. Like the last show 95. Like we were 2424. Yeah. Yeah. And but there were lots of young kids there. So there were kids all the way up to old timers. Yes. Oh, yeah, the dead transcendent generations. But that was, I think, a lot of it also family handing it down to family, like we've done with our kids, but there are then they bring friends, you know, and then there's new dead heads born every day. Even go into nectar. I was the literally there were me and four or five other dads there my age. And we look like Narks. Yeah. Right. Because there's it's pretty funny when there's cops standing there and you're walking around the halls. Everyone's slightly intoxicated with whatever anybody's on. Yes. And, you know, I always said this guilty feeling of I know these cops think I'm a narc, but then the kids thought I wasn't dark. Well, the cops might have thought, okay, this guy's undercover or just some weirdo, he's selling drugs. And the kids, I think thought it was an

but then the kids thought I wasn't dark. Well, the cops might have thought, okay, this guy's undercover or just some weirdo, he's selling drugs. And the kids, I think thought it was an arc. It was pretty funny. Yeah. But I think it goes to as far as you getting included in that you being invited and brought into their world because our Grateful Dead world was also a lot of there was drugs, there was alcohol, there was all kinds of stuff going on. The bass nectar and that whole DJ music festival festival world. Same thing. Drugs, alcohol lot going on very in different drugs, different drugs. I mean, to me, it seems harder drugs. Yeah, definitely. But I'm not judging. But for our your son to, and your daughter to include you in that I think is such a test. Yeah, it's a testament to the relationship you've built with them. They trust you to bring you into that world. That's so foreign. You're one of four or five men your age, everyone else's kids. Yeah, on different drugs, probably. So it just, I think showed such a level of trust that they had for you. And no, I agree. And it was awesome. It's priceless memories. And actually, I'm you know, it gets you closer to their friends as well. Like we saw nectar in Atlanta underneath the Mercedes Benz Stadium, I think it was in the basement. And we were probably 20 feet from the stage. In order to do that, you have to get there three or four hours early. So you're just standing there. So we're just chilling. And it was fun. Yeah, that was cool. No, I think it to music definitely has been a way we started the kids with music. Well, we started with music. I should say what bonded us as a couple. Yeah. Well, as friends, we were friends for over three years before we got

been a way we started the kids with music. Well, we started with music. I should say what bonded us as a couple. Yeah. Well, as friends, we were friends for over three years before we got together. Very good friends. What bonded us as friends was the dead. And seeing live music. So we would do that together do that with groups of friends, like we never did just the two of us when we were friends, but with groups of friends, all that. And then that commonality of our love for the grateful dead and for music has continued through our entire 32 years of being together. We just went to Tampa last weekend and saw Billy strings, just the two of us. It's something that we have that through everything through raising kids, through all the stuff that goes on in marriage. We've had that music that's kept us bonded. I want to ask you a question in a second, but just going back to the origins of say us and music, we did get to see fish. What was that 1992 or three? Yeah. In the Brit ballroom on the campus of Southern Oregon State College at the time. Now it's Southern Oregon, Southern Oregon University. And this is we got to see fish before fish was fish. And they were doing the college tours, the bar tours, and jumping on trampolines and playing vacuums and shit. That was pretty wild stuff. I think it was 92. I think. I think there was 100 people. We were in like a little almost like the size of a gymnasium. And there was a stage. It was like an elementary school or an old Catholic elementary school cafeteria with the wooden stage and the curtain in the background. Yeah. 100 people, maybe 200 people. I don't even think there was 200 people there. I don't know. Our friend, Alisa, was the promoter. Yeah, she brought in fish.

the background. Yeah. 100 people, maybe 200 people. I don't even think there was 200 people there. I don't know. Our friend, Alisa, was the promoter. Yeah, she brought in fish. And even a local Eugene band called Nine Days Wonder was pretty cool. They weren't there at the same night though. No, no, no, no. They had come a different time. I love Nine Days Wonder. They were great. And then do you remember Renegade Saints? Yeah, totally. They were awesome. But what were Renegade Saints? Were they an offshoot of Nine Days? Or were they? I don't remember. The Nine Days had I want to say the bassist who was the primary singer, I think. I don't know. A long time ago. I don't know. But fish, seen fish with 100 people. They were so young. They jumped on the trampolines. Like my drink was on the stage. And they're right there. Yeah, they're right in front of me. Well, what was cool about that is, and this is going way back to before the whole micro craft brewery. Thing really blew up, right? Yeah, well, just today, it's amazing. Right? You got a total wine. There's hundreds of choices back then. It was pretty small. And I recall, I think it was, we got like, there was a, either a full or a pony keg or something from Sierra Nevada brewing. Yes, which was in Chico at the time, I think Chico, California. So we could get it through the local distributor. But yeah, there was a little beer garden there. And other things. You're right. My beer was on the stage and sitting there looking up at Trey and Gordon. And it was crazy. It really does not get better than that moment. Yeah. Have we seen fish? No, we've never seen because well, that was before we watch their movement. Yeah. And there it took off like the dead. And there's, of course, fish heads diehard

moment. Yeah. Have we seen fish? No, we've never seen because well, that was before we watch their movement. Yeah. And there it took off like the dead. And there's, of course, fish heads diehard fish heads. Yeah, we just never that that to see it's like seeing the grateful dead with 100 people. And like, I don't know, I guess we could have continued that but we were just so we're more dead heads, you know, then fish heads. Yeah, it's a different sound. I like fish. I love Yeah, but it's a lot. And it was a lot of things are going on back then. I think we were having kids. No, I mean, even in college, though, we didn't we didn't jump on the fish train. It was just the different scene. And it was, you know, even even like the dead back then ever, you know, the last few shows, it had really changed the drugs that people were bringing to the shows that change that is just different. It was, yeah, you know, this different. And same with fish fish was a lot of Molly and X whatever. They're the same thing, I guess, but just different. Yeah. And then I think for us during our 20s, we got married, we started having kids. Yeah. You're not just gonna go run off and see concerts, like, or shows like you used to. Yeah. But that was that was something. But to go back to so we've had music as a constant in our marriage, always, to come back to it's, it's been that safe space, we can always go back to the thing that can bond us together, when everything's crazy. And then we gave that to our children, when they were young, they acquired such a love of music. And then it bonded them. Together to have their own relationships. Yeah. And, you know, separate from us. And then now, as a family, we're all bonded together with music. So it's kept,

then it bonded them. Together to have their own relationships. Yeah. And, you know, separate from us. And then now, as a family, we're all bonded together with music. So it's kept, we each have our own relationships individually. And then we experience it together. Yeah, it's really kept us close. It's one of the things that's kept us close as a family is music. There's no question. No doubt. There's no question about that. Yeah, I mean, just the other day, I think it was telling you I get a text from Nathan about, Hey, check out this Joe Russo stuff. It's crazy. It was crazy. It was very good. Yeah. The question I had, I was thinking of. I don't know how old Kaya was, but I know you used to, you've been down to like, Hard Rock and all these different shows, right? You guys went to Let me start naming those styles or whatever. No, no, no, let me. Okay. So, oh my goodness. I forgot about that whole part. It's a whole generation. I took Kaya. Yep. I took Kaya to every One Direction concert from the first one. That's the last one they did. That was awesome. That's what they're taught such talents. They really are such talents, talents and such great people. But to see them perform. They were in their teens. Some of them were like 16, I think 17. And then to watch, they watch them evolve as they have in their own solo careers has been really cool. So we saw One Direction. We saw Rihanna. Do you remember that we took Kaya for her birthday and we dragged Nathan with us. Dylan wasn't born yet to Hannah Montana, Miley Cyrus concert. Do you remember that? It was for Kaya's birthday. I don't know. Did I go? Where was it? We dragged Nathan. It was down at the PNC bank centers. Sunrise. And it was the Hannah Montana concert.

you remember that? It was for Kaya's birthday. I don't know. Did I go? Where was it? We dragged Nathan. It was down at the PNC bank centers. Sunrise. And it was the Hannah Montana concert. I think I remember screaming, right? Where the girls just screaming and out of control. Yeah. It was the kids. There was kids. And then Jonas Brothers. I took her to Jonas Brothers. Did I say Rihanna already? We saw Rihanna. We saw Ed Sheeran. I saw Pitbull with Enrique Iglesias a couple times. Saw LMFAO. Saw Kesha. And this is all when they were in their prime. And then there's a thing here called Jingle Ball. And there's a like, oh, it's not iced tea. Oh my gosh. I can't think of the name. No, no. Oh, 50 Cent. Okay. So we saw 50 Cent and a bunch of so many bands that were popular at that time that I can't think off the top of my head. 311. That's for that kind of music. Miami's great. South Florida's great. Yes. For good music? Not so good. Well, so yes. For popular music. Yeah. Well, oh, well, we took Nathan to see Chris Cornell. Down in Miami. Yeah. And that was, that was awesome. Right before he passed away. Yeah. So I'm so grateful for that. That was acoustic Chris Cornell at the Jackie Gleason theater. Yeah, that was amazing. Yeah. That was so cool because that was an actual like a concert hall, a symphony type of hall. And he played acoustically there. That was, I forgot about that. That was amazing. Yeah. That was wonderful. And it's awesome that he came down this far. Yeah. Cause so many people don't. Yeah. So it's funny because when people come down to South Florida, we got everyone goes, you're so excited that there's someone here. And then Kai, of course, likes Lana del Rey. And she's played me a lot of her stuff. I haven't seen her, but I really

you're so excited that there's someone here. And then Kai, of course, likes Lana del Rey. And she's played me a lot of her stuff. I haven't seen her, but I really like her stuff. Kai has gone to a lot of country concerts because they come down here. Yeah. But she's, she's seen a lot of stuff on her own as has Nathan. So I forgot about that whole time. Yeah. When I was anyone that came, we went. Yeah. Yeah. Well, yeah, you would organize it. You guys would get a bunch of girls and other moms and yeah. Oh, Demi Lovato. I'm trying to think. I don't think we ever saw Selena Gomez. We never saw Justin Bieber. Could never get tickets to that. But it was that time. It was that 2009 or 10 till or even 2008 to 2023. I don't know. It's just that timeframe. There was so much going on. Yeah. So we were, we saw it all. I'm sure I'm forgetting people that we saw, but it was great and it was fun. So we had that time together. And that was mainly her and I. Yeah. So I was like mother daughter. We've talked about that. When One Direction reunites, cause they will. I'm going. I said, I don't care if you know you and your friends are going, I'm coming. Cause I went to every concert and you know, Harry Styles has, well, she just saw Louis Tomlinson. But Harry Styles, we weren't able to get tickets to. Oh, really? They were very expensive. They're all very expensive. Yeah. It was too much. So I'm willing to pay high to a certain extent, but then it gets to it's ridiculous. Same with Taylor Swift. I remember, you know, back in the day in the mid eighties, you could get tickets for 20 bucks or something. And I remember I went to a show. And I remember I was like, Oh, I'm going to sell the debt at the spectrum. And in Philadelphia drove down from New Jersey,

tickets for 20 bucks or something. And I remember I went to a show. And I remember I was like, Oh, I'm going to sell the debt at the spectrum. And in Philadelphia drove down from New Jersey, like two, two and a half hours. We get there and the scalper selling tickets for, I think we bought two tickets for $60 each. And I was like, man, this is expensive. Yeah. Turned out to be one of my favorite shows. They did a second set, Scarlet Fire, and the whole place was bouncing around and you could feel the whole stadium moving. But it was, you know, 60 bucks back then was like, man, this is crazy. These guys are greedy. Now 60 bucks is what Ticketmaster sells them for. And the aftermarket's probably 160 bucks, you know, or 560 bucks, whatever it might be. There's nothing that Ticketmaster sells for 60 bucks. The cheapest you're going to find is, I don't even know. Well, it's 60 before fees and taxes and local corruption. And now you're up to 160 bucks. I haven't seen even 60 as a starting price on anything. Really? Yeah. No, it's ridiculous. We used to go to concerts for 10 bucks. Yeah. It depended on who you were going to see if it was a smaller venue or something, 10, 15 bucks. It's hard to believe. Actually, this is, I wanted to ask you about this and I'll start it off with, to your point, we used to see concerts are free. So growing up in the New York metropolitan area, we had a place, what the hell's the name of the place that's going to escape me? A Waterloo village. So I got to see like Steve Miller band there, the Almond Brothers, Blues Traveler, Three Dog Night, and for free. And what we would do is, this is crazy. And this is what I'm curious. Well, I'll plant the seeds. So you think about local, you know, each,

Brothers, Blues Traveler, Three Dog Night, and for free. And what we would do is, this is crazy. And this is what I'm curious. Well, I'll plant the seeds. So you think about local, you know, each, each, each area, say metropolitan area, that everybody's kind of got the, probably some stories about their local music scene. But what we used to do, we'd go to Waterloo village. And we would, and this is an high school. They had these little snow fence type of thing. We call them snow fences. They're like the woodlath with the metal, you know, just this temporary thing you unroll it and stand it up. And now you've got a fence. What we would do is you'd go to these concerts, we'd get pretty drunk as you know, high schoolers. But you'd wait till somebody that you didn't know that wasn't part of your group hop the fence and make a run for it. And then all the New Jersey State troopers would converge on that person. And once they did that, that's your chance to hop the fence and make your own run. That was a local thing. That was like a thing to do. Another thing, and that was a lot of fun. We saw a lot of good music. But another fun thing that you got to experience is going to see the dead at Madison Square Garden and driving to Hoboken parking, getting on the path, taking the train over to what was it like the 33rd Street station, I think. Then you get out and you walk and you go see the dead and then, and it's a whole scene there, then you come out and you reverse it all right at one, two in the morning. So phenomenal experiences. Thousands of people did that over probably dozens of years. Do you have anything like that, say, in Portland? I kind of doubt it, but maybe you do. Nothing that I can think of. I mean, the

Thousands of people did that over probably dozens of years. Do you have anything like that, say, in Portland? I kind of doubt it, but maybe you do. Nothing that I can think of. I mean, the Country Fair obviously is the traditional thing. Yeah, that's the traditional gathering in Oregon. But you don't really sneak into it. I'm sure there's people that have snuck into it. I'm not even saying the the sneaking part is just a an aspect of it. Yeah, but the you know, kind of like that whole going to see the dead in the garden. No one lives in Manhattan. So you're going into the city and everyone would converge whether you're in Long Island or Westchester County or Sussex County, New Jersey or Morristown or whatever. There was a way to get there. And then you had this common convergence of people there. And then you would all spread and go back to wherever you came from. The closest maybe is like the Bay Area, right? When? I mean, I would think the Country Fair is I mean, as far as no, nothing in Oregon like that, because in Portland, you would just go to the venue that where it was Memorial Coliseum. Yep. And that's where you or the So you just drive down there type of thing or yeah, real public transportation. No, well, I mean, Max showed up. But no, everyone drove and Max was the what he called the try not the thing what I'm describing is maybe unique to the New York metro area, then. Well, I mean, probably happens here in Miami when there's somebody playing at Hard Rock or down there. Then you have people coming from all areas, you know, because I mean, I don't know. I guess in Portland, it's just it was a smaller area. So even if you are coming from the suburbs, it didn't you didn't feel the convergence in that same way, just

because I mean, I don't know. I guess in Portland, it's just it was a smaller area. So even if you are coming from the suburbs, it didn't you didn't feel the convergence in that same way, just because I don't know. I didn't notice it. It could have been happening. I didn't notice anything like that. The only time I really recognize the convergence as you're talking about is the Oregon Country Fair. Or when Jerry died that concert at Golden Gate Park, which I went to that. Yeah. That was a whole bunch of different performers. And, and also when No, I'm sorry, that wasn't when Jerry died. That was when Bill Graham died. Yeah, when Bill Graham died, a whole bunch of performers came and there was a convergence to Golden Gate to San Francisco into Golden Gate Park. I saw I witnessed that. Yeah. Yeah. When Jerry died, we just went down downtown Portland and there was a gathering there. But no, not whenever there was a concert. I'm sure it happens in bigger cities. Probably. And that's what I'm thinking is I remember we passed through Buffalo when we were in the area and we were up in that area and it was a Sunday afternoon. Yeah. And we're like 100 miles outside of Buffalo at a rest stop getting gas. And there's all these people in their Buffalo Bills jackets. Yeah, they were either going or coming to the game. I have a feeling maybe that was a local thing like growing up 50 miles, 45 miles outside in New York. And you go to school, you get out of school at 220 who's driving and because we're going to drive, go see the dead and we're driving the Hoboken, we're taking the train over and that was just a thing. It was just a thing that that's how you did it. And I'm sure there's examples of that. But I don't know. Maybe a local

the train over and that was just a thing. It was just a thing that that's how you did it. And I'm sure there's examples of that. But I don't know. Maybe a local phenomenon. When the dead was in town, they were at you in Eugene, which was like two and a half hours or whatever. You would drive there, but and you would drive past people that had dead stickers on their cars and honking each other and stuff. But it was all driving. Yeah. None of it was in a subway or anything like that. And even driving down to the Bay Area, there's just, you would drive past people with dead stickers and you would wave to them. Yes. That's probably the closest. Yeah. Yeah. I know. The West Coast is just so much more spread out and fast. Yeah. I guess then the Northeast. We did have the what you're describing. We went to a show at Foxborough, Massachusetts and drove up the 95th. Jersey to 95. So that that whole thing you see dead dead stickers on cars or people are passing you your past. Yeah. Yeah. So I mean, it's definitely definitely a community. And when I see dead stickers now, I'm like, Oh, yeah, you know, we're we are everywhere. That's the same, right? Yeah. So and again, that's the thing that's stayed with us. I would say with marriage and with raising children, there's so many ups and downs and there's so many variables and there's so many different experiences and so many seasons of life. And I would say the one constant for us has been our love of the grateful dead. That music has sustained us through it all. We can always come back to that. It's always the positive, happy place to come back to, especially if we're listening to it live somewhere. It's like a realignment, a readjustment, a reset every time. And I know mentally it has

It's always the positive, happy place to come back to, especially if we're listening to it live somewhere. It's like a realignment, a readjustment, a reset every time. And I know mentally it has saved me a lot of time, a lot of times. So and I'm sure that people feel that way about other music. And then there's people that don't relate to music in that way. And I can't imagine going through life without having that. And it's something that I feel we've given our children. I really do. They they know music's important. And they it's vital in their own lives. Yeah, for themselves. Yeah. So, yeah. Cool. So I think that wraps up our little discussion about music. Yeah. Today. Hopefully, someone else out there was able to relate to what we were saying. I would love to hear other people's stories related to kind of what I'm describing of how we would go to school, knowing we're going to go see a concert that night. It could be the dead. It could be the East Crosby stills in Nash, you know, pink foot anything we went to in New York, or that giant stadium metropolitan area. It was the we had a routine, you kind of got your routine down. I'm curious if in other metropolitan areas, or just people in general, if they had those same type of things. It's part of who I am. And it's, it's so I'm curious. I'd love to hear anybody's if the stories about that or whatever. I mean, I feel like whenever we would go to a Grateful Dead show, as you got closer to the show, you felt the convergence. What I mean, I know when I went in Arizona, went to Arizona, I drove from Oregon to Arizona. And I didn't feel that convergence. I don't know if it's as much of a convergence as it is, there's only so many ways to get there. And, and there's just everybody there. Because

that convergence. I don't know if it's as much of a convergence as it is, there's only so many ways to get there. And, and there's just everybody there. Because when the dead would let out shows let out at the garden, you're getting on the path. And there is a last train. You kind of got to get there. And it's after the show, people are still either tripping or high, they're drunk, whatever. So you go underground, you're in the subways, you're, you're down there with a bunch of people. Yeah. Are all in different states of mind with this collective experience we just had. And they're all kind of piecing it together. So it's kind of that interesting. No, I don't. I can't relate to that at all growing up in Oregon. Yeah, no, it's a I'd be curious if people that grew up in the Bay Area do relate to that they have Bart. But I don't know that I don't think it's the same thing. Yeah, I don't think so. I think that feels very Northeast, or at least maybe just New York could be because even Miami, you have people just try they take the Tri rail. Now I bet if after a concert, if you take the Tri rail, or what's the one that we have done here, that goes really fast. Oh, the we have Tri rail and we have Brightline. Brightline. Yeah. So if you get on one of those, maybe, I bet you're on there with after a concert with a bunch of other people like talking about it. But so many people drive. Yeah. Because I don't know. So we don't have a great transportation system. Well, we do actually are tri railing, right? Line's pretty good. But you know, you so big here. I bet people in Chicago, maybe have that. Because Chicago's got all the L going in. Yeah. Yeah. I don't know. It'd be interesting. So if anyone out there would love to comment and share

here. I bet people in Chicago, maybe have that. Because Chicago's got all the L going in. Yeah. Yeah. I don't know. It'd be interesting. So if anyone out there would love to comment and share their experience, we would love to hear it. Yeah, cool. Yeah. All right. Take care. Take it easy.