#55 Tera Lynn Fister | Discombobulated with Bobby Jaycox

What do cicadas, a Ford dealership, and the hustle of Nashville's music scene all have in common? They are just a few highlights of our latest episode where I reunite with the phenomenal singer-songwriter Tara Lynn Pfister. Reminiscing about our chaotic childhood moments and Tara's courageous leap to Nashville at 21, we share an authentic, laughter-filled conversation. From Rudy Brynek's surprise piano performance to the cicadas disrupting school, our walk down memory lane is full of joy, unexpected noises, and genuine friendship.

Tara opens up about her unpredictable journey in the Nashville music scene, starting with a chance encounter at a bar and the challenges of crashing on a friend's couch. We draw some eye-opening parallels between the gig-based lives of musicians and comedians, including the nightmare of 1099 tax forms and the supportive artist community. Our candid chat reveals the hustle, adaptability, and resilience it takes to chase dreams in Music City, making it a must-listen for anyone navigating a creative career.

We also get personal, discussing the grit needed to thrive in male-dominated industries, self-respect, and the impact of ADHD. Tara's path, filled with quirky gigs and the unforgettable Horny Toad venue, is a testament to sacrifice and determination. Plus, we share our wild adventures, from awkward mornings in Swiss homes to sledding down the Alps. It's a blend of humor, heartfelt moments, and the universal joy of pursuing artistic passions against all odds. Tune in for a wild, inspiring ride that celebrates the essence of friendship and the courage to follow one's dreams.

Transcript

Nashville Songwriters and Memories

Speaker 1 0:00

No, it won't even at all. Hello, ladies and gentlemen, everybody, welcome back to Discombobulated. I say this a lot, but today is a very, very, very special guest. I have known my guest longer than almost I would sincerely anybody known you since kindergarten she is amazing singer-songwriter so fucking awesome Tara Lynn Pfister. Everybody Put your hands together for her. I always say put your hands together because we're used to doing live shows.

Speaker 2 0:27

I'm still good, Even it's been a year. I'm getting used to this.

Speaker 1 0:30

If I'm lucky, it would be nice. But yeah, I've known you for so long. How have you been?

Speaker 2 0:35

Been good. Good to see you. Good to see you. Yeah, we're in Nashville right now. We had a conversation.

Speaker 1 0:40

That could have been the whole podcast, because we just hung out as soon as I got here, which was awesome yeah. I had to stop as soon as we did that, I was like do you want to do the podcast?

Speaker 2 0:46

like three hours later she's like I guess, so let's go, yeah, let's just turn them on, turn the mics on.

Speaker 1 0:50

No, I've known you since kindergarten and we can talk about all that in a little bit but I do want to start nice because I do love that I'm so pumped for you because we're like the only people that still from like growing up, that I feel like I think I saw that rudy bryanak I don't know if you're allowed to say names, but like he's in like a reggae band or something like yeah, he does something.

Speaker 2 1:12

He was in la for a while yeah I and it was like you know, facebook. It was one of those things where I he popped up on my facebook and I was like good for you, rudy because, I remember he played the Star-Spangled Banner or something or like some patriotic song.

Speaker 2 1:28

Maybe it's like my country is of thee, but he played something on the piano when we were in like eighth grade and I just remember being like what the fuck Isn't that so funny? Where did this come from? And when you have that? That's your core memory of him.

Speaker 1 1:40

Like, when you think of Rudy, you always think of that. Yeah, and I'm not kidding you. When I think of Rudy Brynek, remember the first time when we were in kindergarten we had cicadas, when they like covered our school. I swear to god, my memory of him is running. They chased him and he's like, oh, and he's like the tall at this point, he's as tall as a gangly. Yeah, he was like he was running from him, and that's like I. Every time I think of Rudy you know what I think of?

Speaker 2 2:04

Mary Sue Kiso got one in her shirt and this is our gym teacher, who ended up having like four last names by the time we graduated. Shout out to how many shout outs we're going to have the people that no one knows.

Speaker 1 2:18

If someone should just go to the school, there's a way to get the yearbook you can put in pictures. Oh my god, she got one in her shirt and she's like freaked out.

Speaker 2 2:25

And our teacher, she and you had to tuck your shirt in and we had those jumpers on, so it was like double stacked.

Speaker 1 2:33

And she I mean she legitimately, because I remember she had to get put sunscreen on before we went to like second period, like between classes like it's sunnier in the hallway dude, remember. And it's sunblock isn't weird. But when you're not at the beach and you watch a kid put on, you're like is she dying? I always thought she was like more frail than the bus, and then she gets a cicada. I thought it would have just made her evaporate.

Speaker 2 2:58

It kind of did. I think she did leave her body.

Speaker 1 3:00

Holy fuck, sorry, I can't even get over how funny that is. I was like, hey, let's talk about the. Uh, yeah, did you hear that too? Yeah, I thought that was like a thunderstorm are they bombing?

Speaker 2 3:10

I think they're bombing the whatever over there. You're building new buildings. Oh, that's cool, they can bomb it. Yeah, they're just bombing, you know there's just a bomb 2024 baby.

Speaker 1 3:18

That's so funny to be on a podcast and be like what was that? It's just a bomb, okay and we're back.

Speaker 2 3:21

That actually helps sync up the podcast.

Speaker 1 3:23

I found, I found the explosion oh my god, that's so funny yeah so let me tell you.

Speaker 2 3:28

So we're in nashville right now I've been here, for this is gonna be my 12th year in nashville that's crazy.

Speaker 1 3:34

How old were you when you?

Speaker 2 3:35

moved here.

Speaker 1 3:36

I had just turned 21 that's like the way, yeah, like that's the only crazier way to be. Like if you did it, like in kindergarten, like if I never met you. You're like you just walked here. They're like where'd she go? Like she really loves guitar she's in nashville, yeah, so you went like right, when you like, as soon as you, as soon as I.

Speaker 2 3:50

Yeah, so I did you have a job.

Speaker 1 3:52

Did you have anything set up?

Speaker 2 3:53

I graduated and I um was working at the ford dealership dave sinclair ford and I've seen those commercials.

Speaker 1 4:00

What was his like? Do you have a slogan? It's like trust him.

Speaker 2 4:03

Sinclair? No, I think it was just like Sinclair. We've been here forever, so you should buy from us.

Speaker 1 4:08

Yeah, the guy I didn't like was the guy that's like hi, I love cars.

Speaker 2 4:10

What was that guy? That guy sucked. Who cares?

Speaker 1 4:13

But some of the we had St Louis car guys are some of the worst, but so you started in to Nashville and when I first came here okay, hold on I was working at the Ford dealership.

Speaker 2 4:27

I just graduated, I just turned 21 and I was coming down to Nashville like once a month or so just doing writers rounds and just having a good time and what's?

Speaker 1 4:34

writers rounds?

Speaker 2 4:34

just everyone hangs out and writes songs yeah, so a writers round is you get three or three, sometimes four, songwriters on stage and they take turns and you all get about three to four songs and there's usually three rounds a night. So somewhere between you know, nine and 12 people get up there and everybody gets a couple songs and y'all. It's a way to create community. It's a way to, you know, have a little bit of judging where you're at in the mix.

Speaker 1 4:59

Yeah, how is it different from like an open mic, Like just like people just signed up?

Speaker 2 5:02

I guess because people are like no, writers rounds are usually they're curated. Yeah, like there's somebody hosting it who's invited so many people who you know kind of, because some of those open mics Makes the whole night congenial. Oh yes, I mean open mics, doesn't matter if you're a comedian musician, but some of them you sit up.

Speaker 1 5:23

You're like this guy takes it seriously and you're like I think he just sings the Survivor song, not the one from Survivor, the one from the CBS. He sings that song.

Speaker 2 5:31

Like he always does Titanic.

Speaker 1 5:33

Yeah, it's not good, but we all love it. Now we all sing with him, and that's the only thing he looks forward to all week.

Speaker 2 5:38

No, but we love those people.

Nashville Music Scene Journey

Speaker 1 5:39

But so yeah, so you were doing some of those and coming back once a week.

Speaker 2 5:42

So I was down and I had made a couple of friends. We were going to a hockey game so we were getting drinks in a bar before and live music everywhere in Nashville obviously Everywhere, so there was a band everywhere.

Speaker 1 5:55

First time I came to see you was the first time I go my friend's playing here, where is she? And she goes which band? And I go at this bar and she, I go at this bar and she goes honey, there's three bands at this bar.

Speaker 2 6:03

And I go.

Speaker 1 6:05

How did they hear each other? And I had never I had never been in. It felt like a video game, Like you go, it's one sound, Then you go up here. I'd never been seen that in my life.

Speaker 2 6:11

Yeah, it's really there's a lot of stimuli here, it's special yeah on stage and he just kind of pointed me out.

Speaker 2 6:25

He was like you're a singer, and at that point I had had enough to drink that I was like, yeah, I'm a singer. And so he got me on stage and I sang a couple songs. I left in my card and he looked at me with an empty tip jar and he goes if you can fill this up by the time you get back, um, I'll have a job for you. And I was like done, so I take the tip jar around, I get it filled up, left in my card, we go to the hockey game, I go back to St Louis, and then he calls me a couple weeks later. He's like hey, you know what are you doing for St Mephis, which in Nashville? That's like it's a huge country music party.

Speaker 1 6:56

You filled it up and he said he'd give you a job. Then you fill it up.

Speaker 2 6:59

Yeah, well, he was on stage though, so I just left in my car and I was like call me. Oh, you know, I feel like it's back in the days of cards. Yeah, for sure, I still got a couple. I don't want to hand them out because I'm like these are actually.

Speaker 1 7:09

I actually might need that later yeah I have like six left yeah, that's cool, so that's just so weird. So you, but you filled it, so I thought you were gonna be like you moved on immediately.

Speaker 2 7:19

So it's no, no. So he calls me a couple weeks later. He's like we'll come down and sing with my band and um. So I came down for cma fest, I played that weekend and this is all broadway stuff and then um went back to st louis and he called me about two weeks later again and he said hey, if you want to move down, I've got a like permanent job for you.

Speaker 2 7:38

Come on down, and so I packed up a suitcase of clothes, a suitcase of shoes. I traded in one of my guitars and got like a mic and some cables and capos and picks and strings, just like have some shit. When I got here and um in my car and I took off and I slept on a couch for two weeks at a girlfriend's house and just like started working right away and then uh, two in that two weeks.

Speaker 1 8:03

When you live with someone because you have that, you have a dream that you're trying to do, and if you have to crash on someone's house, you're trying to do that dream and somehow be the best roommate anyone's ever seen, because you don't want to piss that person off yeah, so it's kind of hard to get comfortable, and then you're like oh, you're always walking on the eggshells, you're walking on eggshells and you're trying to be respectful and and you're like I'm so sorry, I'm breathing so loud, so fine, I don't mind.

Speaker 1 8:24

They go in the room. They have pickles here.

Speaker 2 8:26

Like I'm mad about everything.

Speaker 1 8:28

Yeah, so you came here and you crashed on Mary Sue Kisho's couch. Yeah, and then she's like I just have to put you. Help me put this on before I go to bed, Please. Sounds great oh yeah, so now, that's just crazy.

Speaker 2 8:42

Yeah, and I've been here ever since this is cool how fast this happened.

Speaker 1 8:44

So then, as soon as you came here, did you start playing for that guy like full time.

Speaker 2 8:47

Oh yeah, For like the next, probably played specifically for him. He kind of had an alternating cast of crazies and I was one of them.

Speaker 1 8:57

And I'm actually curious and so I feel like there has to be other people that are too. I feel like musicians and comedians are like people kind of understand this world, but it's like so when you move down here, it's like this guy's using like me and some of these other people. Is it often enough to? It's like a part-time job. Are you working other gigs? Are you like how like?

Speaker 2 9:12

how does that?

Speaker 1 9:13

whole thing. Look, because for a comic it's this you're just, you're always meal, you're like. I think they're very similar.

Speaker 2 9:18

Yeah, I think we love a very mirrored life of each other I, I think so too. Especially so in Nashville proper, speaking specifically of Broadway, which is like the main street where all the music is and whatnot. They, everybody, works for everybody and everyone's. You know, the bars hire the front people, so who's ever singing? And then the singers hire their players and we are 1099, and then I 1099, my people, it's all yes, um, it's all.

Speaker 2 9:49

It's a nightmare during tax season it is a nightmare to keep track of you definitely have to find a rhythm.

Speaker 1 9:54

Did I tip them? When you're?

Speaker 2 9:55

trying to figure out everything you did. Yeah, on top of well, in a lot of the bars when I first moved here, they all paid cash too. It wasn't even like anything.

Speaker 1 10:02

You can record a regular person if you pay, if you pay like paying for taxes, feels like imagine in your dream when you're flying and stuff trying to fill out like a 1099 like you do all that you're supposed to keep your receipts and all of a sudden you're like, fuck yeah. How many times did I fly in my dream? You know, like it's nuts you try to remember it all while doing a thing that everyone's like. How do you do?

Speaker 2 10:21

that I keep everything on my calendar and I keep I pay I only pay through venmo, so at the end of the year I just print out my venmo, you are good at it oh yeah, dude, it's the only thing that. That's the only reason I survived covid was because I could get the pbp loan, because you kept that's like. That is one of the only reasons I was able to stay in nashville or in so many covid. Really like it was it was it dude?

Speaker 2 10:43

it was like half of them passed away Cause they were just like we can't afford to live with the bed Like the men from the boys it was crazy and the fact I remember they were like get your paperwork together, and I was like here's a picture of me with Jerry Seinfeld. My mom gave me my social security card the other day.

Speaker 1 11:02

Our parents keep it and you're like I actually need, need it. Can I have that back, dude? Why do they do that? I'm like I can't get that. They're like I think it's safer at our house. I'm like people keep asking for it. I think I should have it at my house. My 30s mom, yeah, oh, it's so weird. Yeah, that stuff is so very, very interesting. So how long, uh, were you living here? Because I remember you started playing pretty regularly at tootsies.

Speaker 1 11:23

Yeah, I worked for them for about eight years. For about eight years. That's cool because you were playing and booking for them and you would play it like they have other rooms like around the country they have.

Speaker 2 11:32

They do only, um, only in panama city, I think. I don't know, I've been out of it now for about two or three years. Um, but yeah, they, all they have is their panama city. They do have a marina and they had a golf course, gotcha.

Speaker 1 11:45

So and they but they've owned several bars on the street, like the family does, but you were always someone that I felt like, because, like, we all went to school together and we we're like the age where it's like we were all, I guess, in like high school and then facebook happened, so then we can kind of start checking in on each other, yeah and then you'd eventually be like should I add people I grew up with like you didn't know?

Speaker 1 12:05

and then you add and you're like wait, holy shit, she lives in nashville you know what I mean.

Speaker 1 12:09

So I think, like you start to like whatever, like you rekindle a friendship or whatever and start to see how they're doing. But to the point that you were just talking about, I feel like you had a really good trajectory and I'm sure we can talk about any of the parts that were way harder than people know or whatever. But like I would just see you constantly being on the road playing with different bands, like I feel like every day I'd be like how does she have another picture of her on stage? Like like she's like the Stevie Nicks of Fenton. She's fucking up there, like yeah, and I'm just like why does anyone take photo of me and someone's like I got it on my phone. Like why does anyone take a photo of me and someone's like I got it on my phone? I'm like you're so far back but no, that's amazing. Like I remember just like seeing pictures of you early on and being like that's fucking, it seems cool. But like in hindsight.

Speaker 1 12:54

I don't know, I don't. There's no good way. I guess I don't have like a leading question, but I want to know, like, what are the hardest things about it that I didn't know I'd have to do? Like, honestly, when I look back, thinking about some of the things, like if you woke up and you were just in Nashville.

Speaker 2 13:10

My dad asked me this question the other day.

Speaker 1 13:11

Yeah, like not saying you wouldn't do it, but like it would be so hard.

Speaker 2 13:15

So I guess my big question is just kind of like talking about you can go wherever you want, because I think you know exactly what I'm talking.

Speaker 1 13:20

Yeah, so on me you.

Speaker 2 13:22

I had adhd back then too you're doing great, you're killing it, you're using it for good. I am so. My dad asked me this the other day and he basically said you know, knowing what you know now yeah, if you were to go back, would you do it or would you keep doing it?

Speaker 1 13:36

that's a good one, yes and I was automatically yes.

Speaker 2 13:40

The short answer is yes, I will. I told dad I was like whether I become a millionaire because I write a song for disney or I become the next. You know, alanis morris said or I'm just writing for miranda lambert like however, this cookie crumbles, I will be doing music yes, you know, either it's that or I'm singing in a cardboard box on the corner, like I'll still be doing you just know it, it's in your heart.

Speaker 1 14:00

It's like someone who's an accountant. They're not like what am I gonna do in 10 years? You're like, probably accounting yeah, it's not like hard to imagine it like it's not crazy once you do it.

Speaker 2 14:07

Yes but, um, I think if I could go in with more knowledge and honestly, I think it's I want to say, quote unquote the same for everybody. It's just the process of growing up, yeah, and so I think one of the harder things for me where I think about a lot of the now that I'm 33, I think a lot about I have a 16 year old niece and I'll get myself in positions where I'm like if this was Josephine, like if I were Josephine right now, looking at you know, as an old, as her aunt, would I want her in this position? Would I want her dealing with this person? Would I want her playing at this bar for these?

Speaker 2 14:41

people Would I want her playing at this bar for these people? Would I want her to be writing in a room with this guy? You know like. So I think if I could do anything quote unquote differently, I would not allow myself to be treated as a girl yeah. I would be respected as an artist who's just as equal as the dudes.

Speaker 1 14:58

Yes. I wouldn't be so, like I wouldn't allow myself to be so patted on the head and do you yeah, and do you think because some of the hard part is is that you're also so grateful to be there that you don't want to question well, they use it against you.

Speaker 2 15:07

Yeah, for sure.

Speaker 1 15:07

Yeah, it's like we'll do this or don't work your whole life, so it's so easy to be in any way like it's easy to be manipulated.

Speaker 2 15:13

You know, yeah, especially I don't. I don't have the voice then either. You know, as I'm sure your voice is different from when you were 21 as well.

Speaker 1 15:20

I've been hearing you. I've been hearing you sing in the church since we were.

Speaker 2 15:23

I've been hearing you sing longer than anybody, oh I meant like my personal voice, like my, like oh, I'm just more grounded in who I am now, where I would just be like, no, I'm just gonna wait this out. Actual voice. I'm like, fuck dude. Oh no, my voice is definitely different.

Speaker 1 15:34

Bro, let's go, I can't wait to talk about singing in fucking church. Yeah dude no so okay, no, that makes sense. Yeah, but that's something. Yeah, I'm sure that's because that's something. That's something, yeah, I'm sure, because that's something. That's interesting too is you could be good at like standing up for yourself in general, but then all of a sudden, when your dreams are involved, everyone treats them weird.

Speaker 2 15:49

There's not much you can do for it. You know they're really, I mean within reason, of course. But when somebody says like hey, tonight you're not getting paid, or you know, now I would be like, well, fuck you yes but back then I was like well, you know, I love doing it.

Speaker 1 16:02

Anyway, let's go you know, that was the same way. I was like I don't care if I get paid, and the comic was like you cared come over here or they won't pay you, and I was like I'll just, I'll do the show for free yeah, I'm like.

Speaker 2 16:13

But then I think about see, I think about josephine. I'm like do I want josephine in an environment where they're not gonna pay her, no matter what she does? I don't give, she's a fucking nurse. But like, do I?

Speaker 1 16:21

no, yes, I don't know so I completely agree, I do totally agree, yeah. And then here's this is the the devil's part of it the devil's advocate or whatever. Yeah, because I was thinking about this and I'm the same way where I'm like because there's certain things I'd be like, like if my, because I've done it and I don't have kids, but if I had a kid or whatever you say that yeah, to be like I want to do stand-up.

Speaker 1 16:40

I would my, I would be like yeah, like thinking about I'm gonna be a psychopath, though I'm gonna be like fucking go you want to be like go, but then all of a sudden you know they're in branson. You're like what was I doing in branson? You're like I drove so far to this. I woke up at someone's house one time and this guy, this child, goes daddy and I was like you have a kid. I'm like bro, yeah, you don't want, you don't want anyone in those situations, but also.

Speaker 2 17:03

They make your character, though they make your character. It's like a really strong Sims game and it does pay well at the Horny Toad sometimes. It was a place you did.

Speaker 1 17:11

Whoa, it was called the Horny Toad and I did go home a Horny Toad I can't believe she goes and we dropped her kid off at school.

Speaker 2 17:17

They're really selling their stuff here yeah for sure.

Speaker 1 17:20

I do think we grew up with movies that made us think that we did have to put up with it, like it would be nice if early on, like you were saying. I do agree Cause I don't think I do not think anyone should have to go through that. I don't think any kid should have to be like like cause I've done, I've done shows for almost no money, less whatever, but you're like it did get you where you were, did it?

Speaker 2 17:43

No, I love the way I did it too, but there are times where I look back and I'm like, well, that was questionable, yeah.

Speaker 1 17:49

Or you look back and you're like you legit. You thought people were scared when they were like I can't believe I made it out. I'll look back and be like, sincerely, dude, how did we make it out of there?

Speaker 2 18:06

Dude, okay, I have who we were like in the trenches down on broadway together. We pursued artistry at the same time and then she went more on the tech side and right now she's for lack of better understanding she's a tm, like a tour manager nice, she's doing really well. She's like one of the biggest um artists, like country music artists in usa proper, and she's just killing it. But and then I have another girlfriend who did the trenches, wanted to be an artist, and then she chose what I'm gonna call like real life way, yeah, and she is now a private flight attendant. She's doing great. And then there's me. Who's like artist or dog?

Speaker 1 18:32

you know, like dude did our school put it into? Us I did, saint paul, maybe make us be like it has to be the art she's pushing that cart around I'm like that's us this is girl, what are you doing girl?

Speaker 2 18:42

no so, but we were all in a room together. We had like a sleep over during christmas. Everybody was in town and, uh, we sat there and we looked at each other and we're like we okay. So when I first moved here, there was no lift or uber. You can only do taxis there was taxis here.

Speaker 2 18:57

Yeah, you can only use taxis and they only took cash and very rarely would they let you know they spoke english or not. And when I tell you we, finally, we ended up making friends with one of the taxi drivers to meet you. Yeah well, his name was cal, and so we would just call cal and be like cal. We have a shift at six and he would come get us from the condo and we would be poured back into his taxi at 3 30 in the morning and he would like take us home.

Speaker 1 19:22

Make sure we got in our house and shut the door how many times, how many times would you enjoy it and be like there's like a movie, like when you're getting dumped in? Were there a couple times you were like no, I have. If I was coherent, you know like I came to see you and like surprised you, and you were like what's up? Yeah, and I was like dude, you just killed it. You can say like what?

Speaker 1 19:42

yeah, and I think you did guys I think you guys might have gotten like dumb. You have like a section to yourself and that's what I mean is so cool like because I did from an outsider. I still don't even I comics don't really get that like. We just get a room where they're like we still don't get a big green like. So it is nice that you guys have like your own section. I remember that you had to be like he's with us and they still punched me and then they let me come over.

Speaker 2 20:01

I was like sounds right, initiation, hey, what's up?

Speaker 1 20:04

no, yeah yeah, that's so. That's cool that you got to do that, but that's so funny. You're like, I wasn't very coherent during those times no, I was well, think about it. I didn't go to college, I didn't have so I did all of my growing up in the bars and if you get four years there, but then with us there's no end. So we just keep being like.

Speaker 2 20:19

I think we're supposed to keep getting fucked up well, finally, it comes to the point where, like you look around at your friends and your choices and who's doing what and who's gone where and who's still around and who's doing the same thing, you're like, okay, I think we're at the point where, like it's tuesday yeah, and I think this is this is a problem we're no longer having fun like now.

Speaker 1 20:37

You know bobby joe like it's tuesday when you wake, when you wake up and you don't feel good and you know you're not gonna feel good for like, you're like, I'm not gonna feel good later yeah or tomorrow, and you start thinking about that and then you're like for sure, because luckily alcohol is not my big, big thing. No, is that for you were.

Speaker 2 20:52

You for you did you when I was, yeah, when I was 21 to 26, seven, yeah, because you do something I went to high school with.

Speaker 1 20:59

I think a party with you, and I feel like even they were like oh, tara, fucking party like yeah like she's got cowboy boots on and she fucking goes dude yeah, dude, that's crazy yeah, you and I can. Well, I can drink a little bit, and then eventually I will just like pass out yeah, I'm more of a weed man yeah that's. I can handle that a lot more. But what's the? Do you have like a funniest, like leaving with that taxi guy, like I'm sure that it's got to be so nice?

Speaker 2 21:23

that guy took care of you guys so much and he was like a crazy guy back there you know what I mean.

Speaker 1 21:27

Like there's like thanks cow, it's just not. Yeah, it is nice that you get to like finally be like we're taking care of in this like city, because so many times you're not like as a performer. You look at the movies, you're like it's gonna be really hard, but it's also really awesome and we're like, well, what does that part happen?

Speaker 2 21:41

Well, here's one of my funnier stories as far as just being on the road and playing shitty shows and finding yourself in peculiar situations where you're like one, why, two, why aren't we leaving? So I was doing a little Florida run with some girlfriends and we got to, let's say, like we're halfway through the run and one of our monitors goes out, so and we need our monitors, like you can't sing without them it's just you don't have any ears or anything, no, and so that's the only thing.

Speaker 1 22:12

But we didn't have any money.

Speaker 2 22:13

Yeah so we couldn't go buy a 700 monitor. And so we get to the show that we're supposed to be playing, we have one monitor left and we're like, okay, let's just basically like tell everybody our woes and pray to god they feel for us and take the shit out of us and we can go get a speaker. Okay, so come like we get there and I'm like, no, we can't do this with a monitor, we still need to like this is ridiculous, this is we're gonna blow our voices out, we're not gonna be able to sing for three more days and we're gonna be double fucked. You know the whole nine yards. So I did the dad phone call my dad, I need a loan, 700, we have to go get this, we have to go that. And he's like, yeah, just go get it.

Speaker 1 22:46

You know like, get it taken care of but dad, can you pick me up at guitar center? I'm in the middle of fucking nowhere florida, can you? Get us a. We need a monitor right now and I know you said you I could always call you if I needed a monitor.

Speaker 2 22:59

Yeah, that's so funny and but the other part of this is that this show that we were setting up for it was like a throne in there, like we'd got it from the gig before.

Switzerland Memories and Music Tour

Speaker 2 23:07

They're like oh I have a cousin and you know two hours. That way it's on your way, they'll stop, they'll pay you, blah blah. But we didn't have anywhere to stay and there was five of us and so night goes, we get the monitor. It's fine end of the show. We have nowhere to stay. I was like everyone was too drunk. I was like we're not driving the next three hours to the next place, like so we have these two guys, you know 40, 50 year old men who are like, yeah, you guys, we had two guys with us, okay, nice so that gets scary.

Speaker 1 23:35

Yeah, how old are you? Oh no, we had one guy.

Speaker 2 23:38

I think it was just chris. Anyways, doesn't matter, we had at least one male with us.

Speaker 1 23:41

When we get to this, guy's house, just a really strong woman just like you're so strong, but you need, like one woman that you're like I've never seen someone so tall yeah.

Speaker 2 23:48

Yeah and uh. So everything inside of me is like I don't know about this. But we get to the guy's house you know it's two in the morning, he's you know. Oh, let's, you know, let's rip a ball, let's do it. I hate smoking weed with those guys. What is the story? You're not one of us. What is this?

Speaker 1 24:04

When they smoke weed. You're like you know you've heard someone.

Speaker 2 24:12

Yeah, you can just tell you're like this guy's a weird guy, yeah, and he had a buddy with him, and then so we're sitting on the back porch.

Speaker 1 24:17

Both in pink shorts, yeah.

Speaker 2 24:18

Yeah, and it's a really nice house in there. We, this like 95 year old woman comes into the back porch like, slings the door open and she's like God damn it, Michael. I told you're not doing this anymore. He was living with his mother and he's like Mom, go to bed.

Speaker 1 24:43

I thought his wife was just so old. That sucks. No, he was living with his mom.

Speaker 2 24:47

He's like really yeah, and she basically, she like looked at mom. He's like really yeah, and all of us and she basically, she like looked at exactly. No, literally exactly how you would think high schoolers reacted. That is exactly what happened, yeah.

Speaker 1 24:58

Everyone's like spraying perfume out of their bottles. I'm going to say it's yours. He's shaking yeah.

Speaker 2 25:02

What so this woman basically like he's like you're welcome to stay, but you're going to bed. And we're like yes, ma'am, we're all going to bed now we get up in the morning. This guy's obviously previously hungover and is so sheepish won't make eye contact with any of us. He's sitting there like his mom's, like his 97-year-old mother is making us scrambled eggs and bacon and coffee and she's like oh, we hope you guys have a great trip. Stop. I looked at my girlfriends. I was like get the fuck in the car. Yeah, we're not eating eggs, we're not having pancakes.

Speaker 1 25:31

Get in the car. His mom's about to cut us up into pieces. Let's go.

Speaker 2 25:34

But that's always a trip that I think of, that I'm like that's hilarious.

Speaker 1 25:37

Especially because you end up you can't even know I was so so susceptible and you, just many times, you do have this blind trust, you have this blind trust, you're like there she goes again.

Speaker 2 25:54

I literally just like.

Speaker 1 25:55

I've definitely gone through cities where I'm like this sucks and I'm like I think it's supposed to.

Speaker 2 25:58

You know what I mean.

Speaker 1 25:59

Like you kind, of that's all you're hoping.

Speaker 2 26:03

All the good's going to turn, or all. Have a big pal, good one day, yeah, and then you're like it should be.

Speaker 1 26:08

I've been checking my mail. No, but that was. But, like I said, like that was something I saw, I remember I've seen you like it on the road, doing different shows, I think in different cities too. Yeah, and yeah, just so many different places with different people online and stuff too, and you got to play over like you've played around world.

Speaker 1 26:31

I have where it's yeah, where have you played? Most in switzerland is like my. I go there every year. That's so cool. You have a place. You're like switzerland's, kind of my jam. What are the people like?

Speaker 2 26:34

there, they're ridiculously kind really yeah and everybody is um, I don't. What I love about switzerland is first of all, it's the cleanest country I have ever been to in my entire life their road, their infrastructure, oh my god.

Speaker 1 26:50

Their road, their infrastructure, oh my God. Can you?

Speaker 2 26:51

imagine. No, their infrastructure is incredible. Everything is clean, Everyone is, I mean, not a hair out of place and they're just the kindest. I mean. You understand, first of all, the scenery, just in general, if humans didn't live there. It is so picturesque really just the land in general is one of those, like you feel like you're like mountainous, like what's it like?

Speaker 2 27:15

yeah, you feel like you're in a movie. Oh nice really. I mean, the first time that they took me, the first time I ever went over there, they took me up to the um, the alps, the alps, right yeah, switzerland yeah and um, we get up there and I've have never snowboarded or skied in my entire life, so they have we.

Speaker 2 27:33

They have these like toboggans or sleds or whatever, and we are going down mountains, we are going on the alps on sleds and they're like oh, you're like checking your health insurance, like on the way you're like don't put your feet down. I'm like, why am I supposed to stop? They're like you'll figure it out.

Speaker 1 27:48

Bye, bye, you hit Sheboygan and you're like what?

Speaker 2 27:51

If you've gone to France, you've gone too far. They don't want you Come back.

Speaker 1 27:58

Being scared in another country is something I don't know, anything that's so funny.

Speaker 2 28:01

They let me get that far into Canada and turn me around. That's so funny.

Speaker 1 28:05

So you were in. That is so funny that you're in Switzerland, so you're going down and how, how, how did you stop just at? The oh your natural instincts take over and you freak out and you put your feet down and then you're just like that's what everyone does. I don't know.

Speaker 2 28:18

I don't think that's how you're supposed to stop, but that's all I could think of to do.

Speaker 1 28:23

And it was traumatic. The shows are wonderful and they love country music and they're kind of depraved of it, really deprived. Deprived of it, I think. Deprived, I could be deprived, yeah, so they love country music over there. They do well, they love all music they really do.

Speaker 2 28:39

But, um, the first couple times I went over there we were really just playing with a cover band. So it's a small world, because the how that all conspires is there was a girl named bet Behe who played in Nashville on Broadway for forever. These Swiss guys, there's a group of 10 of them. They're like a. They started as a motorcycle group called themselves the Wild Hogs, and they are the coolest group of dudes you've ever been around.

Speaker 1 29:05

But, they.

Speaker 2 29:05

It was like their family tradition that they would come to nashville for a week every year and they had been coming for like 10 years in a row. They always found beth, um, and then, you know, it kind of trickled out to they, we saw them every year and we became, we all became friends. Beth actually ended up marrying. One of them moved over to switzerland.

Speaker 2 29:24

They have a baby oh bad and that's rules, that's awesome, but and the kind of like the head honcho of the group he opened up. He had some clubs there and he's opened up a bar now and he's actually opening up a few more like sister stores or stores, whatever bars as well. His name's Dano Hi Dano, if you're listening and but he started bringing all of us over and so we would come in and now they call it nashville nights and they have us. I think it's once a month. They bring somebody over from nashville and they've made it more artist focused now where we get to play our music and you know, with the bands, we have a day of rehearsal with the band, so to go over all of our original stuff, um, and then you do one night acoustic, you do one night full with the band and then and they're so gracious, they put you up and you can make your ticket for whenever. So you can go there for two weeks, you can go there.

Speaker 1 30:12

They're just a little dream. That's beautiful, and when you're doing what you love in another country, there has to be time. Are you emotional? Do you cry or do you just take it in? Do you not cry?

Speaker 2 30:25

I don't know if I've ever seen you cry.

Speaker 1 30:26

I'm a crier, you do, I'm a crier, but I also feel like because I don't know if I can remember ever seeing you cry I was like. I feel like if I cried in front of you you would punch me like I feel like you could either one, you'd be like toughen up. I'm like you're right, tara, I should toughen up a little bit, like you're very feminine but I've also never morning.

Speaker 1 30:45

Oh yeah, I'm trying to think, oh yeah, I think one time we had a phone call when you guys broke up. Yeah, whenever I was like, hey, we should maybe do a tour. You're like, well, we're not doing so. Good, right now, I was like, let's definitely not try to do this thing. But I remember that was, yeah, that was a bad time because you didn't have your tomtom. Yeah, she's never said that, by the way, that was the nickname I made up her tomtom.

Speaker 1 31:03

Um, but yeah, so you. So when you're in another country, did you cry? I?

Speaker 2 31:07

usually I cry on the way home, on the plane, that's like when I'm kind of like reminiscing on everything that just happened and realizing that it's, I get really overwhelmed sometimes. That music has literally given me everything in my adult life, isn't it crazy? Yeah, and I think it's also why I can have such like I don't it's not, but why I can get so offended if I think people are doing music poorly or cheaply sure I'm just like yeah, oh, because you, because like, if you're not gonna do it, yeah well, or do it respectfully, or do it with any type of like sacredness to it yeah, fuck you if you're not trying to go to the swiss or link and fucking quit it.

Speaker 1 31:42

Yeah, no, I do. We were talking about it the other day because I very much like. I'm like I think everyone should be able to like their art, but then the one guy was like, yeah, but then they are taking weight. So I see both sides totally, but I feel like I do care about it more.

Speaker 2 31:53

No, if somebody's passionate about it and they suck, that's fine, okay, I'm just talking about the people who are good, who treat it like ugh, oh that's way more important yeah.

Speaker 1 32:02

It's like fuck off.

Speaker 2 32:15

Yeah, good someone, you're like they're doing so well and they're like fucking hate every bit of this.

Speaker 1 32:16

Yeah exactly that's what I mean, those people. Okay, that makes I'm not just thinking go work at target because I love I do love someone who does suck like I'm like you're so suck but you're fun.

Speaker 2 32:20

Yeah, but yeah, I've been on the road, or you can like see that they genuinely are like this is everything.

Speaker 1 32:24

Yes, because there are people that you see that you're like they yeah they, they really care Like you do. It means a lot.

Speaker 2 32:29

Yeah.

Speaker 1 32:30

And yeah, when you cry, and then whenever you cry, you don't know what's coming on. So then you're on an airplane. You have to, like, pull your hat down, like this.

Speaker 2 32:35

You're just like oh my God, where do you cry in front of other?

Speaker 1 32:42

people Like when you're crying on the airplane home. Yeah, no, listening to Alan Watts and he was just like we're all one. I'm like everyone broke up Like good, Don't fuck up. No, everyone in New York's wildly nicer than anybody portrays, I know, I was like this, and a guy who didn't speak English, like you, did not know where you're going.

Speaker 2 32:57

And he like helped me around.

Speaker 1 32:59

I did that twice at your house on this table. I'm the worst, but she, oh my god, um no, they are nice.

Speaker 2 33:08

I love new york. That's cool. I always there's like a little part of me that's always wanted to live there we should, guys.

Speaker 1 33:13

We'll save up and get a little place we can always just go to, because I'm the same way I was. I moved to austin, but I've always I just want to do like two or three years like a stint, like a new york stint because when you're there, it feels like you know how that charger that because I don't have that phone yet, but instead of plugging it in, it charges while it's just sitting on something.

Speaker 2 33:30

Oh yeah.

Speaker 1 33:30

That's how I feel in New York.

Speaker 2 33:32

When you're walking around you're like, yeah, it pulls right in. And you're like this place, this is amazing.

Speaker 1 33:39

There is something about it that's cool. But you really have done it your whole life, because I specifically remember none of us took singing seriously except for you In class when we were kids, like in kindergarten, and I've told you this many times, but you would be you're the first one I saw do this with their ear and I remember doing it my ear. I'm like what's happening? Does she like put the song? I remember being like just hold it, like this is she hold. I remember watching it. I was like because I would just mouth the words, even when we all had to play the recorder. I was like I can't do this.

Speaker 2 34:05

I'm so funny the entire time that was happening, I was like I can't do this. I'm so bad. You know what's so funny? The entire time that that was happening, I was having an internal meltdown because I was so embarrassed, I wanted to do it so bad, but I was so scared I know, and I was sitting in the back and in church we were not supposed to do it.

Speaker 1 34:18

I was slightly being like, why does she do that? Yes, but you would be belting it out because, like, the class would sit up there, but every once in a while, like on top of that, they they put some people up there. So, whenever they like, raise their hand in the catholic church, like four of you guys are like he's come down now like you guys, go crazy yeah, yeah you guys were always singing, sang and did you enjoy.

Speaker 1 34:40

Did you enjoy singing in church? Because that had to be so much more fun for you, because it was just stressful for me. It was like gym when people describe like, oh, I was just getting thrown dodgeballs. That was like when people describe like, oh, I was just getting thrown dodgeballs. That was like going to church for me. I'm just like they're going to make me stand and sing.

Church Memories and Musical Journeys

Speaker 2 34:52

I don't know. I think church is such a funny thing to think about. I just enjoyed singing.

Speaker 1 34:59

Most of our memories together are from a church which is really wild, it's very funny now yeah. Very funny now. Very funny now, super weird.

Speaker 2 35:10

Most of my memories, like we have, like that fucking church is where I had like my first panic attack, though, I think, because I remember it so vividly. They had me playing piano and I did not want to play piano in front of people. I till this day, as an adult, I don't like playing piano in front of people really, oh my gosh it just sets me.

Speaker 2 35:22

I just like I can't, I it's like my off button, I just like power down, and but I love the piano and I love playing the piano, but I don't play it in front of anybody really and I remember the first time I ever had to play in front of people and it mattered, was at church and you know I wasn't background.

Speaker 2 35:37

It was like and we're waiting for the piano before the rest of the procession happens and I just remember feeling my heart like in my throat, like I remember feeling pulsating in my neck and I remember like not being able to see for a slight second and just being like now I have to push the keys, and it was no more than like a two minute thing, but I remember like trying to get like off of the bench yeah to get away from the piano, to go sit and with the rest of the I just remember being like my knees don't work.

Speaker 1 36:09

Yes, that's crazy that you had to do it, that young dude I was full on meltdown. Dude. Until this day, I still hate playing the piano, Because also was that the piano where your back faces the audience.

Speaker 2 36:21

No, it was we did face that one.

Speaker 1 36:23

Yeah, okay, because there's nothing worse than whenever they're like yeah, whenever they're like giving a man of.

Speaker 2 36:35

God a. It's the funniest looking thing ever amen, amen.

Speaker 1 36:42

There's God in that song dude, that's so funny, but man, yeah, that's so crazy, but it really is cool to think and I will just to go back to like what you were talking about, because I do. I just that was something that it's cool to get to see it as someone who's like also both like following our dreams, to be like I like. When I came in I was like I don't think she knows, I'm like here yeah, so I just got to like watch you play and like watching you in your element, you would no offense.

Speaker 1 37:06

But if you ever like you're like I'm gonna sneak in and watch my buddy while he's doing accounting you would never be like he's killing like he were you just like, yeah, you're like, oh, that looks that actually sucks. And then you'd be like hey, but I got to be like what's up?

Speaker 1 37:19

and you're like what's up, we're about to go throw in a taxi and it was fun, it was. You do like you do know everything about this place and that's what's fun about. Like, yeah, people, there's no, I don't know, it's just like there's no job. They're like let me show you where we do accounts payable. Like you would run me up and down the street and you're like that guy plays what you would just show me like that guy is reba mcintyre you're just like you're pointing everyone out and you knew you're like no, not this bar.

Speaker 1 37:44

And then you're like this bar and I can't remember the guy's name. But we went in one bar and this is this is maybe the most emotional I've gotten since I've known you, except for the first time, I think, whenever you're a kid you put your like arms like this while we were watching a movie, and I think that was when I like became. I was like I hit puberty because I think you did. I was like well, I'm gonna pat you, tara stop, but you like sat just by me. I was like I think I like girls and everyone calls me gay just because you went to college but that also, but that's also like, and then we're like just playing soccer.

Childhood Sports Memories and Mishaps

Speaker 1 38:10

I'm like she keeps kicking my ass. Do you remember I used to switch teams? Do?

Speaker 2 38:14

you, yeah, yeah, people were like I was non-binary before anybody.

Speaker 1 38:19

We would just play, and none of I was the only kid in our class who didn't play soccer yeah I don't know. If I don't know, I think my parents were. My dad was like no, that's too gay, or whatever. I don't know why, but I don't know why you didn't play it either. I think because I lived farther than you guys, because I lived in like high ridge, so my parents were like you can't play baseball.

Speaker 1 38:33

And I don't remember I just was the only kid that didn't play like soccer I feel like with all you guys.

Speaker 2 38:37

Yeah, your brother, both did baseball, yeah uh, I think he didn't.

Speaker 1 38:41

We didn't go there, we like switched before.

Speaker 2 38:43

Yeah, but oh well, he would just be there. He was real young. He's like seven years younger. He was probably just there and you saw him I remember, I just remember him like on a field trip with your mom, with us, or something, I for sure, because definitely whenever I left.

Speaker 1 38:54

Kindergarten was when I had a brother and I remember she like brought, and you were like. I remember all the girls came out like you're like miss jaycox, can we see him? And I was like whoa, ladies, my brother's not enough, there's enough for him to go around. You have to hold his neck though. Support, support, dude. But yeah, I can't remember what I was talking about because I have so many flashbacks of what were we just talking about. I just got thrown off we were talking about soccer.

Speaker 1 39:18

You were there, but you remember me, so well, yeah, because they I was on the after a while when none of them passed you. You're like fuck this place, fuck this place. So then finally, the ball. Just they don't kick it to you, it just comes over to you. And then I was like here you go, Tara, Can I get it to you? And you're like. You look like Mia Hammett. That's the only soccer player I know.

Speaker 2 39:39

And she was all of our heroes, her and Brandi Chastain.

Speaker 1 39:42

My second guess would be Danica Patrick, and I know she's actually a racer. I don't know any soccer players. She's actually a racer I don't know any soccer players, I'm like Bob Marley but I just remember you guys killing it.

Speaker 2 39:51

so I remember past that and the guys were like we were such good little soccer players.

Speaker 1 39:54

Dude the girls team Every day was one big game of boys versus girls and me just being like we were great. We really were Some days.

Speaker 2 40:02

I make myself the referee.

Speaker 1 40:05

I don't think I'm telling you as a guy who just watched and would ask if I could.

Speaker 2 40:11

I'm like you and Mary Sue on the sidelines.

Speaker 1 40:15

Don't touch me with that stuff. It's too greasy. I have autism. Oh my God. I was telling a story the other day on my podcast, but only that of uh, do you remember Tony Pazella? And like some, of those kids. Yeah, we went to school with just I don't know some of the weirdest kids, but I remember his dad was our baseball coach, because you said baseball oh yeah and he was standing there one time. I can't remember dalton, I can't remember tony pazella.

Speaker 2 40:42

Tony was dad.

Speaker 1 40:43

Two different colored eyes yeah, I think it's two different.

Speaker 1 40:46

No, yeah he tony, no, tyler, palizzi, yeah, palizzi, yeah, we had like a lot of tps we had a lot of italian names too, now that I think about it jesus, but I just remember his he was standing there and we were all playing baseball and like when you're kids it seems so fun, but when you look back you're like it's such a waste of time. And I remember we were sitting there and tony pazella's dad just didn't know, if you remember he was looking like this and this kid dalton just did that thing where he didn't even look and just threw it so fucking hard and we're all of us. I remember we stood there and just like watched and we're like we don't even know physics yet and that's gonna hit his dad in the car and I remember he's standing there and just hits, hits him and we all watch him fall down.

Speaker 1 41:29

He just died and we were like I'm going to fucking kill that kid. Like even as a kid you're like, but I thought we go to Catholic school. He was supposed to forgive him. He's like I'm going to fucking kill that kid.

Speaker 2 41:38

So we were playing softball.

Speaker 1 41:43

And Shanna McMann's. Just their names are funny. Now I know.

Speaker 2 41:49

They sound like something off of Parks and Rec.

Speaker 1 41:51

I want to play. We can play a game where we will, in a second, say a name and try not to laugh. I will just say something from our class.

Speaker 2 41:58

So her dad was our softball coach. Okay, and Kathleen, there was a pot fly. Kathleen's looking up Kathleen Burhorse, straight into the sun and I mean it's straight on beelined her forehead.

Speaker 1 42:13

Oh my God. And she drops like a sack of potatoes.

Speaker 2 42:15

I just remember all of us being like, oh my God. And then losing it.

Speaker 1 42:19

That is so funny. I put this on. I don't know why I'm so hot now yeah, it's the summertime. Dude and she got hit right in the head and you never forget. When you watch someone get kids, you're like I think they're about to get rocked because you don't want them to get hurt.

Speaker 1 42:31

But you're like doesn't look like you're gonna die. Dude, when you're a kid and people get so hurt all the time, do you remember I was telling someone like do you remember like when you were a kid I was like I don't think my knees were ever healed. We would just be on black pavement, yeah, just fucking knocking each other over and just get inside my mom's like do you need new pants? I'm like yeah, I slid into first base. She's like I don't think that's the base you're supposed to slide in. Dude, those days were wild.

Speaker 2 42:56

She's like you're on the parking lot.

Speaker 1 42:57

All right, I just want to do this once, and then we'll say it All right, I'll start, I'll say our class, I'll cut it out if it totally sucks we should do the thing where we say it at the same time that's actually better and I was kind of thinking that, but I don't want to.

Speaker 2 43:12

Yes, let's do it okay one, two, three, then say it yes, okay okay, are you?

Speaker 1 43:16

I actually already feel like we are, so it's okay. But yeah, okay, all right one two, three that was the first one I was taking up, but then I was actually thinking. But the first one that made me laugh, that I thought of the game, was Mike McNulty. Why are the two?

Speaker 2 43:38

What was he? And then there was Michael Alberti, mr.

Speaker 1 43:48

Wieners, I'm going gonna throw up. Oh, my god, I can't even breathe. Dude, do you remember the? Okay, I'm gonna say something. If you remember his name, I will fucking throw my microphone one in your house. I'm just kidding, but when we, we, so we went to an all-white catholic school, I think on our first day of kindergarten, me and you yeah, it was me, you, a girl who's not there anymore, and I don't there was one black kid and he was there for one marvin you remember? Come on, man that was an oddity.

Speaker 2 44:27

how do you not remember he sat across from me and he was so Marvin. You remember him, marvin. Come on man, that was an oddity. How do you not remember he sat?

Speaker 1 44:33

across from me and he was so funny. And the next day they're like I think that kid was too funny, he just wasn't there ever again. Do you remember?

Speaker 2 44:40

that, yeah, I think even his parents, I think, were like this was a little too white.

Speaker 1 44:43

Yeah, sure. Well, my buddy has a joke about that. My buddy, kenny kines, has a joke where he goes like it's so funny he goes. If you ever see a black family at a catholic church, just know they've been tricked. Sorry, kenny, I just had it so far. Oh my god, it's just how it is. But yeah, I remember I was like this kid's so funny and where'd he go. Yeah, oh my god, dude, that's so fucking funny. I can't believe. We're just laughing at names. That's how it feels. There's something there's. Maybe it's because when we're sitting there, like alphabetical order, everyone's saying I'm gonna say your name and you know if you're here, and then you say your social security number back. Oh my god, you made me fucking laugh so hard. That's so funny, they're literally. The first one I was thinking is that when I wanted to play the game, yeah, but then because I was talking about sam seltzer.

Speaker 1 45:24

I can't remember, did he ever have a belt on sam seltzer?

Speaker 2 45:27

I always feel like his butt was.

Speaker 1 45:28

I don't know I was talking about when he was a catcher.

Speaker 2 45:29

That we'd be like pull your pants up and look at the parents.

Speaker 1 45:32

I'd be like, I'm trying. He was always one of those kids that felt like he had bags with him, but he didn't. He just felt like he had too much stuff and I love him, dude, he's seriously funny, nice but he would have like that bag. He'd pull out his homework and it looked like he got it.

Speaker 2 45:44

He's like like hermione's bag, like harry potter, he like, got inside of it. He was like how did you get a gerbil out of that thing?

Speaker 1 45:54

oh my god, dude, that is one of the funniest things ever, and what was nick. Oh, we had a bunch of nicks, nicks, mess. Yes, he's nice, sometimes he'll message me, but I remember when he he was one of those kids. You ever know a kid that you're like, okay, we're not gonna bully you, and then I don't know where he is, I don't know you, just be like what, we're like nothing. But when we switched to public, school.

Speaker 1 46:16

He saw me and I was nice to him and he always was like you were so nice to me. I was like, yeah, I'm not gonna be mean to you.

Speaker 2 46:20

I was like when I went to catholic school.

Speaker 1 46:22

We all just know everybody. So when there been the new kid and it dude being the new kid, is brutal.

Speaker 2 46:28

Yeah, oh my god, it sucks so bad yep, we had nick what was the other?

Speaker 1 46:33

I can't think people nick holberg no, I was a kid went to my school, nick holberg, that's what I can think of.

Speaker 2 46:37

Yeah, that's the first name I was trying to think of, and when I couldn't remember colberg I went to mike.

Speaker 1 46:42

That's funny that's the only one I remember. I saw him when I was working at sports authority with his dad buying shoes and I remember I go hey, what's up, we went to school together and he was like okay, I was like oh, nothing's changed.

Speaker 2 46:51

I was like all right, later dude.

Speaker 1 46:53

I was like I thought that was kind of interesting, nice to see. Oh my god, dude, that is so fucking funny. Yeah, there was something funny because we went to, we went at the school that when you're a kid you feel like everyone knows each other, but like we only had like 60 kids in a class, it was no, yeah, yeah, and the whole grade, the whole grade, yeah, so they would like every year they'd mix you up and see how you guys like got along, I guess, or whatever.

Speaker 2 47:13

Yeah.

Speaker 1 47:14

But I, yeah, I remember for sure, always remember you being like just every day I'm like it's just soccer and singing with that girl, like that's like did have horses, but we knew you actually had a horse and you weren't a horse girl yeah, we know who.

Speaker 2 47:29

Oh, I was, I just didn't at school.

Speaker 1 47:31

Yeah I feel like we could say the same name of horse girl in the same yeah, tara lean no, not, I wouldn't say you, we're being mean kids.

Speaker 2 47:46

I don't like it, no I don't.

Speaker 1 47:48

That's the only reason it's funny is because we are not saying none. We're not saying any stories about him.

Speaker 2 47:53

No, we're just saying their names, because when you're a kid, the only currency.

Discovering Musical Identity Through Childhood Memories

Speaker 1 47:56

It's like us being like enron, like yeah, you know the thing we all know. Oh, my god, I want to throw up laughing so hard. I can't even breathe. I can't believe.

Speaker 1 48:06

Yeah, we've known each other for a very, very long time so then, whenever you were a kid, was there like a time because you were always doing it. When were you like I feel like because I feel like most jobs are a decision but were you just like, yeah, I think I'm just gonna. You just were like I'm gonna do this um, no, not really.

Speaker 2 48:21

I wanted to do it. I always wanted. It was always like a like I'm the kid that would get emotional watching american idol.

Speaker 2 48:26

Oh, like when, yeah, like when people would get voted out or when the person won or whatever. Like I was the one who was like three inches from the TV, like sobbing with them, yeah. But I don't know, if I just didn't have the, I would never say that my parents weren't supportive, but I just, I don't know if it scared the shit out of me or if I just didn't think in college and whatnot. I kept telling myself, I kept trying to put band-aids on it. So I was like I'm going to do music therapy, I'm going to, you know, work at the music store. I'm going to like I'm going to be in music, but still like a real person, you know.

Speaker 1 49:04

And then, finally, after coming down, it's like this thing where they're like you, like try to like lie, just want to know I'll just make guitars.

Speaker 2 49:14

Yeah, like you, literally, whatever the band it is, yeah and I just um, after coming here a couple, after coming to nashville a couple times and seeing it, I don't know. I kind of I think I've always had a little bit of the like oh, how bad could it be, or you know what could possibly go wrong. I've always had like a very healthy dose of that yes and I've always just um known it's one, it's what it's, the thing I'm the best at.

Speaker 1 49:36

Yeah, you know, like that for sure, like you've been doing it. Yeah, if it's the 10 000 hours, you definitely got it like I saw him. Yeah, I'm like you got him. Like.

Speaker 2 49:44

Yeah, I'm not joking, yeah, yeah and I don't know it's uh, that's something that I've had to learn as an adult. That always really confused me like especially like when tommy and I first started dating. I could not wrap my head around that he didn't know what he wanted to do. Yeah, I was like there's no way, like you're saying it's gonna be something you like, what do you like, what are you good at? And he's like well, I just want to like, you know, I like riding motorcycles and I like going to the gym and I want to make money. I'm like what do you like, what?

Speaker 1 50:08

do you want to do, and he's like I don't know like not everybody knows what they want to do. What do you like besides music?

Speaker 2 50:13

and you're like listening to it yeah, when I work out I'll just put that in, but I don't really work out.

Speaker 1 50:18

I'll just like this is good.

Speaker 2 50:19

Yeah, that's funny, yeah, so and it just I had never even thought that I would that people don't know what they want to do, for sure you know I was like oh, she's a nurse, so she's wanting to be a nurse and she was too, and they're like no, I just paid a lot of money and I'm kind of good with people. You know like, yeah, they're like, I'll figure it out yeah, so that, um, I've just always known, music is my thing yeah that's just.

Speaker 2 50:39

I remember speaking of grade school, being in music class, and it was when we had, uh, when sister, when sister mary carol retired? I didn't think of her name, nice yes and then, uh, we had mrs weaver I don't remember her, I don't.

Speaker 1 50:51

I think that was that, I think I left, yeah, because I remember her because she was a. She was a nun. I felt like that didn't have any blood, just musical notes in her body, because she would like. She's like one, two, three, four and I'm like, okay, I'm fucking clapping. She was like, but she loved music but it was like a, nun would love music.

Speaker 2 51:07

Yeah.

Speaker 1 51:08

Like it was very intense.

Speaker 2 51:10

Oh, and she was older too. So, oh, none who love music yes. It was like this really weird roundabout Mrs Doubtfire thing yeah that room.

Speaker 1 51:16

I was like does it smell more like instruments or her?

Speaker 2 51:19

Yeah, exactly Like old woodwind instruments.

Speaker 1 51:21

It's one of the two. They're like go in that closet and we'd go pick stuff out. I'm like I don't want to be in here too long. Yeah, it's real.

Speaker 2 51:29

Oh my God. But so my eyes like made music classic way more like modern. And then she gave us. I remember we got this magazine and the magazine was comparing like two separate number ones of that year and one of them was crazy and love Beyonce and Jay Z, and the other one was a bluegrass band call and the song was the lighthouse and they're called nickel Creek and I remember she was asking all these questions and nobody was answering but me. Like it was like her and I were just having a conversation.

Speaker 2 51:58

Everybody else was just existing at the moment and it was just one of those things where I was like I was. I remember being so proud of myself that I knew all the answers and it wasn't something I had ever like actively learned. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I hadn't like you know, someone had told me that was just inside of you. Yes, yes and um and a weird full circle moment so you don't know you.

Speaker 1 52:16

It feels like and it just feels so right, it sits in your yeah and you look around and all the rest of us, everybody gives a fuck.

Speaker 2 52:22

Yeah, we don't care at all.

Speaker 1 52:23

And something connects. Yes, yeah, I love this so, but full circle moment.

Speaker 2 52:26

So last year I, that band is called I told you it's called nickel creek and they played their ryman last year and I like literally have a tattoo of the lighthouse, like this is the lighthouse, because I really think that was a moment for me when growing up, where I was like I know who I am, and so they played the Ryman last year or something.

Speaker 1 52:46

I'm literally getting emotional by now. I'm not even joking. I love these moments.

Speaker 2 52:50

I spent like $700 on two tickets to be like front row. And the Ryman's a really small place.

Navigating Spiritual and Moral Compass

Speaker 1 52:58

There's not a bad seat in the Ryman really and I just sat there and like wept just taken in. Yeah, and I looked at Tommy and I was like, if you say one, yes, fucking word during this experience, I was like don't try to talk to me, don't get a bag of chips. Yes, like you're coming and if you're coming, you're coming very quietly yes, you bet, and if I miss something, you write your questions down, I'll, I'll get them at the end there are certain things that are so important to us because I feel like you don't.

Speaker 1 53:27

Yeah, it's hard, it's hard to explain.

Speaker 2 53:28

Like well they're sacred to us.

Speaker 1 53:30

You know, and we don't even know why I know, other than like innately yes I've always said, my moment was when I was drunk as a child at a college during the summer with my dad yeah it's like none of us should have been there. Like my kid, my cousin flunked out and he's at summer college and I'm 13 or whatever, and we're drinking.

Speaker 1 53:49

And then I was like they're like, bobby, calm down. They're like you're getting a little too drunk. They're like, listen to this guy. He just came to our school and I put in headphones and I had heard of a couple stans before, but it was dane cook and I remember being like this is what I was. I didn't even know what I want, I just remember being like I'd never heard anything like this, because I know some people are like. They're like, oh, I like dane cook. I've always. I always thought he was so good, especially when we were coming up.

Speaker 1 54:10

It was the perfect time because I've only seen like stand up with a tie on this guy like sound like me. So then I was just in la last year. I have a picture, and I haven't even shared it because I whatever, but I was standing upstairs and he had a rough go. Oh yeah, oh, he's had a bunch of a lot of stuff, yeah a ton of stuff, that and some things I know about and don't, because if I love something I won't like, I just like you don't want to keep it, the picture in your head, yeah and then so he comes upstairs and I was like he's kind of like the like.

Speaker 1 54:34

I have people that are my all like that, like now I love, like that I've listened to yeah, but he like walks upstairs, he's like your od.

Speaker 2 54:40

Yes, a hundred percent.

Speaker 1 54:41

And then I hear his voice and he's like walking upstairs and I'm and I like at his club, like I look up and that picture of him with a sword, yeah is there. And I'm just like, and I hear his voice and I literally go in the bathroom and go. You can't cry because I have one of those faces that after I cry, it's bright red.

Speaker 2 54:58

I know I get all puffy and red.

Speaker 1 55:00

It's like each strain leaves a trail. Yeah, and I look like, because people like I look bad, like I look like a different, like like an eight, like they're like people might be like is that a person like it looks really bad. So I didn't want to like. Yeah, I really like you and so I didn't want to do that, so I like held it together I don't know, I don't know why. I think it's whenever, like you said, like when you can't believe, you get to do it and like you're whatever.

Speaker 1 55:20

So then I met him and we kind of like he literally I was like I just wanted to say thank you, that's it like whatever. And he goes dude, pull up a seat, I go it's okay. He's like, pull up a fucking chair, go okay. So like we chatted, and then when he went on stage and I was like I'm a comic and I go, can I sit here? Because there was like where the comics sit.

Speaker 1 55:38

And she was like one and she was so nice because not every comic is and she goes fuck yeah. And so I got to sit there and I remember I closed my eyes at one point because I didn't see him the first time. I only heard him and I closed my eyes. I was like somehow like laughing and crying and smoking we probably going crazy, I guess but I'm just like looking around, I was like no one's having a better night than me, like you know what I mean.

Speaker 1 56:05

And then I walked and as soon as I got to the store I just like the comedy store I walked in and someone who helped me so much starting was Nikki.

Speaker 2 56:08

Glaser yeah.

Speaker 1 56:14

And she was on to be in the line.

Speaker 2 56:15

I feel like that's like when you know you're doing it, like I am doing the right thing, like all of these. I have so many fucked up moments, but when they align, they fucking align.

Speaker 1 56:25

And I do. I can't fight them as much anymore because I'm like I think being religious kind of left me, but then having the whole nothingness and now there are just sometimes that are things that it's like whenever you, you know, when you go like this and then you feel your keys.

Speaker 2 56:35

Yeah, you're like oh, I'm okay. Yeah, sometimes life will do that. You're just like seven, seven, seven. Yeah, exactly, or whatever stupid ass thing it is.

Speaker 1 56:42

Like I'll be like driving. You have a thought, You're like I wonder if that, and then like the light hits your eyes and you're like what's?

Speaker 1 57:01

this one you're like it's a lesson. You're like I'm really cold right now. Yeah, I'm actually colder than you might know. Yeah, but that's so funny that because we both have that and I feel like we we did grow up with it, so I mean it was every week. So then to have that, does it come out at all in your music? Because I feel like only now, because I tried to fight it and now I do write jokes about Catholic stuff, not only, but just because I'm like it's so much stuff that I know, does that come out in your music at all, like any of the-.

Speaker 2 57:24

As far as, like the morality of it.

Speaker 1 57:25

Anything Like just like. Sometimes I'm like I will talk about just like it as a whole because I'm a comedian.

Speaker 2 57:43

So when you songs anything you're like the, even just the melody, or if they're like amorals or anything like, is there okay anything? Here's a direct result. Here's a direct result a little on the nose. So I have a spiel when I'm playing um downtown, and downtown is mostly for tips right, it's getting better, but it's mostly for tips.

Speaker 2 57:52

And so I always say, um, I have to think of the line you know you get, like your bits of your show that you use every single night, and so one of them is when I'm explaining to the people cause a lot of people don't know, when they come to Nashville, how musicians get paid or how the bars work and all that stuff.

Speaker 2 58:07

And so I always explain I'm like you know this is you know we're not quite Vegas yet bucks to walk in all they ask is that you tip your bands and tip your bartenders, yeah, so we can be here for you next time. And so I would say you know like, but I will be upfront, honest, that yes, we do play for request, but the 20 versions and then I sing it like and church I got are so much better than the free ones and everyone knows it.

Speaker 1 58:31

Everyone knows exactly like yes like yeah exactly, that's fucking three times.

Speaker 2 58:38

Yes, yes so that's a direct result. But then I think as far as like the spirituality or the morality of how your compass points, yeah I do, I mean I'm, I'm, it's no matter how much we stray from it or we. You know, relearn it, or you know put in our own box or ignore. Yeah, whatever, however, we've used it as an adult, I don't think we can avoid that it is part of our road.

Speaker 1 59:02

I think so too, cause I think I've had that thought too, where it's like I've, I've. Even when I was a kid I was like, even though now I'm like, I don't really believe, I think like whatever, just like the quickest kind of scared, but you're like and it wasn't like that you just like felt like you're gonna be okay yeah and then as you get older, yeah, there are those things where you're just like, yeah, you can't stray from it, and I'll look at other people who try to be like I think nothing matters, and you're.

Speaker 1 59:31

I think you might think that right now, but there are times that happen Like I mean you know what I mean.

Speaker 2 59:38

Like, but I think sometimes if you get too lost in it or whatever, because then sometimes I'll feel like I figured it out Well, and I think life really serves it to you when you probably don't know it's coming, but you need it.

Speaker 1 59:47

Like don't you feel? I feel like you have more. I feel like I don't know, but like yeah but if you did just that every day, I don't feel like. I know people that are like, yeah, and I was just driving home from this audit and I was just like this is what I've always wanted to do. I have that moment, sometimes like daily like I'll be on the road doing shows like I just.

Speaker 1 1:00:06

I was in Vegas and I was so stressed and then all of a sudden, I a kid. That's a lot. It's like this is the place yeah, why don't you stop being stressed because this other thing's going?

Speaker 2 1:00:19

on. Yeah, just go do your show, do your thing.

Embracing Artistry and Creativity

Speaker 1 1:00:21

Yeah, go do your thing that you're so lucky you get to do yeah, that's how I feel.

Speaker 2 1:00:25

I always tell myself that there will be moments where I'm like, oh man, like I don't want to put makeup on or I don't want to, you know, like get out my shit and go, and like the second I step out of my car in the parking garage. I'm like let's fucking go yeah, yeah and it doesn't matter day, night yeah bad day, good day. It's like, all of a sudden, I'm just like this is what we're doing, yeah, and it feels so good, would you?

Speaker 1 1:00:46

yeah, I have that moment as soon like. There's a moment when I'm walking to the show, and it's different most nights, but usually now it starts as soon as I leave, if I'm on the road at my hotel room yeah, I, I'm at home the as soon as I'm like the front door but as soon as I walk that like out of that, I'm like and it's not like a, it's not like a cocky thing.

Speaker 1 1:01:01

You're just like I'm going to go do the thing, like sometimes you have to step into it. You're like this is my clock in. Like you know, yes and then you go and you're like all right, but there's always has to be a moment where you're enjoying it, because it's like we are very lucky. To some people like I still and I'm sure you do the same thing I even had a buddy that you know who plays in, who has you've played with, who goes. Man, I always wanted to do stand-up.

Speaker 2 1:01:26

I'm like you could yeah, you should totally do it.

Speaker 1 1:01:28

There's a lot of musicians that do try to, I know, and I finally tried because I was like I'm so tired of people being like I will one day and I'll be like. I did a mic, my leg was shaking and I sung so bad. Yeah, I did so bad. I mean, I really tried though.

Speaker 2 1:01:41

And afterwards.

Speaker 1 1:01:42

Do you remember when Michael Jordan switched from baseball or from basketball to baseball?

Speaker 2 1:01:47

in the movie Space Jam yeah.

Speaker 1 1:01:48

Because we're kids. Well, I remember that movie. That's how people were. Because, guys, this next guy's a comic. No, I'm singing a song. He goes. Why are you doing that, man?

Speaker 2 1:02:02

thank you for your support, mike and I went and sang like two songs or whatever and afterwards I went out and everyone's like bobby, you missed that key, but I was a great looking singer.

Speaker 1 1:02:05

It was just like they were. So on my side, yeah, even though I knew it wasn't like great but I was like so, but I I just I wish more people did like try it because I think, as an artist, things yeah, especially in the arts. Yes, it's like I started painting good, like I've got, are some of these yours?

Speaker 2 1:02:20

these are not, but I have some. I'll show you in the other room. But like I've done, like a couple of like, that's cool.

Speaker 1 1:02:26

Who did that?

Speaker 2 1:02:26

one of you my, um my dad's girlfriend, that's. She is a stain. Yeah, she was really trying to win you over.

Speaker 1 1:02:33

I bet I'm just kidding. She's like, I did it like this one's scary remember catholic stuff? Yeah, same glass. Yes, are you okay? Relationship like twice, if you're okay yeah, no.

Speaker 1 1:02:46

Um, I think, especially the older we get, it's so important to stay creative, even if you're terrible at it yes, you know, I just think, like anytime I Connecting neurons you don't connect every day is always a good thing, can I tell you? Because when I drive I'll always like I, every day I write, I'll like say something into my phone, like it's just or like a part of a joke or whatever. Can we do a time doing it for?

Speaker 2 1:03:12

I just don't know what time it's. 453. Oh yeah, we gotta go thank you for doing that.

Speaker 1 1:03:18

You know me oh yeah, thank you so much no, because I get fucking freaked out, but I forgot what I was gonna.

Speaker 2 1:03:23

I don't even know what I was gonna say we were talking about artistry and how it's important to stay creative, like even if you're bad at it yeah, oh for sure.

Musical Journey and Comedy Potential

Speaker 1 1:03:28

Yeah, even on the way here, because I always say something on my phone, but I was super inspired. I had like two years of really playing guitar and writing songs, especially during covid. But on the way here I was writing lyrics down because I was feeling something and sometimes because stand-up can't be like that. You can't be mad at your boss and stand up like, sometimes you can personal, so it's nice. That's what I wish for. Like everybody like. Would you ever try stand up?

Speaker 2 1:03:48

that's like the last thing I'll ask you whatever, I would try yeah yeah yeah if I felt like I had something to say yeah, absolutely well.

Speaker 1 1:03:56

I Well, I'm so glad you came on. Do you want to plug anything before we go?

Speaker 2 1:03:59

Uh, that my name's Tara Lynn Pfister and that I'm putting music out every month until the day I die, so please follow along, yes.

Speaker 1 1:04:06

And that's the name of one of the songs of my favorite band. So that was really cool, until the day I die, we go to Catholic school for you.