Bonus Episode – 2024 Recap & Plans for 2025
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The Rugged Revival's First Year: Building Community One Conversation at a Time
There's something quietly rebellious about launching a podcast in October and actually sustaining it through to Christmas. In an age where audio content proliferates endlessly, the real achievement isn't just showing up—it's showing up with genuine curiosity and the kind of hospitality that makes guests feel heard rather than extracted from.
That's precisely what hosts Ronnie and TJ have managed to pull off with The Rugged Revival in their inaugural season. Over just three months, they've hosted roughly ten wildly diverse conversations spanning country, Americana, folk, and ventures well beyond the expected boundaries of roots music. Jack Browning, Anna Scott, Josh Mitchum, Adam Hood, Jared Morris, Ricky Forbes, Brennan Edwards, and Steel Saddle have all stepped through the microphone, each bringing entirely different stories to the table. That's an impressive feat for a show still finding its footing, and more importantly, it speaks to something the hosts clearly understand: great conversations aren't built on gatekeeping.
We've only been doing this since October and I think to have 10 incredible guests from all walks of life with different backgrounds and stages of their career has been amazing.
— Ronnie TJ
What strikes you from this bonus episode—a wind-down chat between the co-hosts reflecting on their year—is their genuine astonishment at what they've built. Ronnie admits he didn't expect support from anywhere, let alone the kind of institutional backing that's helped facilitate their recent guests. Steve Talbot and the folks behind the Texas to Tennessee podcast have been instrumental in opening doors, particularly in securing Jared Morris as a guest. That kind of ecosystem support isn't happenstance; it's earned through doing the work properly.
The diversity of their guest list is telling. Getting Ricky Forbes—a Netflix-featured personality whose expertise lies in weather systems and tornado science—represents the kind of lateral thinking that separates genuine curiosity from formulaic interview shows. Ronnie admits he was watching Forbes' series years ago and simply decided to reach out, hoping the meteorologist might enjoy geeking out about wind patterns. The fact that Forbes said yes speaks volumes about how the show carries itself: authentic interest beats institutional weight every time.
I watched his Netflix series a few years ago and thought let's message Ricky and see if he will talk tornadoes with me and geek out for a bit—and he did.
— Ronnie TJ
Then there's Steel Saddle from Canada, a band that sounds like it beamed in directly from the 1970s soul era, representing something completely orthogonal to traditional country music infrastructure. And Brennan Edwards, another contemporary artist doing genuinely interesting work across 2024 and into 2025. Each guest brings their own world, their own aesthetic, their own way of understanding what roots music can be.
What's perhaps most revealing is how Ronnie and TJ talk about their listeners. There's no condescension here, no sense of building an audience to monetize. Instead, there's genuine gratitude that people have stuck with them through a year of growing pains and experimentation. They're aware that podcast fatigue is real—"everyone's fed up listening to us over the back tap of it anyway," Ronnie admits with refreshing honesty—yet they're planning expansively into 2025. Eli Kane was supposed to join them before Christmas but the timing didn't work; instead, they've agreed to reconvene in January with something special planned.
That willingness to plant seeds for next year rather than squeeze out one more episode before the holiday break reveals something important about how The Rugged Revival approaches its mission. This isn't about chasing metrics or keeping the algorithm happy. It's about building something sustainable, community-oriented, and rooted in actual musical values.
As British independent music journalism continues to evolve, there's real need for spaces where artists from the Americana and roots world can have unhurried conversations with hosts who've actually listened to their work and care about the answers they give. The Rugged Revival has proven it can be that space. The fact that they did it in just three months, largely through word-of-mouth and genuine relationship-building, suggests that 2025 is going to bring something genuinely worth paying attention to.
[Music] [Applause] [Music] crash and heart get broke table turn you lose your Le welcome to the rugger Revival podcast back again like the Renegade Master some would say um we're not joined by anybody today cuz this is another little Brucey bonus a little Brucey bonus um I am joined though by TJ the DJ or Costa Del as we said in this couple of other episodes um TJ nice to see you uh we're doing a little bonus episode this time um for Christmas is it the last one before Christmas I don't know I'd like to think there'd be more over this festive period but uh yeah I think everybody's had enough yeah for for being honest I think everyone's uh fed up listening to us over to the back tap of it anyway um welcome to the Ruger Revival podcast I am uh one of your hosts uh rugged runny um nice to see you and hear you and you know be there for all of you again uh so what a year so far I know it's a little bonus episode but what a year so far uh little tjs had um just to just to round off what we've done so far you've had Jack Browning Anna Scott Josh Mitchum then we had uh or in between that you introduced me because I had covid for the 118th time uh then we had a little BR Brucey bonus again number one Brucey bonus then we had Adam Hood uh and then we had Jared Morris then you had Ricky Forbes then you had Brennan Edwards and then you had still saddle I mean it's it's Madness I went on a bit of a a podcast spree didn't I did well all on your own look got a bit carried away um but uh no it's been good um we've only been doing this since October and I think to have you know I didn't count how many that was probably 10 let's say 10 10 all incredible guests uh really enjoyed speaking to all of them you know we touched upon it on the first bonus episode um but they they were all you know really interesting people to to speak to from all walks of life different backgrounds different stages of their career and it was great to to speak to more kind of recent guest we we had Ricky on you know Ricky Forbes who not from a country background but from a a rugged background shall we say and he's somebody like I was watching his Netflix series a few years ago and I thought let's uh message Ricky and see if he will talk tornadoes with me and we'll geek out for a bit and uh and he did you know I was really grateful that he replied and came on the show and you know I thought it was a really interesting episode if you're interested in Wind just like I am then uh speak a lot of uh wind but uh I thought it was a good episode anyway um and the follow-ups you know Jared um I've got to give a shout out in fact it's probably a good time to shout out to uh Steve talbo Steve talber uh who is part of the Texas to Tennessee podcast amongst others but uh what a awesome guy he he is he's been supporting us in the background and with the show and in fact he was the one that arranged for Jared Morris to come on and I won't say who else is coming on in the new year because that's part of the conversation we'll have but um yeah he he been really kind of instrumental in in supporting us in that way we don't expect help from anyone and uh I didn't think we'd get it to be quite honest um especially when we look like this I thought I look pretty good to be fair but uh yeah I don't know I'm going for the awesome hats this Christmas I'm going for the awesome hats why not well this does say ho ho ho on here but the yeah it's kind of stuck under my bubble so El minut it just says Ho didn't you say it lit up oh it does yeah yeah it's stuck on the side of my head yeah I can't find a button but it does light up yeah anyway it's anyway people are getting bored already so yeah I I thought it'd be good to shout out Steve and and the guys at Texas to Tennessee um for for Jared coming on amongst others uh Brennan Edwards was awesome Inc coming on too uh really interesting talking to that guy and like like we keep saying anyone that comes on the show uh I'm genuinely listening to uh and a huge fan of so to get Brennan on uh with all of the cool stuff that he's been doing over the last year and the stuff that he's going to be doing in 2025 I really enjoyed having him on and then still saddle who was something completely different uh speaking to to Ben and Mack uh from Canada uh and they've got a a really cool band as well so if anyone's listening to Steel saddle um it just sound something completely different it sounds like from the 70s and this kind of old school soul and you know um really good stuff so and then uh we were supposed to have Eli Kane on this week um but it's just so close to Christmas that he was struggling I was struggling so we've agreed uh to to reconvene in January so really Keen to get Eli on because yeah again just another awesome artist um and people should be listening to him so it' be great to get him on and um we might have something special planned for that particular show so stay tuned yeah I mean there there's so many different guests that you've that you've already got booked in I know that we you know we share a calendar of everybody that's going up uh and everybody that we you know we want to keep talking to and want to keep interested into into what we're doing and pushing it out uh but I think you know there's so many goals that you've you've already reached um this year uh so many goals that I've reached with you uh and and thank you for that I hate to say it but I've got a thank you for it um but it really has just just taken off like it's just exploded the amount of people that are so interested in listening to you uh and listening to all the artists that are coming on and talking about it and you've had some massive big hitters um coming on and talking about their career talking about you know not not just their career but their personal lives as well I I didn't I didn't ever think that listening to the podcast when you know when you first started it they'd be talking about the personal noise and where they've come from and growing up and I I just you know I can't thank them enough for for also giving the insight about where they've come from and you know how what it took for them to get where they are now um so fair pleasure and it's a struggle thank you and I I know how hard it was you for you to than and uh you know appreciate me so well well done you um yeah but no like you say Heavy Hitters coming on and talking about their background and you know Adam Hood was one of my favorites coming on because I'm just a a big fan boy of Adams and I probably pester him too much on on social media but um he's awesome everyone loves Adam and no one's got a bad word to say about the guy he opened up about what he's doing his background the struggles that he's had and you know and he was you know gr gracious enough to to do couple of tracks at the end just just for everyone's going of benefit we've stopped doing that uh until we figure out a different format because it's just not doing the artist Justice trying to do this over teams and it it's difficult for us obviously based in the UK uh to to kind of do remote interviews um and to do you know remote live music um so we're going to think of a different format for that um going forwards into to next year so yeah keep keep a tab on that and and with that you know we've got so many we were just talking about earlier actually we were saying what we want to go to next year you know the goals for that which I'll come on to in a bit anyway but um using different platforms and and really getting it out there um to talk about we've had so much interest over the usual sort of platforms but let's let's expand to something else um in in 2025 um and I think uh I I can say one of them now I'm sure I'm sure you won't mind um but we had a little trial of of Tik Tok live earlier where then that went horribly wrong very well yeah it was just me pushing lots of different buttons uh and no idea what I'm doing with the hat on yeah and trying to apologize to people that started viewing it I think there was about 50 50 odd viewers uh that were just sitting there waiting as if to say what you doing get on with it I couldn't invite you it was just me sitting there with a ridiculous hat on um but anyway so I was going to say to you uh starting off um the the rugged Revival as a whole um you started it off air 50 years ago at the age of 17 um did do you think it was going the way you you see it now do you think it was going to take a different format what did you want it to do what was the original thought process behind it that's a good question I always knew I'd be incredibly successful to be fair no I I do things on a on a whim well a calculated whim I always wanted to do something like this or you know discover somebody that was doing it and there was kind of a gap where I couldn't find it so I thought well I'm going to do it myself and I keep telling people this story but um yeah I told the the wife to be that you know what I'm going to start a podcast she laughed at me for probably a day or two and then I thought well let's give me the drive I need to to actually go through it and then I started telling more people I thought oh [ __ ] I need to um actually do this then I can't uh I can't back down now so I've I've you know it's almost like a dare um but no I I wanted to do it it it was trying to find uh the best format the best way to deliver quality interviews and you know more laidback stuff as well so you know we'll delve we Deep dive sometimes into people's backgrounds and particularly if they're not as well known as some of the bigger artists and I think it's interesting to know you know what how they started and where you know how how they got to be where they are and I think there's always a good story to tell so that that's how I like to do the format of the interviews and we'll get better as we go I appreciate that you know we're we're beginners at doing it and there's lessons to be learn and we could probably waffle on like we are now um you know for for far too long but um but I think every time I speak to the guest afterwards just to see how it's gone and whether they just been polite or not I think they've really enjoyed coming on and in fact I know they have because theyve messaged after us and even down months down the line to say you know it was great you know I appreciate coming on and you know maybe maybe we can catch up again next year so that that's you know I think in terms of going forward for the podcast I think we we continue you know that Trend because people seem to like it we're getting you know a fair amount of views on on YouTube but also on Spotify and you know it's just you know getting getting better at what we do bigger and better for next year that that is the plan anyway so watch this space and we've already got I think January's already booked out completely for guests so you know it's not like they' heard us and for yeah we ain't coming on this trash so I I think you I'll be honest I I think you do it a diservice I I think that you know we we all laugh J about it saying that you're we're beginners and I certainly am a beginner um but for yourself you know you've learned so much you you do all the editing editing yourself uh you do all the all the video captions you do all the advertising yourself you know and and that's as well as holding down a full-time job as well as and I know a lot of artists do that you know they work fulltime and do it as a as a bit of an extra because they want to make something of themselves but um you know you really have pushed the boundaries in what you can do with the ruggy Revival um and there is so many more exciting times ahead um hopefully I'll be able to um you might not think it's a good idea but hopefully uh I'll be able to join you on a lot more podcasts uh hopefully I won't have covid for the 3,000th time um going forward um and I can join you on to a lot because I was I was so gutted uh that I couldn't join you on some of the interviews that you're doing because they really are they were they were great they were fantastic and listening to them you know when I when I travel into work it takes me about an hour hour and a half listening to the podcast uh when I'm coming into work it just puts a smile on my face and a spring in my step uh and uh and listening to some of the plans that even with them you've got and listening to it going forward is is great I'd love to um I'd love to be able to do a a sort of revisit uh in the next year maybe next Christmas or what you revisit with some of the artist that we've had on a bit like um J of the uh the Gordon Ramsey program um Kitchen Nightmares Kitchen Nightmares only one night and they and they revisit it and then they've always shut after a year they've always shut but hopefully that wasn't going hopefully isn't going to go to the artist but um but just right revisit say where have you gone where have you got to you know what's next in their in their line it would be great to see um all of them again and to actually join you on that so and we can do like a a Band-Aid thing at the end of next year could we so everyone has been on the show we can uh pick a part to sing I think that'll be yeah yeah nobody's we could do uh another grand old Revival number two uh or grand our Revival Revisited but there we go there's there's something again you know one of them one of the one of the comments you made before several times is a pipe dream pipe dream um but it will come true all dreams come true dreams do come true and yeah I I'm I'm still adamant that is going to happen whether it's next year or the year after or whenever um we've had we've had a lot of interest so all the people that I speak to from from not just the people have been on the podcast but people I uh I speak to on socials a lot of the Bands A lot of the artists you know they know it's a kind of jokey way of saying it you know about the grand old Revival but they're like yeah I'm in I'd love to do that I'd love to come over to the UK I'd love to play I love the sound of of that and I think well let's let's make it happen so if there's any uh I suppose this is a s way now for me to put on my my professional voice to say if there's any any people uh whether you own a venue uh a venue owner or just somebody that's a fan of the scene and wants to act as a a sponsor maybe um that that you're a fan of the indc and particularly with with trying to help people from all over the globe come to the UK and we could pull on a a good old knees up you know get in touch with us because um I think it it takes kind of a bit of a community to get these things going sometimes and you know I've been a sucker for trying to do everything on my own and sometimes you just even don't have the resources the skills the knowledge the contacts whatever it might be um so this isn't a Shameless kind of plug or whatever well it is but uh it's but yeah if anyone is interested no knows what you're doing uh would like to get involved and like to kind of set something up which I think would be a one Ina lifetime thing I I think let's do it um you've got our DM um give us a message and uh we'll we'll get back to you um so yeah I think it's not going to be a pipe dream any longer let's uh let's make it happen yeah and and I think it's always a sore subject when we've when we've spoken about it before but um you know we've laughed and joked on some many other podcasts around sponsors I think it's a nice way to sort of address the sponsor fact or sponsorship fact that you know this this all happens because of you know yourself sometimes I put a bit of effort into it if I know what I'm doing I mean we've started doing the parody stuff which we'll talk about later um which is just a bit of a laugh you know to just to build up the followers for us to be able to to continue it and for us to be able to um to really build on the platform that we've already got so far we need people to to follow it we need people to share it um and we need people to to advertise it but also um you know looking at the sponsors I know you wanted to talk about that uh as as one of the subjects but you know let's get the sponsors going you know the these these artists um come from very tough background of trying to build themselves up to come over the UK to travel Europe to come over to to do you know specific shows and or to put on specific events they need your help you know this is this is growing uh massively in the UK and and Europe uh country music as a whole um but not just that you know like you were saying youve you've interviewed people that aren't from a country music background um but want to get involved and want to assist going forward so yeah over to you I mean this is your point of view about sponsors yeah definitely it's um like I said it's it's not coming from a begging Bowl but these guys have got you know expenses to it's always a begging Bowl but but not for us uh per se say it is for the artists because you know there's flights there accommodation there's all all manner of expenses and just probably not going to make anything out of doing the shows but um I think as an an initial thing they they try and drum up some interest so anyone listening out there um would love to to get involved again I think it's going to be an amazing opportunity just just drop us a DM so yeah there there you go I I'll stop begging now we'll we'll move on to other subjects is that a hint subtle one yeah right so out of um going forward for for 2025 uh depends if we're going to do another Brucey bonus really but going forward for for 2025 give us your main three goals for the rugged Revival oh okay um actually that before that let's open a whiskey cuz we hav oh yeah yeah I'm getting a bit bored at this side now so uh yeah let's go for whiskey uh I do have a confession to make so oh yeah you bought this uh nice pack of free red breast I've only got one left we'll have to go do you know I got annoyed um with with uh with yeah was with myself yeah with one of the podcasts I was doing cuz I thought I was really crap on it and I got a bit fed up at the end uh and thought no I'm going to open a one of those little bottles of whiskey and drown my sorrows because I think sometimes when you're doing this you think you you're you're your harshest critic and you just think I I I was stuttering words you know it would been a long day i' I'd have a tough time with work and a kid this is me making excuses now but uh yeah I didn't think it went particularly well and I drowned my sorrows so got one left you're absolutely right and I think you know everybody puts their um puts their heart into it and they've they've really you know put their heart in their sleeve uh when they've been talking to us uh about their personal um you know personal lives going forward and and what they've been doing and how it's affected them but actually you know if we're talking about between us um sometimes a look back because obviously you're now a seasoned professional where you say to you'll never work in this industry again you'll never work in this yeah I I don't forget the conversations um you'll never work in this industry again if you go sick again sick note um but you know for me it was it was coming on to do something that was completely out of my comfort zone um I think work is a different is a different subject where you know I'm more than happy to stand up in front of 20 30 100 200 people people and talk about a subject that I know there's a subject that I know here that I like talking it's a it's a hobby it's it's great to be involved in it but you always get that that doubt don't you in the back of the head and you think oh are people going to like what they're seeing are people going to get uh are people going to be interested in the stuff that we're talking about now because it's been a change you've got excuse me you've got um Two Hosts that are now doing uh the rugger Revival you know diping and out is that the sort of form that people like but you never know and if you if you don't try again you'll never know it's it's harder than it looks you know if if I'm I'm an introvert so it's really hard for me to stand up and talk in front of people I I I like this format because when I'm talking to the artist it's it's normally one oneon-one or if there's more of them obviously two on one perhaps like we did we still saddle but even then you know you're multitasking you're you're trying to think of the questions you you're trying to listen intently to what they're saying trying to make it interesting trying to work the platform that we're on and yeah sometimes I just get a bit flustered and think oh [ __ ] what what what did they say what have I said what is my next question so um that's what I said I think that the more more that we do the more we'll become you know better at doing it and um you'll become an expert and then I'll become a seasoned professional exactly then I get to go you'll never work in this industry again I have to say to somebody else one of our new apprentices um anyway uh on the subject whiskey that we bypassed what one have you just opened up uh the red breast 15 single pot steel it's very nice I like these red breasts I wasn't a particularly familiar with Irish whiskies before but seeing as you're a Irishman um absolutely I'm proud of it proud of it yeah going to because I'm going to cuz you were greedy last time I'm going to have the 12E run and then I'm going to let you drink the 15 but I might even treat myself to the 15 afterwards so who knows you treat yourself I will I will now I've gone with a bit of uh Whiskey on the Rocks I can't do that actually I feel like a bit of a heathen actually because I've just put red breast into um Jack Daniels Tennessee honey oh that's disgusting that's outrageous I think I don't even think this is a whiskey glass I think it's a tumbler of some kind yeah I'm sure this is really interesting for people to uh Listen to It's really good it's nice yeah this is the world's worst Whiskey Review show if you die it's a bonus Brucey bonus you know we talk about things like that like we did last time anyway so thank you for sharing that with all of us TJ much appreciate appreciated you sleep you're welcome um so over to you really what what's your um we were we were going to talk about three goals for next year oh that's right so tell us what your what your main goals are top three for next year for the rugged Revival top three so we already talked about the grand old Revival um I think that'll be amazing and something that is going to remain on my list of things to do for next year or to even you know explore and get everything in place so that when we do press the button you know we know what we're doing we've got the contacts in place we have a venue which is you know obviously the the main thing uh and we can sort the logistics out so um I think I think that will be good um we remain as a kind of priority uh for next year uh secondly I I think it'd be good to expand like you mentioned earlier uh into other platforms so you know I think Tik Tok is going to be an interesting one although we kind of bodged it earlier well you you said I like it we we bodged it the Royal we um yeah I did I bed it but anyway yeah go on uh so yeah I think that's uh an interesting platform because it's not Tik Tok I haven't really explored that much um I've been sharing uh some more videos over on that platform so if you're following us over there you can see that we're doing the a similar thing that we're doing on Instagram so you know all the Independent Artists and the people that we love we we're putting out you know their material still and trying to get as many views likes Etc and again um it's great to kind of share that material but then I noticed a lot of people were going live and this is where we were like really late to the party because people like well you didn't even know about in Tik Tok lives you mug mean um like no I didn't you know I'm nearly 40 so you know I'm going to be a late to the party with a few things but I think Tik Tok was cool because um again a shout out to to uh talbo um I I sat on one of just just viewing one of his shows and I loved it you know he was playing music he had a few mates on they were talking about the music coming up with some facts and I thought you know I I would love to do a rugged Revival version of that yeah with the people that we're listening to and and the The Annoying Thing is having a music based podcast like we do you can't play any bloody music music because of you know the royalty and all that nonsense so I think you you you can do that over in Tik Tok and it's one of the few spaces that you know we can kind of expand on that have a laugh and then have some live interaction with some mates some some followers you know and people that want to get involved so again the community aspect I think that brings it together perhaps a little bit more in you know the group sometimes because it's very difficult to for everyone to engage in that way so it's just another another way to kind of expand what we're doing so yeah if anyone knows what they're doing with Tik Tok and they want to teach you a couple of old buggers then uh get in touch keep telling you talk for yourself I'm old well there you go uh so that's number two uh number three um I did buy a fancy camera um oh oh know yeah sounds a bit sedy doesn't it and my plan was to I I again I love all of these kind of build recordings uh that the likes of um oh who am I talking about now there's one called oh Escapes in there basically there some great cinematic style recordings of artists and we can go into you know lovely places where there's you know lakes rivers in Into the Woods with my camera we go I know now you sounded CD so if you get a DM from me saying fancy come up the woods with me and I'll record record it uh that's what I'm talking about and probably not explaining it very well so I I I would like to do the rugged Revival sessions uh at some point uh once I learn how to use the camera and to get the best quality uh sound going as well because I I think that's really nice and perhaps more of a focus on UK artists and anyone visiting uh the UK as well um to to kind of do that because I don't think there's a lot happening in the UK on that that front and we've got some great artists here we probably should speak to more of them and I think that would be a great way to Showcase their their music and Artistry in a in a beautiful cinematic way shall we say that that's uh that's the plan is that free I can't remember did I say three things or yeah you don't know do said anything there was a lot in there um but no you're absolutely right and I think um it will also give the artists a bit an opportunity to um to utilize your skills um on your camera to get some shots you know in the UK when they coming over to get some you know when you're talking about walking around the forest uh you know getting some decent shots that they can use you know for their own promotions and and whatever you so you know there's a different there's a different you know and then um I think you got my drunken messages the other night about um my plan to doar yeah which one was that the in-person interviews that we want to do so I won't name any names I don't think it's fair but uh yeah we we're hoping to to meet with an artist uh from the US in February when they come over to play uh next year in the UK and um I thought it'd be cool to kind of use the camera in that way as well so we're not just sitting remotely in a in a studio we're actually going out uh two places to see them and you know we can shoot some pull or throw some darts or I don't know other stuff I thought would be cool and probably won't be um but you know it's it's interesting for them as well it's more fun isn't it because I think when you just sat down doing an interview it's good don't get me wrong but you know would you like to have a drink and shoot some Po and you know talk while we're doing it I think that' be good absolutely right yeah and it's it's taken a different angle on it as well you know we literally yeah yeah I managed to get two camera pieces in there one about a different lens and then the other one being a different angle um so yeah I mean it it will be exciting to do that because I think it will it will add to that atmosphere it will add to that instead of just the um it's quite I find it quite sterile when you're sitting down you know on this on a on a platform um you can't really interact with the artist that much if you know what I mean it's just it's not it's better to be face to face isn't it it's like you know we've all done this covid um teams meetings and what have you but it's good to interact with them face to face but thanks to co this is this is kind of encouraging this probably wouldn't be happening if it wasn't for that in a way in a weird way yeah because we it kind of pushed people to use it I think it would eventually have happened but it's happened sooner because of it um but now like you said I think when we're doing these podcasts sometimes it's hard to read when somebody's thinking and wanting to say something else and then you accidentally jump in because it's hard to kind of tell and then you're talking over them so I try not to do that and then I hold back and perhaps there's a longer pause because I'm waiting and I've actually finished what they're saying so um yeah it's it's uh I think it' be in easier in person like you said less sterile and um more fun let's make it fun that's the word for next year fun fun the rug the rugged Revival fun fun I I think um you know from what you're just saying about I noticed that I I do it quite a bit when um when we're interviewing obviously you you're taking some of the questions I'm doing some of the questions myself uh and it's always that pause when you get there when you're going to go and ask a question then everybody stops and you think I know it was just me breathing or was it was it so he's trying to get that but you know that uh doing the face Toof face stuff would be would be incredible and what you know what an experience that would be as well you know to meet them to see what they're really like uh and meet him before as well um but yeah so uh no thank you and I could wear shirts like this as well because it's fun no maybe not yeah I did think like I said earlier I look like John Candy from Brewsters Millions but it's a good shirt good shirt from Teemu six quid six quid wor every penny another push there is it um just uh just going back to your one of your goals about Tik Tok so using different platforms I think you know for me the the biggest thing from Tik Tok is uh and I've watched learning and watching from different live broadcasts that are going on um interesting but uh looking at Tik talk and and where the questions come in as well so obviously you're we've got our own set questions we we we like to try and explore as much as you can with the artists or artists um you know we've obviously we had the first band on still saddle um back a couple weeks ago uh which was great but it's just our questions you know it's an opportunity for people that are watching for example the Tik Tok live uh for people to put questions in in the chat uh so we can ask it there and then and I think that gives us another sort of extension of what we want to know from the artist because you get you get little bit not so much stuck in your ways but I've got my own way of question I've you've got your own way but the people that are listening maybe they're thinking oh I want to know more about that I want to know you know a bit more development on that question or whatever you so yeah it would be I think that would be such a different way of of doing it be the the wild west I think that'll be uh because I've watched some and it's been funny uh and I think there's a lot of trolls out there as well let just join the lives just to just just to piss you off a little bit but bring it on I'm happy for that to all the trolls out there come and join our live sessions when we're doing it uh we'll yeah we'll entertain you for a bit it'll be uh fastest finger first of block block block I think I said it when we were doing the interview with um with Adam Hood I said you can just block him uh and I was more talking about you just blocking you but there we go um so uh yeah it'll be it'll be an interesting platform I know I get sensitive about it anyway so we've talked about your three goals um I'm so excited about the year going forward um so much more access to to lots of different things but especially with the uh with the level of followers that the ruggedy Rival is now getting um it opens more doors but there are several more doors to open once you get to that thousand that thousand followers that thousand Mark um anything want to say on that sorry uh what for Tik Tok you mean or in just you know just in general yeah it's difficult you know I was we were talking to Adam about it you know and he he should have a much bigger following than he than he has um but um yeah but at the end of the day I I agree and I've got the same kind of mindset is that I'm not about collecting people uh it's about building a community of engaged people and people that are interested in what we're doing and pulling out there and vice versa so yeah it opens doors but I don't want to have you know millions of followers that just aren't engaged um I'm talking like I'm going to get millions of followers um you know it's it's not going to happen but um so yeah I think it's just slow and steady that's how it's always been I'm not interested in kind of Faking followers or or doing clickbait stuff it's just not not our OS of the rugged Revival um so we'll we'll continue with the Instagram still love that um just interesting like say branching out to Tik Tock in that that Madness um it's just that I just had a I think I've just had a bit of a failure a a technical failure technical failure yes right sorry about that uh that was my technical Fade Out um I had a bit of a technical failure on there so I do apologize uh but we're back with TJ uh talking about the artists uh and what we're going for uh it was about opening doors I remember saying that and then I faded out and there's probably a ridiculous picture of me somewhere so um over to you TJ yeah I'll use that picture of of you um as I always do but no I think we were talking about um like say Instagram being a great platform met some great people on there and continue to do so but you know we'll we'll we'll Branch out to the likes of Tik Tok the wild west as I see it at the minute because it's just a mental platform with just a lot of people on there yes uh some strange people and their lives do tickle me you know I could just scroll through their lives now I've found it and understand sort of what it is um you know I'll jump in on the odd live and I'll say hello and I'll leave um unless you're really good like TBO and then I'll Stick Around listen to your music have a chat and uh it's awesome um so yeah I I'd like to do that um once we figure out how to do it we do need more followers though apparently you need a thousand or so to kind of go live properly uh we've kind of got Studio access just from what we're doing at the minute uh being kind of creators um but I'd love to be able to to use it properly so yeah if you if you're over on Tik Tok you're not following us give us a follow and we can we can set that up and and have those kind of live discussions and maybe even live um podcasts with uh the artists if they're up for it um just to just to do something a little bit different and uh a little bit more unscripted shall we say um and with fans dialing in to to our Arts questions and uh daring in daring in can tell you can tell where all dialing in dialing in logging on anyway I mean I um I I started looking at and unfortunately you know it does come back to we mentioned it several times or I've mentioned it several times about followers and and what you and you know it's just being able to do them short little videos and and we'll come on to the parodies in a minute uh because I know that obviously we were talking about that the other day and and we're a little bit nervous doing them um for some reason uh but I I think they're quite funny and you know it's not it's not to take the Mickey it's not to take the piss out of anybody uh it was just trying to have a bit of a laugh and what goes through our heads at that at that time um doing that but I mean just just being able to do what you want to do getting access to some of the platforms getting access to to some of the people you know for example I'm just looking at my Instagram What a Sad Little Life Jane um but I was just looking at my uh my Instagram I've got 76 followers which has gone up from 26 so 76 now um if I had a button it go well well well you know that sort of thing but anyway uh so 76 followers I'm following 108 uh so I'm following all the people that we've spoken to and I'm following all the people that are potential artists coming up uh for the interviews and trying to get them involved um but then Tik Tok I mean I know we've said it quite a few times but you know the Tik Tok platform for example just going on live no idea what I was doing just went live and we had 50 people viewing here who are just sitting there twiddling their thumbs thinking what is this [ __ ] doing uh with a ridiculous hat on so you know for us to be able to do that stuff to be able to reach more people excuse me it does need to be you know more and more followers it does yeah and um yeah you got bows you I've got thousands me thousands you can youone follow me because I've just got too many yeah don't need it um no please don't I need you um but no I i' I'd love to do more on that um yeah I just it' just be nice to play some music I think that's the main thing um you know be play music because I don't think you can do it on Instagram that I know no not I've I've tried to um andly if you you go on to my page I've got Alan Jackson uh on as you go on my page on to my landing page whatever you want to call it old quote again but being able to play that because there's there's some artists I mean for example I was I've been asked quite a few times now I've mentioned my dad playing in Irish bands uh and he used to play in a in a band called the Islanders um many many moons ago well before I was born um and you know there's people that are saying where where can we reach him where can we listen to him um or where can we listen to them sorry the Islanders and uh and you sent the link from YouTube onto there I'd love to be able to do that I'd love to be able to play people the music that I'm talking about that I'm thinking about that I'm trying to explain cuz you it's a unique sound um for that Stu it's context isn't it I think it's difficult because you know we talk a lot about music when we're obviously doing the uh podcast with the artists we're talking about the latest track or one of their favorite tracks or something that they they listen to Growing and I'd love to just be able to play 30 Seconds of it you know I'm not asking for a lot um but in context and for people that might not have heard that music before and it brings it kind of together so I I think there's an opportunity to be had there um yeah excited for it absolutely rugged Revival fun um but we uh I mean we were very very privileged to when Adam Hood come on uh when he done that live I say live performance it was live to us but obviously not live to to people that were listening or what of you but that was incredible listening to something that he reproduced straight away there and listening to one of the songs that meant a lot to me you know I got very emotional at the time but um you know being able to do that just to play a couple minutes or a minute or whatever you on on that live broadcast it will be incredible um and upcoming songs that are there or you know I'd like to do a bit of a hint of the next artist that is coming up you know if someone can guess what the artist is can someone guess from the music playing you know a 20 second 30 second um piece of or 20c 30 second set of that and just give a little hints it'll be I think it'll be good I'm I'm really excited about it and hopefully uh I'll be with you to take the rugged Revival forward yeah yeah that sounds good I'm I'm up for that so yeah I think for next year we've got a ton of stuff planned and um yeah long made that continue as we we keep saying so get involved people um hit us up and speak to us DM us you know whatever but um yeah come and get involved you you'll be more than welcome yeah so just moving on to a bit of personal life for you you've got a big event coming up next year what's that you didn't just say that you're getting married yes I know I'm reminded every uh every day uh as we get closer yeah every five minutes yeah and my bank balance is getting reminded every five minutes as well so yeah thank you for bringing up yeah in May next year so I'm not only turning 40 and Jan but we're getting married uh not me and you but uh me and my wife to be you'd be lucky get all the wonderful hats I know yeah how cool that be uh so we are looking for a wedding singer band artist to to play um so yeah if you want to you want to come on karaoke I'm pretty mean on karaoke I'm pretty awful at karaoke I want to buy a karaoke machine going on off on a tangent because I want to butcher as many songs as I can while I'm drunk over the Christmas period yeah I'm I'm pretty much like Elvis Presley after about 10 Guinness so um the fat version come and see yeah the fat version the drunk F yeah drunk trap fat version of of elv Presley um I Could Sing The Wonder of you if you like your first dance like a bit of Wonder I'll see suzan's out for yeah probably not I'm sure she will be yeah I'm sure she'll be up for a laugh um but no I mean another massive event you're turning 40 uh in January can't that send you a present uh and then yeah then you get married in May so obviously we've got to we've got to do things either side of it we might even be able to if we're up to that place then by may you know do some live broadcasts from the wedding I don't know how well I'm going to be TI Tok live from the wedding a start and end version of all the day is gone yeah that might be good we can do that yeah yeah funny quite entertaining and then we might get banned from Tik Tok within the first probably first [Laughter] year but anyway over to you really um I know you've had a mental year so far uh it's been incredible anything that you want to anything you want to bring up anything you want to um I think highlightslight we've done highlights already in the last but you know so far you've done so many different interviews what are the highlights so far I think um obviously kicking things off with Jack I mentioned that on the last one um I think Adam was just the Highlight because I didn't think anyone of Adam's kind of stature would want to talk to us or you know would would agree to come on the show so to not only speak to someone that we're huge fans of but to get a live kind of um performance from him I think it just opened my eyes up to how how good the podcast can be and how great all of these people are because I I genuinely haven't uh spoke to any knob EDS or any horrible people or anyone you know you get the odd people that just don't reply and I'm not bothered by that but no one's ever come back and gone well who who's the rocket Revival Boger off um not interested sort of thing it's been either they they don't reply uh they're too busy or yeah majority has been yes uh and it's just agreeing a date which is why I we're so busy in January um with with me just pinging things out and going oh crap you know we got to try and fit the time in to do this now um but again I think that there'll be some good artists that people will be interested in hearing from put it that way um so continuing that Trend we're not you know reach reaching out to the likes of Morgan whan and like cuz wouldn't anyway but um why [Laughter] not he not yeah yeah anyway so so it's people that that is within the our OS and our kind of world and you know sometimes not just independent guys but um people with with established careers and you know doing really well and really well known and yeah this a guy I'm trying to trying to kind of set up in a minute so I'm not going to say the name cuz it's not agreed yet but it's kind of in the pipeline and I think that'd be an amazing uh guest to get on and again just just kind of kicks off the year nicely for the rugged Revival podcast and uh start as we mean to go arious it is I don't think you even know about that one you no I don't I don't know about anything I probably told you but you don't listen to me anyway so I of course I listen to you yeah um anyway but uh no it will be I I know that the the Canda is full um for that we've had to move some things around to accommodate that but what a great thing you know having people reaching out to you reaching out to us saying we want to come on um I definitely want to get a few more sort of traditional artists on if I can um I'm I'm going to be reaching out again you know trying to get trying to get people to answer my messages because of very little little followers cuz I think I'm um a troll or whatever you so uh well I mean I look like a troll but there we go so uh just trying to reach out to them to get that to get that Vibe going and again you know if we're doing these sort of live broadcasts or if we're if we're attending I know we've got a couple of um sets that we're attending next year which I'm really really excited about and that's all around the UK you know Manchester Birmingham London you know we're doing a complete mix of where we're going um we've bought the tickets we're ready to will'll be wearing the rugged Revival attire um actually I've just I've got a bone to pick with you uh so you've sent me one t-shirt so I had to go and buy my own t-shirts for the new logo on it I kind of like the old logo but new logo um so it won't be me just wearing the same t-shirt every time I come on and I've had to purchase some hats but anyway so we'll be wearing that when we uh when we go out and about um all over the UK um let's try and get to Ireland I'm hoping that there's going to be some sets in ey that we can go to I am going to reach out to some of the Irish country music artists because I think they're fabulous there's so many of them coming out at the moment uh that are really hitting the roof um and they're getting so so popular um uh one of them I'm I'm hoping I've reached out to him already uh he's a solo artist quite a young filler um but I've been listening to his music for the last year or so incredible artist but we'll reach out to him we'll keep pushing to try and get them on even going over to Ireland with your fancy camera and maybe it'll give me an excuse to get a drone as well I don't know why never been to irand before you've got to come with me come to me I've been to Northern Ireland but I've never been to Southern irand uh Southern beautiful place incredible amazing people beautiful place beautiful people just a good laugh relaxed chilled out and there is so many people that would bite off your right harm for for offering their venue um for for us to do that so let's V Venture into Ireland as well I'm sure we've got some Irish listeners somewhere um I think actually still saddle um they were they were saying that they would they would they would die to be Irish Irish um so uh you know let's get them involved let's you know we can do live streams we can do all that sort of stuff next year but um it it's stuff to be looking forward to and i' I'm so excited about traveling half the UK in our spare time very little spare time it is but uh but spare time travel around the UK and interview the artists you know face to face it'll be another another notch so it' be good it is yeah I mean who are we saying um just to recap we got Colby Helms in Birmingham in Feb I think that is um Sturgill Simpson in I can't remember when that is June July maybe in London I know where it is um so I I'll reach out to Sturgill see if he's uh got some time to to talk to us and expect the usual kind of uh silence but uh I think he's quite big to be fair um so yeah no I'm I'm looking forward to it it we don't often get to do live gigs because of the day jobs and you know family and everything else so yeah I think we need to make more of an effort for that and that's what we're doing it's not cheap either yeah no it's not cheap but um listen you know we we'll try and do whatever we can to get out there to go and to go and do what we've got to do uh and to to introduce ourselves you know making the effort to introduce ourselves face to face to all the artists uh will'll probably be bundled Away by security who are you with your weird hats and your strange attire um but you know if you if you are doing a gig or if you are doing an event or again you know there's event organizers that listen to us um or listen to you you know all the time on the regular Revival um if you are hosting an event or you want us to come down then please just give us a shout let us know where it is you know we we're more than happy to travel go wherever we need to go um just to experience it and and get to put our name out to more followers and get to introduce ourselves face to face um yeah collaborate more Horrors Ono one but yeah yeah exactly when it's live we we we can't edit on ourselves and uh make ourselves look good so uh what you see is what you get um but whatever I'm looking forward to it definitely so yeah bring on 2025 man but let's enjoy Christmas first I think we all need a break it's been a long year it's been tough kind of work and everything else going on lots of sick ill disgusting people like you so I think yeah I'm looking forward just to having a week off work personally so Happy Days absolutely right well that's it that's all my questions that is all my questions uh I mean wrapping up from the year going forward wrapping up to to everything that we're doing now um I'm sure we'll be able to fit in uh or maybe even do like a practice session on Tik Tok live yeah um why not let's uh let's give it a try let's see what we need to do um but listen it's been an Absol pleasure working with you uh not for you but working with you um long may that continue uh let's I'm I'm so excited about 2025 and and doing what we do so I'm going to let you sign off because I've done that the last two times of being on so I'm going to let you sign off I uh I made this kind of thing at the end and I'm trying to remember what it is I or or we will raise a toast we will raise a toast to the grit the grind and to the Revival cheers everyone for listening cheers Merry Christmas and Chistmas happy new year take care
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