Scott Low - Blues Songwriter and Virtuoso From Georgia | Rugged Revival

Welcome back to the podcast. We've got Scott Low with us. How are we doing, mate? >> Doing great. How are you, man? >> Fantastic. All good. Uh like I said just before we come on, my anxiety is through the roof today. Mainly because we put our first grit sessions out uh for a while and uh hopefully it will land well. But uh anyway, that's enough about me. Um it's great to have you on the podcast. Um I do tend to waffle a little bit through these uh conversations, but >> let's waffle, buddy. Come on. Well, that's it. They're real conversations, dude. That's what it's about. People want to hear that type of stuff. Uh, it's not stagnant. >> So, I know I appreciate you reaching out to us. Uh, first of all, we kind of mix in similar circles with the Appalachin scene. You do an awful lot on TikTok, which we'll go into, and you've got some fantastic music, and it's completely up my street. Uh, that's why I wanted to talk to you and go into everything that you're doing because I think you're doing something slightly different to a lot of artists out there, a lot more kind of delta blues, real kind of heavy hitting blues. So, if you're into that type of music, absolutely go and check out Scott's uh stuff. >> Um, but first of all, I like to kind of dial it back a little bit and uh start off light, mate. So, where are you from, >> man? I'm kind of from all over. I currently reside in the very northeast corner of Georgia in the United States. um right at the bottom end of the Appalachin Mountains. Um I was born in North Carolina, but I've kind of lived all over the country and USA is very big, right? So I mean I lived in Washington State about as far away as you can get in this country. So I've seen all kinds of different people and I grew up outside of Chicago. So that's probably kind of the blues come from, I think, is uh growing up outside of Chicago and seeing Buddy Guy and Albert Collins and all the all the like guys that were still kicking in the 90s when I was coming up. >> Yeah. >> Um >> uh I've I lived in Athens, Georgia, big music hot spot for like 13 14 years. Played in like 23 bands in that town and kind of swed my oats musically there, you know. So, you've been a busy man. >> Oh, yeah. It's been a long, long road. I've definitely got many different chapters and genres. Like, I went to school for jazz. I've played in electronica bands. I've played in like we used to have a MC battle band where we'd back up MC battles and stuff. So, I've done all kinds of things. And I really think I really think I've tried to like take all of this and put it into what I still do. You know, it's like I don't ignore anything I've done. And I don't like I mean I love I still listen to jazz every day, hip-hop every day. I mean I'm all over the map. So >> yeah. No, I I love that and I love like it kind of resonates through your your music. Um I I I'm very similar, you know, different eras, different moods, you know, getting older, you you listen to different stuff, but uh yeah, it's great that you've you've had that kind of connection across the board. So So what is your your current hometown? if you >> um it's Clayton, Georgia, which is literally like the very northeast corner of Georgia. Um it's the northeast city town. It's not a city, it's a town. It's pretty small. Um I I've lived up here for about almost 12 years now. And I lived in Athens for like 14 years before that. So I've been in Athens is still kind of northeast Georgia, but about an hour south of here. >> Yeah. Yeah. I I think North Georgia is is got some great artists um going at the moment, independent people. >> I know I keep talking about it, but Jesse Williams is fantastic. >> I I was supposed to play a show with her >> oh, a month ago, but I was taking a mental health break, so I didn't get to play it. But she her new record's killer. All the content she's been doing, very DIY is very killer. Um there's I mean I could sit here and list 20 North Georgia acts that you know I think are great. I mean just Georgia in general I think has a bad name because we have a there's a lot of really shitty country from Georgia >> you know like I mean Florida Georgia line is the penultimate but also like Luke Bryan and Jason Aline and all these dudes are from Georgia you know it's like you got to kind >> with that sort of brush over that way are you? I I try not to be. I mean, honestly, I used to play a lot more Americana folk music and I kind of shunned away from it just because it's like there's so much like racism and bigotry that goes on in country music and I just was kind of fed up with it and like and it really comes from a lot of these George X, you know? It's crazy. >> That's interesting to hear. I mean, we we over in the UK, we're kind of looking inwards towards what you guys are doing, and >> we we're not in the scene, but we know a lot about it, so it's not quite the same. So, I'd love to ask these sort of questions and to kind of get to know the intricacies of it, really. >> Yeah. Because I mean I had I had a record deal with like a more Americana country sound for a couple records. My new vintage record and excuse me a Burning Tire Smoking Guns which on all streaming services that records actually mislabeled as 2008 but it's actually 2018. It's just a little secret. I like to throw people off I guess. I don't know. I don't know who did it, me or the distributor but it's just going to live that way till I fix it. >> Awesome. So, is music your full-time occupation now? Are you got a day job still? >> Nah, music is pretty much my full-time occupation. I do. So, I moved up from Athens to Clayton, chasing down a lady, chasing some love, and now she's my wife. And um when I moved up here, I had just quit drinking the booze and I I was handed a fly fly fishing rod. So 12 years ago, I put down the whiskey bottle, picked up a fly rod, and started fly fishing around the country as I toured and played music. And so instead of drinking every night, I'd get up in the morning and go fishing. >> That's cool. you know, and and like I fished I bought fishing licenses all over this country. And so I when we started making babies, I decided to like tone down the touring to kind of like a little 2, threeh hour radius and we found a place with a trout stream on it and I started teaching people how to fly fish. Um, and so I did that for like the past eight years. And I mean, I was I was burning the candles at both ends because like that was usually a morning activity. Then I'd go play a gig at night and then get up and do that again and over and over and rinse and repeat. And I ended up burning myself out pretty hard on the fishing thing. And so I kind of shut it down earlier this year. That was part of my mental health break. I was like, I need to like re-evaluate and not be trying to do four careers at once, >> you know? And I really stepped back and really was like, "All right, I'm going to finish this Grateful Blues record. I'm gonna find me a booking agent and a manager and get this show on the road." And my kids are all like going to school now. My wife just bought this grocery store. This is like seems like a good time to like spread my wings a little bit. >> Good on you, brother. It's um it's tough out there, isn't it? And we'll go into your music specifically in a minute, I think, cuz um that that'll be awesome to cover. But yeah, I always ask the question in terms of how people cope mentally because like you say, it's a it's a draining industry and when you're independent, you're wearing multiple hats. >> Um, it could probably feel very lonely and if you put music out there and it feels like you're shouting into the ether. >> You're like in my head already right here. You know, these are the things that go through my head like hourly, you know. So, what what what sort of things have helped you overcome? You you talked about fly fishing, but my my my concern is obviously for you guys out there doing it, you know, I'd love to find ways that we can support, you know, in terms of the mental health aspect, but you got younger people coming into the industry perhaps not fully aware of what they're stepping into because you've really got to want to to do list gig almost, isn't it? >> Yeah. I mean, and I think it's a lot of I think community is the one thing that really helps because I think I think my mental health kind of struggled because I kind of isolated myself while I was doing this fishing and just kind of trying like my Appalachin Blues record from last year was all self-produced, nobody else on the record. It was just me in my basement for like months like being very in like the in like solitary confinement kind of, you know. And I kind of think that was part of my my downfall was that I didn't it's not that I didn't ask my friends to come help me. It's that that they know they just didn't have the time or didn't it just didn't work out, whatever. It's not their fault, you know. It's just like I I think I I tried to bring people in, but then I was like, you know what? But if y'all aren't going to help me, I'll just do it myself. And I think I think a lot of musicians go fall into that a lot, you know, like if I'm if if no one's going to be there, then I'll just do it all and then put it out and whatever what happens happens. But really, it's like there's there's tons of people out there that want to help you. It's just hard to kind of weed through the [ __ ] of like the people that are blowing smoke or like people that talk big, you know, but don't really like follow through. >> Yeah. >> Um and I think there's a lot of that in the music industry where people are like, "Oh man, you're the you're the greatest thing I've ever seen. I'm going to get you on Sons of Anarchy or whatever." You know, it's kind of funny you have the Sons of Anarchy poster behind you. I was just going to say >> because I actually one of the biggest like one of the biggest traumatic experiences I had in the music industry was I had a meeting with the production team of Sons of Anarchy and they were going to use my music in the show. >> Oh, right. >> And like we had like a phone call and then a big conference call and then it just vanished and it was just like so crushing to me, you know, and stuff like that. And it's like, you know, it's so hard to not get your expectations up in this industry because like you have to balance like ego and reality, you know, I because like people are like, "Oh, we're going to put you on Sunset Anarchy. We're going to put you on Sans Anarchy." And I'm like, "Hell yeah, this is awesome. I feel great." And then like one day they just stop responding and stop calling me, you know? I'm just like, "What?" >> And and honestly, that happened in like 2016 or 17. And that sent me reeling for a couple years, you know, just like there was a whole lot around that too where I was like meeting with big record labels and blah blah blah. And I think I just like everything just like fell apart kind of and I just had to like kind of push through. So I think you know I think that I was just talking to my therapist about this how it's like you have to have hope but you can't have like I think it's balancing hope and expectation you know because like if you if you expect all these things to happen like the letdown can be can literally kill your career you know like if you cannot handle the like the just crushing like like feeling like you are on you're on the highway and then the whole just bridge falls out, you know? That's what it's just like. And so I think I think being able to manage like hopefulness and like confidence in your art as opposed to like expecting that someone is going to like usher you to this next level, you know? >> Yeah, that's really interesting you say that. I think the industry's got a lot to to say about how folk are treated sometimes because like you say, they they move on to the next thing and perhaps they don't realize the impact that it has on the individual and that's not right. That's not right. >> But that's why I when we opened this video podcast that son's anarchy thing was there and I just started laughing cuz I was like that's so hilarious. >> It was meant to be to talk to. >> I know. I mean, and that it's so crazy that so many things in this industry are so synchronistic and like even just like the people you meet and like all the things that kind of build your story and your the long road. I mean, I've played thousands and thousands of shows and met so many amazing people, you know? It's like I'm a really lucky dude, but I also have had these experiences where I feel like my life was ending because something didn't happen or whatever, you know? Yeah. It's difficult not to feel like that. Like you say, it's um I mean, I'm I'm of the opinion that if something happens, great. I'm I'm going to have no expectations with with what I do. All I can do is, you know, put out the best work or material that I I can, you know, that's my disposal. If people like it, it's fantastic. If they don't, there's going to be people that don't like his stuff. Um Sure. >> But, you know, I'm I'm speaking to and this is where we've made we've been very lucky. We've met some fantastic people in in the industry, artists mainly. Nobody owes us anything, but they've brought us into this community and that goes back to that. And I think >> we keep those people close because we're like, if we can do anything for you, if you ever come to the UK, you know, we'll we'll kind of bend over backwards to to support you as best as we can and if you can do anything for us, great. But it's never any expectation. Um, but I love, you know, I think it was Josh Mitchum who told me once, you know, it's like >> with your career, you're always trying to put yourself at somebody else's table, you know, trying to get in there >> and and someone told him, um, you know, why not build your own table? Build something that somebody wants to go to what you're doing and be a part of that. So, I'm trying >> a barn >> and he built out an incredible barn. And I thought that's uh I don't have a barn, but >> yeah, >> you know, >> it's funny because I actually my part of my fly fishing business is we built a big stage down there and I actually hosted two three concerts a month down there for the past eight years and I had a I had a big spring festival and that was kind of when I was like, "Okay, I need to like take a break." And like that the spring festival this year was when I actually was like, "All right, I'm trying to like be a talent buyer and a fly fishing guide and the talent and whatever, you know?" I was like I was just trying to do too much and I like kind of just like melted down, you know? And so it's like there there is yes, build your own table, but don't build too damn many, you know? >> Yes, that's a good thing, too, >> because that's what I did. I think I I was trying to facilitate for so many people on top of trying to like You know, it's like I think we we got to set up our friends for success, you know, that's part of this whole thing is like helping build our community, but then there's a point where like it's you're you can overextend that, you know, and it was affecting my home life, my music, all kinds of things. And you know, when I stopped when I kind of shut down my front yard music venue, fly fishing business, so much weight was off my shoulders and it allowed me to like see my music a little more clearly and like focus on that, you know? >> And that can be depressing at sometimes, but you know, it's like you release music into the world and like I say, you just never know how it's going to be responded or land or whatever, you know, or take off. >> You've got to do it for yourself, haven't you? Um, and that that's what I've learned from speaking to many different artists and and the people similar theme comes up. It's, you know, make the music for yourself and the people that like that music, you know, you'll create that fan base from doing it. But if you try to be somebody else trying to make music for that particular venue or that festival, >> you're going to end up hating what you do. So, >> I mean, it's kind of crazy because this new album I've been working on is like a kind of a tribute album, you know? It's the Grateful Blues. It's all like blues music that the Grateful Dead created. And I've never done this before. I've never done someone else's m I'll take that back. I did do a jazz couple jazz albums which is like jazz standards, but that's it's a little different. It's this has there's like with this Grateful Dead thing, there's lore and there's stories and there's which I'm sure there is in some jazz circles, but you know, it it's just a little different. So, I'm It's kind of feel like I'm like I'm almost like pimping somebody else's art a little bit, you know? Like, it's a weird It's a weird situation. I'm I kind of can't wait to like get back onto my stuff, you know? >> Yeah. I mean, selfishly, as a Grateful Dead fan, I'm I'm into that. I'm digging it big time, mate. And >> yeah, I mean, I love it. I I'm so proud of it. And honestly, it's probably one of my best records I've made. And that could be because there was already a foundation set for me, you know, it was like there was already kind of like a a launch pad, you know. >> Yeah. Yeah. So, have have you got a a good history with the Grateful Dead then? Always think, you know, because I I love the new uh version of it, the Dead and Co. with John Mayer. I'm a big John Mayer fan. >> It's not it's not it's not the dead, but it's not >> it's not the same. I get it. It's not >> and really it's like that like this last the last like there's only like two members, you know? It's like it's getting it's getting to the point of like that's why I was like I better do this now while they're still kind of kicking a little bit. >> Yeah, man. Yeah. you know, and and really it's like I feel like, you know, like it's the dead community is so like the everyone's I mean, you know, the the word kind, people are kind, you know, be kind in Grateful Dead. That's just like and people are kind, you know, and it's like they really are very supportive and I was and I kind of knew that going in. And I was like, "Man, these people are going to eat this [ __ ] up, you know, and it's going to be awesome. And I'm and we're all going to hug and freaking smoke one and have a good old time, you know? That sounds perfect." Yeah. I mean, I've been I've been really enjoying the feedback so far. I mean, we've only released that one song, but I'm I've been really loving like all the Dead Heads coming out and because it's it's really it does it it has a very thick Grateful Dead vibe, but it's still very blues and very like, >> you know, I try to keep it very authentic and no not a lot of synthesizers or, you know, bleeps and bloops, very real instrument. struments and >> strip back. Yeah. >> Yeah. I mean, it is, but it's honestly like, like I say, this is probably one of the most I mean, I self-produced this thing right here where I'm sitting, you know, and it's like we did all the recording in this little tiny 12x 12 room. And I mean, it's nothing fancy, but you know, it's like with the technology today, I can make a hit record in my basement. And I learned that with my Appalachin Blues record. And so, I was like, "All right, I did that all by myself." with no other instruments. I was like, "All right, we're going to do drums, keys, percussion, horns, all kinds of stuff." And we'll see if it worked. Water's so low these fish going. Might stand up, start walking around town. Course you're so high. Got to work all night. All this work's covering up my life. Work so hard to afford you a box and ho. >> It's interesting you say that, you know, do doing the DIY stuff because I I had a previous guy on the on the podcast and he was talking about the way he was doing it and investing thousands of pounds just in one single and I was quite surprised by that. I thought that was a lot of money. >> Yeah. Yeah. And I mean it's like I think you know there's so many people doing what I do that these studios are now charging more and more because it's like they have to like pay the bills you know and it's like but it's it's I don't that's not a new development. Studio prices have I mean in the past 20 years have doubled tripled you know but I mean everything has it's like the cap world of capitalism we live in here and you know people just got to make that money make that bag you know it's like I I I mean to my detriment I've money is such a I hate money I'm I'm more I love to function in barters and but it's so hard it's I just dropped two grand on vinyl last night you know it's Like it's you got to make >> your obsession to vinyl stuff. >> Oh yeah. I mean I I love making vinyl. Making vinyl is one of my favorite parts about making music and putting my I have a huge vinyl collection. And I'm making putting yourself putting your music on vinyl is definitely more important than spending thousands of dollars at a studio to me. And I'd rather spend thousands of dollars on vinyl. >> Yep. But, you know, I guess if you got it, why not, you know? I mean, I guess >> Yeah. I mean, if I had a song make me a million dollars, I'd probably go to a really nice studio, you know, but >> that's not happened. >> So, the latest um album then that's on Band Camp, isn't it? >> Um the just the single up so far. >> Yeah. >> There is a pre-order for the whole album because the whole album comes out on October 10th. Um, and so the whole album will be on Band Camp and it'll be everywhere except for Spotify because I've decided Spotify can go jump off a cliff. >> So, >> yeah. >> Yeah. I I got that impression. I was like, it's not on Spotify. But I think a lot of people are gravitating to your way of thinking because of the the way that artists are just not being compensated for. Have you seen the stuff about the new service agreement they're dropping in September >> where like when you upload your music to Spotify, you are now signing away the rights and they can use it in any way they want >> and they can they can manipulate it. They can put it into AI and recreate whatever you are lit that's going to be in the new Spotify service agreement that you are giving up all rights to your music basically. >> That's scary. >> Yeah, dude. Like screw them. like that dude's making billions and I'm I got 35 cents last quarter, you know? It's like whatever. >> Yeah. Yeah. It's not worth it. How do you think that? I mean, that's really interesting to know that that's the direction they're taking. I did hear some bits and pieces about it, but I wasn't fully in the know. >> Do you think I talk about it? I shared I shared a whole Tik Tok about it the other day. This lady like broke it all down and it's scary, dude. It's like and like they can go back and touch anything they want that they have in their database of yours, you know? It's like it's wild. It's it it like if we all everybody just needs to stop putting their [ __ ] on there, you know? Like >> I was going to say, do you think that will will impact artists to to go down your road a bit more? >> Yes. I I I mean I I hope so. And like I think we just all have to share this information and really like understand that like you know if like more like I think like maybe you send a single every now and then to Spotify maybe just because like it is such a huge exposure algorithm you know but it's also like I feel like it's getting less and less and honestly like like when I release stuff you know like they'll they'll put you into editorial playlists and they keep putting me into country still and I'm like this is not country music, y'all. I mean, like, it blues is from the country, but it's like y'all like cuz like the last two singles I put out, they put me on like modern country that doesn't suck. And I'm like, well, that's cool, but like they're not representing me, right? >> You know, and so I'm it's whatever. I'm I'm not going to sit here and [ __ ] about Spotify because because it's really it's really like they just stepped into a into a place that was already created by Napster and Limewire and all the stuff that came before it, you know? It's like this this is not their fault. They just stepped into a place and made a [ __ ] ton of money, you know? I was like, I mean, yeah, they could have probably dealt with it better, but >> yeah, there comes a point where it's overreach and I I'm I'm just so amazed by what line they're taking come September, like you say. So, >> and that's why I'm going to make vinyl because like I mean, I can make good profit on that. And like, you know, I feel like it's something way more tangible than your phone in your pocket, you know? And like I mean I I used to be so excited to bring home a stack of vinyl from the record store and sit there and read every damn word on it, you know? Like you can't do that on Spotify. I can't I they don't even give you an option to put the like like who played on the song, you know? It's like none of these streaming well some of them Apple Music does have a little spot where you can go in and add notes and stuff about who played on the track, who mixed it, who because like there's so many people that went into this recording. They all deserve credit, not just me. >> Yeah. >> You know, and like they get it on my record if I spell their names right and [ __ ] you know? But >> that's what I've been going through the past week. My brother does all my graphic design and there was like one little like like all the track numbers were like one period, two period, and there was one period missing. And he was like he he kept saving it and it kept vanishing. and it was just like 30 times he sent it to me and it the for some reason the little freaking decimal point kept just like vanishing during saving. So it's like if it ain't one thing in the music world it's another you know it's like I can't get the freaking file to save right you know and it's like he's a graphic designer and an artist but I'm not you know it's like I'm I'm a audio artist you know. Yeah, man. It's it's so much effort. Like you say, you're wearing so many hats and >> you know, there's some great thing. I mean, what would you say is like on a positive note? What what is the best thing about being independent and being in your your position as it is? >> Um, being able to play wherever I want and do it and like really like like I don't have I don't have anyone telling me like you need to be making x amount of content a day. You need to be doing this and this and this. I kind of just am like like yesterday I was depressed and I had to do a bunch of carpet ripping up for my wife and I didn't have any energy to make any content so I just posted a picture or whatever you know and it's like it's fine it's a Monday whatever you know and so I can be like that and not have somebody being like hey you need to you need to create three pieces of content every four hours or whatever you know or like we need more singles we need more whatever I do I have been on tear of releasing music. So like ain't nobody going to complain about that part. So >> yeah. No, it's been interesting because I I I do follow your socials and you know, you touched upon it in terms of taking that that break for your mental health and it seems that you've come back with this this real energy, you know, reaching out to the likes of us, putting out music. It just it just seems like you're in a real different place. So it's good to see, man. >> I I think it's I also have time now. Like I I'm and like I I do think I think that you know like I so listen I just started playing slide guitar and like really laying into this blues stuff like a year and a half ago like right before I recorded the Appalachin Blues. Like this is all like I feel like I'm in high school again. Like I this whole like playing slide guitar and these do do and resonators. It's like it's like I've I've found this whole new It's like I picked up guitar again for the first time. And I think that's part of it is that I've I think I've always been kind of searching for the next sound. Like I don't I don't like you listen to my my discoraphy and it is just all over the place, you know, from folk music to electro folk to weird instrumentals to all kinds of stuff, you know. And I'm not try I'm I I I I've never wanted to be like pigeonholed in any genre. I've I've always kind of just wanted to be an artist, you know, and I think I don't want to be defined. And I I think that I've I've really found a kind a way to play music that has really an analogy for it, I think, is like I started playing this slide guitar and with the slide guitar there's really not notes, you know, like I'm not like I'm not like hitting a note. I'm like finding it, you know? I'm I'm finding my own notes where it's like it's not defined by frets or keys. It's like I go right. I have no there's it's like a freaking slide whistle, you know? And I had I it opened up this like micro tonal stuff that I'd kind of like got into with Indian music and stuff, but being able to like like I've I've I've for the longest time in my whole life, this is kind of some music theory nerd stuff, but somebody will appreciate this. Um, I always thought the blues kind of lived between the four and the five because like blues is 1 145 chords, but also like the flat five into the four and the flat five into the five is very bluesy sounding. Okay. Once I started playing slide guitar and really messing with those like between the notes, I found that I really think the blues lives between the minor third and the third and because like that is where happiness and sadness kind of lives in music, you know, is a minor chord to a major chord. And man, the power of like between that little half step of a minor third to a major third, I swear that's where the stank lives. And like just like the nasty mojo lives in manipulating the third. And it's so crazy. I was I ran into my jazz professor at a show recently and I was I pulled out a slide out of my pocket. I was like, "Look at this, bro. All that you taught me, it doesn't matter anymore cuz I don't have I don't have notes anymore. or I make my own notes, you know, and he thought it was hilarious. And and then we actually talked about that fourth and fifth and third stuff and he was like, you know, there's something to that maybe, you know, and I mean, he's he's like he's a very uh scholarly he's like the head of the jazz department at a big time university now. He wasn't when I learned from him. He was kind of young, but now he's like Mr. Fancy Pants. >> Oh wow. >> But yeah, it was it's it's crazy to like to kind of all these Like the music world is like there's this old George W. Bush quote, a thousand points of light. It takes a thousand points of light to bring this all together, you know? And I always I always talk about like how like there's just so many things that have to come together to create art that is I mean especially in this day and age art that is original you know on top of art that is like inspiring you know or like that people want to gravitate to or make them feel something. You know it's hard to do. There's how many albums a day get released or a week? You know, it's it's wild. You know, >> every Friday you see that, don't you, on on the Instagram mainly. And we we're guilty of that, too. And it's like >> it almost feels like music is becoming so disposable cuz every week, every week, something new is coming out and it's like on to the next thing. It's >> But I mean, it's been that way for 30 years, you know? It's like there's so much music in the world and it's so intimidating to think about, >> you know, but I like like no one plays guitar like me. No one sings like me. No one sings like you. No one, you know, it's like we are all making something that will never be made by anyone else. And that will and like that's why AI will never win, you know? I mean, as much as the as much as some people may like surrender to it is what I kind of feel like is happening, you know, where I feel like I feel like, you know, like AI cannot play slide guitar. I know that for damn sure, you know, like, and so I'm I'm very like like I'm going to keep just cranking out records and throwing them at the damn wall no matter if it gets a thousand plays or a million plays. That's what's going to happen for the next five years of my life. I'm literally I'm going to take five years and just crank out records and to play as many shows as I can because I'm not young. And I also like I really want to give this a really like fiveyear plan. Let's put out 12 records. Let's let's play 150 200 shows a year all over the world. Let's give it as much of a try as we can. And I think that's giving me a lot of hope, you know, back to like, you know, it's like positive hope and finding >> Yeah. >> finding ways that are the next step. >> Yeah, that's interesting. I mean, we we always ask people, you know, what have you got a three year or five year plan? Some people like don't know. I'm just going to go with the flow. Um, but it's interesting. So, you you you've touched on a couple of things that is that is that just something that sprung to mind now? Have you got a defined kind of realistic plan kind of for for that time period? >> I mean, I I I definitely, you know, like I think like just the goals of, you know, two to three records a year, whether it be what whatever I can do whatever I want because I don't have anybody telling me what to do, you know? So, I can do a folk record, a country record, a blues record, whatever. I don't have to define myself. And I think like I'm kind of leaving open. And honestly, I had a rec in my darkness of mental health issues I was having earlier this year. I I had I had some massive explosions of writing and and that's usually like the darkness brings out the best [ __ ] and it sucks. But like the depression and divorce and all this stuff is when I've been my most prolific, you know, because I've got something to say, you know? And I honestly recorded like almost a whole record one night and it's so far from anything I've ever done before. But I had to go take it off of my computer so I had finished the Grateful Blues. So I have another record like almost done and it's I'm calling it the trap blues. Um trap music, hip-hop rap. >> Gotcha. Atlanta. It's like hip-hop beats with like crazy swampy electric electric and slag guitar over it with like mumble blues kind of mumble rep. I don't know. It was >> That sounds [ __ ] interesting. >> Honestly, I've sent it to some people and they people got so excited I had to be like I cannot put my energy into this because the Grateful Blues was this growing mountain. And I also and I I when I signed with this manager, she's like, "You got to pick pick one and finish it and get it out before the end of the year." So, I did it. I It's It's so interesting where people find their inspiration. Like you say, through the the kind of dark times, people find the best stuff. And it's I don't know why that is. Maybe it's because you're soulsearching and you're reaching really deep and you're you you're finding more of yourself, perhaps. I don't know. I think as artists it's our way to fix it. >> Yeah. >> You know, it's like getting that [ __ ] out. It's like therapeutic and cathartic, you know? It's very like I've got all this freaking emotion and and like like I went to school for guitar and like spent years and years and years practicing and trying to be as good of a guitar player as I can, but virtuosity in music is not a thing anymore really. You know, it's like that's not something people are searching for. I mean, like Billy Strings, there you go. He's he counts as a virtuosic music star, but you know, like really it's like no like we love the Tyler Childers, but it's not because they're like shredding, you know, it's because it's got feeling and passion and you know, and I feel like like that's what sets you apart now is like authentic passion, authentic feeling, you know, and I because like it's not like Yeah, it's all produced really well. Well, some people hate the new Tyler Childers, but whatever. You know, the production production does matter a little bit. Like, you don't want it doesn't want it can't sound like crap, you know? But I think the the freaking what the root of the emotion and the passion is what really the seed of it all is what's going to like really set it apart. Now, you know, I had a buddy come on my TikTok live the other night. I know. I was on his Tik Tok live and he's like, "Man, I was on your Tik Tok live the other night and you play with such fire and I'm like I mean, is there any other way? I I I I've always like I swear I put a guitar on and I like immediately start sweating, you know, cuz I know it's like, okay, this is my time and I'm going to leave it all right here tonight because like what else?" Like if I don't leave it right here, right now, I'm going to be toiling with all this energy the next 24 hours till the next show or feeling like I didn't give it all, you know? And so like I mean I play a ton of threehour sets and stuff around here and man I will just be like exhausted. Like yesterday I was so dragging ass helping my wife cut carpet out of her new store. I had just played five nights in a row and I was just like mentally, emotionally, physically just like I don't know how I'm cutting this carpet right now, you know? >> But she's still making you do it as well. >> Yeah, it's done. >> Yeah. >> And we didn't get it. We didn't get a ticket from the city, so we did it all without them finding out. >> Good on you, dude. But um we when we mentioned your TikTok right at the beginning and every time I see your name pop up I always pop in to see what you're up to and like you say you are you're in that moment you're shredding it's like you're leaving everything there but it's interesting because I say we speak to lots of artists on the road or on the podcast and you know I always say you know what does it feel like when you're up on stage some people say well kind of on autopilot it feels like you're driving you know some miles and you think oh [ __ ] I'm driving and they they kind of come back to the M is do you have those moments? >> Yeah. And I I definitely battle with that a little bit because I feel like like music is so my flow state. music is like my happy place, my utopia, whatever, you know, and I think that I think I got I can't forget that I'm also performing, you know, because sometimes I will totally just like and I I think a lot a lot of that comes from me playing like coming up playing jazz, you know, because when jazz like you have to be so just like into the band and into the chord changes and all the improvisation going on, you have to respond. And I kind of I kind of manage my band a little bit like that where it's like there's no instructions. Let's feel it. If we feel it, it'll be fine, you know? And sometimes that doesn't work, but it usually does. Um, so I don't know. I guess so. I these podcasts, man, I go off on my I have so much to say, I feel like, and I just go on these crazy tangents, but I love I love it. I it it gets my neurons firing, you know, like I have so much I want to I want to spread to the people, you know, and like >> No, carry on, mate. We've got a a really cool audience where they love the long form chat and we go down these, like I said, I waffle on and we go down these rabbit holes. I forget what I meant to be asking you, but we'll come back to it eventually. It's uh >> it's that type of place. One question I love to ask Scott is um you know not being from from your world um when you go up on the stage and me being an introvert you know I find it daunting you know going in front of anyone these podcasts I can get a bit anxiety doing not knowing the people but uh >> when you're engaging your audience or a new audience have you got any kind of ice breakers any ways that you kind of start interacting with the crowds? Um, so I I play lots of different kinds of places. Um, everything from little bars to wineries, breweries. Like I I live in a place where there's lots of uh white water rafting and kayakers and I play a lot of like white water rafter kayaker parties. And so I think it's very like it's a very like uh play to the room vibe where it's like you got to kind of like I also I I play a lot of poker too and I think like that skill of being able to read people and read the room and read like people's reactions like I mean even like the first few notes of the song you can kind of see >> movements you know or like whatever. And so I think it's it's very it's a very uh acquired skill I guess to like be able to like see your audience and kind of like figure out what the like what the vibe needs to be, what the next song needs to be, what the how I need to talk to them, like what kind of stories, you know, cuz like the demographic like I just played a I just played a animal shelter benefit Sunday and it was a very uh older white crowd, right? And so like it was crazy too cuz like I I had played the same place the night before just like as a normal dinner gig like little three-hour solo gig and it's a great it's like a oyster bar like killer food. It was a great place and the next he was like also asked me to play as benefit. I was like, "Sure." You know, like I I love puppies, you know. So, but it was very like a very different crowd both nights, you know, like the first night was very like families and um people just hanging out eating oysters and Friday, Saturday night, you know, people drinking and whatever. And the next night was like middle of the afternoon, a bunch of people in their like Sunday best and like most of them probably over 60. And so it was a very different like I was like all right we're going to play like more of like the jazzier stuff and like the more fingerpick stuff and like tell some stories and like and like the story like I have I have many different stories throughout my life I can tell and it's like they have to be appropriate for that you know so you got to curb the trucker jokes and some of the uh >> right stuff like so like I I I play a dough bro style resonator guitar and this old man comes up to me and he's like, "Hey, you probably get a lot of uh comparisons to Curtis Low, right? The Leonard Skard song." And I'm like, I do. It's And so like I have a story about that song where like I was playing in Jacksonville, Florida, the the home of Leonard Skannard, right? And I was playing with who was it? It was an old band from Lexon, Kentucky called the Cross Town Rivals. Um, I'm sure your Kentucky folks would remember them. They were quite the quite the getup. And uh, we got double booked and the venue decided that they were choosing the other show. And so I was I was broke up with my now wife. We were just we're not married yet. And so I we had Tinder had just come out, like the dating app. And so we decided on that tour we were all going to get on Tinder and just swipe right on everybody to tell people about our shows. Okay. So it's like a dating app we were basically using as like musical promotion. And so this night in Jacksonville, this this one girl comes. I don't even know who she who she had matched with or whatever, but I had fully convinced this girl that Curtis Low was my granddaddy. Okay. And like Curtis Low in the song, like Curtis Lo is an old black man with white curly hair is literally how the song opens, you know? It's like if you don't know anything about this song or Skard, like you're obviously going to get fooled that Curtis Low is my granddaddy, you know? And so like I I tell that story a lot, but I did not tell that story to these 70-year-old retirees, you know? It's like they don't they probably don't even know what Tinder is, you know? It's like so I think >> it will be lost on them completely. >> Yeah. So I think it's like you got to kind of play to the room and and like understand that like the more you can be attainable and and like the more that people can relate to you the more they're going to respect your art. I feel like which I think is there once again it's a fine balance. Like you can't like like I'm not going to sit here and play the all the covers because that's not me. You know, there's there's a there's a certain balance of being an artist and an entertainer, I guess, you know. >> Absolutely. Yeah. >> And I think there's a fine there's a fine balance of that. Like because if like you're just completely an artist and don't give a [ __ ] about what anybody thinks or whatever, like yeah, you you could be successful, but I think, you know, it's like I want I want to have friends and family and community, you know, and I think like being like this like blind artist, you you're going to miss that. You're going to miss the connection of the people. And that's honestly why I quit playing jazz. I was like, man, I just I just don't feel like I'm attaching to my audience. I feel like I'm so internal that I'm not I'm not available kind of, you know, and so I think but see the it's like there like be super available or be like mysterious and you know it's like it's it's a fine balance of like having some mystique about it, you know, and not just being like a you know like I don't know I I don't want to compare it to anyone. Yeah, it's uh I suppose it's a degree of emotional intelligence, isn't it? Like you say, you don't want to be one of those people that just doesn't give a [ __ ] at all and does your own thing and doesn't care about the crowds in front of you. But you've got to like I say, remain honest, remain true to >> to why why you're doing it, why you're there. Otherwise, you just become another, like you say, entertainer, should we say, like we the people that we know. Uh >> yeah. or like I mean just somebody that's not really like like giving like cuz I think like you have to respect the art like you you know like if you don't respect the art then you don't then it then your entertainment ability is not authentic >> right and so like it's a thousand points of light right all this stuff has to come together to make your art right and authentic and real you know so I don't know it's it's a it's such a balancing act the whole thing you know >> yeah Now, that's interesting. I mean, I I love, you know, talking about the different scenes and how you guys perceive it. And, you know, the UK is a bit of a weird entity at the moment. We, you know, I think country is a bit of a poses game at the minute over here. Um, you know, if you listen to the radio, and I've said this many times, you're only going to find like pop country. You got to really dig deep to find people like you, Nick Jameson, who we had on previously, and all these other awesome people. They're not on a radio and even with the festivals here, there's maybe one or two that might play them, but >> I will say I've had more radio play in the UK in the past two weeks than in the US. >> Wow, that's interesting. >> Yeah. Um, I'll send you the list of all the UK stations. >> Yeah, please do, man. I'll be interested to connect with those guys because obviously they have a good taste. I and I think I think I also, you know, because like with my music, especially with this Grateful Blues thing, it has like it can go into Americana, it can go into blues, it can go into Grateful Dead Jam Band world, you know? It's kind of got a multi-headed genre thing going on, you know? And I think that's probably I'm probably hopefully hopefully probably maybe the radio folks will respond in different ways, you know, where like I can get on to the Grateful Dead hour, I can get on to the Blues Hour, you know, and and especially on those independent stations like I can't even remember. I was talking to some I don't want to change my screen and look who it was but it was somewhere up in Scottish Highlands and he was like how did you even know that I played your music and like I was like well there's a digital footprint and like it gets reported like the meta I've learned all this stuff pretty recently like since I released Appalachin Blues you know you embed all the information into the music and then like spinatron reports it all and like anytime that song gets played all over the world, Spinetron's picking it up. It's freaking crazy, bro. And so I was like, "Yeah, it's this digital footprint thing that you put into the music." And and cuz he was like shocked that I was like, "How do you like We're like a tiny little radio station in the Scottish Highlands like and they've honestly played it twice cuz I I was like I I was like, "You know what? I'm going to give whoever plays this music, I'm literally going to like shower them with love, you know, because like they probably don't get a lot of that, you know? They probably get a lot like, "Hey, will you play my music?" And then they never hear from them again, you know? So, I was like, I went and like made thank you emails for all these DJs and they've gone and they keep playing it, you know? It's like, scratch my back, I scratch yours type of thing. >> Yeah. It's cool. It's cool to give something back, isn't it? like you say and and I think it's reciprocal all rounds with podcasts, with radio, with with artists. I think >> that community and that that friendship, you know, is is a good synergy. But, uh, no, it's interesting you say that about the Scottish Highlands. We we might know them. It' be Yeah, if you send me them after, I'll I'll dig them out. But, uh, yeah, most random of places that people find where people are listening to the music, whether it's over in Australia, South America, people get quite a lot. Um, >> it's crazy, isn't it? now that you can really home in and see where people are are listening. >> Oh yeah. And dude, the blues is big everywhere. It's wild. And honestly, like I honestly think like, you know, the blues is kind of the root of all American music, you know? Like all American music kind of goes back to the 20s and blues and kind of New Orleans jazz mixed with like church music and stuff, right? And so like I mean the blues if we want to boil down like what is the greatest thing to come from our country like music is probably one of it you know music I mean capitalism sucks obviously democracy is failing all baseball's pretty cool I guess um I don't know like we have a couple food items but music is definitely like rock and roll blues country all this stuff is like inherently American you know, and like it like there ain't no country without blues. There ain't no bluegrass without blues. There ain't no rock and roll without blues, you know? And so I think like I mean there's a huge blues scene all like in Spain, in Italy, in Brazil, you know, like and I've I mean I did with the Appalachin Blues album. I did interviews in Italy, Brazil, like Netherlands, Norway, you know, and those are hard because you have to have Google Translate running and it's very difficult to do. But, you know, I definitely like I I see I my mission is to get over to Europe at some point in the next year or two because like I I get way more response from over there than I do here almost, you know? But also here it's like >> the US is so freaking big and there's so many people putting out music. I feel like it's it's just overwhelming to a lot of people, you know, and you know, the the blues I I don't know if I can go here, but all right. The blues scene in America is very weird where it's like it's a lot of old people that have like this preconceived notion of what it should be, you know, when like like I look at Billy Strings and what he's done to bluegrass and the whole America like how he's like bled genre lines. He's done so much for bluegrass by playing more than bluegrass, you know? And I kind of feel like that's what I'm trying to do with this Grateful Blues. I'm really trying to like blur the lines and not be it like like I just I just played this like blues challenge which I won, but that's a whole another story. Um, and one of the things that people talked about was my outfit and that thing that drove me crazy. What were you wearing? I've got to ask. >> I was wearing these light blue like kind of baggy hiking pants. They're like Patagonia like $100 pants. They're not nothing to turn your nose up at, old lady. And then I had like a button-down like snap pearl snap like purple plaid shirt on and like maybe this hat. And like she was like, "Uh, your your outfit didn't really um respect the genre." And I was like, "What?" Like you almost That's the weirdest thing to say, >> bro. Like it caught like I posted that on a Facebook post and some other judge came in there and like was like, "You can't be slamming our judges, blah blah blah." I'm like, "I didn't slam anybody. I just literally said what was on the judges sheet. It was like factual, you know?" And so, but I think that's like there's kind of that mindset with blues over here where these people like expect it to be something, you know, and so like I'm definitely like I'm fighting a little battle of being this kind of weird freak hippie appalachin hillbilly, you know? It's like when these people are like, "What what is this?" you know, like and I think I think, you know, it's like I'm I'm not going to put on a suit, you know, or like like what is a blues uniform? Like if I think, you know, it's like is it is it overalls? Is it a is it a suit? Is it slave chains? I don't [ __ ] know, you know? It's like like it's a blue suit to me is authenticity, you know? It's like you got to feel that [ __ ] and it's got to be real or it's not it's gonna like there is some straight freaking music blues out there that I could send you that is like so freaking painful, you know? It's like like blues has to swing and shuffle and have like swag, you know? It's not just like, you know, it's freaking it's got to have some freaking funk on stank on it, you know? >> Absolutely. I mean, I That's how I dress. I dress stanky. I I I I feel like I got amazing style, you know. >> You cannot be pigeonal. Yeah, exactly, mate. I I will um back you on that, dude. Absolutely. >> I me not not quite the same, unfortunately. But uh >> I mean, black t-shirts are obviously am. >> That's because I'm a little bit overweight and uh black is slimming apparently. >> Slimming, right? >> That's my trick. That's how I trick you. But uh No, I mean I love the history of the of the blues, man. And um you know I I love the kind of the the kind of British bands went over there back in the day like the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton and and they they brought that stuff back. Um right >> one of my favorite bands early early Free with Paul Rogers and >> you know those guys um you know >> Yeah. I mean that's, you know, it's like blues have like really infected a lot of countries, you know, and like I think British was really early, but I think, you know, like Italy followed and like there's been like there's a huge blues scene in Italy. It's crazy. Like I I've I've gotten multiple Viol's got multiple plays in Italy. Australia loves it, you know. It's like it's wild that like the blues are almost almost cooler not in the United States, you know? Like it's almost like the United States sees it almost as antiquated I feel like you know where like the rest of the world it's still kind of like >> I mean because because it's amaz it's it's it's such an amazing art form that came from this country but you know it's over 100 years old here you know and like and you know I mean what is the like what is the pathway from the blues to Taylor Swift you know it's like that is a crazy journey that music goes on you No, >> it it has infected so many people, man. And I think country's had a real resurgence over recent years, you know, and I think authentic country, you know, like I think, you know, like the whole like I mean I give Kentucky about a thousand% credit between Chris Stapleton, Sturgle Simpson, Tyler Childers, you know, and then maybe throwing the Canadian culture wall. Between those four, I think the resurgence, you know, it began 12, 14, 15 years ago. >> Definitely. Yeah. >> Like I think Southeastern and Turtles or Metamodern Sounds and then like uh Traveler, you know, like those were definitely like turning points in American music, you know, and we're still feeling like the ripples are growing still, you know, like I mean I I'm I listen to all that stuff, man. I love I love Kentucky songwriters. They're some of my favorite people, you know, and you know, like you talk about Lance and Josh and all these guys, and it's it's a great world up there. I need to I need to go back up there and play. I was on a pretty good uh pretty good route up there for a while, but it's been a once I started this fly fishing business, I kind of just stuck in my little hole down here. So, >> yeah, man. Yeah, definitely get back out there. there. There's some some of the most welcoming people as you know and um I just love the scene there. I'm hoping to get out there next year. So, if you're around, man, we'll uh we'll go together. >> Yeah, maybe we can bring a like we did a couple Kentucky like I had like like hosted Kentucky feature nights here where like I had like Grayson Jenkins and uh who else was the first one? I just remember Grayson. I don't know. There's like four dudes from Kentucky came down once and Lance and somebody else came down last year and I kind of like try to be like, "Hey, grab three buddies and come down here and play my stage, you know, and I'll hook you up with a we'll find a couple other shows on the way, you know." So, I really love to facilitate like I said, but I think I overextended myself like I said. So, I'm I'm definitely going to fire up my stage again one day, but right now I'm trying to find real other real stages. >> Yeah. >> Absolutely. And you know what? It's really pleasing to hear you're in a you're in a good place, man. Um it's it's you look you look good. >> It's a daily battle. It's a daily day a daily battle of being okay. And like I mean I definitely put on a mask for you a little bit cuz I definitely have had a couple rough days and I had a couple like shitty shows last week and I've been like I totally missed my therapy yesterday cuz I was ripping up carpet and forgot. So I'm going to go here in a little bit. But you know it's like you gota you got to make time for yourself. And I I have a problem doing that because I will literally like practice for four hours then go play a four hour show, you know, and like not really like take a break and I'm I'm a very I think coming from the jazz world, I learned that like I'm way better if I practice like and I so I I practice a lot and I I think that I I want to be the best I can be, you know? I want to I want to I want to respect the art and like I like I say with this slide guitar stuff I feel like I'm such a kid with it and I'm just like it's like I'm learn stuff every day, you know, and it's so much fun and I love it. So I think, you know, I think it's it's it's crazy cuz I say like I probably shouldn't be like working on music 10 12 hours a day, but like it brings me such joy and such peace, you know? It's like where I'm happy. So it's like it's a once again back to balance, you know? I've got to balance these things. And I think it's hard for a lot of us musicians to find that balance, you know, without getting burned out or >> you you all everyone's different, aren't they? And, you know, I think if I I live in a different space, so, you know, in the podcast world or the the session stuff that we're doing now, if I if we've done something I don't think is good quality or it's been a bad conversation or the technology is crapped out on us, which always happens, um, you know, you go away, you know, pissed off and it plays on your mind. But for me, I like to bury myself in my my kind of day work. And I think I need to get away from from doing it just for a little bit. >> Um, and and that's how I find my piece. But, uh, yeah, each to their own, mate. It's, uh, if, you know, with with with what you've been through, if you could kind of, you know, say to a younger musician up and coming, one or two things to kind of help them with mental clarity, what what might that be? I mean, I think if it doesn't bring you joy or make you happy, then [ __ ] it, you know? If it's going to bring you down, then don't put your energy there, you know? And like that may just turn you off for music. And I'm sorry, but it's like like if you feel like it's so hard and like you're not finding joy, then like I don't think it's worth like bringing your mental health down for it, you know? Like if if if what the reason you picked up an instrument is because you had fun playing with your friends around a campfire, then go do that, you know? Don't don't try to be Tyler Childers. You know, I feel like there's a lot of people that that, you know, try to like ride coattail. Not necessarily ride coattails, but just like follow the procedure of what they see these other guys doing. And it's like they've already done it, you know? Like why would you do the same thing, you know? I think like try to be original, authentic to yourself, but don't let the [ __ ] drag you down. And if it does, then walk away from it and do something do do it differently. It doesn't have to be like quit music, but like if like the Sons anarchy people piss you off, find another way, you know, and find another way that like you have more control over, you know? I think once you start relinquishing control and letting other people and like there there definitely gets to a point where like you have to and it's hard. It's so hard to trust people in this business. But I think like if you can be authentic to yourself, you will find people that are more authentic to you as well. You know, if you are true, if you are true to your art and to your heart, then the people will be as well. I may be an idiot. I don't know. >> No, I I love that advice, mate. It's uh Well, it's your advice. It's It's neither right or wrong. It's it's where where you you've been and where you're coming from. So, >> just throw it out the window. I don't care. here. >> Look, we we've uh we had an awesome guy on the last podcast called Jared Doors. And what I like to do just as a bit of fun as we kind of wrap things up is do something called Pass the Mic. So I I say you can ask the next guest and they never know who it is. Sometimes I I forget who it is and I say ask them anything and it could be music related or it could be otherwise. Um so Jared's question to you is and this is an interesting one. Have you ever been caught short while you've been playing or on stage? So in his situation, he really needed a piss and he had to piss in a bottle. So have you ever been to that extent where you've eaten something bad or you've just been caught short and you're in the middle of a set? I mean, I definitely have gotten ill like at shows and like have been like puking off the stage before um or like having to be like I got to take a break and like you know I mean yeah and I think you know like it was actually pretty recently and just talking about it makes me nauseous. Bringing back memories now. Thanks Jared. >> Oh god. Yeah. I so like I live up in the mountains and like there's not a straight road around here, you know, and so like I had to play it was like a it was like a holiday weekend and I was playing like a Sunday afternoon show, but I had played like late the night before and so I didn't I like slept on probably slept in too late and so I'd like haul ass to get to my gig. But like driving those mountain roads, I don't know what happened. I got to that gig and I like was just throwing up anything I put into me. I may have eaten something bad. I don't know. But I definitely was like loading [ __ ] in like loading like and then setting up and and then like between sets and like I didn't have to leave the stage though, but it was like when I got off stage I was like >> immediately. Yeah. >> And it could have it could have been food. It could have been like freaking mental health drugs, you know? It's like there could have been so many things. And so yeah, I've definitely been caught. >> I mean, >> thanks Jared for that question. Well, you can get your own back on someone now. You can either ask him a a really deep question or just something ridiculous. So, uh I won't tell you who we got on next week. But >> what what's your question for them, mate? >> What is the favorite song you've ever written and why? >> You've been very kind. >> I mean, I want people to talk about their favorite [ __ ] you know? I like I I you know like I we didn't really talk about new music very much you know but it's like like I've I thought Viola Lee was my favorite song on my new record but after I've cuz like it was the first one that really jumped at me but then I once I got everything mixed it's like number five you know so like your favorite song today is probably different than next week you know to me it is like I I literally like >> cuz like right now right now my favorite song to play in the world right now is Swing Low Sweet Chariot. Like why? I don't know. I just freaking love it. I'm having so much fun playing that song and people are responding to it. Yeah. >> You know, so and I do it like this whole like Bessie Smith kind of blues version and people be loving it. So it's like >> your favorite song doesn't have to be yours you've written. I guess it could be anything. What's your favorite song to play? What's your favorite song? What is your favorite song in the world? It could be freaking a song you heard. I don't care. Yeah. >> Yeah. Like what? Like cuz like really it's like like my favorite song on the album is not my song, you know, cuz I didn't write any of these damn songs on this album, which is freaking weird. But, you know, it's like I think I actually moved my favorite song probably is the first two songs on the album are my favorite now because that's why I put them there because I was like, I'm not going to release these as singles. I want these people to open this record and these two be like, oh [ __ ] you know, like this is this is going to be awesome, you know? So >> yeah, I'm looking forward to listening to the rest of that. If you can give me a sneak peek, mate, I'll be infinitely grateful. >> Yeah, I just made a Soundcloud private link this week, so I'll send you one. >> Oh, you're a legend, mate. Judge decreed it. Well, he wrote it and he wrote it down and did it. Judge wrote it down. [Music] >> Yeah. I mean, like we say, music is a complete mood and something that is your favorite song today, I I don't want to [ __ ] hear ever again, you know, or for at least a good while. Bro, let me tell you, we I talked about Chris Stapleton, the Traveler, that record. Like, when that came out, I was like, "Good lord, this is like this is this is it, you know? I was like, this is soulful. This is blues. This is country. This is like everything. He can sing his ass off. He can play guitar. The production is killer." And now I [ __ ] hate that record. You know, like Tennessee Whiskey. Tennessee Whiskey was me and my wife's wedding song before before the Justin Timberlake like Grammys performance or whatever before it really blew up and like we our friends like played it and like my buddy can sing like Chris Stton killed it at our wedding >> and now I like can't even hear that song, you know? It's like it's like the freaking it's like the freeird of like like there's there's like that basket of songs that's like freeird wagon wheel Tennessee whiskey chicken fried you know these like >> that's a browneyed girl might fall into that you know like there's this like handful of songs that are like >> overplayed stuff that you just >> right the ones that are like they're almost like wedding music now which is weird that why does that I don't know that's such a weird thing like how does that song get to that point in my mind >> I don't know, but it's it's I think you know like I I think you know like something can be so amazing to you today and then hate it in a year you know and it's such a weird like artist it's such it like thinking about that as an artist you know it's like you may make someone's favorite thing of 2025 and it may be their least favorite thing of 2026 you know it's like what it's kind of like making it though isn't it like yeah they listen to it so much they just want a a timeout from Scot Low Preps, you know? >> Bro, if I could never hear The Grateful Blues again, I would be fine. Like, I love it and I'm so proud of it, but like if I could never hear that [ __ ] again, I would like I don't I probably my Appalachin Blues record I put out last year, I probably only heard it like once since I released it, maybe. Probably not even all the way through, you know? I made a couple like I hear it because I I made like marketing [ __ ] with it and like Tik Tok videos and stuff, but like I haven't sat and listened to the record, you know, and like I don't really plan to, you know, like maybe one day I don't know. >> I think I know I know the Grateful >> Yeah. I mean, like I know the Grateful Blues is really good. I just I I'm just not going to sit here and rock it, you know? Like I've already I've already done that 1.7 million times, I think. You know, >> so why I just I'm getting a phone call on my phone and it's Starbucks. Like why is Starbucks calling me? That's uh >> capitalists are coming for me. >> They they heard you talking about them, I think. And uh yeah, Starbucks come after you. >> I drink coffee. >> I drink tea, so >> Oh, me too. Yeah, we're we're English, so uh yeah, it's always tea, man. I mean, I drink green tea though, so >> Oh, okay. Yeah, it's far too healthy for me, mate. No, it's builder's tea here. >> My rock and roll sugar from like free booze every night for 20 years. My rock and roll stomach just like gave out on me. So, I I was like, we need a healthy option to coffee and I'm still >> Yeah, coffee is a struggle these days, especially the strong stuff. So, I I stick to tea, stick to what I know, and uh you know, life's pretty good for me for >> I like my green tea. I've got two more questions for you, mate. Um, so for for people that are perhaps, you know, they're not steeped in the blues or they they want to go down a rabbit hole, if you could pick like one album uh from any kind of blues artist throughout history that they should go to and have a good listen to to kind of get acquainted, what what might that be? >> Good lord. Um, [Music] I mean, my initial idea was like one of the first two Taj Mahal records because it's very like Giant Steps and I think what was the other one called? I don't know. those first two Taj Mahal records cuz I think they're both very attainable and they're not they're recorded well and so like a lot a lot of the like OG Blue stuff just sounds bad and it's hard to like really like enjoy I feel like even for me sometimes like like Robert Johnson's cool but like it sounds kind of shitty you know >> you know and it's like I don't really want to like rock that like loud in my car you know where like I can put that Taj Mahal record on and be like, "Hell yeah, let's go." You know, and so I think I I think, you know, Taj Mahal Taj Mahal is kind of a weird blues artist, though, if you think about it. You know, he's not he's kind of this like bohemian beatnick hippie like we're all kind of flamboyant stuff, which back to the outfit. Back to the outfit. Like Taj Mahal's wearing freaking scarfves and widebrim hats and all kinds of stuff. >> She knows nothing, mate. you know, up back. >> Yeah. It's like whatever. That lady had blue hair anyway. Whatever. Anyway, um so, um I think I think those records are very a very good introduction into blues, too, because like Statesboro Blues is on it and like Statesboro Blues I think is very like if you've heard the Almond Brothers, that would maybe like open you up into a little more. And like supposedly the Almond Brothers even like copied the Taj Mahal version like like even the guitar soul is very very similar. >> Yeah. >> Like it's crazy that like >> Dwayne really stole those licks from It wasn't even Taj playing them. It was some other guy. I can't remember his name right now. But >> so that's that's probably my vote. And I definitely like I feel like I it's funny. I when I started playing the slide guitar stuff, I was like, "All right, the goal I had this whole thought process that like, you know, a lot of our heroes are dying." You know, a lot of the icons of music are really kind of like, you know, getting old and passing away. And, you know, like if there's somebody that I could choose to like want to play a show with or hang out with, I was like, "All right, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, those are like maybe a little lofty. I don't know how you get to hang out with Bob Dylan. That's anyway. But I was like, Taj Mahal, man, I feel like I could probably hang out with Taj Mahal, you know, and so Taj Mahal has kind of been the goal that like if I could play a show with Taj or whatever, I think that's kind of like what I'm aiming for, you know? Even though I will say I'm very kind of disappointed with the new Taj Mahal and Kevmo record. It's a little >> musicy. Um um I was like these two dudes are freaking heavyweights and we got some like program drum beats and [ __ ] y'all. Like >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Anyway, um yeah. So yeah, I think uh Taj Mahal is my spirit animal and also a great place to start. >> Oh, thanks for sharing that, mate. Yeah, I love Taj Mahal. Um like you say, it links with the Orman Brothers, which is probably my all-time favorite band, and Filmore East, you know, what an album. Um it's, you know, >> Yeah. I think my slide guitar stuff that's that's it's that's opened some crazy like I think people wanted to talk to me about the slide guitar and Dwayne and Almond Brothers and stuff is really cool especially from being from Georgia you know it's like I like I don't I can't think of another like slide guitar player from Georgia since Dwayne really you know maybe like I mean Jason Iswell was here in the truckers but he's not really known as like a slide guitar player even though he's a killer slag a guitar player. Um, and he's really from Alabama. So, I don't know. I I I think like there like where, you know, I think in music I've been thinking about like the spawn of certain artists, you know, like John Mayer, we're talking about John Mayer and the Dead Company earlier and like, you know, I think there's a whole big like kind of like the descendants of John Mayer going on right now like Noah Cananan and Hoser and like yeah, >> even Zack Bryant. >> Zack Bryant to a to an to an extent, you know. I think there's a lot of or like or like the Tyler Childers family tree or like the Almond Brothers family tree or whatever, you know? Like I kind of like look at music like that and you know I feel like like there's not a like there's Derek Trucks but like there's really not a lot of like Dwayne clones you know like people that like you really like like I mean Warren Haynes Derek Trucks and then the list kind of gets short you know >> there's not many virtuosos like you mentioned earlier I can't >> and that might that might be it like virtuosity is not something that is like sought out in music anymore, you know, but I think like, you know, like somebody's got to carry on this slag guitar stuff even though I'm not really younger than Derek Trucks. Like we're about the same age, so he might even be younger than me actually, but you know, so it's like I feel like and also like there was a big Atlanta blues scene back in the 20s and 30s that a lot of people don't know about. Um, Blind Willie MTell, Barbecue Bob, uh, Curly Weaver, all these dudes. I love the names. >> They're amazing. >> Yeah, the dude. Barbecue Bob literally would like be out in the smoke house cooking the barbecue and then come out and play music in the restaurant like in Atlanta. It's kind of crazy though. So all these dudes played 12 strings which I think is kind of wild and like you don't really think about in blues very much. But they also played slide on 12 strings, which is like masochistic and hard as hell to do because you have 12 damn strings you're trying to connect with a piece of metal or glass or whatever >> and if they don't connect, they sound like garbage. >> So I think I've been I've been really like there's a bunch of 12 string on the Grateful Blues record. Actually, we have a new single coming out on September 26th and it's all 12 string. Um, and so I've really I I really try to be a historian and like really respect the past but make something fresh, you know. And so I think you know like the Atlanta Blue scene never like the original like back when like Robert Johnson was kicking and even pre- Robert Johnson you know 20s30s there was this big scene and like no one ever talks about the Atlanta it's always you know New Orleans to Memphis to Chicago or whatever Delta to up north you know and Atlanta don't get its props and so I've been trying to like bring back the 12 string stuff and you know really kind like maybe not so much like educate but like kind of show people like hey this is possible and pretty freaking cool. >> Yes. Yeah. I can't wait to hear that stuff, man. Like I said, please please send me some private links and I will geek out. I' I've really enjoyed geeking out with you on this podcast. We can we could talk for days about this stuff. >> Oh, yeah. I've I've had many people tell me I should have like a music history podcast. >> Yeah. Sometimes in my Tik Tok lives, I kind of do that where I'll just like deep dive on certain blues artists and stuff. And that's kind of why I know about Blind Willie McTill and Curly Weaver and Barbecq Bob is cuz I like went and studied them on TikTok Live >> and like really tried to like bring this stuff to light, you know? Because like people talk about Robert Johnson, but Robert Johnson recorded in 1937, y'all. >> And like you know how much [ __ ] had come before him? Like I mean Sunhouse, Charlie Patton, Blind Blake, Blind Willie MTell, all these dudes were already like maybe even dead by then, you know, and it's like Robert Johnson gets like everybody talks about Robert Johnson, but Robert Johnson was really like >> just the law that surrounded him with this this the crossroad stuff. >> Yeah. And like even that's so disputed. And like, have you ever heard the whole theory that like those 28 songs or whatever were recorded with the recorder set a little fast? >> Oh, really? >> Have you ever heard this theory? >> No, I haven't. >> So, if you go on YouTube, there is someone went and took it and slowed it down a couple clicks and it sounds way more human. Like those those recordings, he sings so freaking high and his guitar playing is so frantic and crazy. like it doesn't make sense. Like it like you slow it down and it's actually like in more standard tunings and it's like it's like a couple clicks fast and no one has ever like released it slowly but you can find it on YouTube but like it's kind of crazy that like it kind of changes the vibe of the whole recordings because it's not like it doesn't have this like raw energy to it. It's a little more like laid-back and human, you know, and so like there's a lot of lore to it, but a lot of it is [ __ ] you know? It's like >> like most lore. Yeah. >> Like supposedly Robert Johnson and Son House went to Charlie Patton to learn. Charlie Patton is probably the real one, you know, like Charlie Patton is probably the real Robert Johnson. >> We will check that out as well. But uh yeah, that's interesting. I think we've learned a hell of a lot uh in this short space of time talking to you, man, but uh is there anything like else that you you want to plug, mate? I know we've got the new music coming out and >> yeah, Grateful Blues will be out October 10th. We got two more singles dropping. I'm about to start dropping press releases to premiere some videos. Um we got vinyl and CD pre-orders open on my Band Camp. Um, we already had many. I might have to do another vinyl order at this rate. So, y'all keep ordering it and I'll keep ordering them. I'll keep making music. Um, I got I got a brand new website, scottloss.com. It's super fancy. I feel like it's way too fancy for my hillbilly ass, but it's real nice. And my I thank you. My buddy Justin up in Asheville made it for me. And uh, so yeah, you know, lots of new stuff coming. And I'm, like I say, I'll probably be once I'm going to let Grateful Blues settle in for a month or two, then I'm probably announcing a new record because you only live once. >> Hell yeah, man. And uh in between, we can catch you on Tik Tok doing your lives. And uh >> if people want to reach out to you, where's the best place to get you? Is it Instagram, Facebook, or >> anywhere? And I mean, in this day and age, you got to be open to all avenues. You know, I kind of hate Meta, but that's another discussion. You know, like I really been putting my energy into Tik Tok and, >> you know, it's there's a lot there's a great supportive back to community, man. Tik Tok supports musicians way better than Meta. >> Yeah, it was um I mean, I only started delving into that last year and it's really interesting. I found such a cool community just over there like exist on Tik Tok. not even on Instagram or Facebook and it's >> you know I mean that >> I have found so many fans and friends through Tik Tok even a keyboard player is on my record you know it's like and I feel like the algorithms of meta just squash promotion and really don't >> like unless you're like the 1% you got to >> freaking fight for it you know >> or pay for it is really what it is you know >> you're not wrong there mate so there you you go. Well, you know where to find Scott. Look, I really appreciate you coming on, mate. I've loved this conversation and uh we'll put all the links up in the description as well. But uh yeah, appreciate you, man. Thanks for coming on. Hell >> yeah. Have have

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