BONUS! The full Ryan Cabrera interview

We had such a great chat with Ryan Cabrera and he was so generous with his time that we pretty much had enough content for an entire show. So, as a special treat to our wonderful subscribers, we thought we'd give you the full interview, warts and all, in this bonus episode. 

You'll hear all about his 20th anniversary re-release of his single "On The Way Down". We discuss fatherhood, his marriage to WWE Superstar Alexa Bliss, his best mate The Miz, $20 smoothies, tour bus etiquette, the golden years of MTV, celeb reality shows and so much more!

We hope you have as much fun listening as we did getting up at the butt-crack of dawn to hang with this top bloke. 

Hang with us on socials to chat more noughties nostalgia - Facebook (@tminus20) or Instagram (tminus20podcast). You can also contact us there if you want to be a part of the show.

Transcript

Transcript is generated automatically.

The year is 2005. Anakin turns to the dark side. YouTube devious and we couch jump from Mariah Mcgreevey and a girl with a Dragon Tattoo. T -, 20 rewind 20 years with Joe and Mel. 

3 -, 20. What do you think this is the? Talk show minus. 24 night breaker. Don't judge me at this is bananas. The IT. How do you will come home? 

Wendy. My question is, who approved that this? 

Do you see where this? Is going. Not real. Please. Ohh this is a little bit. 

When? 

Of a surprise. 

Isn't it? 

We're popping up in your feet an extra episode this week. Surprise. 

You lucky things. I mean, you know. Is we thought we'd surprise everyone. Well, I just I figured this was too good an opportunity to waste Mel. 

Hmm. 

Yes, we're calling this the official Ryan Cabrera bonus episode because we had such a fantastic chat. 

The. 

With Ryan the other. Week. 

That's right. 

Talking all things early 2000s. 

Yeah, it was too much for one episode, in fact. 

Yes. 

So we put all the relevant stuff to the early 2000s stuff and this is just the. Whole. Thing, warts and all, where we talk about parenthood, married. 

Yes. 

Each, ah, parenthood. 

Ohh come on. What were you busting to talk about the whole time from the the second? I explained who he was, who we what were you hanging? 

Yeah. 

Out to talk about. 

Well, there's a little bit about wrestling in there as well. 

Just over the win there was. 

He's best mates with the Mears and he's also of course married to Alexa Bliss in the WW E WW E superstar. 

A loss which? 

So we wanted to know a little bit about that as well. So strap yourselves in, as they say in the business, and prepare yourself, here is our chat with Ryan Cabrera in full. 

If you'd like. To make a call, please hang up. 

I'll try again. 

Mel, this is a pretty special week for us because we're getting to speak to this amazing person who was huge and has continued to be huge. His career's been fantastic right throughout the early 2000s to now it is an absolute honour to have Ryan Cabrera on the podcast this week. Goodday Ryan. 

Ohh my. 

Yeah, I need you to do all my intros. That was fantastic. 

Ohh mate we're we're a bit rusty. 

It's. 

We worked on radio back in the day. So you know we we we've had a bit of practise but. That was a long time ago. 

Did you have? 

Right. 

Did you have a different voice for like your radio voice versus you went the way you talk at home? 

No, no, no, no. Like new school, like when we're working with, like, some of the old school radio guys, though in the business would be like judo. 

The yes. 

They'd how's it going? And it be like ohh. 

Yeah. There it is. 

Yeah. It's just, yeah. Hey. 

Yeah, we're bad, you wprk. I know they. 

Just very quickly before we we get right into it. The LA fires, obviously we're in Australia here. We're no stranger to that, that kind of stuff, and I just wanted to check in and make sure everything's OK with you, your friends, family. 

Yeah. 

Ohh yeah. Appreciated that. Uh, luckily for us, like we're we're we're out here is is a bit away from. Uh, you know a lot of a lot of the the real threats at that time. So we were lucky. We did get it back or anything. Like that, but obviously, just everybody here is a community. It's. 

Hmm. 

It's going to be. It's gonna be a crazy Rd, but you know, I think a lot of people, this is like a time, you know, with even with all the craziness and the. Bad that was going on that. You know, catching people, lighting fires and stuff they this is definitely community that will come together 18 like artists as well. I know there's a lot of fundraising, concerts and stuff we're going to do, and it's a time. 

Hmm. 

To just help each other, I think. 

Yeah, yeah. 

Yeah. Definitely thinking of everyone over there. 

It was definitely very difficult looking at all the footage. I mean, like I said, we've experienced our town here had a similar experience with wildfires, not to the extent of, I think the devastation that they experienced over there. But I think when you're in the community and you're around it, even if you're not directly affected by it, it just pulls you in. And I think that's when you sort of go into that mode of, like, resilience and anything you can do to help anyone else. And it's as much as it's a horrible time. It's also quite wonderful to see how communities do come together in in the wake of a crisis, and it reminds you of what being a human being is actually like, you know, or should be like, yeah. 

Hmm. 

Yeah, absolutely. 

No, let's talk about you. We have got the 20th anniversary re release of your single on the way down coming up. 

OK. 

Yeah. 

Before we get into that, let's do a quick rewind cause that's what we like to do on this show, we rewind 20 years, so this is perfect. 

OKOK the going best. 

This is perfect timing for us. So we're going back Ryan Cabrera, this is your early 2000s live. 

The hair. Spiky. It's fully out like that. 

Yeah. 

Let's let's take a moment for the hair. Actually, because your hair incredible. 

OK. 

Absolutely incredible. It was a work of art. And I I've always wanted to know. 

I'll take it. 

Were you using the TG bed? Head wax stick. Is that how you achieved what product were you using? To get that that. 

Ohh, it was you're very close. I know exactly what you're talking about. I wanted to use that stick that but had lexic but it it made my hair more limp and I was going really like you know very. 

Ah, not sold. 

So yeah, yeah. 

Kind of thing. And so there was a bed head product that they don't doesn't exist anymore. It was this really slim orange can. I think it was like a whack. It was a spray wax. Oh oh, but for some. 

Yes. 

Yeah, and it used to get, like, caught all the time. So I could use one can I was going through. Could you not? Maybe 12 cans of that one hire thing a week. When I was on tour because everyday. 

Wow. Wow. 

Except for I actually I. Take it back. Cause usually do. He like 2 for me, was always the best here to. I didn't touch that day. 

Yeah. Wow this. 

Yes, when it's a little bit little bit. 

Is like I thought you meant everyday like every other day. 

Dirty. 

It's like a massive hole in the ozone layer. Just I and they said. 

Of apologised. A lot of Hairspray. 

It's like gave it when you do like a an album cover, you almost have to do like a gatefold, just so you could fit like the, you know, the the the hair on on 1/2. 

That was very important. I yeah. I make sure make sure that the hair fit and all the pictures. 

It was a complete work of art. I thought it was fantastic actually. 

I there was funny as this to me at that time, but obviously looking back now I'm like ohh my God. But yeah, I was like that time that was normal to me. 

Yeah, yeah. 

That just seemed really, but I would go to the airport and cause I was doing my hair like everyday. I just that's how I did my hair. Always have, like, weird, whatever hair. But I was so. Used to it, I thought was normal. I got the airport and be like ohh wait and look at my hair. Like what? I like let this. 

Fence like we'll have to check. 

Father. But then you Fast forward. 

In there for security. 

Yeah, Fast forward I guess. Started seeing people like doing like similar kind of things. Whether you know anything to do with. Me or not? But it's still like, that's how. 

I used to do it, man. Earn it. You're a child. Like, I mean, you know and at least right and you'll look has evolved, you know, whereas me like I. 

Yeah, 100%. You just have a copy to have some. 

You still dressing like I was 14 years old and I'm like 50? Almost so you know, it's not well. 

Hey, it was comfortable. Gotta stay comfortable. 

It's especially when you go up, mate. It's all about comfortable, good footwear, you know, sensible shoes, all of that. 

Kind of. 

Yep, I'm a crock guy. 

Sort of stuff. Yeah, I you know what? 

I live in crock so. 

I never used to be a croc guy, but I'm starting to embrace the croc. 

I wasn't either. I was the guy. I was a hater. 

Hmm. 

I'll be honest, I'm because I had all my friends for a couple of them. Would. Wear and I'm like, God, it's terrible. Like what the heck is that like? Dude, you gotta try it. So comfortable like absolutely not. I would never do that and I tried on his. Like this is glorious. And I bought many pony many pairs since then. 

Have you got the accessories? They called the giblets or. 

Ohh the jibbitz jibbitz. 

Yeah, that's it. 

Yeah. 

Have you have you got? 

Yeah, because I have. Well, I have the ones that come with the gym. Because I bought the Margaritaville like Jimmy Buffett, ones which comes with a shot glass. Jibit gotta lime Gigabit. 

No. 

It's got a bottle opener Gibbet, so that was obvious. 

Fabulous. 

What happened happened there and then I got. I have a lot of Disney. Ones that come with The Jets and. I want the new. I just got the buddy the elf ones. 

Ohh for Christmas, just in time for Christmas. 

Yep. What? Yep, Yep. 

So so. 

Early 2000s fashion, though, besides the hair, I recall there was a time as well when you brought. Kind of ties from from business attire into punk rock everyday where you are like a big proponent of the tie. 

Ohh yeah. 

Okay did you? Just grab your dad's tie one day. 

I knew the IT was the. Picture. You know it was. It was what started. It was on Jay Leno. Um, you remember Jay Leno? Talked like tonight's show. 

Yeah, yeah. 

So I was doing that and they had I had my wardrobe. But at that time I was wearing a lot of diesel, like diesel was. I was obsessed with. It, but I had my diesel share and had my wardrobe done and then I saw this like big, really ugly Thai that looked like something like my grandpa wore. And so I was like ohh would this be funny? And I always like, you know, mess around. Stuff sounds like. Ohh would this be hilarious if I wore like this grandpa looking big *** tie and then I kinda just thought it was dope. 

Yeah. 

So like I kind of like it like you and now like, you know, the past ten years, I'm a very I'm a skinny type kind of guy. So I was like, I would never wear a big tie. But it's funny cause back then I thought it was awesome. And then I started. I remember throwing one out at the end of a concert, just randomly, and then it became a thing. And then started throwing one out every single night. So that was the thing for fans at that time was like they're everybody who tried to win the tie and they'd fight over it. 

What a merchandising opportunity? 

I reckon, huh? 

That's that's amazing. 

Yeah, we did. Yeah. So I started making we had those, the big fat ties with my logo on it as merch. That is, they get in getting the. You can't get more LA than. This these gentlemen down there in Australia, this is a $180 air 1 Los Angeles smoothie. 

Ohh. 

Is it so wrong? Ohh. 

Wow. 

Why it's $20.00 I don't know, but let's find out. 

Is it? Ohh it's. 

I've heard about these. 

Ohh yeah, it's good, yeah. That's that's that's my wife's. But she knows I want to try. 

It's like this. 

Here you go that that was fantastic. That's so good. 

Kind of $5.00 shave. 

First time, first time wait Dollar Air One smoothie. 

Yeah. Wow. 

Wow, you. There's an exclusive for you, right? Yeah. 

It's 6:00 AM. My wife's concerned about your your your time zone. 

Ah. 

Thanks for that. I said mentioned Australia just. She's behind the characters, isn't it? 1:00 AM there. 

That don't worry. 

Okay see click. 

Don't worry, lexie. 

These concerned Bree? 

What parents? Where parents, we we we would have been awake anyway. 

Yeah. 

Ohh what? 

Yeah, she's she's getting twisted up cause she is. She's realised where West Coast time. 

Ah, right, of course. 

Ohh, this the Haley Bieber, the Haley Bieber smoke. 

That's. Other thing ohh. 

Great. 

Wow, the Haley big. 

Is that what? 

Are you? 

It's officially called. 

I'm good. 

Yeah. 

Is that what it's officially called? 

Is that deez? 

Yes, what? 

No, that is I. I was. I would ask the exact same question because she ordered it on the app. 

What is that? 

I was like, actually, say Haley Beaver smoothie. Yes it did. 

What? What is in it? What's in it? Do you know? 

Um, it's like a strawberry banana Maple syrup. A dates coconut crisps and then a coup. The weather like. Words that I've never heard of, but that's. 

Solid. 

Like vitamins and stuff. 

Solid. That's like crazy. 

That's what. That's what makes it $20 this the vitamins. 

Yeah, yeah. Is what happens. This is what happens when you marry someone who's like, fit and healthy and all that sort of stuff. You just sort of along for the ride, aren't you? 

I wish you. Could hear what yours saying right now. He's like, must be great. Being married to someone who's you know, really fit and healthy and. Into the health stuff. 

Yeah, she just fell over. Yes. 

So my wife, um, and she knows this about her, says basically the palette of a 15 year old. Not that bad, but just Yep. So yeah, chicken tendies and French fries till the day. 

Ohh yes, that's right. 

I die, she says. 

Nice. Nice. 

That's awesome. 

So I'm actually the one that tries to. I've always been trying to eat a healthy and stuff, so I'm like there. Should we? Do you know this is like why? Because it's healthy. 

Yeah. 

But no, no. She's one of those people that just naturally. Just always looks good. It's really. 

Yeah, yeah, that isn't that. 

Annoying. Doesn't matter what she just got good metabolism. 

I know like you. 

You do. 

Yeah. How old were you? Around 2004, you're back early 20s. 

Ohh. 

20/21/20 yeah, 21. 

Yeah. 

One years old. 

So only one had my first cocktail that year. 

Aren't you? Wow. Ohh yeah, cause it's like legal great. 

Ohh drinking, it's good for me. 

See if you're it's 18, right? So. 

I know it should be. 

So you're signed to Atlantic Records in 2002? Two on the way down debuts in May 2004 at peaks at #15. It's your first major label album, you know. Take it away. August 17, 2004 sells over 2 million copies. How 21 year old brain like I'm 21 years old, I'm scratching my ***, bumping into things and right. 

I still have 21 year old brain. 

But you like the. I mean, how do you take that on board? How do you how do you cope with all of that success so early? 

Speak. 

You know what it was is cause it was for me at least cause everybody's journey is different. Was I've been playing out and doing concerts for maybe at that point like the real like four years, but playing every single like open Mic Night, the corner of a Chinese food restaurant, I'd like New Mexican food restaurant. 

Hmm. 

Ohh, I was going door to door to sorority houses. Just asking if I could sing for. I'm. So it was. Um, it was like all that, you know, playing for nobody kind of thing. And in the overtime, you know, I think it builds the you know that resilience and that made me just feel like this is just what I this is just what I do you know, so I I paid a lot of dues you know, but most people think like ohh it happened overnight because they didn't see you one day the now they see you ohh I was like no for me it was just such a long hill of a journey that when I got there it was like. 

Hmm. 

Appreciated it from the jump. 

Yeah, yeah. 

You know, it's like because I worked. So you know so much the opposite way that. I think it. That's what kind of helped. Me and I just wish I was like I just. 

Yeah. And that's why. 

I'm having fun guys, I love. 

Yeah. 

I wanted. I wanna make people happy with the songs that I write and have fun doing it, and that was always my mindset. 

Yeah. 

So and really just keep good people around you. All you gotta do. 

Of course, and music is is fun and and but but I guess. There's also you are making yourself extremely vulnerable to an audience with your songs as well, and that that's a lot to sort of carry. 

Yeah. 

I think too, you know. 

I always looked at it for. For me, as I was just excited if. It the song meant something to them. 

Hmm. 

So you know, like for so for me, you know the bottom part was like, I never even thought about myself for putting myself out there through. Song is Marcel. Like, alright, do that and then they're gonna take that and they're gonna apply it to their life. It affects them then. That's that's why we do it, yeah. 

Hey, with some of. Your biggest inspirations when you were starting out, who was on your iPod Nano or your iPod classic back in the? 

Ohh my God. 

Day. 

Yeah. 

You hear my like the yellow cassette tape Walkman. 

Yeah, the sports version, yes. 

Ohh. 

You. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 

Amazing. 

What the Dave Matthews was like my first well, I I started out in like punk rock music. So it was like early Green Day, no effect. Some stuff like that and then so that's always what I thought I wanted to do or be like. And and then when I heard Dave Matthews. I was like that. That's what I wanna do. I like and I saw him and I just everything about the way he played guitar and that's kind of how I taught myself how to play guitar was watching Dave Matthews and like how he did what he did. 

Yeah, yeah. 

So he definitely Dave. And that that time it was like, you know, Matchbox 20 and Goo Goo Dolls. And that was what led me to eventually, you know. With with, Johnny was even asked me that question. Like dude out. Of all the artists who your favourite. Artists like who do you look up to? Who? Your space about that are current now and I was like Dave Matthews, Rob Thomas and Johnny Resnick, and he was like, alright, I'll reach out to. 

Yeah. 

Him like, huh? 

Yeah. 

Wow, that's the thing. 

Ohh. 

You can just do that and he played in my stuff. 

Hmm. 

And then I went, ended up going over to Johnny's house and singing for him. And then you were like, dude, let's make a record to go. 

Wow. So what's that first meeting like? 

No. 

I mean, you've got all of this. You know, they say never meet your heroes. Right. But but but I mean, what's that first meeting like when you go go to John's house and he wants to make an album with you? 

Yeah. 

Ohh. You know, I was. I I can I consider myself. That was like the young and dumb Ryan, but in the sense of like, the naive kind of young dumb. So ohh, where I would think now like ohh that was probably nervous, you know, intimidated because this is one of your heroes at that time. I wasn't even that. Don't think I was smart enough to think that you know that anything that way, yet I was more so like, alright, good. 

Hmm. 

In my head I thought, you know, I had that confidence of like, hey, he's lucky to be working with me kind of attitude you. 

Yeah, yeah, yeah. 

Know it's just. It's just funny. But you know, so when I got there and went to his house, I was. This is where this is where I wanna be. You know, one day. So I wanna do this and here let me play our stuff. And, um, I know you're gonna like it. You know, you know, is that I wasn't talking about like it was more so a mindset of, you know, like, this is what I should be doing. So I'm gonna do it. You know you. That's like how it works out, because you know later life, you start to think about everything and you're overthinking and it changes. 

Yeah, that's right. Yeah. 

You know how you probably act or react to people so that time like I didn't, didn't even think. 

Yeah, cause. 

I mean if you. 

And it just. 

If you could like bottle and sell that that Moxie and that drive that you have in your early 20s and put it in one of those, that's what. 

Yeah, there's no such thing as them. 

That's when that smoothie put it in the smoothie. That's when it'll be worth the money, right? 

Yeah. Yeah. 

You could have that in your 40s cause you just you're right. 

You can taste for that. 

Like all of that, doubt starts to come in. Sort of later on in life. So I guess it's a really good time, right? 

Right. Yeah. Life. Yeah, look, life starts to happen. 

Yeah. 

Yeah. If you could see if you could bottle. That but with like what you know now. Yeah, like the knowledge of of now and and life and then but applied that part to everything it needs. 

That's just the that's the lifelong dilemma, isn't it, really? It's you mentioned Dave Matthews Band there as well. 

Yeah. 

I used to. I used to work as a roadie back in the day, like 20 years ago for heavy metal band, right? 

Ohh really? 

And so we could go on stage and we they'd be doing all their stuff and be loud music all the time. 

Ohh. 

But we used to listen to Dave Matthews in the toolbars after the gigs is the kind unwind because you can't go a Brazilian miles an hour all the time. Then it was I I I love him. 

Yeah. Then put it back on. 

But there was a big milestone in 20 years ago for the Dave Matthews Band as well in Chicago. Do you know this story? Where that? 

No. Is this the the tour? Bus and shopping. 

That's not. Yeah. So we we discussed this. 

That was 20 years ago. 

Yeah, man. Yeah, 20 years ago. 

Ohh my God. Time really does fly, cause that feels that feels like a year ago to me. 

Ohh and and I I think it's like rules on tour like I didn't know that you were allowed to get on the tour. 

But hearing that story. 

Bus and. The Dave Matthews Band. 

That is, that is rule number one that is definitely rule #1, but there are there are some tricks that you you figure out. 

That's. 

After the years. 

There are some tricks do tell. 

Yeah. 

I mean I've. I've I've known guys in the band. You just bring a grocery bag. 

Ohh. 

You lie. You put it in the toilet, you know, hit your number juice and then take the grocery bag and then just spose of it properly in the trash. 

Yeah. 

Bagging up like a dog. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 

Of course, not everyone thought. 

Not not up the window. Or into a lake or river. 

Yeah, that's good. Look at that. Like wait 10 minutes into the conversation and I've started to bring up. Well done. Ohh. 

Ohh it comes up. 

Absolutely. Always, always so early 2000s music industry. Vastly different the landscape. 

Boom. Yeah. 

Vastly different. You know, there was no there was streaming, hadn't really come in. We were still dealing with things like Napster and Limewire and things like that. 

You're right. 

What we saw it from the other side didn't. We working radio. 

Yeah, working working in radio when you singles or albums came out, we'd have the record company called us up and the the biggest thing was to get the single on radio and. They'd be like we'll give away prize packs. We'll give you a bottle of bourbon if you give this song some airplay and it. 

Yeah, they'll payola days. 

Was. Yeah, and it was. It was very much up to the the label as to what was gonna happen. The success of the the single they'd bring artists in to play for us. 

Yeah. 

And that was that was really interesting. Like you'd have like these really young artists and and a lot of them were local, but occasionally they bring international ones to to Australia for the mainly not not a lot of times cause it's too expensive to bring someone new out. They need to be established. You, but they would come and they would play in the boardroom to a group of crusty radio DJs and sales reps who would just be standing there. Like that. And it was it was some of the most awkward. 

Ohh I remember all that. 

Hmm. 

So that was the same. To you, they they put you through that as well. You have to know anything. 

Ohh yeah yeah, the radio. You every single station you go boardrooms and it was we were doing like 3A day and yeah, yeah it's it's very luckily for me. I think one of the benefits of the way I kind of came up and at least to get signed was I had to go into a room with the President of whatever label universe, however, and just and they would just go alright and press me like. 

Hmm. 

Ohh so that I start singing now is that that how I should praise? You know, it's just so weird and awkward and having you do that, you know, 100 times and you're just used to it. So when it came time to do like the radio boardrooms, I was like ohh I got this. I was like, I'm gonna have this room. Can cracking up and I would do things that most other artists probably weren't doing it, and it was just having fun with it. And you know, making him laugh and. Taking the the awkwardness out of it. So I actually at that point I actually kind of enjoyed it. 

Yeah. 

So it's like, right, let me see. How if I can get him? You know, it's it's easy to. 

Umm. 

It's easy to go into a room, and if it's, you know, specific fans that are there to see you. But if it's that radio boardroom. Yeah, it's like alright, how can I turn this around and make this fun? 

It's a challenge and I guess when you've been hustling like, up until that point like, yeah. 

Yeah, that's. 

Yeah. 

Exactly. 

Yeah. 

Yeah. Prepares you for the the all those rooms. But yeah, the the music industry, just in general obviously was social media as well as such a different uh, you know, tool that we didn't have in the early 2. Thousands. If you want it, that was basically what I would call like our fan clubs or pages and forums like goes back like the Orange. Like the chat rooms and the forums is like the original Twitter. 

Hmm. 

Essentially, you know that and then fans would go on there and that was how they found out or stay connected. And nowadays with social media so much easier to access, you know people new fans opinions and it had in, in in like a second verse. 

Yeah. 

Is having to go. 

It's. 

You have to have to go see that person live to figure out what they were doing in life. You know it's not. 

And. That then it is so different, isn't it too? Cause I I remember back in the day when we were interviewing artists, we would get a print out of their bio, usually on coloured paper. 

Hmm. 

If they're feeling a bit fancy with with black black ink, and that was what you had to go on. Whereas now like just preparing to chat to. You today I feel like a stalker. I feel like. I know you because because you are true. 

Yeah, yeah, yeah. You like that really happened. Is that? 

You're on. You're on the socials. So we can get a feel for what you get up to. I have seen. The Crocs on social, very impressive by the way. Yeah, but also you have that, that real time interaction and that real time feedback from from the fans and just from anyone who wants to comment, how do you find that to is that a good thing or a bad thing because it is very different to the old fan club days where you could I guess correct have that philtre or that layer where you wouldn't receive all of the information and then you'd have someone else kind of feeding the information back. 

Right. 

So you could curate it to to some degree. 

Yeah, you know, I've. Always been a I have like a. A love hate relationship with it. I love it because I think it's incredible that I can just go boom and send a new video, a clip of a song, or I have an idea of something to to. I'm gonna do a show tonight. Can come watch. That part is incredible. I'm. I'm not like one to try to create content just for the sake of. Contact, you know, it's just not what I am good at. You know, I I like to write songs and entertain and and DJ do that kind of stuff. But like that, you know, I friends who are just like good at it and like their stuff looks so cool. 

Leaving. 

I was like, I've never really had the desire to, like, get into it, to be like a Instagram or whatever they called just for me personally. 

They they certainly. 

I was like, well, I'm not. 

It's. 

I don't really love it. I think it's great for other people and I I love that there's ways to monetise it and make money from it. So I think it's, I think it's good. 

As long as you're. 

Yes, there's a. 

Not, you know, just consume your life. 

There's a tipping point, though, right? Isn't there? There's a tipping point where it's like almost too much information like I used to love the first Wednesday of every month where I'd go and buy my favourite music magazine, and I'd read about the artists that I that I looked up to there and there was a little bit of an element of mystique about it all, whereas now it's just all out there and and. 

Yeah, right. Yeah. Yeah. And I think that's the way you know, for me should be cause you know, as as an artist, it's like, here's my art. You know, you're there's the songs. There's the stories, you know. Here's what I you know what I was thinking? But then when it comes to like the other part of your life, like you shouldn't know half the stuff about people. 

Yeah. I mean, I think we're so lucky that we're of a generation where we were able to have our formative years before social media in a lot of ways because it's yeah. 

Ohh yeah. Stuff to look forward to. Like yours reminded me of like, I remember every getting excited about every Monday or whatever like new CDs were coming out. 

Okay. 

Remember, I don't know if you remember Columbia or Sony had those. I don't know if they did it out there, but you get like 10 C d's for the price of one and they come with these little stamps and all the stamps for the album covers. 

Ohh. 

Ohh so you guys didn't have all amazing. 

None. 

So you get this big booklet of like thousands of stamps and all the stamps were like, you know, Nirvana in utero down garden. Well, you know, all the different bands Bush. However, and I'm cover, so it looked really cool and you would spend like the entire day choosing your 10CD that you were gonna get in the mail the next week, like you would wait everyday. 

Ohh wow. 

You check the mail like here. Are they here? You don't figure that it was like it was. It was an experience, you know, to find the music to, to get to hear the music versus now as I think a little less than experience. 

Yeah. 

Yeah, it was earned. 

What? What? 

And yeah, and it's it's something that I I I I actually. 

What we did? 

I mean, midlife crisis, right? So started collecting vinyl and I did it because there were there was number ritual involved in my musically. 

God, I love it. 

I was passively consuming music and I didn't want to do that. I wanted to sit down and listen and experience an album from start to finish and read the lyrics and look at the artwork and take in the whole package and I found that I was taking that for granted and I didn't even realise it's like, you know, 10 years into like streaming or it's just like I put something on like a Fast forward. 

Yeah. 

I could do whatever, you know, none of this stuff. Where you'd be worried about too many, like wasting the batteries on your Walkman cause you gotta go to the next track. You just endure the one that you sort of was OK to get to the good stuff. 

Yeah. 

You know, so, so that ritual I think was really critical. And I think that's happening now with live music, right? Like, there's still that ritual in performing, you know. 

Ohh yeah. Well, you're seeing with the big maybe. Two years ago, where it started. It would not exactly, but. Like a year two years ago, you started seeing all these bands that you know you love. And. Pop up. Out of nowhere, like ohh my God, so touring it and the same thing happens with us. I'm sure you. Know there's people when they see, like your pop 2000 tour and see, you know, we're like ohh my God. I didn't even know they were still touring. It's like, yeah, but the past couple years especially has been an amazing resurgence for live shows and going scene shows, and people are spending money at these shows, you know which. 

Yeah. Yep. 

Is. Shocking, because I know how things are getting so expensive. And you know. Some people can't afford eggs, you know. But they'll come to a concert and they'll buy a T shirt, a sticker, you know, lyrics. All this stuff, and I'm like, it's pretty amazing to see because there was a time when you know. It's. Like things are, times are too tough and it's I don't have enough money to go to concert and get the this and this. And but people are supporting it. Live music. I think more than ever at our concerts are getting bigger and bigger every year. We're on year seven, maybe at 8, seven or eight and because of this research of live music and people actually spending the money to go see shows like they realising that experience makes. 

Ohh. 

Their entire week. Month better so. 

The word. 

Music is one of those things that's just always worth spending money on, obviously. 

Absolutely. 

But yeah, to the point. Yeah, the live live music team is better than it's ever been. 

Hmm. 

Yeah, that's so good. Yeah, I think two people are moving towards is this idea of experience, particularly after COVID and and not having the ability to go out and do things there is there's been this real shift towards experience over things. So it it's great to see people touring again in that momentum building once again. In terms of performance too, like early early 2000s, I need to ask it was peak MTV, TRL. I remember I was in America 2003 and I was walking through Times Square doing the tourist thing and there were all these screaming girls on the side of the the the pavement just going crazy. 

The best. 

I was like, what is that? And someone said Ohh, that's kind of. Where they do Pearl up there. All these little bow. Wow, I think it was at the time and I was just like, wow, you were. You were part of that. What was that? 

Like. 

We that's definitely one of those things. Like if you look back at you, OK, what about, you know, coming out 20 years ago is like your favourite part, that for sure was always, like, cause I grew up watching that. 

Yeah. 

Um and be like one day I'm gonna go to that window. You know that is always, you know, in the back of my mind was like, I wanna do that. 

Yeah. 

It's so getting to actually do that. And, you know, many times is okay incredible. That's the stuff that you could. It feels like just yesterday you were doing. That kind of thing, because it was such a cool experience. 

Yeah. 

Just to get to do that. 

And I heard too, when you did one of your performances. If this is correct, if the Internet is telling me the truth that you mixed it up and you went actually down outside and performed outside, the crew would have hated you. 

Ohh yeah yeah, so the first song let it. I know. Ohh my God. And TV hated me cause I was like all those people have been down there since, you know, last night, you know, they, you know, they waited 15 hours. 

Yeah. 

I was like, why am I gonna perform up here when all those people are down there? 

Ohh right. 

So they're like, yeah, that's not. Really how it works? It's like let's make it work and they they made it happen. So they just brought a mic stand down. They had to figure out, like the technical part of getting mixed down there off the whim or off the cuff, and brought it out in the middle of all those. 

Yeah. 

People and did all the way down to. Sick. 

That is, that is a nightmare for a film crew. 

That's incredible. 

I I work in video format should these days. 

Oh Oh yeah. They just there, like, OK, we're bringing 1 camera down. They only brought 1 camera down one Cam and one microphone and a guitar. 

Yeah, yeah. 

Nice start. Nice start stipulating rules back. They're like you get 1 camera and you can have your guitar and one microphone and. 

Yeah. 

That's it, yeah. 

Hey. Yeah. 

Look, they have everything set up in their studio for a reason, obviously. 

Yeah, yeah. And they like, look at this guy. That's amazing though. You push the envelope and it obviously worked for you because you ended up hosting like you've got this natural ability to present and do all that sort of stuff. So I'm thinking those radio boardrooms and all of that. The staff gave you that grounding to actually then get on there and host shows. We watched an episode of Score last night and that was great, yes. 

Ohh yeah. 

There's. So I did and it was, I think, even that show was a little bit ahead of its time in the fact of like, you know, the dating shows and people wanting to see people day that that kind of thing. But and then also music and songwriting, you know, later down the road, once you know some more music driven shows started to doing well on TV. 

Yeah, yeah. 

I think that like time period could have been like I think that show could come out now and still be a pretty like a fun. 

Hmm. 

Concept cause it you know, show. Because what it's like to write a song. But then there's the competition aspect and you know, then there's the she. So for those that you don't know, scores, it was a dating show mixed with songwriting, where the person who chose ohh the the the say the girl is not blindfolded, but next to a wall he chose who she's gonna go on a date with based on which song she likes better or voice likes better. 

Hmm. 

Now the kink was we had 24 hours. So one day to write the song so I would write it with the contestants. 

Hmm. 

And we just see what we come up with. And then my band would learn it. And then we go perform it, and then she or he would pick who they wanted. To. Go to date with was actually really fun. It was cool and it. Was cool too, was cause it was on after TRL everyday. So for me, you know, just as fan, it was really just awesome to be like ohh my God, I'm on after TRL everyday. 

Yes. 

One of those like if you would have told me and like high school or whatever. Like one day I'd have my own show. It's gonna be after TRL everyday. Like you know, when kids get. 

In school. 

Ohh, I thought you're crazy, but it was fun. 

Ohh it was. It was really cool to watch and it is a great concept. I I like. Once you get over sort of really well you've you've got the band. 

It was too expensive. That was the only problem. It was. It was, yeah, it was too much production, cause MTV, you know, MTV plays music videos, yeah. Has that guy's stuff in reality shows and this one was like the budget was too big. So they're. 

Ohh God covers might even say they don't play music videos anymore. 

It's costing us. 

This is the most like expensive show. I think in TV history. 

Yeah, that's happened for a long time. 

Then back then they did isn't back then. 

Yeah, they did. They did. They did what? What what I liked when I was watching it, I think was seeing that you were fantastic, like working with the contestants. And you obviously don't know who you're gonna get, but to have that patience, to actually coach them through because you're dealing with someone, he's obviously a musician to a certain level as well. They're they're reasonably established cause most of the musicians on there were. The good and then I I was watching the band on it and looking at the body language for the band when these dudes walk. In and they're like I. 

Ohh yeah, well cause you know the these these kids, you know coming in and they're trying to tell, you know, some of these musicians who have been on tour for, you know, 15 years with some of the biggest bands and then you have this kid you have from Venice. 

Wanna do all of this? 

And the band are just like, hmm. 

Seems like you have to play like this and you need a little more feel and fingers and some like Taylor Ethan was like. Alright bud. 

Yeah, cool. 

I was a little I was a little more patient than the than the band was with some of these kids, but there was a lot of hours spent, probably a lot that didn't make the show them. 

I I think. 

We would have probably shown some frustration at points, but eventually you're like, OK, what? 

Hmm. 

It's your song, you know the other day. So I'm just here to help. 

Look, might the end results were great though. Like that's, that's what surprised me the most. 

Yeah, we were a lot of great songs. 

Yeah. 

Like I was watching it and I was like ohh, this is gonna be a disaster. 

Yeah. 

This guy's coming with this attitude. I'm looking at the body language of the band, like having worked with bands and you can you can just tell straight away, right? 

Yeah. 

Ohh yeah, they didn't hide that. 

And it's like. And and so you see that you like. This is going to be a complete train wreck and then the end result was always really good, really pristine. It was great and I think that's largely thanks to the band and you are coaching these guys. 

It's. 

Yeah, them, yeah. 

But like what? A. What? An amazing concept for a show and what a amazing job that to do. You know, I mean. 

Yeah, it was so fun. That was such a good day and I, and I still, you know. Keep in. Touch with maybe like 5 or 6. With those contestants, one of them went on to be one of my really, really close friends and she wrote. 

Ohh wow. 

If I were a boy for fiance, she was. 

Ohh yeah. Wow. 

She was one of the contestants on. The show. And then another one of the cats went on to be on Glee that, um, TV show, Glee. And then there's another cat. It was like a influencer. 

A. 

Huge influencer. Now that I saw. Like what you have? But what do you like, dude? Ohh, making these videos I'm influencer out like. Alright, so it was cool to see that some of the people actually went on to do things, not from my show, like it wasn't like they were discovered on my show, but they were just talented people who kept at it. 

Hmm. 

And then I had that under their belt and then took that experience and. Just tried to use it later. 

Yeah. 

So it was cool that, you know, it wasn't it. That was one of the things on the show. We were very, very adamant about two was like was like, I want people who are good. Like I don't want like the. Half American Idol thing where? Show you know the way you know, the people that you know were terrible for entertainment. 

Yeah. 

Like I want everybody to be legit. So we went through every person and make sure that they were, we heard some of their original songs. We heard their voices. So that's why that's why like the company was like at the. 

Yeah, and I. 

End of the day was like that could be a hit song actually. Like damn. 

Yeah. 

And I think if you if you look at, but that's where the integrity of the. He lies. Is that it didn't take advantage of people who are untalented. 

Hmm. 

It just brought talented people to the fore, right? 

Yeah, we took the ****. 

And yeah, yeah, yeah. 

Out of the dating part you. Know but the music part was all real. 

But and and I think that's a great point of difference. And I think it like if you took away some of the the MTV production values from the day cause you know they used to have those real quick cuts and it'll be like front on shock side shot and they do it and it was a standard formula when they introduced new people and if he kind of Polish that up. 

Ohh yeah. 

I I think that it's got legs today. Like I reckon we should bring it back, yeah. 

Ohh yeah great. Would bring it back. 

You be up. 

Let's go. 

Yeah. Would you be up for doing it again? Yeah. 

Ohh yeah absolutely. I think the idea actually would would stand today. 

Hmm, so too. 

So I think people like people like dating shows, people like seeing people write songs and people like good songs, and now the only difference is we. Not have iTunes then, so you couldn't hear the song on the show? 

Yeah. 

And then just buy it right after so that that's something now you can utilise that you couldn't do them. 

MMM hmm the. 

Now you know if we if we wrote a hit song for whoever artist that's on the show because there's so much talent to people now that get access to these things that they didn't have during that. 

Yeah. 

Time. Then you never hit songs that come out in real time on iTunes, like the voice and that kind of thing. Come on, let's do this. 

Yeah, it's ahead of its time. 

Yes, we're bringing it back. 

Yeah. Yeah. 

Store Part 2 Hudson lately I guess and that that that immediacy of being able to like this, there's two camps in the music industry. 

Ohh. 

There's people that are kind of a little bit against streaming and and the immediacy, immediacy of being able to get that music and there's people that are for it and. Yes. The one thing that does do is show that music is for everyone, and if you find something that turns you on musically, you can go and get it straight away. 

Yeah. 

Well, what are your thoughts on it? Like there's no longer gatekeepers of big record companies or anything like artists have a bit more control, yeah. 

Ohh yeah, I mean I would say so. Prob depends on on your deal your situation, but for the most part um yeah I'm I'm I'm really neither here nor there. I was streaming. It's just one of those things. There's pros and there's cons of course for us. It's trying to figure out how to make money make new records, which cost a lot of money to make, but yeah, you're not making money from those records. So um, that's it's there's like the downside. But then there's the upside of like, it's like said, easy to get like tomorrow I could drop a whole album and then you just have it. 

Yeah. 

You don't have to do anything, but I like personally. I like going to the store like you said, getting that CD, reading all the stuff. 

Yeah. 

I miss all that, that part. 

Yeah, it's, it's it's one of the great tragedies, I think. But for you, is it I I guess. What? What's? Where's the money at? Is the money at in touring or is it in album? 

Touring and publishing. And you know what's shocking? Is that somehow, 20 years later, true, and on the way down, still played everywhere? 

Okay yeah. 

Like, it's not like you're grocery stores, you know, places that a restaurants, all the stuff like still, you know, go into Walgreens and like ohh. Check it out. 

There I am. 

How do you say still 20 years later, it's still still being played, so there's definitely that, that, that aspect is Super Touring is is the best, best way? 

Yeah. Awesome. 

Yeah, yeah. 

So Ree recording for the 20th Anniversary re release. What was? 

Yeah. 

How was? How has it changed? What's different in terms of of creating, producing, distributing music? What are you finding today versus when you were first starting out? How has it changed? 

Um, what the landscape for me changed because you've given this goes back to that conversation we have before, when when I was in the studio then it was no thoughts in my brain. It was just making out there. I wasn't overthinking it. I wasn't doubting anything, so then now going. Back and recording a song with a purpose. So I'm I'm really I wanted to reimagine what would this song sound like today if I wrote this song today, but since I'm going in with that purpose it there's a course you're gonna overthink everything about like, OK, how, where do we take this? That it, you know, hasn't gone. That still makes sense without losing the integrity of the song. And the film. The song, which is what made it a hit. So it was actually really hard. We were at the drawing board for a. While. Trying day, then one point, it was almost sounding like an EDM song was like 4 on the floor. 

Ohh wow is it. 

Like. Cool. Like I don't know if it's cool, I can't tell ohh cause you know, obviously I've heard the song of the same way for so long. 

Yeah. 

But like I don't know, man, let's just why don't we go back and keep it the same kind of, you know, rhythm like the drive and the feel. But just like. Update it and make it, you know, take out the electric guitars and make it a little more manic than you know, kind of the original, which was more rock pop, I'm loop driven. So when we did that, I W. But there it is. OK, here's the way they hear this song completely different, but still has all the elements of. Why? If you if you did like that song, why you liked it? 

Yeah. 

So that was the kind of the biggest difference in then to now is, you know, trying to just thinking too much of. Like should we do this? We do that. But then when we got in the groove and we found, you know what we're going to do with it, then it just flu and then it's like ohh my God what? Forget um, you know Taylor Hanson is in the second verse. And so a guy got him. And then like ohh you know it could be cool on this. 

Yeah. 

I was like, what about a J from? Section boys to be working. Somewhere together a. Couple weeks ago and he was singing these ribs and I was like that dope as hell. And so then that that started to bring new elements of it and then it all just started to. Come together and. Just got super fun bringing friends into kind of put their stamp on one of my sons. 

Did did it because he when you going to record you obviously have a preconceived idea as like you've got studio time, you've booked out a block of time. You need to make the most of that time because time is money and all of that sort of stuff. But then a lot of ideas come on the fly. So what compared to when you went into the studio? What's the outcome was it? Is it different to what you thought? Like completely different or. 

Ohh we had no thoughts going in so luckily like the one of my favourite producers to work with is this guy Morgan Taylor Reed. 

Yeah. Wow. 

So. 

We are. We never have any ideas before we. Get the room. 

Yeah. Nice. 

So he did my last song RX and the future new stuff. That's gonna come out soon. He produced all that stuff, so when we go in, we don't really have a time limit other than now having babies. 

Yeah. 

Other than that, it's go in. See what we come up with. No, I'm and. Whatever happens there collectively is what happens. So all those ideas literally happen while you're in the studio. Nothing before. 

Yeah. 

That's kind of way I like it cause I like to. I like it to be. Entertaining for myself as well. It's the unknown when going into the studio. Is that entertaining? Part is like ohh. 

Hmm. 

It could. It could be terrible and have a day and not come up with anything good. 

Hmm. 

Um, but that's OK or you know, it could be an amazing. Day that you never never expected. And that's what makes it fun. 

I guess too digital recording has sort of changed that landscape as well, like you're not burning? 

It's a lot quicker. Lot quicker. Now you can do things a lot faster. 

Yeah, yeah, yeah. 

You're not burning tape. You're not cutting things up with razor blades and doing ohh that's sort of stuff. 

You're right. 

Yeah, yeah. 

In terms of distribution as well as someone who's still listening to the same music. I listen to 20 years ago. I haven't really gotten amongst the streaming in an album came out recently or was coming out, and I I felt that early 2000s type of, you know, putting my name down at the record store and waiting for it to be released. How many more sleeps? And then I actually thought hang on a minute. I don't even know where or how I'm gonna access this album. How does this even work today? How can people get the new single? How? Please tell me it's on CD single. 

I I think the. That there might be a plan at some point just to do some fun stuff on the side, like the vinyl kind of thing. 

Yeah. 

But for now it's your typical. I think people are, you know, iTunes, Spotify, um. I guess nowadays the the, the biz kind of runs on the Spotify playlists, which is like kind of the best way. 

Yes. 

See, I guess you know access people who may not be specifically searching for that song. 

Yeah. 

Like if you didn't know, like, let's say you you were panned, but you, you know, don't follow me on Instagram or whatever and you know, haven't listened to my albums for some years. Then you're like, but then you would have come across and on Spotify playlist. That's where, like you really good. Cause ohh my God. I love you know his voice. Whatever. Let me go check it out. I have no idea that there was even gonna be a 20th anniversary on the way down. Kind of thing. Yeah. So I think those playlists are big on how people hear stuff and how they get it. And then I'm sure there's probably three or four more streaming sites that I don't even know about, cause I don't. Really have not like an Internet person. 

Look, I'd love a Casa single version because I've got my cassette deck working again. 

The please. 

So you know if if that's in the works that would be great. 

Ohh at least so cool. 

But I think I think it's an as an artist too, that the cool side of streaming too is having access to all that data. 

He's so cool. 

So you. No. Who's listening? How old they are, where they're listening. What? What parts of the? World, they're listening in it. It must be pretty incredible, yeah. 

That part schools me like finding out like where like the part different parts of the world people are listening to your stuff at that that month or whatever. I think that that part. So cool. 

What? What's the rates like like? Is it like ohh wow. Like I've got fanzine Estonia, you know. 

Yeah, there are some. Random places that you're like ohh my God. Well, so my biggest audience. For that is in the Philippines. 

Yeah. Wow. 

So which is? Yeah, it's wild. And like I've never, I haven't even been with Philippines, which is a shame. 

Yes. 

Like I've been, I've been wanting to go for so long, like I need to go to Philippines cause. Every. Year they're always the. The the most listeners I got there. Um, surprising. Australia is actually a big one for us as well. 

Hmm yeah. 

Which is awesome. But that's correct. Yeah, it's crazy. It's like ohh my. And it's one of those like bigger in the Philippines. Than I am in the states. 

You can. 

Cool, I need to go. 

You can too. 

You could do like a tour of Asia. You could Philippines, Tumblr Australia don't come down then. 

Australia, I know. Hello I've been. I've been telling him for years. I'm like, we gotta get down. 

Yeah, we'll show you round. It'll be be great you share your round camera. It's really exciting. 

Yeah. 

Been been been a minute since I've been out there. 

Go to the War Memorial. Go to Parliament house. So you have been down here before. 

Ohh yeah, were you guys well, no, not specifically where you guys are, but I spend a lot of time like Brisbane and Sydney. 

Yeah. No. Hmm. 

Ohh, in the Gold Coast. 

Yeah. 

Ohh, so I'm definitely familiar. 

The cool cities, right? Yeah, yeah. 

Have you have you toured here? 

So does like where are you guys? 

Have you have you? 

What's that? 

Have you 2 it here? 

Not as not like under my name, but back in the day I did some shows with the Veronica. 

Ohh that's right yes. 

The like A J ages ago, but never like my own tour cause they did. 

Yeah. Hmm. 

They opened for me in the States and then. We've got Australia and they were just huge. 

Ohh yeah. 

I was like ohh let me play. I was like I'm playing. You get guys like hell, yeah. 

I I think he should definitely hit the Philippines up. I like. Have you seen that film searching for Sugarman about the musician Rodri? 

I agree. Ohh yeah. 

Yeah. 

Ohh yeah, love that one, yeah. 

Where? Where he found out that he was big in South Africa, was big nowhere else. And then he's huge in South Africa and he goes over to South Africa and it's this massive concert that could be you in the Philippine drive. 

Imagine but like, imagine the thing just to your point. Like, imagine if he had that then like there is the the upside of having something like you know this the data of all that information of knowing like ohh my God. 

Umm. 

Hey, guys. Like, why are we not gonna let's get to the Philippines because there's a lot of fans. There should be something cool for for sugar men and. 

Yeah, yeah. 

Or it was Rodriguez? Yeah, something awesome for Rodriguez if he had that data and he didn't have to find out, you know, from like a milk carton or whoever, you know, they eventually got to exactly crazy story if you haven't seen searching for Sugarman. 

Actually, exactly. 

Definitely check that out. 

It's a great film. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 

Amazing document and I remember the day after I literally went to the store and bought his album on vinyl and the day after. 

Yeah, cold fact. Let's talk a bit more about some of the reality TV stuff like obviously, score on MTV was it was a big thing for you it. Reality TV was so massive in the early 2000s. Idol it just started. 

Yeah. 

We'd had one season of idol and I think that changed the landscape of music a lot. 

I watched the osbournes I'm guilty. 

I love the osbournes. I loved, you know, Aussies a hero of mine, you know. 

Yeah, I love you too. That's what's I mean. That's what. That's what started it at all, cause you know people be like. Ohh my God I I have a a window into some celebrities lives, you know, but kind of before, like, the paparazzi was even the thing. 

Yeah. 

Or like those kind of things? 

Yeah. 

But you have kind of immersed in the early reality TV with the Ashley Simpson show. 

Yes, it's cool. 

Why? 

You guys obviously dating in the early 2000s and and her show came out, I think I think it was filmed in 2003 came out 2004. And you obviously featured in that and that again, it's still that very early time for reality where it actually was reality and had cameras, exactly cameras following you around and capturing the real life. 

Sounds all right. It was actually real. 

Yeah, yeah. 

What was it like being? Part of that in the early days. 

Um, that show that was a blast like that was just, you know, two young kids grow like we lived in the same house. Um, kind of coming up around the same time and. Ohh, you know, being that age obviously being young and just you know everything was so new and fresh. They literally just followed us around with cameras so that at some point we literally didn't even realise they were there, like it was just us being us. 

Yeah. Yes. *******. 

Like whatever happened happened. And what's that's kind of cool, I guess. Ish for me is like to get the different perspective because obviously that's forward and that I was dating someone who happened to be on a different show called the. Those which was when she asked me is like you will. You know where we're gonna spend time together. You know, we kind of have to. Be around this. 

Yeah. 

You show bum like. Uh, and then you get there. And I'm like, alright, whatever. I've done this. Before and then you have a script and like what you're doing that day and stuff like what I'm like. 

Yeah. 

No, no. I'm just me. Yeah, I was gonna be how I'm going to be. And they're like. Well, wouldn't you? We need you to be but that. But with this this level and I'm like, yeah, I'm saying that not saying that that's saying that like. 

Yeah, yeah. 

So he's gonna have to navigate through that part, but when you go to like Ashley show and like in Jessica, show newlyweds, that was just cameras around and you forgot they were there. And just you you be you for getting all about it and then it coming out against in front of other people as well. I don't even know what I know. Seen a lot of lips from some of the episodes, but I don't really know what it even looked like or or seen it. 

So. So you never. You never watched any of it or. 

No, we didn't watch him. 

Hmm, I do remember you getting in trouble on Valentine's Day for not not performing a song for Ashley. 

Yeah, we just gotta. 

Ohh yeah yeah. 

She was very upset and I don't think you gave her a flower either. Hope you've hope you've learned from. 

That. 

I did. 

Valentine's Day is coming up. 

I did. I became that that became a whole thing because. I ended up. I did get her flowers, actually, but they did. They were waiting for her at home as a surprise for when we got back because we lived. In the same apartment complex. That I had some whatever. And then we got home. And then she saw them as like, ohh damn, I just gave him so much. Because he didn't get me flowers. And then there they were, waiting at your part. 

Then. 

And then I. I. Was like. Um, I forget what I think I ate one of them and I just feel like got it was weird. 

Ohh God. 

Like it didn't like give me high, but I felt. Real funny after that. I ate like 1. I don't know what was in that flower, but I'm. 

One of those dyed roses or something. 

Like. I was like, I feel real funny and I don't know if we should. Be filming right now because. 

Yeah. 

I don't know what I'm about to say. 

Yeah, man, this this is. 

So let's cut. Cut the cameras for the 1st. 

Time. 

It's right. It's not ******* alright, but he tell. 

Yeah. 

Yeah, but I think that's that's. Given you obviously great grounding so that you've and it speaks to your integrity that you could go on to another show and be like Nah. Like I've been through this before and I'm there, that there are things that I'm not gonna do a lot of people in that situation. I think walking in quite naive, wide eyed would pretty much do. You can getaway with a lot when you point a camera at someone you know. You can make people feel a lot of things. 

Yeah, there are a lot of people, obviously who you know, doing it for those reasons kind of things like they just, they're doing it either putting themselves as a different. Person from the camera. But then also just caring about. Ohh, I'm just being on camera you need. 

Yeah. 

Yeah. With that, the the with the latter show I was like there's things that I'm not going I'll do a couple of these things that to me are fine, but for the most part, that's why you don't see me much on. It because they're. 

Yeah. 

Like, well, we can't use that because you're talking. This isn't so like ain't my problem. 

You ruined the take. 

Yeah. 

Yeah, I got that. I don't even know who half these people that you have me talking about are. I didn't meet him. 

Yeah. 

You're like, OK. And then, but then this person did that. So ask her about this. Or I'm gonna thought that is. 

Yeah. 

My little cousin here, absolutely. 

Yeah. Mate. Absolutely. 

Ohh OK. 

And it's well, that's, that's all you talk about. 

And if you like that. 

Desired outcomes like you've got this attitude where you going into the studio with no desired outcome. People who make these kind of shows have a very clear timeline as to how they want things to pan out and how they want their story to evolve. 

Yeah. Yeah. You gonna get the. Yeah, and that's, but that's there's a difference of, you know, the early reality TV and then what it think probably was from a certain specific point which all the name was on, it kind of changed the how that worked because they just wanted to get to the storyline, have an arc and make sure it all worked out. 

The. Yeah. 

And I would just say because, you know, they're just taking like 6 people that didn't even know each other and then be like. Alright, be entertaining. Yeah, like, maybe not be that entertaining. Kind of boring. So, alright, we gotta give you give you a little storyline here. 

Gonna smash it up. I have been enjoying more recently in in terms of your reality appearances, enjoying you on. The misses show missions. 

Ohh. 

Yeah, million misses. 

Ohh yeah ohh what one of my what of? 

How fun is that to be part of? 

Ohh well that that is a blast. Cause that and that is that's another time where you know, we're kinda. Just getting to. Be ourselves, you know, like those cameras are just filming and mic's one of my very first friends in Los Angeles. Back in like, 2002 or 2003, we met. 

Yeah. 

Ohh man. 

He just came off. The real world wasn't even a wrestler yet, but you know, so we've been close. 

Yeah. 

You along the way so that when. He had that show. He's like, hey, dude, this would you come. Just, just just be yourself. You don't have to do anything. Whatever you know. Just be honest with us. It's cause you know you're friends. Anyway, I was like yeah. Ohh yeah, I like anything with you because we just got that bun. 

Yeah, yeah, he's on. 

It was such. 

I'm a massive fan of the mist. Like I am okay, so out of the closet, huge wrestling fan here grew up with wrestling and stuff, so I was actually really excited when I found out we had to speak to you because of your connection with the business as well and and and the miss is, is, is, is one of my favourites because of of the way he came up and I it's interesting that you talk. 

Thought about. No. Yeah. 

Team um coming out of the back of the real world and not being a wrestler yet cause he went through tough enough I think, which was a a reality show for wrestling and he is one of the guys in the business that has worked very, very hard to get to where he is and had to deal with a lot of I guess prejudices within that industry to get to where he is as well. 

Course. 

So he's resilience. I mean, what a what a great friend. Like what a great role model is as well. 

And that's and that's why he's still there and still thriving in. He's just a great person. Always been like the he's the exact opposite of his gig. Like he is. Couldn't couldn't be like more humble like human being. 

Hmm. 

It's really annoying to be that good at everything and and then be humble too, which I hope you never hears this, so I would never tell him. 

Yeah. 

Not to his faith. 

Now. 

But in reality is one of the best humans, and he'll come back from, you know, such a great father like, you know, come back no sleep and playing in front of, you know, sold out 50,000 stadium. And then the next morning be changing poopy diapers, you know, and just being a good dad. 

Yeah, yeah. 

Yeah. So. Definitely hats off to him and he's one of the best. 

I guess it's we need to talk about your connection to the business. Obviously, through the Miss as well and and and meeting and marrying Alexa, did you feel like you've joined the circus when you started dating? And then marrying a wrestler because it it is really that sort of Barnum and Bailey kind of fought during, yeah. 

It is a Carney lifestyle. Yeah, it is. It's a well, the interesting part is how different it is from all other, you know, businesses and supporting stuff. Cause I have you know I have a very electric, you know, group of. Friends who all do different things. We know whether it be. Whatever sports or you know, athletes and snowboarders, whatever it is. But then you go to this world. And it's so far from anything like I've ever been around that it was very yeah, almost like that. 

Hmm. 

But you learn quickly. You know what? 

What? 

What's happening and how it works and all that kind of crazy stuff, which is wild. 

M and it's yeah. 

That is cool. So it's entertaining for sure. 

So I mean both of you have very busy lifestyles. I mean, obviously Alexa's been off on maternity leave because you've had a a beautiful baby girl. 

Hmm. 

How's all that going? 

Ohh the days are fantastic. 

Yeah. 

The night's not so much. Yeah, I I do miss sleeping through. 

Don't miss those days. 

I do miss sleeping at night, but I should. We're literally like. The luckiest. And she's like the happy baby, you know, so amongst the that's not sleeping and all that stuff. The most important thing is she's healthy, but she's happy like she's always smiling. 

Yeah. Hmm. Yes. 

And just loves, loves like hanging out. Loves coming on tour. 

Yeah. 

Loves music, which I'm not surprised, but still, you never know because it's. Like wherever there's gonna be, those parents force anything on her. But you know, you never know it. Could you never like some people? Be like what if she doesn't like Disney? And like just seems. We'll cross that when it when it comes to it, but luckily she loves Disney, so we're good there. 

Yeah. 

So all things are going well, I think. Yeah, I think we're like, it's pretty cool. I think we'll keep her. 

Because of the. Well, that's good. That's good to know. Like Baby's aren't necessarily compatible with this touring entertainment. 

Yeah, yeah, yeah. 

I'm in. 

Kind of lifestyle, so I'm always curious as to how you make that work. 

You know, so it's it's, it's tough. But you know, we because we both do you. Know things like that. Um, we obviously wanted her to get, you know, kind of accustomed to it. Used to it early, so like later if she was to come then it it's just a nightmare. So she she adopted like right away. 

Hmm. 

And it helps that a lot of the other guys and tour have kids as well and they'll bring their baby out. Jacob from Motown just had a baby like a month before Hendricks was born. So. That's perfect cause then they can play and um, so we we're lucky that she actually enjoys it and Mom wears her for every show and she dances. And it's been doing that since from the beginning. 

Yeah. Yeah, almost. 

And your living room set up is incredible. I'd like to have a go. I saw that on the Instagram that the. 

Ohh it's ohh okay it was is it. 

Ball paired and the. 

Ohh the the soft play that that, that took that took that took some convincing for a second which you think would be the opposite, but it actually took convincing from Lexi with with me kind of like so. 

Yeah. Amazing. 

I we we had our first birthday party and she was showing me like these big giant soft play things and I was like ohh. My God, that's so cool. And then we saw the price of of what they are and we're like. That's expensive for one year old, you know, cause you're that might like. Is this party really for her or is this really for the parent? 

Yeah. 

Yeah, because she has no idea what's going on. Yeah. 

Yeah. 

But I don't like. Can we just build that like you? Know start to piece together stuff. And so I started researching and then finding different things. We put together this dope giant soft play area for like 1/5 of the price. 

Yeah. 

That would be just even rented 1, so we kind of, you know, made that. And then I'm like, I don't think we can move this anymore because I. 

Of. 

Don't know how I do it and yeah. So say you know. So the. Maybe it's days. 

Yeah. 

And then then then, then we brought her down. And now she, you know, she loves it. So like, I guess our dining room is now at trying kids soft play. 

Well, that's good. 

Page of the house. 

I mean man, and also our living room and also the upstairs move. And you know every and our bedroom is is now. 

My. Her every dad needs a project, right? 

Room. 

You need a project because like yeah, I mean in that first the first few months of when you bring a new board home, you're like okay. 

I'm always building. I'm always building. 

Well, what do I do? You know, you kind of, so you need to have a project. You need you. 

Ohh, maybe I I'll tell you what. Diapers. 

Yeah, exactly. They give you a job and it's usually that, right? 

I'm stuck. 

I'm diaper dad. Yeah. 

I know, like we talked about the Dave Matthews Band before I've touched more human in the first year of my child's life than I have ever in my lifetime. 

It always comes back to ****. Night with you. 

It really does. 

I'm sorry. 

Always, always poo. Talk. 

Yeah, yeah, yeah, buddy. 

Yeah, they know a lot. 

I mean, that's the reality. It's. Yeah, really do. 

They know a lot, yeah. 

And it's and you will remind them about that well up beyond their 21st birthday, I could tell you right. 

Ohh yeah, I can't believe how much babies fart. 

Yeah. 

I know. It's just my baby here. Here all the time. 

I. 

I'm like, why can't and then of course, my wife will be like, was that you or the baby? Yeah, and now it's always. 

Baby, baby. Ohh. 

Yeah, you'd be like, sweetheart. 

Yeah. Always blame Robert. You're drinks. 

I'd just be like you will know, if it's me, trust me. 

Yeah, I believe that. 

We we know how you've met like Alexa, we've seen we've seen some of the stories about that when you see her out in the ring performing, do you experience any anxiety because it is fairly high risk, some of the stuff she does jumping from the top ropes and I'm wondering if that that then? The stems across generations like does Hendricks then try to emulate that sort of stuff, standing on the top of the slide, getting ready to dive into the ball pit and that stuff. 

Manner. Ohh no. Ohh. She does like in her sleep. Like do like big long the punches out of nowhere and a lot. 

Yeah. Yes. 

Of kicks, which? Is, I'm sure, fun for Lexi and the womb. 

You. 

But you know what? I'm there more excitement, I think, than anxiety. Um, I'm not really a warrior. 

Yeah. 

Just that at all at heart. But I just get excited. Um just to. See you out there doing an impressed every time too. So I'm like. How do you do that? 

Yeah, I know. 

Like if that's insane to me. 

No. 

And I think to and she's definitely been one of The Pioneers in this next generation of women that have come through in the women's division in the wrestling, which is just light and shade compared to what it used to be in the early 2000s, where it was like Divas. And it was all kind of like bikinis and Monterey and stuff like that. 

Yeah. 

Like these women are serious athletes doing pretty serious things, and I have found watching a lot of the pay per views that they've upstaged a lot of the guys with some of the stuff they've done. 

B. 

So I mean, you must be proud seeing that sort of stuff. 

Ohh course. Ohh my God. Absolutely. And then. You know it's. I wish you could hear you right now. 

Right. 

She'd she'd be so excited. And yeah, no, they they definitely she has. And it's it's cool to see it evolved. And then be headlining, you know wrestlemanias and you know or you know headlining summer slams, stuff like that? 

Yeah. 

Um, yeah, it's yeah, it's sick. 

Have you? Did you know about the double jointed elbow? 

Yeah. Ohh no I didn't know. But until she, she showed me. 

Yeah. 

And then showed me the the mattress. She used, and I think guns. Sasha, I think. 

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I was such a bench. Yeah. 

It looked like it was Paula, and then she did, like, don't like it. I don't like it. I don't like it. 

What it back in? 

And finally that that is one of the coolest is one of the coolest things I have seen in a match where she just threw the double jointed. 

Looks so real. 

Go out and and like Sasha is looking at. 

Yeah. 

It like ohh my God. I've broken her arm and and then Alexa just comes cleaned. 

Brought. 

Yeah. 

Yeah. 

And then come back and bailed. 

So good. Like ohh it's. 

Got your *****? 

I stood up on the couch. I was like ohh my God, you know. And that's what it's all about, those big moments. 

No. 

Jesus, I love like and then my favourite things. When she would throw at the temper tantrums in the ring, some of. The Rep I was like, what the hell? I think she told me the story of. What I was probably was like, that's such a such a cool such. A great idea. 

Yes. 

She has great instincts, obviously. 

Yeah, yeah. 

Absolutely a wonderful performer. And I mean I I just think you guys are the best couple. I think it's great. 

Yes. 

Have you ever seen? 

Ohh thank you. 

Have you ever seen like, like you obviously go to matches? But I I guess schedules and stuff. Do you get to see much of her compete? I mean, it's been a while. 

Yeah, luckily what? 

Obviously. 

You know our schedules somehow, even from when we met, always aligned like I would be when we met like I was like going to Chicago to do Thanksgiving. 

Yeah. 

The parade, and she had a show in Chicago. That Monday, so we, you know, met up there and then the next, whatever New York I was doing some press or something in New York and she was. At Madison Square Garden. So just like kept happening and happening and we would always try to kind of be like okay, where are we close enough to where I could even pop over and see when your shows. You can pop over, see where my show. I'm and I've also been, you know, going to see Mike. And I've been going to his mania's for like 15 years. And anytime he's in town, always gonna check. 

Yeah. 

In his stuff out. So I was already going, you know, even prior in fact, I have a couple of moments. One we were on. Me and Lex were right next to each other, didn't know each other on the blue carpet. Um for premier on Fox or whatever. We're literally there's videos of us right next to each other, didn't know each other was, yeah, getting interviews next and then when after we actually, you know, got to know each other. 

Ohh wow. 

That um. No, senor. Something for I was like you weren't at this mania because I was at this mania and I was like, I wonder what times I've been at pings seeing you in the ring or the same red carpet and not know like ohh one day I'm gonna marry you. 

Yeah. 

Kinda didn't even come to you know, my but. 

Yeah. 

So like she. Looked I was like you were not this man because. I would remembered, you know, like the. Beautiful blonde girl looking like you getting that ring. Like I'm gonna remember that it's it's like, no, I wasn't that many. 

Yeah, yeah. 

And so she looked in my phone. I had video of Hulk Hogan coming out and she's like see the the girl next to Hulk Hogan with the microphone hosting WrestleMania like, yeah. Ohh in my phone. It's like that's me. I'm like, yeah. Ohh I like so I got videos of you in my phone. 

Wow. 

So it's like the stories are pretty good. 

Yeah, yeah. Are you planning on writing a song anytime soon? I know Bowling For Soup have so. 

I know, and that's what I at. That time I wrote. This song called Worth it. 

Yeah. 

It was the first song. That I wrote about her. 

Yeah. 

Yeah. Which is, I think, probably a much better fit than, say, Bowling For Soup. If I'm being honest with you, mate, it's a. 

Yeah. 

Yeah. Me. I love those boys. That was another thing we had in common too. We both both were big fans and friends with the the band. 

Yeah, well, unfortunately, 1985 is probably become the anthem of our life, which? 

Yes. 

So a little bit of a. Shape sitting over here, but yeah. 

Okay. 

Yeah, that's now that's now that's. What, 40 years ago? 

Still 20 in my mind, it's. 

Hmm. 

Yeah, everything's good. 

Ohh my gosh. 

20 and I thanks for making us all feel old, right? 

Yeah, that would be like based on that be like 2004 or if they did a song now. 

Well done man. Exactly. 

Yeah, you have to be two in comparison, crazy. 

Exactly. Yes indeed. Now the fans, the fans had wrestling are they are they treating you nice? Are they being kind to you? Cause they are very dedicated fans. 

Ohh very passionate yeah. 

Ohh yeah, very passionate. It's like anything it's, you know, there's always gonna. Be people who hate it. 

Hmm. 

And then there's. People who love it, you know, just like. 

Ohh. 

Anything else is always gonna be the haters. But you know, it's it's all good. 

Yeah, yeah. You not inspired to, I mean, just with your connections with Mike and that you're not inspired to be part of a storyline or anything in the near future or no, no desire. 

Can't be as blunt and block. That stuff out. 

No. 

No. 

I stay in my lane. I know I I never. I do not. Thrive and it's there. 

That's something that we ask everyone he he comes on our show is if you could rewind back 20 years. So back to 2005, Ryan, and you could bump into 2005, Ryan and offer him some advice. What advice would you give him? 

Ohh, that's a great question. Um, you know it's it's crazy cause you thought at the time you're doing it, but at that time for me, it would be um, you know, like, enjoy what's happening that day and stop worrying about what you have on the schedule tomorrow. Kind of thing because you know, I always tried to be like, you know, you know, appreciate every, you know, everything that you're doing. And and I did, of course. But like you know, when it happened so fast cuz all these things are moving, so many things are happening that you kind. 

And. 

Along the way, at some point I kinda just forget, even if it's for a day, you forget of how like even on the bad days. Like. How lucky you are to do what you're doing and or how lucky you are. Just to be alive. It's like this is a great day. You know, everyday is a great day if you're breathing. So it was just like, enjoy that day. It stopped worrying about the interview. You have to do at four in the. Morning tomorrow. Because tomorrow is tomorrow. 

Can, yeah. 

Uh, so that would kind. And that I think that would be. 

It Ryan, it's been an absolute honour having you on this show it really and it just for dedicating so much of your precious time to talking to little old us like we really do appreciate it and and and the new single is out this week at time of recording. 

Yeah. 

Thank you guys for having me. 

Thank you. For talking lots. 

No, it's not, of course. 

3030 Yeah, 31st of Jan. 

We have 31st. 

Yep, sorry. 

Yeah. 31st of Jan finally, finally doing it finally do I record it? I've recorded it. 

So get on right. 

Um, early last year and so a lot of stuff came up and. But. So stoked to finally be able to put this out. 

It's excellent timing. It works well for us. Get on to your streaming services and download a copy of Ryan's latest single or not latest single, but redonne single latest version of. 

Great relief. 

Yeah, real money. 

It 3 release live. 

20 year anniversary of on the way down reimagined. 

Relive the magic in it. I'm not gonna say new and improved, but a better different. Just go and check it out. It's gonna be incredible. 

Yeah. 

Yeah. Thank you so much. 

Okay. Thank you guys. I really appreciate. Thank you for waking up early too.