TMP333 DAVE JAMES UNWRAPPED

[00:00:15] Speaker A: Greetings, troubled listeners. [00:00:16] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:00:17] Speaker A: Welcome back to the Troubled Men podcast. I am Rene Coman, sitting once again in Snake and Jake's Christmas Club Lounge in the heart of the Clempire with my co host, the original troubled man for troubled times, Mr. Manny Chevrolet. Welcome, Manny. [00:00:32] Speaker B: Hey. Thank you very much for having me. [00:00:34] Speaker A: Oh, thank you for being here. [00:00:35] Speaker B: Yeah, it's tough for me to get here sometimes, but I'm here. [00:00:39] Speaker A: Yeah, you had the. Are you getting barraged with Christmas parties at your work? [00:00:44] Speaker B: No, I'm just getting barraged with lots and lots of trabajo work. Lots of work. [00:00:50] Speaker A: Okay. [00:00:51] Speaker B: Lots of work. [00:00:52] Speaker A: Really? You'd think that this would be kind of an off time for you. [00:00:55] Speaker B: What I do. [00:00:56] Speaker A: No, you got it. You're already gearing up for next semester. [00:00:59] Speaker B: Yeah. Okay, there, you know, and the holidays are here, right? [00:01:04] Speaker A: Well, this is actually the show will be coming out on Christmas, so this is our Christmas. [00:01:10] Speaker B: Why would. What. Why would you want to do that? Well, I don't know. Do it the day after. [00:01:14] Speaker A: Okay. Day after Christmas, that's called Boxing Day. [00:01:17] Speaker B: But it's. [00:01:18] Speaker A: Okay. Boxing Day. This is our Boxing Day show just here at the Christmas Club Lounge. Yeah, but it is Hanukkah. [00:01:26] Speaker B: Yes, it is Hanukkah. And I had a gift for you. [00:01:28] Speaker A: Oh, okay. [00:01:29] Speaker B: But I decided not to give it to you. [00:01:31] Speaker A: I hear you. [00:01:31] Speaker B: After what you did. [00:01:32] Speaker A: I hear you. Well, you know, it's. It's. It's Hanukkah. So, you know, we're just. Just trying to notice gift, not get shot. [00:01:41] Speaker B: Yes, it's a nice gift, but not for you anymore. [00:01:45] Speaker A: Okay. [00:01:45] Speaker B: Not to give it to you because you know what you did. [00:01:47] Speaker A: Okay. Well, we all. We all are. No one has clean hands here. [00:01:51] Speaker B: You know, we know what you did. [00:01:52] Speaker C: Troubled times. [00:01:53] Speaker A: Getting back to item of business from last week, you'll recall many boxes that we opened on the show. You remember that? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So when we got to the. The envelope, I opened the envelope, and there was just a card inside. Or so it would seem. [00:02:10] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:02:11] Speaker A: Now, fortunately, being the packrat that I am, at the end of the show, I collected all the. The wrapping paper. So as I'm. I'm going through it the. The next day. [00:02:20] Speaker B: Why is your hand shaking? What's wrong with you? You got first drink of the day. [00:02:24] Speaker A: His first check of the day. Yeah, I'm trying to relax here. So I have the envelope that the card came in, and I'm about to throw it away, but I glance inside again and realize that inside of the envelope was a crisp $50 bill. [00:02:40] Speaker B: That's mine, baby. [00:02:41] Speaker A: Eddie V. Well, it's what we were paying for our drinks with. [00:02:43] Speaker B: Really? Yeah, his cost. He doesn't charge us for the drinks. [00:02:47] Speaker A: He absolutely does. I pay for him every week. [00:02:49] Speaker B: Really? $50 worth? [00:02:52] Speaker A: It's. It's not $50 worth. But that's. [00:02:54] Speaker B: But you're gonna leave them a big tip for the holidays. You'll leave a big tip. [00:02:58] Speaker A: Yeah, so I'll always leave a tip anyway, so. Shout out to Eddie V. Sorry for, for the. The fake news that it was only a card. Inside of those five wrapped boxes, there was actually a card with $50 bill inside. [00:03:11] Speaker B: We gotta get Eddie on the show. [00:03:13] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And. And then this week we have more mail to the bar which we'll open up. It's just one envelope from one of our longtime listeners and supporters. So we'll get to that on the break. What else. What else is going on here? [00:03:28] Speaker B: Rob Reiner was murdered. [00:03:30] Speaker A: Oh, yes, Terrible news. Terrible. [00:03:32] Speaker B: Rob Reiner was murdered. You know, and if you note, I've seen so much coverage of it. [00:03:38] Speaker A: Yes. [00:03:39] Speaker B: I noticed though, in all the pictures they showed of him and his wife and kids, his wife wasn't smiling either. And his son never smiled. I wonder. And. But Rob was always smiling. But the wife and the accused were never smiling in all the pictures I saw. I wonder if he was just an asshole. [00:03:58] Speaker A: Rob Reiner, it didn't seem like. It seemed. Seemed like a. Like a pretty gentle guy. [00:04:04] Speaker B: All the. I didn't really care for many of his movies. I like Spinal Tap. [00:04:08] Speaker A: Spinal Tap was great, but like A. [00:04:10] Speaker B: Few Good Men had like a few good scenes and that's about it if you ask me. You know, When Harry Met Sally, Manny left the theater. That was so bad that. [00:04:18] Speaker A: Okay, that was a popular movie. Many people. Many people. [00:04:21] Speaker B: Stand By Me was on my way out of the theater. Stand By Me. [00:04:26] Speaker A: My wife was saying that I need to see that movie. I've yet to see Stand By Me. She was saying it's great. [00:04:30] Speaker C: It's got the great vomiting scene. [00:04:32] Speaker A: Okay. I've never seen it in Misery. [00:04:34] Speaker B: We were stuck with Kathy Bates for the last 45 years. [00:04:38] Speaker A: He blame it on Robin. [00:04:39] Speaker B: On him. That. But anyway, yeah, he's good. We should try to get him on the show. [00:04:47] Speaker C: Of people that say that guy. [00:04:48] Speaker B: Exactly. [00:04:50] Speaker A: Well, you know, we've lost a couple of other important people of previous weeks that I failed to mention. One was the great guitar player Steve Cropper from Booker T. And the MGs and, you know, co wrote many of Those Stacks hits with, you know, Otis Redding. [00:05:07] Speaker B: He was in the Blues Brothers Band. [00:05:09] Speaker A: He was in the Blues Brothers Band. Had a long career. A very tasteful guitar player. Player really created the style in a sense. [00:05:16] Speaker B: I did like the Bucket List, though. Rob Reiner's the Bucket List with Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. That was pretty good. [00:05:22] Speaker C: Can I ask you guys something? [00:05:23] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:05:24] Speaker C: Was Steve Cropper still involved when they made the Blues Brothers 2000 film? Because, boy, was that a piece of. [00:05:31] Speaker A: Yeah, I'm guessing that he was not. [00:05:33] Speaker C: I'm hoping he was gone. I can't remember now. [00:05:35] Speaker A: Yeah, I never saw that movie. [00:05:37] Speaker C: Well, consider yourself lucky. [00:05:39] Speaker A: I wouldn't. [00:05:39] Speaker C: It's probably worth. Again, it's probably worth now. [00:05:43] Speaker A: Was John Goodman in that one? [00:05:44] Speaker C: He was, yeah. [00:05:45] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:05:46] Speaker C: Poor guy. Shouldn't have done it. [00:05:47] Speaker B: Right, right, right. [00:05:49] Speaker A: And then also we lost the. The singer with the Mavericks, Raul Malo. Great talent. [00:05:57] Speaker B: Ever heard? [00:05:57] Speaker A: Very tragic end there. But he soldiered on till the very. The very end. And he was a. Another much beloved character. And then just yesterday or so day before, we lost Joe Ely, great Texas guitar player. [00:06:12] Speaker B: Yeah, I saw Joe Ely open for the Clash. [00:06:15] Speaker A: Oh, okay. You saw that tour? [00:06:17] Speaker B: Yeah. And it was the most embarrassing thing. He must have been getting like a hand job or a blow job before he went on because he had a big cum stain right in his pants. [00:06:27] Speaker A: Huh. [00:06:28] Speaker B: You know, I don't know. Maybe he spilled a drink. [00:06:29] Speaker C: But yeah, fashion at the time. [00:06:31] Speaker B: You know, maybe it was a fashion. You know, I don't know, maybe he. Maybe he just got off before. He got so nervous before going on stage that he just ejaculated. [00:06:41] Speaker C: Maybe. Oh, maybe it's his own problem. [00:06:42] Speaker B: It's not like a statement, but it was very noticeable. Yeah, very noticeable. [00:06:46] Speaker A: That's why I was. The idea of having light colored pants, like going on stage. I always think you're taking your life in your hands if you spill anything on your pants. It looks like you. No, you peed in your pants. [00:07:01] Speaker B: Or, you know, white. White is not good. [00:07:04] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. [00:07:05] Speaker B: Especially for men. [00:07:06] Speaker A: Dark colored pants. You know, you can. [00:07:08] Speaker C: Don't play. [00:07:08] Speaker B: But those country people like to wear white jeans and stuff. It's the country music, like the. [00:07:14] Speaker A: The faded jeans. [00:07:15] Speaker B: But you know, I got to say, I got to give them some credit. I mean, it was a big load. [00:07:19] Speaker A: Okay. [00:07:20] Speaker B: It's a huge load. All right. [00:07:22] Speaker C: Well, you know, I beg to think it's some sort of artistic statement. Fashion or art. [00:07:28] Speaker A: Okay. [00:07:28] Speaker B: I don't know. [00:07:29] Speaker C: Abstract. [00:07:30] Speaker B: He. He must have got laid a lot, that guy. Maybe not I don't know. Maybe he could. Maybe he had pre ejaculation so much he couldn't satisfy any women. [00:07:40] Speaker A: I don't know. Maybe. [00:07:42] Speaker C: I'm pretty sure he did do a second. [00:07:44] Speaker B: It's like that, that Tootsie Roll pop. One, two, three. It's over three. You know it's over. [00:07:52] Speaker A: Right? [00:07:53] Speaker C: Is that on three or app three and then go? [00:07:55] Speaker A: I don't know. [00:07:56] Speaker B: Was it good for you, baby? I'm Joe Ealy. [00:08:00] Speaker A: Anyway, he'll be missed. [00:08:02] Speaker C: The great Joe Ailey for more than just the cub stand. [00:08:07] Speaker A: Well, I had some municipal news, Manny. And now it's not the first time this has happened, but hopefully it's the last. But probably not the way the city goes. I went in for a hearing for yet another school zone camera ticket yesterday. [00:08:24] Speaker B: Why are you always driving during school zone hours? That's what I want to hear. [00:08:28] Speaker A: Well, cuz I'm running around taking care of, running errands, taking care of my properties. A lot of times it's now the school zones like on Canal. [00:08:35] Speaker B: Learned your lesson? [00:08:37] Speaker A: Well, you, you try to, to not go. I don't want to be speedy. [00:08:42] Speaker B: I, I always take, If I'm going somewhere, I always figure out the smoothest way there. I don't want to go in any potholes or bumps and all that. I always try to find the smoothest way there. Why don't you find a different way to get to your destination? [00:08:55] Speaker C: You can fly everywhere. [00:08:56] Speaker A: Well, Carrollton Avenue is the way, the closest way between my house and my properties and my house and our grocery store. And so, and then also stay away. [00:09:06] Speaker B: I never go down Carrollton because they have cameras. [00:09:10] Speaker A: So I went in there. Now this, this ticket was issued in like May of 2024. And when I got the notice, I put it in the mail. I won a hearing and they sent me a letter back. Well, your hearing is for December, John. [00:09:27] Speaker B: Carrollton. [00:09:28] Speaker C: December. [00:09:28] Speaker B: Be careful. [00:09:29] Speaker A: December 2025. So the hearing was set like 18 months later. Yeah, yeah. So now I put it in my calendar. I remembered they didn't send me another, they didn't send me another notice. They were hoping I was, they were. [00:09:43] Speaker B: Hoping I was gonna get four other violations. [00:09:45] Speaker A: I have not gotten any more actually. But, but if you recall the last time, the last four I've gone in. [00:09:52] Speaker B: There for, I just thrown it out. [00:09:54] Speaker A: I beat them all because, because they don't have the, the proper agreement in place between the city of New Orleans and the school system. [00:10:02] Speaker C: You want them all. [00:10:03] Speaker A: So I, I, I've got them all thrown out. Now this time when I went in, unlike previous times where they just come out with, you know, I give them the paper and the person comes back out and gives me the, the thing that says it's been, it's been dismissed. They actually brought me back in the back with the guy who said that he was a judge. And then they had a city attorney on a zoom call and they swore me in only for the guy to say, well let's say you're going to, let's see, you're going 24 in a 20 mile an hour zone. We'll just call it, it's dismissed. And then the, and the judge goes, oh, he's doing you a favor. That's really nice. That's really nice. And I looked at him sideways like, what do you think I'm stupid? This is not a lawful ticket. And he goes, and he kind of realized that yes, I knew that that was bullshit too, but beat the log in for now. For now. That's right, for now. [00:11:00] Speaker C: He fought the law and Rene won. [00:11:02] Speaker A: That's right. That's right. That's what we always say. It's been a violent week. Violent week. [00:11:06] Speaker B: All of it good. [00:11:07] Speaker A: Sure, I know that pleases you. They had picked up a guy coming out of New Iberia Parish yesterday, said he had bomb making equipment on him as part of this Turtle Island Liberation Front that they picked up these island. [00:11:27] Speaker B: What the hell is that? [00:11:28] Speaker A: Picked up these, picked up these, these. [00:11:31] Speaker B: They're slow moving terrorists. [00:11:35] Speaker A: That's what they call the, the landmass of North America. Pre Columbian. That's, that's some kind of nonsense. That's what the, you know, some tribe called it. Turtle Island. That's. [00:11:44] Speaker B: So they've tried on a lot of peyote probably, but. [00:11:50] Speaker A: So I don't know what these people are. They're, they're anti capitalist, they're anti democratic. They, I don't know what they want. [00:11:56] Speaker B: So they hired a guy from Louisiana. [00:11:58] Speaker A: So they had, had some. [00:11:59] Speaker C: Found one guy from here, four guys. [00:12:01] Speaker B: From California blew it all the rest of them. [00:12:04] Speaker A: And, and so I'm looking at the picture of this guy, I'm like, well gee, that's a freaky looking dude right there. [00:12:09] Speaker B: And it was lgbq. High fiverr. [00:12:11] Speaker A: I don't know what, what the backstory is, but I'm, I'm reading the article and I see he's a former Marine. Like wow, the marines will take anybody, huh? And I'm reading further down, it says he's also a former New Iberia Sheriff, like, wow, the New Iberia Sheriff's Department will take anybody. I don't have a very thorough vetting process. But anyway, that was. That potential New Year's Eve attack for this year was thwarted. Thank God. [00:12:36] Speaker C: Let's not make that a yearly thing. [00:12:38] Speaker A: Yeah, no, no, no, no. See, people think political violence is funny. It's nothing to around with, man. This is political. [00:12:46] Speaker B: Humor is funny, though. [00:12:47] Speaker A: Serious. It can be. Sure. [00:12:49] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:12:49] Speaker A: Easy. Yeah. [00:12:50] Speaker C: It's easy to make fun of those guys. [00:12:52] Speaker A: Well, yes, it tends to write itself. [00:12:54] Speaker B: Like Trump. I just, you know, he's so guy, man. He said he. [00:13:00] Speaker C: He. [00:13:00] Speaker B: Did you hear what he did? What? He said? He. He was bragging about how he's had more dementia tests than any other president. He said that. Did you hear he des. [00:13:15] Speaker C: Every one of those tests? I'll be honest. [00:13:17] Speaker B: And he went. And then he said, six, seven, Six, seven. [00:13:20] Speaker A: You know, you got to be proud. I got to be careful what you brag about. [00:13:23] Speaker B: Yeah. And did you hear. You know, because this is the holiday season, the White House began the Christmas season with the ceremonial burning of the cross. Did you hear that? [00:13:37] Speaker C: I thought I saw clips of it, but it was pretty late. I'm not sure. [00:13:40] Speaker B: Yeah, I was probably edited out by somebody. [00:13:43] Speaker C: You know, it might surprise you, but Donald Trump was also not a Rob Reiner fan. [00:13:48] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:13:48] Speaker C: You might be surprised to hear that. [00:13:50] Speaker B: Well, because of his stance. Because of his stance. His stance against Trump. [00:13:56] Speaker C: Right. [00:13:56] Speaker B: I just didn't like his movies. [00:13:58] Speaker C: Right. [00:13:58] Speaker B: I. I liked his political views. [00:14:00] Speaker C: I get that. You know, I'm just saying it's funny when sometimes when you share something with someone. [00:14:05] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:14:06] Speaker C: It's like, ah, why don't you like him? Oh, because you're still a dick. I mean, Donald Trump. I don't mean. [00:14:15] Speaker A: Very magnanimous. [00:14:16] Speaker B: Yes. [00:14:16] Speaker A: Very magnanimous reaction that he had. [00:14:18] Speaker C: Yes. [00:14:19] Speaker B: Hey, hey, listen, you know, the thing about Reiner is, you know, he made all these big movies and critically acclaimed and all that. He. And he was also a very good actor. And he's won awards and he's won charitable awards. You know, he's given a lot of money to women's rights rights and all that kind of stuff, but he'll always be remembered as meathead. [00:14:41] Speaker C: Meathead, sure. Well, it was when he was still fighting for all of the ideals. He still fights that. His character was that. And he's done it his entire life, but he was meathead. And a lot of people, he was against the. [00:14:53] Speaker B: The episode where Edith got raped. He was against that episode. [00:14:57] Speaker C: It really shouldn't have ever aired, to be honest. [00:14:59] Speaker A: That was a memorable episode, though. I mean, you didn't expect that in that. That comedy show. [00:15:03] Speaker B: Joe Ely liked it. I know that. [00:15:05] Speaker A: Okay. [00:15:05] Speaker C: Well, in fact, I'm pretty sure that year, that was the same year he opened for the Clash. [00:15:13] Speaker A: Yeah. They were trying to get edgy there on. On the. [00:15:16] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:15:16] Speaker A: Towards the end of the run. [00:15:18] Speaker B: And by the way, is it okay. [00:15:19] Speaker C: To swear on this? It's okay to swear. [00:15:21] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:15:22] Speaker B: You could swear. [00:15:23] Speaker C: God said so many words related to come. [00:15:27] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's a bit late now. [00:15:31] Speaker B: Yeah. And local politics. You know, I don't know if you heard this, but our mayor elect, our madam elect. What's her name? Moreno. [00:15:41] Speaker A: Yes, Helena Moreno. [00:15:42] Speaker B: She hung up some banners at galliard hall, and our mayor. [00:15:45] Speaker A: Our. [00:15:46] Speaker B: Our mayor now took him down. I saw that. [00:15:49] Speaker A: What a petty bitch, man. I tell you what, Latoya Cantrell could not be more petty. She also vetoed the city council budget that they passed trying to make up for all of her. Her, you know, malfeasance or mismanagement of the budget. [00:16:04] Speaker C: And she wanted to, I remember her saying is back to the speeding tickets. I think if you're going 21, you should be able to get a ticket in the school zone. [00:16:14] Speaker A: Oh, yeah. [00:16:14] Speaker C: You know, and I was just like, I don't have a digital speedometer. [00:16:18] Speaker A: Right, right. [00:16:19] Speaker C: I'm not sure. [00:16:20] Speaker B: On your bicycle? [00:16:21] Speaker C: On my car. My car's from 1890. Sure, but you can't, like, you can't give me a ticket at 21. Who even knows I'm going 20? [00:16:29] Speaker A: No, it used to be before she was in. They would give you the. The window of 24 or. Or so before. [00:16:37] Speaker C: Yes, but I have children. I'm not trying to speed through. Right, right, right. No matter how fun it sounds. [00:16:44] Speaker B: Looking for children. This guy here. [00:16:46] Speaker C: I just don't think it should be 21. I don't. I disagree. Outgoing mayor, She's. [00:16:52] Speaker A: She's a miserable person, man. I can't wait to see her gone. And yes, hopefully Helena Moreno, we have high hopes for her. We certainly need some help. [00:17:01] Speaker B: You know, she could always run for another office. Cantrell. [00:17:05] Speaker A: Yeah. She might be able to get elected to nothing. No, she. She. She would not get elected dog catcher. Yeah, she. She couldn't get elected to dog cut. [00:17:14] Speaker B: Or she could be school traffic monitor with the shop. [00:17:19] Speaker C: Going to go to prison for anything or. [00:17:21] Speaker A: No, she could. [00:17:22] Speaker B: She could go to prison. [00:17:23] Speaker C: I mean, but is she going to. [00:17:24] Speaker A: Well, I can't. We can't. We don't have a crystal ball. I mean, she's, she's going to be prosecuted. [00:17:29] Speaker B: Sugar Ray did. Sugar Ray did, right? He went to prison. [00:17:33] Speaker C: Yeah. I mean, she might. [00:17:35] Speaker B: So, yeah, that's happened. Local politics, Right, Right. And also, I don't know, down here at some Walmart in Mississippi, they found razor blades in Boston. Bread. [00:17:46] Speaker A: Bread and some muffins too. [00:17:48] Speaker B: Yeah. And I think to myself, as soon as I heard that, I said to myself, well, how else you going to slice it? [00:17:53] Speaker C: You know the razor blade on the outside of the bread. [00:17:57] Speaker B: Self slicing, you know, you need to slice it somehow. That's why the razor blade's there. [00:18:01] Speaker C: It needs to be on the outside of the bread, though. You shouldn't have to get into the bread to get to the razor. [00:18:07] Speaker B: All right. [00:18:07] Speaker A: I shouldn't have to be eating the piece of bread. [00:18:09] Speaker C: That's the real problem. She did it wrong. It should be the razor blade should have been on the outside of the brass. Yeah, she was being helpful. And I assume it's Cantrell that left the razor blades in the bread. [00:18:21] Speaker A: We don't, we don't know that. [00:18:22] Speaker C: I'm not saying it's true. I'm just saying I said it. [00:18:25] Speaker A: We can't know. [00:18:26] Speaker B: I think were in the suicide aisle. [00:18:32] Speaker A: Okay. [00:18:32] Speaker B: I think that's where those loads of bread was being sold. [00:18:36] Speaker C: They only sell Tylenol and bread with razor blades. [00:18:39] Speaker B: Razor blades, bait, you know, and for Halloween they put out the apples with. [00:18:43] Speaker C: The razor blade, which was back from when I was a kid. Yeah, that was, that was just. That was ubiquitous. [00:18:48] Speaker A: Yeah, right, right, right. [00:18:50] Speaker C: Razor blades. [00:18:50] Speaker B: And anytime I got an apple Halloween, I would just throw it at the homeowner who. [00:18:55] Speaker C: Why would you eat the apple? [00:18:57] Speaker B: Yeah, exactly. Anyway, I don't know why the people are putting blades in bread. [00:19:02] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:19:03] Speaker B: But you know, maybe it's like a jack in a boxing. It's the prize. [00:19:07] Speaker A: Trying to get a lawsuit. [00:19:09] Speaker C: Don't know what exactly do they win if they find out that you're the. You're the one. [00:19:16] Speaker B: Now, were they twin blades, I wonder? [00:19:18] Speaker A: Yeah. Just look like a single. Single edge from what I saw. I saw a photo of it. [00:19:23] Speaker B: I don't like those. What do you use to shave? What do you use? You use a single blade, a triple blade. [00:19:30] Speaker A: Use the, the triple blade. Track three. [00:19:33] Speaker B: I think I use double blade. I use a Gillette track two. [00:19:38] Speaker A: Okay. [00:19:39] Speaker B: Yeah, that's what I use. [00:19:40] Speaker A: The Mach 3 seems to work the best. [00:19:42] Speaker B: Or is it the Mach 2? I don't know. The, the, the triple blade doesn't I don't care for it too much. It doesn't get under the nose properly. Yeah. You gotta work it. [00:19:51] Speaker C: Don't start about my nose. [00:19:52] Speaker B: Gotta work it there, you know? But. [00:19:55] Speaker C: Sorry. [00:19:56] Speaker B: And the shaving cream is also important. You got to have the right shaving cream to go with your blade, you know? [00:20:02] Speaker A: Okay. [00:20:03] Speaker B: Especially when you're shaving your back. [00:20:05] Speaker A: Okay. [00:20:06] Speaker B: You know, that's. I think a triple blade is probably good for that. [00:20:09] Speaker C: Maybe I've gone electric. I don't know how to use the razors anymore. [00:20:13] Speaker B: Really got electric. Yeah. Like Dylan did, huh? Disappointing people. [00:20:21] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:20:21] Speaker C: It does seem to upset some. [00:20:23] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:20:23] Speaker C: And others seem to like that I've never really have a fully clean shaven face. [00:20:28] Speaker A: Yeah. I feel like the. The electric razors, they just. They do more pulling of the hair than cutting of the hair. [00:20:34] Speaker C: Yeah. I just go from having too much. [00:20:36] Speaker B: Do you use it on your pubes, too? [00:20:38] Speaker C: I don't use it on my pubes. And I can't believe I just shared that with everyone. But I don't use that. Wahl electric razor. [00:20:44] Speaker A: Okay. [00:20:45] Speaker C: Maybe I shouldn't have said the brand name. [00:20:46] Speaker A: That's okay. [00:20:47] Speaker C: On my pubes. I don't use it. [00:20:48] Speaker A: Maybe we'll get a sponsorship. [00:20:49] Speaker C: I'm a little. [00:20:50] Speaker B: You gotta shave those pubes, Especially down here in the summer. [00:20:53] Speaker C: But the electric, you know. [00:20:55] Speaker A: Okay. Gone electric. [00:20:57] Speaker C: I think I did go electric, but not everywhere. [00:21:00] Speaker B: I had an electric. I liked it a lot. [00:21:02] Speaker C: You liked it? [00:21:03] Speaker B: Yeah, I did. I liked it a lot. But then it broke. And then I saw the prices of them. I was like, I'm not gonna. [00:21:07] Speaker C: I'm not buying a new one. Yeah, mine was a gift. [00:21:09] Speaker B: Oh, good. [00:21:11] Speaker C: I've been using it for 20 years. [00:21:13] Speaker B: Yeah, it's held up well. Speaking of gifts, you know, my wife wanted to know, you know, so I gave her my wish list. And first on the list is an alarm clock that just lets you sleep. [00:21:26] Speaker A: I think that's just called the clock. [00:21:27] Speaker B: You know, just. Just let you sleep. [00:21:30] Speaker A: Okay. [00:21:31] Speaker C: That should be easy for her to provide. [00:21:33] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:21:33] Speaker A: Right, right. [00:21:34] Speaker B: And I don't want the radio either. [00:21:36] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:21:37] Speaker B: Alarm clock radios. I don't like those. [00:21:39] Speaker C: Also, can you imagine waking up to a commercial? I would be so mad the entire day if I woke up to any commercial for anything. [00:21:47] Speaker B: Well, you're probably mad because you're waking up with the person you married, huh? [00:21:50] Speaker C: That's possible. Although I might be mad if I woke up and I heard, I love rocket soil or you got to kill the bug. Actually, I might not be Mad about that. [00:22:03] Speaker B: Termites. Termites. Have you heard that one? [00:22:07] Speaker C: Bigger than Scooby Doo. [00:22:09] Speaker A: See, that's a good commercial. That's a game. I can't believe they got away with using that song. [00:22:15] Speaker C: I was gonna say how they had to have paid some money for that. [00:22:18] Speaker A: You wouldn't think it would be worth it. The publishing on. On whatever that's that song is. [00:22:24] Speaker C: I forget what the company is. This was the most unfortunate part. I forget who they are. [00:22:29] Speaker B: Yeah, and they probably had to get permission from Scooby Doo. [00:22:34] Speaker A: Could be. Could be. Well, maybe we should get our guests in here. We've burned up a lot of time. [00:22:39] Speaker B: Yeah, why not? [00:22:40] Speaker A: Why not? Okay, well, our guest here, I met him playing on the. The Susan Castill Band. He's a terrific guitar player and singer. He's played with all kind of bands, including Gal Holiday and the Honky Tonk Review, the Fabulous Diablos. [00:22:57] Speaker B: Didn't she Die? No, no, no. [00:23:01] Speaker A: Also dirty. [00:23:02] Speaker C: That's Billy Holiday, the Festers. [00:23:05] Speaker A: Also Amanda Shaw, and he's currently playing with the Susan Causel Band and also plays sometimes seven nights a week at the Tropical Isle on Bourbon street with Dave Ferrato and Michael Lemler. A whole, whole pack of guys down there. [00:23:22] Speaker C: And no daiquiris, I don't think. [00:23:25] Speaker A: Also part of the acoustic duo Paint Box with our former guest, Tim Robertson. [00:23:29] Speaker C: Yeah. Paint Box. [00:23:30] Speaker A: So we're going to get into all that and much more. But without further ado, the great Mr. Dave James. Welcome, Dave. [00:23:35] Speaker C: Hey, y'. [00:23:36] Speaker B: All. [00:23:36] Speaker C: Thank you. Yeah, appreciate it. [00:23:38] Speaker A: Yeah, it's been a. Been a long time coming. [00:23:40] Speaker C: Thank you. [00:23:41] Speaker A: Right. [00:23:42] Speaker B: That's what Joe E. Said. [00:23:43] Speaker A: Right, right, right, right. [00:23:45] Speaker C: Actually, I'm pretty sure Joey said it's going to be a short time coming. [00:23:48] Speaker A: Okay, so Joe Ely. [00:23:52] Speaker C: I don't even know. [00:23:52] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. [00:23:53] Speaker C: All right. [00:23:54] Speaker A: You know, it's like we mentioned people who have just passed away. So. So y' all can say shitty things about God. [00:24:00] Speaker B: Hey, why not? [00:24:01] Speaker C: You can't. [00:24:02] Speaker B: If they were alive, we walking around the wheelchair going, walk on, walk on. You know, if they were alive. Okay, well, you say about dead people because you can say about. [00:24:14] Speaker C: Finally. Can. [00:24:14] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:24:15] Speaker A: All right, so. So, Dave, let's give us. Give us some background on you. You're not from New Orleans. [00:24:22] Speaker B: No. Good. [00:24:24] Speaker C: I grew up in a small town called Glen Ellen, Illinois. [00:24:27] Speaker B: Oh. [00:24:28] Speaker C: Which is a suburb of Chicago. [00:24:30] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:24:30] Speaker C: It's where they filmed part of the movie Lucas. I'm sure everyone remembers Lucas. [00:24:36] Speaker B: I do. [00:24:37] Speaker C: Circa 1983. [00:24:38] Speaker B: It was a nuclear war movie, wasn't it. [00:24:41] Speaker C: It's. It's not a nuclear war movie. It's. [00:24:44] Speaker B: Oh, that was Ferris Bueller's Day Off. [00:24:46] Speaker C: That was about nuclear war. Lucas is about some kid that went out for the football team. And Charlie Sheen, instead of being a dick to him in his first movie, is nice to him or something like that. [00:24:59] Speaker B: Huh. Well, that's him on the team. [00:25:01] Speaker C: But it is very much in the vein of. Where I grew up was the John Hughes era of Chicagoland, kind of idyllic. [00:25:09] Speaker B: Suburban lifestyle, Home alone, Uncle Buck, all. [00:25:15] Speaker C: Those areas, Breakfast club and Sixteen Candles. And. [00:25:19] Speaker B: So you grew up with privilege. [00:25:21] Speaker C: There's a lot of white privilege, I think. [00:25:24] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:25:24] Speaker A: Okay. [00:25:25] Speaker C: It was fantastic, I guess. [00:25:26] Speaker B: And that's why you moved down here. [00:25:28] Speaker C: Then I moved down here. [00:25:29] Speaker A: We're rushing ahead, so. So you had family in who's too good? Intact family, yeah. Okay. [00:25:37] Speaker C: My fa. My father turns 90 on Christmas Eve. [00:25:40] Speaker A: Wow. Happy birthday. [00:25:41] Speaker C: He is a Scottish immigrant. [00:25:43] Speaker A: Okay. [00:25:44] Speaker C: Can I say that? [00:25:45] Speaker A: Yes, absolutely. [00:25:46] Speaker B: And ice is coming for him. [00:25:47] Speaker C: I'm pretty sure ISIS is coming for. [00:25:49] Speaker B: Him with a cold bucket of ice and some Bushmills. [00:25:53] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, yeah. [00:25:54] Speaker C: No, Bush beer. [00:25:55] Speaker B: Bush beer. Okay. [00:25:56] Speaker C: Let's see. He was a Scottish immigrant. He's 90. My mom's still alive. They're married. Live in Lombard? No, they live in Wheaton, Illinois, now. [00:26:04] Speaker A: Okay. [00:26:04] Speaker C: I have an older brother and sister who live in the area, but. [00:26:08] Speaker B: And that's where they film Silkwood. [00:26:09] Speaker C: Right, Silkwood. That actually, I wish I knew where they filmed Silkwood. Where is Silkwood filmed? [00:26:14] Speaker B: It was, I think, with New Mexico. [00:26:15] Speaker C: All right. Not Glen Ellen, Illinois. [00:26:17] Speaker A: So. So growing up out there, are you into music at an early age, or you a little bit fascinated by the radio? [00:26:24] Speaker C: My dad. My dad played cornet. [00:26:27] Speaker A: Okay. [00:26:28] Speaker C: Which he likes to tell me was. He was not a trumpet player. He played cornet. [00:26:31] Speaker A: Right. [00:26:31] Speaker C: And he was a huge fan of Louis Armstrong and Big Spiderbeck and other people who played cornet and trumpet. And so he had an extensive record collection. So as a little kid, that was sort of the room you hung out in. You could shoot the Nerf hoops. And there was music. And he had a stereo. This is the 1970s. He had a stereo and a thousand records. [00:26:55] Speaker A: And that's before the Internet. So you spent your time listening to those records. [00:27:00] Speaker C: Listening to those records. But then, since I had an older brother and sister that didn't care about his music at all, they had rock records and. [00:27:08] Speaker B: Because they were on acid. [00:27:10] Speaker C: Were they on acid? I don't think they were on acid. [00:27:13] Speaker B: No, no. Acid? No, mushroom. Heroin. They were heroin addicts, right? [00:27:19] Speaker C: Not that. [00:27:19] Speaker B: I sold your dad's record collection for like 8 bucks. Is that true? I just hear things, unfortunately. [00:27:27] Speaker C: Unfortunately, it's not true. I shouldn't say unfortunately, but it isn't true because they're. I'll tell you what. To my mother's chagrin, the record collection still exists. [00:27:35] Speaker A: Right? [00:27:36] Speaker C: Right. [00:27:37] Speaker A: Yeah, Yeah. [00:27:38] Speaker C: I don't know, man. At some point, I'm gonna take those records because what are you gonna do? [00:27:41] Speaker B: And sell them for heroin? [00:27:43] Speaker C: Possibly. [00:27:44] Speaker B: There you go. [00:27:45] Speaker C: I don't know if it would be heroin. I'm not sure I'd sell them for heroin. [00:27:48] Speaker B: What, crack? [00:27:49] Speaker C: I'd sell them for something like for. [00:27:51] Speaker B: A new electric razor, a bunch of good guitars. [00:27:53] Speaker C: Yes. [00:27:55] Speaker B: Electric razor. [00:27:57] Speaker C: Electric razor for the rest of my life. Which will be one more. [00:27:59] Speaker B: There you go. [00:28:00] Speaker A: He's right. At this rate, sure. Yeah, yeah, I hear you, man. [00:28:03] Speaker C: Yeah, but he was. [00:28:04] Speaker B: But no parents want to see their children. [00:28:05] Speaker C: He was. He was. You know, he came to America thinking he was going to be a superstar. And because he was A young man, 17, literally took the boat over with his trumpet. I'm sorry, his cornet. And he thought he was gonna be a star. And he played music. He's played music his whole life. And he's been in bands that play, like, traditional New Orleans music and stuff. [00:28:28] Speaker A: So when you were growing up, he was playing in groups. [00:28:30] Speaker C: He was playing in bands, but he also had a job. He was a banker in a family. He had other. [00:28:36] Speaker B: Now, why he did that, too? Why did he go to Glen Allen? Well, gets off the boat. You're on the East Coast. [00:28:42] Speaker C: He gets off the boat and he's on the East Coast. But he has a ship. [00:28:46] Speaker B: Really? [00:28:46] Speaker C: Not a boat, is it? Is it a ship? Not a boat? Okay. He gets off the ship. [00:28:50] Speaker B: He gets off the ship. [00:28:51] Speaker C: And he has cousins or aunts in the Chicagoland area. [00:28:58] Speaker B: Okay. [00:28:58] Speaker C: Right. So he makes his way there, stays with them. Like he's bumming around. Like he's a young guy in the early 50s. He's bumming around and then someone offers him a job. He takes the job. I think he went into the army for two years as a way to get his citizenship. [00:29:16] Speaker B: Ah, smart. [00:29:17] Speaker C: In between wars. Lucky him, right? [00:29:20] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:29:21] Speaker A: Timing is everything. [00:29:22] Speaker C: Timing is everything. He's got that great timing. Yeah. So he came back, citizen job, thinking he's going to be a star. I guess he is in some ways. But he had a job, he had a family, blah, blah, blah. [00:29:39] Speaker A: He already met your mom, yada. Yada start a family eventually. [00:29:42] Speaker C: I don't know if it was that early because that's long before me, but. [00:29:45] Speaker A: We'Re really getting in the weeds here. Just to get a little bit of context for. [00:29:49] Speaker B: For. So you're the youngest? [00:29:50] Speaker C: I'm the youngest of three. [00:29:52] Speaker B: Okay. Now, sister and a brother. [00:29:54] Speaker C: Yep. [00:29:55] Speaker B: Cool. [00:29:56] Speaker A: So your. Your other siblings play music or you're the only one that winds up. [00:30:01] Speaker C: I'm the only one that wound up doing it. We all took piano lessons. You know, we had the piano. [00:30:05] Speaker A: Okay. [00:30:07] Speaker C: I'm the only one that seemed to care, I think, beyond taking the lessons. And I didn't care too much about the piano lessons because I was into sports as a kid. But eventually I wanted to play guitar. And it's funny, my parents were just like, nah. Like, nah, you're just gonna. You're just gonna make noise on the guitar. And I was like, oh, I don't think that's what I want. I think I wanna learn how to play the guitar. And they were just like, bah. And so I pestered them long enough. I feel like, literally maybe more than a year, you know, before. They were like, well, if we buy you a guitar, would you take guitar lessons? And I was like, yes. That's what. Like, yeah, I don't want to just get the guitar and, like, annoy the neighbors. Like, I want to play guitars. So they're like, oh, we didn't know you cared. [00:30:59] Speaker B: Now, your father had a thick accent. [00:31:03] Speaker C: You know, it's funny, I never thought he did, but everyone that meets him says they can hear it still. And I'm sure it was stronger than your mom, too. [00:31:10] Speaker B: He married? [00:31:11] Speaker C: No, my mom was from that Chicagoland area her whole life. [00:31:15] Speaker B: Oh, I see. [00:31:16] Speaker C: They met there. [00:31:17] Speaker B: And she was also European. [00:31:19] Speaker C: She is of sure, yes. [00:31:21] Speaker B: Scottish descent, pretty much. I see. [00:31:24] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:31:24] Speaker B: Well, that's cool. [00:31:26] Speaker A: So coming up here through high school, are you starting to find other people to play music with? [00:31:32] Speaker C: I had a little band. I had a friend. I had a real good friend who was a very good drummer and is a professional musician around the world, who. When I first started playing music, it was like, oh, we could play music together. And I can, like. I can kind of try to play music. And he knows what he's doing. [00:31:49] Speaker A: Okay. [00:31:50] Speaker C: His name's Joe Adamick. Are you guys familiar with a band called Californe? [00:31:54] Speaker A: I've heard the name, yeah. Yeah. [00:31:55] Speaker C: He played with them for decades, and he's a jazz drummer in Chicago. But we grew up, you know, across the schoolyard from one another. [00:32:04] Speaker B: And did you grow up a Bears fan? [00:32:06] Speaker C: I did grow up a Bears fan. [00:32:08] Speaker B: Unfortunately, Bears. [00:32:09] Speaker C: Well, I say unfortunately only because I've lived here for 30 years. But when I was. [00:32:14] Speaker B: When I was doing well this year. [00:32:16] Speaker C: When I was a child, that one super bowl they won was very important. Important. [00:32:20] Speaker B: Yeah, sure. [00:32:20] Speaker C: And, yes, Walter Payton was my hero. [00:32:23] Speaker B: Yeah, right. He's dead now. [00:32:25] Speaker C: He is dead. He's another one. [00:32:26] Speaker B: Yeah. Another guy. [00:32:28] Speaker C: Another dead. [00:32:28] Speaker A: Another dead guy. [00:32:31] Speaker B: Rob Reiner was gonna do a film about him. [00:32:33] Speaker C: Rob Reiner, Yeah. Sweetness. [00:32:35] Speaker B: Yeah. All that sweetness. Yeah. [00:32:38] Speaker A: Writes itself, man. [00:32:39] Speaker C: Yeah, it does write itself. [00:32:41] Speaker B: No, man, he was great. [00:32:43] Speaker C: Yeah, he was great. And I was, you know. [00:32:45] Speaker B: But the Bulls, man, that's. That's great. [00:32:48] Speaker C: Kind of same era, right? When I was about to leave Illinois, the Bulls were starting to get good with Jordan. [00:32:54] Speaker B: Yeah, exactly. [00:32:55] Speaker C: And then I moved away. I think I saw one game, you know, at the stadium. [00:33:02] Speaker B: Blackhawk fans are nuts. [00:33:04] Speaker C: Blackhawk fans are nuts. [00:33:05] Speaker B: They are nuts of Blackhawk fans. That's what I dig about it. That's what I think about hockey, man. Hockey fans are just a totally different breed of people. They really are. [00:33:16] Speaker C: It is. [00:33:16] Speaker B: You know, they're the kind of like, yell at the TV and then smash it. [00:33:20] Speaker A: You know, that kind of stuff. [00:33:21] Speaker B: You know, that kind of stuff. [00:33:23] Speaker C: Well, how about sitting in the front row, just banging on the glass as hard as you can? [00:33:26] Speaker B: Exactly, Exactly. [00:33:28] Speaker C: It's great. You know, thank God there's nothing like that at the Dome, because, I mean, people would be nuts here if they had a big panel of glass right in front of the front. [00:33:36] Speaker A: Right. Well. So there in Chicago, with this friend of yours, are y' all finding places to play or. Is not that kind of town really, huh? [00:33:46] Speaker C: It was a suburb for me. And I do think that he had gigs. By the time I left there to go to college, I just. I had played some parties. I didn't start playing guitar until I was 15, and I moved when I was 17. You know, it takes a little while to have any idea what you're doing. [00:34:04] Speaker A: Right, Right. [00:34:05] Speaker C: So we kind of played some parties and eventually learned how to play a little bit. But it was more when I got to college that I started meeting people and playing around in banks. [00:34:14] Speaker A: So did you go to college for music? [00:34:16] Speaker C: No, I went to college just to go to college. [00:34:18] Speaker A: Okay. Where'd you go to college? [00:34:20] Speaker C: Florida State. [00:34:21] Speaker A: Now, why'd you go there? [00:34:23] Speaker B: To get out of the gun Allen, I guess. Right? [00:34:25] Speaker C: Pretty much. I mean, I'm pretty sure that. What. How. No matter how idyllic is it was. I either wanted to move to California. [00:34:31] Speaker A: Or Florida, somewhere where it wasn't freezing cold. [00:34:34] Speaker C: I think that's part of it. And the other part of it was surely, just like my dad, I'm going to be some sort of superstar one day. Right. I mean, like, there's no way you could become a superstar in Glen Ellen, Illinois. Surely it's California or Tallahassee, Florida. [00:34:51] Speaker A: Oh, yeah. That's where all everybody. All the stars come out of Florida. [00:34:54] Speaker C: Thought everything went through Tallahassee, Florida before. [00:34:59] Speaker B: In the 80s. Yeah. Went to Tallahassee. [00:35:02] Speaker C: I just didn't know that it was actually South Georgia. And I'm not sure if that would have mattered. But I didn't know that when I moved there. [00:35:08] Speaker A: Culturally speaking, you're saying I just, I. [00:35:10] Speaker C: Just, I moved there and it was 1990. [00:35:13] Speaker B: Well, you applied to go there. That's where it happened to be in Tallahassee. Right. Are you thought Tallahassee first, then Florida State? [00:35:20] Speaker C: No, I definitely. I didn't know what Tallahassee was. Is how ridiculous of a decision. [00:35:24] Speaker B: So it was the one school that said, okay, you can come. [00:35:26] Speaker C: It was one of a couple of schools, but it was, it was the one that was far away and not super expensive for my family. They were just like, well, you, you know, why wouldn't you just go to Southern Illinois? [00:35:37] Speaker A: Yeah. Where you're trying to get. Trying. Trying to get away from your parents. Trying to put some distance. [00:35:41] Speaker C: Not necessarily for my parents, but just. I wanted to see. I wanted somewhere else. [00:35:46] Speaker A: Okay, gotcha. [00:35:47] Speaker C: And at that point. Point when it's like, hey, I'd like to go to school in California, it's like, well, this costs a million dollars in 1990. [00:35:54] Speaker A: Right. [00:35:55] Speaker B: Right. [00:35:55] Speaker C: And you have no scholarships or anything. Whereas Florida State was like, oh, I think it costs the same thing as Southern Illinois. Like, go ahead, try Florida State. I thought it was going to be the beach and the universe and everything. And it's like, it's like Georgia, Ted Bundy land. [00:36:13] Speaker B: That's what it is. [00:36:14] Speaker C: Oh, Ted Bundy did have a bit of history right before that. And lead I saw you led better. There was like a weird shooting. Do you guys remember this? There was a guy, maybe Marshall Ledbetter, who took over the Capitol building with a rifle and ordered like 50 Gumbies pizzas. That's a Tallahassee pizza place. He ordered 50 Gummies pizza to all the police in town and then holed up in the capitol building for like a night with a rifle. This is either right before I got. [00:36:46] Speaker B: We Gotta get him on the show. [00:36:47] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, yeah. [00:36:49] Speaker C: Lead better. [00:36:50] Speaker B: He seems like maybe he can bring a piece. [00:36:52] Speaker A: Right. Okay. [00:36:53] Speaker C: Well, that's where I wound up. [00:36:55] Speaker B: Right. [00:36:56] Speaker A: So getting down there. You're not studying music. How do you. How do you get to. To be a guitar player? [00:37:03] Speaker C: Music. I met the right group of people who were also into music, and we started playing music together. They took me to see a guy who became my guitar teacher who was playing at a club. That through studying with him and having friends that were interested in music, I started playing music every day. Whether it was playing guitar with another guy at home or taking lessons from this guy or going to the clubs and eventually sitting in when you meet people. It just started. I started playing every day, more so than school. [00:37:40] Speaker A: Okay. [00:37:41] Speaker C: You know what I mean? Like, I was still there to go to school, but. [00:37:44] Speaker B: What was your major? [00:37:45] Speaker C: Oh, boy. At first it was anthropology because I wanted to be Indiana Jones. [00:37:49] Speaker B: Oh. [00:37:50] Speaker C: I just thought that'd be cool. [00:37:51] Speaker B: You like the hat? [00:37:52] Speaker C: I like the hat. I like the jacket. I like the whip. [00:37:55] Speaker A: Yeah. Yeah. [00:37:56] Speaker C: And. And then we. I took this class called Human Osteology, which was identifying all the bones. [00:38:02] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:38:03] Speaker C: In the body. And I failed that class so hard. They would just show you. One of the tests was. They'd show little pieces of bone, and they'd be like, what's that? It's like, no idea. It's like, just white pee. Like, it's like. It could be a snow globe. [00:38:16] Speaker A: Right. [00:38:17] Speaker C: I don't know what the. [00:38:17] Speaker B: That's my latest victim. That's what it was. [00:38:20] Speaker C: Just like. I don't know. That's from an ankle or a. Or a head. Like, I have no idea. And I just. I started failing these more technical antipodes classes. I was like, I gotta get out of college. Like, this is not. I don't have. This is not what I need to do. So. [00:38:34] Speaker A: Okay. [00:38:34] Speaker C: I took two years of English classes and got an English degree. [00:38:38] Speaker A: Okay. Now, you didn't think you were going to be a big star with an English degree, did you? [00:38:42] Speaker C: No, I thought that. [00:38:43] Speaker B: In fact, I talked to my anthropology degree either. [00:38:46] Speaker C: I talked. Well, I could have been Illinois Jones. [00:38:50] Speaker A: Right. [00:38:50] Speaker C: But a Tallahassee J. I like that. After talking to my parents and my teacher and other people in the school, it was like, you know what you should do if you think you want to become a musician is, you know, like, get out of the school and either enter music school or go play music. But if you want to graduate college, then graduate college and then do something else or enter the music school. So this is interesting. I called Uno. This is probably 1993, and I talked to Steve Mazikowski on the phone. I didn't know him. I'm just a college kid from Tallahassee. [00:39:28] Speaker B: Right. [00:39:29] Speaker C: And I asked him what would it take to enter the music school and study whatever. Guitar, jazz. I didn't care. Just studied music. [00:39:38] Speaker A: Okay. [00:39:39] Speaker C: And I told him everything that I just told you, and he. He was the one that said it sounds to me like you should just finish school, because if you move here and study music, you're going to lose everything you've done before. So you could do that and lose all that, or you could finish that and still come do this and just start over and get a music degree after your English degree. [00:40:02] Speaker A: That sounds like nice fatherly advice. [00:40:04] Speaker C: Well. But to stop one thing and do another thing you've kind of lost at all. [00:40:09] Speaker A: Yeah, no, we get that. [00:40:11] Speaker C: So I agreed that that was a good idea. [00:40:14] Speaker B: Who said this? [00:40:15] Speaker C: Steve Mazikowski on the phone. [00:40:17] Speaker A: He had great guitar player, great teacher. [00:40:20] Speaker C: Here in New Orleans, and I just took his advice. I finished school, and then I knew already that I wanted to move here because I had been visiting here. I had friends here. [00:40:29] Speaker A: Huh. I was gonna ask, so. But. But you wound up staying in Tallahassee for a few years. [00:40:34] Speaker C: I finished college. [00:40:35] Speaker A: Oh. That's all it was, just to finish college. [00:40:36] Speaker C: And then one. One more year, while we sort of planned. Me and my friends sort of planned moving here. [00:40:42] Speaker A: Oh, okay. [00:40:42] Speaker C: Instead of just, like, getting in a van and moving here, we kind of had job, and I was in a band. We had gigs. So it was, like, in Florida. In Florida, yeah. [00:40:51] Speaker A: Okay. [00:40:51] Speaker C: And we kind of had to figure out how to move here and pay for it and do all. Which, at that time, I don't know. I don't want to say it wasn't simple, because it might have been more simple than now, but it just seemed like, you know, you have to pay for your new place when you're sure. [00:41:07] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. [00:41:08] Speaker C: How are we going to pay for. [00:41:09] Speaker B: The new soldier dad's record collection? [00:41:11] Speaker C: I did. [00:41:11] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:41:12] Speaker C: Although I spent that on heroin. [00:41:13] Speaker A: Okay, well, that's cash. Start all over. [00:41:16] Speaker C: Cash had to come from those gigs where we made 65 bucks apiece. [00:41:19] Speaker A: Sure, sure, sure. All right. Well, I'm loving this so far, but, Manny, it's. It's about that time. [00:41:25] Speaker B: Yeah. We're going to take a break, and we'll be right back. [00:41:28] Speaker A: Everybody has a tattoo. [00:41:34] Speaker C: That distinguishing mark that tells me all about you. [00:41:42] Speaker A: Everybody has a Tattoo. [00:41:49] Speaker B: It's the only difference between me and you. [00:41:55] Speaker A: You're unique. [00:41:59] Speaker C: Just like everybody. [00:42:03] Speaker B: You're unique. [00:42:06] Speaker C: Just like everybody else is. [00:42:09] Speaker B: Show me who you are. Show me what it means to you. [00:42:17] Speaker A: Your tattoo. [00:42:21] Speaker C: Your tattoo. [00:42:24] Speaker A: Your tattoo. [00:42:28] Speaker B: Your tattoo. [00:42:56] Speaker A: And we're back. Back with Mr. Manny Chevrolet. I am Renee Coleman. Back with our guest, Mr. Dave James Tallahassee. [00:43:04] Speaker B: James. [00:43:07] Speaker A: Now, Dave, I don't know how many of these episodes you've listened to, but we always explain to people that we have the. It's a listener support operation here at the Troubled Men podcast. And we have the Venmo Link and the PayPal link there in the show notes of every show as well as the Facebook page. And, you know, our listeners will buy us cocktails. Helps defray our operating costs. But then other times, like, like with Eddie V. Last week, sent mail to the bar and thank you, Eddie V. Thank you, Eddie, for that, that crisp $50 bill. And this week I came into the bar and we have another people of mail. This is from another longtime listener and supporter, David Nealon. So let's say this is not so labor intensive to get through this one. It's just an envelope. It's a lovely card. Let's see who that is. Some old dude there with some stickers on the front. [00:44:06] Speaker B: Oh, he likes giving stickers. [00:44:08] Speaker A: Stickers. He always has, like a little art project inside. It says, dear Renee and Manny, thanks for another awesome year of the Troubled Men podcast. All the best for 2026, David. And who is that on the back? John Opie. I don't know who that is. [00:44:23] Speaker B: John Opie. [00:44:24] Speaker C: But anyway, so I don't know John Opie either. [00:44:28] Speaker A: Classic, Classic. Old. [00:44:30] Speaker B: Who's that on the front? [00:44:31] Speaker A: That's what I'm saying. [00:44:32] Speaker C: There's SpongeBob. I know that. [00:44:33] Speaker A: Yeah, there's some stickers there. But then on the inside here, these are a of. [00:44:38] Speaker C: Couple. [00:44:38] Speaker A: Couple of classic envelopes here. [00:44:41] Speaker B: Well, here, wait a minute. It says John Opie, but is this Samuel Johnson? Maybe, Maybe, I don't know. Maybe John Opie is the artist and Samuel Johnson is the picture. [00:44:51] Speaker A: Confusing. It's confusing. But then inside, there's two other envelopes. One has WC Fields on the front. Oh, that says your name on it. So you can open that up. And mine says honoring a America's news boys. [00:45:05] Speaker C: That must be you. [00:45:06] Speaker A: This must be me. Let's see. [00:45:08] Speaker B: Oh, and yeah, WC Field side of. [00:45:12] Speaker A: Here is another crisp 50 bill for me. [00:45:15] Speaker B: Oh, look at that. [00:45:17] Speaker C: Nice. [00:45:17] Speaker B: And I got a 10. [00:45:19] Speaker A: You got a 10. Oh, well, that, that makes Sense. [00:45:21] Speaker B: Whatever. Thank you, David. No, you're good. Yes. Wow. So I guess 50s are the thing these days. [00:45:28] Speaker A: Yeah, well, 50 is the new 20. [00:45:30] Speaker B: Used to be like 20. You could. [00:45:32] Speaker A: You could buy something with it and still have some change, and now you can't do that. 50 is the new 20. So. Thank you, guy. Thank you. [00:45:40] Speaker B: Thank you, David. Thank you so much. And if you want me to send you a bumper sticker or a sign, let me know, or sample of some. [00:45:49] Speaker C: Sort, some loose chains, Joe El's pants. [00:45:55] Speaker B: Ejaculated pants, but I'm pretty sure they're in Graceland. Well, he's even got a stamp of WC Fields. [00:46:02] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. No, he's. He's. He's very thorough. He's very creative guy. [00:46:05] Speaker B: Where is he from? [00:46:06] Speaker A: He's in. Where is he in? [00:46:08] Speaker B: Well, this postage says Beverly Hills. [00:46:11] Speaker A: Well, he's in. He's in Boston. [00:46:13] Speaker B: Oh, yes. Yeah, no difference. [00:46:17] Speaker A: But anyway, it's very cold and also. [00:46:21] Speaker B: Much colder in Boston. Also, W.C. fields is a good guy. [00:46:26] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. He said, never work with animals or children because they'll always upstage you. [00:46:31] Speaker B: Exactly. He's the one who came up with that, you know, and he's a good. He was a jokester and a juggler. [00:46:36] Speaker C: Was he the sucker is boring every minute, or is that P.T. [00:46:39] Speaker B: Barnum? [00:46:39] Speaker A: I think that's P.T. [00:46:40] Speaker B: Barnum. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. [00:46:42] Speaker C: Their initials confused. Yeah. [00:46:45] Speaker B: W.C. field says, born every minute. [00:46:48] Speaker A: That's right. [00:46:48] Speaker B: That's right. [00:46:50] Speaker C: And he was right, pretty much. [00:46:53] Speaker A: But also, we have links for the Troublemen podcast, T shirts there in the show notes, as well as the Patreon page. And also follow us on social media, Instagram and Facebook, and rate, review and subscribe to the podcast wherever you're listening to it. Give us five stars. Cost you. Nothing helps us a lot. And got some good news that the Iguanas residency at the Carousel Bar is over. Hotel Montley on has been extended into the new year. So, yes, we're still playing 7 to 10 most Sundays there at the. The Carousel Bar. And Fridays, I thought Sundays. [00:47:32] Speaker C: Oh, Sundays, Really? [00:47:33] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:47:33] Speaker C: I'm sorry. [00:47:34] Speaker A: Fake news, man. Come on, don't contradict me. To tell some. Some wrong. [00:47:38] Speaker C: My mistake, man. I. I read so much media that I just don't know how to react anymore. [00:47:43] Speaker A: They gone. It's always Sundays at the Carousel Bar at the Hotel Montlion. Seven and ten. All right, well, enough of that. Back to our guest, Mr. Dave James now. So, Dave, you're. You're there in Florida. You're contemplating moving to New Orleans. Because you have a childhood dream of playing seven nights a week on Bourbon Street. [00:48:00] Speaker C: That's not exactly correct. Okay, I'll tell you what. That's kind of what happened. [00:48:06] Speaker A: So. So you get together. You. With your friends. [00:48:08] Speaker C: I had friends. [00:48:09] Speaker A: You move here. Let's not get too stuck in the weeds here. [00:48:13] Speaker C: I got. [00:48:13] Speaker B: I got. [00:48:14] Speaker C: I moved here with some friends and I started playing music. You know, I had to have a couple little funny jobs along the way because I was in my early 20s. [00:48:22] Speaker A: Like an ice cream man. [00:48:23] Speaker C: I worked at the subway up there at Claiborne. I worked at the Tulane bookstore. [00:48:28] Speaker A: Oh, really? That's where Manny worked. [00:48:30] Speaker B: I'm a manager. [00:48:31] Speaker C: Oh, yeah. [00:48:32] Speaker B: But this is. You worked at what in the 90s? [00:48:34] Speaker C: I worked there in the late 90s. [00:48:36] Speaker B: Yeah. Okay. [00:48:37] Speaker A: No, that was before. A little. Slightly before Manny's time. So he was still Langenstein. [00:48:41] Speaker C: Yeah, that job was fun. And I worked at Tipitinas for a little bit. Being like there, whatever you do, you work the door, you work security. I'm putting air quotes. You help load bands in and out. [00:48:54] Speaker B: Right, right. [00:48:55] Speaker C: All that kind of stuff. So I did that. And through doing those things, I'm. Same thing as in college. I met other media musicians and we started playing together, and we started. [00:49:04] Speaker A: Now, who were the first people you met here in New Orleans? Who, who, who, who. Who were of. It doesn't have to be the exact first person. [00:49:14] Speaker C: His name was Bill. [00:49:15] Speaker B: Don't. [00:49:15] Speaker A: Don't get too literal with these questions. Here are the answers. [00:49:18] Speaker C: You know, when I first played here, I played. I moved here from Tallahassee with Dave Stover, who's a bass player. [00:49:26] Speaker A: Okay. [00:49:26] Speaker C: And a songwriter and good friend of Chris Pylance. Yeah. Chris Pilot I knew from Tallahassee. And Trevor Brooks. [00:49:34] Speaker A: Oh, okay. We knew all those guys. [00:49:35] Speaker B: All right. [00:49:36] Speaker C: Yeah, we all knew each other. [00:49:37] Speaker A: Those are all solid guys. [00:49:38] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:49:38] Speaker A: Good. Good musicians. [00:49:39] Speaker C: Good friends, too. When we were young, did they all stay here or. [00:49:42] Speaker B: Some of them. [00:49:43] Speaker C: They. We all live here now. Yes. And so we moved here to play music, you know, and I had a little gig that I had hooked up. One of the first places I played was Margaritaville. [00:49:58] Speaker A: Oh, okay. [00:49:59] Speaker C: So fun. [00:50:00] Speaker A: Yeah, that's. That's a room that has. Has failed under every. Even Margaritaville couldn't succeed there, right? I guess it did for a while, but. [00:50:11] Speaker C: But it has a history. It was like the Storyville Tavern and stuff. [00:50:15] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, but it was. It was always something that would last for about a year and then close. [00:50:20] Speaker B: Yeah. Who. Who. That guy from the band. What was his Name he had it there for. [00:50:29] Speaker C: Oh, B.B. king did have the. I think Helm Helms Club was somewhere else. Anyway, the BB King room was the same place. When I moved here in the 90s. You used to have to take around, like, cassettes to people like, hey, I. [00:50:43] Speaker A: Have a band, right? [00:50:44] Speaker C: Yeah, I have a band. And we made a cassette. Can we have a, A. A gig here? You know? And so when I first moved here, I started playing at places like Margaritaville and Checkpoint Charlie and Dragon's Den, where they were starting at the bottom. Well, where they were just like, sure, come in and play on Monday or Checkpoint. [00:51:03] Speaker B: And you also brought your laundry to Checkpoint Charlie. [00:51:05] Speaker C: Yeah, and my heroin and my dad's record collection every time. [00:51:09] Speaker B: Right, right. [00:51:09] Speaker A: And better be prepared. [00:51:11] Speaker C: And what's funny is you just start working and meeting people. There's the people that hang out. There are music at this time or musicians who are like, oh, well, I have a gig here tomorrow. I don't have a guitar player. Do you want to play or. Or whatever. Like, you start meeting other people that have bands and this guy can't do it, so you start subbing. [00:51:30] Speaker A: Now your, Your proficiency was. Was fairly developed at that point. [00:51:36] Speaker C: You know, through college, I. I spent more time on music, like I said, than I did on school. So I was. I had definitely got used to playing every day and trying to learn different styles and. And, you know, back then you would learn guitar solos by listening to their record or the set rewind and play and copy it and all that. And so I spent all my time doing that. So as far as playing in bands goes, we sort of had it together, I think, like, when I listen to old recordings of it, sometimes it's really together and fun to listen to, and other times it's like, wow, we were young and just going for it. I mean, I feel like probably everyone feels that. [00:52:21] Speaker A: I think unless you're a total virtuoso, but even. It doesn't matter. Everybody has. [00:52:26] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah, we were. We were young and. Again, we were young and going to try to hustle gigs, even if they were shitty gigs, but. But trying to play every day, trying to play somewhere every night, trying to get a gig for next week and trying to. [00:52:40] Speaker B: Where are you guys all living at that point? Yeah, in this neighborhood, I found. [00:52:46] Speaker C: Yeah, kind of the. When I first moved to New Orleans, I lived in a place on Calhoun street, right off of Claiborne. [00:52:54] Speaker B: Okay. [00:52:54] Speaker C: Which was like, starting to go towards too lame, but it was in the first block. [00:52:58] Speaker B: That's how you got the Gig at the bookstore. Cuz you were so close. [00:53:01] Speaker C: Eventually. Yeah. But I think I got the gig because I probably read about it in a paper, which sounds really funny now. Yeah, I probably read about paper and like when, when and like got interviewed and got the job, you know, to do nothing. To like, to like unpack boxes of books and put them on the shelf. [00:53:19] Speaker A: That's what Manny does every day. [00:53:20] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:53:21] Speaker C: Oh yeah, it was great. [00:53:22] Speaker A: For 25 years actually. [00:53:23] Speaker C: Chris Pilot worked there and so did Josh Karen. [00:53:26] Speaker B: Was it Barnes and Noble then or was it just Tulane? [00:53:29] Speaker C: I think it was Barnes and Noble. [00:53:30] Speaker B: Okay. [00:53:31] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:53:32] Speaker A: What's the, the first gig that you, that you land that's of. Of note? [00:53:37] Speaker B: Would you say Barnes and Noble? [00:53:41] Speaker C: Probably. Probably Barnes Noble or Subway. But it took a while. Played a lot of gigs with a lot of people and then it's like. [00:53:51] Speaker A: Like society stuff. [00:53:53] Speaker C: No, more just like bar stuff. I think eventually when I, when I wanted to have a band, we started a band called Dirty Mouth. [00:54:01] Speaker A: Okay, and who was that? [00:54:03] Speaker C: That was me and Tim Robertson. [00:54:05] Speaker A: Now how'd you meet Tim Robertson? [00:54:07] Speaker C: I met Tim Robertson because I met his roommate at. In the 90s Tipadinas did this home grown night, which is like you could come in with your local band on Tuesdays and play at Tipitinas. [00:54:19] Speaker A: Okay. [00:54:19] Speaker C: And they'd have like five or six bands and you just play for a little while. But it wasn't showcase sort of deal. Yeah, but it wasn't a showcase like it would be in Nashville or something. It was just like Tips is open on Tuesday, right these side, you know, so whatever we play. But eventually at that time again, all the people that played in those bands started meeting each other and hanging out and we were all in our 20s or 30s, in the 90s. [00:54:45] Speaker A: A bit of an incubator. [00:54:47] Speaker C: A little bit of an incubator. And so me and Josh Karen met there and we got jobs working four tips. And then we started playing in bands together. And then I met Tim because I met his roommate at the time through that tip of Tina's thing. And I went. I was playing guitar with his roommate at the time and Tim came in and you guys know Tim. So Tim came in and he just started talking to me like we already knew one another. Yeah. And we just became friends and. And after that point we started a band together like soon. And that was Dirty Mouth. [00:55:23] Speaker A: All right. Because Tim is, is the other guy we've had on the show who plays almost seven nights a week on Bourbon street still. [00:55:32] Speaker C: And all the other stuff he does Right. [00:55:34] Speaker A: Like, plus all the, the, all the composition stuff he does and. Yeah, yeah. [00:55:37] Speaker B: So what would you call the music you're playing then? What kind of music is it? [00:55:41] Speaker C: What, at Dirty Mouth? [00:55:43] Speaker B: Well, or before that or when you came down here, Tipitina. [00:55:47] Speaker C: Oh, like when we were playing stuff like it's funny, it was a combination. [00:55:50] Speaker B: Cover stuff or originals. [00:55:53] Speaker C: I think all of us had a, a few originals that we try to play. But then when you find common ground, you, you choose that. [00:56:01] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:56:02] Speaker C: So it was a little bit of a variety in the sense that it might be a New Orleans song, which is funny for me to think of back then, but it might be something we all knew because we like New Orleans music. Or it might be a Neil Young song. [00:56:15] Speaker B: Right. [00:56:16] Speaker C: Or it might be a, probably gearing towards rock but adding older than rock to, to it. [00:56:27] Speaker B: Okay, right. [00:56:27] Speaker C: Like older R B. [00:56:29] Speaker B: Right. [00:56:30] Speaker C: Blues, stuff like that. [00:56:32] Speaker A: Okay. [00:56:32] Speaker C: You know, not so much going out and playing jazz, but playing songs. [00:56:36] Speaker B: Right. [00:56:37] Speaker C: Maybe the difference. [00:56:38] Speaker A: So, so how do you wind up getting involved in, in the, the Bourbon street scene? [00:56:44] Speaker C: I think that's probably Tim too. I think I subbed for Tim on a gig one time and they liked me. And so the next time when Tim needed a sub, he was like, who do you want me to call? They were like, call Dave. [00:56:57] Speaker A: Okay. [00:56:57] Speaker C: So then eventually he couldn't do like Fridays. So they're like, well, hire Dave for Fridays. It's like, okay, so whatever band that was. [00:57:07] Speaker A: At the same time you're also trying to play with Gal Holiday? [00:57:11] Speaker C: Well, I didn't know them yet, but yes, eventually at the same thing. Trying to play gigs of at night, trying to book gigs at other clubs and stuff. But I was never the, the, the guy to do that kind of stuff. So I was always more hired by people to play with something. [00:57:28] Speaker A: Right. [00:57:28] Speaker C: And so eventually that's how it leads to working on the street. Right. [00:57:33] Speaker A: Is as they call it, the street. [00:57:35] Speaker C: Street. [00:57:35] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:57:36] Speaker C: Eventually you're just feeling calls from people who are like, hey, that guy can do the gig. Can you do this gig? Can you do this gig? Gig? And then I, I was always the kind of person that said yes, if I was available. [00:57:48] Speaker A: You were telling me something about like, you like to work. Work seven nights a week. You like to play seven days a week. [00:57:53] Speaker C: Well, I suppose I'm so lucky that I get to play music seven days a week now. [00:57:58] Speaker A: I, I, I, if I can book stuff to where it winds up being that that happens, I'm okay doing it. I wouldn't choose to do that well. [00:58:09] Speaker C: It'S kind of like my dad. [00:58:10] Speaker A: Okay. [00:58:11] Speaker C: I don't think he came here to work at a bank and play trumpet occasionally. He came here to be a star. It's like, I came here to be like, yeah, man, I'm Dave James. I'm gonna. I know what to do. I'll just be Dave James and everything's gonna fall in place. And then it's like, well, instead of doing anything for Dave James, I'm gonna say yes to that gig and then yes to that gig, and then I can do that because I'm free. [00:58:32] Speaker A: Right. [00:58:32] Speaker C: And then you wind up just saying people call you, you meet more people. [00:58:36] Speaker B: That you switched out last night. Because I couldn't be here. [00:58:39] Speaker C: Bourbon Street. But a very good friend of ours, I'm sure Jimmy Mesa. [00:58:44] Speaker A: Oh, sure. [00:58:45] Speaker C: Was going to play guitar for me. No, he's a bass player, but. [00:58:49] Speaker B: Right. [00:58:49] Speaker C: Plays a juicy guitar. He's playing with Ferrado. [00:58:52] Speaker A: Okay. [00:58:53] Speaker C: So he had taken last night so I could do this. And then I just called him yesterday. I said, can you do two tomorrow instead of today? And he said, yeah. And I said, well, then, let's do this now. [00:59:05] Speaker A: Dave Farrado, guy who I mentioned in the intro, and you just mentioned him again. Dave Farrado is just a little bit older than. Than. Than you, probably. Like my age, really. He might be younger than me, but. [00:59:17] Speaker C: Know about that, but might be a little older than you. [00:59:19] Speaker A: Might be a little bit older than me. [00:59:21] Speaker C: I shouldn't say that, but. [00:59:21] Speaker A: But he's. Who knows? But he still looks good. Oh, yeah. And. And he's a guy who was a mentor, has been a mentor for so many guys, like Mark Mullins, who had him on the show. He mentions Dave Ferrato. John Grow mentions Dave Ferrato. Dave had the band Rum Boogie. They used to play at Madigan's right over here on Carrollton Avenue. [00:59:47] Speaker B: And that's a hell of a gig. [00:59:49] Speaker A: He brought so many young musicians up and trained him up. And like Mark Mullen said, that's the first time that he ever had a chance to write for horns for a. [01:00:00] Speaker C: Band because someone asked him to. Dave. [01:00:02] Speaker A: Dave was like. He's like, hey, man, you know, we got a few horns. Why don't you write some charts? And that's. He got his feet wet doing that. So, yeah, I mean, God bless Dave Foraudo. And I. I had my. My wedding anniversary this past week and went out to a wonderful meal at Galatoise. Shout out to Galatoise. It hasn't lost a step. What a Great restaurant, man. [01:00:25] Speaker C: Yeah, you spent a lot of time in there having a good time. [01:00:28] Speaker A: Amazing restaurant. And then we came and stopped by the tropical aisle, thinking we'd run into you and, and, and, and the, all the. That crew, Michael Lemler. And actually you weren't playing at the regular tropical aisle. I had to go to the satellite down below. [01:00:43] Speaker C: It's the satellite. [01:00:45] Speaker A: And, and there was you and Dave and, and, and Josh. We stayed for, for a whole. [01:00:50] Speaker C: Yeah, it was real fun. That was cool you guys came in. But, but yeah, and I met Dave the same way that we're talking about, which was Dave had a gig before or after? I think after. When I met him, I was playing like the five to nine slot and he was playing the nine to one slot. And we met in transition and then it. At some point he was like, can you do this gig this night? And we started playing together and we became friends and now we've been playing music together for 10 years, which is the same way I met Tim and Josh. And you know, a lot of the people I know was just you. You play with them once it goes well, you play with them more. [01:01:28] Speaker A: You know, now that's. It's such a insular or specific culture down there on the street as, as they call it, as we call it, getting down there and being there every day. I'm sure you see it. So, I mean, you've been there for 10 years. You see the characters that are there that you see every day. There's a whole, there's everything. [01:01:50] Speaker C: You know, it's like, it's disgusting and great. [01:01:54] Speaker A: I mean, it takes a certain, certain mindset, I would say, like, what's involved in the self care. [01:02:02] Speaker C: You know what it is? It's like when I, when I did not become the superstar I thought I was, I realized that you have to work, right? And I didn't want to do something else. [01:02:12] Speaker A: You recalibrated your expectations. [01:02:14] Speaker C: Well, I think I should have asked for more at some point. I was like, man, I'll just be happy if I play music every day for all my life. And it's like, wow, that's really happened. I've achieved it. It's like, God damn, I should ask for more. You know, ask for money or festivals. [01:02:31] Speaker A: For me, that, no, that's, that you can't ask for any of that stuff. [01:02:35] Speaker C: But it's true. No, no, you just go to work, right? You just go to work. [01:02:38] Speaker A: You know, if whatever happens, happens. It's like people talk to me and I was like, look in the Music business, you cannot control what level of success. I mean, you try to be as good as you can be, but all you can control is whether you're going to do it or not. [01:02:54] Speaker C: That's what I mean. You kind of say yes to this or yes to that or no to that and whatever. And he just. Some people are more ambitious and go getting about going and getting certain things, but at the same time you also just have to work, is my point. You just have to work. And so you hope that. [01:03:13] Speaker B: So what's your day job? [01:03:15] Speaker C: Playing music. [01:03:16] Speaker B: On the day too. Well, and at night it's usually. [01:03:20] Speaker C: It's seven. [01:03:21] Speaker B: When do you have time to shave? [01:03:23] Speaker C: Very rarely. I shave about once every two to three weeks. [01:03:26] Speaker B: Yeah, you can see. [01:03:28] Speaker A: Yeah. [01:03:28] Speaker C: When it's too much in my mouth. [01:03:29] Speaker B: So wait a minute, you've got a lot of beard here. You're not going to take an electric razor to that, right? [01:03:33] Speaker C: I take an electric razor to that and it brings it down to not completely gone. And then about, about three days later it's back. [01:03:40] Speaker A: Just have one of those like a guard, like a guard on the, on. [01:03:44] Speaker C: The, on the guard on it. And it brings it down to where it's like almost gone. And then, then you can. It grows fast. [01:03:51] Speaker A: It only pulls some of the hairs out. [01:03:54] Speaker C: I can't. If I wanted to pull them all out, I'd have to have something else. [01:03:58] Speaker B: Some tweezers. [01:04:00] Speaker C: Boy, that doesn't sound fun. So, yes, basically I. I say yes to gigs and I shave my beard once every two weeks. And it's worked for a long time. [01:04:13] Speaker A: All right, now when I say work concurrent to. To play on Bourbon street all the time, you wind up playing with some other club bands like Gal Holiday and all through Friends. [01:04:25] Speaker C: You know, I. I got into Gal Holiday because I knew Dave Briet, the bass player. And right where they needed a guitar player, they called me. [01:04:32] Speaker A: And now, did you ever work with Steve Spitz? [01:04:34] Speaker C: When I did work with Steve, yes. That was. [01:04:36] Speaker A: He was one of our earliest guests and he's one of the most hilarious people I've ever been around in my life. [01:04:42] Speaker C: He's fantastic. I have nothing but good things to say about Steve Spitz. Yeah, he's great. [01:04:47] Speaker A: Shout out to Steve Spitz. We love you, baby. Oh, man. [01:04:50] Speaker C: And you played with. I know. We were talking to Dave. I was talking to Dave when I first got here about playing with Steve and the Plow Boys and Yeah, I played with Steve. [01:04:58] Speaker A: Before I was in the Iguanas, there was a band called the. The Backslash Sliders. [01:05:03] Speaker C: Bag Sliders. The Blues band. [01:05:04] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. With Ben Maygarden and Roger Drummer. What's his last name? I can't think of it. Martin. Roger Martin. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And so I played with those guys kind of in a. In a lapse between, like being in green on red and the panther burns. [01:05:23] Speaker C: What age are you at this point? [01:05:25] Speaker A: I was about like 26. All right, 25. 26. [01:05:30] Speaker C: It's like when I was starting to play here. [01:05:32] Speaker A: Right. Right before I got in the Iguanas. I had a brief stint in the. In the Backsliders. But I got to be around Steve Spitz and that made it all worth it, man, because I would. That guy would crack me up so hard. I would have to have riding in the van with those guys. I'd have to have like a gallon of water in my lap to keep drinking it because he would have me on a non stop giggle where I would start to get. Get like acid reflux, you know, just. [01:05:56] Speaker B: Just. [01:05:56] Speaker C: I can't laugh anymore. [01:05:58] Speaker A: Yeah, exactly. I'd be giggling for four hours straight. [01:06:02] Speaker C: Yeah. When I first joined the Gal Holiday Band, he was playing pedal steel with them and he was great. And it was. It also Cranston was in the band at the time, so it was Steve and Cranston and me. And a lot of times I would play acoustic guitar. Cranston would play lead guitar, he would play pedal steel. And then it was Daybriette. [01:06:23] Speaker A: Now that had to be a situation where Cranston Clements, the. You know, the. Dave. [01:06:28] Speaker C: Dave's brother. [01:06:29] Speaker A: Dave's brother and Steve Spitz had to be competing for airtime of who could get the next joke in. [01:06:37] Speaker C: Oh, yeah. I think they had a little bit of. They would defer to Vanessa a little. [01:06:42] Speaker B: But I. [01:06:43] Speaker C: You know, Crans is pretty good with the joke. [01:06:46] Speaker A: Oh, yeah. [01:06:46] Speaker C: Depends on the club, I guess. [01:06:48] Speaker A: Right. Well, he likes to tell about how good they are, but he likes. [01:06:51] Speaker C: There were nights where the band was out of control. They were nice when the band was like, yeah, this is nice and. And tight. [01:06:57] Speaker A: Okay. [01:06:58] Speaker C: That's what the jokes come in when the band's nice and tight. [01:07:01] Speaker A: Right, right. We can get away with it. [01:07:03] Speaker C: Yeah, that was. Those were good times, though. What a great band. All those. All those people. Like I said, you start meeting other people through to him. I started playing with Amanda Shaw through Mike Lemler. I met Susan and y' all and started playing, you know. Yeah. Which was. [01:07:18] Speaker B: Do you think you could hook me up with Amanda Shaw? I've always had a thing for her. I Think she got a nice rack? [01:07:25] Speaker C: I don't know if I could, but. [01:07:28] Speaker B: I'm sure you can get her on this show. Maybe. [01:07:29] Speaker C: Oh, I could def. Well, I should say I could get her on the show, but she might be. Do the show. [01:07:34] Speaker A: I've broached that subject with her before, and she's. She's. [01:07:39] Speaker C: Is it Manny? Is it because of Manny? She doesn't want to do it. [01:07:42] Speaker A: You know, I'm not sure exactly what it is. It's not me, but. But. But she. She always has this look on her face like. Like, I don't want to push it, you know? That's like. I don't know. [01:07:53] Speaker C: I get along with her great. [01:07:54] Speaker A: No, she's a lover. [01:07:55] Speaker C: I could do the podcast if you want. If you guys want. [01:08:00] Speaker B: Vacations. Is that it? Or something. [01:08:02] Speaker A: She's just. I don't know. You can't blame. [01:08:04] Speaker C: She's great. I'm telling you, man, She's. [01:08:06] Speaker B: I can blame her for a lot of things. [01:08:07] Speaker C: I've had nothing. I've had nothing but good times playing with her. [01:08:10] Speaker A: Yeah. No, and she's a total pro and a great band leader, great front person, cool person. [01:08:15] Speaker C: I mean, I. [01:08:16] Speaker B: She has no sense of humor. That's why. [01:08:18] Speaker A: Oh, I think she does have a sense. [01:08:19] Speaker B: Then why does she want to be on. [01:08:21] Speaker C: She doesn't have your sense of humor. [01:08:23] Speaker A: Yeah, I don't know. I. I don't know that for sure either. I don't know that for sure. I'm just. I'm surmising. [01:08:28] Speaker B: I'm. [01:08:28] Speaker A: I'm. [01:08:29] Speaker B: Because we've got to get some big stars on this show, you know, Enough of the day. Scraping the bottom of the barrel last year. [01:08:37] Speaker C: How about this year? [01:08:38] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. It's. It's. [01:08:40] Speaker B: Who's Ricky Sebastian? [01:08:41] Speaker C: I do want to say this. It doesn't get any lower than tonight, so I'm glad that we're having such a good time. [01:08:46] Speaker A: Don't be sure about that. [01:08:47] Speaker C: Yeah. Oh, that's awesome to hear. [01:08:50] Speaker A: Yeah. [01:08:50] Speaker B: Well, her, then. I don't give up. [01:08:52] Speaker A: Oh, no, no, no. Let's. Let's not get. Get hasty here. Just. We're just talking. We're just friends talking here. [01:08:58] Speaker B: She doesn't want to be on our show. I don't want to be on her show. [01:09:01] Speaker A: All right, well, she's not asking. Yeah, but. [01:09:04] Speaker C: So are we still talking about Melania? Please tell me you've asked Melania Trump to be on this show. [01:09:11] Speaker A: Well, so now you brought up Susan Cowell. Now, that's a band. Who. It's Very different from the Bourbon street ethos. [01:09:19] Speaker C: Yeah. [01:09:20] Speaker A: It's not a transactional endeavor. It's more of a prayer. And. And I love playing in that band so much. [01:09:30] Speaker B: By prayer. It's a prayer. [01:09:32] Speaker A: It's. [01:09:32] Speaker B: It's. [01:09:32] Speaker A: It is a devotional exercise where it's. Well, do you know what. Have you. You've. Have you ever sincerely prayed, Manny? [01:09:40] Speaker B: No. [01:09:40] Speaker A: Okay, well, then this is Pearl. [01:09:44] Speaker B: Why would I pray? It's a musical prayer. Is that what you're saying? [01:09:48] Speaker A: That would be a way to say it, yes. [01:09:50] Speaker B: Yeah, a musical prayer because you want. You're praying to be good. You know, you're praying not to. [01:09:57] Speaker A: You're trying to save your soul. No, no, no. It's a. It's a devotional exercise that. That is. [01:10:03] Speaker B: You're praying that someone will tip the. [01:10:05] Speaker A: Tip jar aimed at transcending the. [01:10:07] Speaker B: The. [01:10:08] Speaker A: This mortal coil that we're on, you know, that we're. [01:10:11] Speaker C: Hey, you're certainly trying to do something specific. [01:10:15] Speaker A: Touch the hand of God, like, you know, like on the system. [01:10:18] Speaker B: What if you don't believe in God? What is the prayer about? [01:10:22] Speaker A: Well, I don't know. [01:10:23] Speaker C: Touch the hand of confusion, which. I gotta be honest. It's gotta be just as good. [01:10:29] Speaker A: The infinite. You know, whatever you want to call it. [01:10:31] Speaker C: Whatever it is. I'm with that. Whatever it is you want to call it. [01:10:34] Speaker B: So let's get into the ejaculation point. [01:10:36] Speaker A: Sure. Spiritually speaking. Now, that's a band. So we didn't play all summer long. Susan was out on a cruise ship working her ass off all summer long. [01:10:47] Speaker C: She plays with some other band when she's not with us. [01:10:49] Speaker A: The Cows Hills. Yeah. She's out there working hard. Now, when we had had that first rehearsal, I don't know, six weeks ago or something, and we got together, we got to about the eighth bar of music, and I could just feel my blood pressure go down. I just, Like. I could exhale. I was like, oh, that's great. Not only did I feel that, I could feel the whole band do it together. [01:11:14] Speaker C: Same thing. Everyone's like, oh, this isn't gonna be hard. This is gonna be. We just play music together. [01:11:19] Speaker A: That's. [01:11:19] Speaker C: Yeah, it's real special. I agree with that. That's really special. [01:11:22] Speaker A: It's not just that this is easy or this is easy music. It's like, no, this is transcendence. Transcendental. [01:11:28] Speaker C: I think it's all people going for the same goal is what it is. Which is funny. [01:11:33] Speaker B: Orgasms. [01:11:35] Speaker C: Well, it's not two people. And it's not a thousand people, but it's a small group of people trying to make sure that it sounds like one thing together. I think. I don't know. There. There's some sort of a cooperation that happens that's special to music. That. Right. Like everyone loses a little bit of something to. To make the band something else. [01:11:58] Speaker A: Yes. Well, you know, you, you, you. You're. It's a. It's a giving up of ego. [01:12:05] Speaker C: Yeah. In order to have the whole thing be uniform. Not uniform. That sounds like a lame word for it. But it's not five people playing music separately. It's five people trying to make one thing happen. [01:12:19] Speaker A: Yes. [01:12:20] Speaker C: One. Whether it's one sound or just one unit. Whatever word you want to use for you're trying to make something happen. [01:12:27] Speaker A: Trying to leave space for that people. Leave space for God to walk in the room again. I use this language. The language is not important. [01:12:38] Speaker C: I agree with that. Especially with music. The language actually isn't important. The thing that you do is. Which is hard to then into language. [01:12:46] Speaker A: When you talk about the map is not the journey. It's just a description of the journey. [01:12:50] Speaker C: Yeah. And actually, if you're the kind of person that's saying the journey is what's important, then the journey in that band is really fun and exhilarating because it is the journey. It's not like some thing you're trying to do. It's something you're trying to go through with other people. You're trying to experience the electron. [01:13:07] Speaker B: Keep telling yourself. [01:13:09] Speaker C: I. You keep telling myself that. But I mean, look, it's different. There's a little something special that happens and she. And she's real special. I mean, when you can sing like that, I think maybe you get people. [01:13:20] Speaker B: I've never seen her perform, so it's. [01:13:22] Speaker C: You don't have to. It's like, she's great. [01:13:24] Speaker A: It's like the way. [01:13:25] Speaker B: I wouldn't pay to see it. [01:13:26] Speaker A: It's like the way when you listen to a Sinatra record, you go, well, this is the same band that plays on all these. With behind all these other singers is. Why do they sound this way? Behind Sinatra? Frank. [01:13:41] Speaker C: A certain way. [01:13:42] Speaker A: It's like. Because they know when he's there, he has that focus. He has that. That elevated aspiration. And they all match that and are playing as good as they possibly can. They're playing the. [01:13:59] Speaker B: Well, he also had the mob staring them in the eyes too. [01:14:03] Speaker A: So whatever. [01:14:04] Speaker C: No one said that hurts. No one said it hurts when you're pressured. But, you know. But no, it is special, man. Any. Any group of people that does something that is. That they're all trying to make the same thing special. It's true. It's a little different. And look, I don't even want to say that we're not trying to do that when we go to work. I'm sure saying you might lose it a little bit occasionally, but like, you're. There are certainly moments and songs and times where everyone's on and it's. It's a real special feeling. [01:14:37] Speaker A: Anytime you're playing music, you should be approaching it like that, I think. Doesn't matter who's there, you know, of course. [01:14:44] Speaker C: But that band's a real special. [01:14:45] Speaker A: It can only elevate. [01:14:46] Speaker C: I. I'm thrilled to be playing with you all because it's. It's really satisfying. [01:14:52] Speaker A: Yeah, the band sounded terrific, man. [01:14:55] Speaker B: You make some decent money, right? [01:14:57] Speaker A: You know, we don't play that much, but we. We do fine, you know? [01:15:01] Speaker C: Look, would I be here if I wasn't making good money? [01:15:06] Speaker A: You know you're making nothing tonight, right? [01:15:08] Speaker C: I do know I'm making nothing tonight. And still I ask you the same question. Would I be here if I wasn't just making great money all. Just all over? [01:15:16] Speaker B: Well, maybe David Nealon can send you a 50. Wow. [01:15:21] Speaker C: I don't know him yet, but I like him already. [01:15:23] Speaker A: Yes, exactly. What's not to like? Well, I don't know. You have any parting thoughts? [01:15:28] Speaker B: You know, any gigs you want to promote? This show's coming out Christmas night. I'm sure they want to go see you. [01:15:37] Speaker C: Yeah, they can come see me. The Tropical Island Christmas, because that's what I do. I work on Christmas. [01:15:42] Speaker A: Now stay safe out there because I heard. So you played last night? I heard. Actually, that was a shooting on Bourbon street in the 100 block last night. [01:15:49] Speaker C: And there was there. I didn't know this. [01:15:51] Speaker A: You didn't even hear that? [01:15:52] Speaker C: I didn't even hear about that. And also, I got to be honest. [01:15:54] Speaker B: The 100 block, you were too busy trying to touch the hand of God, right? [01:15:58] Speaker C: How many times do I have to tell you? I'm still trying to sell my dad's albums and they're not buying 1930s swing records. [01:16:07] Speaker B: Does he have any comedy records? Cuz if he does, I'll buy the comedy. [01:16:10] Speaker C: That's a Spike Joe's, I promise. [01:16:12] Speaker B: Oh, okay. [01:16:13] Speaker C: And I'll tell you what, Even if you're a Spike Jones fan, I'll bet he's got some good. I bet he's got some. [01:16:18] Speaker B: What about WC Fields. Does he have any of that? [01:16:20] Speaker C: I'd have to Look. [01:16:21] Speaker B: Yeah. [01:16:22] Speaker C: Did W.C. fields make records? [01:16:24] Speaker B: Yeah, they all did that. Yeah. Yeah, they sang songs. [01:16:29] Speaker C: WC Fields still smoking it did that. [01:16:31] Speaker B: You know where they turn the crank? [01:16:33] Speaker C: Oh, the Victrola. I think my dad. To be honest, I think my dad a had cylinder, you know. What, the cylinder? [01:16:39] Speaker A: The wax cylinder. [01:16:40] Speaker C: Yeah. I swear to God, I think it was just one, but I think he had a. A cylinder that I remember looking at as a kid and being like, wire cylinders. [01:16:49] Speaker B: Wife. His wife looked at it in fear. Right? [01:16:51] Speaker C: His wife. Let's not go there. But. But he also had definitely 78s. [01:16:58] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. [01:16:59] Speaker C: I mean, I'm just saying, for someone my age, it's like, who the. Who's ever seen one? [01:17:03] Speaker A: I had a bunch of 78s from my grandfather. Like those heavy ones. [01:17:07] Speaker C: He had 78s? [01:17:08] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. [01:17:09] Speaker A: Lacquer. [01:17:10] Speaker C: And the record player that played 78, which might not ever exist again, I don't know. [01:17:14] Speaker A: Yeah, they probably make them, but, you. [01:17:16] Speaker C: Know, it's a lot of money. [01:17:18] Speaker B: Now, I remember my grandfather, he picked up a 78 and he was so brittle, he was bringing it to the turntable and he went, hey, it broke his wrist. [01:17:28] Speaker A: Oh, I thought you were saying the bladder broke. [01:17:30] Speaker B: No, it's his bones. [01:17:31] Speaker C: His wrist. [01:17:32] Speaker B: Yeah, the whole thing. [01:17:33] Speaker C: Poor guy. [01:17:34] Speaker B: Yeah, he's dead. [01:17:35] Speaker A: Sure. [01:17:36] Speaker C: Oh, so that's why we're picking on him. [01:17:39] Speaker B: My parents are dead, too. We can talk some about them, too, you know. Anyway. All right. You're a good guy. You seem like a good guy. I don't remember your name, but you seem all right. [01:17:50] Speaker C: They call me Mike. [01:17:51] Speaker B: I'm never going to go see. Okay, You're Indiana James. No, you're Tallahassee J. [01:17:57] Speaker C: Tales. If you see that name advertised, don't come in. Just remember that you coined it. [01:18:03] Speaker B: Yeah, exactly. [01:18:04] Speaker A: All right, Dave. Well, it's kind of about that time, so thank you so much for coming and being such a good sport. [01:18:10] Speaker B: Yes. And you got a great sense of humor. [01:18:13] Speaker C: Hey, man, you're troubled men. I appreciate you having me on trouble. [01:18:18] Speaker A: Appreciate it. [01:18:18] Speaker B: Yeah. And you're the last show of the year, probably. [01:18:21] Speaker A: Yeah. Yeah. [01:18:22] Speaker C: Christmas guy. [01:18:23] Speaker A: Your Christmas baby. [01:18:24] Speaker B: And. [01:18:25] Speaker A: And the last show of the year. [01:18:27] Speaker B: Hey, you're Baby Jesus. Baby Jesus, that's what you are. [01:18:30] Speaker C: Happy holidays, everyone. Yeah, happy holidays. [01:18:34] Speaker B: Yeah, and a new year, too. There you go. Thank you. [01:18:38] Speaker C: You're not going to play that Dr. John thing Mike sent you today on the. For the fade out? [01:18:43] Speaker A: Maybe I will. Maybe I will play that yeah, it sounds like a good. A good thing. [01:18:47] Speaker B: All right. Good night. [01:18:47] Speaker A: All right. Well, as always, the Troubleman podcast. We like to say trouble never ends. [01:18:52] Speaker B: But the struggle continues. Good night. [01:18:54] Speaker A: Good night. [01:18:55] Speaker C: Texas. Texas is for. Texas. Texas is for. Just because you're from Texas doesn't mean. [01:19:23] Speaker B: You'Re an. [01:19:26] Speaker C: But Texas. Texas is for. Sam. Sa.