[tires screeching]
Wait, check this out.
Alright.
-Gentlemen. -[speaker grunts]
[speaker] Thank you.
[laughing]
This is day five. I met them on Thursday.
We had the best night, didn't we?
-We had a good time. -You guys, on Thursday?
We got to watch them play last night.
And right now we're going to Atlantic Records.
The CEO-- 20 years, the CEO.
We're going to Atlantic Records right now
and see if we can get 'em a record deal.
It's crazy. [chuckles]
You gotta try.
[♪ "Wherever I May Roam" by Metallica playing]
♪♪
♪ And the road becomes my bride ♪
♪ I have stripped of all but pride ♪
♪ So in her I do confide ♪
♪ Off the beaten path I reign ♪
♪ Rover, wanderer ♪
♪ Nomad, vagabond ♪
♪ Call me what you will ♪
♪♪
♪ Wherever I may roam ♪
[wind gusting]
[birds chirping]
Never in a million years did I think I would be... [laughs]
...in a desert doing On the Roam,
but, I mean, hey, it's On the Roam.
I'm about three hours outside of Abu Dhabi finishing up Dune.
And we're gonna talk about...
a little band called The Bobby Lees. Hit it.
[♪ "Move" by The Bobby Lees playing]
♪ I put that needle down ♪
♪ And feel you start to enter in my bones ♪
[yells]
♪ I lend my body out ♪
♪ So you can have a temporary home ♪
-♪ I make that spirit move ♪ -[crowd cheering]
[speaker 1] Today in the studio, we have The Bobby Lees
all the way from Woodstock, New York.
[speaker 2] We're gonna have a live set with The Bobby Lees.
[Henry Rollins] This is a record by a band called
The Bobby Lees.
It's called Skin Suit.
It's really, really interesting.
[Iggy Pop] How about The Bobby Lees?
They're currently on tour in the US.
They're coming to the UK at the end of June.
They're gonna play Europe.
And Debbie Harry says,
"Check out The Bobby Lees.
The future is minimal proto slash punk."
So here are The Bobby Lees with "Hollywood Junkyard."
♪ I'm lining my heels on the boulevard hoping... ♪
[Jason Momoa] The truth of it is, I love music,
and so I found The Bobby Lees on Instagram.
I thought they were unbelievable.
I listened to their music
and I just saw them touring around the world,
and I would just kinda miss them everywhere I went.
♪ So come and find me in the Hollywood Junkyard ♪
♪ I'm gonna be a star ♪
♪ Yeah, come and find me with my eyes like diamonds ♪
My name is Sam.
I sing in a band called The Bobby Lees.
I'm Nick Casa.
I play, uh, lead guitar for The Bobby Lees.
My name is Kendall Wind. I play bass.
Macky Bowman, and I play drums for The Bobby Lees.
[Jason] I didn't know much about the music industry,
so I was a little naive to everything.
You just see them and you're like, "Oh, everything's fine.
They're doing great. They're, they're touring."
They're constantly, you know,
obviously they're doing well for themselves.
And then it's just like, "We can't do this anymore."
We met what, was it like three days ago?
-I invited you to the Bowery. -Yes.
We walked in, you were, like, crouched over, shirtless,
kinda just, like, just, like, you obviously, like,
just got into your hotel room and you're, like, "Come up."
And, like, "I didn't expect you so soon."
And then you just came over and gave us,
like, the biggest warm hug.
Yeah. It felt like actually a family feel.
[Nick Casa] One of the top-- top five,
if not top three hugs of all time.
[Jason laughs]
So, the whole thing was like,
they're gonna finish, they were done.
Like, they've been a band for seven years.
And then I saw it on Instagram, and I've been following them
and I'm like, "These guys are fuckin' amazing."
And you see them, you just see everything
and that's all you get to see is positive, positive, positive.
And then it came a time where they put out this thing,
which I'll read in a little bit,
but they put out this little, what do you call it?
-Just a... [stammers] -Statement?
[Jason] A statement, yeah.
[Sam] My band posted something
letting our people that follow us know
why we were gonna be taking a break
and a break that we weren't sure how long.
It could be like a permanent break or...
♪♪
[Jason] They've been doing it for so long
that it's just, they're not making money.
It's just, they tour, and it's just,
it's really, really challenging.
And I was like, "Fuck, they're gonna end."
And I'm like, "No, no, no, no, no!"
So I just, I like sent a-- I sent a DM to them.
I was like, "Hey, can I just talk to you?"
I had a feeling that some--
Usually when you put out that kinda energy,
like, you-- something returns.
And I had a feeling someone was gonna reach out.
I did not think it was gonna be Jason Momoa.
Um, but, you know, I was like,
"Here's a kind person with a...
who likes our music and wants to help."
Gonna help them make the record
and then we're gonna go fuckin' kick down some doors...
[chuckles] ...get 'em a record deal.
-Just gotta put it out there. -Yeah.
And I'm like, "Well, I'm gonna give it my best try,"
'cause I just think it's the right thing to do.
[Sam] I've always been the one in the band that's, um...
booking the shows, like, pushing, just--
We wanna work with this producer.
I'm gonna send him 20 emails until he finally reaches back.
I'd always, like, wanted to play with people,
but I was too scared.
I just, I was--
I don't know, I was freaked out, too scared.
I thought my ideas weren't good.
♪♪
And so it was kinda like chipping away at that fear
and like, just keep-- I kept doing it.
I also read a book called
The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron,
and that totally changed my life.
I just did what she said to do and it was weird.
I finished it and then I met Kendall and Macky,
like, a month later.
♪♪
We had a couple different guitar players at first,
but it only clicked when Nick, who is Kendall's stepbrother,
he came to our first show and once that happened,
then it was, um, kinda, we all were like,
"This is all we wanna do."
♪♪
[Jason] There's so many friends I have that are musicians
that it's just like, I know it's really, really hard,
just like acting is, but, but it makes you wonder,
you know, would Nirvana, like some of these bands,
how would they... how would they make it today?
Bob Dylan, for Christ's sake.
Like, I mean, like, how, how--
some of your favorites, like,
would they have been what they are
if they came out today?
♪♪
[inaudible conversation]
[Jason] And I don't know,
but I feel like something's
gotta give a little bit, you know?
[♪ rhythmic drumming]
[Sam] Is that happening before it's time
to actually do the work, ever?
-[Jason] No, I'm-- -No. You're psyched?
No, I mostly cry. I get really emotional.
-[Sam] Really? -I get really emotional.
I get really fuckin', like...
It makes my guts off-- I'm really emotional.
I get to a place where I wanna go home and get in bed
and cancel the show and not--
That's always--
And sometimes I get emotional.
Like, "I wish I didn't have to do this,
I wish I didn't have to do this."
And then I pray to all my favorite people
like Little Richard and Bo Diddley,
and I'm like, "Please give me the energy."
[Jason] It was so cool in Woodstock.
I mean, it's the hometown hero.
So, it was just an honor,
and being able to walk around the town with them,
meet their family, it was really cool.
[crowd cheering]
[♪ "Death Train" by The Bobby Lees playing]
♪ They losin' it, they losin' it ya see ♪
♪ Ah, just keep your fingers crossed and watch the TV ♪
♪ Ow, now walk in single file, foot by foot you're free ♪
♪ Oh, they got 'em all, but they ain't got me ♪
♪♪
♪ I said, "Shut up and dance" ♪
[crowd cheering]
[cheering continues]
[♪ "Ragged Way" by The Bobby Lees playing]
♪ The way you bark and crawl ♪
♪ Nothing done the same ♪
♪ Hey, forgotten boy ♪
♪ I like your ragged way ♪
[singing continues]
♪ Forgotten boy ♪
♪ I like your ragged way ♪
♪ Your ragged ♪
[♪ "Ragged Way" fading]
♪♪
[inaudible singing]
♪♪
[Sam] I always wanted to be in a band.
I had severe fear issues performing.
Like, I fantasized about it
and never could take an action towards doing it.
I... I had a really bad drinking problem
and I got sober and the fear of sucking went away.
The-- The... The desire to do it
became greater than the fear of doing it.
For us, there's never been this normal path.
Like, anything that's happened feels like the universe
just gives us little, like, winks
and good weird shit happens like Jason reaching out.
[Jason] Once you get to meet everyone, like...
Sam's like my, you know, it's family.
She's just such a powerhouse.
Watching her sing, she's just so creative and raw,
at the same time so sensitive.
She's such an artist.
Macky's so, like, just born into this royal family
of just artisans and musicians.
I just think he's, he's something really special.
Kendall's like my sister.
Like, I love this woman so much.
Someone who I look up to. She's like my teacher.
Like, I'll ask her all kinds of stuff.
Nicky, little brother,
he just shreds, picks up anything.
Kind of a wiz with anything.
It's, it's been a long haul.
So, the-- the thought of...
maybe not doing it again, um...
is, is definitely affected me, um...
[crowd cheering and applauding]
-[Sam speaking softly] -[Nick] What?
Hey, you killed it, first of all.
And second--
♪♪
[whispering]
[Sam] I need music to get me up.
That's-- Like, I can't take, like, a pill or whatever.
I listen to a song and I'm just--
It-- It-- It's magic.
Like, I-- It totally can change my mood.
It's-- It's--
So, yeah, to not--
To say that that has no value anymore,
that feels like... it's sad.
[chuckles] It's really fucked up, so...
♪♪
Jason basically was like,
"Uh, how can I help?
What, what does a band like you need?"
I said, "I don't know."
From where we sat, we thought,
"Oh, I guess you need a major label deal."
And I said, "Yeah, I think that helps
because they get it out to more people."
He came on the phone like a superhero
and was like, "I'm gonna try it all.
I'm gonna, you know, try to-- try to do it all."
It felt like an adventure
from when he called, till now, of,
okay, let's see what happens.
[♪ "Coin" by The Bobby Lees playing]
[inaudible]
This is amazing.
[Sam] I feel like I'm selling Girl Scout Cookies.
[laughter]
When Jason brought us into Atlantic,
part of me was super excited
because we'd never had access to a major label before.
But also he had me read the letter and I was like,
"This is weird" because it's not like
I'm gonna touch him by reading this letter,
something's gonna click, like, raise the Spotify rate.
The reason that the major label acts can sustain
is because they have private deals with Spotify.
Whereas anyone that's not on a major, like us,
they pay you $0.004 a play.
I think the unfortunate thing,
what we've seen is, if people have the option to not pay,
they're not going to pay.
I've thought a lot about it.
I've talked to a lot of bands on the road about it,
and it feels like the crux of the issue
is that there just-- the value isn't there.
So any kid growing up right now,
they don't think it's worth anything 'cause it's free.
[Jason] I would have liked things to have went a certain way.
But, yeah, like, I still had hopes for it.
I still had the energy.
Obviously, the band probably felt a little different.
They were maybe like, it couldn't happen,
but I, I don't know. I--
I've had the door shut on me
and fell into so many holes.
I had to dig myself out of 'em
that I just feel like I'm not gonna take no for an answer.
And let's just-- You know, talent is talent,
and they got it.
And I feel like you just gotta find the right people.
When we play, it feels really good, still.
I mean, when you hear people,
like, singing your words back to you,
hopefully your music's, like, helping them.
Something is clearly wrong,
if you're selling out shows,
like 500-cap rooms in New York and LA
and touring the world,
and how are you not able
to make like a minimum wage living or sustain.
For Bellevue, for instance,
like, we toured that record for 18 months.
We had a million plays.
We made $4,000 from touring it for 18 months.
You know, no one wants to work for free at this point.
It feels like, I hate to use the word "disrespectful,"
but I feel like at a certain point
when you're grinding it out and you're touring,
you're like, "This feels wrong."
Like, I'm giving this much.
I feel so depleted.
I feel like a lot of people feel this,
like deep yearning for something
that they think is their purpose,
that they really want this kind of like,
"I have to have it."
I don't feel that way anymore,
which is kind of really nice because it got painful,
like, wanting the band to be, um, successful, wanting...
And now I just feel kinda like it's kinda out of our hands.
I mean, we show up, we play every show
like it's our last show.
We need a shift where, like...
yeah, it's just, it's too much of a grind.
We just have to stop for a while
and we're not sure if we're gonna be back.
♪♪
[inaudible conversation]
[Sam] I don't know, I-I... My gut says it's not
a never-doing-it-again thing, but I have no idea.
I, really-- It's kind of liberating
to have no fucking clue.
♪♪
[Jason] I know that feeling.
I work a lot and, and, uh...
you definitely can be drained
and you don't get the best of you.
I think they were like,
"Alright, we need, like, some time."
And I think everyone just had to like,
step away from everything for a while.
[indistinct chatter]
♪♪
[♪ rock music playing]
[Macky Bowman] I don't remember how to play it really, I think.
Yeah, you do.
This is how I bring songs, too.
I'm like, I think it's these three chords, and then...
[Kendall laughs]
[indistinct chatter]
[♪ gentle guitar music playing]
[♪ bass guitar swells]
[high-pitched scatting]
Yeah! [laughs]
I'll do it again. I'm getting it.
[♪ rock music playing]
[Jason] Watching them write on the spot,
watching them be, you know, like--
just watching the song come together...
[♪ music continues]
You know, like, everything had changed.
They're coming back. They had rest.
Some of the band members went out and toured for a little bit.
They came back with songs, and we got into the studio.
It was lightning in a bottle.
[♪ music intensifies]
That was a beautiful part of this journey
together to be with them and, like,
watch it just kind of go, "Alright, we're doing this."
[♪ music continues]
That little bit of time off, when I came back,
yeah, they were, like, ready to rock.
They were ready to go.
[♪ music continues]
Something like that. That's cool.
-A little faster... -[Jason laughs]
[Jason] That was awesome.
That was awesome!
♪♪
Um...
-What's up, everybody? [laughs] -[Macky] What's going on?
It's been a year. It's been a year, right?
-Since I've seen you guys. -Almost.
-Yeah. -[Jason] Almost a year.
-Uh-huh. -And I'm just curious to know
where everyone is... with their lives right now.
How you feeling?
And, yeah, just kinda what's going on.
I just wanna hear from each one of you and like,
and also like getting back together 'cause you guys
probably haven't seen each other in a year, too.
-Yeah. -We got back a month ago.
And we said, "Let's start writing,"
because of your generosity and, um,
this opportunity to make another record.
And it was weird 'cause we got together
and in two weeks wrote, like, 14 songs, which was more--
We usually take a little more time than that.
We usually take a month to write five songs.
So, it was, I think-- I don't know.
I think we had something to get out of us.
We had, you know, had to come out.
[Macky] Yes.
I think we're excited to do
some things differently, you know?
I think that-- I think, like, because we were like
laughing a lot in the rehearsals.
And I think it's just because, like, we were letting ourselves
just do things that we wouldn't normally do.
And it was nice to, like, just be free in that way.
So, I think everybody's excited for that.
♪♪
[Nick] The fact that it was-- it's been a year pretty much
since we were in Woodstock, it's incre--
Like, I can't even believe how fast time flew by.
Yeah, over the past year, it's been crazy.
It's been a lot of doubt. It's been a lot of hope.
[Kendall Wind] Dealing with, you know, taking a break,
and, like, it was very emotional
and it felt like a grieving process.
Um, it kinda felt like a breakup or something,
and it was really strange.
Like, I actually kinda feel like
I was a kid when, you know, we took a break
and I feel like I'm an adult now.
I quickly realized over this last year
that this band means so much to me.
It's like always gonna be a huge part of me.
But it was nice to actually get the chance
to realize that there's a whole world outside of it.
♪♪
It's like a relationship, being in a band where it's like,
you lose yourself in it, you know what I mean?
You forget what you know you are
as an individual outside of it.
So, I think getting-- getting this year away
has helped me kind of remember why I like to make stuff.
[inaudible]
[Sam] During the time off, I did have time to--
There were some moments of like, "Can I be okay without this?"
And I can't, I have to be making something.
I get very depressed if I'm just consuming other people's work.
[Jason] I'm driven by music.
I mean, that's like, that's the ultimate art form for me.
Like, that's what I write to.
That's what I, like, I use to inspire me
in every shape or form.
Like, I love music.
I just had this idea, like,
just talking to them, going like,
well, like, "Can you just do it one more time?
"Like, just let's take one more shot at it.
"I really wanna help support,
"I don't know much about the industry,
"but I think maybe I could open some doors
"or maybe some people you can produce with.
Would you guys do another album?"
And they entertained it.
When they said yes, they wanna do it,
I was gonna back it to the end
because I just believe in this, and I believe in them.
-[indistinct chatter] -[♪ faint guitar strumming]
[chatter continues]
[speaker] Where are we?
Los Angeles, California.
[speaker] What are you guys hoping to get out of this?
Songs. Good ones, hopefully.
A record we're proud of.
[speaker] Do you guys have-- Do you ever have, like,
any sort of, um...
nerves going into, into the recording?
Today, I feel nothing, but three-- three days ago
when we first got here, I didn't sleep
and I was very-- just going through the worst scenario.
Like, we get there, all the songs suck.
This is-- Yeah.
So I-- I had my fearful time.
And now I feel Zen and ready to just,
just do the, just do the work.
Me too, just calm.
[Sam] Did you have a spike of--
I think I was a little nervous, like flying out, you know?
Just, I don't know, just like a little, like,
just I have absolutely no idea what to expect, but...
♪♪
[indistinct chatter]
-[speaker] I can hop on the-- -[Kendall] Might as well get it.
[speaker] Yeah, yeah. Great.
-I also had an idea. -[Sam] Yeah?
-If we echoed the end to it. -Like...
♪ This is some Elvis Presley shit ♪
♪ And I'm putting an end to it ♪
[both] ♪ End to it! ♪
-[Sam] Sure. -[Kendall] Just to see.
-Let's try it. -[Kendall] Okay.
♪ This is the end! ♪
♪ End to it! ♪
[Sam] Do you think we need another pass at those or we got it?
-[speaker] I think we got it. -[Sam] We got it.
[♪ rock music playing]
♪ This is some Elvis Presley shit ♪
♪ And I'm putting an end to it ♪
♪ End to it ♪
[indistinct singing]
♪ The end ♪
[♪ music continues]
[Kendall] You can definitely feel
whether an energy is good or bad,
almost immediately, we find.
The moment we walked in there, we were like, "This is great.
This is, this is gonna be perfect for us."
[Nick] We've been recording at Sunset Sound,
legendary studio.
LED Zeppelin did Zeppelin IV.
I think the Stones did Let It Bleed there.
Uh, some Van Halen albums were done.
Coming out here to California to a record a record
and you just feel-- It feels really good, you know?
♪♪
Alex and Dave, um, just like
their, their ability to just hear a part
and be like, "Why don't we try this?"
And they throw out an idea and it's like,
"Oh, where was this the whole time?" I mean...
[Sam] We're trying not to, like, judge anything now.
I think we used to do that in the past
where even if we were writing,
the basic track wasn't good.
Now we're just, we're getting the whole thing done,
and then maybe in a month, you know,
that's when we'll like, assess.
♪♪
[Nick] Every song so far we've tracked,
like, when we go back and listen
in the control room, you know,
I know I'm doing this the whole time.
My head is nodding, my eyes are closed,
and then I look around
and everyone else is right there.
[Sam] We were getting kinda bored of just garage rock sounds.
And we-- I listen to a lot of hip-hop stuff
and I really wanted that undeniable head nod feeling,
and I think we achieved that for a few songs.
It's like a wave of emotion where it's--
I mean, just-- we've been there four days
and I've gone through being, like,
"Wow, this is great," to existential crisis.
[chuckles] I go through it all and I've been told, um,
not to judge the work, just do it,
so I just do it.
[♪ rock music playing]
[indistinct singing]
[Macky] I'm a really big fan of Dave's, personally,
one of his kind of breakthrough albums as a producer
was this album by the band Wolfmother,
which I remember I listened to nonstop when I was...
[laughs] ...five.
-[singing continues] -[♪ music continues]
[indistinct chatter]
[speaker] That's the second time you sang that.
I mean, it is, though.
[singing continues]
[Nick] It's been a really relieving process.
It's always good when you have producers and engineers
who are like, really good at backing you up
and making you feel confident about your parts and, um--
Yeah, it's been a really, really, really great experience
for everybody, I think.
-[♪ rock music playing] -[indistinct singing]
[inaudible]
-[♪ music ends] -Awesome.
-Oh, it's so fuckin' good. -[laughs]
[Sam] This is our fourth time in the studio,
so we know-- I can look at Macky or Nick or Kendall,
we know when it's working.
We know when it's not.
You feel it. It's like a feel.
I think the-- I think, uh, the drums should be tighter,
like, um, less cymbally.
-[Sam] Yeah, I agree. -[Nick] Sure.
[Kendall] Like, it should just be really like, pah!
-Yeah. -[Macky] Less chemical.
The last couple were feeling good
and then it-- it got complicated again, right?
[Kendall] It's just really cool to see how we're, like,
growing, I think, together as musicians.
♪ No rings, just young-- ♪
Come on!
-Come on. -Thank you.
[speaker] Yeah, right. Where do you want--
[Sam] There's still a lot going on.
-Um, let's start on... -[♪ guitar chords strumming]
-Let's fix one vocal thing. -[speaker] Okay.
-I wanted to comp, um... -[speaker] Dance?
[Sam] "...girl" right before the bridge comes.
[Sam] [singing] ♪ And when you fly around the world ♪
♪ Call me your fire-starting... ♪
I wanted to punch it right.
[on record] ♪ And when you fly around the world ♪
♪ Call me your fire-starting girl ♪
[speaker] Different girl?
[Sam] Yeah. And come in, "girl"
right when he hits the... krrr.
♪ Call me your fire-starting girl ♪
[singer yells]
[singer] Krrr!
[scatting]
♪ Dance! ♪
♪ Dance ♪
♪ Dance! ♪
[scatting]
♪♪
♪ And when you fly around the world ♪
♪ Call me your fire-starting girl ♪
[Jason] The last time I saw you, you were pregnant.
How you were preggers-- How much--
You were, like, six months, maybe?
When, when we filmed the first--
-[Jason] Yeah, when we filmed-- -In Woodstock?
[Jason] Yeah. No, you were like--
-I was like, four months. -[Jason] Four months.
And then when we did the record,
I was... eight months?
-[Macky] It was... crazy. -It was close.
[Macky] It was-- I think it was--
-And now Ozzy's-- -[Sam] And now Ozzy's...
-Two and a half. -...two and a half months.
-We've known each other for a year and a half now, right? -Yeah.
November 9th, we were all here--
It was crazy enough. Called them up here.
We'd been chatting on Instagram and lured them over here.
They're like, "What the fuck are we getting into?"
I was wearing the same jacket that day as I'm wearing today.
-[laughter] -I just wanted to have that--
You were supposed to do that, right?
Yeah.
-Um-- Alright. -Full circle.
But, yeah, let's-let's-let's play it.
What are we playing it on?
Are we like picking? Do you have a favorite?
I didn't want to listen to anything until I was with you.
I've only heard one fuckin' song.
-[Sam] Are you serious? -I just wanna--
This is all new 'cause I wanted to wait till I was with you.
-[Sam] Oh. -Oh, wow.
Have you heard "50 Ft"?
I haven't heard nothing.
-[Macky] Oh, dude. Oh, wow. -Oh.
-[Macky] That shit spanks. -That's my favorite.
[Jason] That's why I wanted--
That song to me was worth the entire trip.
[Macky] I agree. I agree--
Like, it-- That's my favorite.
And I'm so grateful we got to make it.
[♪ "50 Ft" by The Bobby Lees playing]
♪ Hey, I'm one big queen ♪
♪ Nothing can stop me ♪
♪ Red light, red, green ♪
♪ I sat back I'm watchin'... ♪
[inaudible]
♪ ...second to no one ♪
♪ No sweat, I'm clean ♪
♪ Nothing can touch me ♪
[interviewer] What was your first reaction?
"I wanna direct this one. I wanna direct that one.
I wanna direct this one. I wanna direct that one."
That was what it was.
♪ I'll tell you my name ♪
♪ F-U-C-K ♪
♪ Fifty-foot Queenie ♪
♪ A force ten hurricane... ♪
[Jason] It feels like The Bobby Lees.
Yeah, I think it's-- it feels exactly like the Bobby Lees.
But it's got that sound. It's got that rawness.
It's just got that energy.
I think all the fans are gonna be stoked.
And I feel like everybody knew that's gonna come to it.
It's gonna be-- Gonna love it.
♪♪
Did John tell you about the Epitaph thing?
-No. -That that label--
That there's a good label that loves this record
and wants to put it out.
They have-- Who do they have, Macky?
-Isn't Epitaph fuckin' Tom-- -[Sam] Did Weezer--
-Tom Waits. -Tom Waits is on Epitaph, right?
[Sam] Yeah, 'cause underneath, um, Epitaph, they have ANTI.
-ANTI. -And that's--
That's, like, the parent company is Epitaph.
But they-- The founder of it called John and loved it.
And, um, we're Zooming with him and the president on Monday
and then they booked me and John a ticket,
we're flying out on Wednesday to go meet them and John--
-[Jason] Where at? In LA? -In LA.
John lied and told them
that four other labels are interested
and we'd like to make a decision by the end of the week.
So they said, "Well, we gotta get you out here quick then."
So, they put us on a-- So, we're "making--"
[Jason] Did you tell-- Yeah, but did John tell 'em
about what you guys are doing on the show today?
Yeah. I think that was a big asset for us.
-[Jason] Fucking huge. -Yeah. So they were excited.
-Yeah! That's dope. -Yeah, so that's--
Yeah. They're really good.
So-- Well, but I feel like we can't celebrate it yet
until it's for sure.
Well, let's manifest that shit then.
-[Sam] Yeah. Yeah. -[Jason speaks gibberish]
-Hoo, hoo, hoo. -[laughing]
♪ I was hangin' at a party ♪
♪ In the desert one night ♪
♪ When I looked across the room ♪
♪ I saw Shaun White ♪
♪ I'm like, "Oh, my God ♪
♪ He is hot as fuck" ♪
♪ And he just won the gold, baby ♪
♪ What is my luck? ♪
♪ This was way back ♪
♪ When I was losing my shit ♪
♪ But our stars were aligned ♪
♪ Playing mystery tricks ♪
♪ I keep thinking 'bout you ♪
♪ It's making me sick ♪
♪ And that night in your car ♪
♪ When we played "just the tip" ♪
♪ I'm older now, I've gotten help... ♪
Oh. Barry, this is Sam.
-Hi, Barry. Sam. -[Barry] Hey.
-That's Eric, he's our punk rock lawyer. -Hi, Eric.
It was weird 'cause we would sell a shitload of vinyl.
Like, when we play a show, we sell merch.
Like, compared we've talked to other bands, like we can...
The real exchange happens at the show.
The people come, then they come to the next one.
They buy everything we have. They want the new shirt.
The-- But, um--
But streaming, it didn't equate.
Like-- Like, someone at a venue,
when we'd sell out a show of 500 people,
someone that has 100 million streams
wasn't bringing the amount of people we were bringing
with 20,000 streams.
-It was weird. -[Brett Gurewitz] I get it.
Then there's artists who are out there
and they're-- they can sell out a thousand-seat theater
or, you know, not seats,
but, you know, thousand-cap theater
and sell a ton of merch, and vinyl records and...
-[Sam] The streams-- -...but the streams are really low.
And they've not connected the dots.
And I can't explain why that happens.
That-- That's the case for some of our artists, too.
-Um-- -[Sam] We're ready for a shift.
[laughter]
-[Brett] That's why-- -Yeah.
[Brett] That's why I love this project
because the band is amazing.
Uh...
It-it-it checks every single box.
Songs, the records, the live show.
But you've not connected the dots
with the streaming yet, right?
And so, um--
But the proof's in the pudding.
If it's happening live,
it will happen, uh...
in the streaming space.
And, yeah, you need a partner
to help you, help you get it there.
And I also just wanna say, man, the new record,
I think you guys, uh, have really leveled up.
I mean, I love, I love your other stuff, too,
-but I think the new record is stunning. -[Sam] Thank you.
And so, I think, I think it's kinda perfect timing.
It feels like things have been bubbling
and they're ready to-- that's how it feels.
But we just need the help to push.
♪♪
[inaudible]
[Nick] I could go into a million stories
about how people
who are embedded into the music industry,
and that's their main gig and how they, like,
haven't done anything for us, really.
And then Jason coming in
and gifting us on a silver platter
this opportunity to make something that,
you know, something he enjoys, too.
I mean, I-I can't be grateful enough
for the opportunity and everything.
♪♪
[Kendall] It feels amazing
to have somebody who believes in us so much
and not just-- he's not just saying it,
you know, he's doing it.
He's making it happen for us.
He's trying to help us.
Um, that's been the big difference
between him and so many other people we've worked with.
♪♪
That felt to me, like, like we got--
Like, it went well, right?
Yeah. I'd be shocked if it didn't, right?
We've just, we've had things said to us before,
so we've learned to never get excited
unless something's real,
and apparently they're gonna send an offer.
But that felt to me--
-I believe that guy. -[John Swab] Yeah.
He's a musician. He's in Bad Religion.
Like, he's gone through it.
He seems like an honest guy, and I like Sue, too.
-They've-- -[John] Yeah.
It's a huge win, you know.
And I think had you guys not come along...
you know, the, the incentive or excitement
to actually get back in
and make another record would not be there.
So, you know...
[Sam] I don't think this record--
It's nice to also hear--
I mean, we like the record
and that's what matters most,
but I wasn't sure if a label
would wanna put it out.
It's different than anything else we've done.
And, um-- I don't know.
If they had, you know, ended up at a major label,
which is what everybody thinks they want,
they probably would have gotten chewed up, spit out
and, you know, they'd be even more miserable they were--
than they were when you guys, like, first came along.
I think an artist's first label like this with,
you know, run by Brett,
who's like a real legit fuckin' punk rock guy,
I think it's the best place for 'em, you know? So...
It feels like the-- the best case, ever.
I wanna go woo-hoo, but until the offer comes in,
-I feel like I've-- -[John] Let me check.
How do you feel, Brian?
Do you feel like you can say woo-hoo yet? I mean...
[Brian] I don't feel like I can ever say woo-hoo.
-Okay. [laughs] -[John] I'm with you.
[Brian] So I'm the last person to talk to you, but I think--
Well, Jason would give us a woo-hoo.
[Brian] Yeah, Jason would definitely get a woo-hoo.
♪♪
♪ It's hard to believe in yourself ♪
♪ When the thought it's just not ♪
♪ It's not natural for me ♪
♪ I been reading a book ♪
♪ Called "The Law of Success" ♪
[Nick] I'm excited to see
how people react to this,
and, you know, how they dance, and...
When I get off stage and I, like, see the smile
or just how I made somebody have a good time--
I mean, putting a smile on somebody's face
is all I live for.
And so, being able
to hop around from city to city and...
have people really relate to that and connect to it,
it's such a gratifying feeling, and I, I can't get enough of it.
[♪ "Napoleon" by The Bobby Lees playing]
[Sam] I do think no matter what,
like, I at least have to make shit
or else I feel like I'm dying.
Not just about us.
It's happening to a ton of other bands,
so... I just think it's gonna be sad
if all that's left is, is TikTok pop.
Like, that's a pretty bleak culture. [laughs]
[♪ "Napoleon" continues]
♪ Now tell me what to do ♪
♪ Show me where to go, when this is... ♪
[Kendall] I don't know what it means.
I just know that, like, since I started playing music,
I just had this, like, sense
that I was going in a direction
of something that had purpose.
I kinda just went with it
because I could feel that it was, like, pulling me.
♪ ...don't you dare try to steal my light ♪
♪ 'Cause it's hard to believe in yourself... ♪
[Sam] Nothing's, like, been presented
on our path that seems like,
oh, now you can make a living doing it this way.
You guys came in and gave us this huge gift,
but that's-- we're one band, like, you know,
there's so many good bands that--
I still think the model has to change the way,
the way it is or something has to shift.
I'm interested to stay along for the adventure
to see what will come next.
♪ When this is what I am here for ♪
♪ And that is all that I know ♪
[cheering and applause]
Being able to see a record
from the beginning to the end,
you know, for us to direct it,
be able to be part of the whole thing,
help them get a label,
like, that just feels... like something beautiful.
And these-- these guys really deserve it.
I think they got something special.
I hope it happens with more bands.
I'm excited to be with my friends.
I'm excited to see them on tour.
I'm excited to see the new songs on stage.
I really think it's important to buy the artist.
I think it's important to buy the vinyl.
Shit, I'll buy the cassette,
'cause I got a car old enough that that'll work.
♪♪
And it's like a great gift
that you can give to people, is music.
So, you know, just keep passing that along.
Pass it this way.
[♪ upbeat music playing]
♪♪