WEBVTT 00:00:04.639 --> 00:00:08.259 Okay, thanks for listening to the latest episode 00:00:08.259 --> 00:00:11.080 here of the Dan Time podcast, where as you know, 00:00:11.439 --> 00:00:16.000 we take a tour across the Daniverse. And as I 00:00:16.000 --> 00:00:20.339 was just telling tonight's guest, I have a real 00:00:20.339 --> 00:00:24.120 appreciation for independent artists. And they've 00:00:24.120 --> 00:00:27.440 really made this show what it is. And I drive 00:00:27.440 --> 00:00:29.839 around I listen to all the music that I've promoted 00:00:29.839 --> 00:00:33.060 on this show and this is no different This is 00:00:33.060 --> 00:00:35.899 episode number 100. So I really wanted to queue 00:00:35.899 --> 00:00:40.439 up a really hot artist somebody that is Doing 00:00:40.439 --> 00:00:43.159 things differently kind of has maybe you could 00:00:43.159 --> 00:00:46.600 say a chip on the shoulder and as he's talked 00:00:46.600 --> 00:00:50.460 about resilience and this is just a really positive 00:00:50.460 --> 00:00:53.799 guest with some Just a fantastic record here 00:00:53.799 --> 00:00:56.719 for a debut And I want to say this from the start 00:00:56.719 --> 00:00:58.740 the music on this album that we'll be talking 00:00:58.740 --> 00:01:01.820 about this conversation These songs feel like 00:01:01.820 --> 00:01:04.700 at least to me that you've known you've known 00:01:04.700 --> 00:01:08.620 them in your head for many many years or maybe 00:01:08.620 --> 00:01:12.060 From another lifetime. They have that quality 00:01:12.060 --> 00:01:14.959 to them. But without further ado, I'd like to 00:01:14.959 --> 00:01:19.519 welcome from the greater Philadelphia area and 00:01:19.519 --> 00:01:23.920 more specifically West Grove Mr. Dan Orlando 00:01:24.420 --> 00:01:27.799 Dan, how are you doing today? I'm doing excellent 00:01:27.799 --> 00:01:29.859 Dan. It's great to be with you. Congratulations 00:01:29.859 --> 00:01:33.719 on episode 100 Thank you. I was starting to say 00:01:33.719 --> 00:01:36.879 I I never thought I'd get here but honestly, 00:01:36.939 --> 00:01:39.760 that's That would be a lie because I always thought 00:01:39.760 --> 00:01:43.180 I'd be here I didn't know how but I was never 00:01:43.180 --> 00:01:47.000 gonna hit stop once I hit play and I feel like 00:01:47.000 --> 00:01:50.700 you kind of had this a similar mindset Absolutely. 00:01:51.239 --> 00:01:55.239 Absolutely, you know I remember a very specific 00:01:55.239 --> 00:01:57.120 memory that you just triggered from college. 00:01:57.340 --> 00:02:00.260 We had Wynton Marsalis come to give a clinic. 00:02:01.079 --> 00:02:04.280 And he said, you know, as you all continue to 00:02:04.280 --> 00:02:06.540 embark on this journey as artists, just remember 00:02:06.540 --> 00:02:09.900 that you will struggle. Struggle is inevitable. 00:02:10.139 --> 00:02:13.259 Struggle is the force that yields diamonds or 00:02:13.259 --> 00:02:16.639 stones. And you should all be prepared to struggle 00:02:16.639 --> 00:02:20.180 in every facet of this journey, not just the 00:02:20.180 --> 00:02:24.800 cliche financially, but emotionally, psychologically, 00:02:25.259 --> 00:02:29.240 spiritually, physically, logistically, in so 00:02:29.240 --> 00:02:33.020 many different ways, the struggle is truly the 00:02:33.020 --> 00:02:38.020 biggest gift of an artistic journey. And if you 00:02:38.020 --> 00:02:42.520 look at anyone who you may epitomize in the space 00:02:42.520 --> 00:02:46.419 of being an artist, I'm sure, I'm sure that there 00:02:46.419 --> 00:02:52.560 is a struggle that feeds their journey. motivates 00:02:52.560 --> 00:02:55.520 them to continue to push forward and express 00:02:55.520 --> 00:02:58.419 themselves and that most of those artists and 00:02:58.419 --> 00:03:01.620 I would put myself in this category too it's 00:03:01.620 --> 00:03:05.139 not necessarily like they feel that they have 00:03:05.139 --> 00:03:07.860 a choice it's almost like this life chose them 00:03:07.860 --> 00:03:12.039 and it calls to them and it almost becomes a 00:03:12.039 --> 00:03:15.520 vocation where you really do yourself and those 00:03:15.520 --> 00:03:18.659 around you a disservice if you don't chase it 00:03:18.659 --> 00:03:21.939 down to the ends of the earth and do whatever 00:03:21.939 --> 00:03:24.219 is necessary to keep yourself in the mix and 00:03:24.219 --> 00:03:27.699 keep creating regardless of what goes wrong and 00:03:27.699 --> 00:03:30.819 what adversity happens. And I think that message 00:03:30.819 --> 00:03:34.780 early on in my life really helped me prepare 00:03:34.780 --> 00:03:37.719 for what was to come, which was a lot of that. 00:03:38.060 --> 00:03:42.259 But at least it wasn't surprising. I had heard 00:03:42.259 --> 00:03:44.599 from one of the greatest performers and artists 00:03:44.599 --> 00:03:48.789 of his generation ever. that struggle was inevitable. 00:03:49.009 --> 00:03:52.689 You will struggle. Not you might. Not there's 00:03:52.689 --> 00:03:55.289 a chance you might. You're going to. You're heading 00:03:55.289 --> 00:03:59.169 headfirst into a storm. So be prepared. Great 00:03:59.169 --> 00:04:02.469 stuff, Dan. And so true. The older you get, folks, 00:04:03.009 --> 00:04:05.430 that's going to become very apparent to you. 00:04:05.650 --> 00:04:08.430 And it's how you handle it. You can hang around 00:04:08.430 --> 00:04:10.870 those folks who always say, oh, I'm always a 00:04:10.870 --> 00:04:13.969 day late, dollar short. And you'd probably agree 00:04:13.969 --> 00:04:16.660 with this advice. Stay away. Some of these might 00:04:16.660 --> 00:04:19.740 be family members, but as you can get get away 00:04:19.740 --> 00:04:22.639 from those people who do not pivot around the 00:04:22.639 --> 00:04:26.519 obstacles They just kind of wallow in it. But 00:04:26.519 --> 00:04:29.860 sure Dan you had a really good I kind of want 00:04:29.860 --> 00:04:33.759 to quote or paraphrase a YouTube reel when you're 00:04:33.759 --> 00:04:38.199 talking about the heritage trail and the concept 00:04:38.199 --> 00:04:42.459 for the record and You said it was a really difficult 00:04:42.459 --> 00:04:45.600 time in my life. I was Fighting for my professional 00:04:45.600 --> 00:04:48.620 and creative freedom You were having people all 00:04:48.620 --> 00:04:50.600 around you telling you that you'd never be free 00:04:50.600 --> 00:04:53.500 to put out your own music because of this deal 00:04:53.500 --> 00:04:58.000 they went sour when you're in your 20s and And 00:04:58.000 --> 00:04:59.819 you said, you know, I'm sure a lot of indie artists 00:04:59.819 --> 00:05:02.660 can relate to this that's when you got to actually 00:05:02.660 --> 00:05:06.680 push more you kind of step on the gas and I'd 00:05:06.680 --> 00:05:08.959 just love to hear you speak to that a little 00:05:08.959 --> 00:05:12.860 bit because I read that and I almost got goosebumps 00:05:13.240 --> 00:05:15.399 Because I thought yes, it's just what that's 00:05:15.399 --> 00:05:16.899 one of those moments where you're like he gets 00:05:16.899 --> 00:05:21.000 it and And this stuff happens to everybody. It's 00:05:21.000 --> 00:05:26.620 how you respond of course so absolutely, I feel 00:05:26.620 --> 00:05:31.300 that this project is a statement of redemption 00:05:31.300 --> 00:05:36.980 and the reason I say that is because It's an 00:05:36.980 --> 00:05:39.379 amalgamation of things that I had written at 00:05:39.379 --> 00:05:42.060 the time with a collaborator out of Brooklyn 00:05:42.060 --> 00:05:44.060 named Kelsey Pierce who I wrote the lead single 00:05:44.060 --> 00:05:47.180 music in my head with combined with songs that 00:05:47.180 --> 00:05:53.180 had been sitting dormant and in a very a very 00:05:53.180 --> 00:05:55.519 in -between kind of place where they didn't really 00:05:55.519 --> 00:05:59.920 have a path to release because of a bad record 00:05:59.920 --> 00:06:03.000 deal so and not just a bad record deal but also 00:06:03.000 --> 00:06:05.860 an unserious partner I guess the main takeaway 00:06:05.860 --> 00:06:08.540 is it's not the deal that you sign it's the person 00:06:08.540 --> 00:06:11.420 you sign it with It's the people in the environment 00:06:11.420 --> 00:06:14.379 that you you choose to partner with You know, 00:06:14.379 --> 00:06:17.279 I looked at this deal and on paper. It was a 00:06:17.279 --> 00:06:19.339 pretty good deal especially as independent artist 00:06:19.339 --> 00:06:24.379 it it set myself up to Kind of make a splash, 00:06:24.819 --> 00:06:27.720 you know through the back door Because it financed 00:06:27.720 --> 00:06:29.300 a lot of what independent artists are looking 00:06:29.300 --> 00:06:31.420 to finance from the beginning which is marketing 00:06:31.420 --> 00:06:34.240 They had a lot of built -in infrastructure and 00:06:34.240 --> 00:06:37.079 talent that was able to be there and helped me 00:06:37.079 --> 00:06:40.709 develop in a low -pressure environment And between 00:06:40.709 --> 00:06:43.769 that and also putting a band together and exploring 00:06:43.769 --> 00:06:47.610 my artistic self, I got what I needed to get 00:06:47.610 --> 00:06:50.449 out of it from an experiential standpoint. But 00:06:50.449 --> 00:06:53.629 from a career progress standpoint, I really stalled 00:06:53.629 --> 00:06:57.529 because it was kind of an all in one situation 00:06:57.529 --> 00:06:59.389 where I didn't have any one particular person 00:06:59.389 --> 00:07:02.610 advocating for me. And by the time I found that 00:07:02.610 --> 00:07:05.550 person, it had already become apparent that the 00:07:05.680 --> 00:07:08.560 partnership had really soured and I just saw 00:07:08.560 --> 00:07:12.160 no path, no serious path forward, which ended 00:07:12.160 --> 00:07:15.199 up having me spend the next three and a half 00:07:15.199 --> 00:07:21.540 to four years in the litigation process and trying 00:07:21.540 --> 00:07:25.600 to extricate and fight for the previous partner 00:07:25.600 --> 00:07:28.300 to recognize the contractual obligations that 00:07:28.300 --> 00:07:32.060 they had broken and so on and so forth. So artistically, 00:07:32.100 --> 00:07:34.660 what I was deriving from all of that was I had 00:07:34.660 --> 00:07:37.730 finally come to a place where I had earned that 00:07:37.730 --> 00:07:40.889 freedom, you know, or as much freedom and distance 00:07:40.889 --> 00:07:43.050 from that situation as I could hope to achieve, 00:07:43.110 --> 00:07:46.129 I had earned that, you know, with the help of 00:07:46.129 --> 00:07:48.350 people like my manager at the time and my family, 00:07:48.389 --> 00:07:51.670 of course, and then everyone else that stuck 00:07:51.670 --> 00:07:54.970 with me and helped me to rally and form new relationships, 00:07:55.470 --> 00:07:57.509 particularly in the greater New York area, which 00:07:57.509 --> 00:08:00.189 we'll touch on a little bit. But I guess what 00:08:00.189 --> 00:08:04.689 I want to speak to that is you don't really know 00:08:04.689 --> 00:08:07.250 how valuable your independence, your creative 00:08:07.250 --> 00:08:10.850 freedom, your ability to maneuver without interference 00:08:10.850 --> 00:08:15.629 is until it's gone. So, you know, every deal 00:08:15.629 --> 00:08:18.329 and situation is different. I can't just create 00:08:18.329 --> 00:08:23.230 a blanket solution or an anecdote for any one 00:08:23.230 --> 00:08:25.310 particular person to follow because you have 00:08:25.310 --> 00:08:27.069 to follow your heart. And, you know, at the time 00:08:27.069 --> 00:08:29.189 I wanted to do that deal and I wanted to take 00:08:29.189 --> 00:08:32.200 a chance. I wanted to take a risk and it did 00:08:32.200 --> 00:08:34.419 lead me to a beautiful place in my life. So, 00:08:34.440 --> 00:08:38.019 you know, life also happens for you, not necessarily 00:08:38.019 --> 00:08:42.460 to you. However, I had felt really burdened by 00:08:42.460 --> 00:08:45.620 the struggle for a long time. So I wanted this 00:08:45.620 --> 00:08:49.299 album to, number one, have a path to release 00:08:49.299 --> 00:08:52.679 and not tie it up in any other particular arrangement. 00:08:52.720 --> 00:08:55.039 So that was from a technical standpoint. And 00:08:55.039 --> 00:08:58.139 from an artistic, spiritual standpoint, I really 00:08:58.139 --> 00:09:01.539 just wanted to channel How it felt to be free 00:09:01.539 --> 00:09:07.440 again. I wanted a piano pop record that Derived 00:09:07.440 --> 00:09:10.519 on some of my older school influences, but also 00:09:10.519 --> 00:09:12.659 felt like it was made in the year that it was 00:09:12.659 --> 00:09:16.820 me Yeah, which and that's really important and 00:09:16.820 --> 00:09:19.419 you know, so partnering with Ben Jackson and 00:09:19.419 --> 00:09:22.440 Steve Cook in Nashville for this endeavor Was 00:09:22.440 --> 00:09:25.299 really clutch. They did a wonderful job and they 00:09:25.299 --> 00:09:27.740 really they brought out a lot of different layers 00:09:27.740 --> 00:09:30.669 in my artistry that that I don't have access 00:09:30.669 --> 00:09:33.730 to, you know, as far as like producing or, you 00:09:33.730 --> 00:09:35.450 know, just creating all of that because, you 00:09:35.450 --> 00:09:37.629 know, being the artist and the co -writer, that's 00:09:37.629 --> 00:09:40.049 enough of a challenge in and of itself. But I 00:09:40.049 --> 00:09:42.629 think Ben in particular as the lead producer, 00:09:42.649 --> 00:09:45.830 but also as a drummer, you hear a lot of the 00:09:45.830 --> 00:09:50.169 really deft and intricate blending of drum machine 00:09:50.169 --> 00:09:54.049 versus real drums with, you know, great parts. 00:09:54.820 --> 00:09:57.940 Everything is very supportive and feeds into 00:09:57.940 --> 00:10:01.759 the emotion of the song. So I feel like we achieved 00:10:01.759 --> 00:10:04.720 that. And now that that record has had an opportunity 00:10:04.720 --> 00:10:07.860 to be out there and matriculate and help me build 00:10:07.860 --> 00:10:11.200 an audience, it's so freeing. It's so freeing 00:10:11.200 --> 00:10:15.379 to live in a world where, at least in my own 00:10:15.379 --> 00:10:17.340 universe, there's something that's out there 00:10:17.340 --> 00:10:20.519 that people can access that I can represent on 00:10:20.519 --> 00:10:24.889 a nightly basis on stage. start doing band showcases, 00:10:25.389 --> 00:10:28.250 start directing people towards that. And now, 00:10:28.429 --> 00:10:31.669 Dan, to be honest with you, my philosophy is 00:10:31.669 --> 00:10:34.529 I want to build an audience on the strength of 00:10:34.529 --> 00:10:37.830 my releases and my shows. I want to create a 00:10:37.830 --> 00:10:43.129 level of momentum for my artistry. And I think 00:10:43.129 --> 00:10:46.169 in this environment, it's almost better to go 00:10:46.169 --> 00:10:49.500 slow. and build the kind of momentum that opens 00:10:49.500 --> 00:10:52.059 up opportunities that you can't necessarily foresee 00:10:52.059 --> 00:10:54.980 now, but they may present themselves rather than 00:10:54.980 --> 00:10:57.419 just saying, well, I need to gun for a licensing 00:10:57.419 --> 00:11:00.740 deal with one of the big three majors or I got 00:11:00.740 --> 00:11:02.799 to get a publishing deal so I can funnel this. 00:11:03.139 --> 00:11:05.019 Yeah, all of that's fine. You know, that could 00:11:05.019 --> 00:11:08.759 present itself, but not in a vacuum and certainly 00:11:08.759 --> 00:11:13.100 not at the expense of creating and writing and 00:11:13.179 --> 00:11:15.600 kind of doing a self -audit of what's working 00:11:15.600 --> 00:11:18.720 and what's not. And also not being afraid to 00:11:18.720 --> 00:11:21.779 be in a room where people challenge you. People 00:11:21.779 --> 00:11:24.360 tell you, you know, this song may need another 00:11:24.360 --> 00:11:27.039 section. This vocal, I'm not really feeling this 00:11:27.039 --> 00:11:30.159 emotionally. Collaborating. If you feel like 00:11:30.159 --> 00:11:32.860 you've had a great song, but it's kind of sitting 00:11:32.860 --> 00:11:35.779 at the 40, 50 yard line, see if you can partner 00:11:35.779 --> 00:11:37.899 up with somebody and, you know, they can help 00:11:37.899 --> 00:11:40.519 you find the rest of that voice and the rest 00:11:40.519 --> 00:11:42.179 of that story that you might have been missing. 00:11:42.460 --> 00:11:45.279 I love what you said right there, the collaboration 00:11:45.279 --> 00:11:48.259 part, because I feel like there's definitely 00:11:48.259 --> 00:11:51.120 some independent artists who, they're very proud 00:11:51.120 --> 00:11:53.860 of their work, but it just, you can, when you 00:11:53.860 --> 00:11:56.639 listen to some songs, not, it's not always a 00:11:56.639 --> 00:11:59.179 dead giveaway, but sometimes you can hear parts 00:11:59.179 --> 00:12:01.000 and you're thinking, okay, there was, I don't 00:12:01.000 --> 00:12:02.519 think there was another set of eyes on this. 00:12:02.559 --> 00:12:04.419 I don't think, or another set of ears on this. 00:12:04.639 --> 00:12:08.200 It's not bad, but it's not great. And I love 00:12:08.200 --> 00:12:10.419 what you said there about having that collaborative 00:12:10.419 --> 00:12:14.070 spirit. Well, think about it from a statistical 00:12:14.070 --> 00:12:19.409 standpoint, right? every one person has a finite 00:12:19.409 --> 00:12:22.990 but very valuable set of experiences and perspective 00:12:22.990 --> 00:12:26.649 and a different network of people and memories 00:12:26.649 --> 00:12:29.169 and The way in which they think about things 00:12:29.169 --> 00:12:30.970 and the way in which they create and the way 00:12:30.970 --> 00:12:33.549 in which they manifest the message that they 00:12:33.549 --> 00:12:37.389 want to express so Just by partnering with somebody 00:12:37.389 --> 00:12:42.340 else you give your art access To a whole different 00:12:42.340 --> 00:12:45.960 spectrum of perspective and all of those strengths 00:12:45.960 --> 00:12:49.860 and weaknesses combined No, no, I'm saying you 00:12:49.860 --> 00:12:52.019 can leave this in the actual episode But I'm 00:12:52.019 --> 00:12:54.019 I'm like double parts by a meter and I've had 00:12:54.019 --> 00:12:55.820 three people come like are you leaving are you 00:12:55.820 --> 00:12:57.000 leaving? You know, the are you leaving crowd? 00:12:57.120 --> 00:12:58.899 Like yeah, no, I'm not leaving like I'm taking 00:12:58.899 --> 00:13:02.759 a call Oh and for my listeners Dan has been gracious 00:13:02.759 --> 00:13:05.419 enough he's got a show to perform tonight at 00:13:05.419 --> 00:13:09.480 the slow hand in Westchester PA and Cannot tell 00:13:09.480 --> 00:13:11.899 you how much I appreciate you jumping through 00:13:11.899 --> 00:13:18.340 some hoops here to Because I respect the love 00:13:18.340 --> 00:13:20.340 and appreciation that you're bringing for it's 00:13:20.340 --> 00:13:24.480 our name Dan which I don't know if this is historically 00:13:24.480 --> 00:13:27.080 accurate But it's what I've heard at least the 00:13:27.080 --> 00:13:29.820 biblical interpretation of Daniel is God is my 00:13:29.820 --> 00:13:32.240 judge That's which is a poetic way of saying 00:13:32.240 --> 00:13:33.940 I don't really care what anybody else thinks 00:13:33.940 --> 00:13:38.070 about So just by virtual listening named Dan, 00:13:38.070 --> 00:13:40.429 we automatically get to give a finger to the 00:13:40.429 --> 00:13:42.070 rest of the world and we didn't even realize 00:13:42.070 --> 00:13:45.610 it. Our parents blessed us with an eternal spiritual 00:13:45.610 --> 00:13:52.269 compass. Yes. Yeah, Dan, going back to what I 00:13:52.269 --> 00:13:54.210 said at the top of the episode, these songs, 00:13:54.590 --> 00:13:57.889 they feel or they sound complete. They sound 00:13:57.889 --> 00:14:01.990 finished. They sound like they belong in 2023, 00:14:02.289 --> 00:14:06.779 2024, even 2025. but they also and I know that 00:14:06.779 --> 00:14:09.500 uh before we get too deep in the episode you 00:14:09.500 --> 00:14:14.799 actually perform with a trio from the classic 00:14:14.799 --> 00:14:18.259 Billy Joel era those early records turnstiles 00:14:18.259 --> 00:14:21.440 the stranger 52nd street um I don't know if you're 00:14:21.440 --> 00:14:24.759 currently doing that but absolutely people might 00:14:24.759 --> 00:14:28.179 be able to hear some of the influence but Dan 00:14:28.179 --> 00:14:32.720 Orlando is not a carbon copy of Billy Joel but 00:14:32.720 --> 00:14:36.340 I love Dan like I said these songs they just 00:14:36.340 --> 00:14:39.919 sound appropriate for the now and you're going 00:14:39.919 --> 00:14:44.620 bold with kind of uh positioning the piano vocalist 00:14:44.620 --> 00:14:48.139 at the forefront again to me it feels like it's 00:14:48.139 --> 00:14:50.720 it's been missing it's not like nobody does it 00:14:50.720 --> 00:14:54.080 anymore but the way you do it I just I'm all 00:14:54.080 --> 00:14:55.879 over this record Dan I'm not just saying that 00:14:55.879 --> 00:14:59.759 because we're fellow dance but thank you yeah 00:14:59.759 --> 00:15:04.970 well I I I do feel like there is a closed highway 00:15:04.970 --> 00:15:10.690 that if someone can access it there is an appetite 00:15:10.690 --> 00:15:14.789 for another piano man and I've always I've always 00:15:14.789 --> 00:15:16.909 chased that ambition and I haven't been shy about 00:15:16.909 --> 00:15:20.009 it. I think I'm the next piano man and the reason 00:15:20.009 --> 00:15:23.490 I say that is because Billy Joel is an artist 00:15:23.490 --> 00:15:26.129 and somebody that I'll be chasing for the rest 00:15:26.129 --> 00:15:29.090 of my life, but in the process of doing that 00:15:29.179 --> 00:15:32.419 Haven't always focused too much like the carrot 00:15:32.419 --> 00:15:35.100 the stick kind of deal and I tell musicians this 00:15:35.100 --> 00:15:38.480 all the time like Just by virtue of loving that 00:15:38.480 --> 00:15:41.360 music and that artist There's going to be enough 00:15:41.360 --> 00:15:43.399 of an influence on you that it's really important 00:15:43.399 --> 00:15:47.039 to diversify your skill sets in your ears as 00:15:47.039 --> 00:15:49.740 Often as possible so that you can bring a different 00:15:49.740 --> 00:15:53.139 evolved next generation type of flavor To what 00:15:53.139 --> 00:15:56.379 you're doing in that space. So of course Billy 00:15:56.379 --> 00:15:59.080 Joel's gonna influence my piano playing to the 00:15:59.080 --> 00:16:00.960 extent that I'm doing pop constructs, but it 00:16:00.960 --> 00:16:03.919 doesn't mean that along the way I didn't discover 00:16:03.919 --> 00:16:08.200 great bands like Keane or Coldplay or Jamiroquai 00:16:08.200 --> 00:16:12.059 or Rufus Wainwright or John Legend, especially, 00:16:12.220 --> 00:16:15.120 you know, the first couple of albums. The list 00:16:15.120 --> 00:16:17.139 goes on. Regina Spector, I think, is somebody 00:16:17.139 --> 00:16:20.460 who really creatively deploys the piano in a 00:16:20.460 --> 00:16:22.799 way that you haven't really heard before. Ben 00:16:22.799 --> 00:16:25.639 Folds. So there's there's been a lot of artists 00:16:25.639 --> 00:16:29.700 that have done it their own way however with 00:16:29.700 --> 00:16:33.120 the immense like as much amount of respect as 00:16:33.120 --> 00:16:36.240 possible to everyone I just mentioned it's the 00:16:36.240 --> 00:16:39.440 hardest it's the hardest nut to crack in this 00:16:39.440 --> 00:16:42.320 industry is the singer -songwriter at the very 00:16:42.320 --> 00:16:45.399 very top and so you know for Billy Joel to have 00:16:45.399 --> 00:16:48.960 done that as often as he did it a lot of it involved 00:16:48.960 --> 00:16:51.899 taking risks A lot of it involved partnering 00:16:51.899 --> 00:16:54.740 with great producers like Phil Ramone. So where 00:16:54.740 --> 00:16:57.879 I can borrow from the playbook, I do. And I'm 00:16:57.879 --> 00:17:00.919 not shy about it. And you just mentioned playing 00:17:00.919 --> 00:17:03.539 with his original band. So I'm going to try to 00:17:03.539 --> 00:17:06.339 keep this the condensed version. But when I was 00:17:06.339 --> 00:17:10.140 living in the Hudson Valley, New York, my manager 00:17:10.140 --> 00:17:13.180 at the time, we had set up a showcase in the 00:17:13.180 --> 00:17:18.319 fall of 2016 in the city to spite my label. because 00:17:18.319 --> 00:17:22.799 we had just entered our like dispute era if you 00:17:22.799 --> 00:17:25.160 will and so we did it even though they warned 00:17:25.160 --> 00:17:27.319 us like don't do it and then they didn't really 00:17:27.319 --> 00:17:30.799 say or what but I was like well we already planned 00:17:30.799 --> 00:17:33.039 the showcase so you know we're going off with 00:17:33.039 --> 00:17:37.279 it and she was able to hire Richie Kanata who 00:17:37.279 --> 00:17:39.660 is the great saxophone player from all those 00:17:39.660 --> 00:17:42.720 early Billy Joel records He's the soloist from 00:17:42.720 --> 00:17:44.619 New York State of Mind, scenes from an Italian 00:17:44.619 --> 00:17:47.000 restaurant, it's still rock and roll to me, only 00:17:47.000 --> 00:17:49.920 the good dayong, big shot, moving out. All those 00:17:49.920 --> 00:17:51.819 horns that you hear that laid the groundwork 00:17:51.819 --> 00:17:53.599 for the Billy Joel sound that we know today, 00:17:53.640 --> 00:17:56.200 that's Richie Cannata. So he led a horn section 00:17:56.200 --> 00:17:58.220 on this showcase and we immediately clicked. 00:17:59.160 --> 00:18:04.160 And he then looked after me as a mentor, somebody 00:18:04.160 --> 00:18:07.240 that called me on a regular basis because in 00:18:07.240 --> 00:18:09.619 his words, you know, we need young people that 00:18:09.619 --> 00:18:12.079 are really playing music and leading bands and 00:18:12.079 --> 00:18:14.519 trying to do this the right way. And he never 00:18:14.519 --> 00:18:17.440 like lost touch with me. A couple years later, 00:18:17.859 --> 00:18:20.319 he and I were both at Bernie Williams' birthday 00:18:20.319 --> 00:18:23.779 party. Bernie's a former New York Yankee, great, 00:18:23.779 --> 00:18:26.740 and now a very impressive guitar player. I've 00:18:26.740 --> 00:18:29.980 had the fortune of being his music director and 00:18:29.980 --> 00:18:32.740 band member for also like the last six years. 00:18:33.279 --> 00:18:35.539 So he was a mutual friend. It was all kind of 00:18:35.539 --> 00:18:38.559 connected in the same scene, right? And That 00:18:38.559 --> 00:18:41.180 night at Bernie's birthday party, he set up a 00:18:41.180 --> 00:18:43.579 jam session where Richie and I got to play together 00:18:43.579 --> 00:18:45.640 for a couple of hours. And that's when he said, 00:18:45.640 --> 00:18:48.440 you know, I want to invite you to audition for 00:18:48.440 --> 00:18:50.680 my band. Our lead singer's starting to branch 00:18:50.680 --> 00:18:53.859 out, do his own thing so the spot may be open. 00:18:54.640 --> 00:18:57.759 And I auditioned. And at the time, you know, 00:18:57.920 --> 00:19:00.859 between the record dispute, my living situation 00:19:00.859 --> 00:19:03.619 was very odd. I was all over the place. I had 00:19:03.619 --> 00:19:06.380 a lot of baggage that was not easy to circumvent. 00:19:06.829 --> 00:19:08.809 And Richie did it anyway, and he fought for me 00:19:08.809 --> 00:19:11.410 to have this gig. And so now I've been their 00:19:11.410 --> 00:19:13.230 lead singer for the past five and a half years. 00:19:13.289 --> 00:19:16.490 The trio for your audience is Richie Cannata, 00:19:16.670 --> 00:19:18.450 Liberty DeVito, who was Billy Joel's drummer 00:19:18.450 --> 00:19:20.589 from the beginning all the way up to the River 00:19:20.589 --> 00:19:23.609 of Dreams record, and Russell Javers, who did 00:19:23.609 --> 00:19:25.769 about a 10 -year stint with him on the road and 00:19:25.769 --> 00:19:28.490 on all the records as well playing guitar. And 00:19:28.490 --> 00:19:31.829 so the cosmic sort of strange part of all of 00:19:31.829 --> 00:19:36.359 this is that rather than The goal being I got 00:19:36.359 --> 00:19:40.160 to be on a stage with Billy Joel or you know 00:19:40.160 --> 00:19:43.539 opening like Because I was trying to fight my 00:19:43.539 --> 00:19:45.720 way out of a deal and these guys were sort of 00:19:45.720 --> 00:19:49.079 fighting for people to recognize Their reputation 00:19:49.079 --> 00:19:52.799 and what they meant to the Billy Joel sound It's 00:19:52.799 --> 00:19:55.920 not really an aggressive fight, but it's like 00:19:55.920 --> 00:19:57.559 you mentioned a chip on their shoulder They have 00:19:57.559 --> 00:19:59.779 one too, and we brought that out of each other. 00:19:59.779 --> 00:20:02.279 You know I'm angling to be the next channel man, 00:20:02.279 --> 00:20:05.650 and these guys backed him up and made the sound 00:20:05.650 --> 00:20:08.450 what it is, along with Phil Ramone. That's the 00:20:08.450 --> 00:20:10.470 Billy Joel sound that took him to a completely 00:20:10.470 --> 00:20:13.509 different stratosphere and thus that band. And 00:20:13.509 --> 00:20:16.490 so to sit in with those guys and feel that sensation 00:20:16.490 --> 00:20:18.869 and play that book and see what it does to people, 00:20:19.390 --> 00:20:22.930 I think was sort of the last dragon that I needed 00:20:22.930 --> 00:20:26.849 to slay so that when you and I have a conversation 00:20:26.849 --> 00:20:28.769 like this and I tell you I'm going to be the 00:20:28.769 --> 00:20:32.509 next piano man, I can back it up. Oh my gosh. 00:20:33.079 --> 00:20:35.880 I'm just like ready to jump out of my chair right 00:20:35.880 --> 00:20:38.880 now Dan. I love this stuff People might hear 00:20:38.880 --> 00:20:42.240 that as bravado. I'm okay with that if you think 00:20:42.240 --> 00:20:45.960 about the the moniker Because there's only one 00:20:45.960 --> 00:20:49.539 that the piano man Billy Joel if you take piano 00:20:49.539 --> 00:20:52.859 out of that It's the man and I think people maybe 00:20:52.859 --> 00:20:54.779 in this day and age are just afraid to say I 00:20:54.779 --> 00:20:57.240 want to be the guy I want to be the man. I want 00:20:57.240 --> 00:21:00.220 to go out there and crush it and everything I'm 00:21:00.220 --> 00:21:03.019 hearing from you is just losing that ambition. 00:21:04.099 --> 00:21:06.839 But Dan, I wanted to, oh gosh, I forgot to mention, 00:21:07.339 --> 00:21:09.579 if you talk to Richie, and I don't know if he 00:21:09.579 --> 00:21:13.119 probably remembers this guy, but I had Dan King 00:21:13.119 --> 00:21:16.900 from Gloucester, Massachusetts. He collaborated 00:21:16.900 --> 00:21:20.460 with David Brown that was on maybe one record 00:21:20.460 --> 00:21:24.180 there with that trio. He was on Glass Houses 00:21:24.180 --> 00:21:27.319 through Stormfront. Yes, he's on a number of 00:21:27.319 --> 00:21:29.839 things. And we just lost David Brown a little 00:21:29.839 --> 00:21:32.720 while ago. But that's really neat. I will mention 00:21:32.720 --> 00:21:35.440 Dan King to Richie the next time we chat. Probably 00:21:35.440 --> 00:21:39.799 the next day or two. We talk a lot. But I wanted 00:21:39.799 --> 00:21:43.059 to also focus on these songs a little bit and 00:21:43.059 --> 00:21:45.619 the ones that really stood out to me. Joshua 00:21:45.619 --> 00:21:48.559 Baca, if I'm pronouncing that right. I listened 00:21:48.559 --> 00:21:50.480 to that episode or watched some of that episode 00:21:50.480 --> 00:21:54.500 on the Resilient Insights podcast where you talked 00:21:54.500 --> 00:21:56.700 about Out of the Blue being a real standout for 00:21:56.700 --> 00:21:59.220 you. I was telling you the other day when we 00:21:59.220 --> 00:22:01.630 were emailing about need to hear you say it, 00:22:01.670 --> 00:22:04.930 I think that's still my favorite. Great overriding 00:22:04.930 --> 00:22:09.289 theme on this album, Dan, is it's kind of a narrative, 00:22:09.289 --> 00:22:14.269 maybe tapping into the past, coming back to the 00:22:14.269 --> 00:22:17.869 present, getting people to remember those memories, 00:22:18.410 --> 00:22:21.589 the second song, First Love, or First Loves. 00:22:22.829 --> 00:22:26.210 I like some of the audience engagement, percussion 00:22:26.210 --> 00:22:30.519 and clapping and... Especially with first loves. 00:22:30.539 --> 00:22:32.819 I wrote in my notes here. It gets you on your 00:22:32.819 --> 00:22:36.279 feet immediately Great flow to this album. I 00:22:36.279 --> 00:22:40.960 like in Present day. I like an LP versus a string 00:22:40.960 --> 00:22:43.859 of singles for two years before we get the album 00:22:43.859 --> 00:22:46.539 patched together I know that's kind of how things 00:22:46.539 --> 00:22:49.519 are. It's just little snack -sized bites for 00:22:49.519 --> 00:22:52.980 for the masses Not against that the same way. 00:22:52.980 --> 00:22:55.400 I'm the same way Dan I think a body of work is 00:22:55.400 --> 00:22:57.500 really important and I really appreciate the 00:22:57.500 --> 00:22:59.880 kind words And I know, yes, you mentioned Need 00:22:59.880 --> 00:23:02.640 You Here You Say. It was one that you really 00:23:02.640 --> 00:23:06.220 liked and favored. And so that would be an example 00:23:06.220 --> 00:23:09.319 of a song that I wrote while I was in Florida 00:23:09.319 --> 00:23:12.019 under the pretenses of that deal that didn't 00:23:12.019 --> 00:23:14.579 really go south. But again, there were a lot 00:23:14.579 --> 00:23:17.180 of things that went right. They just never really 00:23:17.180 --> 00:23:19.539 made it to market. My collaborator on that is 00:23:19.539 --> 00:23:22.680 Jason Pennock. He's a great writer. He was mostly 00:23:22.680 --> 00:23:26.660 an LA guy. And then he and I linked up in Florida, 00:23:26.759 --> 00:23:30.640 in St. Pete. So we wrote a number of songs that 00:23:30.640 --> 00:23:33.460 are gonna come out Over the next couple of cycles 00:23:33.460 --> 00:23:36.579 or so and I tend to partner and gravitate with 00:23:36.579 --> 00:23:40.079 great lyricists But I usually end up bringing 00:23:40.079 --> 00:23:45.059 the core message First and then a lyricist kind 00:23:45.059 --> 00:23:47.799 of helps me figure it out in a way where the 00:23:47.799 --> 00:23:51.299 prose is As strong as the melody and arrangement 00:23:51.299 --> 00:23:53.940 that I'm bringing to the table. I think a lot 00:23:53.940 --> 00:23:58.299 of times at least in my experience anyway There's 00:23:58.299 --> 00:24:03.319 so much training and time that you have to put 00:24:03.319 --> 00:24:06.500 into getting your instrument ready. And I'm a 00:24:06.500 --> 00:24:09.279 chord guy. That's really what I love about writing 00:24:09.279 --> 00:24:13.299 the most. I love finding chords and melodies 00:24:13.299 --> 00:24:18.279 and harmonic rhythm that speaks to people. I 00:24:18.279 --> 00:24:22.400 love kind of studying and utilizing performances 00:24:22.400 --> 00:24:26.640 and settings of the movement of chords and whether 00:24:26.640 --> 00:24:29.539 they're minor or major, when they happen upon 00:24:29.539 --> 00:24:31.980 next to each other and the different vibes that 00:24:31.980 --> 00:24:36.700 that creates without the words really being prominent 00:24:36.700 --> 00:24:39.700 yet. So like an example I would use is like a 00:24:39.700 --> 00:24:43.000 need to hear you say it. I think the harmonic 00:24:43.000 --> 00:24:46.420 rhythm is pretty slow upfront because you know 00:24:46.420 --> 00:24:48.440 I wanted to kind of lay the groundwork and tell 00:24:48.440 --> 00:24:50.500 the story and so that's when the lyricist comes 00:24:50.500 --> 00:24:53.619 in with a lot of different details and you know 00:24:53.619 --> 00:24:55.579 we work them out together and then the harmonic 00:24:55.579 --> 00:24:59.480 rhythm progresses the chords happen faster as 00:24:59.480 --> 00:25:01.680 the chorus starts to pick up on a lot of tension 00:25:01.680 --> 00:25:05.680 and the bridge comes through so in that particular 00:25:05.680 --> 00:25:09.000 one I'm proud of the fact that everything kind 00:25:09.000 --> 00:25:12.500 of works together you know one the the chords 00:25:12.500 --> 00:25:15.079 and the rhythms and and the drum machines and 00:25:15.079 --> 00:25:19.400 and the eventual breadth of the track give way 00:25:19.400 --> 00:25:21.759 to the release of a lot of tension where I'm 00:25:21.759 --> 00:25:24.759 really just trying to tell somebody that I have 00:25:24.759 --> 00:25:28.079 feelings for them and that I would love to hear 00:25:28.079 --> 00:25:32.319 them say it too. That we had been through enough 00:25:32.319 --> 00:25:34.839 together and we had really been vulnerable enough 00:25:34.839 --> 00:25:36.079 with each other that it was almost like, well, 00:25:36.079 --> 00:25:40.559 what are you waiting for? But everybody comes 00:25:40.559 --> 00:25:43.940 to that stage in a relationship where you're 00:25:43.940 --> 00:25:45.319 either going to take the next step or you're 00:25:45.319 --> 00:25:47.470 going to step down. It doesn't always necessarily 00:25:47.470 --> 00:25:51.089 mean a ring or marriage or a house or a kid or 00:25:51.089 --> 00:25:54.029 anything like that. It's just that crossing into 00:25:54.029 --> 00:25:57.470 that serious plane. And so you look back on that 00:25:57.470 --> 00:26:01.009 song and that memory and that time in my life, 00:26:01.210 --> 00:26:04.390 it's fascinating. And also, like I told you, 00:26:04.490 --> 00:26:07.089 it just it feels good that it's out and we can 00:26:07.089 --> 00:26:09.589 talk about it. We can share it. That was one 00:26:09.589 --> 00:26:13.630 in particular that had really no pathway to market. 00:26:15.150 --> 00:26:18.990 it was a struggle so you know that that one I 00:26:18.990 --> 00:26:21.269 look favorably on too only because I go wow you 00:26:21.269 --> 00:26:23.390 know it really made it first love same thing 00:26:23.390 --> 00:26:26.890 same collaborator on both of those songs Dan 00:26:26.890 --> 00:26:32.230 I love uh also and need to hear you say it the 00:26:32.230 --> 00:26:35.410 drums there's I think there's a a kick drum that 00:26:35.410 --> 00:26:36.970 starts to appear but not in the very beginning 00:26:36.970 --> 00:26:40.029 and it's about a minute and a half before uh 00:26:40.029 --> 00:26:42.410 the full drums come into play and I'm a sucker 00:26:42.410 --> 00:26:45.819 for that kind of stuff right Right. Yeah, that 00:26:45.819 --> 00:26:49.579 was Ben's call. He did a great job with what 00:26:49.579 --> 00:26:53.980 he calls scene changes. So he's very particular 00:26:53.980 --> 00:26:57.859 about keeping the listener engaged and knowing 00:26:57.859 --> 00:27:02.859 that the song needs to grow and experience, like 00:27:02.859 --> 00:27:04.819 he said, scene changes and different movements 00:27:04.819 --> 00:27:08.380 and layers of listening so that you can continue 00:27:08.380 --> 00:27:11.819 to pique the interest while also not taking away 00:27:11.819 --> 00:27:15.279 from the emotional connectivity, which he really 00:27:15.279 --> 00:27:17.039 preached was the most important part of getting 00:27:17.039 --> 00:27:20.640 this record done, which was tapping into the 00:27:20.640 --> 00:27:22.980 emotional center and figuring out, you know, 00:27:23.039 --> 00:27:25.180 what it took to help people connect with the 00:27:25.180 --> 00:27:28.740 song. And, you know, in his mind, and I agree 00:27:28.740 --> 00:27:31.799 and share this philosophy as well, that's priorities 00:27:31.799 --> 00:27:34.980 one through 10, and then 11 through 100 or everything 00:27:34.980 --> 00:27:39.630 from like, who likes the first mix? To you know, 00:27:39.789 --> 00:27:41.990 what order does the album go in? But the first 00:27:41.990 --> 00:27:45.029 ten priorities are the emotional connection to 00:27:45.029 --> 00:27:48.769 the song and the performance of the song First 00:27:48.769 --> 00:27:51.490 loves I had a comment there. I like this or no, 00:27:51.490 --> 00:27:54.529 I'm sorry. Tell me what you're thinking I wrote 00:27:54.529 --> 00:27:56.690 my notes here is real real playful. That's the 00:27:56.690 --> 00:28:00.930 word I wrote down and I love Tell me where your 00:28:00.930 --> 00:28:05.349 mind goes. Oh That technique if you call it that 00:28:05.349 --> 00:28:08.380 it's probably a better way to say it Uh -huh, 00:28:08.559 --> 00:28:10.460 but this record. Yeah, I was I drive around and 00:28:10.460 --> 00:28:12.859 listen to music that's mostly how I do and it's 00:28:12.859 --> 00:28:16.099 usually when we're driving or maybe people are 00:28:16.099 --> 00:28:19.019 going for a run it's when your mind opens up 00:28:19.019 --> 00:28:22.299 and Some of this stuff is for the here and now 00:28:22.299 --> 00:28:24.480 and some of it for me I'm a little bit older 00:28:24.480 --> 00:28:26.859 it takes me back to those relationships that 00:28:26.859 --> 00:28:29.960 were stuck between love and lust And I'm like, 00:28:29.960 --> 00:28:32.400 oh, yeah, I remember that one You don't want 00:28:32.400 --> 00:28:34.400 to go back there, but it's it's you do get to 00:28:34.400 --> 00:28:37.000 a point in life where it's It's fun to reflect 00:28:37.000 --> 00:28:41.299 back Absolutely, and it's important especially 00:28:41.299 --> 00:28:44.980 for artists And right before the the next to 00:28:44.980 --> 00:28:47.680 last song is just you and piano Why do I run 00:28:47.680 --> 00:28:51.059 is that one of the Florida songs or is that a 00:28:51.059 --> 00:28:53.740 past couple years? I? appreciate the question 00:28:53.740 --> 00:28:57.680 that that's more the past couple years and The 00:28:57.680 --> 00:29:01.660 inspiration for it Was I was kind of going for 00:29:01.660 --> 00:29:04.880 a blend of Bob Dylan and Gabe Dixon who's another 00:29:04.880 --> 00:29:07.500 great? Artist that I don't think people talk 00:29:07.500 --> 00:29:11.460 about enough wonderful piano player and vocalist 00:29:11.460 --> 00:29:15.500 really just sizzles on record and on stage he's 00:29:15.500 --> 00:29:20.240 phenomenal and so he I think has really come 00:29:20.240 --> 00:29:24.380 up with a lot of ways to Travis pick on a piano, 00:29:24.380 --> 00:29:26.759 you know where like you would hear a guitarist 00:29:26.759 --> 00:29:29.220 oscillate amongst the strings and create a wall 00:29:29.220 --> 00:29:33.480 of sound uh -huh Gabe Dixon in my mind really 00:29:34.319 --> 00:29:36.880 He came up with a lot of really neat ways to 00:29:36.880 --> 00:29:40.240 do that on our instrument. And so that was the 00:29:40.240 --> 00:29:42.380 musical template and the groundwork I was going 00:29:42.380 --> 00:29:45.440 for. But that was one I wrote by myself and I 00:29:45.440 --> 00:29:47.539 just kind of treated it like a journal entry 00:29:47.539 --> 00:29:50.160 or, you know, maybe if you were like sitting 00:29:50.160 --> 00:29:53.339 with a therapist and trying to figure out why 00:29:53.339 --> 00:29:56.180 so many well -meaning situations in my life had 00:29:56.180 --> 00:29:58.839 just completely fallen apart, you know, where 00:29:58.839 --> 00:30:01.700 they built on a house of cards. Did I not see 00:30:01.700 --> 00:30:05.779 around corners that I should have seen? And I 00:30:05.779 --> 00:30:08.640 was having a conversation with my mother and 00:30:08.640 --> 00:30:12.660 she's a real yogi, loves to meditate, loves to 00:30:12.660 --> 00:30:16.000 reflect in a beautiful way. And she mentioned 00:30:16.000 --> 00:30:19.579 something about pattern interrupting. When you 00:30:19.579 --> 00:30:22.059 get to a point in your life where you can take 00:30:22.059 --> 00:30:25.420 a couple of steps back and do a 360 view and 00:30:25.420 --> 00:30:28.779 go, what is it that I keep doing that limits 00:30:28.779 --> 00:30:32.940 the life that I want to live. You know, what 00:30:32.940 --> 00:30:36.539 is it that maybe I keep perpetuating? And I guess 00:30:36.539 --> 00:30:39.940 from my standpoint, I don't know how fair I was 00:30:39.940 --> 00:30:41.819 being, but I just allowed myself to have a moment 00:30:41.819 --> 00:30:44.259 of like, well, then why do I run? You know, where 00:30:44.259 --> 00:30:46.039 there are situations where I could have fought 00:30:46.039 --> 00:30:50.539 harder or wrangled things differently. But then, 00:30:50.619 --> 00:30:53.779 you know, Dan, that's not life either. So, you 00:30:53.779 --> 00:30:55.660 know, you only know what you know at the time. 00:30:55.700 --> 00:30:57.859 You don't have the benefit of hindsight. You 00:30:57.859 --> 00:31:00.819 can't... go through a wormhole and be 36 when 00:31:00.819 --> 00:31:04.299 you're 26 or 26 when you're 16. You just have 00:31:04.299 --> 00:31:07.319 to grow up and take all of this as it comes. 00:31:07.640 --> 00:31:11.779 And so that song is really just an open kind 00:31:11.779 --> 00:31:19.299 of window into my sadness, but also my relief 00:31:19.299 --> 00:31:23.940 and the peace that I'm trying to make with how 00:31:23.940 --> 00:31:26.460 my life has transpired in ways that which could 00:31:26.460 --> 00:31:29.200 have been different. or ways in which did I, 00:31:29.299 --> 00:31:32.019 should I have stayed in thought or should I have 00:31:32.019 --> 00:31:36.539 fled. And at least with that song, you know, 00:31:36.539 --> 00:31:38.319 I make a piece with it. So that's also, it was 00:31:38.319 --> 00:31:41.299 a very deliberate choice for it to be solo and 00:31:41.299 --> 00:31:43.099 for Ben to kind of surround it with some different 00:31:43.099 --> 00:31:45.920 textures. And then lyrically, I just wanted the 00:31:45.920 --> 00:31:49.839 audience and my fans to understand what my takeaways 00:31:49.839 --> 00:31:53.859 were and be with me in a moment that was sorrowful, 00:31:53.859 --> 00:31:57.670 but also reflect and Maybe from this moment on, 00:31:57.950 --> 00:32:00.630 I'm not going to run anymore. I'm going to fight 00:32:00.630 --> 00:32:02.970 for the life that I want. I'm going to advocate 00:32:02.970 --> 00:32:06.430 for the life that I want and whatever, whoever 00:32:06.430 --> 00:32:09.430 is in my way, I'm going to either work through 00:32:09.430 --> 00:32:12.170 them or around them. And whoever is by my side, 00:32:12.210 --> 00:32:14.930 I'm taking them with me. Terrific stuff, Dan. 00:32:14.990 --> 00:32:17.690 I love every bit of that. Wanted to throw this 00:32:17.690 --> 00:32:21.150 out here to Joshua Baca said it best on his podcast. 00:32:21.490 --> 00:32:24.670 People asking him, who is this Dan Orlando guy? 00:32:25.390 --> 00:32:28.750 Why is his album so good? I mean, I was just 00:32:28.750 --> 00:32:32.730 stunned with how great it is and it's not globally 00:32:32.730 --> 00:32:36.829 just smashing Through the boundaries or whatever, 00:32:36.849 --> 00:32:41.849 but it's Just put you in a good place Wow, well, 00:32:41.849 --> 00:32:44.210 I know we're running short on time, but a couple 00:32:44.210 --> 00:32:46.930 other quotes I wrote down here from you. I would 00:32:46.930 --> 00:32:51.289 be useless doing anything else. I Love that one 00:32:51.289 --> 00:32:55.410 I'm so glad you're not doing anything else and 00:32:55.410 --> 00:32:59.329 always thinking about music. I think you've also 00:32:59.329 --> 00:33:01.650 described yourself as, hey, look, the music, 00:33:02.069 --> 00:33:04.390 I can't get away from it. I'm always thinking 00:33:04.390 --> 00:33:08.250 about melodies and hooks and try as I might, 00:33:08.670 --> 00:33:16.450 this is me, so. Always, yes. Music was an easier 00:33:16.450 --> 00:33:18.269 mode of expression for me as a child than it 00:33:18.269 --> 00:33:22.430 was to speak. So, and I didn't discover I had 00:33:22.430 --> 00:33:25.680 perfect pitch until about like I was 10 or 11, 00:33:26.279 --> 00:33:29.599 but I started memorizing keys of songs and then 00:33:29.599 --> 00:33:33.079 correlating them to keys on the piano and keys 00:33:33.079 --> 00:33:37.200 as a whole. And then, you know, fast forward, 00:33:37.980 --> 00:33:41.420 sometimes I can't shut up. I'm quiet at first, 00:33:41.420 --> 00:33:43.940 but then you get me going. It's, you know, someone 00:33:43.940 --> 00:33:46.299 has to walk out with the cane or the wrap it 00:33:46.299 --> 00:33:50.039 up box from Chappelle show, you know. And, um, 00:33:50.059 --> 00:33:52.180 well, at dance time, you can always get going 00:33:52.180 --> 00:33:57.559 on here. Exactly exactly right exactly right, 00:33:57.880 --> 00:34:00.660 but no it's it's been a pleasure to revisit some 00:34:00.660 --> 00:34:02.859 of these memories to talk about this album with 00:34:02.859 --> 00:34:07.039 you and Again, you know congratulations on your 00:34:07.039 --> 00:34:09.699 hundredth episode And I'm really honored that 00:34:09.699 --> 00:34:13.719 I was the guest to mark this milestone. I do 00:34:13.719 --> 00:34:19.840 have to run so that I can go get paid Yes But 00:34:19.840 --> 00:34:22.460 really Dan, thank you for having me on and you're 00:34:22.460 --> 00:34:24.739 thoughtful and considerate questions and the 00:34:24.739 --> 00:34:26.420 time that you spent with the project It really 00:34:26.420 --> 00:34:30.000 shows and I hope we can talk again soon Absolutely, 00:34:30.159 --> 00:34:32.300 Dan. Well everybody anything I didn't mention 00:34:32.300 --> 00:34:34.860 bio wise you'll see it in the show notes go to 00:34:34.860 --> 00:34:38.320 Dan Orlando jr. Dot com Dan if they want to follow 00:34:38.320 --> 00:34:41.840 you on social media Yes at Dan Orlando jr. On 00:34:41.840 --> 00:34:44.179 social media. That's me. Okay, and if you're 00:34:44.179 --> 00:34:46.400 in the greater Philadelphia area this summer 00:34:46.400 --> 00:34:49.070 this fall Go check him out. You can see that 00:34:49.070 --> 00:34:51.550 his performance schedule on the website and before 00:34:51.550 --> 00:34:54.989 we leave Dan Congratulations, I did see You've 00:34:54.989 --> 00:34:58.409 got a baby girl coming in September Thank you 00:34:58.409 --> 00:35:02.949 so much. Yes, we sure do my wife and I are thrilled 00:35:02.949 --> 00:35:07.010 and Mom and baby are healthy and on the path. 00:35:07.110 --> 00:35:10.010 So that's all we want I pray every day for that 00:35:10.010 --> 00:35:12.250 and thank you for your well wishes in that regard 00:35:12.250 --> 00:35:15.570 I appreciate it wonderful stuff Great talking 00:35:15.570 --> 00:35:18.210 to you today. Let's reconnect in the future when 00:35:18.210 --> 00:35:19.510 you have some more material or something else 00:35:19.510 --> 00:35:22.449 to promote. I'd love to have you back on. I would 00:35:22.449 --> 00:35:24.969 love that, Dan. Thank you so much. All right. 00:35:25.010 --> 00:35:28.369 Well, that's it for episode number 100 of the 00:35:28.369 --> 00:35:31.969 Dan Time podcast, Dan Orlando. Check him out. 00:35:32.250 --> 00:35:34.889 The album is called Heritage Trail and you can 00:35:34.889 --> 00:35:37.349 find it wherever you discover new music.