WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.359 Welcome back to the Deep Dive. Today, we're doing 00:00:03.359 --> 00:00:04.860 something a little different. We're not chasing 00:00:04.860 --> 00:00:07.459 the latest viral flash in the pan, you know, 00:00:07.459 --> 00:00:09.939 or breaking down how the biggest stadium acts 00:00:09.939 --> 00:00:12.400 run their empires. No, today it's really about 00:00:12.400 --> 00:00:14.300 the long haul, the architecture, if you will, 00:00:14.400 --> 00:00:17.620 of just sticking around, making a life in music. 00:00:17.760 --> 00:00:21.640 Exactly. We're diving deep into how a band survives. 00:00:22.379 --> 00:00:24.280 how they play the long game in rock and roll. 00:00:24.559 --> 00:00:26.739 Specifically, we're looking at the incredible 00:00:26.739 --> 00:00:29.980 persistence of the figs. Yeah, it's a fascinating 00:00:29.980 --> 00:00:32.509 case study, really. It touches on like... professional 00:00:32.509 --> 00:00:34.890 flexibility, knowing who to work with, and maybe 00:00:34.890 --> 00:00:36.909 most importantly, knowing when to just take control 00:00:36.909 --> 00:00:39.549 yourself. So our mission today, especially for 00:00:39.549 --> 00:00:42.170 you, the learner, is to figure out how this American 00:00:42.170 --> 00:00:46.670 rock band started way back in 87. 1987. Right. 00:00:46.770 --> 00:00:48.250 How they don't just, you know, exist for almost 00:00:48.250 --> 00:00:50.950 40 years, but actually stay creative, stay relevant 00:00:50.950 --> 00:00:53.369 without necessarily being on pop radio every 00:00:53.369 --> 00:00:55.909 single day outside that constant mainstream glare. 00:00:56.270 --> 00:00:59.579 It's really something. And we've got, well. A 00:00:59.579 --> 00:01:02.100 mountain of source material here. Discographies, 00:01:02.179 --> 00:01:05.159 timelines. There's a sheer amount of stuff they've 00:01:05.159 --> 00:01:07.340 put out. It's kind of staggering when you lay 00:01:07.340 --> 00:01:09.519 it all out. It really is. We're talking the figs 00:01:09.519 --> 00:01:12.260 from Saratoga Springs, New York. Active, like 00:01:12.260 --> 00:01:16.180 you said, since 1987. That's 37 years as of right 00:01:16.180 --> 00:01:18.620 now. Think about that timeline. It stretches 00:01:18.620 --> 00:01:21.439 from, what, the Reagan years, end of the Cold 00:01:21.439 --> 00:01:24.859 War, all the way through grunge, the internet 00:01:24.859 --> 00:01:28.540 boom, Napster, streaming. right up to now and 00:01:28.540 --> 00:01:30.480 the output just doesn't stop we're looking at 00:01:30.480 --> 00:01:34.219 13 studio albums officially but then they're 00:01:34.219 --> 00:01:37.739 all the eps the singles the collaborations It's 00:01:37.739 --> 00:01:39.760 a huge body of work. And their sound. It sits 00:01:39.760 --> 00:01:41.540 in that really cool intersection. You know, it's 00:01:41.540 --> 00:01:44.219 got that raw garage rock thing happening. But 00:01:44.219 --> 00:01:46.480 also these really smart, kind of sophisticated 00:01:46.480 --> 00:01:48.959 pop hooks. Definitely. Garage rock meets pop 00:01:48.959 --> 00:01:50.780 rock is a good way to put it. Okay, first fun 00:01:50.780 --> 00:01:53.000 fact. A little nugget to start us off. They weren't 00:01:53.000 --> 00:01:55.180 always the Figs. Ah, right. The original name. 00:01:55.340 --> 00:01:58.140 They started out as the Sonic Undertones. The 00:01:58.140 --> 00:02:00.700 Sonic Undertones. It sounds very, like, late 00:02:00.700 --> 00:02:03.260 80s, doesn't it? Maybe a bit punkier? Yeah, totally. 00:02:03.689 --> 00:02:05.909 They changed the name, obviously. But that core 00:02:05.909 --> 00:02:08.189 energy, that engine, seems like it was there 00:02:08.189 --> 00:02:10.490 from the start. And here's something that I think 00:02:10.490 --> 00:02:13.169 is immediately crucial to understanding how they 00:02:13.169 --> 00:02:16.210 lasted this long. It's this kind of dual track 00:02:16.210 --> 00:02:18.689 career they built. Explain that. What do you 00:02:18.689 --> 00:02:20.870 mean by dual track? Well, on one hand, you've 00:02:20.870 --> 00:02:23.509 got their own records, the Figs albums, the EPs, 00:02:23.650 --> 00:02:26.490 consistently putting out music under their own 00:02:26.490 --> 00:02:29.689 name, feeding that dedicated fan base they built 00:02:29.689 --> 00:02:31.870 over years. Okay, standard band stuff. Right. 00:02:32.280 --> 00:02:34.500 But running alongside that, and this is key, 00:02:34.699 --> 00:02:37.419 they built this incredibly important long -term 00:02:37.419 --> 00:02:40.560 professional relationship. Since 1996, that's 00:02:40.560 --> 00:02:43.020 almost 30 years now, they've been the go -to 00:02:43.020 --> 00:02:46.419 backing band for the rock legend Graham Parker. 00:02:46.639 --> 00:02:48.599 Graham Parker. Wow. Okay, that's significant. 00:02:48.860 --> 00:02:51.219 Hugely significant. And they've also toured with 00:02:51.219 --> 00:02:53.680 Tommy Stinson from The Replacements. Okay, so 00:02:53.680 --> 00:02:55.500 right away, that paints a different picture. 00:02:55.639 --> 00:02:57.219 They're not just, you know, a band trying to 00:02:57.219 --> 00:02:59.159 make it on their own songs. They're also these 00:02:59.159 --> 00:03:01.680 highly respected working musicians that... that 00:03:01.680 --> 00:03:05.080 other established artists trust and rely on. 00:03:05.340 --> 00:03:07.340 Exactly. It's like the ultimate professional 00:03:07.340 --> 00:03:09.520 validation, isn't it? When someone like Graham 00:03:09.520 --> 00:03:12.240 Parker hires you, not just for a tour, but for 00:03:12.240 --> 00:03:15.719 decades, that speaks volumes about their skill, 00:03:15.900 --> 00:03:17.960 their reliability, their adaptability. Yeah, 00:03:18.020 --> 00:03:21.159 it frames them as like serious industry players, 00:03:21.240 --> 00:03:23.539 even if they aren't always headlining arenas 00:03:23.539 --> 00:03:25.719 themselves. Yeah. If you're taking notes on how 00:03:25.719 --> 00:03:28.039 to build a long career, maybe that's lesson one. 00:03:29.080 --> 00:03:31.319 diversify, have more than one way to be a musician. 00:03:31.479 --> 00:03:33.919 Absolutely. So what we're going to do today is 00:03:33.919 --> 00:03:36.319 trace that whole journey. We'll look at how they 00:03:36.319 --> 00:03:38.680 went from being high school buddies making DIY 00:03:38.680 --> 00:03:41.039 tapes in an attic. Literally in an attic. We'll 00:03:41.039 --> 00:03:43.560 get to that. Yeah. To having a moment with major 00:03:43.560 --> 00:03:46.319 labels, forging that vital connection with Graham 00:03:46.319 --> 00:03:49.120 Parker, and then ultimately taking the reins 00:03:49.120 --> 00:03:51.439 completely by self -releasing their massive back 00:03:51.439 --> 00:03:53.500 catalog on their own label. It's a real arc. 00:03:53.780 --> 00:03:56.120 Let's unpack this model of longevity piece by 00:03:56.120 --> 00:03:58.969 piece. Let's do it. Okay. Section one. The foundational 00:03:58.969 --> 00:04:03.110 years, we're talking 1987 to roughly 1993. The 00:04:03.110 --> 00:04:06.509 early days, the DIY spirit. Right back to the 00:04:06.509 --> 00:04:10.490 beginning. Saratoga Springs, 1987. And it's pretty 00:04:10.490 --> 00:04:12.889 much the classic garage band story, you know. 00:04:12.889 --> 00:04:15.650 It starts with friendship. Mike Dent on guitar, 00:04:15.949 --> 00:04:18.569 Pete Donnelly on bass, Guy Lyons on drums. And 00:04:18.569 --> 00:04:20.540 the key thing is... They all went to high school 00:04:20.540 --> 00:04:22.759 together. Yeah. And that shared history, that 00:04:22.759 --> 00:04:25.000 bond you forge when you're teenagers starting 00:04:25.000 --> 00:04:27.339 something together. I mean, sometimes that's 00:04:27.339 --> 00:04:29.920 the glue that holds a band together through everything 00:04:29.920 --> 00:04:33.319 else. Bad tours, label problems, whatever. If 00:04:33.319 --> 00:04:36.459 that core friendship is solid. It gives you something 00:04:36.459 --> 00:04:39.310 to fall back on. Yeah. But interestingly. The 00:04:39.310 --> 00:04:41.290 lineup wasn't totally stable right out of the 00:04:41.290 --> 00:04:43.410 gate. There were some early shifts. That's right. 00:04:43.689 --> 00:04:46.110 Guy Lyons, the original drummer, he actually 00:04:46.110 --> 00:04:48.949 left the band for a little while in 1989. Okay, 00:04:48.990 --> 00:04:51.829 so just two years in, who replaced him? P. Hayes 00:04:51.829 --> 00:04:54.569 came in on drums. Got it. P. Hayes. But here's 00:04:54.569 --> 00:04:56.629 where you see that adaptability thing start to 00:04:56.629 --> 00:04:58.889 emerge really early on. Because Lyons came back 00:04:58.889 --> 00:05:03.329 in 1992. Ah, okay. So, awkward situation. Did 00:05:03.329 --> 00:05:06.209 Hayes get pushed out? No, and that's what's cool. 00:05:06.269 --> 00:05:08.750 They didn't just revert back. Hayes stayed on 00:05:08.750 --> 00:05:11.410 drums. He was solid. And Guy Lyons, the returning 00:05:11.410 --> 00:05:13.790 original member, switched to lead guitar. Oh, 00:05:13.870 --> 00:05:16.660 interesting. So they became a four -piece. Exactly. 00:05:17.060 --> 00:05:20.000 They used his return to actually expand their 00:05:20.000 --> 00:05:22.860 sound, create this fuller two -guitar lineup. 00:05:22.959 --> 00:05:25.379 That four -piece structure, djent, donnelly, 00:05:25.379 --> 00:05:27.959 haze, and lions, that's what really defined their 00:05:27.959 --> 00:05:30.240 sound for the next several years, right up until 00:05:30.240 --> 00:05:33.019 97. That's smart. Instead of conflict, they found 00:05:33.019 --> 00:05:34.980 a way to integrate everyone. It's like evolution. 00:05:35.769 --> 00:05:38.509 Not replacement. Precisely. And this period, 00:05:38.610 --> 00:05:42.149 especially 92, 93, this is where that DIY do 00:05:42.149 --> 00:05:44.550 -it -yourself ethic really shines. Our source 00:05:44.550 --> 00:05:47.089 material calls their first records monuments 00:05:47.089 --> 00:05:49.870 to self -sufficiency. And they really were. We're 00:05:49.870 --> 00:05:51.730 talking cassette releases. Remember cassettes? 00:05:51.889 --> 00:05:53.970 Oh, yeah. The ultimate indie format back then. 00:05:54.069 --> 00:05:56.589 Cheap to make, easy to sell at shows. Their first 00:05:56.589 --> 00:05:58.769 full -length albums came out on cassette through 00:05:58.769 --> 00:06:02.000 the small indie label Absolute. A go. First one 00:06:02.000 --> 00:06:04.779 was Ginger in 1992. And the notes say it was 00:06:04.779 --> 00:06:07.259 recorded like throughout the year in different 00:06:07.259 --> 00:06:09.300 places in New Jersey. Which tells you everything, 00:06:09.420 --> 00:06:11.220 right? It's not like they booked two weeks in 00:06:11.220 --> 00:06:13.519 a fancy studio. It was probably more like grab 00:06:13.519 --> 00:06:15.740 a weekend here, use a friend's basement there. 00:06:17.040 --> 00:06:19.339 Gorilla recording, basically. Whatever it took 00:06:19.339 --> 00:06:23.100 to get the songs down. But the next one, 1993's 00:06:23.100 --> 00:06:26.439 Ready Steady Stoned. This one really captures 00:06:26.439 --> 00:06:29.480 that romantic, scrappy indie image. Where was 00:06:29.480 --> 00:06:32.100 it recorded? In the Donnelly's attic. Uh -huh. 00:06:32.399 --> 00:06:35.660 Amazing. A full album tracked in somebody's attic. 00:06:35.860 --> 00:06:37.819 I mean, if you've ever tried to even just record 00:06:37.819 --> 00:06:41.480 vocals in a regular room, let alone drums, doing 00:06:41.480 --> 00:06:44.639 a whole album in an untreated attic space, that 00:06:44.639 --> 00:06:46.980 takes serious dedication. Absolutely. It shows 00:06:46.980 --> 00:06:49.399 that drive. Lack of a big budget wasn't going 00:06:49.399 --> 00:06:50.959 to stop them. They were going to make the record, 00:06:51.079 --> 00:06:53.160 period. And you have to imagine that environment, 00:06:53.279 --> 00:06:56.160 that lo -fi reality. It probably set right into 00:06:56.160 --> 00:06:58.579 the sound, right? For sure. The description we 00:06:58.579 --> 00:07:01.240 have is that these early records were full of 00:07:01.240 --> 00:07:04.779 aggressive punk and shimmery pop tunes. That 00:07:04.779 --> 00:07:07.100 raw recording process probably meshed perfectly 00:07:07.100 --> 00:07:09.000 with that youthful energy. They weren't trying 00:07:09.000 --> 00:07:10.920 to sound slick. They were leaning into the garage 00:07:10.920 --> 00:07:14.220 vibe. So by 93, they've kind of established all 00:07:14.220 --> 00:07:16.860 the core pieces, haven't they? Stable, adaptable 00:07:16.860 --> 00:07:19.120 lineup. Check. A sound that mixed punk energy 00:07:19.120 --> 00:07:22.079 with pop hooks. Check. And two albums out made 00:07:22.079 --> 00:07:24.360 completely on their own terms through sheer force 00:07:24.360 --> 00:07:27.000 of will. Yeah. And that foundation is so important 00:07:27.000 --> 00:07:29.540 because when the bigger industry starts sniffing 00:07:29.540 --> 00:07:31.939 around, which happens next, they aren't just 00:07:31.939 --> 00:07:34.399 some new band waiting to be molded. They already 00:07:34.399 --> 00:07:36.180 know who they are. They know they can make records 00:07:36.180 --> 00:07:38.579 themselves. Right. That gives them leverage or 00:07:38.579 --> 00:07:41.019 at least a strong sense of identity when they 00:07:41.019 --> 00:07:43.819 step into the major label world. Exactly. It's 00:07:43.819 --> 00:07:46.060 a kind of armor, really. Okay. So that brings 00:07:46.060 --> 00:07:48.220 us to section two, the major label interlude. 00:07:48.339 --> 00:07:51.220 And crucially, the Graham Parker connection. 00:07:51.379 --> 00:07:55.490 This is... Roughly 1994 to 1998. Yeah, the mid 00:07:55.490 --> 00:07:58.490 -90s. And with that groundwork laid, that buzz 00:07:58.490 --> 00:08:00.769 they'd built themselves, it's kind of inevitable 00:08:00.769 --> 00:08:03.230 that bigger labels would notice time to step 00:08:03.230 --> 00:08:05.629 up. First stop was Imago Records. Right. They 00:08:05.629 --> 00:08:09.189 signed with Imago, and that led to the 1994 album 00:08:09.189 --> 00:08:13.689 Lo -Fi at Society High. Lo -Fi at Society High. 00:08:13.930 --> 00:08:16.319 Love that title. it's great isn't it it's like 00:08:16.319 --> 00:08:18.319 they're acknowledging their roots even as they're 00:08:18.319 --> 00:08:20.779 moving into a you know slightly higher society 00:08:20.779 --> 00:08:24.040 situation with a bigger label did it work did 00:08:24.040 --> 00:08:26.060 you get the more attention yeah the sources say 00:08:26.060 --> 00:08:28.579 it definitely generated wider recognition and 00:08:28.579 --> 00:08:31.040 deepening industry interests it was the next 00:08:31.040 --> 00:08:33.779 logical step the launch pad and that launch pad 00:08:33.779 --> 00:08:38.919 took them very briefly to capital records ah 00:08:38.919 --> 00:08:42.750 capital one of the big ones a legacy label As 00:08:42.750 --> 00:08:44.570 often happens in this business, right? Yeah. 00:08:44.649 --> 00:08:47.629 Their time there was short. Impactful, maybe, 00:08:47.730 --> 00:08:49.990 but short. Very short. And this is, I think, 00:08:49.990 --> 00:08:51.789 a really important lesson for you, the learner, 00:08:51.929 --> 00:08:54.309 about just how volatile the major label world 00:08:54.309 --> 00:08:57.330 can be. In 1996, they released Band of Macho. 00:08:57.330 --> 00:08:59.629 Band of Macho. Okay. And that turned out to be 00:08:59.629 --> 00:09:02.110 their only album for Capitol. Wow. One album 00:09:02.110 --> 00:09:04.720 and done. Pretty much. It's that classic major 00:09:04.720 --> 00:09:06.940 label story, right? If the first record doesn't 00:09:06.940 --> 00:09:09.360 immediately explode commercially, the label often 00:09:09.360 --> 00:09:12.179 just cuts bait, moves on to the next thing, the 00:09:12.179 --> 00:09:14.440 investment disappears. So you see that instability 00:09:14.440 --> 00:09:17.960 really clearly there. One album deal, boom, gone. 00:09:18.379 --> 00:09:21.620 High risk, high reward, I guess. Exactly. But... 00:09:21.980 --> 00:09:24.200 and this is a huge but, the silver lining of 00:09:24.200 --> 00:09:26.379 that whole Capitol experience turned out to be 00:09:26.379 --> 00:09:28.840 massive for their future. It was during that 00:09:28.840 --> 00:09:31.039 time that they connected with Graham Parker. 00:09:31.240 --> 00:09:33.340 The legend himself. How did that happen? Was 00:09:33.340 --> 00:09:35.240 he on Capitol too? Yeah, Parker was also signed 00:09:35.240 --> 00:09:38.039 to Capitol around then. And the source material, 00:09:38.220 --> 00:09:40.840 interestingly, calls him a forgotten man at the 00:09:40.840 --> 00:09:43.460 label at that time. Meaning, like... Capable 00:09:43.460 --> 00:09:45.419 wasn't really pushing his records. That's the 00:09:45.419 --> 00:09:48.259 implication. An established, respected artist, 00:09:48.500 --> 00:09:51.059 but maybe not the current priority for the corporate 00:09:51.059 --> 00:09:53.940 machine. And it seems like maybe that shared 00:09:53.940 --> 00:09:56.240 experience, both the Figs and Parker feeling 00:09:56.240 --> 00:09:59.120 a bit. underappreciated or misunderstood by the 00:09:59.120 --> 00:10:02.000 label is what drew them together they found kindred 00:10:02.000 --> 00:10:04.320 spirit that makes perfect sense this younger 00:10:04.320 --> 00:10:07.360 band full of talent maybe feeling chewed up by 00:10:07.360 --> 00:10:09.659 the system connects with this veteran artist 00:10:09.659 --> 00:10:12.000 who's maybe feeling a bit sidelined himself yeah 00:10:12.000 --> 00:10:15.159 and Parker recognizing their talent their energy 00:10:15.159 --> 00:10:18.500 their musicianship it just clicked it formed 00:10:18.500 --> 00:10:20.899 this artistic bond that as we've said turned 00:10:20.899 --> 00:10:24.289 out to be way more valuable and way more lasting 00:10:24.289 --> 00:10:27.210 than that capital contract ever was. So this 00:10:27.210 --> 00:10:29.250 collaboration with Parker, you'd say this is 00:10:29.250 --> 00:10:32.649 probably the single most important external factor 00:10:32.649 --> 00:10:35.889 in their whole longevity story. Arguably, yes. 00:10:36.070 --> 00:10:38.389 Outside of their own songwriting and drive, absolutely. 00:10:38.809 --> 00:10:41.549 And we see the proof pretty quickly. The first 00:10:41.549 --> 00:10:44.070 official documentation of them working together 00:10:44.070 --> 00:10:46.710 is from 1997 on that Bloodshot Records release, 00:10:46.970 --> 00:10:49.450 the last rock and roll tour. The last rock and 00:10:49.450 --> 00:10:51.509 roll tour. OK. And just think about that contrast 00:10:51.509 --> 00:10:54.690 again for you listening. One album on Capitol 00:10:54.690 --> 00:10:57.750 then dropped versus this artistic partnership 00:10:57.750 --> 00:11:00.750 with Parker starting around the same time, 96, 00:11:01.049 --> 00:11:03.190 which is still going strong in various forms 00:11:03.190 --> 00:11:05.980 decades later. it's night and day isn't it stability 00:11:05.980 --> 00:11:08.740 versus volatility and what did that parker gig 00:11:08.740 --> 00:11:10.820 give them practically speaking well it became 00:11:10.820 --> 00:11:13.220 a crucial safety net they weren't just a backing 00:11:13.220 --> 00:11:15.820 band they became his backing band his trusted 00:11:15.820 --> 00:11:18.799 unit that means steady touring work a reliable 00:11:18.799 --> 00:11:21.440 paycheck exposure to parker's dedicated audience 00:11:21.440 --> 00:11:24.200 all completely separate from whether their own 00:11:24.200 --> 00:11:26.220 latest album was a hit or not it's a parallel 00:11:26.220 --> 00:11:28.559 career almost yeah artist track and high -level 00:11:28.559 --> 00:11:31.039 sideman track exactly a really smart diversification 00:11:31.039 --> 00:11:35.659 now back inside the band itself This period also 00:11:35.659 --> 00:11:38.139 saw the final big lineup change for the core 00:11:38.139 --> 00:11:40.779 group, right? It did. Guy Lyons, who'd come back 00:11:40.779 --> 00:11:43.580 and switch to lead guitar, he left the band permanently 00:11:43.580 --> 00:11:47.080 in 1997. Okay. After about five years in that 00:11:47.080 --> 00:11:49.320 four -piece configuration. Yeah. His departure 00:11:49.320 --> 00:11:51.659 came after they recorded the album The Figs Couldn't 00:11:51.659 --> 00:11:54.080 Get High, which actually saw them return to their 00:11:54.080 --> 00:11:56.600 indie roots. Oh, back to Absolute A -Go -Go. 00:11:56.759 --> 00:11:59.480 Yep. Released on Absolute A -Go -Go in 1998. 00:11:59.639 --> 00:12:01.899 And it was professionally done, produced, and 00:12:01.899 --> 00:12:04.919 arranged by Andy Chernoff. you know, from the 00:12:04.919 --> 00:12:07.159 Dictators. Oh, wow. Andy Chernoff. Okay, cool. 00:12:07.200 --> 00:12:09.639 Yeah, recorded at Mixolydian Studios. So even 00:12:09.639 --> 00:12:11.360 going back indie, they were operating at a high 00:12:11.360 --> 00:12:14.100 level. So the big major label experiment ends, 00:12:14.419 --> 00:12:17.080 Guy Lyons leaves, and they land back in the indie 00:12:17.080 --> 00:12:19.440 world. But now is that core trio, Mike Gent, 00:12:19.580 --> 00:12:22.000 Pete Donnelly, Pete Hayes. And that trio formation, 00:12:22.240 --> 00:12:24.659 Gent, Donnelly, Hayes, that's the lineup that 00:12:24.659 --> 00:12:27.000 would really carry them forward, proving to be 00:12:27.000 --> 00:12:29.960 incredibly stable. And as we'll see, unbelievably 00:12:29.960 --> 00:12:33.220 prolific. They were ready for the next chapter. 00:12:33.399 --> 00:12:36.429 All right. Section three, the prolific trio years 00:12:36.429 --> 00:12:39.370 and creative maturity. We're looking at roughly 00:12:39.370 --> 00:12:43.490 1999 to 2006 now. Yeah, the lineups locked in 00:12:43.490 --> 00:12:45.429 as a three piece and they just hit the ground 00:12:45.429 --> 00:12:47.269 running at the turn of the century. They started 00:12:47.269 --> 00:12:49.789 putting out a ton of music, mostly on a label 00:12:49.789 --> 00:12:52.009 called Hearbox. It really showed how powerful 00:12:52.009 --> 00:12:54.149 they were as a trio. And we're talking serious 00:12:54.149 --> 00:12:56.990 volume, right? Not just like an album every few 00:12:56.990 --> 00:12:59.460 years. Oh, yeah. High volume, but still with 00:12:59.460 --> 00:13:02.659 professional quality. Between 99 and 2002 alone, 00:13:02.940 --> 00:13:05.940 they had several key releases. They kicked it 00:13:05.940 --> 00:13:09.399 off in 99 with an EP called For EP Fans Only. 00:13:09.759 --> 00:13:12.159 For EP Fans Only, love it. Recorded with some 00:13:12.159 --> 00:13:15.340 quality people, Andy Kravitz, Howard Billerman, 00:13:15.460 --> 00:13:17.940 mastered at Zippo Recording Studios in Massachusetts. 00:13:18.220 --> 00:13:20.299 Zippo, okay, so they're using proper studios 00:13:20.299 --> 00:13:22.620 now. Definitely moved beyond the attic phase. 00:13:22.820 --> 00:13:24.879 Absolutely. They figured out how to get professional 00:13:24.879 --> 00:13:27.309 results within that indie framework. They clearly 00:13:27.309 --> 00:13:29.409 like Zipper because they went back the next summer, 00:13:29.509 --> 00:13:32.549 in 2000, for the full -length album Sucking In 00:13:32.549 --> 00:13:35.990 Stereo. Sucking In Stereo, great title. Produced 00:13:35.990 --> 00:13:37.769 and engineered by the band themselves, along 00:13:37.769 --> 00:13:40.129 with Brian Charles. So they're taking more control 00:13:40.129 --> 00:13:42.649 in the studio, too. Keeping that DIY control, 00:13:42.950 --> 00:13:46.870 just with better gear. Exactly. Then in 2001, 00:13:47.070 --> 00:13:50.269 another EP, Badger. This one seemed a bit more 00:13:50.269 --> 00:13:51.970 pieced together, recorded in a few different 00:13:51.970 --> 00:13:55.029 spots. Cue Division, Amazing Barn, Peligro Audio. 00:13:55.450 --> 00:13:57.659 Which shows that... Flexibility again, right? 00:13:57.720 --> 00:13:59.980 They can make it work wherever they are. Likely 00:13:59.980 --> 00:14:01.899 fitting recording around touring schedules. Must 00:14:01.899 --> 00:14:04.519 be. And Peligro Audio seems to have become a 00:14:04.519 --> 00:14:06.759 bit of a go -to spot for efficiency because they 00:14:06.759 --> 00:14:09.000 went back there later that year and into 2001 00:14:09.000 --> 00:14:11.759 to, as the source says, crank out the album's 00:14:11.759 --> 00:14:14.840 slow charm. Crank out suggests speed and efficiency. 00:14:15.240 --> 00:14:18.059 Yeah, working with producer Timo Ayer. So those 00:14:18.059 --> 00:14:21.299 three releases on Hearbox for EP fans only, Sucking 00:14:21.299 --> 00:14:24.279 In Stereo, Slow Charm, plus the Badger EP, they 00:14:24.279 --> 00:14:26.940 really cement the power of that trio lineup. 00:14:27.259 --> 00:14:30.649 Gent. Donnelly, Hayes. They totally found their 00:14:30.649 --> 00:14:32.690 groove, super efficient writing and recording, 00:14:32.909 --> 00:14:35.309 no distractions. Okay, so they're firing on all 00:14:35.309 --> 00:14:37.929 cylinders as a trio. But the next phase, maybe 00:14:37.929 --> 00:14:40.850 2003 to 2006, that's where things get really 00:14:40.850 --> 00:14:42.610 interesting artistically, right? They start to 00:14:42.610 --> 00:14:44.950 stretch out. Massively. They move beyond just 00:14:44.950 --> 00:14:48.009 those tight pop punk songs. And they did it with 00:14:48.009 --> 00:14:51.149 two albums back to back that are like polar opposites. 00:14:51.169 --> 00:14:54.029 It was a real demonstration of their range. Let's 00:14:54.029 --> 00:14:57.029 start with the first one. 2004's Palais. Palais. 00:14:57.070 --> 00:15:00.509 Yeah, this was a statement piece, a huge sprawling 00:15:00.509 --> 00:15:04.659 album. 25 songs. 25. Yeah. Spread over two LPs 00:15:04.659 --> 00:15:07.299 or two CDs. Yeah, it was them just letting loose, 00:15:07.399 --> 00:15:09.799 maturing, basically saying, we don't have to 00:15:09.799 --> 00:15:12.000 make a neat little 12 -song album if we don't 00:15:12.000 --> 00:15:14.240 want to. It was ambitious. And the recording 00:15:14.240 --> 00:15:16.399 itself reflected that sprawl, didn't it? It wasn't 00:15:16.399 --> 00:15:18.419 done in one place. Not at all. They recorded 00:15:18.419 --> 00:15:20.940 it across four different locations. Mike Jentz 00:15:20.940 --> 00:15:23.360 Basement in Providence, Camp Street in Cambridge, 00:15:23.460 --> 00:15:25.799 Massachusetts, Brick House in Norristown, Pennsylvania, 00:15:26.080 --> 00:15:29.019 and a place called Palais Royal in Bryn Mawr, 00:15:29.100 --> 00:15:32.029 Pennsylvania. Wow. So the making of the album 00:15:32.029 --> 00:15:34.470 was a journey in itself. It really sounds like 00:15:34.470 --> 00:15:35.990 it, doesn't it? Like they were gathering ideas 00:15:35.990 --> 00:15:38.429 and sounds from all over. It feels like an album 00:15:38.429 --> 00:15:40.629 that collected years of road -tested material 00:15:40.629 --> 00:15:43.250 and studio experiments. They were comfortable 00:15:43.250 --> 00:15:46.350 enough to just go big. Maximalist figs. Totally. 00:15:46.909 --> 00:15:49.370 And that artistic ambition also led to something 00:15:49.370 --> 00:15:52.129 really cool for the fans, a serious collector's 00:15:52.129 --> 00:15:55.509 item. Ah, the vinyl edition. Exactly, the deluxe 00:15:55.509 --> 00:15:58.529 silk screen vinyl version of Palais. It came 00:15:58.529 --> 00:16:01.450 out in December 2004, released by a label called 00:16:01.450 --> 00:16:04.370 Sue Intense Records. And it was super limited, 00:16:04.490 --> 00:16:08.929 only 250 numbered sets. 250 worldwide, that's 00:16:08.929 --> 00:16:12.129 tiny. Yeah, instant rarity. Came in three different 00:16:12.129 --> 00:16:15.190 vinyl colors too, red, blue, and yellow. When 00:16:15.190 --> 00:16:16.620 a band does something like that, that, it's a 00:16:16.620 --> 00:16:18.779 nod to the hardcore fans, you know, creating 00:16:18.779 --> 00:16:20.799 this beautiful physical object that's immediately 00:16:20.799 --> 00:16:22.940 valuable. Right. Builds that collector culture 00:16:22.940 --> 00:16:24.580 around the band, which could be really important 00:16:24.580 --> 00:16:27.840 long term. OK, so Pelé is the big, sprawling 00:16:27.840 --> 00:16:30.779 epic. What came next? Well, almost immediately 00:16:30.779 --> 00:16:33.500 they did a complete 180. If Palais was sprawl, 00:16:33.500 --> 00:16:35.559 the next record was all about tightness. The 00:16:35.559 --> 00:16:37.940 follow -up was Follow Jean Through the Sea, right? 00:16:38.240 --> 00:16:41.159 Released in 2006 on Gern Blanstein Records. That's 00:16:41.159 --> 00:16:43.799 the one. And it's explicitly described as taut 00:16:43.799 --> 00:16:45.620 compared to Palais. How taut are we talking? 00:16:45.779 --> 00:16:48.659 10 songs, just over 30 minutes long. Wow. From 00:16:48.659 --> 00:16:51.679 25 songs on a double album to 10 songs in half 00:16:51.679 --> 00:16:54.049 an hour. Exactly. It's like they flexed their 00:16:54.049 --> 00:16:56.009 maximalist muscles and then immediately turned 00:16:56.009 --> 00:16:58.549 around and flexed their minimalist muscles. Complete 00:16:58.549 --> 00:17:00.970 control. Engineered by a team including Pete 00:17:00.970 --> 00:17:03.450 Donnelly himself, Scott Yanovitz, Jesse Honig, 00:17:03.470 --> 00:17:06.130 Seth Powell, and produced by the band. That ability 00:17:06.130 --> 00:17:09.630 to swing between those extremes. Yeah. From epic 00:17:09.630 --> 00:17:12.829 scope to laser focus. That really shows artistic 00:17:12.829 --> 00:17:15.150 maturity, doesn't it? They weren't stuck in one 00:17:15.150 --> 00:17:17.150 mode. Not at all. Total command of their craft. 00:17:17.410 --> 00:17:20.390 And there's one more piece to this prolific trio 00:17:20.390 --> 00:17:23.289 era, a kind of late -breaking commercial success 00:17:23.289 --> 00:17:26.250 story that proves how long the shelf life of 00:17:26.250 --> 00:17:28.890 their songs could be. Ah, yes. The Lexus commercial. 00:17:29.049 --> 00:17:33.509 Right. Years later, in May 2013, suddenly a song 00:17:33.509 --> 00:17:36.609 from that big, sprawling 2004 album Palais gets 00:17:36.609 --> 00:17:39.329 picked up. The song was Jet D 'Adore. And Lexus 00:17:39.329 --> 00:17:42.009 used it in a national TV commercial for the Lexus 00:17:42.009 --> 00:17:44.789 RX, that ad called First Sight. Which is amazing, 00:17:44.869 --> 00:17:46.650 right? A deep cut from an indie double album 00:17:46.650 --> 00:17:48.569 almost a decade old suddenly getting this massive 00:17:48.569 --> 00:17:51.049 mainstream exposure. It's a perfect example of 00:17:51.049 --> 00:17:53.549 how valuable a back catalog can be. You never 00:17:53.549 --> 00:17:55.650 know when a song might connect or find a new 00:17:55.650 --> 00:17:58.269 life through licensing. It's the long game paying 00:17:58.269 --> 00:18:01.079 off again. Absolutely. Great songwriting, properly 00:18:01.079 --> 00:18:03.880 controlled, holds its value. That's a huge payoff 00:18:03.880 --> 00:18:05.960 for just sticking with it and owning your work. 00:18:06.180 --> 00:18:08.099 Okay, that leads us perfectly into the final 00:18:08.099 --> 00:18:11.099 phase we're looking at. Section four, taking 00:18:11.099 --> 00:18:14.779 control, the launch of Stomper Records, and just 00:18:14.779 --> 00:18:18.240 continued output. This is roughly 2008 to the 00:18:18.240 --> 00:18:20.490 present day. Yeah, this feels like the culmination 00:18:20.490 --> 00:18:22.210 of everything they'd learned. They'd done the 00:18:22.210 --> 00:18:24.890 DIY thing, survived the majors, mastered the 00:18:24.890 --> 00:18:27.109 indie label world, built the Parker side hustle. 00:18:27.410 --> 00:18:30.670 Now it was time to really consolidate power. 00:18:31.009 --> 00:18:33.150 Taking full control of their own destiny, basically. 00:18:33.349 --> 00:18:35.589 Exactly. And the big move here, the ultimate 00:18:35.589 --> 00:18:37.670 lesson for the learner in securing your legacy, 00:18:37.829 --> 00:18:40.289 is launching their own record label. They integrated 00:18:40.289 --> 00:18:42.309 the business side with the creative side. Stomper 00:18:42.309 --> 00:18:44.569 Records. Stomper Records. Officially launched. 00:18:44.670 --> 00:18:48.289 And in 2010, the album The Man Who Fights Himself... 00:18:48.359 --> 00:18:50.740 became the first full -length release on their 00:18:50.740 --> 00:18:53.440 own label. That's a huge step. It's not just 00:18:53.440 --> 00:18:55.599 about putting out a record. It's about owning 00:18:55.599 --> 00:18:57.680 the means of production and distribution. Totally. 00:18:57.920 --> 00:19:00.940 And that album itself is significant. Musically, 00:19:01.019 --> 00:19:04.079 it's described as having crisp pop tunes, so 00:19:04.079 --> 00:19:06.420 they're continuing that tight, focused sound. 00:19:06.819 --> 00:19:09.099 But look at the details around it, the cover 00:19:09.099 --> 00:19:11.400 photo. Yeah, the source notes mention that. It's 00:19:11.400 --> 00:19:14.720 by Joe Duhl. Right, Joe Duell, who was the longtime 00:19:14.720 --> 00:19:18.019 sound man and caretaker at Caffe Lena in Saratoga 00:19:18.019 --> 00:19:20.859 Springs. Ah, Caffe Lena, the legendary folk venue. 00:19:21.019 --> 00:19:23.059 So even as they're setting up their own label, 00:19:23.099 --> 00:19:25.279 becoming this self -contained business, they're 00:19:25.279 --> 00:19:27.299 signaling that connection back to their hometown, 00:19:27.619 --> 00:19:30.039 their local scene, their roots. Exactly. It shows 00:19:30.039 --> 00:19:32.259 that loyalty, that grounding. Their professional 00:19:32.259 --> 00:19:35.200 network includes these trusted local figures. 00:19:35.259 --> 00:19:37.880 It's not some faceless corporate thing. Let's 00:19:37.880 --> 00:19:39.680 look at the production credits for The Man Who 00:19:39.680 --> 00:19:42.180 Fights Himself 2. It says produced and mixed 00:19:42.180 --> 00:19:44.339 by the band, which makes sense for their own 00:19:44.339 --> 00:19:46.559 label. But the engineering team that listed is 00:19:46.559 --> 00:19:50.640 pretty big. P .D., Scott Yanovitz, Barry McGuire, 00:19:50.799 --> 00:19:55.059 Seth Powell, Scott Rabling, Shane Smith. Quite 00:19:55.059 --> 00:19:57.099 a few names. Yeah, that's interesting, isn't 00:19:57.099 --> 00:20:00.460 it? It suggests maybe that owning a label doesn't 00:20:00.460 --> 00:20:02.880 mean they do everything in one place. It probably 00:20:02.880 --> 00:20:05.319 means they're using their network, hiring specific 00:20:05.319 --> 00:20:08.640 engineers for specific tasks, maybe using different 00:20:08.640 --> 00:20:10.720 smaller studios for different things. So it's 00:20:10.720 --> 00:20:13.740 like distributed expertise. Could be. It's efficient. 00:20:13.819 --> 00:20:16.200 You bring in the talent you need when you need 00:20:16.200 --> 00:20:19.039 it, pay them for that specific job, rather than 00:20:19.039 --> 00:20:21.579 carrying the overhead of a massive studio or 00:20:21.579 --> 00:20:24.660 a permanent large staff. Maximum control, minimum 00:20:24.660 --> 00:20:27.599 bloat, smart business. And when Stomper was up 00:20:27.599 --> 00:20:29.960 and running, did the pace of releases stay high? 00:20:30.119 --> 00:20:32.279 Oh, yeah. If anything, having their own outlet 00:20:32.279 --> 00:20:34.960 just open the floodgates, the consistency is 00:20:34.960 --> 00:20:37.079 remarkable. What came after The Man Who Fights 00:20:37.079 --> 00:20:39.680 Himself? Okay, so after 2010, we get The Day 00:20:39.680 --> 00:20:42.420 Gravity Stopped in 2012, then Other Planes of 00:20:42.420 --> 00:20:45.980 Here in 2015, On the Slide in 2016, Shady Grove 00:20:45.980 --> 00:20:48.900 in 2019, and the most recent one listed is Chemical 00:20:48.900 --> 00:20:52.150 Shake in 2022. Wow, that's like... An album roughly 00:20:52.150 --> 00:20:54.390 every two to three years consistently for over 00:20:54.390 --> 00:20:56.890 a decade? Yeah. All while presumably still touring, 00:20:56.970 --> 00:20:59.769 maybe doing Parker digs? Yeah. It's relentless. 00:20:59.849 --> 00:21:01.829 It proves that the self -controlled model really 00:21:01.829 --> 00:21:04.470 works for them. It allows that focus. And crucially, 00:21:04.690 --> 00:21:07.690 Stomper wasn't just for new albums, right? It 00:21:07.690 --> 00:21:10.869 became the way to manage their entire past. Bingo. 00:21:11.470 --> 00:21:13.710 That's where the real long -term power lies. 00:21:14.609 --> 00:21:17.390 Owning the label means owning the masters, controlling 00:21:17.390 --> 00:21:20.089 the narrative. They could finally curate their 00:21:20.089 --> 00:21:23.190 own history. So reissues, compilations. Exactly. 00:21:23.789 --> 00:21:26.170 Stomper became the vehicle. They put out that 00:21:26.170 --> 00:21:28.809 essential compilation in 2013, a thousand people 00:21:28.809 --> 00:21:31.890 grinning. The Figs Anthology, perfect starting 00:21:31.890 --> 00:21:34.089 point for anyone new to the band. Like the one 00:21:34.089 --> 00:21:35.930 we're recommending for you, The Learner. That's 00:21:35.930 --> 00:21:37.990 the one. And maybe even more importantly, they 00:21:37.990 --> 00:21:40.069 used Stomper to bring their early foundational 00:21:40.069 --> 00:21:42.410 work back into print, often in better formats. 00:21:42.769 --> 00:21:45.769 They did a deluxe CD reissue of Ready, Steady, 00:21:45.769 --> 00:21:49.089 Stoned way back in 2003, even before Stomper 00:21:49.089 --> 00:21:50.950 was fully formed, perhaps showing the intent. 00:21:51.109 --> 00:21:54.349 And then a vinyl reissue. of Ginger in 2019. 00:21:54.609 --> 00:21:56.650 So they're making sure that whole story from 00:21:56.650 --> 00:21:58.490 the attic tapes right up to the latest release 00:21:58.490 --> 00:22:01.470 is available, professionally presented, and importantly, 00:22:01.490 --> 00:22:04.069 generating revenue for them. Precisely. They 00:22:04.069 --> 00:22:06.529 are actively managing and monetizing their own 00:22:06.529 --> 00:22:09.859 legacy. And did launching Stomper? affect the 00:22:09.859 --> 00:22:12.259 graham parker collaboration at all doesn't seem 00:22:12.259 --> 00:22:14.220 like it if anything it probably just streamlined 00:22:14.220 --> 00:22:16.460 things the collaboration continued and they kept 00:22:16.460 --> 00:22:18.819 documenting it right we've listed here several 00:22:18.819 --> 00:22:21.240 more live albums with parker released during 00:22:21.240 --> 00:22:24.559 this period official bootleg live cuts from somewhere 00:22:24.559 --> 00:22:27.599 in 2003 songs of no consequence which was a studio 00:22:27.599 --> 00:22:31.359 album with parker in 2005 103 degrees in june 00:22:31.880 --> 00:22:35.720 Live in Chicago in 2006, live at FTC in 2010. 00:22:36.000 --> 00:22:38.480 Yeah, that partnership remained a constant, reliable 00:22:38.480 --> 00:22:40.900 part of their professional lives, running in 00:22:40.900 --> 00:22:42.700 parallel with their own stomper -driven output. 00:22:43.000 --> 00:22:45.359 They are truly a working band in every sense. 00:22:45.660 --> 00:22:48.579 Artist, label owner, sideman, wearing all the 00:22:48.579 --> 00:22:50.700 hats. Juggling them expertly. And this whole 00:22:50.700 --> 00:22:53.779 long, winding, persistent journey kind of... 00:22:54.000 --> 00:22:56.619 came full circle nicely in 2017, didn't it? Ah, 00:22:56.740 --> 00:22:59.000 the 30th anniversary. 30 years, and the source 00:22:59.000 --> 00:23:01.180 material notes that for some anniversary shows, 00:23:01.440 --> 00:23:03.700 founding member Guy Lyons, the guy who left way 00:23:03.700 --> 00:23:05.960 back in 97, actually came back and sat in with 00:23:05.960 --> 00:23:07.359 them. Playing some of those very early songs, 00:23:07.519 --> 00:23:10.140 presumably. You'd have to assume so, and that's 00:23:10.140 --> 00:23:12.579 just... It's a really nice grace note, isn't 00:23:12.579 --> 00:23:14.839 it? After all the changes, the ups and downs, 00:23:14.900 --> 00:23:16.799 the business side of things, to have that original 00:23:16.799 --> 00:23:18.740 member come back and celebrate the beginning, 00:23:18.880 --> 00:23:22.000 it shows that the core relationships, the music 00:23:22.000 --> 00:23:24.519 itself, endured. Closes the loop beautifully. 00:23:24.759 --> 00:23:27.539 Yeah. Okay, so let's wrap this up. Outro time. 00:23:28.460 --> 00:23:30.880 Thinking about this whole deep dive into the 00:23:30.880 --> 00:23:34.180 figs, what's the main takeaway? What's the core 00:23:34.180 --> 00:23:36.680 lesson here for you, the learner? I think it 00:23:36.680 --> 00:23:39.299 really boils down to this. The figs are a prime 00:23:39.299 --> 00:23:42.380 example, maybe the example, of how to build a 00:23:42.380 --> 00:23:45.339 sustainable, self -directed artistic career based 00:23:45.339 --> 00:23:49.059 on sheer adaptability and ultimately taking control. 00:23:49.559 --> 00:23:51.319 It's about the strategic moves, isn't it? Knowing 00:23:51.319 --> 00:23:53.140 when to transition. They went from those high 00:23:53.140 --> 00:23:55.799 school DIY routes. Became cassette icons through 00:23:55.799 --> 00:23:58.640 sheer will. Navigated that tricky major label 00:23:58.640 --> 00:24:01.539 phase, but crucially pulled something incredibly 00:24:01.539 --> 00:24:03.339 valuable out of it with the Parker connection. 00:24:03.640 --> 00:24:05.619 Right. Established that rock solid collaborative 00:24:05.619 --> 00:24:08.220 income stream. Honed their craft on indie labels 00:24:08.220 --> 00:24:11.660 and then made the final smartest move. Reclaiming 00:24:11.660 --> 00:24:13.859 everything by launching Stomper Records. Yeah. 00:24:13.900 --> 00:24:16.160 Taking ownership of their catalog, their distribution, 00:24:16.539 --> 00:24:19.039 their future. And throughout all that, they showed. 00:24:19.319 --> 00:24:22.000 incredible flexibility, both musically and professionally. 00:24:22.000 --> 00:24:24.859 Totally. Look at the genre shifts. Aggressive 00:24:24.859 --> 00:24:28.900 punk, shimmery pop, sprawling art rock double 00:24:28.900 --> 00:24:31.839 albums, then back to tight, crisp pop songs. 00:24:32.099 --> 00:24:34.970 They never got stuck in a rut. And they adapted 00:24:34.970 --> 00:24:37.069 to every format change the industry threw at 00:24:37.069 --> 00:24:39.869 them. Cassettes, CDs, collectible vinyl, digital, 00:24:40.109 --> 00:24:42.549 even landing that Lexus commercial placement. 00:24:42.769 --> 00:24:45.589 They just kept creating and kept finding ways 00:24:45.589 --> 00:24:48.289 to get it out there. It really proves that persistence, 00:24:48.509 --> 00:24:51.529 combined with ownership, can win out over fleeting 00:24:51.529 --> 00:24:54.109 hype. They might not have achieved that household 00:24:54.109 --> 00:24:56.450 name global fame some bands chase. Right, they're 00:24:56.450 --> 00:24:59.390 not U2. No, but they built and maintained this 00:24:59.390 --> 00:25:01.910 deep, loyal connection with their audience simply 00:25:01.910 --> 00:25:05.500 by never stopping. making new music and, crucially, 00:25:05.579 --> 00:25:07.980 controlling the quality and availability of their 00:25:07.980 --> 00:25:10.420 entire history. They kept working. Never stopped 00:25:10.420 --> 00:25:12.299 recording, never stopped touring, eventually 00:25:12.299 --> 00:25:14.599 became their own record company. That allowed 00:25:14.599 --> 00:25:17.460 them to manage the whole operation and, importantly, 00:25:17.680 --> 00:25:19.960 benefit directly from their decades of work. 00:25:20.160 --> 00:25:23.160 Which leads to maybe the final provocative thought 00:25:23.160 --> 00:25:25.869 for you to chew on. What really defines success 00:25:25.869 --> 00:25:30.170 in music today, we see this band, The Figs, still 00:25:30.170 --> 00:25:33.009 active, still releasing music, managing this 00:25:33.009 --> 00:25:35.650 huge back catalog all through their own label, 00:25:35.769 --> 00:25:38.269 Stomper. Think about the freedom that gives them. 00:25:38.490 --> 00:25:41.410 Exactly. The economic freedom, the artistic freedom. 00:25:41.829 --> 00:25:44.789 After decades of grinding it out, they are now 00:25:44.789 --> 00:25:46.910 fully in control of their own work, their own 00:25:46.910 --> 00:25:49.710 history, their own output, that self -determination, 00:25:49.710 --> 00:25:52.500 that ability to steer your own ship. Maybe that's 00:25:52.500 --> 00:25:54.759 the ultimate prize in this crazy industry, more 00:25:54.759 --> 00:25:58.400 than any platinum record or short -lived... major 00:25:58.400 --> 00:26:01.079 label deal it's a powerful testament to just 00:26:01.079 --> 00:26:03.380 sticking with it staying smart and believing 00:26:03.380 --> 00:26:05.279 in your own work enough to eventually own it 00:26:05.279 --> 00:26:06.859 outright couldn't say it better so if you want 00:26:06.859 --> 00:26:08.660 to dive into this incredible catalog where should 00:26:08.660 --> 00:26:11.160 you start as we mentioned the sources point to 00:26:11.160 --> 00:26:14.339 that 2013 compilation as the ideal entry point 00:26:14.339 --> 00:26:17.380 yep on thousand people grinning the figs anthology 00:26:17.380 --> 00:26:20.099 it gives you a fantastic overview of their journey 00:26:20.099 --> 00:26:22.740 the different sounds the killer songwriting definitely 00:26:22.740 --> 00:26:25.259 check it out go explore that unique mix of garage 00:26:25.259 --> 00:26:28.990 rock grit power pop smart and sheer long -term 00:26:28.990 --> 00:26:31.390 strategic thinking. Yeah. Dig into the story 00:26:31.390 --> 00:26:33.650 of a band that built its own path and continues 00:26:33.650 --> 00:26:36.309 to walk it. Keep digging deep. Until next time, 00:26:36.349 --> 00:26:37.609 keep diving deep.