Hey, I'm Jake Thistle. You're listening to My
Weekly Mixtape with Brian Colburn, and I had
such a great time. I really hope you guys enjoy.
What is going on, friends? Welcome to My Weekly
Mixtape, the show that takes the classic mixtape
approach to building a modern playlist. I'm your
host, Brian Colburn. And tonight is a first for
the show as I'm welcoming a guest who's currently
mid -competition on the latest season of American
Idol. So we're about to get the low down from
the inside. My guest hails from Paramus, New
Jersey, which makes my Jersey pride being proud.
But beyond him being local to where I grew up,
he's also an incredibly gifted singer -songwriter
whose music is rooted in the kind of artists
that are not only favorites of mine. They're
staple topics here on My Weekly Mixtape, and
we're talking the likes of John Hyatt and Tom
Petty, just to scratch the surface. So with that,
it's my pleasure to welcome Jake Thistle to the
show. Jake, welcome to the show, my friend. Oh,
thank you so much. I'm super excited. It means
the world. Now, I always start my episodes by
asking a first -time guest question. However,
considering you're officially my youngest guest
at 21 years old, I'm not quite sure how this
one's going to land, but there's only one way
to find out. And that is, Jake, what does the
word mixtape mean to you? It means a podcast
I'm currently doing. I don't have much experience
in mixtapes, of course. I wish I did, because
it seems like a really awesome thing. But for
me, a mixtape is a lot more of a digital feature.
I've made playlists for my friends on Spotify,
especially... Being with the Idol crew or other
songwriters and just meeting, there's a lot of,
oh, you haven't heard that? And then I'll put
together a playlist. But that's about as much
of the surfaces I've scratched in terms of mixtapes.
That concept is what I am trying to, through
this show, carry to playlists. Because growing
up, you had to commit time and energy in choosing
songs and recording them in real time onto a
cassette. And now with playlists, I could create...
a 200 song playlist in about 30 seconds. Yeah.
And the thought process behind what songs does
this person need to listen to, to truly understand
what I'm trying to convey to them is what I'm
trying to bring across on this show. Absolutely.
Yeah. And I mean, that's the funny thing for
me about doing it digitally is it's not lost
on me how easy it is to also be done with it
and go, yeah, you know what? I'll swap this with
that. And it's like, I could just go right in
the middle and move it to the end. And, you know,
it's, uh, And so I don't take that for granted,
how sort of easy sharing music has gotten. It
certainly has. So let's start here in New Jersey,
where, as everyone who listens knows, My Weekly
Mixtape is also based. You grew up in Paramus,
New Jersey, aka the mall capital of Bergen County.
I did. And you attended Rutgers University. So
can you talk about your experiences growing up
in and performing around New Jersey? And what
venues do you consider pivotal? In your growth
as an artist. Oh, man. Well, you know, first
of all, I consider myself really, really lucky
to grow up where I did for a number of reasons.
I mean, just first of all, going to school, my
entire time in public school in Paramus was molded
by an incredible music program. And that wasn't
something my parents knew when they moved here
and had me. You know, that just was sort of I
got lucky and I ended up in a town that really
valued music and sort of the enrichment of that
education. So that was a huge. part of growing
up and so i'm really proud of that but it was
pure coincidence and i really lucked out uh you
know aside from that the scene here is so rich
you know growing up in bergen county i got to
play with you know a lot of a lot of legends
who you know really really shaped how i learned
you know i mostly learned off youtube in terms
of traditional lessons so i had so many teachers
like stage teachers who i could just watch up
there enjoying them or whatever and that's really
where i cut my teeth and so throughout whatever
scene i'm in i'm just so fortunate to have you
know been able to share the stage with people
like that in terms of venues that i really appreciate
there's a number of them i mean i play in asbury
park all the time and so you know i have to sort
of include them first you know the wonder bar
and the stone pony have you know i've been really
lucky to be able to call them home and for a
lot of aspects uh the count desi theater and
red bank those are some of my fondest memories
are there i also there's a place so that that's
no that is no longer open it's a new it's a new
place now but it was called jiggs mcallister's
music saloon and that was in butler new jersey
and that's where i probably learned more about
what i do now than anywhere else i would play
there with a guy named lou palo who was the rhythm
guitarist in the les paul trio and i was the
youngest guy in this band by about 70 years without
exaggeration i think he passed when i was 16
and he was 86. so it was it was i was a young
guy in that band but just the knowledge of that
group was insane to me, the guys he would bring
around, the Lou Palo and Friends, you know, band.
And I played there almost every Sunday for six
years with him. And, you know, guys like Vince
Janela and like other really great teachers in
the scene I played with at that place. So that's
a place for my roots that I that is definitely
was quintessential to me growing up as well.
And did playing with those artists shape how
you write music? Absolutely. You know, I think,
you know, you look at guys like that, especially
when I was growing up, seeing artists that would.
play shows whether it was with their originals
or their covers that's really where i i learned
how a set list should be you know i mean it's
really lucky to get to go see an artist play
the garden and you can learn a ton from watching
that too but there's something about you know
a traveling show that has you know a lighting
rig that's put up every night and uh and a stage
that looks the same there's something about that
that is a completely different atmosphere than
going to a bar and you have the same stage that
every band that ever plays there has, and you
have to find a way to make that your own. And
I think sort of the way that that's the easiest
to come across is through your song choice and
through your show pacing and everything like
that. So I got a real kick out of watching these
sort of mentors at the gigs I would go to and
see, oh, okay, they ended with that multiple
times. Why did they end with that at different
shows? And why, okay, and why do you switch that
to a different song this time? And I got a real
kick out of trying to figure all that out. Well,
as much as I can talk about the New Jersey music
scene for hours on end, we are here to talk about
your experiences thus far on American Idol. So
first off, color me impressed that you auditioned
with Blind Faith's Can't Find My Way Home. Thank
you. What is it about that song that made you
feel like that was the perfect introduction to
Jake Thistle for Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan and
Carrie Underwood? Well, you know the one thing
I wasn't you know I considered myself really
comfortable down there just because I love playing
and I love playing and getting immediate feedback
And that's you know, like I was saying before
that's the way I've learned so I was super excited
to go down but the part that was really foreign
to me was the fact that I Had 90 seconds to show
Jake thistle to these people, you know, and and
I knew that it was probably gonna be even less
than that you know uh in the cut and so i really
tried to pick my song strategically and i thought
can't find my way home was a really great cross
-section of so many people know that song but
it's not a song that they're gonna hear a thousand
times a day when they're going through these
auditions and i wanted to be mindful of that
too and give them something that might make them
perk up say oh we haven't heard that yet or or
in a while or something and then you know more
so i think blind faith has that it's just such
a rich 60s bluesy sound and so i want they're
a big influence and that is definitely a part
of me I wanted to show but it's still Steve Winwood
and it's still that sort of Steve Winwood pop
sensibility and I thought that catchy chorus
and the way you could just I mean three days
later you're still humming that song so I thought
that might be a really fun way to sort of express
my pop side as well so that was it was exciting
choice for me and I was really glad that it sort
of went that way as well It was an excellent
song choice and one that, as somebody who's watched
American Idol for many years, one just with me
and my wife 20 years ago when Carrie Underwood
was just a contestant on the show, to me watching
with my daughters now, a lot of artists seem
to lean towards pop and the newer style of music.
So seeing somebody your age pulling from the
classic rock side of the spectrum, if you will.
Was that a strategic decision on your part before
showing more of your pop sensibilities? You know,
to an extent it was, but I mean, honestly, I
think one of the things I try to do the most
when I listen to music is I consider myself lucky
that of the influence I have, especially the
older ones, I'm able to kind of look at their
career from a bird's eye view. You know, I mean,
if you take a guy like, you know, Steve Winwood,
like the day I discovered Steve Winwood was the
day that, you know, Can't Find My Way Home came
out. on the same day as Back in the High Life
again, to me, because it was whatever day I heard
them, you know? Yes. And so I think it was definitely
in my mind to, you know, want to show that side,
maybe to make myself stand out a little bit,
just because, you know, I think you're right.
I think there is a lot of pop on the show, of
which I consider myself a part of, for sure.
And, you know, I did a newer song the next week
to sort of show that side. But, you know, for
me, I think it's less about the era and more
about... What speaks to me. And then it just
sort of happened to be from that era too. And
I will take all of the sort of connotations that,
that also, you know, brings to me. Well, you
mentioned the pop song. So let's get into that
for Hollywood week. Well, Nashville week, you
perform Sam Fender's 17 going under. Can you
talk about the mindset behind that song choice,
especially when all the other stressors that
are coming into this American idol experience
are coming into play? How much. Is it 100 % on
you to pick the song or are there producers and
people giving you advice and feedback on where
you should go for those song choices? Because
that's not presented on TV. Yeah, I mean, I will
say in terms of the producers and Idol, I've
been really impressed so far exactly how much
of what we get to do is ourselves. And that's
not something... Through all the media training,
I would say if I didn't 100 % believe it, you
know what I mean? Like, you know, there's definitely
factors that come into play in terms of, you
know, what might or not clear, you know, so that's
always something you have to consider as well.
But in terms of song choice, it's pretty much
100 % up to us. And we do get, they're very generous,
the producers with their opinions and getting
to kind of go out in front of them and talk to
people who know the show and know how the judges
will react. And they have a pretty good sense
of how America might act too. I take what they
say very, very seriously. And there wasn't, you
know, I mean, not to jump to another round, but
in Hawaii, I was between, you know, a song or
another song and I took their advice and ended
up, you know, doing what I wanted to do. But
yeah, for the most part, it is our choice. And
so for the Sam Fender song, you know, to me,
that was just, I really wanted to show another
side of me. We were getting to play with the
band. I just, I, before I even heard them, I
knew for a fact that it was an amazing band because
I'm a Chris Pooley fan who is the musical director.
I know he only works with the best people around.
I just wanted to pick an upbeat song that showed
a little bit of the more indie rock type vibe.
That's something I love. I'm a huge Sam Fender
fan. I'm a huge fan of that song. I was really
present when that song was having a moment, whether
it was on TikTok or just on the radio a couple
of years ago. Unlike Can't Find My Way Home,
which I've played with my band for a long time,
I'm pretty sure. When I played 17 Going Under
on the show, it was my first time actually ever
playing the song. I kind of picked it as a gamble
and said, I just really want to try this. And
I had an opportunity to play it beforehand, but
I worked on it and I was happy with how it went.
Well, you could have fooled me. I thought you've
been playing that for a while, the way you made
it look up there. That's kind of you. I've been
listening to it a while, so that helped. Now,
I'm sure there's some listening that would love
a glimpse inside of the American Idol universe.
What happens in the hours outside of the show
taping that the television audience never sees?
Well, I mean, I will say another thing I've been
impressed with getting to watch this all back,
because, of course, pretty much everything that
has was pre filmed was filmed before the first
episode aired. You know, so I've gotten a kick
out of watching everything back and I've been
impressed with how accurate the sort of episodes
have been edited. And that what I'm seeing is
what my experience was. And I think that's the
case for. most people uh you know for sure you
know it's tv and it's reality and and it's it
reminds me a lot of touring in the sense of it's
a ton of hurry up and wait which i get a kick
out of it's it's kind of fun for me anyway so
that's okay but yeah i mean they're definitely
long days and and there's a there's a great you
know they do a great job there's a good support
system for the hopefuls and the contestants and
uh you know getting to go in and you know talk
to the producers or talk to you know getting
a band rehearsal in i mean you have limited time
with everybody especially you know with the larger
pool that is auditioning in the given day but
yeah i mean it was it was a lot of fun and it
was a lot of hurry up and wait which allowed
us to make a lot of good friends and and so i'm
really grateful for the people i was have gotten
to interact with both that are you know still
in the competition and and some that have gone
home but it was really it was a great time because
there's such a shared passion between the the
hopefuls and we're all quite you know right around
the same age and so We like all the same music
and everything like that. It was really a great
time. It's like summer camp in a lot of ways.
There you go. Now, was there ever a moment during
filming where you or maybe other people have
expressed to you, wow, this is more intense than
could ever be portrayed on television? Yeah,
well, the two things I'll think, Hollywood Week,
I don't remember the exact day on how it ended
up coming out through the edit. The day I played
was a very long day because I played the same
day as the whole sing -off round was filmed and
the Golden Room. And none of us knew. That was
all completely real. We didn't know we were singing
off. That wasn't a reaction shot for the cameras.
And we all picked a sing -off song and had like
10 minutes to rehearse it and prayed we were
one of the ones that got picked. And I didn't
end up having to do a sing -off. So that was
a very long day. If I remember correctly, I think
we were on the shuttle to the theater. sometime
around 7 a .m. And I don't think we got home
till like 1 .30. So, you know, in the morning,
I mean, so it's a long day, but it was a fun
day. And I love that stuff. I mean, I really
like, you know, getting to sweat it out and talk
with people and just talk music for that long.
So I had a great time, but it definitely was
intense. And there's a lot of nerves flying around
with everybody, of course, you know, having to
do something like that. And some, you know, when
we were in Hawaii, it was super hot and we were
outside. And so that was definitely a consideration.
And you really have to leverage. OK, do I want
to be dehydrated or have to pee real bad? Because
like you don't know when the next reset is going
to be. They need us for a lot of stuff. So it's
like, OK, today, yesterday I tried to be dehydrated
and I hated it. So today I'm just going to have
to pee real bad. Like you kind of got to pick.
So, yeah, I mean, there's definitely intense
moments, but I'm sure people say this every season,
but I really mean it. It's an incredible group.
that I got to hang out with on this show. And
everyone's been so supportive of each other.
And that's really meant the world to me because
that's my favorite thing to see. Now I want to
talk strategy for a second because at the end
of the day, American Idol is a competition. So
are you picking songs with the judges in mind,
the audience in mind, or simply based on your
own comfort level of knowing the song because
of all of the extracurricular activities going
on around you? Yeah, I mean, it's absolutely
a combination of all three. And my strategy is
shifting as we speak, because up to this point,
I was pretty much only picking it for the judges
because they were the ones who were making the
decision. Now that I'm switching to America's
vote, the judges are still going to have to play
a major factor in my decision making because,
you know, I've watched the show. I know that
their comments influence the voters decisions
as they should. So I definitely want to keep
them happy as well as, you know, hopefully make
America happy. Yeah, you know, for me, the main
thing I've comment I've received from the received
from the judges, and I think all three rounds
that they really appreciated my authenticity
and sort of my artistry. And that's I mean, it
means the world. That is the reason that was
the one thing I wanted to convey from the show.
And so it means the world that they said that
to me. But in my decision making, that's always
the first thing I think of is, all right, I don't
want to do the same thing every round. But is
that me? And can I? pull that off without seeming
like all right jake's trying to take it up a
notch that was kind of a miss you know what i
mean i want to if i if i'm taking it up a notch
i don't even want anyone to notice i just want
them to walk away and be like wow that was really
cool not like okay well that well he was certainly
trying to do something you know that's that's
definitely not what i want so i would say the
first thing that comes into my mind is maintaining
those judge comments because i think because
the comments were about authenticity i think
that if i can maintain that it will translate
best to the voters now that you know that's coming
up now earlier you talked about the bonds you
formed with other contestants on the show considering
how subjective music is do you and the other
contestants ever talk song strategy and kind
of the mindset around it i mean i'm trying to
think about that i i don't i don't know if we've
had any specific conversations about our individual
strategies because i think at the end of the
day it boils down to just We all want to have
fun and do the best job we can. But we've definitely
talked a lot about songs and song choice. And
I think song choice is obviously really important.
But this season, I think it's been at the forefront.
And there's been times, you know, I'll walk away
from seeing a friend play and I'll just be like,
holy crap, like you could not have picked a better
song for this round. Like there just have been
moments both live and rewatching it where I'm
just like, that could not have gone better. Like
that was so much fun to see. And so we talk a
lot about that sort of retroactively, I think.
you know it'll be interesting to see I'm sure
that'll change when when we do live shows because
you know for the most part we picked our songs
when we were apart from everybody you know I
think we had submitted our songs we had done
a lot of rehearsals in Hawaii but I think they
were all submitted like right before we left
so we weren't sort of like in that shared space
where I was like I'm thinking about doing this
or maybe this like I think at least I hadn't
kind of locked that in beforehand I'm not sure
if everyone had so I think that might change
you know when we get a little further in Well,
this last week during the Ohana round, you performed
one of your original songs, Sleep On Me. Yes.
Sleep on me, sleep on me, one day I'm gonna get
it right. Sleep on me, sleep on, I'm gonna make
it up to you kind of guy. Trying to be, trying
to be, someone who you like. Sleep on me, sleep
on, I'm a stranger by design. Is there a different
mindset when performing an original song for
the judges and audience, knowing there's no built
-in familiarity with the track? Yeah, I mean,
that's definitely a factor. I think there is
a risk, especially on a show like this, where
there's still 30 of us. You know, there's a ton
of people to get through in two hours. And I
think it's in everybody's best interest to make
the editor's jobs easy, too. If you can do a
song, and I think Can't Find My Way Home is a
good example of that. It's short, there's basically
two verses that get repeated and you can get
right out. I think it made the editor's job relatively
easy. And then if you're going to do an original,
it might take a little bit longer time to get
the audience on your side, whether in person
or in the edit. And so it was definitely a risk
to try something like that, but it was just super
important to me because songwriting is everything.
I consider myself a songwriter before I even
consider myself a singer or a guitar player.
what i want to do and so i weighed that kind
of back and forth for a while while we were in
hawaii but at the end of the day i i think i
i you know if i was going to go home i would
have rather it have been on an original anyway
and so i was willing to take that risk even just
for that it was just important to me to show
that side of me uh even if it was just specifically
to the three judges so they knew and it didn't
make the cut like that was that was really really
important to me and so it was an honor to get
to see that on tv it really meant the world and
I had bonded with the other songwriters on the
set a lot as well. And they and, you know, there
were a couple of originals other than mine in
the episode, too. And I think everyone who did
an original ended up going through, which was
like an incredible moment for us. And we were
all super happy for each other with that. What's
the biggest lesson you've learned about yourself
during this experience that has nothing to do
with singing or performing music? well, you know,
I think a lot of for me is is sort of You know,
you do a ton of interviews for this too. And
it's been a lot of fun for me and I mean interview
specifically in the show for you know, the the
the pre -roll tapes and Now that I did I think
every single one of them before an episode even
aired So now that I'm seeing how they're editing
things I think when I go in to do that I think
I know a little bit more of the type of things
I should be saying and the type of things that
might make the cut I tend to be You know, I've
had publicists before call me like very diplomatic,
you know, and I think sometimes I get a question
and sort of like a presidential candidate. I'll
be like, well, that's really interesting. You
say that because this and that and it ends up
kind of coming out. And I think this experience
has taught me to be a little bit more succinct,
a little bit more direct in terms of, again,
making the editor's lives a little bit easier.
Well, along with your original track that we
played earlier. I want to focus on some of your
original music because there's people here that
are listening to this episode that only know
you from American Idol. And I want to introduce
some of your other songs. And you recently released
a track called Alone Together. Yes, I did. Just
a valid shade of fire. When someone hears this
song for the first time, what emotion or reaction
would make you feel like it landed exactly as
you intended when you were writing it? Well,
I wrote this song basically from the New Jersey
Turnpike while I was driving. And so I think
for me, you know, there's sort of a longing and
a distance within the song. And so I hope they
can feel that. I hope they kind of feel. that
sense of being so close yet so far away. I remember
going, whether it was from Asbury to Paramus
or Rutgers to New York or whatever it was, I
just remember being on that stretch of the turnpike
all the time. And going up to Bergen County,
I'd look on my left and it would just be like
Elizabeth, which is all just like big power plants
and landfills and whatever. And on the other
side, it would be like the sun setting and it
would like... reflect off the buildings and hit
me back from the manhattan skyline and i thought
it was the most beautiful thing in the world
and then i'd look over in power plants and i
just i just was fascinated by those two worlds
and so that's kind of was the basis of the song
was that these two worlds are completely separate
you know they're alone but they're together i
can see both of them at the same time and they're
really not that far away and so that was sort
of the beginning of the song was that sort of
longing to you know experience the beauty uh
but knowing that the the sort of You know, that's
where Jersey gets the stupid armpit of American
name. You know, it's from this right here. You
know, that's what people see when they drive
through. I'm not going to lie. I smelled your
answer as you were talking about it. Exactly
right. Yeah. First you first you side eye whoever's
in the passenger seat and say, what did you do?
And then you get a couple of feet and you go
like, oh, no, that's just what this area smells
like. You know. Now, at the top of the show,
I mentioned Tom Petty and John Hyatt, two of
my favorite songwriters of all time. And having
watched your fantastic covers of both artists
on your YouTube channel, I'm going to ask you
what I consider to be an extremely difficult
question. If someone listening to this show has
never heard either one of those artists before,
what three songs from each artist would you use
to properly introduce them to each of their respective
musical universes? Man, well, you know. uh i
guess i'll go tom petty first although i'm already
terrified to answer this for either question
but uh my sort of you know it's so hard to pick
a favorite song of all time but sort of two songs
that are always kind of closing in on that one's
by john and one's by tom so that's going to be
easy the first slot but uh for petty i'll say
crawling back to you from the wildflowers record
is like that's like i've probably heard that
song more than any other song i can like there's
very few songs i've learned like note for note
like and that song is like i can play any part
like i just everything about that song is is
my favorite so that'd be the first song i'd introduce
if you wanted to learn about jake thistle too
like it just that song's been such a big part
of my life so i'll say crawling back to you uh
you know the next one i'll say is um i'll say
have love will travel from the last dj i'm going
a interesting story and the way he wrote that
and i think it just a lot of that language that
he uses in there is so quintessential tom petty
like maybe not even in the songwriting but just
like i can hear the way he spoke in those lyrics
you know yeah maggie's still trying to rope a
tornado like i could just hear him saying that
you know it just seems so conversational and
i think you know that's i think i could be wrong
but yeah yeah that that kind of followed all
the rick rubin stuff i think it's like yep sort
of the heartbreakers like everyone's at their
best on that record, I think. It sounds really
heartbreakers to me. Then I feel like for the
third one, I have to throw in a hit or else that's
not really, you have to understand Tom Petty,
you have to like the hits. I'll say I won't back
down because as a songwriter, it's such a frustrating
song because it's an amazing song. It's so well
-written and there's four lines in the whole
song. There's so much repetition. He says so
much in whatever, six lines. It's the worst.
It's like, I write these lines. It's like, he
says more in that song with three lines than
I say in like 18 verses. And so that's amazing.
And there's so much to learn from that. It's
the first song I ever learned how to play. It's
the first song I ever sang. So I'll say that.
All right. Oh, and now I got to do John Hyatt.
Yeah, no pressure. Adios, California. It's like
my favorite John Hyatt song. So I'll say that.
Tennessee Plates. I don't think it gets more
Hyatt than that. So, I mean, that's just right
there. And then, oh man, that third one. This
is the one that's going to get me. I don't know
which one. I'm thinking, let's see. I'm going
to say for the third one, Cry Love. Because I
can't do that and not put a song from Walk On
on there. I mean, you just have to include something
from Walk On. And it bums me out that I didn't
say anything from crossing money waters, but
that's the nature of the question. Well, I'm
going to just throw this out there while we're
talking. If you make it to Disney week, which
you're going to, you really need to consider
let it ride or straight through the heart of
love from the country bears, because that's a
way to sneak some Hyatt into the competition.
There you go. Yeah. Now, while Tom is sadly no
longer with us, Mr. Hyatt. just this past week,
had some incredibly kind things to say about
you when he performed at the Mayo Arts Center
with Lyle Lovett. Considering your love of his
music, what was that moment like for you? It
was just incredible. I mean, the support that
both of them have shown me over the years is
honestly, I mean, it's unfathomable to me. Like
they are, both John and Lyle are such... beacons
not only in the music industry but just in my
own life and my own sort of upbringing and i
grew up idolizing them and and both of their
support has really meant the world you know i
played with hyatt when i was 12 years old and
it was like an aha moment for me like that was
the it was the first time i ever played in a
theater i played have a little faith in me with
john hyatt at his encore at a show and it just
i remember standing up there and just being like
i will never be able to have a different job
like this is just exactly what i want to do and
and that moment was so formative for me but he
still like called up a 12 year old and like i
can't believe he was he had the faith in me to
allow me to do that was so kind of him and you
know lyle's the same way that the support he's
shown me over the years you know in person and
online and sharing my music has has been unfathomable
i mean it's really just it's so kind and so getting
to sit there and hear them say that was It definitely
was a full circle moment for me and it was really
validating and it meant the world. Jake, what's
one album you consider to be truly perfect from
start to finish? And what about that record makes
it flawless to you? Well, normally my answer
would be either Wildflowers by Tom Petty or Dirty
Jeans and Must Light Hymns by John Hyatt. But
see, I used two songs for my three ranking over
there already for those two. I'll push those
aside and say I acknowledge that they're perfect
from my other two answers. And I would say I'm
a huge fan of a guy named Brian Dunn, who I've
been lucky enough to, you know, sort of, you
know, be friends with over the years. I opened
for his band Fantastic Cat for a couple, you
know, for about a month last year. And he's got
a record called Loser on the Ropes that is just
it's just one of my favorites, you know, really
of all time. I didn't really know him when he
put it out. I knew him like a little bit through
crossing over through a scene or two, but I put
it on when I was driving one day. It's about
it's about the exact same length as a drive to
school when I was going to Rutgers. And it just
it sounds like my freshman year of college. And
and it really influenced sort of my sort of soundscape
writing production, you know, ideas. Well, before
we wrap things up, like we talked about at the
top of the episode, the show is built around
the concept of mixtapes. and playlists and pushing
musical envelopes. And you talked about earlier
how you share songs with other contestants when
you're talking in that downtime. So for the people
listening, what are three songs you're personally
rocking to right now that you think the My Weekly
Mixtape listeners should have on their radars?
Oh, wow. All right. Well, let's see. I'm going
to say... We spoke a little bit about Sam Fender
before, so I'll throw out... I'll say People
Watching, which is the title track off a record
that I guess came out last year now. But it was
one of my favorite records of the year, and I
really enjoyed it. So I'll say People Watching
by Sam Fender. I will say Harmonia's Dream by
The War on Drugs. Wow. Which was that my silence
was trying to pick a song from that record, too,
because I also love I think that was a great
album. I know that's that's from I Don't Live
Here Anymore, I think. No, you got it. That's
the album. Anything from that. I mean, you can't
go wrong. That's another one of my favorite records.
And then I'll sort of I'll bring it back full
circle because we were talking about Hyatt and
I'm going to say. I just don't know what to say
by John Hyatt. I didn't mean a pun there, but.
I remember that song slipped my radar for about
five years. I knew almost every Hyatt song for
five years, and somehow I didn't really know
that one, and I heard it on my way to high school
one day. One of my first days, I was driving
to high school, and I remember I was supposed
to be early for something, and I heard that song,
and I was like, nope, I'm staying in the parking
lot and listening to that one more time. So I'll
say that one for my third one. Oh, the mystic
pinball album. You got me right there. My business.
I just don't know what to say, man. When I'm
done with this interview, I know the first album
I'm putting on. Oh yeah. Well, Jake, I wish you
the best of luck on this season of American Idol.
I know I and the rest of the My Weekly Mixtape
listeners are going to be voting for you. And
I look forward to having you back on the show
when you win the whole damn thing. Oh, gosh.
Well, I really appreciate it. Thank you so much.
I mean, it's been such a great time. So I can't
express how excited I am to just be hanging with
everybody. And I keep telling them, like, everybody
that's in this top 20, top 30, whatever. Their
front row tickets are about to get really expensive.
So I'm just glad to be sitting there now while
I can afford it, you know? Well, I appreciate
you taking the time to talk about it tonight
on My Weekly Mixtape with me. Of course. Thank
you so much. And to the My Weekly Mixtape community,
if you're a fan of American Idol, please be sure
to throw some votes Jake's way. If you enjoy
what you're hearing on the show, I want to hear
about it. MyWeeklyMixtape at gmail .com. Hit
me up on social media at My Weekly Mixtape. you
can use the contact page at myweeklymixtape .com,
or you could join the Mixtaper community at patreon
.com forward slash myweeklymixtape. It's free
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if you'd like to support the show a little extra.
If you're listening on Apple Podcasts, Spotify,
or YouTube, please leave a five -star review,
hit that subscribe button, drop a like. Drop
a comment, you know, do all the things and help
spread the word about My Weekly Mixtape to other
music fans in your life. Once again, my name
is Brian Colburn. This has been My Weekly Mixtape.
And until next time, enjoy the tunes.