WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.780 Hey, I'm Jake Thistle. You're listening to My 00:00:01.780 --> 00:00:04.440 Weekly Mixtape with Brian Colburn, and I had 00:00:04.440 --> 00:00:06.280 such a great time. I really hope you guys enjoy. 00:00:17.620 --> 00:00:20.559 What is going on, friends? Welcome to My Weekly 00:00:20.559 --> 00:00:23.160 Mixtape, the show that takes the classic mixtape 00:00:23.160 --> 00:00:26.179 approach to building a modern playlist. I'm your 00:00:26.179 --> 00:00:29.109 host, Brian Colburn. And tonight is a first for 00:00:29.109 --> 00:00:31.769 the show as I'm welcoming a guest who's currently 00:00:31.769 --> 00:00:35.009 mid -competition on the latest season of American 00:00:35.009 --> 00:00:38.130 Idol. So we're about to get the low down from 00:00:38.130 --> 00:00:41.549 the inside. My guest hails from Paramus, New 00:00:41.549 --> 00:00:45.149 Jersey, which makes my Jersey pride being proud. 00:00:45.390 --> 00:00:48.009 But beyond him being local to where I grew up, 00:00:48.070 --> 00:00:50.990 he's also an incredibly gifted singer -songwriter 00:00:50.990 --> 00:00:53.950 whose music is rooted in the kind of artists 00:00:53.950 --> 00:00:56.750 that are not only favorites of mine. They're 00:00:56.750 --> 00:00:59.130 staple topics here on My Weekly Mixtape, and 00:00:59.130 --> 00:01:01.850 we're talking the likes of John Hyatt and Tom 00:01:01.850 --> 00:01:05.069 Petty, just to scratch the surface. So with that, 00:01:05.090 --> 00:01:07.349 it's my pleasure to welcome Jake Thistle to the 00:01:07.349 --> 00:01:09.989 show. Jake, welcome to the show, my friend. Oh, 00:01:10.010 --> 00:01:11.769 thank you so much. I'm super excited. It means 00:01:11.769 --> 00:01:15.290 the world. Now, I always start my episodes by 00:01:15.290 --> 00:01:19.189 asking a first -time guest question. However, 00:01:19.390 --> 00:01:22.150 considering you're officially my youngest guest 00:01:22.150 --> 00:01:25.659 at 21 years old, I'm not quite sure how this 00:01:25.659 --> 00:01:27.980 one's going to land, but there's only one way 00:01:27.980 --> 00:01:31.500 to find out. And that is, Jake, what does the 00:01:31.500 --> 00:01:35.859 word mixtape mean to you? It means a podcast 00:01:35.859 --> 00:01:37.920 I'm currently doing. I don't have much experience 00:01:37.920 --> 00:01:40.439 in mixtapes, of course. I wish I did, because 00:01:40.439 --> 00:01:43.920 it seems like a really awesome thing. But for 00:01:43.920 --> 00:01:46.659 me, a mixtape is a lot more of a digital feature. 00:01:46.840 --> 00:01:49.079 I've made playlists for my friends on Spotify, 00:01:49.260 --> 00:01:52.590 especially... Being with the Idol crew or other 00:01:52.590 --> 00:01:54.489 songwriters and just meeting, there's a lot of, 00:01:54.530 --> 00:01:56.510 oh, you haven't heard that? And then I'll put 00:01:56.510 --> 00:01:58.090 together a playlist. But that's about as much 00:01:58.090 --> 00:02:01.170 of the surfaces I've scratched in terms of mixtapes. 00:02:01.549 --> 00:02:04.730 That concept is what I am trying to, through 00:02:04.730 --> 00:02:07.930 this show, carry to playlists. Because growing 00:02:07.930 --> 00:02:12.009 up, you had to commit time and energy in choosing 00:02:12.009 --> 00:02:14.830 songs and recording them in real time onto a 00:02:14.830 --> 00:02:18.490 cassette. And now with playlists, I could create... 00:02:18.699 --> 00:02:21.879 a 200 song playlist in about 30 seconds. Yeah. 00:02:22.039 --> 00:02:25.919 And the thought process behind what songs does 00:02:25.919 --> 00:02:28.879 this person need to listen to, to truly understand 00:02:28.879 --> 00:02:32.340 what I'm trying to convey to them is what I'm 00:02:32.340 --> 00:02:34.860 trying to bring across on this show. Absolutely. 00:02:34.960 --> 00:02:36.300 Yeah. And I mean, that's the funny thing for 00:02:36.300 --> 00:02:38.800 me about doing it digitally is it's not lost 00:02:38.800 --> 00:02:40.919 on me how easy it is to also be done with it 00:02:40.919 --> 00:02:42.919 and go, yeah, you know what? I'll swap this with 00:02:42.919 --> 00:02:44.840 that. And it's like, I could just go right in 00:02:44.840 --> 00:02:46.539 the middle and move it to the end. And, you know, 00:02:46.560 --> 00:02:48.750 it's, uh, And so I don't take that for granted, 00:02:48.770 --> 00:02:51.370 how sort of easy sharing music has gotten. It 00:02:51.370 --> 00:02:54.889 certainly has. So let's start here in New Jersey, 00:02:54.990 --> 00:02:57.090 where, as everyone who listens knows, My Weekly 00:02:57.090 --> 00:03:00.610 Mixtape is also based. You grew up in Paramus, 00:03:00.710 --> 00:03:04.469 New Jersey, aka the mall capital of Bergen County. 00:03:04.669 --> 00:03:08.189 I did. And you attended Rutgers University. So 00:03:08.189 --> 00:03:10.990 can you talk about your experiences growing up 00:03:10.990 --> 00:03:14.349 in and performing around New Jersey? And what 00:03:14.349 --> 00:03:17.479 venues do you consider pivotal? In your growth 00:03:17.479 --> 00:03:20.139 as an artist. Oh, man. Well, you know, first 00:03:20.139 --> 00:03:22.400 of all, I consider myself really, really lucky 00:03:22.400 --> 00:03:24.659 to grow up where I did for a number of reasons. 00:03:24.800 --> 00:03:27.120 I mean, just first of all, going to school, my 00:03:27.120 --> 00:03:30.639 entire time in public school in Paramus was molded 00:03:30.639 --> 00:03:32.560 by an incredible music program. And that wasn't 00:03:32.560 --> 00:03:34.719 something my parents knew when they moved here 00:03:34.719 --> 00:03:36.800 and had me. You know, that just was sort of I 00:03:36.800 --> 00:03:39.300 got lucky and I ended up in a town that really 00:03:39.300 --> 00:03:41.400 valued music and sort of the enrichment of that 00:03:41.400 --> 00:03:44.280 education. So that was a huge. part of growing 00:03:44.280 --> 00:03:46.340 up and so i'm really proud of that but it was 00:03:46.340 --> 00:03:48.759 pure coincidence and i really lucked out uh you 00:03:48.759 --> 00:03:51.360 know aside from that the scene here is so rich 00:03:51.360 --> 00:03:53.020 you know growing up in bergen county i got to 00:03:53.020 --> 00:03:55.099 play with you know a lot of a lot of legends 00:03:55.099 --> 00:03:57.639 who you know really really shaped how i learned 00:03:57.639 --> 00:03:59.639 you know i mostly learned off youtube in terms 00:03:59.639 --> 00:04:02.460 of traditional lessons so i had so many teachers 00:04:02.460 --> 00:04:04.580 like stage teachers who i could just watch up 00:04:04.580 --> 00:04:06.300 there enjoying them or whatever and that's really 00:04:06.300 --> 00:04:09.680 where i cut my teeth and so throughout whatever 00:04:09.680 --> 00:04:12.750 scene i'm in i'm just so fortunate to have you 00:04:12.750 --> 00:04:14.270 know been able to share the stage with people 00:04:14.270 --> 00:04:17.949 like that in terms of venues that i really appreciate 00:04:17.949 --> 00:04:19.750 there's a number of them i mean i play in asbury 00:04:19.750 --> 00:04:23.230 park all the time and so you know i have to sort 00:04:23.230 --> 00:04:25.470 of include them first you know the wonder bar 00:04:25.470 --> 00:04:27.790 and the stone pony have you know i've been really 00:04:27.790 --> 00:04:30.009 lucky to be able to call them home and for a 00:04:30.009 --> 00:04:32.350 lot of aspects uh the count desi theater and 00:04:32.350 --> 00:04:34.129 red bank those are some of my fondest memories 00:04:34.129 --> 00:04:36.449 are there i also there's a place so that that's 00:04:36.449 --> 00:04:39.170 no that is no longer open it's a new it's a new 00:04:39.170 --> 00:04:42.199 place now but it was called jiggs mcallister's 00:04:42.199 --> 00:04:44.740 music saloon and that was in butler new jersey 00:04:44.740 --> 00:04:47.839 and that's where i probably learned more about 00:04:47.839 --> 00:04:50.060 what i do now than anywhere else i would play 00:04:50.060 --> 00:04:52.579 there with a guy named lou palo who was the rhythm 00:04:52.579 --> 00:04:54.980 guitarist in the les paul trio and i was the 00:04:54.980 --> 00:04:57.439 youngest guy in this band by about 70 years without 00:04:57.439 --> 00:05:00.439 exaggeration i think he passed when i was 16 00:05:00.439 --> 00:05:03.139 and he was 86. so it was it was i was a young 00:05:03.139 --> 00:05:06.500 guy in that band but just the knowledge of that 00:05:06.500 --> 00:05:09.069 group was insane to me, the guys he would bring 00:05:09.069 --> 00:05:11.189 around, the Lou Palo and Friends, you know, band. 00:05:11.370 --> 00:05:13.269 And I played there almost every Sunday for six 00:05:13.269 --> 00:05:15.310 years with him. And, you know, guys like Vince 00:05:15.310 --> 00:05:17.769 Janela and like other really great teachers in 00:05:17.769 --> 00:05:20.069 the scene I played with at that place. So that's 00:05:20.069 --> 00:05:21.790 a place for my roots that I that is definitely 00:05:21.790 --> 00:05:23.610 was quintessential to me growing up as well. 00:05:24.269 --> 00:05:27.149 And did playing with those artists shape how 00:05:27.149 --> 00:05:30.910 you write music? Absolutely. You know, I think, 00:05:30.930 --> 00:05:33.209 you know, you look at guys like that, especially 00:05:33.209 --> 00:05:36.089 when I was growing up, seeing artists that would. 00:05:36.279 --> 00:05:38.500 play shows whether it was with their originals 00:05:38.500 --> 00:05:41.060 or their covers that's really where i i learned 00:05:41.060 --> 00:05:43.959 how a set list should be you know i mean it's 00:05:43.959 --> 00:05:46.740 really lucky to get to go see an artist play 00:05:46.740 --> 00:05:48.740 the garden and you can learn a ton from watching 00:05:48.740 --> 00:05:50.939 that too but there's something about you know 00:05:50.939 --> 00:05:53.040 a traveling show that has you know a lighting 00:05:53.040 --> 00:05:55.560 rig that's put up every night and uh and a stage 00:05:55.560 --> 00:05:57.779 that looks the same there's something about that 00:05:57.779 --> 00:06:00.300 that is a completely different atmosphere than 00:06:00.699 --> 00:06:02.959 going to a bar and you have the same stage that 00:06:02.959 --> 00:06:04.939 every band that ever plays there has, and you 00:06:04.939 --> 00:06:07.220 have to find a way to make that your own. And 00:06:07.220 --> 00:06:10.000 I think sort of the way that that's the easiest 00:06:10.000 --> 00:06:11.879 to come across is through your song choice and 00:06:11.879 --> 00:06:13.699 through your show pacing and everything like 00:06:13.699 --> 00:06:16.300 that. So I got a real kick out of watching these 00:06:16.300 --> 00:06:18.160 sort of mentors at the gigs I would go to and 00:06:18.160 --> 00:06:21.019 see, oh, okay, they ended with that multiple 00:06:21.019 --> 00:06:23.980 times. Why did they end with that at different 00:06:23.980 --> 00:06:26.160 shows? And why, okay, and why do you switch that 00:06:26.160 --> 00:06:28.079 to a different song this time? And I got a real 00:06:28.079 --> 00:06:31.319 kick out of trying to figure all that out. Well, 00:06:31.379 --> 00:06:33.759 as much as I can talk about the New Jersey music 00:06:33.759 --> 00:06:36.899 scene for hours on end, we are here to talk about 00:06:36.899 --> 00:06:40.579 your experiences thus far on American Idol. So 00:06:40.579 --> 00:06:45.120 first off, color me impressed that you auditioned 00:06:45.120 --> 00:06:47.899 with Blind Faith's Can't Find My Way Home. Thank 00:06:47.899 --> 00:06:51.519 you. What is it about that song that made you 00:06:51.519 --> 00:06:54.300 feel like that was the perfect introduction to 00:06:54.300 --> 00:06:57.560 Jake Thistle for Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan and 00:06:57.560 --> 00:07:00.740 Carrie Underwood? Well, you know the one thing 00:07:00.740 --> 00:07:03.120 I wasn't you know I considered myself really 00:07:03.120 --> 00:07:05.420 comfortable down there just because I love playing 00:07:05.420 --> 00:07:08.579 and I love playing and getting immediate feedback 00:07:08.579 --> 00:07:10.079 And that's you know, like I was saying before 00:07:10.079 --> 00:07:12.199 that's the way I've learned so I was super excited 00:07:12.199 --> 00:07:15.139 to go down but the part that was really foreign 00:07:15.139 --> 00:07:19.699 to me was the fact that I Had 90 seconds to show 00:07:19.699 --> 00:07:22.300 Jake thistle to these people, you know, and and 00:07:22.300 --> 00:07:24.560 I knew that it was probably gonna be even less 00:07:24.560 --> 00:07:27.519 than that you know uh in the cut and so i really 00:07:27.519 --> 00:07:29.680 tried to pick my song strategically and i thought 00:07:29.680 --> 00:07:32.699 can't find my way home was a really great cross 00:07:32.699 --> 00:07:35.720 -section of so many people know that song but 00:07:35.720 --> 00:07:38.379 it's not a song that they're gonna hear a thousand 00:07:38.379 --> 00:07:39.899 times a day when they're going through these 00:07:39.899 --> 00:07:41.560 auditions and i wanted to be mindful of that 00:07:41.560 --> 00:07:43.680 too and give them something that might make them 00:07:43.680 --> 00:07:45.959 perk up say oh we haven't heard that yet or or 00:07:45.959 --> 00:07:48.439 in a while or something and then you know more 00:07:48.439 --> 00:07:51.339 so i think blind faith has that it's just such 00:07:51.339 --> 00:07:54.779 a rich 60s bluesy sound and so i want they're 00:07:54.779 --> 00:07:57.680 a big influence and that is definitely a part 00:07:57.680 --> 00:07:59.939 of me I wanted to show but it's still Steve Winwood 00:07:59.939 --> 00:08:01.899 and it's still that sort of Steve Winwood pop 00:08:01.899 --> 00:08:04.480 sensibility and I thought that catchy chorus 00:08:04.480 --> 00:08:06.620 and the way you could just I mean three days 00:08:06.620 --> 00:08:08.839 later you're still humming that song so I thought 00:08:08.839 --> 00:08:11.959 that might be a really fun way to sort of express 00:08:11.959 --> 00:08:14.899 my pop side as well so that was it was exciting 00:08:14.899 --> 00:08:16.959 choice for me and I was really glad that it sort 00:08:16.959 --> 00:08:19.779 of went that way as well It was an excellent 00:08:19.779 --> 00:08:22.079 song choice and one that, as somebody who's watched 00:08:22.079 --> 00:08:25.040 American Idol for many years, one just with me 00:08:25.040 --> 00:08:27.500 and my wife 20 years ago when Carrie Underwood 00:08:27.500 --> 00:08:30.180 was just a contestant on the show, to me watching 00:08:30.180 --> 00:08:33.840 with my daughters now, a lot of artists seem 00:08:33.840 --> 00:08:37.779 to lean towards pop and the newer style of music. 00:08:37.820 --> 00:08:41.700 So seeing somebody your age pulling from the 00:08:41.700 --> 00:08:44.919 classic rock side of the spectrum, if you will. 00:08:45.370 --> 00:08:48.149 Was that a strategic decision on your part before 00:08:48.149 --> 00:08:52.210 showing more of your pop sensibilities? You know, 00:08:52.250 --> 00:08:54.870 to an extent it was, but I mean, honestly, I 00:08:54.870 --> 00:08:56.730 think one of the things I try to do the most 00:08:56.730 --> 00:08:59.850 when I listen to music is I consider myself lucky 00:08:59.850 --> 00:09:01.970 that of the influence I have, especially the 00:09:01.970 --> 00:09:03.549 older ones, I'm able to kind of look at their 00:09:03.549 --> 00:09:05.750 career from a bird's eye view. You know, I mean, 00:09:05.750 --> 00:09:08.289 if you take a guy like, you know, Steve Winwood, 00:09:08.350 --> 00:09:11.909 like the day I discovered Steve Winwood was the 00:09:11.909 --> 00:09:14.309 day that, you know, Can't Find My Way Home came 00:09:14.309 --> 00:09:17.159 out. on the same day as Back in the High Life 00:09:17.159 --> 00:09:19.440 again, to me, because it was whatever day I heard 00:09:19.440 --> 00:09:22.379 them, you know? Yes. And so I think it was definitely 00:09:22.379 --> 00:09:27.000 in my mind to, you know, want to show that side, 00:09:27.080 --> 00:09:28.659 maybe to make myself stand out a little bit, 00:09:28.679 --> 00:09:30.779 just because, you know, I think you're right. 00:09:30.840 --> 00:09:32.840 I think there is a lot of pop on the show, of 00:09:32.840 --> 00:09:35.039 which I consider myself a part of, for sure. 00:09:35.500 --> 00:09:37.899 And, you know, I did a newer song the next week 00:09:37.899 --> 00:09:39.940 to sort of show that side. But, you know, for 00:09:39.940 --> 00:09:42.580 me, I think it's less about the era and more 00:09:42.580 --> 00:09:44.600 about... What speaks to me. And then it just 00:09:44.600 --> 00:09:46.220 sort of happened to be from that era too. And 00:09:46.220 --> 00:09:49.240 I will take all of the sort of connotations that, 00:09:49.240 --> 00:09:52.460 that also, you know, brings to me. Well, you 00:09:52.460 --> 00:09:54.659 mentioned the pop song. So let's get into that 00:09:54.659 --> 00:09:57.620 for Hollywood week. Well, Nashville week, you 00:09:57.620 --> 00:10:01.000 perform Sam Fender's 17 going under. Can you 00:10:01.000 --> 00:10:04.100 talk about the mindset behind that song choice, 00:10:04.240 --> 00:10:07.480 especially when all the other stressors that 00:10:07.480 --> 00:10:09.639 are coming into this American idol experience 00:10:09.639 --> 00:10:14.440 are coming into play? How much. Is it 100 % on 00:10:14.440 --> 00:10:17.860 you to pick the song or are there producers and 00:10:17.860 --> 00:10:21.700 people giving you advice and feedback on where 00:10:21.700 --> 00:10:24.460 you should go for those song choices? Because 00:10:24.460 --> 00:10:27.240 that's not presented on TV. Yeah, I mean, I will 00:10:27.240 --> 00:10:31.019 say in terms of the producers and Idol, I've 00:10:31.019 --> 00:10:34.000 been really impressed so far exactly how much 00:10:34.000 --> 00:10:37.519 of what we get to do is ourselves. And that's 00:10:37.519 --> 00:10:39.700 not something... Through all the media training, 00:10:39.840 --> 00:10:41.980 I would say if I didn't 100 % believe it, you 00:10:41.980 --> 00:10:44.019 know what I mean? Like, you know, there's definitely 00:10:44.019 --> 00:10:47.879 factors that come into play in terms of, you 00:10:47.879 --> 00:10:50.480 know, what might or not clear, you know, so that's 00:10:50.480 --> 00:10:51.879 always something you have to consider as well. 00:10:52.000 --> 00:10:54.860 But in terms of song choice, it's pretty much 00:10:54.860 --> 00:10:58.019 100 % up to us. And we do get, they're very generous, 00:10:58.059 --> 00:11:00.740 the producers with their opinions and getting 00:11:00.740 --> 00:11:03.100 to kind of go out in front of them and talk to 00:11:03.100 --> 00:11:04.740 people who know the show and know how the judges 00:11:04.740 --> 00:11:06.580 will react. And they have a pretty good sense 00:11:06.580 --> 00:11:09.159 of how America might act too. I take what they 00:11:09.159 --> 00:11:12.220 say very, very seriously. And there wasn't, you 00:11:12.220 --> 00:11:14.320 know, I mean, not to jump to another round, but 00:11:14.320 --> 00:11:16.820 in Hawaii, I was between, you know, a song or 00:11:16.820 --> 00:11:19.480 another song and I took their advice and ended 00:11:19.480 --> 00:11:21.220 up, you know, doing what I wanted to do. But 00:11:21.220 --> 00:11:23.840 yeah, for the most part, it is our choice. And 00:11:23.840 --> 00:11:26.620 so for the Sam Fender song, you know, to me, 00:11:26.679 --> 00:11:28.460 that was just, I really wanted to show another 00:11:28.460 --> 00:11:29.860 side of me. We were getting to play with the 00:11:29.860 --> 00:11:32.159 band. I just, I, before I even heard them, I 00:11:32.159 --> 00:11:34.360 knew for a fact that it was an amazing band because 00:11:34.360 --> 00:11:36.820 I'm a Chris Pooley fan who is the musical director. 00:11:37.440 --> 00:11:39.659 I know he only works with the best people around. 00:11:40.240 --> 00:11:42.899 I just wanted to pick an upbeat song that showed 00:11:42.899 --> 00:11:47.039 a little bit of the more indie rock type vibe. 00:11:47.120 --> 00:11:49.559 That's something I love. I'm a huge Sam Fender 00:11:49.559 --> 00:11:52.279 fan. I'm a huge fan of that song. I was really 00:11:52.279 --> 00:11:54.860 present when that song was having a moment, whether 00:11:54.860 --> 00:11:57.460 it was on TikTok or just on the radio a couple 00:11:57.460 --> 00:12:00.179 of years ago. Unlike Can't Find My Way Home, 00:12:00.320 --> 00:12:02.200 which I've played with my band for a long time, 00:12:02.279 --> 00:12:06.169 I'm pretty sure. When I played 17 Going Under 00:12:06.169 --> 00:12:07.730 on the show, it was my first time actually ever 00:12:07.730 --> 00:12:10.190 playing the song. I kind of picked it as a gamble 00:12:10.190 --> 00:12:11.789 and said, I just really want to try this. And 00:12:11.789 --> 00:12:14.649 I had an opportunity to play it beforehand, but 00:12:14.649 --> 00:12:18.269 I worked on it and I was happy with how it went. 00:12:18.649 --> 00:12:20.250 Well, you could have fooled me. I thought you've 00:12:20.250 --> 00:12:21.789 been playing that for a while, the way you made 00:12:21.789 --> 00:12:24.190 it look up there. That's kind of you. I've been 00:12:24.190 --> 00:12:26.509 listening to it a while, so that helped. Now, 00:12:26.549 --> 00:12:28.870 I'm sure there's some listening that would love 00:12:28.870 --> 00:12:31.750 a glimpse inside of the American Idol universe. 00:12:33.480 --> 00:12:36.860 What happens in the hours outside of the show 00:12:36.860 --> 00:12:40.100 taping that the television audience never sees? 00:12:40.539 --> 00:12:43.379 Well, I mean, I will say another thing I've been 00:12:43.379 --> 00:12:44.940 impressed with getting to watch this all back, 00:12:45.039 --> 00:12:47.299 because, of course, pretty much everything that 00:12:47.299 --> 00:12:50.399 has was pre filmed was filmed before the first 00:12:50.399 --> 00:12:52.860 episode aired. You know, so I've gotten a kick 00:12:52.860 --> 00:12:54.379 out of watching everything back and I've been 00:12:54.379 --> 00:12:57.559 impressed with how accurate the sort of episodes 00:12:57.559 --> 00:12:59.820 have been edited. And that what I'm seeing is 00:12:59.820 --> 00:13:01.860 what my experience was. And I think that's the 00:13:01.860 --> 00:13:05.570 case for. most people uh you know for sure you 00:13:05.570 --> 00:13:08.190 know it's tv and it's reality and and it's it 00:13:08.190 --> 00:13:10.409 reminds me a lot of touring in the sense of it's 00:13:10.409 --> 00:13:12.649 a ton of hurry up and wait which i get a kick 00:13:12.649 --> 00:13:14.649 out of it's it's kind of fun for me anyway so 00:13:14.649 --> 00:13:16.870 that's okay but yeah i mean they're definitely 00:13:16.870 --> 00:13:19.990 long days and and there's a there's a great you 00:13:19.990 --> 00:13:21.370 know they do a great job there's a good support 00:13:21.370 --> 00:13:23.389 system for the hopefuls and the contestants and 00:13:23.389 --> 00:13:25.950 uh you know getting to go in and you know talk 00:13:25.950 --> 00:13:28.090 to the producers or talk to you know getting 00:13:28.090 --> 00:13:30.450 a band rehearsal in i mean you have limited time 00:13:30.450 --> 00:13:33.509 with everybody especially you know with the larger 00:13:33.509 --> 00:13:37.129 pool that is auditioning in the given day but 00:13:37.129 --> 00:13:39.970 yeah i mean it was it was a lot of fun and it 00:13:39.970 --> 00:13:41.950 was a lot of hurry up and wait which allowed 00:13:41.950 --> 00:13:44.690 us to make a lot of good friends and and so i'm 00:13:44.690 --> 00:13:47.549 really grateful for the people i was have gotten 00:13:47.549 --> 00:13:49.309 to interact with both that are you know still 00:13:49.309 --> 00:13:50.970 in the competition and and some that have gone 00:13:50.970 --> 00:13:53.389 home but it was really it was a great time because 00:13:53.389 --> 00:13:55.950 there's such a shared passion between the the 00:13:55.950 --> 00:13:58.169 hopefuls and we're all quite you know right around 00:13:58.169 --> 00:14:01.230 the same age and so We like all the same music 00:14:01.230 --> 00:14:04.309 and everything like that. It was really a great 00:14:04.309 --> 00:14:06.370 time. It's like summer camp in a lot of ways. 00:14:06.809 --> 00:14:10.809 There you go. Now, was there ever a moment during 00:14:10.809 --> 00:14:13.350 filming where you or maybe other people have 00:14:13.350 --> 00:14:17.730 expressed to you, wow, this is more intense than 00:14:17.730 --> 00:14:21.190 could ever be portrayed on television? Yeah, 00:14:21.250 --> 00:14:24.509 well, the two things I'll think, Hollywood Week, 00:14:24.649 --> 00:14:27.429 I don't remember the exact day on how it ended 00:14:27.429 --> 00:14:30.009 up coming out through the edit. The day I played 00:14:30.009 --> 00:14:32.970 was a very long day because I played the same 00:14:32.970 --> 00:14:36.909 day as the whole sing -off round was filmed and 00:14:36.909 --> 00:14:38.990 the Golden Room. And none of us knew. That was 00:14:38.990 --> 00:14:41.029 all completely real. We didn't know we were singing 00:14:41.029 --> 00:14:43.750 off. That wasn't a reaction shot for the cameras. 00:14:43.970 --> 00:14:46.909 And we all picked a sing -off song and had like 00:14:46.909 --> 00:14:49.570 10 minutes to rehearse it and prayed we were 00:14:49.570 --> 00:14:52.789 one of the ones that got picked. And I didn't 00:14:52.789 --> 00:14:54.509 end up having to do a sing -off. So that was 00:14:54.509 --> 00:14:56.490 a very long day. If I remember correctly, I think 00:14:56.490 --> 00:14:58.710 we were on the shuttle to the theater. sometime 00:14:58.710 --> 00:15:01.009 around 7 a .m. And I don't think we got home 00:15:01.009 --> 00:15:03.909 till like 1 .30. So, you know, in the morning, 00:15:03.990 --> 00:15:06.389 I mean, so it's a long day, but it was a fun 00:15:06.389 --> 00:15:10.129 day. And I love that stuff. I mean, I really 00:15:10.129 --> 00:15:12.250 like, you know, getting to sweat it out and talk 00:15:12.250 --> 00:15:14.669 with people and just talk music for that long. 00:15:14.750 --> 00:15:16.549 So I had a great time, but it definitely was 00:15:16.549 --> 00:15:18.830 intense. And there's a lot of nerves flying around 00:15:18.830 --> 00:15:20.990 with everybody, of course, you know, having to 00:15:20.990 --> 00:15:23.139 do something like that. And some, you know, when 00:15:23.139 --> 00:15:25.019 we were in Hawaii, it was super hot and we were 00:15:25.019 --> 00:15:27.179 outside. And so that was definitely a consideration. 00:15:27.220 --> 00:15:29.659 And you really have to leverage. OK, do I want 00:15:29.659 --> 00:15:32.340 to be dehydrated or have to pee real bad? Because 00:15:32.340 --> 00:15:33.940 like you don't know when the next reset is going 00:15:33.940 --> 00:15:36.299 to be. They need us for a lot of stuff. So it's 00:15:36.299 --> 00:15:39.679 like, OK, today, yesterday I tried to be dehydrated 00:15:39.679 --> 00:15:41.139 and I hated it. So today I'm just going to have 00:15:41.139 --> 00:15:42.779 to pee real bad. Like you kind of got to pick. 00:15:43.840 --> 00:15:45.299 So, yeah, I mean, there's definitely intense 00:15:45.299 --> 00:15:48.600 moments, but I'm sure people say this every season, 00:15:48.679 --> 00:15:51.200 but I really mean it. It's an incredible group. 00:15:51.549 --> 00:15:53.809 that I got to hang out with on this show. And 00:15:53.809 --> 00:15:55.570 everyone's been so supportive of each other. 00:15:55.669 --> 00:15:57.210 And that's really meant the world to me because 00:15:57.210 --> 00:16:00.210 that's my favorite thing to see. Now I want to 00:16:00.210 --> 00:16:02.070 talk strategy for a second because at the end 00:16:02.070 --> 00:16:05.710 of the day, American Idol is a competition. So 00:16:05.710 --> 00:16:08.990 are you picking songs with the judges in mind, 00:16:09.129 --> 00:16:12.990 the audience in mind, or simply based on your 00:16:12.990 --> 00:16:16.830 own comfort level of knowing the song because 00:16:16.830 --> 00:16:19.529 of all of the extracurricular activities going 00:16:19.529 --> 00:16:22.049 on around you? Yeah, I mean, it's absolutely 00:16:22.049 --> 00:16:25.330 a combination of all three. And my strategy is 00:16:25.330 --> 00:16:28.409 shifting as we speak, because up to this point, 00:16:28.450 --> 00:16:31.649 I was pretty much only picking it for the judges 00:16:31.649 --> 00:16:33.309 because they were the ones who were making the 00:16:33.309 --> 00:16:35.529 decision. Now that I'm switching to America's 00:16:35.529 --> 00:16:37.529 vote, the judges are still going to have to play 00:16:37.529 --> 00:16:39.389 a major factor in my decision making because, 00:16:39.450 --> 00:16:41.850 you know, I've watched the show. I know that 00:16:41.850 --> 00:16:44.629 their comments influence the voters decisions 00:16:44.629 --> 00:16:46.830 as they should. So I definitely want to keep 00:16:46.830 --> 00:16:49.289 them happy as well as, you know, hopefully make 00:16:49.289 --> 00:16:53.409 America happy. Yeah, you know, for me, the main 00:16:53.409 --> 00:16:56.049 thing I've comment I've received from the received 00:16:56.049 --> 00:16:58.269 from the judges, and I think all three rounds 00:16:58.269 --> 00:17:00.250 that they really appreciated my authenticity 00:17:00.250 --> 00:17:03.789 and sort of my artistry. And that's I mean, it 00:17:03.789 --> 00:17:06.190 means the world. That is the reason that was 00:17:06.190 --> 00:17:08.390 the one thing I wanted to convey from the show. 00:17:08.490 --> 00:17:10.430 And so it means the world that they said that 00:17:10.430 --> 00:17:13.890 to me. But in my decision making, that's always 00:17:13.890 --> 00:17:16.589 the first thing I think of is, all right, I don't 00:17:16.589 --> 00:17:18.230 want to do the same thing every round. But is 00:17:18.230 --> 00:17:21.769 that me? And can I? pull that off without seeming 00:17:21.769 --> 00:17:24.710 like all right jake's trying to take it up a 00:17:24.710 --> 00:17:26.430 notch that was kind of a miss you know what i 00:17:26.430 --> 00:17:28.369 mean i want to if i if i'm taking it up a notch 00:17:28.369 --> 00:17:30.369 i don't even want anyone to notice i just want 00:17:30.369 --> 00:17:32.529 them to walk away and be like wow that was really 00:17:32.529 --> 00:17:35.029 cool not like okay well that well he was certainly 00:17:35.029 --> 00:17:37.230 trying to do something you know that's that's 00:17:37.230 --> 00:17:39.430 definitely not what i want so i would say the 00:17:39.430 --> 00:17:41.009 first thing that comes into my mind is maintaining 00:17:41.009 --> 00:17:43.670 those judge comments because i think because 00:17:43.670 --> 00:17:45.930 the comments were about authenticity i think 00:17:45.930 --> 00:17:48.829 that if i can maintain that it will translate 00:17:48.829 --> 00:17:52.130 best to the voters now that you know that's coming 00:17:52.130 --> 00:17:55.490 up now earlier you talked about the bonds you 00:17:55.490 --> 00:17:58.549 formed with other contestants on the show considering 00:17:58.549 --> 00:18:02.190 how subjective music is do you and the other 00:18:02.190 --> 00:18:05.490 contestants ever talk song strategy and kind 00:18:05.490 --> 00:18:08.190 of the mindset around it i mean i'm trying to 00:18:08.190 --> 00:18:10.690 think about that i i don't i don't know if we've 00:18:10.690 --> 00:18:13.450 had any specific conversations about our individual 00:18:13.450 --> 00:18:15.410 strategies because i think at the end of the 00:18:15.410 --> 00:18:18.259 day it boils down to just We all want to have 00:18:18.259 --> 00:18:21.460 fun and do the best job we can. But we've definitely 00:18:21.460 --> 00:18:23.720 talked a lot about songs and song choice. And 00:18:23.720 --> 00:18:26.500 I think song choice is obviously really important. 00:18:26.640 --> 00:18:28.359 But this season, I think it's been at the forefront. 00:18:28.859 --> 00:18:30.519 And there's been times, you know, I'll walk away 00:18:30.519 --> 00:18:32.220 from seeing a friend play and I'll just be like, 00:18:32.299 --> 00:18:34.339 holy crap, like you could not have picked a better 00:18:34.339 --> 00:18:37.099 song for this round. Like there just have been 00:18:37.099 --> 00:18:39.519 moments both live and rewatching it where I'm 00:18:39.519 --> 00:18:41.640 just like, that could not have gone better. Like 00:18:41.640 --> 00:18:44.180 that was so much fun to see. And so we talk a 00:18:44.180 --> 00:18:46.359 lot about that sort of retroactively, I think. 00:18:46.880 --> 00:18:48.480 you know it'll be interesting to see I'm sure 00:18:48.480 --> 00:18:51.099 that'll change when when we do live shows because 00:18:51.099 --> 00:18:53.700 you know for the most part we picked our songs 00:18:53.700 --> 00:18:56.299 when we were apart from everybody you know I 00:18:56.299 --> 00:18:59.039 think we had submitted our songs we had done 00:18:59.039 --> 00:19:00.500 a lot of rehearsals in Hawaii but I think they 00:19:00.500 --> 00:19:02.240 were all submitted like right before we left 00:19:02.240 --> 00:19:05.460 so we weren't sort of like in that shared space 00:19:05.460 --> 00:19:07.299 where I was like I'm thinking about doing this 00:19:07.299 --> 00:19:09.980 or maybe this like I think at least I hadn't 00:19:09.980 --> 00:19:11.700 kind of locked that in beforehand I'm not sure 00:19:11.700 --> 00:19:13.859 if everyone had so I think that might change 00:19:13.859 --> 00:19:16.410 you know when we get a little further in Well, 00:19:16.450 --> 00:19:19.029 this last week during the Ohana round, you performed 00:19:19.029 --> 00:19:22.509 one of your original songs, Sleep On Me. Yes. 00:19:46.670 --> 00:19:50.630 Sleep on me, sleep on me, one day I'm gonna get 00:19:50.630 --> 00:19:55.250 it right. Sleep on me, sleep on, I'm gonna make 00:19:55.250 --> 00:20:00.210 it up to you kind of guy. Trying to be, trying 00:20:00.210 --> 00:20:05.609 to be, someone who you like. Sleep on me, sleep 00:20:05.609 --> 00:20:13.759 on, I'm a stranger by design. Is there a different 00:20:13.759 --> 00:20:17.339 mindset when performing an original song for 00:20:17.339 --> 00:20:20.460 the judges and audience, knowing there's no built 00:20:20.460 --> 00:20:23.400 -in familiarity with the track? Yeah, I mean, 00:20:23.400 --> 00:20:25.779 that's definitely a factor. I think there is 00:20:25.779 --> 00:20:28.140 a risk, especially on a show like this, where 00:20:28.140 --> 00:20:30.220 there's still 30 of us. You know, there's a ton 00:20:30.220 --> 00:20:33.460 of people to get through in two hours. And I 00:20:33.460 --> 00:20:35.700 think it's in everybody's best interest to make 00:20:35.700 --> 00:20:38.819 the editor's jobs easy, too. If you can do a 00:20:38.819 --> 00:20:40.640 song, and I think Can't Find My Way Home is a 00:20:40.640 --> 00:20:42.640 good example of that. It's short, there's basically 00:20:42.640 --> 00:20:44.460 two verses that get repeated and you can get 00:20:44.460 --> 00:20:46.619 right out. I think it made the editor's job relatively 00:20:46.619 --> 00:20:49.099 easy. And then if you're going to do an original, 00:20:49.160 --> 00:20:52.880 it might take a little bit longer time to get 00:20:52.880 --> 00:20:54.720 the audience on your side, whether in person 00:20:54.720 --> 00:20:57.339 or in the edit. And so it was definitely a risk 00:20:57.339 --> 00:20:59.119 to try something like that, but it was just super 00:20:59.119 --> 00:21:01.460 important to me because songwriting is everything. 00:21:01.599 --> 00:21:03.480 I consider myself a songwriter before I even 00:21:03.480 --> 00:21:05.519 consider myself a singer or a guitar player. 00:21:07.200 --> 00:21:10.339 what i want to do and so i weighed that kind 00:21:10.339 --> 00:21:12.339 of back and forth for a while while we were in 00:21:12.339 --> 00:21:15.579 hawaii but at the end of the day i i think i 00:21:15.579 --> 00:21:17.579 i you know if i was going to go home i would 00:21:17.579 --> 00:21:19.220 have rather it have been on an original anyway 00:21:19.220 --> 00:21:21.119 and so i was willing to take that risk even just 00:21:21.119 --> 00:21:23.619 for that it was just important to me to show 00:21:23.619 --> 00:21:26.299 that side of me uh even if it was just specifically 00:21:26.299 --> 00:21:28.740 to the three judges so they knew and it didn't 00:21:28.740 --> 00:21:31.819 make the cut like that was that was really really 00:21:31.819 --> 00:21:33.920 important to me and so it was an honor to get 00:21:33.920 --> 00:21:36.299 to see that on tv it really meant the world and 00:21:36.750 --> 00:21:39.029 I had bonded with the other songwriters on the 00:21:39.029 --> 00:21:41.529 set a lot as well. And they and, you know, there 00:21:41.529 --> 00:21:43.829 were a couple of originals other than mine in 00:21:43.829 --> 00:21:46.890 the episode, too. And I think everyone who did 00:21:46.890 --> 00:21:48.529 an original ended up going through, which was 00:21:48.529 --> 00:21:50.190 like an incredible moment for us. And we were 00:21:50.190 --> 00:21:53.410 all super happy for each other with that. What's 00:21:53.410 --> 00:21:56.109 the biggest lesson you've learned about yourself 00:21:56.109 --> 00:21:59.609 during this experience that has nothing to do 00:21:59.609 --> 00:22:04.069 with singing or performing music? well, you know, 00:22:04.089 --> 00:22:07.430 I think a lot of for me is is sort of You know, 00:22:07.430 --> 00:22:09.109 you do a ton of interviews for this too. And 00:22:09.109 --> 00:22:12.750 it's been a lot of fun for me and I mean interview 00:22:12.750 --> 00:22:15.349 specifically in the show for you know, the the 00:22:15.349 --> 00:22:19.289 the pre -roll tapes and Now that I did I think 00:22:19.289 --> 00:22:21.269 every single one of them before an episode even 00:22:21.269 --> 00:22:23.089 aired So now that I'm seeing how they're editing 00:22:23.089 --> 00:22:25.269 things I think when I go in to do that I think 00:22:25.269 --> 00:22:27.490 I know a little bit more of the type of things 00:22:27.490 --> 00:22:29.349 I should be saying and the type of things that 00:22:29.349 --> 00:22:33.750 might make the cut I tend to be You know, I've 00:22:33.750 --> 00:22:35.869 had publicists before call me like very diplomatic, 00:22:36.130 --> 00:22:39.269 you know, and I think sometimes I get a question 00:22:39.269 --> 00:22:41.369 and sort of like a presidential candidate. I'll 00:22:41.369 --> 00:22:43.190 be like, well, that's really interesting. You 00:22:43.190 --> 00:22:44.950 say that because this and that and it ends up 00:22:44.950 --> 00:22:47.609 kind of coming out. And I think this experience 00:22:47.609 --> 00:22:50.430 has taught me to be a little bit more succinct, 00:22:50.430 --> 00:22:52.730 a little bit more direct in terms of, again, 00:22:52.789 --> 00:22:54.390 making the editor's lives a little bit easier. 00:22:55.170 --> 00:22:58.250 Well, along with your original track that we 00:22:58.250 --> 00:23:01.079 played earlier. I want to focus on some of your 00:23:01.079 --> 00:23:02.880 original music because there's people here that 00:23:02.880 --> 00:23:04.859 are listening to this episode that only know 00:23:04.859 --> 00:23:07.619 you from American Idol. And I want to introduce 00:23:07.619 --> 00:23:10.400 some of your other songs. And you recently released 00:23:10.400 --> 00:23:30.650 a track called Alone Together. Yes, I did. Just 00:23:30.650 --> 00:24:21.930 a valid shade of fire. When someone hears this 00:24:21.930 --> 00:24:26.089 song for the first time, what emotion or reaction 00:24:26.089 --> 00:24:30.349 would make you feel like it landed exactly as 00:24:30.349 --> 00:24:34.450 you intended when you were writing it? Well, 00:24:34.509 --> 00:24:37.109 I wrote this song basically from the New Jersey 00:24:37.109 --> 00:24:39.950 Turnpike while I was driving. And so I think 00:24:39.950 --> 00:24:43.690 for me, you know, there's sort of a longing and 00:24:43.690 --> 00:24:46.390 a distance within the song. And so I hope they 00:24:46.390 --> 00:24:49.299 can feel that. I hope they kind of feel. that 00:24:49.299 --> 00:24:53.180 sense of being so close yet so far away. I remember 00:24:53.180 --> 00:24:56.099 going, whether it was from Asbury to Paramus 00:24:56.099 --> 00:24:59.859 or Rutgers to New York or whatever it was, I 00:24:59.859 --> 00:25:01.700 just remember being on that stretch of the turnpike 00:25:01.700 --> 00:25:04.500 all the time. And going up to Bergen County, 00:25:04.640 --> 00:25:07.059 I'd look on my left and it would just be like 00:25:07.059 --> 00:25:10.599 Elizabeth, which is all just like big power plants 00:25:10.599 --> 00:25:12.599 and landfills and whatever. And on the other 00:25:12.599 --> 00:25:15.400 side, it would be like the sun setting and it 00:25:15.400 --> 00:25:17.700 would like... reflect off the buildings and hit 00:25:17.700 --> 00:25:20.460 me back from the manhattan skyline and i thought 00:25:20.460 --> 00:25:21.839 it was the most beautiful thing in the world 00:25:21.839 --> 00:25:23.819 and then i'd look over in power plants and i 00:25:23.819 --> 00:25:25.819 just i just was fascinated by those two worlds 00:25:25.819 --> 00:25:28.539 and so that's kind of was the basis of the song 00:25:28.539 --> 00:25:30.279 was that these two worlds are completely separate 00:25:30.279 --> 00:25:32.079 you know they're alone but they're together i 00:25:32.079 --> 00:25:33.660 can see both of them at the same time and they're 00:25:33.660 --> 00:25:35.759 really not that far away and so that was sort 00:25:35.759 --> 00:25:37.380 of the beginning of the song was that sort of 00:25:37.380 --> 00:25:40.579 longing to you know experience the beauty uh 00:25:40.579 --> 00:25:43.599 but knowing that the the sort of You know, that's 00:25:43.599 --> 00:25:45.720 where Jersey gets the stupid armpit of American 00:25:45.720 --> 00:25:48.160 name. You know, it's from this right here. You 00:25:48.160 --> 00:25:49.559 know, that's what people see when they drive 00:25:49.559 --> 00:25:51.819 through. I'm not going to lie. I smelled your 00:25:51.819 --> 00:25:53.900 answer as you were talking about it. Exactly 00:25:53.900 --> 00:25:56.579 right. Yeah. First you first you side eye whoever's 00:25:56.579 --> 00:25:58.160 in the passenger seat and say, what did you do? 00:25:58.259 --> 00:25:59.579 And then you get a couple of feet and you go 00:25:59.579 --> 00:26:01.240 like, oh, no, that's just what this area smells 00:26:01.240 --> 00:26:06.000 like. You know. Now, at the top of the show, 00:26:06.180 --> 00:26:08.799 I mentioned Tom Petty and John Hyatt, two of 00:26:08.799 --> 00:26:11.579 my favorite songwriters of all time. And having 00:26:11.579 --> 00:26:14.519 watched your fantastic covers of both artists 00:26:14.519 --> 00:26:17.799 on your YouTube channel, I'm going to ask you 00:26:17.799 --> 00:26:20.099 what I consider to be an extremely difficult 00:26:20.099 --> 00:26:23.619 question. If someone listening to this show has 00:26:23.619 --> 00:26:26.220 never heard either one of those artists before, 00:26:26.460 --> 00:26:32.400 what three songs from each artist would you use 00:26:32.400 --> 00:26:35.920 to properly introduce them to each of their respective 00:26:35.920 --> 00:26:41.109 musical universes? Man, well, you know. uh i 00:26:41.109 --> 00:26:43.730 guess i'll go tom petty first although i'm already 00:26:43.730 --> 00:26:45.809 terrified to answer this for either question 00:26:45.809 --> 00:26:50.069 but uh my sort of you know it's so hard to pick 00:26:50.069 --> 00:26:52.309 a favorite song of all time but sort of two songs 00:26:52.309 --> 00:26:55.150 that are always kind of closing in on that one's 00:26:55.150 --> 00:26:57.089 by john and one's by tom so that's going to be 00:26:57.089 --> 00:27:00.349 easy the first slot but uh for petty i'll say 00:27:00.349 --> 00:27:02.690 crawling back to you from the wildflowers record 00:27:02.690 --> 00:27:06.250 is like that's like i've probably heard that 00:27:06.250 --> 00:27:09.079 song more than any other song i can like there's 00:27:09.079 --> 00:27:11.519 very few songs i've learned like note for note 00:27:11.519 --> 00:27:14.440 like and that song is like i can play any part 00:27:14.440 --> 00:27:17.140 like i just everything about that song is is 00:27:17.140 --> 00:27:19.779 my favorite so that'd be the first song i'd introduce 00:27:19.779 --> 00:27:21.500 if you wanted to learn about jake thistle too 00:27:21.500 --> 00:27:23.180 like it just that song's been such a big part 00:27:23.180 --> 00:27:26.339 of my life so i'll say crawling back to you uh 00:27:26.339 --> 00:27:30.920 you know the next one i'll say is um i'll say 00:27:30.920 --> 00:27:33.859 have love will travel from the last dj i'm going 00:27:33.859 --> 00:27:39.559 a interesting story and the way he wrote that 00:27:39.559 --> 00:27:42.059 and i think it just a lot of that language that 00:27:42.059 --> 00:27:44.359 he uses in there is so quintessential tom petty 00:27:44.359 --> 00:27:46.099 like maybe not even in the songwriting but just 00:27:46.099 --> 00:27:48.619 like i can hear the way he spoke in those lyrics 00:27:48.619 --> 00:27:50.839 you know yeah maggie's still trying to rope a 00:27:50.839 --> 00:27:52.759 tornado like i could just hear him saying that 00:27:52.759 --> 00:27:55.019 you know it just seems so conversational and 00:27:55.019 --> 00:27:58.420 i think you know that's i think i could be wrong 00:27:58.420 --> 00:28:00.839 but yeah yeah that that kind of followed all 00:28:00.839 --> 00:28:02.880 the rick rubin stuff i think it's like yep sort 00:28:02.880 --> 00:28:04.740 of the heartbreakers like everyone's at their 00:28:04.740 --> 00:28:07.680 best on that record, I think. It sounds really 00:28:07.680 --> 00:28:10.500 heartbreakers to me. Then I feel like for the 00:28:10.500 --> 00:28:13.220 third one, I have to throw in a hit or else that's 00:28:13.220 --> 00:28:14.920 not really, you have to understand Tom Petty, 00:28:14.980 --> 00:28:17.920 you have to like the hits. I'll say I won't back 00:28:17.920 --> 00:28:21.380 down because as a songwriter, it's such a frustrating 00:28:21.380 --> 00:28:23.859 song because it's an amazing song. It's so well 00:28:23.859 --> 00:28:25.839 -written and there's four lines in the whole 00:28:25.839 --> 00:28:28.859 song. There's so much repetition. He says so 00:28:28.859 --> 00:28:32.519 much in whatever, six lines. It's the worst. 00:28:32.660 --> 00:28:35.039 It's like, I write these lines. It's like, he 00:28:35.039 --> 00:28:37.519 says more in that song with three lines than 00:28:37.519 --> 00:28:40.960 I say in like 18 verses. And so that's amazing. 00:28:41.259 --> 00:28:43.039 And there's so much to learn from that. It's 00:28:43.039 --> 00:28:44.940 the first song I ever learned how to play. It's 00:28:44.940 --> 00:28:47.460 the first song I ever sang. So I'll say that. 00:28:48.140 --> 00:28:50.339 All right. Oh, and now I got to do John Hyatt. 00:28:50.380 --> 00:28:55.579 Yeah, no pressure. Adios, California. It's like 00:28:55.579 --> 00:28:58.440 my favorite John Hyatt song. So I'll say that. 00:29:00.760 --> 00:29:03.319 Tennessee Plates. I don't think it gets more 00:29:03.319 --> 00:29:05.940 Hyatt than that. So, I mean, that's just right 00:29:05.940 --> 00:29:10.839 there. And then, oh man, that third one. This 00:29:10.839 --> 00:29:12.400 is the one that's going to get me. I don't know 00:29:12.400 --> 00:29:16.619 which one. I'm thinking, let's see. I'm going 00:29:16.619 --> 00:29:21.079 to say for the third one, Cry Love. Because I 00:29:21.079 --> 00:29:23.539 can't do that and not put a song from Walk On 00:29:23.539 --> 00:29:26.279 on there. I mean, you just have to include something 00:29:26.279 --> 00:29:28.779 from Walk On. And it bums me out that I didn't 00:29:28.779 --> 00:29:30.500 say anything from crossing money waters, but 00:29:30.500 --> 00:29:33.440 that's the nature of the question. Well, I'm 00:29:33.440 --> 00:29:35.119 going to just throw this out there while we're 00:29:35.119 --> 00:29:37.319 talking. If you make it to Disney week, which 00:29:37.319 --> 00:29:40.059 you're going to, you really need to consider 00:29:40.059 --> 00:29:41.700 let it ride or straight through the heart of 00:29:41.700 --> 00:29:44.279 love from the country bears, because that's a 00:29:44.279 --> 00:29:46.119 way to sneak some Hyatt into the competition. 00:29:46.660 --> 00:29:50.619 There you go. Yeah. Now, while Tom is sadly no 00:29:50.619 --> 00:29:54.019 longer with us, Mr. Hyatt. just this past week, 00:29:54.059 --> 00:29:56.519 had some incredibly kind things to say about 00:29:56.519 --> 00:29:59.059 you when he performed at the Mayo Arts Center 00:29:59.059 --> 00:30:02.920 with Lyle Lovett. Considering your love of his 00:30:02.920 --> 00:30:06.460 music, what was that moment like for you? It 00:30:06.460 --> 00:30:09.359 was just incredible. I mean, the support that 00:30:09.359 --> 00:30:12.039 both of them have shown me over the years is 00:30:12.039 --> 00:30:15.900 honestly, I mean, it's unfathomable to me. Like 00:30:15.900 --> 00:30:19.140 they are, both John and Lyle are such... beacons 00:30:19.140 --> 00:30:21.000 not only in the music industry but just in my 00:30:21.000 --> 00:30:23.099 own life and my own sort of upbringing and i 00:30:23.099 --> 00:30:25.700 grew up idolizing them and and both of their 00:30:25.700 --> 00:30:28.039 support has really meant the world you know i 00:30:28.039 --> 00:30:30.839 played with hyatt when i was 12 years old and 00:30:30.839 --> 00:30:33.720 it was like an aha moment for me like that was 00:30:33.720 --> 00:30:35.440 the it was the first time i ever played in a 00:30:35.440 --> 00:30:37.579 theater i played have a little faith in me with 00:30:37.579 --> 00:30:41.160 john hyatt at his encore at a show and it just 00:30:41.160 --> 00:30:43.500 i remember standing up there and just being like 00:30:43.500 --> 00:30:46.579 i will never be able to have a different job 00:30:46.579 --> 00:30:49.960 like this is just exactly what i want to do and 00:30:49.960 --> 00:30:52.680 and that moment was so formative for me but he 00:30:52.680 --> 00:30:54.920 still like called up a 12 year old and like i 00:30:54.920 --> 00:30:57.440 can't believe he was he had the faith in me to 00:30:57.440 --> 00:31:00.680 allow me to do that was so kind of him and you 00:31:00.680 --> 00:31:02.880 know lyle's the same way that the support he's 00:31:02.880 --> 00:31:05.160 shown me over the years you know in person and 00:31:05.160 --> 00:31:08.440 online and sharing my music has has been unfathomable 00:31:08.440 --> 00:31:10.559 i mean it's really just it's so kind and so getting 00:31:10.559 --> 00:31:13.950 to sit there and hear them say that was It definitely 00:31:13.950 --> 00:31:15.970 was a full circle moment for me and it was really 00:31:15.970 --> 00:31:19.950 validating and it meant the world. Jake, what's 00:31:19.950 --> 00:31:24.349 one album you consider to be truly perfect from 00:31:24.349 --> 00:31:27.430 start to finish? And what about that record makes 00:31:27.430 --> 00:31:30.849 it flawless to you? Well, normally my answer 00:31:30.849 --> 00:31:34.890 would be either Wildflowers by Tom Petty or Dirty 00:31:34.890 --> 00:31:36.789 Jeans and Must Light Hymns by John Hyatt. But 00:31:36.789 --> 00:31:40.470 see, I used two songs for my three ranking over 00:31:40.470 --> 00:31:43.000 there already for those two. I'll push those 00:31:43.000 --> 00:31:45.640 aside and say I acknowledge that they're perfect 00:31:45.640 --> 00:31:49.619 from my other two answers. And I would say I'm 00:31:49.619 --> 00:31:52.259 a huge fan of a guy named Brian Dunn, who I've 00:31:52.259 --> 00:31:54.859 been lucky enough to, you know, sort of, you 00:31:54.859 --> 00:31:56.680 know, be friends with over the years. I opened 00:31:56.680 --> 00:31:58.980 for his band Fantastic Cat for a couple, you 00:31:58.980 --> 00:32:01.700 know, for about a month last year. And he's got 00:32:01.700 --> 00:32:05.019 a record called Loser on the Ropes that is just 00:32:05.019 --> 00:32:07.859 it's just one of my favorites, you know, really 00:32:07.859 --> 00:32:09.420 of all time. I didn't really know him when he 00:32:09.420 --> 00:32:12.099 put it out. I knew him like a little bit through 00:32:12.099 --> 00:32:14.720 crossing over through a scene or two, but I put 00:32:14.720 --> 00:32:16.660 it on when I was driving one day. It's about 00:32:16.660 --> 00:32:18.920 it's about the exact same length as a drive to 00:32:18.920 --> 00:32:21.920 school when I was going to Rutgers. And it just 00:32:21.920 --> 00:32:24.500 it sounds like my freshman year of college. And 00:32:24.500 --> 00:32:28.400 and it really influenced sort of my sort of soundscape 00:32:28.400 --> 00:32:32.440 writing production, you know, ideas. Well, before 00:32:32.440 --> 00:32:34.859 we wrap things up, like we talked about at the 00:32:34.859 --> 00:32:37.039 top of the episode, the show is built around 00:32:37.039 --> 00:32:40.799 the concept of mixtapes. and playlists and pushing 00:32:40.799 --> 00:32:44.400 musical envelopes. And you talked about earlier 00:32:44.400 --> 00:32:47.880 how you share songs with other contestants when 00:32:47.880 --> 00:32:51.740 you're talking in that downtime. So for the people 00:32:51.740 --> 00:32:55.220 listening, what are three songs you're personally 00:32:55.220 --> 00:32:58.720 rocking to right now that you think the My Weekly 00:32:58.720 --> 00:33:01.460 Mixtape listeners should have on their radars? 00:33:01.759 --> 00:33:06.140 Oh, wow. All right. Well, let's see. I'm going 00:33:06.140 --> 00:33:08.809 to say... We spoke a little bit about Sam Fender 00:33:08.809 --> 00:33:15.690 before, so I'll throw out... I'll say People 00:33:15.690 --> 00:33:17.630 Watching, which is the title track off a record 00:33:17.630 --> 00:33:20.049 that I guess came out last year now. But it was 00:33:20.049 --> 00:33:22.230 one of my favorite records of the year, and I 00:33:22.230 --> 00:33:24.670 really enjoyed it. So I'll say People Watching 00:33:24.670 --> 00:33:32.569 by Sam Fender. I will say Harmonia's Dream by 00:33:32.569 --> 00:33:36.420 The War on Drugs. Wow. Which was that my silence 00:33:36.420 --> 00:33:38.440 was trying to pick a song from that record, too, 00:33:38.500 --> 00:33:41.099 because I also love I think that was a great 00:33:41.099 --> 00:33:43.059 album. I know that's that's from I Don't Live 00:33:43.059 --> 00:33:45.759 Here Anymore, I think. No, you got it. That's 00:33:45.759 --> 00:33:47.859 the album. Anything from that. I mean, you can't 00:33:47.859 --> 00:33:49.380 go wrong. That's another one of my favorite records. 00:33:49.980 --> 00:33:52.420 And then I'll sort of I'll bring it back full 00:33:52.420 --> 00:33:54.799 circle because we were talking about Hyatt and 00:33:54.799 --> 00:33:58.539 I'm going to say. I just don't know what to say 00:33:58.539 --> 00:34:00.640 by John Hyatt. I didn't mean a pun there, but. 00:34:01.369 --> 00:34:03.470 I remember that song slipped my radar for about 00:34:03.470 --> 00:34:06.730 five years. I knew almost every Hyatt song for 00:34:06.730 --> 00:34:08.849 five years, and somehow I didn't really know 00:34:08.849 --> 00:34:11.730 that one, and I heard it on my way to high school 00:34:11.730 --> 00:34:13.929 one day. One of my first days, I was driving 00:34:13.929 --> 00:34:15.809 to high school, and I remember I was supposed 00:34:15.809 --> 00:34:17.969 to be early for something, and I heard that song, 00:34:18.030 --> 00:34:19.929 and I was like, nope, I'm staying in the parking 00:34:19.929 --> 00:34:23.090 lot and listening to that one more time. So I'll 00:34:23.090 --> 00:34:26.440 say that one for my third one. Oh, the mystic 00:34:26.440 --> 00:34:29.000 pinball album. You got me right there. My business. 00:34:29.059 --> 00:34:31.059 I just don't know what to say, man. When I'm 00:34:31.059 --> 00:34:32.900 done with this interview, I know the first album 00:34:32.900 --> 00:34:36.409 I'm putting on. Oh yeah. Well, Jake, I wish you 00:34:36.409 --> 00:34:38.949 the best of luck on this season of American Idol. 00:34:39.050 --> 00:34:41.489 I know I and the rest of the My Weekly Mixtape 00:34:41.489 --> 00:34:43.690 listeners are going to be voting for you. And 00:34:43.690 --> 00:34:45.570 I look forward to having you back on the show 00:34:45.570 --> 00:34:48.150 when you win the whole damn thing. Oh, gosh. 00:34:48.230 --> 00:34:50.190 Well, I really appreciate it. Thank you so much. 00:34:50.329 --> 00:34:52.849 I mean, it's been such a great time. So I can't 00:34:52.849 --> 00:34:54.809 express how excited I am to just be hanging with 00:34:54.809 --> 00:34:57.510 everybody. And I keep telling them, like, everybody 00:34:57.510 --> 00:35:00.389 that's in this top 20, top 30, whatever. Their 00:35:00.389 --> 00:35:02.110 front row tickets are about to get really expensive. 00:35:02.269 --> 00:35:03.909 So I'm just glad to be sitting there now while 00:35:03.909 --> 00:35:06.389 I can afford it, you know? Well, I appreciate 00:35:06.389 --> 00:35:08.210 you taking the time to talk about it tonight 00:35:08.210 --> 00:35:10.530 on My Weekly Mixtape with me. Of course. Thank 00:35:10.530 --> 00:35:13.349 you so much. And to the My Weekly Mixtape community, 00:35:13.590 --> 00:35:15.809 if you're a fan of American Idol, please be sure 00:35:15.809 --> 00:35:18.369 to throw some votes Jake's way. If you enjoy 00:35:18.369 --> 00:35:20.210 what you're hearing on the show, I want to hear 00:35:20.210 --> 00:35:23.829 about it. MyWeeklyMixtape at gmail .com. Hit 00:35:23.829 --> 00:35:27.460 me up on social media at My Weekly Mixtape. you 00:35:27.460 --> 00:35:30.519 can use the contact page at myweeklymixtape .com, 00:35:30.599 --> 00:35:33.519 or you could join the Mixtaper community at patreon 00:35:33.519 --> 00:35:37.480 .com forward slash myweeklymixtape. It's free 00:35:37.480 --> 00:35:39.500 to join, and there's several tiers available 00:35:39.500 --> 00:35:42.199 if you'd like to support the show a little extra. 00:35:42.440 --> 00:35:45.380 If you're listening on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, 00:35:45.619 --> 00:35:48.380 or YouTube, please leave a five -star review, 00:35:48.619 --> 00:35:51.989 hit that subscribe button, drop a like. Drop 00:35:51.989 --> 00:35:55.230 a comment, you know, do all the things and help 00:35:55.230 --> 00:35:57.670 spread the word about My Weekly Mixtape to other 00:35:57.670 --> 00:36:00.750 music fans in your life. Once again, my name 00:36:00.750 --> 00:36:03.610 is Brian Colburn. This has been My Weekly Mixtape. 00:36:03.610 --> 00:36:06.010 And until next time, enjoy the tunes.