Interview with courtship.

What's going on? It is Adam. Welcome back to bringing it backwards. A podcast where both legendary and rising artists tell their own personal stories of how they achieve stardom. On this episode, we had a chance to hang out with Eli and Micah of the group courtship over zoom video, Michael was born and raised in Santa Monica, and he talks about how he got into music. Started playing piano at a very early age, became obsessed with jazz was in the jazz band at middle school. High school ended up going to college for jazz and music composition. Eli was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. He also began on the piano, but gave it up quite quickly and eventually started playing guitar around 11 years old. 4 (1m 52s): He eventually moved down to Los Angeles, joined a band, played with his band for a little while. And Micah ended up joining the same band. They lost their keyboard player. So had joined that band. That's where they met originally. And then they broke off and started courtship. They talked about the success they had early on online releasing their first full length record denial and paradise their song million-dollar smoothies, which landed them a slot on American song contest, which is like, America's take on Euro vision. They represented Oregon because Eli was from Oregon. They submitted the song million dollar smoothies, and I thought their performance was amazing. The super creative, they talked to us about the process of being on the show, the performance they gave and a new record that they have coming out as well. 4 (2m 41s): You can watch our interview with Eli and Micah on her Facebook page and YouTube channel at bringing it backwards. It would be awesome if you subscribe to our channel like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and tic talk at bringing back pod. And if you're listening to this on Spotify or apple music, it would be amazing if you follow us there as well, and hook us up with a five-star review. 6 (3m 4s): We'd appreciate your support. If you follow and subscribe to our podcasts, wherever you listen to podcasts, 5 (3m 10s): We're bringing it backwards with courtship. Well, I appreciate you both so much for doing this. My name is Adam and this podcast is about the both view and your journey in music. 7 (3m 23s): Sweet, 5 (3m 24s): Sweet. So I always start off with where you're both born and raised. Were you guys born in the same area, race together or did you meet later down, down the line in life? 7 (3m 32s): I think, I think we were, I think we were born holy hands, metaphorically In the, in the old temple of Israel. That's really 8 (3m 42s): The old and old yes. Reality in about, about 2000 years ago. 5 (3m 48s): Okay. So born in Israel, where were you guys or are you born? Micah? 7 (3m 53s): I was born in LA Santa Monica. 5 (3m 56s): Okay. And grew up in, grew up in Santa Monica? 7 (3m 59s): Yeah. 5 (3m 59s): Okay. What about, what about you Eli? You're born and raised in, in LA as well, 7 (4m 5s): Oregon, 5 (4m 6s): Oregon, Oregon. Okay, cool. Well talk to me real quick. And I'm from San Diego? Southern California. Was it like growing up in Santa Monica? 7 (4m 16s): It was awesome. I mean, good. It was always, you know, great, great to be outside. Get, get some good vitamin D levels. Sure. I think I don't really have to take supplements, you know, my, so That that's nice. No, but it was amazing, you know, I, it was, it's an amazing area to grow up and I can't say bad things about it. 5 (4m 42s): And how did you get into music? I can 8 (4m 44s): Totally say that thing about 5 (4m 45s): Santa Monica. You can, let's hear it. I'm joking. How'd you get into music, Micah? 7 (4m 54s): I, well, my, my, my parents forced it down my throat actually. Yeah. They, they made me take piano lessons, same with Eli, but yeah, they, they, they, I wanted to quit, you know, day after day and I hated it. And just like one moment, it kind of just switched when I saw jazz being performed at a rehearsal. I'd never heard it. I didn't, I didn't know what it was. I thought it was just like, you know, classical and read this and very regimented. And so that's why I kind of hated it. But jazz was this kind of like, you know, it, it, I mean, it is this free kind of, you don't have to read music and it's this, like, it seemed fun. 7 (5m 40s): And so that's why I, I started liking music and Canada specifically. 5 (5m 46s): And where were your parents musical at all or just happened to be like, oh, we should throw them in piano lessons. Just because 7 (5m 52s): Yeah, just, you know, I think they rightfully were like, every kid should at least try to, to play, 5 (6m 0s): Play an instrument. And then when did you find jazz and go down that hole? 7 (6m 6s): I was like, I think I was like 11. 5 (6m 8s): Oh wow. 7 (6m 9s): Or 12? Yeah. I've been playing piano for a few years. And then I think at around like 11 or 12, I really started like taking it seriously and actually practicing, you know, 5 (6m 23s): Where you in like the jazz band at school? 7 (6m 26s): I was in all the jazz bands and then I was in like, you know, afterschool jazz bands and, and I, and I studied jazz all the way through college. 5 (6m 35s): Oh, you did? Where'd you go to school for? Do you went for music obviously? 7 (6m 39s): Yeah. I went to wash U and St. Louis. 5 (6m 42s): Oh, cool. And was that something where you had to like audition, apply audition process to get in there as well? 7 (6m 48s): I just, like, I think I just sent them some, I recorded myself playing, playing, and I just sent them that tape. It wasn't like a formal audition, but I did audition for like other schools. I hate auditions. It's just like you playing in like, like a really weird stale room with like four guys behind a desk. It's like the worst thing ever. 5 (7m 11s): Sure. Yeah. It's just so awkward. I bet it's like, show us what you 8 (7m 16s): Got, how bad you feel for actors. 7 (7m 19s): I'm sorry. God, how bad 8 (7m 22s): Did the worst? It honestly is the hardest out of all of them. 5 (7m 26s): Yeah. I can't imagine 7 (7m 28s): Like trying to perform, like when there's no one there, like, Yeah. It's, 5 (7m 34s): There's no way I could ever do that to do like go into an audition like that. And I would, I would always imagine, like if I went in there, I'd just be like, okay, they already know exactly what they're going to choose. It's just waste my time. 7 (7m 45s): Like I'm not, I'm not getting this. So 5 (7m 47s): Every time I'd go in, I'd be like, oh, I'm not going to get this. So, but yeah, I guess that's a whole different life and story, but like, wow. Well, okay. So you ended up going to school. You, you go to college for, for a piano. Is that what you majored in jazz? Piano? 7 (8m 3s): Yeah. It was just like just general music. So Canno and composition and theory and all that fun stuff. 5 (8m 11s): Did you play in a band aside from the school stuff growing up? 7 (8m 15s): No, I, I wasn't like a band guy. Like I wasn't into that kind of stuff. I just did jazz stuff, which is, it's not really, you can't, I didn't do a different world. Jazz, jazz, jazz. Cause no. Yeah. And that's where he like comes in. Eli was the band guy. He was in a bunch of bands and, and we actually, we, we met at a band that, that wasn't our own band. 5 (8m 47s): Okay. I'll hear that story. I wanna hear that story. Well, Eli talk, talk to me about, you were born in Oregon. Talk to me about that. What part of Oregon? 8 (8m 55s): Portland, Oregon legacy hospital at 4:55 AM, November 10th, ninth 94, 5 (9m 1s): Dark 8 (9m 1s): And very 5 (9m 2s): Specific in the 7 (9m 3s): Dark 8 (9m 6s): Or weighed 486 pounds. 5 (9m 10s): Wow. I hats off to your mom. Jeez, 7 (9m 14s): Big lady. 8 (9m 16s): You can handle it. Yeah. Portland. It's awesome. Stunningly. Beautiful. It's mellow. It's it's gray. A lot of the time. It rains a lot. 7 (9m 33s): I like Santa Monica, 8 (9m 35s): Santa Monica. Pretty different places. The hello? Green is dark, dark, intensely, dark thick green. It's everywhere. It's like living forest. Yeah. I love it. 5 (9m 49s): And how did you get into music? Musical family. 8 (9m 52s): My mom forced me to take piano. 5 (9m 54s): Okay. Similar. 8 (9m 56s): And then, which I didn't like, but then I started then I wanted to take guitar lessons. So I did that. And did that for a little bit. So 5 (10m 6s): How old are you when, when you decided or when did you want to take that guitar lessons? Nine. 8 (10m 11s): My guitar proficiency is still at a nine year olds level. All I, all I have is that one year of guitar lessons in terms of my quality of musicianship. So yeah, that's how, 5 (10m 28s): Okay. But it sounds like you're in bands. Did you play guitar in bands or how did you continue? 8 (10m 33s): That was like the that's like where it went from there kind of started when I was like 13, I kind of started getting obsessed with being one, being abandoned, playing in bands. And it was kinda like a progression of things. Like just getting more and more obsessed with like green day and blink 180 2. And like those kinds of bands and seeing green day for the first time when I was 14, like waiting all day in line to see them literally like 16 hours. And then 5 (11m 0s): W where'd you see 'em green days? Like the first, the first band I ever really got into as well. So I'm curious, 8 (11m 6s): It's true. So many people, which is awesome. It was in Seattle. It was when I was 14. So it would have been 20 2008. 5 (11m 16s): Okay. I'm trying to think of what record that would have been. Okay. 8 (11m 21s): The one after American idiot, which I loved at the time, it was so obsessed that record, like every single song. 5 (11m 27s): So you wait, you were just what pumped all day you got there that early to wait in line for 16 hours that we said 8 (11m 33s): We got there, like 5:00 AM or something like, or like 5 (11m 35s): Before, was it general admission? 8 (11m 37s): Yeah. 5 (11m 38s): Okay. So you needed to get in the front 8 (11m 40s): We're in like front and center. It was like, like right there, like crazy. And like when you're willing to do that, which is awesome. And yeah, like, 5 (11m 49s): Was that like life-changing that's when you were like, I'm going to do this music thing? 8 (11m 53s): No, no. Lifeing and damn I was like crying the whole, like, it was so intense. Right. For me, like, I love them so much. Like it just exposed me on like a really deep level and like, like awakened something kind of. And I think from that moment forward, I was like, yeah, I'm like this, I'm doing this. Like without a doubt, there's no question. I have to like, like just kind of that crazy, like belief that got kind of inspired, but you know, has actually not gone away, which I'm very grateful for. 5 (12m 19s): And do you, what, you started playing with some friends or when you start writing songs and having band, 8 (12m 25s): I look at group of friends and like middle school and high school that we started. We started playing together and kind of trying to write songs and like cracking my parents' basement. And we started doing like weird shows. Like we played it. Like, I remember the first show I ever played was like, oh, when the night Obama got elected in 2008, that makes sense. It was the night Obama got elected. Cause my mom worked for like local, like, like local Portland politics. So there was like a, like a city council, election party and we, they let us play it. I can't believe. Oh, 5 (12m 53s): Wow. And so did you guys play American idiot a cover of that song? 8 (13m 2s): I mean, you must've only had like four songs we had written, so the rest restaurant. 5 (13m 6s): Okay. That's cool though. Wow. And then, so that was your first show and then what you will, how do you eventually get that? LA did you go to school for music as well? 8 (13m 16s): Yeah. And that's different. That was a totally different process. I had, like, I had three LA attempts of moving to LA the first, the first one I interned for this producer and I was a kid and that wasn't, I was 16, so it didn't make sense. And that was very short-lived. And then I 5 (13m 32s): Real quick on that. Did they, did you, did they find your song somewhere or like 8 (13m 37s): I found them. 5 (13m 38s): Okay. 8 (13m 39s): Yeah. Yeah. I actually met them at, cause I went to this Berkeley school of music, summer camp in Boston. 5 (13m 44s): Oh, okay. I've heard, I've talked to other people that have went to 8 (13m 46s): That and then Michael went to that to a different year 5 (13m 50s): And 8 (13m 50s): Yeah. So I did that. I tried once and then I tried again with my high school band. We were like 18, but we were still so young. I'm like LA is like an intense place, especially. Yeah. There's like a series of like different things. It kind of kept pulling me back. I met this producer, this awesome producer named Kim PAG. Nada. 5 (14m 6s): Oh yeah. From sugarcoat 8 (14m 8s): Sugarcoat. Yeah. And he like was just like super nice to me and like, like didn't have to be, but was, and I'm so grateful to him because he just, like, I had just one meeting with him once where I played himself and he was like, he just basically said like, you, you can do this, but like, you're not good enough yet. And like, you need to go get better 5 (14m 28s): Interest. 8 (14m 28s): He said bluntly. And like, here's what you need to do. Like your songs aren't clear enough. They're not like, and like go listen to this show, go do this. And like, it was great. Cause I did, I like took it really seriously. I went back to Portland and like hidden my parents' basement for a year and a half. And like just wrote songs only. And then yeah, my girlfriend and I ended up moving to like the next year, maybe we just moved. 5 (14m 50s): Did you then contact him again and say, Hey, you know, I've been working on this. 8 (14m 55s): We keep in touch. Yeah. 5 (14m 56s): That's awesome. That is awesome. And then when do you end up meeting Micah? 8 (15m 0s): We, yeah, so, so when I moved to LA, I was after like a year of being here, I started playing in this band called blood boy, which is our friend Lexi's band. Cause she needed a guitar player. And then the keyboard player that Dan left and then Mike had became the keyboard player of that band. And then 7 (15m 18s): I slid in 8 (15m 19s): How might you can talk? Cause I needed to take three bites. 5 (15m 22s): Yeah. Yeah. So this was a mutual friend. And that's how you joined the band. Like how do you join this band and Micah? 7 (15m 29s): Yeah. I mean, I, I, I got a call. I got a text from her, the band's manager, actually Lexi's manager who I, I still, you know, I'm close with today and he was just like, do you want to play keys in this band? And I was like, kind of at the point, you know, starting out your career, I was just like kind of saying yes to everything and you know, I, it was a new thing for me to just be like in a band. And I was like, okay, like, sure, whatever, I guess. And, and I showed up and, and that's when I saw Eli rocking out with, is this weird hair, his weird wispy hair, 8 (16m 11s): Not anymore. 7 (16m 12s): Not a more. And yeah, we'll just like, I was in the band for a little bit. And then, and then Eli and I like, you know, we, we, we just connected over our love for music and we kind of shared a lot of the same favorite artists and namely like green day and also red hot chili peppers. We were like geeking over them and we just made and then, and then we decided to make music one day with like no expectation, kind of just like, okay, let's mess around. And, and then that's the day that courtship was, was, was born. 5 (16m 49s): Wow. Okay. And 8 (16m 51s): 496 pounds 7 (16m 56s): In the temple of Easter IO. 5 (16m 58s): Okay. And what year was this? What year did the band start? 8 (17m 2s): 200. 7 (17m 7s): 2016. 5 (17m 9s): Okay. And you, I know you had a record that came out in what, 2018, that, and prior to that, like, like when the band starts, like, like how do you guys, do you just start playing locally around LA and like, how does, how do you guys kind of get off the ground? 7 (17m 26s): Not really. Yeah, it was, it was just start, it started on Spotify and, and, and in blogs, we, we just kind of sent our music. We had like four songs that we just were sending around. And this guy, Chad, who started, do you remember the blog? Haley deli? It was a really cool blog. I don't think it exists anymore, but he, he like kind of heard, he, he, he really loved it and he signed our first song to his, like a singles label or something singles thing and kind of gave us that first, like push. 7 (18m 8s): And it was, yeah. So we, we were like an internet band first and then we kind of had to figure out how to be a real band. 5 (18m 17s): So when you got that first single sign, did it start doing pretty well? I mean, I would think, and then you were like, how do like, should we, we should take this, you know, to play in front of people? 7 (18m 27s): Yeah, yeah, totally. We were, we were, it was like reverse engineering. Like, you know, we were a song and then, and we had to become a band and learn how to play into our, you know, play our songs and figure out, you know, how do we get around to play the songs? What was that 5 (18m 46s): It's hard to do. Like, was it hard to think that like, you know, reverse engineering that you said the song and think, okay, now we got to do this in a live setting. Like, how are we going to 8 (18m 54s): Just a learning process? Like, it has been fun though. Like, I didn't even have in the last, like four years, like more five years, we've been like, just like learning how to refine it live. And I'd be like, now, especially like this last year, like the last two tours we did. I feel like if you agree, you used to be kind of be annoying, but now I think it's gotten fun. Like we, like, we want it to be great until we like refine it and like go in on it. 7 (19m 20s): Yeah. It's like, it seems like, I mean, just like the aspect of making music, it's like a never ending quest to like, to, to sound great. Like, like they'll never be a point I can imagine where we're like, we've done it. Like, this is the, this is the pinnacle of our, of our lives, like music. And, and it's like, we're always kind of like researching and, and picking people's brains and trying to find out like how to sound better live 8 (19m 55s): Unsatisfied. I would say that I should, especially. 5 (20m 1s): All right. Well, was it like, you know, kind of having this success online, or you said you're an internet band, like, was it, were you seeing like when you post, like, okay, we're going to play a show where you seeing people that rec like, knew your name and knew the song and were showing up to the show 8 (20m 18s): Because the thing that you should, we've always had that people know our songs because our songs always on shit and on Spotify. And like people hear our songs in H and M and like in forever 21 and like whole foods, but no one knows who we are. 5 (20m 38s): Interesting. 8 (20m 40s): And it's, and you know, the, in a way it's like, it kind of goes both ways. Right. Cause it's like a curse in the sense of like, yeah, like we were still like a pretty small bag, you know, in, in w in the scheme of things. But on the other side of that, like, it's, I think it's, I think the way we've done it, we really made it about music. Like, that's what we do. Like we make music and Mike, his bedroom and now in his studio. And then we go on tour and play music and that we really haven't spent that much time doing the other shit. Like, we don't have a heavy social media presence. We don't spend a lot of time doing that. Our interest in doing it is like our interest and doing it as zero. We do it because we have to, and yeah, it's just interesting, like, yeah, that answers your question. 5 (21m 21s): No, no, no, no. I think that's, is that something that you guys like and enjoy? Like, I mean, for me, just because I'm an introverted person who wouldn't want to go out all the time and do stuff like that, if I could just write songs and then they end up in H and M or whatever you're saying, like that, to me sounds like the perfect storm. It, is that something that you guys enjoy, like, okay, we get to, we get to make the music and then it goes out and then people are actually hearing it. Or do you like, like the grind of going on the road and playing in front of people and, and all of that? 8 (21m 49s): I think the answer is zero. The question that I think what's cool about courtship and has always been my favorite aspect of it is we don't push it to be something it isn't, we just don't, we don't push ourselves and be people we're not. And actually when we do do things like that, like, fuck that wasn't a, and then be like, adjust and like, don't do shit like that. Like we just like, 7 (22m 6s): Do 8 (22m 8s): Like that. Yeah. Like we just do shit. We want to do like part of what we love doing. And especially, I feel as well, like I've fallen in love with it when one last year is like going and being in front of people and playing shows and like being with real human beings, playing music and being together. That's so beautiful and so fun, but like sitting on the internet and I'm like, I'm take, talk makes me want to put a needle in my eye Actually might be one of my least favorite. I like passionately dislike it. It really makes me feel, 7 (22m 41s): I, I, I think it's two things. I think it's like the one side of it is like the self-promotion aspect of it, which is that's always been there. That's always going to be a thing. And so that's kind of like, I think always felt a little unnatural for both of us, but then I think the tick talk aspect of it is like, is like 10 X it's. Like, it's like, so intensifying that, you know, I used to be like, even like an Instagram post was, was promoting yourself. And then before that it was just like, nah, it was just fucking going, play playing shows and maybe like doing an interview here or there, but the Tik TOK side is like, just shoving your face in front of your camera and like, which is working for so many people, but it's just, it just feels unnatural to us. 5 (23m 32s): I can totally relate to that man. Like that for me, I just feel so cringy trying to do it. Like, I feel too old. I'm like, am I too old to be like, dude, I'm old. I don't know how you, how old you are, Micah, but he lives pretty specific. And I'm quite a bit older than you, but I'm like, gosh, and you guys seem like you'd be, I just, th th that we're talking and you're like, I don't feel comfortable doing this in like, Hey, I don't know. Just for me, it just, it's so hard. Yeah. 8 (24m 1s): Yeah. We are, by the way, we just like, we are old, like it's okay. And I'm not sad about it at all, But it is, we were worried about different generation genuinely. We are like, I went, I've gone to like a few shows recently of like, kind of like more gen Z, like I'm there. And I'm like, I'm hope I'm as old. Like, isn't my, this isn't my generation. Like, I am, I'm separate from this. 5 (24m 28s): Well, you guys have huge success online. So I would imagine it being like, do you kind of feel like you have to lean into that tick-tock world a little bit or no, it's already working on Spotify, 8 (24m 39s): But we don't really do it. 9 (24m 41s): Okay. 7 (24m 44s): I said, don't even like, I'm like, what do we even do? 8 (24m 49s): But I think to like, like for us, it's like, we're just like, we're not like desperate to be the biggest band in the world. We're just not like, like, I think at the same time as a balance of that, like we, you know, we want to like, be able to go on tour and like make money and like, like not make a ton of money, but make some money and like, right. 5 (25m 8s): Yeah. We, you yourself get your sunny side up eggs and yeah. 8 (25m 12s): So there's like, there's like a level that we, that we want to get to that we're not at yet. And when I think when we get there, we'll be satisfied. Like, but, but like, we don't, like, we're not trying to be pop stars. So it's like, why would we kill ourselves and do like, be depressed on fucking take talk all day? 5 (25m 30s): No, I, I, I completely agree with you. Well, with, with the record is now paradise. Like, tell me about when you put that out Mount, was it even more like, was that another big milestone for you? I mean, it sounds like you put up some songs that got on this blog and you got the one single deal and you're getting, you know, internet success and you have so many songs on that record that have millions upon millions of plays on Spotify. Like, tell me about those that, you know, that record in that moment. 7 (25m 58s): Yeah, yeah. That, that was a milestone for sure. I mean, it was like this, this, our, our, our, our, our artistic souls and energy for the, you know, for, for a few years like that, we had, you know, worked super hard over and like, that was this like physical thing that like we could, like, I mean, w we actually had a bunch of CDs that we took on tour and just like sold them a gave to people. And like, that was, and people still believe it or not like want CDs, which is like a funny thing where like, what, like, what are you talking? Nothing. 7 (26m 39s): Like, nothing can even play CDs. Maybe they want to frame it like, as like an old Relic of the past. 5 (26m 45s): Yeah. Well, it's funny. Cause I was thinking like, oh, people could just burn that. Nobody even does that. Like, my computer is gonna have a CD drive on it. It 7 (26m 52s): Doesn't exist anymore. 5 (26m 55s): Where you put a record, it didn't you put that out on a vinyl, like I saw just on your Instagram. 7 (26m 59s): Yeah. So, well that the record itself actually wasn't on vinyl, but we, we just did. Yay. 5 (27m 5s): Okay. So that's new. I love that man. The blue and yellow with a smiley face. I think it's such a 7 (27m 10s): Sick. Yeah, we got, we got to post about that again. Trying to push them sales, 8 (27m 19s): Push sales. 7 (27m 23s): That's the courtship, that's the motto, 5 (27m 26s): Pushing sales 7 (27m 28s): Any way we can. 5 (27m 30s): Okay. Well, so you put, you put it out on a CD and you were touring and selling it and, and it was doing well that way as well. 7 (27m 37s): Yeah. I, you know, I dunno if it, if it was like, we were selling hundreds of thousands of copies, I, you know, I think it was, 8 (27m 43s): I know we were not, 5 (27m 45s): But yeah, but people wanted it, obviously you knew something was happening and people were excited about it. 7 (27m 51s): Yeah. People, yeah. People were stoked about it and, and we were stoked about it and it was just like this fun thing to, to hold in your hand and give to people which, which it's sad that I, I think actually that, that is why people love vinyl now. And there's like a resurgence is cause like you miss holding something that, that, that is yours 10 (28m 14s): <inaudible> you can be yours. 5 (28m 20s): I mean, it is, it's it. And then vinyl, so cool. Cause it's bigger. You're like, you're like, I got this cool big, you know, It's just a different thing. The CD's just like, not as impressive. It's like, okay, I got the CD, but 7 (28m 32s): It's bigger. If it's bigger, it's better. 5 (28m 34s): Right. And the artwork and just like the fact that it's on a yellow vinyl, like, it just there's a lot more to it. 7 (28m 42s): Yeah. 5 (28m 43s): Well, okay. So that record does obviously, well, we're talking millions of streams online. And does that lead, like what does that lead to just more eyes on you or like what was kind of the next moment? 8 (28m 54s): It was good. Good for us. Like put a record out because like, you know, kind of made us like a little bit more of a real band. I think that was good. And like, yeah. I think it just gave people something more like, oh yeah. Like this is like this record that I, yeah. I don't know. It's just good. But albums are important albums, I think. Yeah. 7 (29m 11s): We're, we're putting, we're putting our second one out in like two months, which is exciting. 5 (29m 16s): Wow. And is a million dollar smoothie apart of the record or is that just something, they were like a one-off thing that you did for the show. 8 (29m 23s): I think it's going to be on it. But the weird thing with that song was it basically because we did that show that had to go through a different record label for that long. So as long as they let us get it, which they should, we super land with them not to let us do it, let us do it. Then 5 (29m 41s): It's, it's interesting that you guys are, you know, you, you just said that you're not huge fans of the, of tic talker, not tick-tock in general, but just social media and doing those videos when your performance is so creative on that show, what you guys did on that show is so creative and in the song in general, like how do you even get involved with the show? And like what made you guys decide like, yeah, let's we should do this. 8 (30m 3s): You want the honest story? 5 (30m 5s): Yes. 8 (30m 6s): So our managers golly a call from some casting people and they're like, do you want to be on this route and submit to this reality show? We said, absolutely no chance. And then they were like, no, like really? Like you should submit for it. And we're like, no. And then they're like, you should do it. Like, you don't have to do it if you get it. And we're like, and I literally said it, then I go, we're going to get it. And then you're going to pressure us to do it. And actually no one, actually, no one pressured us. That's actually, no one ended up pressuring us why we decided to do it. But yeah. Anyway, that's how it went. So then we just, 5 (30m 41s): You submit the song or like, how did, how did you apply for it? 7 (30m 44s): They, they, they submitted the song. 5 (30m 47s): So the song was the song already written. And it was like, okay, this would be kind of a good song to pitch. 8 (30m 53s): It's going to be on the record now. We thought it'd be good for it. 5 (30m 56s): Okay. And then you get on the show and is it like now you have to come up with some way to perform it. Or like how, how does the show then work once you get it? 8 (31m 4s): They know. So, so there's two, these creative directors called, named Don Paul and Jerry who are awesome. And they like did everything. It was, we didn't do any of that shit. Like they, they totally designed the whole performance of one part of it. Like they're so cool and creative. 7 (31m 20s): Yeah. That was, that was by far the best part. 5 (31m 22s): Was it hard to kind of do the choreography of the thing? Like, you know, you guys kind of pop up and you're doing your, like, it's more of like a performance piece. Right. Was that something totally new for you? 8 (31m 33s): For sure. It was funny. 7 (31m 37s): It was like, yeah, we, we, we practiced like Eli handing me like a mug, like 20 times, 5 (31m 44s): Like really? 7 (31m 46s): Yeah. And then I had to take them, take a sip and then put it in this little pouch that you can see was hidden. It's hidden to the audience. 8 (31m 55s): And then you might be violating an NDA right now. 7 (32m 0s): I better keep my mouth shut. 8 (32m 2s): There's probably some of the things we shouldn't say, 5 (32m 4s): But it was fun. So the show is like the, you as like similar to Eurovision. Right. But you are a state. So you pick Oregon because you're from Oregon Elis. Could you have gone with California or was there somebody already, do you pitch for the state you want to do? 8 (32m 20s): Yeah. I think that our manager were like, let's, let's pitch you for Oregon. Cause Eli's from Oregon. And that was the way, the way the bay 7 (32m 29s): PRI probably would, would not have gotten it if we pitched from California. 5 (32m 33s): Well, I didn't know how that worked if they just selected a handful of people and then you got to be like, okay, well I'm from California. So we're going to claim California vice versa. Okay. Well, that's awesome. Did you enjoy the show? I mean, I wish you would have advanced cause like I said, your performance is super dope. 7 (32m 50s): Thank you. It was fun. Yeah. I mean like it was, it was a fun experience to work with Jerry and Paul. 8 (32m 58s): Yeah. That was the fun. That was a really fun experience. It was cool. It was really cool to like be involved in such a high level production of something. 7 (33m 8s): And also like obviously like, you know, it was fun to, to be a part of the show, you know, like, is it to have, you know, millions of, of eyes on your music? You know, that was just, that was cool at once. You know, but I think kind of back to like the promotion, tic talky vibe that Vinny and I are not, I think the, that aspect of it was not us and never will be us. And I think that, like we just had always kind of during the whole process of the show were like, this is crazy. What, why are we even doing this? Like we feel so out of place. And 8 (33m 48s): Clearly America thought we were at a place to 7 (33m 50s): Exactly. 5 (33m 53s): I thought you guys did awesome. So 8 (33m 57s): We're like, you know, 5 (33m 58s): We're so sorry. Well, so that's part of the record there is the records complete or are you still working on it? 8 (34m 6s): Just, just getting mixed right now. So pretty much done. 5 (34m 9s): Wow. And why did you start working on the album 8 (34m 11s): Three years ago. 5 (34m 13s): Wow. Okay. So like this COVID allow for more time to work on the record. Did that affect them at all? 8 (34m 21s): Yeah. W did affect it. I don't know. I don't know if it did, but I liked, I liked doing it this way. I mean, it's nice. Like it's just kinda like, it kinda just like, it's like the conglomeration of just like three years of different kinds of versions of being creative and messing around and 7 (34m 37s): Yeah, we, for like a week or two, I think we went, we, we got an Airbnb in Cambria. You know where Cambria is. 5 (34m 46s): Is that in Canada? 7 (34m 48s): No, it's in a, it's like an L sorry. It's it's like a few hours north of LA 5 (34m 54s): Cambria. That sounds familiar. I don't know what I'm thinking. 7 (34m 58s): It's a gorgeous little beach town and I just got an Airbnb there and took a bunch of our gear there and, and just wrote and produced for like a week and like half the songs in the album, apart from that really trip. So that was really cool. And that was a kind of like COVID thing that I think we would not have done. Otherwise 8 (35m 21s): We like going on romantic trips together. 7 (35m 23s): Yes. 5 (35m 24s): Was there, was the record written there or did you record, whereas a lot of the stuff that you recorded there, did that make the album? 8 (35m 30s): We do. We do kind of both. It's kind of both at the same time. 7 (35m 32s): Okay. 5 (35m 34s): And was milling a million dollar smoothie supposed to be this? What is that? The single you're going to put out anyway or did it just kind of land that way with the show? 7 (35m 41s): Yeah, it was, we were going to put that out as a signal. Anyway, we thought that was the most like, kind of weird, fun, quirky, like song to put on this show. 8 (35m 56s): Like, do I have a question for you? Did, did you, you feel, get any sense of irony from that song? Or like, like satire 5 (36m 4s): And the, in what sense 8 (36m 6s): I'm taking it as a no, like, yeah. It's so interesting. So then maybe that's our fault. Like the whole song for us, like, is about like, you know, like making fun of like ridiculous like health products and like 5 (36m 18s): That's what I thought you were going with. Like, you know, the fact that you're going to go spend. I mean, it could go any way, right? Like a latte that you're spending like $15 on for whatever reason, but like, yeah. Like the, you know, the health kick of all these different, like, I don't want to name names of companies, but like yeah. Like you can 8 (36m 37s): Group Erewhon Gwenyth Paltrow. 5 (36m 41s): We'll do. 7 (36m 42s): We'll do. 5 (36m 44s): Yeah. So there was that kind of the, the, the, the idea behind it then. So was, 8 (36m 49s): Yeah. Yeah. Okay, good. So you got it. I mean, yeah. I think I kind of was like, damn, it's like this, I think one of the sad harvests like went over people's head, but there was no other song in that show that had like any sort of like, tone like that. 5 (37m 2s): Right. Right. And I didn't, I didn't want to ask the obvious question or ask a question like that and have me be like, give me some in nevermind. Forget it, dug myself into a hole that way before, so, okay. Yeah. So it was, it was a take on all of that, The health nut lifestyle, and then I'm sure you see it quite a bit there and Santa Monica. 7 (37m 22s): Of course. Yeah. And I think, I think, I think that America wasn't privy to the, to the message. 5 (37m 35s): Yeah. You never know, man. I mean, isn't that interesting? Like how you think this would be spot on and then maybe they just didn't understand it. Like they didn't get the joke. I mean, I don't know. Maybe they did. I know you did. Awesome. That's the thing that's interesting about it. Like how did that not kill and how did you not advanced, but I don't know. 8 (37m 56s): Okay. 5 (37m 58s): But you did say that you're, you're glad you didn't. Okay. Well again, talk to me about the record. So it was recorded there in just north of LA. The album's done, it's being mixed and his million dollar smoothie kind of set a tone for this record or no, 8 (38m 15s): Now one's really different. It doesn't sound like that really at all. I think that's the only one that sounded like that. 7 (38m 20s): Yeah. 8 (38m 21s): Everything else. Yeah. 7 (38m 22s): We have trapped drums on million dollar smoothie. We have some recent trap hats on that song and we don't use trap hats. 5 (38m 33s): Okay. What about like a message wise? Like it kind of quirky like that, like in that, you know? 7 (38m 40s): Yeah. Yeah. I think so. I mean, I think like there's kind of a mix, you know, but there are other songs that are kind of like, like our, one of our singles is called better than real life. And it's just about like dating, using Tinder or whatever, or some other apps 8 (39m 0s): Getting catfished 7 (39m 2s): Yes. By getting catfish. And so, yeah. So there is some, like, I guess not some other songs that are like kind of commentary on the times, but, but it's mix of things. A lot of it's about love and relationships. Obviously. 5 (39m 19s): I love it. Awesome. Well, I can't wait to hear, I said that songs. I love the performance you guys did and, and, and million dollar smoothie. I think it's a red, red song as well. So I'm excited to hear the rest of the record. Do you have a release date for it? 8 (39m 34s): July, 5 (39m 35s): July 14th. Awesome. And are you doing support for it like a tour to support it 7 (39m 42s): Or we're. We're trying 8 (39m 44s): To. 5 (39m 46s): Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Well, I appreciate you both doing this today. Thank you so much. 8 (39m 50s): Thank you, man. 7 (39m 52s): Thanks for what Travis on. 8 (39m 54s): Where do you live? 5 (39m 55s): I live now. I live in Nashville, but I'm from San Diego. So 7 (40m 0s): Part of what part of Diego 5 (40m 3s): I grew up in like Rancho Bernardo area. Do you know that spot? Just it's basically Del Mar I lived east of Del Mar. 7 (40m 13s): Cool. We just, We, yeah. 5 (40m 17s): Which one did you put? Oh, you did? 7 (40m 19s): Yeah. 5 (40m 20s): When did you, what did that, when did you play Kaboom? A couple of years ago, 7 (40m 25s): 2018. 5 (40m 26s): Really? W who headlined it that year? I love that thing. That was such a rad festival. And then they were supposed to move it to, 7 (40m 33s): It was foo fighters, post Malone and earth wind fire. 5 (40m 38s): Okay, awesome. Yeah, they moved, well, I don't know what they're going to do now with COVID, but it was supposed to be moved to the baseball stadium and I don't know how they were going to do it there, but I don't know. Yeah. Cause that location was so good for festivals. Beautiful. Yeah. But that's cool. You guys played kibbutz. I was live just, yeah, just east. I grew up just east of there actually grew up in speaking of blink 180 2. I grew up in Poway. So that's where those guys originally from. 8 (41m 12s): Did I just watch down? I just want both. Yeah. The Tony Hawk. 5 (41m 17s): Oh yeah. The, the new documentary that he has. 8 (41m 23s): Unbelievable. 5 (41m 24s): I haven't had a chance to see it yet, to be honest, but he's from like Encinitas, so I'm sure he talks all about San Diego. 7 (41m 30s): Yeah. 5 (41m 32s): That's killer. Cool. Well again, thank you both so much for doing this. One more quick question. If I can get an answer from you each, if you have any advice for aspiring artists. 7 (41m 42s): Yeah. I mean, I think Eli, maybe they'll say the same thing, but like definitely like Just write and make music that like you love and that, you know, that, that, that you would listen to over and over again. And cause that's the only reason why we like to do it is just to make, to make some stuff that we love. And like, it makes us happy and that that's, that's the only reason why I do what you do anything. So don't, don't make stuff for other people, make stuff for yourself. 5 (42m 12s): Love it. 8 (42m 14s): That's the way, 7 (42m 20s): Where are you going to say make, make your eggs over medium. 8 (42m 24s): I'd say just realize that that to do it for real is a, it is a life commitment and just, just give yourself to it. And the thing that you're giving yourself to is the, is the craft and the process of making it. And then there's music making music. And then there's all these other aspects that go into like bringing it into the world and like making your life and having people listen to it and stuff. And that's fine. You got to do those things, but like make your life about it.