027: K. Phillips
On Episode 027, we're joined by singer-songwriter K. Phillips. Recorded about a month back, this 45-minute conversation has Phillips and company with about 10 dates left on his cross-country venture with Counting Crows and Rob Thomas.
Interview Transcript
Note: Transcripts aren’t always accurate since they are computer automated and haven’t been edited for spelling, grammar, etc.
Thomas Mooney 0:06
Hey everyone, welcome to episode number 27 of the new slang podcast on Thomas Mooney. And this week's episode is with Kay Phillips. This interview was done probably like a month back now, this was back when Kay was opening shows for Counting Crows and Rob Thomas on this. I guess really like two month, two and a half month, three month tour all over the nation. And he was doing these little sideshows in between if they had any time and one of them was at blue light and so it was like a Thursday and he came in played at blue light. So I'll make this intro super short. If you don't follow new slang already, you can find us on Facebook and Twitter and Instagram and whatnot. Just search for new slang. On Twitter and Instagram. It's going to be at New slang underscore lbk if you're not subscribed to the podcast already, go ahead and do so if you've not rated us yet. Please do that as well. We have some really great episodes coming up. I know I've still not pulled up the blue light singer songwriter finals yet, but I was gonna I'm gonna get that done pretty soon. I guess. episodes coming up soon are going to be curious Sweeney and Brandon Adams. One with Susan Gibson. And then also one with Benton Leachman. They'll be coming up really really soon. We'll see if if Dalton Domino or red Shay Han or whoever is playing this weekend here in Lubbock. Maybe Wade Bowen if they want to jump on the podcast, so yeah, anyways. Yeah, here's the conversation with Screamin' K Phillips. But why prepared me? Yeah, yeah. You're okay.
K. Phillips 2:28
I kind of distorted it there. But I think this is so great. Where do you get these boom arms? Just from Amazon, I guess Amazon. Someone like that. sound? Okay. Good. Oh, yeah, sounds great. Okay, well, we're only gonna be worried about that beer next year computer. No, you weren't until I said something.
Thomas Mooney 2:49
Yeah, until I picked it up. Yeah, of course. I was like, knock on wood. Okay. Well, the thing is, okay, I saw somebody pulling pulling here earlier. Yeah, that's why I put my shit on the pool table. So they can't Yeah, well, they had like a beer right here. And I was like, move that. I mean, for fuck sake. Yeah. Come on. It's not like is the only fucking thing that Yeah.
K. Phillips 3:10
Has electricity running through it like people. I mean, there's people places over here growing up with things. Yeah. That are electric. And Are we rolling? Yeah, we're rolling. Okay, we started. I guess Last time we talked. Was You're like a week before going out on this massive tour. Oh, my gosh. Okay. So what's what's happening now? How many weeks he's happening now? I'm a man now. I was a boy transformed. Yeah. Can we close on here? Yeah. It was a, you don't think 10 weeks of your life could change you. But when you when you're in a van, and you're following a bus that has a bus driver, and you're playing gigs that are three hours away from each other every day. It I mean, it's just kind of taxing and we have. So we're on tour with Rob Thomas and the Counting Crows. And I'm very, we're very lucky to be there. And the crows and Rob, they always bring out other people who they like, you know, and from what I've seen with the crows, it usually breaks the band up. You know, a lot of great bands have played but they don't always last after this tour. Yeah, like the to or breaks the band, you know. And we haven't done that. I my band is largely the band somebody darling. We lived in a house. I think we talked about this last time. I moved up there because I was in Austin and it was so hard to find anybody to play with me that they wanted to do it for the music and not not The money you know, it was hard to find anybody who gave a shit about their craft, you know? Oh, I hate to say that there, there are cool dudes in in Austin. They're great players that will, you know, learn your stuff. But I just felt like when I moved to Nashville, when I went to Nashville to play it, it seemed like, oh, man, these guys are really good. And they're really cool. And they want to get better, which is what I want to do. And I had a band, but I ended up I ended up living in a house with the band, somebody's darling. And they're, they're on. They're on a break why amber does acoustic stuff and, and I mean, when I was coming up, they were they were on the road, I was on the road, I was, I was in a Prius with a little brave, and they were in like a converted box truck early, you know, like a mini bus kind of deal. And we'd be playing the, sorry, these peas are so hard. We'd be playing. I don't want to say the places but for touring musicians, they like the worst, the worst of the worst in in certain parts of Birmingham, Alabama or Atlanta, Georgia, and and it's just like, their door gigs. And you're just trying to get your foot in the door and you're trying to make enough to keep going and and that was that was probably seven or eight years ago. Yeah, that we were doing our first big pushes on to the east and west coast. And these guys are their road dogs, but they're some of my best friends recently got off Adderall on the sewer. I've been taking Adderall since I was 15 years old. And I was like, yeah, this is going great. I played Red Rocks, not on Adderall. It was like the first show. I've played, maybe ever, like not taking I have a doctor and it's, it's a load, I take 30 milligrams. It's not that big of a deal. But it just kind of keeps me where I can get my stuff done, you know. And I started going through withdrawals, like three days after we played we played a sold out show at Red Rocks. We didn't sell it out. Yeah, the crows and Rob Thomas sold it out. But uh I was fine that day. But the next few days. I started like, having like, I don't know, like, these crazy mood swings you I mean, we know each other. I'm not really like a moody guy. Like I don't think I I've never gotten mad at anybody, but I, you know, I like blew up on my band. And because I ran out of this prescription that were supposed to last few months like they magically disappeared. I don't think it was anybody in the band. But But then I tried to get a prescription sent to Vegas, and we have a tour book, you know that the crows give us in the address was on the wrong. And so like all our merge and all our everything was was sent to a different address. But when you're going to a different place every day. It's hard to like call my doctor and be like, I'm gonna be here. You know? Yeah, he's actually flying to the gig tomorrow. Really? Yeah. Which is cool, but
Thomas Mooney 8:39
that's good. Yeah.
K. Phillips 8:42
So what we're saying, Oh, yeah. It's true. Or breaks up most bands but not us. Knock on wood. Yeah, there's some dates left. I guess there's some days. Yeah. Out of the blue light. Yeah,
Thomas Mooney 8:54
I think that basically, anyone who has been a is a mutual friend of us as has been living through your Instagram poll Really? like yeah, cuz it's, it's kind of cool seeing like, this. This tour. Yeah. Cuz it's, it's been across the country. It has. Yeah. And if you if you're on following you on Snapchat, and Twitter and Facebook and all that stuff, you're seeing all these little Yeah,
K. Phillips 9:18
moments, man, some things are so great that I I'm afraid to post them because I don't want people to get jealous, you know, but honestly, like any songwriter that I've met in Lubbock would crush this tour. And, and I think all the people you know, behind that, behind that curtain would love love to them. And that's what's so great about this place.
Thomas Mooney 9:46
Yeah. What a like, okay, obviously you're on a date here in Lubbock. What are they doing tonight? What is what is Rob Thomas and Counting Crows do
K. Phillips 9:56
what Rob is doing? He's in Austin, and he's doing like Little radio show, because he has a new single out. And Adam is looking for somebody to watch a movie with. That's what he likes to do on his days off. Yeah. I feel so dumb. Like, he knows so much about cinema. Yeah. And I don't, you know, I thought I did. But yeah, he's like bringing up, you know, curious Allah and how it's like, I don't know, like this spaghetti westerns were just rip offs of Kurosawa and like gray. Is that like
Thomas Mooney 10:31
Japanese film stuff? Yeah. Okay. Like, I'm not a big film, film guy either. Okay, I just kind of figured that's, yeah, I mean, let's go. I'm starting to get into Yeah, well, I started watching, uh, I guess like these. I'll get into the the wormhole watching like, YouTube videos of like, top 10 or whatever. Yeah. And there's just one channel. I can't think of the name but they're always doing like top 10 moments, top 10 just different things with the film. And then half the time they're these old. Like Japanese films that I'm like, I've never heard of this, but right. It's a little intriguing now. Yeah, I don't know.
K. Phillips 11:14
But yeah, the the Instagram posts. I like yesterday, I met Billy Gibbons. Oh, yeah. I didn't want to post about it. Because, like, in so many ways, that guy is my hero. I mean, style wise, like, not even music style, but just, he's got a brand like he's fucking cool. And he's like, wrapping this thing. That's, that's us.
Thomas Mooney 11:38
Yeah, it was just, it's not just the beard. It's an entire package. This
K. Phillips 11:45
texture Cali kinda like, yeah, like cactus and badass single pickup guitars and cool rat rods. And it's kinda it's like, yeah, that's what we're that's what we like, you know? Yeah. When I met him, we so we played it at a casino called San Diego last night. And a lot of these tours, I'm finding out like you play in casinos. And because they pay. Yeah, well. So I go up to him. And I'm like, Hey, Mr. Gibbons, I'm not here to take a picture. I just want to, you know, tell you like, You're the reason why I play single pickup guitars and. And he's like, Oh, yeah. You're you're from Austin. You're playing tonight at 630. And I was like, are you? Are you joking? Yeah. Are you gonna come and he was like, Yeah, I was like, Yes. Yes. That and then I wanted to take a picture. Yeah. And we talked about resonators and I told him you know, it's basically you and Van Morrison like as far as van more for like the singing and, and, but I was telling him like, your whole vibe was like, I, I want to I want to incorporate that I only play pink guitars. And anyways, he's, he sent me like a video of Van Morrison playing in like 1965 with them. And so we started like an email chain and stuff and trying to get me to buy this resonator. I don't think he realizes how broke I am.
Thomas Mooney 13:32
Yeah, well, I mean, now. At least you have his email versus phone or the song is really good. As long as really fucking good. Her name is Elaine. Oh, okay. I guess we sound checking right now.
K. Phillips 13:45
Yes, she moved to Nashville. When we moved when we went on the road, and she actually rented out my guitar players room at our house. And she started writing with people. And Fox, she's getting good. Like, I I kind of came up with a little brave who's a female singer songwriter. We did a lot of duo stuff. And I I mean, she put out some of the best records that have ever been made in Texas. londonwill. Such a great record and but I just felt like First of all, you shouldn't give people advice. But I feel like it's hard for everybody in Texas, but I think it's even harder for women. Definitely. I was like, What are you going to do? You're going to be the next free bag. Well, I hate to say yeah, like, what I mean, there's nowhere to go like, yeah, or you can move to Nashville and like,
Thomas Mooney 14:44
try to make connections. And there's a reason why. Like Kacey musgraves right is big. And that's because she got out of the Texas Yeah, right. And now they're such a Morris. Yeah, it's such a weird, not a weird No, I'm not gonna say weird. It's the problem in Texas. Yeah, with female songwriters, because it's like they, they're not respected as much. Right? For whatever reason, by the, by the fans. Yeah. And then I think it kind of gets in their head a little bit like, I have to kind of sing about these kinds of things. Yeah, to get up to that level of, like, top 10, whatever, whatever the case is, like top 10 artists or top 25 whatever the case is. They, I think, at some point you you're writing about what you want to write about, right in there's this like, when these people aren't fucking buying this? I would. I gotta think about like, yeah, going to the bars and being like, I don't know if the Mexican beer song. Yeah. Yeah. Like, I gotta be like,
K. Phillips 15:53
I'm not knocking it. I mean, maybe she wants to do that. I don't know, at all. But, uh, I just felt like Alina was had more artistry in her than that, you know? And, and she comes from this place. It's like, She's like, her family. They're, they're like cutting horse breeders and I mean, she grew up she actually grew up on a ranch and she, she barrel race and she rodeoed in college. And I mean, that's like the that's what they're trying to sell you in Nashville, like girls like that. Yeah. I mean, she actually she's like the real deal. Yeah, but
Thomas Mooney 16:34
I guess like one of the parts about going back to the whole Texas thing with female artists is like, I've heard from some people saying, say that they don't feel they're as genuine. And it's like, Yeah, well, these texts is like all the guys were there. You can see me. Yeah, but all the all the guys are faking it. Like they're not the it's a weird deal, man. You know, I don't know, this should have been a cowboy kind of stuff. Or obviously, that's totally cool. But you know, that idea? Yeah. Like being the example. One of the I kind of have a problem with this is like Casey Donohue. His last record is like about, it's called something like all night party. And then like the EP before that was called pre party. And it's like, it's clever. Okay, you're talking about drinking, you're thinking about drinking? Yeah, that's not necessarily the problem. The problem is that all the songs are about drinking, and then he doesn't do any of that stuff. Which I'm not saying is, like, right or wrong, but I'm saying like, you're being just, he doesn't you're not being genuine. Yeah. And I've heard about the rules, like, like, nobody in the band can drink on stage. Oh, wow. It's like, so if he's like raising a red solo cup, it's just water. Something which i'm saying is fine. If you're so or if you're sober. Is that because you're not drinking? He had a problem? I don't think so. I think it's a marketing thing. But like, that's what I'm saying, though, is like, yeah, if even if he did have a problem and stop drinking, right, why are you singing songs about like, getting fucked up all the time? Yeah, well, and so like, that's kind of like what happens with these girls as well. Right? except they're not raising a empty solo cup.
K. Phillips 18:24
Right? Or whatever. Yeah, well, I mean, the deal is, we're all going to die, whether we want to or not, and, you know, this is all gonna be over. Like, do you really want to go to your grave being the guy that maybe some people do, and I'm not knocking it, but I just didn't want. If this is my last day on earth, I want to be able to, like leave something that I believe is beautiful behind, you know, something that connects with somebody. And it's hard to play music, no matter you know, if you make $50,000 a year doing it or if you make $5 million a year doing it like it still sucks. You still have to play the casino gigs. You still have to. Yeah, for morning radio, and you still have to play the same fucking song every day. Yeah. And if you don't believe in that song, that is that is like a prison sentence.
Thomas Mooney 19:21
Yeah. Is that the problem with writing a song that's that like the gains that kind of notoriety that kind of
K. Phillips 19:30
I wouldn't know. I know that. Uh, you know, I'm saying though. Yeah, I know that sometimes. Adam doesn't want to play Mr. Jones. Yeah. Like, I can imagine that. But then also, sometime. You're kind of obligated to. Right. Right. I mean, yeah, I mean, but mister Mr. Jones is different from Yeah. And a few ways from like, a song that maybe you wrote to pander to Like a group of for
Thomas Mooney 20:02
Margaritaville Margarita like a good example. Well, I honestly think it's like a really well written song now. But but I've heard the stories about you know, Jimmy Buffett wrote that in 15 minutes Yeah, but how he doesn't drink margaritas he hates him absolutely hates. Yeah, which that's fine too. But I think it's kind of like I don't know. There's I'm super tired of it. Yeah, come on where he maybe you get tired of thinks of making millions of dollars on Margarita machines now that they sell well like the 100 bucks a pop? The name Margaritaville. Yeah, just the brand. You're talking about, like Billy Gibbons having a brand. Oh, yeah, he's got a brand. He's got a tequila and like Jimmy Buffett, like everybody else. Yeah, water when it comes to branding shit. He's
K. Phillips 20:48
probably the most successful Songwriter of all time, because he turned it into a business of business. See, like, I read his books.
Thomas Mooney 20:58
Jimmy's books? I don't know, Jimmy, but I just refer to him as
K. Phillips 21:02
Jimmy. Jimmy. Yeah. I like like guys that have like a whole vibe. You know, they have this like, whole world built around them. And I mean, Jimmy was a great songwriter before Margaritaville.
Thomas Mooney 21:16
Yeah. I was gonna say that. I think. I don't know what his first title or his first record is. But like, that's something like, I think people would be surprised that it's not the beach vibe. Like, it's it's really? I think he was living in Colorado at the time. Yeah, he was right. And all that stuff. So it's very I don't know. I this is gonna be the only comparison I can really think of, but like, it's kind of like john Denver stuff. Oh, cool. But like a little bit more. Straight? folk. Yeah, kind of stuff.
K. Phillips 21:52
Yeah, I mean, he he really is a great writers. But he also like, did it long enough. And he figured out that Oh, oh, this is cool. If I do this beach thing. And I don't think anyone had ever really any white dude from Mississippi State or wherever you went to college had done that before. And that's why it was that's why it was cool. And kind of clever and awesome. And yeah, but then they try to re redo it like with, like Kenny Chesney tries to do yeah, maybe, maybe it works. I don't know, but when did Margaritaville even come out? Because I feel like that's a song to be the 70 that. Yeah, I'm assuming 70 I'm just gonna say 73. But it's been around for like ever, basically, in your head. Yeah. Maybe 84. Maybe 2004. I don't know. Shit.
Thomas Mooney 23:05
You have like one comment on here, though. Oh, really? Is this live? No, no, it's okay. Good, because I'm just gonna talk shit about everybody and then I'm leaving this place and never having to come back. Okay, so we're talking about Margaritaville being so like the brand of Margaritaville being so big. You think like Rupert Holmes is like kind of pissed that he didn't bank on like pina coladas as much because he had his room like that pina colada song. Why? If you like,
K. Phillips 23:40
Oh, that's his name, if you like. Yeah, and getting cold in the rain. It is 7777 is? Yeah. Huh. But I don't know, man. I mean, he hit on something. And it was only gonna work once and yeah, it's not. I can't hate on it. Like it's pretty well written song and Scott cool lyrics. And it sounds like the kind of song that the writer laughed when he was writing it, you know, in that. If there's no joy in the writer, there's no joy in the reader, you know?
Thomas Mooney 24:18
Yeah. What's the the closest comparison that you've written like that? Oh, as far as like, enjoying the song and laughing and like,
K. Phillips 24:27
the song is called Rambler? Yeah. Which, by the way, somebody? My friend gave me this watch the other day. It's the Shinola Rambler. Yeah. It's probably the most expensive watch I own. He's like, I had to get it because it's called the Rambler. I was like, shit. Yeah, it's pretty like you know, they make a car called now, but uh, yeah, the song Rambler was just funny to me. And I mean, that's so the the lyrics are. I'm a Rambler. Honey. I got traveling in my blood. I didn't come here to talk. I came here to think it's gonna run with love. Yeah. Our blood, you know or something. And it's like, I'm Rambo, honey, I got traveling my blood. I didn't come here to talk. I came to fuck, which like, it's just funny like English 101 No, no, it's like, yeah, mixing things up you. I mean, yeah. Let's see. Yeah, but it's funny. I
Thomas Mooney 25:28
mean, two stories on this. Yeah, one before they did the whole remodel the men's restroom here at blue light. There's the game to fuck that you had put like all over the damn bathroom. Yeah, stencilled? Yeah, and like people were like, what the fuck? But can you Philips and like you kind of had like that kind of going like Kate Phillips guy. Well, maybe that's my head then. Like they they redid it and I don't know if you've been in there a while since the remodel, but there is like another like little game to fuck. It's not a spray paint kind of stuff. And then to funny, I should do a new stencil. Yeah. Because I remember like when I will that first. First day you came here. You had the stencil on? You're making all the T shirts. Yeah. Yeah.
K. Phillips 26:13
That's pretty. The problem is now like we fly places. So I can't take spray paint. And also, I'm really lazy. So I guess I'm not gonna have that cool. vibe that I was gonna have.
Thomas Mooney 26:26
Yeah. The other story though, was just like the other day during songwriter night, which is like the songwriter competition right now during blue suite.
K. Phillips 26:33
And which I wanted to enter one time, but I like literally couldn't get the gas money to like come down, when you would have probably went well now. I think, actually, I think. Yeah, somebody? I mean, every year somebody really good wins.
Thomas Mooney 26:47
Yeah. Well, they're they they do like a live broadcast of it on the local College Station. And so obviously, it's live. And like, you know, we come back here and do the drawing of like, order and stuff. And like, one of the things we tell him, you know, he can't cuss, like a fuck on air. Yeah, it's gonna be on the red, we have iron. And so then we go out there, or they go out there and they start singing and I guess maybe like the second or third in between, like the second or third songwriters. They were split house music on you know, yeah. And in between, right. Whenever you say came to fuck, like, that's the first thing that thought out, like in between songs. I don't know if anyone caught it. So like, I was like, Oh, there goes that like that. I mean, it is kind of like
K. Phillips 27:34
you write a song like that. And like, there's, there's like, so. So get on your knees and swallow my pride. I was born to ramble. You were born to ride? Yeah, it's a metaphor. It's very deep. Haha. Yeah. But you write a song like that. And then you get Bobby Keyes, who's from West Texas to play on it. And all of a sudden you're having to play it. And I've had to play that in front of all my grandparents, front of Adam dirts his parents in front of a lot of little kids. And I'm always like, this is just a character. Yeah, this is just fun writing. And I, but you learn like, Oh, yeah, everyone can laugh about it. It's not that big of a deal. Like, yeah, I mean, it's over the kids heads. And the parents like they were fucking and that's why they have those kids like, yeah, there's the one I have a good time, you know? Yeah. So. But I'm always very, I'm not that guy. You know, which is why it was funny to write that fun to write that character. But yeah, if you if you write a dirty song, and people like it, you're gonna be stuck. singing that song? Yeah. So yeah, like Adam. Adam loves that song. Because he like sometimes I won't go. It's a metaphor. It's very deep. And he like, pulled me aside. He's like, after, he didn't say that. We're gonna say it's a metaphor, man. I was like, I know, because I was staring at your mom. Yeah, so yeah. His parents did come to the show last night. And I did have to do that. Yes.
Thomas Mooney 29:09
Okay, so, on this tour, I guess like, I don't know, maybe the last couple of dates. Aren't if you've been doing this every time. Yeah. But at least in the last couple dates you've been playing? You've gone up there and played with them, right? Yeah,
K. Phillips 29:22
no, let's play B three with them on the last few songs. Yeah. And last night, he like hush the band down. And it was sold out. It was at this casino and it rained out because it's outdoor in this like Pueblo amphitheater and it rained out and so they came back and they did like one hour of like all their fucking best song. It was so bad asked but so I plan on hanging around. I play in rain King, and it just rained out and this is our closing song and he brings it down because they're they're like jazz guys. Like they improvise. And he like he's like Van Morrison. Like he'll point at somebody and they have to start playing But I just figured he's not gonna make me do that because there's like 15 badass musicians on stage that he's played with his whole life. Yeah. Any quiet man down. He's like, play and I was like, no me. He was like, and like he made me like play a solo like in front of this sold out amphitheatre on this real v three, which is like a 1940s instrument. And I mean, I don't. I grew up playing organ like an actual organ but I don't. My chops are more like it was exhilarating. And it was so great to play my real instrument. You know, because there's a I get so screwed as somebody who plays piano and who plays organ because I can't tour with those things. Yeah, I'm, I'm the only person on stage. Like, imagine if a drummer couldn't do it with actual drums. Yeah, they had to play like, electronic drums everywhere, or like, a guitar player had to play a fucking kitara. Like, it's just not the same. Yeah. So getting to play that, that real instrument in front of this sold out show and for my hero, and I'm playing one of my favorite songs of his in the p3 sounds so good. It's just like, sweet and everything I want my keyboard to sound like, but it can't because yeah, it's not that, you know? Yeah. It was. It was a special night. But I was so so nervous while I was playing. And then after we get offstage, me the guitar player was like, you know, he wanted you to keep going. I was like, Really? You know, because I'm so used to being just sitting in with people and I just do a little bit and then I get out of their way. Yeah. And he wanted me to like, take off on like, two minutes. So flow are really in front of this sold out show, man. Like, dude,
Thomas Mooney 31:58
I feel like this is one of those. Maybe like the I don't know, like it reminds me of maybe I'm romanticizing this too much. But like it reminds me of like the the kind of like, big tours you would think of like in the 70s Oh, yeah, Jackson Browne kind of Oh, totally. Yeah, they still do it. Like how many people are on this?
K. Phillips 32:23
I don't know. Okay, so there's six buses. Yeah. And Adam and Rob kind of have their own bus. And then there's there's a bus. It's so funny, because coming from the Texas thing. It was like one bus. Yeah. And that was the pinnacle. Yeah. And now if I saw somebody one bus, I'd be like, oh, where does your crew ride? Yeah, you're pulling a trailer with the prey. VO cute. No, but uh, and there's, there's 618 wheelers, and six buses. Jesus, they build a stage every day for the crows and for Rob. So there's probably 60 people while going out in a everyday there's catering. I've got a breakfast, lunch and dinner. We didn't know how we were going to eat, you know, everyday we have hotel rooms. It's, it's in Robin Adam come and watch every single show, really, which is I think, you know that. They, they definitely grew up in a time where people were buying records. And in that sense, they were lucky. But these guys like, when you when you tour for two months with somebody and they come see every show, you realize, like, there's no way they weren't going to be successful. Because they're, they have this stick to itiveness you know, like, everyday. They're right there. They introduce me. They don't have to do that. Yeah, they, they watched my whole show. They interact with me. You know, like, I don't think I would do that. You know, I think I would probably be like, Hey, good luck with your show tonight. I'm gonna go watch some TV on my bus. Yeah. And, and that's, it's like, I admire them. I already admired them, you know, but I know that they're not just lucky. Yeah, seeing them. There's a reason. First, man, person level. They they're really good at being in the moment, you know, and then just like it's kind of hard, I think for artists to do that, you know? Yeah. And to, to kind of like, observe you know, the scene instead of just like taking millions of pictures and checking out like being in your head, you know? But everyday they're there. And, and we're in like a group text together and I just realized, like, I everything I thought about Being a rock star was wrong. You know, you can't. You can't you can do it where you're an asshole and you're, you destroy your body and you you tell everyone to fuck off. You could do that for a little bit. But you can do it for two months. Yeah. But just I mean, there's no way they weren't gonna be successful, I think after getting to know them. They and they love music. And they work so hard. I don't. Yeah. Yeah. So really impressed. Yeah,
Thomas Mooney 35:39
I like both of those bands, Counting Crows, matchbox. 20. We talked a little bit about this last time. They're just such a they're part of like your childhood. Yeah, I mean, totally that. For me, I'm assuming like, you know, from like, eight years old to like, 18. You know what I mean? Like, they were just always,
K. Phillips 36:02
oh, yeah. So who like the crows were like 1990. And then matchbox mad season was like, 96. Yeah, or one was 91 was 93. And the other one was 96. I only know these numbers because I hear them talk about it. And Rob was saying like, he was covering the crows, because at the time, you couldn't have your own headlining show where you weren't playing like half covers where he was. I think it was in Florida, maybe. So he was covering crows songs every night. And then you know, the other thing that's weird as Rob is like, his favorite artist is Willie Nelson. He's like written songs with Willie. And he's like, he's kind of a country dude. Like, yeah, he grew up in South Carolina. And like, I don't think he had it very easy. You know? He hasn't really talked about it that much. But like Adams, Adams got to have the best parents you could ever have. That doesn't make it easier either. Yeah. But it's just neat to see that from both walks of life, they've kind of come and done this thing and done it so well. And and now that they're successful there, they help other people.
Thomas Mooney 37:21
Yeah. See, like, matchbox 20. I think like their, like their first three or four records are so underrated. Yeah. Like mad seasons really great. And their first one though, I can't think of the title. That's like the
K. Phillips 37:37
are you talking about the tablet? The Secret record? No.
Thomas Mooney 37:42
I don't know. Maybe I'm not. Maybe I am. I don't know. It's the the one that has a record. Yeah. Is that what's on that? What's three? That's the one Rams on there. So like, I can't think of the name. Mad season is the second record. Right, right. With the guy with the Yeah.
K. Phillips 38:01
Everybody had that record? so crazy. But then like, I mean, even High School. It's embarrassing, but like when that Santana record, so for someone like, Oh, yeah, I was gonna ask you about I wore that record out.
Thomas Mooney 38:16
Yeah, like that first, like that. First one. was just so damn good. Like, yeah. And I feel like that's one of those records where I'm not gonna sound old here. But it's like one of those records you could put on and just yeah, to play through. Well, that's what a great record, you know what I mean? What you can do with it. But then, like, I guess, like, in a way. Like, there is this little aspect of like, the whole smooth thing. Yeah, it's become a little bit of like a punch line. Right?
K. Phillips 38:46
Right. No, because it was so fucking Yeah, this is this second most successful song of all time. According to billboard, the first being the twist. My Chubby Checker. Yeah. Well, second being smooth. But, I mean, does he play that? Oh, yeah. Every night. And he kills he. He sees all the memes and stuff. Yeah. And he shows me He's like, Oh, this is funny. They're both like that, like, very self aware. There's actually two like comedians that when this tour happened they started like, they kind of neither one of them look like robber Adam but one guy like got on like, black mop. You know, and the other guy had like got the earrings and Rob's tattoos and stuff and they do this like kind of spoofing thing on the two of them and, and then being like best friends kind of thing. But they really are good friends. Yeah. And Adams like someone's taller than Rob and really, yeah, yeah, I thought it would be Rob. Rob is my size. And Adam. I really like six six. He's a big dude. Yeah. Wow. And what They come to Lubbock. Why did why did they? Why didn't they play Austin? I wish they would have done the Austin either. So give the middle finger to all my ex girlfriends. Just kidding. But, uh Yeah, um, they have a, there's so, so good at the, at both sides of it at being regular people, you know, and then the craft and writing and Rob's always writing and he's like, and so as Adam, but I was always showing me like new stuff he's he's working on and he's just like, Oh, this shit is just as hard for you as it is for me. Yeah. It never gets any easier. You just write a bunch of fucking songs and you show them to people and you go somewhere. Nevermind, this is stupid.
Yeah. And that's been good. It's been a good thing to see. But
Thomas Mooney 41:01
have you been running on the road? Or no, you just kind of like, I wish I could say I have. Honestly, I can't. Yeah, but you were. You've been writing in Nashville for
K. Phillips 41:09
Yeah, no, I have a we have a record. I have the songs ready to go. Yeah, they don't want to do and. And you wrote with the will the other day, right. I did. We wrote a song. Yeah. I don't know what he did. It was it was cool, man. It was just like, you know, sometimes. I don't think any of us knew we were going to write and I just written a song that day. Which is really fucking good. I went to BMI office or I went to some music publishing, not BMI and some music publishing office and wrote with is a real deal, motherfucker. Yeah. And we I think we wrote a fucking hit. It's like, I'll give you the hook. It goes. Ah didn't lose. Like, didn't lose and like, um, um, and, you know, just goes like that. But yeah, it's uh, I don't know, I just did that. But it's gonna be a hit. And then so and then we'll will pick me up in a van. And then we went and tried to write that song, but I think everyone wants to hung over. Yeah, we wrote something.
Thomas Mooney 42:35
Yeah, it was cool. Because like that day, Ross text me and asked me for your Yeah, rasping. Yeah, I guess that would be Ross's man. Yeah, Ross was cool. He texted me. He was really good. Yeah, too. he's a he's a good guy, great songwriter, or songwriter. cool guy. Yeah. That's okay. This is, uh, I always say cool guy. It's very important to me. But like, this is one of those things where I think you're cool. I think being cool does not mean you're great at whatever your craft is. No, you got to talk in horror, but being cool. Makes you that much better. Once you're great.
K. Phillips 43:11
Yeah. You know what I mean? It's not a pass to suck. Yeah. But I mean, yeah, like, what your job is? Yeah. Exactly. Whatever
Thomas Mooney 43:20
your job is, like, you can be really great at something right? and be a horrible person, but you can still be great at it. Right? But just because you're cool. Doesn't make your make you great. There's a shit ton of that in music. You know what I mean? Like, yeah, but he's a cool guy. It's like, Yeah, but anyways, like Ross had texted me it was like, 80 of case number. And I was like, yeah, yeah. You guys met the other day. Here it is. And then like later, he picked me out. I saw like a, I don't know something for will. And I was like, I'm interjecting myself in that story. Whenever the
K. Phillips 43:54
Yeah, I would like to ride with him again. I'd like to get another shot, I think. I think I'm not but he goes on to write two songs a day. And I kind of like, Yeah, I did my one song and then. I don't know. Like, I also that was the first time I never wrote with anybody until I moved to Nashville. And I like it. But that was my first time to write with two other people. Yeah. And it just felt very like for somebody like who who has like, Ring of Fire add it was like, too much. Too many ideas going on at one time. And it was honestly like, kind of like, kind of like threw me off my game like, yeah, in a way. Like I just wasn't ready. It was like, playing varsity. Not ready for varsity. Yeah. Or we're hungover. Yeah, you just Yeah, I was. I was hung over. They were hung over. But yeah, I think we got a song. Yeah. And that's the main thing is just get it draft. Get something
Thomas Mooney 44:55
on paper. Get doesn't have to
K. Phillips 44:56
be great. Yeah. And it may not be great. Could be. Yeah. I don't know. I've never heard her and he's just got to get a draft. Yeah. And then redo it. Yeah, he's just got to get a draft. Get a giraffe. Yeah.
Thomas Mooney 45:16
Giraffe. Get a giraffe. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I don't know. We're rolling pretty 45 minutes. I don't I don't want to miss Elena's said. Yeah. But let's see what else. Is there anything else you need to say? Um,
K. Phillips 45:31
thank you. I love what you do and keep doing it. Thank you. Yeah, thank you for asking me to do this is of course an honor. And I think you're giving validity to what we're trying to do. You know? Yeah. And I respect that. Thank you. Thank you and good music. Well, just wait till the next album comes out. Oh, which, you know, by the way, you can get it on tour right now. I'll give you a copy tonight. Yeah, I'm just going to sell it. I'm selling it right now. Because I need the money. So go is Have a great day and they got to get paid. so dirty wonders out. You should buy it on tour. Any more dates you have left? I think I think 10 more dates. There's 10 opportunities. Repeat. Yeah. And then after this, I'm going on tour with Jonny Lang. Oh, yeah. And and then we'll be out doing like our own club shows again. Which I'm excited to do. again after having catering. weeks, two months. Oh, wow. Yeah, anyways, yeah. Cool. Awesome.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai