051: Szlachetka
Episode 051 is with songwriter Matthew Szlachetka. We talk about his excellent new album Heart of My Hometown, collaborating and cowriting in Nashville, his early roots, and Tom Petty's impact.
Interview Transcript
Note: Transcripts aren’t always accurate since they are computer automated and haven’t been edited for spelling, grammar, etc.
Thomas Mooney 0:05
Everyone, welcome to episode number 51 of the newslink podcast. I'm Thomas Mooney. And on this episode, we're joined by singer songwriter Matthew slavka. He just recently released a new record called heart of my hometown. So if you're looking for it on iTunes, he does just perform under his last name. So that's what you will search for. He was here in Lubbock a couple of weeks back for a couple of days. And on one of those days, he sat down with me to talk about his new record and just some background information on living in Los Angeles and why he moved to Nashville and whatnot. So he's actually going to be here in town again, on May 2, I believe that's a Wednesday, so go ahead and mark your calendars or put it in your phone or whatever you do. You want to see him performing in here in Lubbock. As far as wide open country stuff goes. I just recently released a piece about Bob Dylan's Nashville skyline. It just turned 49 years old yesterday. And when it was released, it was kind of dismissed as kind of flimsy records. And so it was only 27 minutes longer. So and one of the songs was instrumental, and a lot of people just, you know, thought it was Dylan mailing it in, because it's a quote, country record. And you know, in 1969, there was a lot of other important things going on. So they thought he needed to be writing protest songs and whatnot. But, you know, time always shows just how important stuff can be later. And that is one of these records that is just a seminal moment for Nashville. He kind of helped diversify the music scene. A lot of singer songwriters ended up moving there or recording records there. Everyone from like, Neil Young to Leonard Cohen to obviously dealing the birds. It also helped to make Nashville a little bit more of a singer songwriter town. You get a lot of singer songwriters move up there, such as Mickey Newberry, guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, Kris Kristofferson, they all kind of got record deals after this point in the mid 70s. And, yeah, it's just a really important record. As far as Nashville goes, but it also kind of helped spark the alternative country country rock kind of think. At the time in 68, you had the birds release sweetheart of the rodeo, and the band also released music from Big Pink. And what really kind of spurred that on now was Dylan's venture into country music. I know, technically skyline is the year after but like they're all kind of really influenced by Dylan. And anyways, Yeah, I know. I'm just I don't want to just ramble on here about national skyline for too long, because I want to just do an entire podcast on it. So yeah, go to wide open country and read the article about Scotland. And yeah, if you haven't told me your friends about the New Zealand podcast, suggested to them if they like music, they like hearing conversations about music. If you haven't already rated the New Zealand podcast on iTunes, go ahead and do so give us a five star review. So all your friends and whatnot, subscribe to subscribe. If you haven't followed us on any social media, you can go on Facebook and search for new slang. That's where you can find our podcast. On Twitter, you can do the same and yeah, anyways, I won't take up too much more of your time with this intro. So your is the conversation with Matthew sled?
Szlachetka 4:31
Was there I think it was like, I mean, I feel like it's close like 20 or 30 people like I was like really blown away with
Thomas Mooney 4:37
what I had heard like somebody say that it was like very little people. And then this last time there was a bunch. Yeah, there were like probably like 60 people or maybe more. It was good crowd. Yeah. Like what do you think it is that you do often like see those things happen? When you're out in the road, see that? I guess like that a blue grip That, that grassroots kind of growth,
Szlachetka 5:02
yes. And no, I mean that I was just itching to get back to loving after the previous show. And yeah, I mean, I think they're realistically I think they were like, between, probably, I would say, closer to 30. Because I was like, blown. I mean, if it was, like, 75, or whatever, it go as expected, because I played on Tuesday, but it was somewhere like around 30, you know, maybe even a little bit more. And I mean, I was just really taken by it, you know, and I was just like, How the hell did you know about the show? And how did you come out? Because, you know, I was just like, I was wanting to get in, because I wasn't passing through. And, you know, I'd heard to blue I was a great venue. And, you know, I was just, I just wanted to make a good first impression. You know, everyone was like, well, we went to the website, we looked at the lineup was playing, and we went to your website and listen to your music, liked it, told a friend came up. And I was just like, what, it's awesome. You know, it doesn't always happen like that, you know, I mean, it, you know, sometimes, you know, takes a long time to just get some sort of buzz going on in town, and I just feel really fortunate for this town. You know, it's, it's definitely, I don't know what it is Scott something. Yeah. So yeah, it's got people that are willing to listen, and a lot of people always say the art, you know, and it's, it's a sad thing. Right?
Thomas Mooney 6:27
There's so much of the, and I don't know, maybe it's always been this way, but like, a lot of people always just kind of take music. It's just background noise. Yeah. You know, it doesn't matter if you were playing original music or doing a cover band or, you know, they they're just there for a good time. But obviously, like, there's pockets of places where people care about songwriting and write original music. Yeah. You lived out in LA for like, a long time, right? Yeah. So I,
Szlachetka 7:02
originally from New England, and I moved to California, right after college, I moved to San Diego first for like, four years. And I was in LA for 12 years. And I moved to Nashville, as this coming Tuesday. Wait, no, as of yesterday,
as of Tuesday, this week.
I am I've been a year resident, you know, I bought a house and stuff. And you know, I was just going there really frequently over the last three years, you know, just started to really feel at home. And I built up a really big, you know, network of friends and colleagues. And it just I had that gut feeling. And, you know, la had just been changing a lot. And I'll always love it. But it was just it was time for a change.
Thomas Mooney 7:50
Yeah, well, that's what I was gonna ask like, what was that? What prompted the move? Was it just more or less just business ventures and just feeling more comfortable there?
Szlachetka 8:01
I think it was a lot of things it was one, always being on the road, and getting sick of paying exorbitant amounts of rent, not living in a living situation that wanted to be living in. And two, I think the music scene has really changed in LA, I'll probably take some V for that. But in my opinion, like when I first moved to LA, I think there was much more of a well rounded scene and there was much more of like a rootsy singer songwriter scene where, you know, there's more variety, I think, and it was easier to get comfortable. The artists get licensing situations, shows and movies and this is more of a scene, I think, you know, and I think this year after year, like it just started slowing down. I mean, a lot of people I know that I met in LA, I'm good friends, you know, we live in Nashville now, you know, and on top of that, that was a factor. But you know, because I write for with a lot of other artists and it's just not really the scene. And, you know, I mean, it was for a long time, but, you know, that's quite natural now.
But always, I love collaborating with people.
I just started writing with more and more people. They're really really talented writers. I mean, I write with some really talented writers and
it's just a different it's just a different community. You know, you know that along with the touring facets, you know, I mean, it's so much easier to tour out of Nashville and it's just you're you're pretty isolated on the west coast. I think, you know, where Nashville is located, I feel like it is located closer to a lot of like really rewarding markets where you know, like, love it. You know, people want to listen, they want to listen to something new. They don't want to just listen to the same stuff that's just crammed down their throat from you know, the same old radio stations like you know, same playlist and everything they don't want to hear Stairway to Heaven 30 times a day. But they're willing to take a chance on somebody new, somebody who has something different to say, and you know, that along with, you know, I would this album that have been just dropped, you know, I really am trying to do as many full band shows as I can versus always having a tour. So acoustic to make my living, you know, just living in Nashville, you can do you know, like a Thursday through Saturday or Thursday through Sunday, full band scenario, anywhere from three to five hours around Nashville way easier than being on the west coast. You know, yeah. So, you know, that those were all a lot of reasons and the ability to buy house because I, you know, I wouldn't have never been able to buy a house in LA, you know,
Thomas Mooney 10:45
but, yeah, it always feels to me like, like, virtually, I don't think anyone around here knows too much about like, the, the LA scene, if you will, I don't feel like it's part of our our knowledge, if you will, but there's always been great music to come out of. There still is, you know, don't
Szlachetka 11:06
get me wrong. It's just, in my opinion, I think LA is definitely more focused on pop, or indie band thing, you know, where, you know, image is really important. And I'm not saying image isn't important thing. I feel like that sort of thing takes precedent over content, you know, musicianship. And, you know, that being said, to me, Ella has some of the best musicians in the world as well, and studios and producers and all that stuff. But I think as a whole, I just felt that there was much more of a supportive thing in Nashville. And it just seemed like a better fit for me personally. I mean, there's a lot of people that just be thriving. And I mean, I, you know, I don't have any regrets living there for as long as I did it. And fortunate from that time I spent, you know, like, everything was just time for a change, you know, I feel like I kind of hit a wall where I didn't think that I could, I guess keep progressing in my career. If I had stayed there, you know, I could have been doing the same thing, maybe living doing it, but from where I want to go. You know, I didn't think that it was the right fit. Right? Yeah.
Thomas Mooney 12:21
Natural I think it's such a cool town. People from Texas typically, there's like that in Texas, Nashville. Break. Battle. Yeah, if you will, but Nashville really is the hub of, of country music, obviously. But Americana stuff, like, people don't realize just how diverse national IDs You know, there's like a really, there's like, a reason why, like, Dan, our back of the black keys, and like jack white. Yeah. All these other lock rock'n'roll guys live there, you know, because it's such a much more diverse place than I think a lot of people around Texas, actually believe realize was a, was that part of it, too, was just like, yeah, it's just
Szlachetka 13:09
there's something just really inspiring about Nashville. I mean, just the, the consistent level of musicianship is just, it's, it's boring. You know, there's always the joke. In your cab drivers or your favorite guitar player, you know, it just you know, that the thing I'm really sensitive to is, I feel like,
people
feel like there's more of a love of music in Nashville, that I don't want it to sound cliche, but I feel like people are more willing to just play because they love playing still. But I feel like in LA, a lot of times, it's kind of more like, I'm on the clock, like what's hurting? You know what I mean?
Thomas Mooney 13:52
Is there something to the effect of like, because there's so much more stuff to do? You know, I mean, like, there's other things you can do, other than just play music, you know what I mean? Like, there's,
Szlachetka 14:04
I mean, you can do anything you want. I mean, it's you know, it's it is a wonderful city. Definitely unfortunate for the network of people I have there. But it's a huge city and you know, the driving thing is an issue. You know, getting around and efficient manner is a is an issue. You know, Nashville is getting a little bit more traffic now. But from my standpoint, it's still really easy to get around that I like that. I mean, think what Nashville is like, you can realistically plan a bunch of engagements in a day.
Yeah. Like, I know, when I was going out all the time, when I was still living in LA.
I mean, I would plan like one or two bites a day I like to have a show that night or like, you know, meet a couple people catch up for drinks or meal or something. It was a super productive day. You know, LA is one man. Plant one thing maybe and then I got to be on the road with traffic's, but you know, yeah. Yeah. But it's I don't know. It's a cool it's a cool scene there. You know, I just think this I think having such a focus and importance of the craft of the song I think that's everything. You know, I've always been I've always been such a person that really values good song good craft.
Thomas Mooney 15:39
Yeah, I did today. It's like, that's, that's what I write. Yeah. I guess like we first moved to LA though, was, I guess like, how? How ingrained is like me, all those like, Laurel Canyon kind of artists and like the eagle. Jackson, like, how, how attached? Are they to the the modern la scene? Because like, obviously, I don't know, like, are you able to like even do people talk about those records and stuff still, or is that? Yeah, I can hear it in the past.
Szlachetka 16:13
Now. For sure. Absolutely. I mean, I mean, I don't think anybody from the Eagles still lives in LA. I think Joe Walsh lives down in like in San Diego, or something like that is the he lives in North County, San Diego, actually, because some people that I used to hang with when I lived there, you know what I will see him out and about, I think, like in Encinitas or something, but Jackson Browne always still goes out. I mean, it's he's a pretty inspiring human being. I mean, he's still out all the time watching shows sitting like I you know, I don't know, but I've met him a few times, just people that I knew he was playing with this stuff. And that's inspiring, you know, it's like, he's, he's out and he's still, you know, just, he's still obviously has incredible love for music and live music. And you know, same thing with like, you know, benmont Tench like, he's another person I always out and about, like, watching shows, sitting in people playing
Thomas Mooney 17:10
projects, you know, so
Szlachetka 17:13
it's there, you know, there there are people out there playing I mean, even some of the classic session, guys, you know, like Dean parks, Gavin seen playing all the time, you know, it's just like, the most random places. So it is cool that a lot of you know, those just incredible musicians who helped shape some of my journey. I'm still there. Not just mining away.
Thomas Mooney 17:40
Yeah. Yeah. Cuz like, I don't know. You always hear stories about, oh, blah, blah, was at that show like that. Just an example from nationals, you always hear stories of like jack white, peeking in at shows and then just leaving, right watching for 10 minutes, 20 minutes and going on to the next place to hear something else. And but like, with the la persona of being a rock star, and movie star, you always just think of these guys just being more, you know, holed up in their castle somewhere on the beach, you know, instead of certainly going to all the bars and sure died. I mean,
Szlachetka 18:16
there is that for sure. There's still a good, right amount of people that go out and just like to see music and want to be involved in some sort of scene or community, you know,
Thomas Mooney 18:27
right. This new record of yours. Yeah, there's a lot of that. Tom Petty heartland kind of palette. Right for how much of that record? Did you already have written? By the time Tom Petty passed? Like, you know, the whole thing? Oh, yeah. I mean, I mean, I don't know if like it was like a net, like more of a touch to it because of Sure. That record. That record was
Szlachetka 18:58
recorded two years ago. Really? Yeah. And so given all the names attached to it. I wanted to really peel the onion slowly and I wanted to I didn't want to just release it. I wanted to make sure that it was released properly and I wanted to have a big team behind me to help do that. And you know, I'm getting back Tom Petty you know, David Bianco produced it engineering mixed it In he won a Grammy for for engineering topics at wildflowers. He also worked on it for darkening Southern accents record I mean, he did the last three Lucinda Williams records a bunch of records by Springsteen Galen and Mick Jagger. I mean, his his discography is it's stupid. Like doesn't end between stuff that he's produced engineered or mixed you know, I mean, in working with him was just it was a life changing experience. You know, work with him. You know, Brian Lucy from magic garden mastering mastered it. He's done all the black keys and In our bank records he did the last year we send the records as well along with the Doyle Bramhall record that just came out. I mean, like a lot of major records and he did a wonderful job mastering that record. Had a bunch of great writers on it as well. You know, just some of the players, you know, was really, really good. Yeah. wrote another song, Jamie Wyatt. She sings on a few songs as well. But that was on giving back the best of me that we wrote. She caught on her record fell in the blues.
Thomas Mooney 20:31
Did you guys like I guess she's like, from LA to right. That's right. I met her within the first month of moving to LA. We became friends. For a long time. Yeah,
Szlachetka 20:44
we've played music a lot together written a lot together. You know, on her record, I played guitar and you should come back.
Yeah, that's me playing guitar.
Thomas Mooney 20:55
Well, that's cool. I know. Like she she's played here a few times. Yeah. And she's really talented. Yeah, I think she's she's a I guess like she and like, as far as like people I would say that a lot of Americana fans know from like, the LA scene would be me her and like Sam elbow and yeah, folks like that. But it's like touched on PC or people but yeah, I think she's, I can't wait to see what she does next. You know? Yeah. So what were you gonna say?
Szlachetka 21:24
You know, some of the other writers like my other buddy, Jamie Kent. We wrote four songs including the title track, Scott hunter
and train wrote two songs and record. Jeff silvar he's another one of my regular writing partners in LA. He wrote Wind Beneath My Wings. So he came in and you know, a lot of fun right with Him. But then the players wise, like Doug pettibone played all the pedal steel and some additional rhythm guitar parts and mandolin and Kevin saboteur played most of the keyboard stuff and he's been Rod Stewart's like right hand man since the late 70s. Pretty much played on all those records produced a bunch of mixed a bunch of two and he's written a bunch of hits for rod. And then like some of my regular la guys who played on the record like Derrick brown and drums, Bhattacharya on bass. Dave lane, played a little bit of keyboards and Jamie says, harmonies, Jamie cats, Megan slinger Jeff Campbell sending some harmonies.
I think that's it. Yes. And joined Apollo mercy.
Thomas Mooney 22:39
Yeah, did you? To me it feels like such a, like a summer record. But you're not sure. Like, just driving around? Yeah, out of traffic? And with the windows down kind of? Well, I mean, like, what did you record this record? Was it all like, at one time? Or did it was it spaced out? I don't know. I mean, the funny thing about it is
Szlachetka 23:00
so basically, pretty much two years ago, in February, we recorded it took like, a month to between pre production, recording, mixing and mastering It was super quick. Yeah. And so the album was in the can. And I started just trying to find the team and, and then, you know, slowly releasing singles, like I released the title track first as a single video and then started to get a little bit of traction from that got a little bit of attention. And then I think it was that summer, I wrote wildflowers on the highway. And and I was like, Man, this this song needs to go on the record. And so I started getting really good feedback on that. And so I went back in, recorded it. And then that was the final piece. And then I moved to Nashville, and finalise situations like with money management, that kind of things, we came together to put the record out. And then you know, we released a lot of flowers as single and then video and then released the album. So between, like, you know, press that came out, like with Rolling Stone and everything else, you know, we kind of pushed back to releasing three times. So I was like, really ready to release the record. Yeah. And, you know, so yeah, I mean, I'm really excited that it's finally you know, getting out there in the world and finally getting some recognition. And but I'm at the point where I can't wait to record the next one.
Thomas Mooney 24:31
Yeah, that's the thing, too, is like, the if there's one thing I've learned, talking with musicians and artists is that that that period between when you finished recording and when it's released, that's the period where y'all got tired of the record already. You know what, you know what I mean? It's like, you've known that record for a long time, and you're already ready for the next thing and that's just like right when everyone else is starting to catch up. Exactly, you know, It's such a weird, I guess, like, thing, really, because I mean, like, that's where everyone else, that's when everyone else starts learning about it and starts really digging the record or hitting the record or whatever, hearing the record, and y'all are ready to already move on. What is that? Like? What is that? I guess, honestly, anxiety, but like, What's that? What's the feeling of having already finished the record and knowing that you have to get all those ducks lined up in a row to actually make something?
Szlachetka 25:35
Yeah. Man, that's definition patients right there. It's tough. I mean, it was really tough for me, just because, you know, I'm a person that moves like, really, really fast. And, you know, glad that I kind of put the brace on, you know? Because if I didn't, I don't think that, you know, it would have the impact it's creating so far, you know, I wish, you know, that I could have released it, you know, within the same year that I report, but I'm glad that I waited. And I think that's probably the hardest part for most musicians, you know, bands and artists is just, you know, you want to report it, you want to get it out now, you know, I mean, and I think, you know, timing is almost even more important than, than the actual recording of it. I mean, that's obviously you don't want to, you know, you don't want to make a bad record. But I think, you know, timing can make or break a record, you know, putting out the wrong time. You know? So it's, it's, it's, that that's the hardest part.
Thomas Mooney 26:41
Yeah, this record sounds so good, cohesive, I get bills. So, like a record is until again, you know, just a bunch of songs together with the collaboration and with the CO writing aspects, like, how, how do you? I guess, know, what songs are supposed to fit together? When you're working with so many different co writers?
Szlachetka 27:07
You know, I don't know, I have a vibe that like, a lot of songs that I write that I kind of know, will be used for me. But, you know, I mean, I brought 35 songs today. And we will, you know, so in the rest of the songs, we didn't end up cutting, like, you know, I'd really like to cut at some point, you know, I mean, I guess, you know, there's a lot of things that I kind of revert back to like Tom Petty, because I think every song should count. I don't believe in like, filler songs. should be good songs, have a great chorus yourself should be really cool. You know, have some sort of magic to it. You know, I would hate to just ever record the songs. They only need, like, three minutes. Add? That doesn't make sense. Yeah. So yeah, I think, you know, talking to Dave helped, you know, pick out the songs. I had a good idea what I thought would, but, you know, we went through a lot of the stuff and then we kind of swapped out a few.
Thomas Mooney 28:15
Yeah. Some of those songs to the go back to the highway. The road. Yeah. And like that. give and take, if you will. Do you? Are you always constantly writing? Are you are you able to write on the road? Because I know some people just really can't. Yeah, I do a lot of
Szlachetka 28:35
cataloguing? You know, just because right now, a lot of times I'm by myself, fortunately, a tour manager, somebody who can bring it to driving.
Thomas Mooney 28:45
Yeah.
Szlachetka 28:47
But, you know, so I'll basically get a good batch of lyrics, titles, melodies, guitar riffs, and those kind of every time I get back to Nashville, I'll have like, a new folder of stuff to work with. Yeah, it's pretty rare these days that I sit down and like, you know, just write a song from scratch. Usually, it's like, something I've been kind of sitting with for a while, but when I do sit down, all right, it's I usually don't have the time right now or luxury, but like, I just got an idea. I'm gonna go right.
Thomas Mooney 29:22
Yeah. So when, when you go into a co right, that's one of the things I'm thoroughly interested in, like the the, the idea in the art of a co ride. Yeah. Because it's such a.
I mean, like,
there's so many different ways to do it co Right, right. For you, like, do you typically go in thinking, Oh, I'm going to be writing with this person. This person kind of has this touch to a lot of songs. So here's two ideas or like, what is your process? your mindset, usually going into a co writer? Sure.
Szlachetka 30:00
I mean, I'm lucky I'm at a point now where I kind of have like my, my group of writers that I feel really comfortable with. And you know, for me too, it's like, really, wanting writer somebody enjoys getting a lot of times these days, you know, even that games as hard or harder cuts, you know. So it's, you know, my mentality is like, if we're going to spend time here, let's just try this song and Caden have, like, you have an attitude, like, you've got everything in blue. So it's just something we can and I, usually by time I hit a chord, I'll know that it's a song that I would use or if it's something personal writing with us, or, you know, we kind of have it as a catalogue. Yeah, but you know, I always try to go to any sort of write just well prepared between, like, having a few music ideas for, you know, cool progression that might have some twists to it. Or, you know, some really cool non sequitur lyrics or title, or like a melody or chorus. So, either any, any one of those, those ingredients I like to have with Yeah, because like, I don't know, I'm still just like, I guess parenting is I don't ever want to meet a guy that shows up to a writing session. What do you have? Yeah. Like I was wanting to come like,
Thomas Mooney 31:21
magic thought about this, because I actually thought about it in a while. But this was one of my favorite things to talk about was I read in a, like an old Bob Dylan interview. And I think it was like an unreleased one. It was like an American songwriter a couple years back, but like the interview was done in, like, the early 80s. I think, anyways, he was talking about now, the most difficult thing for him as a songwriter was to was getting the that first, whatever, that first thing that sparked in that initial thought, that initial emotion into the final version of the song, right? Like, how difficult is that for you like to get that whatever that sparked? To begin with, into that, make sure like, through all the twists and turns of writing it into the the final version.
Szlachetka 32:19
I don't know, really, it just something comes to me. And I just, I guess, sense since from from doing it for a while, where I know what needs to go.
You know, the people that I write with trust, you know, so that that always helps to, you know, just kind of feeling, I mean, also kind of exercising different options, you know, wording phrasing, you know, possibly messing around with different chord progression. But, I don't know, I just, I just have a sense usually like writing songs, whether it's wooden verse or a chorus, or, you know,
Thomas Mooney 32:59
yeah, what's the, like, on this record? Specifically, what, what's the song that changed the most, like, from the, whatever I had, or even in the studio? Well, that's
Szlachetka 33:10
the thing too, when I, you know, when I write, I usually like to try to write free, pretty concisely, you know, within three to four minute mark, just because, like, I would hate to get in the studio and have to trim the fat versus let's add something to it. And that's, that's what happened with this record. I would say the song, probably, there are a bunch of things that Dave just, you know, really shaped in a really nice way, ready to learn. It was definitely the first chorus, it's like a pre chorus teaser, you know, you don't really get into that full course until the second one, right? He was like, give them a teaser there. He's, like, given teaser, go right back into the person. That's cool. You know, and then he was like, This song is a guitar song. And I was like, I originally thought that it was just going to be like that three minute, you know, in and out, like radio front of the song. And, you know, I kind of actually fought him on it first. And then, you know, we were I remember when we got to take, we needed where it didn't have the soul, he just like, try and get on and talk. Like, he's like, this needs a solo. We're working out right now. Like, all right, you know, I brought you the picture. I'm glad we did because it really helped make the song and even some of the syncopations like the, like, he had the idea for like, what the solo needed to be in terms of like, how it was structured, you know, he was like, you know, whatever you do, like, you know, first half is yours, but the second half, needs to have this like syncopated, you know, like kind of triplets thing going down like in thirds. And I was like, great, you know, and that was, that was something I never thought of, you know, and then You know, the end of that solo, it was like a quarter note triplet thing. He's like, that's how I saw you. And I'm like, yeah, and you know, stuff like that, you know, part of my hometown, he's like, start the song, just with those naked vulnerable vocals like that, and then break into it. I originally thought and just going to start with the first round, you know, yeah. You know, and he was like, well, like, middle is on, you know, after the bridge, like, go back to that.
Thomas Mooney 35:29
Yeah. You know, just when you honorable you carry that on to just like the the acoustic version. Yeah. And I think that's one of those. The first time I heard that song, that was one of those things that really just caught my eye at first time. And then, you know, last night when you played it, it's one of those like, oh, there's that moment. Like, that's a Yeah,
Szlachetka 35:46
a moment hook me. I mean, that's, that's the biggest thing for me, it's like, just you gotta have books and your songs in the chorus is really just have to jump to happen, you know, a different feel from your verses, and you got to have this, you got to have those dynamics.
Thomas Mooney 36:03
But the title cut right there, part of my hometown. There's so much about the, the, I guess, the love hate relationship, that your hometown? Do you have something like that with you? Because I feel like everyone kind of getting out of high school always wants to just Yeah,
Szlachetka 36:20
get out of Absolutely. I think, you know, when I, you know, I plowed through college, just because I wanted to get out of new money and, you know, move 3000 miles away to realize that Wow, did doesn't suck, like, no one was a great place to go. And I was fortunate for how I grew up. You know, I think that the whole song is, is about that. And I feel like no matter where you go, there's always going part of that, if you really, believe it or not, you know, that wherever you're from it shapes. You know, and I think there are people that, you know, there are people that try to get as far away from it, and sometimes don't ever come back. But you know, I think a lot of people like, you know, the go experience world, you know, they'll come back to, I think, to, you know, from being fortunate to, to work all the time, do, you know, I get to see all these great little towns and they blew their mind where I grew up, as you know, especially nowadays, you know, we're just everybody's butting heads. You know, I think that there's a lot more similarities in this country than people are realizing. You know, I think really, the big thing is just travel. It's like, you know, unfortunate, some people don't have the ability to track right now. But, you know, I'm telling everybody that a lot of these states, towns, communities are like, they're all the same man. And just, you know, I think at the end of the day, we all want the same thing, but just have to have the open minded communication.
Thomas Mooney 37:43
Yeah, well, I think like the point on that is just like, talking to your neighbors. Yeah, you're gonna find out. Now, you know what I mean, just like, yeah, talk to the people that you go to at the bar, totally. strangers, you're gonna realize that everyone, like 90% of the stuff we agree on, right? Something like that. Yeah.
Szlachetka 38:04
Hopefully, nobody's gonna be able to get everything you want. But yeah, everybody's getting at least walk away from some sort of situation happy, willing to have some sort of compromise.
Thomas Mooney 38:13
Yeah. How big of a town did you grow up in?
Szlachetka 38:16
Well, it's funny, because I technically lived in like two towns of Western Mass when I was really little, like, we lived in Westfield, Massachusetts. But I was going to elementary school in Hampton, Massachusetts, which was a great community, just because I went to this spray elementary school. And then after that, we moved to a town a long meadow, which is a suburb of Springfield, because of the school systems. And so I kind of had this I mean, granted, Western Mass is in like, a very large area, you know, and, you know, you're talking 15 to 20 minutes within each town, you know, so, between, you know, playing music growing up, and then I played sports competitively for a long time, between you know, in between seasons play in like, inner town leagues or other stuff like that, where you're on teams over people from different towns, like I had friends from all over Western Mass, so I didn't necessarily just identify with you know, one town so I was just kind of do Western Mass is like my hometown, you know, I you know, it's so funny man. Getting back to the Tom Petty Canyon, I guess, you know, one reason why, you know, I mean, there's a lot of people I resonated with, but there's so much about, you know, the things we did that, you know, it just it spoke to me, it was definitely I found a lot of similarities like you know, I've never been somebody that that completely identifies with like, one club or click or group you know, meaning in and that's one thing that he always liked just really was adamant about particularly like when you starting out and they were trying to pitch in him is like a new wave. Yeah, punk is for things like do rock and roll. He's like, I'm not part of a scene. I'm not part of a club. It's like I'm just playing rock and roll music. And like, you know, that's What we do? Yeah, it's got like a just a little bit of twist on it, you know? That's, you know, for me, like, I have friends from all different all different groups, you know, and it's, it's something that I've never wanted to like limit myself to just being identified in one category you know, right.
Thomas Mooney 40:17
Tom Petty like I feel Have you like ever met anyone who doesn't like Tom Petty? Or at least like doesn't know, like everyone knows at least free falling right? You know something because it's strange because there is this like, You're okay guy well walking by thinking together there is this like strange aspect of it feeling where Tom Petty is singing about your hometown, but like, never anything necessarily identifiable and specific about a specific region. Because like he was from Florida, but like, I can't really think of anything that he did as being really, you know, any no Florida
Szlachetka 41:01
right? You know what I mean? But you know, it's a perfect example of like, the the heart of my hometown thing. It's like, there's still a lot of where he grew up stuck with you and shared with him.
Yeah. You know,
Thomas Mooney 41:16
it's an interesting, interesting. Yeah. What What is your favorite? Like? What is
Szlachetka 41:23
your question? And that's really like a day of the week kind of question. wild flowers would definitely be one of them. I mean, I'm, you know, I am a really big fan of the Shiva one soundtrack. I mean, that was basically during the wildflower session. I mean, that record, somehow, I think probably by the time reading about it, I think it was how it was released. Because there's some amazing songs shows you know, I like a lot of like, Echo is one of my favorites. Absolutely. echoes from top to bottom here because of what they were going through the time that was corrected that they kind of, I guess wanted to sweep under the rug. But that's a wonderful record. I mean, hard promises full fever I mean, every every Tom Petty record has, like a good amount of hits on it. I mean, you're going to get it is a great record. I mean, you know, a long after dark is a great record and let me up I've had enough damage reredos damn torpedoes, obviously. You know, I mean, the last DJ is a great record. What's the
Thomas Mooney 42:47
not his last record but the one before it American highway companion network, or the What's one has like save grace. Okay, yeah, that record right there. Especially this specific song I remember Yeah. Not really listened to knew that he like post 2013 and that song like got me back into or like not gavia back into but got me into like listening to the the newest of petits if you will, because I just felt like that was such a driving song. Yeah, it just has that rolling kind of momentum to it. Totally. Going back to your record, ladder to the stars. Yeah. I feel like that song has like this. You know, since it has like this kind of traditional, like, even kind of like English traditional focus on your aspects to it. Where did that song come from? Where Where did that originate? So that's a song I
Szlachetka 43:50
wrote with Jeff silvar. Jamie can't and we wrote that Jeff's house was the first time I'd ever written with Jeff. And that day, we wrote two songs back in New York, that song and wrote a song of Sheila, that Jamie cut on his album called American mind, which came out like a year and a half ago, and that one was the only independent country album chart on the Billboard charts. I think it came in at like 16 on Billboard charts. Yeah. I played on that on his album. But I think Sheila was the song we wrote first that day. And then I had this kind of open to the slide idea that I threw at them and they kind of we took it down the idea which ended up becoming a ladder to the stars. It was really a thing where I was just kind of messing around with some like, you know, Mississippi, john hurt fingerstyle guitar stuff and Jeff started having this idea. You know, I think he started coming up with a melody a little bit, just the idea of water tower. You know, kind of like sneaking out of the house when you're a teenager. loss of innocence.
There's a little bit of that Southern Gothic Yeah, aspect. Absolutely. You know, and and so we just kind of created a little story which based on the probably all three of our experiences and stuff, you know.
And you know, that's probably the dark horse in the record, you know, it's a bunch of cool like, trippy like Zeppelin II kind of Yeah. aspects to it really cool vocal harmonies and other instrumentation.
Thomas Mooney 45:23
Yeah, well,
Szlachetka 45:25
that was the only song in the record that we didn't cut live as a full band, just because we didn't necessarily know which Avenue production wise we're gonna take it. So I basically we basically piece that one together. Like I started, I'd lay down the guitar parts, and then I did the vocals over it. And then we just started layering.
Thomas Mooney 45:48
So it was it was pretty cool. Yeah, I think it's a great song. I just really love the the production aspects of it. Yeah. Just like you said, kind of like that. Like a traditional song is sense. And some that Southern Gothic Yeah. aspects. Yeah, it has that kind of like, beautiful, ominous thing to it. Right. Yeah. Now, like, obviously, you've written a bunch of other songs since then, like, what are the? What's your like? What's the What's your favorite thing that you've written in the last man?
Szlachetka 46:21
I mean, first of all, I, you know, I can't wait to record the next record. But I'm actually kind of terrified. Because, you know, going into this record, I had 35 teams, and I mean, this next record, whenever it happens, like whoever is going to produce them. in Nashville, or LA, or Memphis or wherever, you know, yeah. So I don't know where it would be. But I'm kind of terrified, actually. So I'm gonna have like 100 songs. I mean, it's gonna be pretty ridiculous. And just like, you know, literally come down like 10 songs or something. Yeah, just to have that cohesive story, you know?
You know, I don't know, man. There's the bunch. Like the songs that the new songs I played it.
The blue light last night. lifeboat is one of my favorites that the song I wrote with Tim Jones, who's in this great group called the whiskey wolves. And we met him
shortly after I moved to LA using the hotel cafe scene as well, when he was in that group, the truth salvage company. And we just we became fast friends immediately, but it took us 12 years to start writing, wrote that in Nashville, this company moved to Nashville, I think five or six years ago. And we just kind of pooled our resources of our la experiences and wrote that that's one of my favorites. There's a new song I wrote with Mondo signs called old soul, which I'm really big and it's been getting a lot of really good feedback as well. Mondo had a few cuts in the latest landmark record or the last Miranda Lambert record, a couple jacking room cuts. Yeah, with people but him and I write quite a bit, he actually cut a song that we wrote together, called, the more I need, he just did a record with Ken Coomer who used to be the chairman of Wilco. So that's coming out soon. There's a song I wrote with Adam right pocket which has been getting a lot of really good feedback and yeah, I've really been digging that he pretty much code for the entire random Womack record played on it as well. And he currently has the Alan Jackson plays now it's been a lot of cuts, working with him his real pleasure. played some I wrote with Scott Connor Christian, we're writing a lot called over the edge, which has been getting a lot of good feedback to that was like, really, really cool kind of riffey finger picker tune. Is that another kind of Southern Gothic, ominous kind of vibe about the guy at the gallows, you know, get ready to become has one more wish, you know? Yeah, request.
And then this other song called. Here we are once again. Michelle. So, yeah, it comes it goes. There's a bunch of other new ones I throw in the set, too, you know, yeah.
Thomas Mooney 49:25
Well, I mean, this tour this past two weeks in Texas. Yeah. That's something that I think is really foreign to a whole lot of artists is the aspect of having a bunch of songs to choose from, because I know so many bands. So it's like, oh, I you know, especially with like a lot of new bands. It's like, I wrote 10 songs. So I got 10 songs. It's go cut a record, right. And, like, I have a buddy Ross Cooper who moved up to Nashville and he's friends with a bunch of my friends. Yeah, absolutely. He's got a really great record out. Now you got to get along together. Well, he was talking about how, you know, when he moved up there. In preparation for this record, he was wanting to get about 100 songs. And he got like, 75. So, so he's living in Nashville. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I think he's friends with my buddy. Yeah, he is. Yeah. Ben and Ross have both been on the podcast. So if you haven't listened to those go back and listen to them. I will. But, uh, anyways, like he, he was talking about just having, I guess, the, the mentality of working and getting to that level, because you're, I think like that that's like, treating the art, not like a job per se, but like, it's taking it a little bit more serious. And really, I guess, you know, focusing on it more so than just thinking of it as a as a skill. Exactly. Yeah. Or like just doing for the the show aspects. You know what I mean? Like,
Szlachetka 51:07
I think it's just, you know, if you're really serious about your craft, you're always going to be trying to outdo what you did previously, I think, particularly if you're going to make a record, man, I mean, that's, that's, like, permanent. Yeah. And it's like, you really got your best foot forward. And I mean, songs are like children, you're, you know, you're most likely, at least like, most of them. And it's like, you can always play in line, and, you know, the litmus test that way, but really, you got to, you got to pick your best material. Because I mean, like I said, I don't, I wouldn't ever want, but especially these days, attention spans, which don't exist anymore. You know, I would never, ever think about putting out of record that had a filler song.
It's got to count.
Thomas Mooney 51:52
Yeah, it's interesting to see, like, the attention span aspects of just, you're able to get anything on Spotify, and there's so much that you can listen to. There's obviously a lot of talk about my record, it's important. No, we're like, you know, she would just be releasing singles every couple months, or epds. And I just, I think that those things are so short sighted. In the in the long run, like albums are always going to be important, you know? Not necessarily that every artist is looking to win a Grammy but right has a there's not really been an EP that won. You know, the category for that. So I think like, the Blackbird is obviously just always gonna have that staying power. Something about the legacy of that, right. So
Szlachetka 52:47
I do think, though, that they should reevaluate the criteria for an album because if you go back, you know, albums used to be six or seven songs, which is what an EP is now. Yeah, I think they should literally considered up like three or four songs. collection, you know, I mean, because I mean, literally, I mean,
it wasn't till I started doing double albums, album started jumping up to like, 10 to 12 songs. But now I'm with you. I'm good. I believe in albums. I still do right now.
I like to listen to album as
Thomas Mooney 53:25
a collection. Yeah. versus just CDs. Right. You last night play Randy Newman? Yeah. I think like that. He's one of the most underappreciated songwriters out there. Yeah, I mean, you know, obviously, you're
Szlachetka 53:41
what we are. We are Russell JJ. Yeah, right. cooter. You know, people like that.
Thomas Mooney 53:47
I think like, what's, what's interesting is that, probably like most people, if they know Randy Newman, it's just like his instrumental aspect, like writing. And what's really interesting, too, is the he's such a great and accomplished singer, songwriter, but then obviously, like, as this other side of the brain working, just writing all these composing songs for film. Yeah, you know, that. He's also done that's out, like, what a for you like, when were you introduced to Randy Newman? Like, when did you start really diving into this? Right.
Szlachetka 54:24
Yeah, I think I probably started hearing about Randy Newman. You know, like in the 80s and early 90s, you know, between some of his classic songs, but then he obviously through some of his film work that he did, and he's always just an intriguing character, not you know, just he's always had a really intriguing voice, like, there's just a really awesome characteristic to his voice that was for me, makes me want to listen, you know, and I think his style of writing, it's always a storyline. You know, it's always a conversation between two characters or it's always like a book. Conversation with any character. Yeah. And it's just always it's a really, really interesting style. And I just think he's his style is so it's so uniquely American. Yeah, that sounds cliche. You know, he just has such an amazing pedigree of having done his homework of learning a bunch of different American styles. And it's just, you know, it's, it's why he's just such a classic songwriter, you know, he
always will be
Thomas Mooney 55:37
great. Yeah. You know, he's got such a great sense of humor. And absolutely, it's all it's all satire, dark. You know,
Szlachetka 55:43
it's all dark commentary of like, how absurd The world is a lot of times and you know, as it gets, it gets misunderstood. But I think he's brilliant.
Thomas Mooney 55:56
Yeah, he's a, he's just incredible. Yeah, I can remember seeing, you know, just people saying, or not understanding. Some of the irony, yeah. And his, his work, but he's also mean, how old is he? Now? He's in his 80s. Probably,
Szlachetka 56:15
I'd say he's, he's probably like, late 60s, early 70s. Possibly.
Thomas Mooney 56:22
But he's still making records, which is, yeah, you know, I think he had a record out. Just a couple months back. I can't remember this call. But that was like only eight songs long. Going back to that. But uh, yeah. Yeah. What, uh, you know, you mentioned, you know, when you're in Nashville, you're able to play full band more or less. And, obviously, the record is full band, like, how do you I guess transition the songs to being acoustic? Sure, for you, for you whenever you're out on the road, like, how much this I mean, I don't play, you know,
Szlachetka 57:07
I couldn't you know, I couldn't play every song. That's, that's one of the benchmarks. And for me, it's a good song. You can play it on one instrument, and still have it sound good to good songs. But when it's not some songs, I just don't enjoy as much playing it, you know? Because that's so interesting guitar versus you know, with my electric guitar, you know? So it's, it's a different show definitely want to do so because he shows me more like, finger picky storytelling, that thing. You know, I do do that. But I have more than the urge of like, the whole show. We'd like the routine. You know, yeah. So it's, you know, the live show was kind of like a blend of like a heartbreaker show with like, cotton silver mash.
Thomas Mooney 58:02
Yeah. Yeah. Well, we've been rolling for almost an hour here. Cool. You're good to go. Yeah. It's been a pleasure talking with you.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai