081: Jeff Crosby

On Episode 81, I'm joined by songwriter Jeff Crosby. I caught up with Jeff back in mid-January when he was coming through town and playing The Blue Light. We sat down and talked a lot about his forthcoming album, North Star. As his fifth full-length album, it finds Jeff really rediscovering his home state of Idaho, small-town characters, and the strained relationships of a touring musician. Standout songs like "Laramie" and "North Star" use the Pacific Northwest as an elegant backdrop for Crosby's heart on his sleeve style of storytelling. North Star is officially out April, 24.

This episode's presenting partner is The Blue Light Live and Wicker's Mesquite Smoked Jalapeno Jelly.

Interview Transcript

Note: Transcripts aren’t always accurate since they are computer automated and haven’t been edited for spelling, grammar, etc.

Thomas Mooney 0:04

Everyone, Welcome to New slang. I'm music journalist Thomas Mooney. On this episode, I am joined by songwriter Jeff Crosby. Jeff joined me for sit down back in January, which by 2020 standards feels like three years ago. Tomorrow, April 24. Jeff releases, Northstar is fifth full length record. We talk a lot about the writing in the content of more Star during this interview. That's a huge basis of this interview. But as a little bit of a primer, I should mention that Jeff is from Idaho, and throughout his career, he's kind of lived all over America, Los Angeles, Austin, and now up in Nashville. But as the record title alludes North Star is highly influenced by growing up in, but we still consider the great western frontier of America. It's still small town America, but there's that sense of ruggedness out in that big, imposing and sparsely populated land. What I really appreciate about Jeff sound is his ability to blend these really warm Sonic tones that matches the warmth and intimacy of his songwriting, and storytelling. Northstar has a lot of that happening. Many of these songs, they aren't specifically, quote unquote, love letters about Idaho. And that, to me is like the the real key of what this record is, Jeff doesn't use that as a kind of songwriting crutch. Instead, small town Idaho is just the backdrop for the songs. For example, one of the standout songs is a song called Laramie, and Fort he uses the iconic Western town as a means to unpack a relationship that's being strained by stress and growing distances and just the real world pressures. The uses Laramie as that idyllic bubble of where things were just right. And also like in the the title track, norstar, he does something similar geography and that sense of home is just the, the way that Jeff's able to unfold a relationship. Again, overall, you know, like, that's what he does a lot on this record. He's able to tell the story of of his homeland, while also being able to express what's been happening in his life in recent years. He's able to, I guess, do that on on multiple levels. So yeah, go ahead and get Northstar by Jeff Crosby. It comes out this week, April 24. I don't have much to add, other than the usual, subscribe to new slang on iTunes and Spotify. And I just recently reformatted the podcast so you should be able to find new slang on Google podcasts stitcher tune in Deezer. And in within a few weeks, it should be on I heart, radio and Pandora as well. Regardless of the preferred way you consume new slang, please subscribe, tell your friends and family to do so as well. And of course, give the podcast a five star rating on iTunes. Okay, let's go ahead and get on to the interview here is Jeff Crosby.

Jeff Crosby 3:20

Got a few that were like so weird. I got this one in Mendocino County. And the guy got so stoned. Which made that was like part of his thing. You know, he's like, right before and I don't really do much weed. You know, he's here. I saw smokers waiting one. So like, he's like, I'm actually pretty good man. And for the sake of the podcast, I pray. You don't want me to get stoned. But then he goes,

Oh, okay. Yeah, so he just smokes this huge joint all

by himself. And then he's just like, so rip there was so much like dead air and running out of things to ask. I was just like, Man, this about about exactly as I thought it was, he was just so stoked. It was like

Thomas Mooney 4:07

the dead air.

Jeff Crosby 4:11

Same onstage, it's just like,

Thomas Mooney 4:14

least amount of dinner as possible. I try and like, not be afraid of of those silences? Yeah, I hate like, whenever you just talk for just the small talk. Just because someone is uncomfortable with just sitting there, you know? Yeah. But yeah, like in the podcast. Like even in that like, you think you'd go back and just cut that

Jeff Crosby 4:37

exactly. Go back and like edit. Yeah, yeah, he was. It was really strange. His was live too. It was like a live podcast.

Thomas Mooney 4:45

Yeah, I've not done anything like that. I thought, maybe try to do something but try it someplace.

That's also getting like all these different parts of it all in a row. Yeah. Exactly. Too disorganized for

Jeff Crosby 5:03

Yeah, it's such an interesting. It's a crazy world map. So I'll be talking to this guy. Yeah. Okay.

Thomas Mooney 5:08

We still got cuz you sound good from there.

Jeff Crosby 5:11

Was that good to hear? Yeah. Okay.

Thomas Mooney 5:12

The only thing I would say a little bit is that since it'll pick up like so just tumble. Maybe this Yeah, like whenever you put your beard down Put it on this table.

Jeff Crosby 5:23

Okay, perfect. Yeah, pick it up

Thomas Mooney 5:25

nearly this much. Because like right here, it'll, you can hear it but right here is the vibration of it in the suede. So

Jeff Crosby 5:32

yeah, it's no problem.

Thomas Mooney 5:34

Yeah. So let's talk about dead air now. Yeah, right. When I was sitting up here, you were just mentioning the whole cover from steamboat flying to Vegas during Mexico.

Jeff Crosby 5:48

It was a marathon weekend. But it was our first time doing that steamboat music fast. And they're done it before. We've applied to it every year for the past four years or whatever. And the guy who puts it on it's got john Dixon is pretty good friends with our friends. These guys reckless Kelly. And they've played it for literally 18 years now or something. Yeah, I think that said something like that. And, yeah, so this year, we got into it. And I've always wanted to play it. So we were all jazzed. And it's a week long. And I gotta tell you, man, I had no idea how unprepared I was when we got there on Sunday night. And that you kind of check in get situated at the ski resort. And then we played on Monday, and we had one of the best slots. I thought of the whole thing because we played on Monday night at this Grand Ballroom. And everyone is just so fresh and ready to just party down but then they're not hung over and beat up yet. I swear. I thought we just had a rip and set. And I mean, I can't wait Bowen said on Thursday night it was last night and everyone was looking pretty, pretty haggard by Thursday, including me they're like, Willie Willie Braun both is it was oh man. I tell you it's it's a marathon not a race, man. Yes. Or no, it's a it's a marathon, not a sprint. Yeah. Don't forget that this bros guy. I'll be fine. Dude. By the time Thursday came around. I was like, Oh my god, get me out of here. Yeah,

Thomas Mooney 7:21

I've been up there. But I think like part of me is, is where it comes from was I'm not like a super festival, like long festival kind of guy. Like I get, like, where I'm like, ah, I want to go home now. Like, yeah, like one, like two days kind of thing. Am I okay, let's, uh, let's wrap this up. Yeah, I can't imagine. Obviously, they're just those people who they do get haggard after that. By that Thursday, a week. They've drank their own other as much liquor in that week as they do the rest of the year. Yeah,

Jeff Crosby 8:01

exactly. Now, it was definitely that was the you got to see some pretty haggard people by day three, four. I was like, man, I haven't really done that long before. But it's so cool, man. I mean, the almost what makes it so cool is just getting the hang and play with these other bands. And, you know, I ended up I met jack Ingram before, briefly up at the brown brothers union up in Chalice, Idaho, and always been a big fan of him. And then Wade, same deal with Matt wait a few times, we're never going to really hang with him. And we ended up one of the nights pass around tunes in a hotel until five in the morning. It's almost as much that you know, rummy as it was our sets were a total blast, too. But those types of situations, you know, it's cool that that Music Fest kind of facilitates all the bands just to jam together. You

Thomas Mooney 8:54

know, you're all in the same state that like that, and a handful of others. Like, it's not the the festival setting where you have your slot, and then you're probably leaving the next day to go play somewhere else. You're you have that time to make those bonds and actually, like, see other people's sets that you want, right? But then actually, like, talk with them, and not in this past year on the interstate.

Jeff Crosby 9:25

That was my biggest thing too. Like, for example, we got done with our set on Monday. And I can pound offstage, and this guy will hug. I don't know if you heard him. He's standing on the side of the stage, or on the you know, kind of watching from the side. And I kind of recognize him and I said, Hey, man, I'm

Jeff. So you're watching there and he goes, Hey, what is well, and I was like, are you but he will hug is a guy. It's like man, I opened up

for you with my ex girlfriend at this place in Nashville years ago. And I was like, I've been a huge fan for years. And I try not to fanboy out too much, but I was just like, I'm just a Got a huge render saga i think is the best time are natural, but hands down. And this is so cool. I mean, I said, Man, I

just really enjoyed your setup. And I said, watch the whole thing. It

was just kind of walking by. Right? You know what, I don't know where else that would have happened. Right? But now now we're connected with him in Nashville. It's like, that's one thing I got to get to that festival is it's such a it's a cool experience. But you know, gives us kind of a you're working but you're also kind of getting the hang and get to know other players. You know?

Thomas Mooney 10:28

That's that's one of those things where to? Obviously Willie Braun?

Jeff Crosby 10:33

Yeah.

Thomas Mooney 10:34

He's a singer songwriter, frontman of reckless Kelly. But you watch those next waltz videos, and he's playing drums. Oh, yeah. And that's one of those things like, Oh, shit, I never knew he was even. He didn't.

Jeff Crosby 10:45

Yeah, as a drummer, great drummer. He played when he played drums for Jamie Lynn Wilson for her mainstage set. And it was it was killer man. He I knew he played drums. He always kind of plays. They did his family band thing with the brown brothers reunion. For the first year seeing him play drums. Oh, you're pretty good. It's like Oh, yeah. And those kind of other thing. I love playing drums. Yeah, so I was thanks. But yeah, anyway, so God, that was just a marathon. And then we we played with wreckless on that Saturday in Denver. And that was just a ribbon show. Because they had that I think that the Stock Show going on in Denver. Tons of cowboys in town, doing all that. Yeah. So we had a rip and show on Saturday. And then, gosh, Sunday night, we had a little gig, kind of semi private thing. And we flew to Vegas to this private party. And I've just never been a big Vegas guy. I'm not a good gambler. I wish I wish I was one of those. I feel like it's my 30s and my joke with the band was like the 30s I'm gonna start smoking and start gambling. So one of my goals mid 30s. Like, please don't got

Thomas Mooney 11:54

gambling.

Jeff Crosby 11:56

Just not good. It's never been that into it. I guess. But I don't know. I started dating this girl. So she's really good at poker. So I feel like I gotta get my gotta get to get out here.

Thomas Mooney 12:05

Yeah, let's see that kind of like the car playing aspect of it. seems fun. I think you want to like I think it's with that and like, pool and bowling.

Unknown Speaker 12:16

Yeah. Like,

Thomas Mooney 12:17

I want to be fucking great at this thing. Without like, the practice that you just want to like, naturally. Yeah, we're gonna be like a guy who's at the fucking

Jeff Crosby 12:27

bowling alley. Oh, yeah, like everyday practice. You want to be good. And your friends just

Thomas Mooney 12:30

want to be like, talking naturally talented. Same thing with pool and playing cards of any kind. But yeah. When it comes to gambling, I guess like, I don't know. It's just like, would I rather take X amount of money and go gamble? Or just take that money? And actually, just, at the end of the day, come back with something like a some? I don't know something? Yeah. Buy something cool. I know. It's the experience and the the fun of it. And the thrill but like, it's just

Jeff Crosby 13:03

it's a strange Yeah, it's a strange thing. I have a few friends that are you know, pretty into it. And I've never been good at it. So therefore, Vegas is never, you know, that big of a thrill for me. I always end up just kind of wandering around. And yeah, getting lost in casinos and spending way too much on drinks. But it was fun. We had a good party. And we had a really good friend that had us out for that for this private event and put us up to a fancy joint which is not our usual Vegas lodging. So that was nice to stay in the fancy. We were in like the ARIA

Unknown Speaker 13:34

the madora

Jeff Crosby 13:35

Yeah, everything was on top, you know? But we did have one person in the band. Take a bottle, a little bottle of champagne out of the out of the minibar on the fridge and I got hit on my car today. I

was like, What the hell is that? $120 so I called him was like, What? What What can we possibly down the roads were comped You know? And they're like, Oh, we had a couple things out of the minibar. I was like,

what could have possibly been taken out of that many bottles? 120 bucks. I'm like, Well, I don't want shoes, and a mini bottle of champagne. I was like $120 like, well, the house always wins in Vegas.

Thomas Mooney 14:10

Organic cheese. That's what must have.

Jeff Crosby 14:14

Yeah, grass fed now. Anyway, so that was that was a good gig and all that. So we had to wake up yesterday. fly back to Denver, hop in the van drove six or we drove like maybe four hours. So town in New Mexico Cameron the name and then woke up this morning. No, six hours in the Lubbock. Just was part of the deal, though. torn out west and yeah, we're right at that point where it's like certain gigs, you just can't turn them down. It's like, well, how

far is it eight hours?

We can do that. All right, guys. And it's like,

Thomas Mooney 14:48

how? Because obviously you're from Idaho. Yeah. How much? just growing up out there. has made it where you're like, Oh, that's not too far of a drive.

Jeff Crosby 14:58

Oh, dude. It's it's hilarious to me. Living in Nashville now, when people will be like, Oh, man, that must be rough. That's like three hours away. I don't know. And I'm like three hours. It's like, that's how far we had to drive to get to the city where I grew up. I mean, yeah. Donnelly to Boise was about two, two and a half hours. So I mean, that was like, going shopping for us. Right? So yeah, you kind of grew up in it's funny, like Idaho. It's such a long state, you know, so, I mean, you go from northern Idaho to zone. I mean, it's a 12 hour drive. And it's plus. So you kind of get accustomed to it. And just growing up torn out west, I mean, my band, we've always toured out what that's where we built our following. That's where we've always, you know, toured. So I mean, it's pretty standard to have five to seven hour drives between gigs. Yeah, not bragging. But, uh, and I'm not, it's not getting easier. But one of my least favorite things to do after driving seven out of five minutes. That is the worst man if if you have to drive seven plus hours and then get out in place play a gig had it's just it's,

Thomas Mooney 15:59

yeah,

Jeff Crosby 16:00

that'll turn into an alcoholic real quick, because there's nothing you just want to get out the app that have a van. Because then you got to go on stage.

Thomas Mooney 16:09

But it's also like, you know, the sitting and standing

Unknown Speaker 16:12

Yeah, like totally, it's, you're supposed

Thomas Mooney 16:14

to like mix it up. And they've got all the I just recently got a standing desk just for standing. But you're supposed to like mix it up. But I've watched a couple YouTube videos on but like, for sure if you're in the van you're driving, let's just say five hours. And then like stone for at least two hours up here. Right, doing the soundcheck and this jam and all that kind of stuff. And the playing is like

Jeff Crosby 16:40

that's much up fight and it's like we always joke about it's like, they don't pay us to play they you know, they pay us to drive all the way here from across wherever and set up all the crap. It's like the blank is blank. Yeah. But yeah, yeah, it's funny. It's almost telling me that I don't know if this is true, but they're saying sitting for long periods of time is worse for you than smoking. It that's what I've heard that like sitting is the new smoking.

Thomas Mooney 17:04

Yeah, I would say

Jeff Crosby 17:07

it's probably can't be equally bad. But it must be a circulation to some because I feel that especially I mean, I'm 32 I still feel like I'm semi young you know all my friends always Oh, shut up. 32 but I'm like man, this is the first year I've started starting to feel those drives you know he drive all day. It's like man, I gotta I gotta move around or exercise or something. This is starting to alter my 20s it was like whatever sell day and then party on I went to

Thomas Mooney 17:32

work why that's why I got the standing desk

Jeff Crosby 17:34

because like I wish I had a standing right yeah, option. Yeah, so like standing driving,

Thomas Mooney 17:42

but I do and it had to do with for me like my lower back was starting to ache a lot. You know? That's how

Jeff Crosby 17:50

it starts.

Thomas Mooney 17:52

Yeah, I've read a whole bunch of shit on it where it is the circulation it's like you don't want to get fucking blood clots.

Jeff Crosby 17:57

Yeah, exactly. And like we're getting all down.

Thomas Mooney 18:00

So you as eventful as I thought I was you want to stand up for the beginning of the day and like you're supposed to like alternate sitting instead.

Right? But it's

Jeff Crosby 18:13

I made it here.

Thomas Mooney 18:15

What are you supposed to do? I guess. Right. But I don't know if it's the new smoking just come down on that one.

Jeff Crosby 18:24

Thankfully, I've never been a full on smoker every now and then I get drunk enough.

Thomas Mooney 18:28

But yeah, I've

Jeff Crosby 18:29

never been a smoker smoker.

Thomas Mooney 18:32

I used to smoke. I used to smoke a lot more. When like blue light or like bars around here were smoking inside you can say with smoking. Yeah now and like it made photos so much cooler. You know, like all the smoke in the air. It obviously creates a vibe and an atmosphere. But then like you after you start going fuck man I have to wash my jackets like oh, every every couple weeks

Jeff Crosby 19:06

just not as like the smell sent to me. Nashville is still pretty old school with that. In that sense. It's day smoking all the little, little dives all my favorite bars. still smoking. When I first moved there. It was the kind of forget me wake up in the morning. I have long hair. It's like, what the hell is that? hopster clothes Reek and I really I started getting sick of it pretty quick. So I hate this because I used to smoke and when I first started gigging when I first started really playing out my early 20s there was still smoking all over I was there was Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana. In Portland, there were still tons of smoking bars. And I remember that being pretty crazy. I'd play if you get four or five nights playing in a smoky bar during those three four hour sets. I'd wake up my voice would just be hammered. Yeah, I couldn't even talk in the morning. Pretty soon. It's like God, I need You know, it's like, I didn't think about being a smoker because, I don't know just singing in for four hours. He doesn't really receive one as a cigarette after that.

Thomas Mooney 20:09

But also though he's like, but when you're in the bar like when I was smoking cigarettes, like, you know, a couple smoke smokes in the morning, couple in the

Jeff Crosby 20:19

afternoon

Thomas Mooney 20:21

in the evening, but you come to the bar, and all of a sudden, like you've gone through an entire pack, like, like over just a few hours. Okay. Yeah, it's very well, it's not just you smoking all them cigarettes. Like you're gonna have a smoke. Yeah, okay. You can have one. But yeah, give him away. And then like, like, Well, okay, there's nine bucks or whatever.

Jeff Crosby 20:46

Yeah, I remember recording our one of our last records called all nighter. And we recorded the whole thing in downtown LA kind of right by Skid Row. My buddy had this studio in this kind of weird, semi abandoned looking skyscraper building down and it was on like grand and something right downtown. And so I go down there, he got off, or, you know, he'd finished his sessions, and he would give me the late night sessions. And so we go down there and work from like, seven to 11 or 12 at night, or sometimes later, you know, just to Bible is going and if you wanted to go out and smoke you had to ride the elevator all the way down to the bottom floor and step out. And he'd be Iwamura grab a spa go with you and tell you I'm kind of your you know, been sitting here all day. We'll have a smoke. We go out there and right when you step out the door, man, right when that cigarette pack came out of your pocket, the homeless people would just come like these Walking Dead figures. We're gonna

Unknown Speaker 21:45

get another one.

Jeff Crosby 21:46

Pretty soon you're throwing them all in prison. You're just throwing them at them to get them away from it. Just get away from me here. So pretty soon I was like, I'm not going out. I didn't know. Thanks. That's to me. Weird conversations that come out of that one. Yeah. That guy wasn't a smoker.

Thomas Mooney 22:03

Yeah, that's it. That is one of those. The the cigarette pack is a magnet for like, you don't even smoke and you want a fucking cigarette?

Jeff Crosby 22:15

Oh, yeah, right now. I can only imagine outside the blue. All the drunk cause

Thomas Mooney 22:21

cigarette or the? I don't know if it's necessarily as much now because everyone has cards. But like, I'll buy one for $1. You know? I guess that's the class or dollars.

Unknown Speaker 22:35

Pretty good deal. Hey, we

Thomas Mooney 22:35

got a card reader.

Jeff Crosby 22:37

Yeah, right.

There was actually a homeless guy on the side of the street somewhere. I went down when we were in Portland or something. It said anything helps. And then on the bottom, it said, I also take Venmo and had his address. Okay, it's being created. Yeah.

Thomas Mooney 22:54

I actually thought like, man, if, whenever, whenever you start seeing homeless guys have the card reader. That's when you know, like, we cash is obsolete. Yeah. Because that's, that's always the I got never carry cash on me. You know?

Jeff Crosby 23:13

It's a weird thing.

Thomas Mooney 23:14

So you do feel bad. And you're like, well, I don't have any cash on me. And then I'm just waiting for the day that one guy goes, Well, you got a card reader?

Jeff Crosby 23:23

Well, you know, it's interesting. I was just visiting this gal and Sam said, we ended our tour in San Francisco. At the last show we did with Rex Kelly playing Berkeley. And I had this friend scout Parliament stayed with over there. And I had like four days, flew out there and hung out a few days. And it was kind of wild, how many it's cash only, like all over the place. And from one angle I you know, I kind of respect as I go old school droid, you know, but then the other day, I was like my God. Like, I never have cash on me ever. Like multiple times. I was like, Oh, she's like, I got some cash. I was like, now I feel like a jerk. But especially like Chinatown over there. And all those old school little bars. And Texas. I know. A lot of them are like that, too. They're just like, nope, cash on, they're not doing it and probably just avoiding paying the fees and taxes i would imagine, but I don't know. It's kind of an interesting thing. Because it's one of those things where like, All right, cool. It's an old school joint, but then, you know, my God, how much business are you losing? By doing?

Thomas Mooney 24:22

Yeah, there has some, I guess like a lot of these places, though.

Jeff Crosby 24:25

Maybe you're saving so much on taxes.

Thomas Mooney 24:28

They go well, they Tim's right outside, you know, start pulling from the ATM is the

Jeff Crosby 24:34

Yeah. And then enabled like a $4 charge. Yeah, so guys,

Thomas Mooney 24:40

the there was a I guess recently they just started taking cards, but there's this really great Thai restaurant here called to try. Oh, I've heard about that place. Oh, it's it's fucking great. But they used to just be cash. Like, if you're ever going to go there, you'd be like, well, I gotta stop and go there. cash. But that was the worst. That's like, yeah, I think now they take card. So

Jeff Crosby 25:06

I think I went there one time. That's one thing I love. I gotta say this good food around here,

Thomas Mooney 25:10

man. The the food. Let's that's to me the strangest is the Thai food. Like they say that Amarillo has even better tie a coralli. And I've never been up there. But I've heard from a bunch of people who

Jeff Crosby 25:26

I see all the college kids or something. And I

Thomas Mooney 25:29

think that a lot had to do with I don't have any idea if this is actually part of the story or not. But I had heard from someone saying that, you know, Vietnam era, this era area of Texas was one of those pockets where a lot of people who were getting out of Vietnam or Thailand or Ryan that just that area that Southeast Asia, were coming in here, because a lot of open land and yeah, not necessarily open land, but you know, like cheap, cheaper than cheap. And there's not another type place here.

Jeff Crosby 26:01

Yeah, it's like not a lot of competition. So that's cool. I've

Thomas Mooney 26:04

heard about that kind of thing. But

Jeff Crosby 26:06

love is a funny town, man. I've kind of slowly fallen in love with pioneer over the years because I was talking to was talking to wait, actually wait, bone. Were up that music fast. And I was just going man, what a strange, you know, love it. Like, I just you kind of put it on the map for us. You know, we always knew wages from here. And plus, there's a couple other good countries. William Clark Greene is he from around here? Right? Yeah, it's a couple guys that you know, are always on the map. And we got to check it out. And when I first came in, played here, we must have played on like a Tuesday or something. And like legendary blue light, we finally made it, you know, and there was maybe like, four people here, right? And I remember walking around town, I was like, This is it, huh? This is loving. And then we came back played again and the owner here. It was a KC the sound guy and one of the one of the guys were the owners here. He really dug her band. And so it took us a couple really good spots. It was like he gave us like a graduation Saturday, or something. It was some like mega, hey, you know, give us a solid guarantee. And we're just like, Alright, we're going back out for sure. And every time we've come back here, it's just been better and better. And I remember playing that Saturday here and just being like, Oh my God. And it was like, I could not believe how many people would pack into this place. And also like really get you know, get down like if they liked it, you know, the bands, cookin come in and party and drank like crazy. I don't know, it kind of made me understand this whole area and how big bands I'm able to launch out of here. You know, I mean, it's a great place for a band to start,

Thomas Mooney 27:39

right? I know that like a lot of people always kind of talk about places where the crowd talks over you in a derogatory way. And of course, if you're trying to be if you have just you in your acoustic, that's probably not that's not the optimum setting. Yeah, I do think that just the fact that blue light is a little bit smaller, probably in real life than in photo, right. And then that it is it can get rowdy in here that adds a different kind of energy for rock and roll band can definitely and it can, it can make some bands be better, you know,

Jeff Crosby 28:21

absolutely just won in the crowd over. It's just part of learning how to how to be a band. I mean, you know, we've had to kind of come to terms with I've never been the guy to tell people Shut up. Or, you know, some, you know, someone told me the other day I went saw BJ Barnum the other day, and he kept on the ground Shut up, who's gonna quit and it's like, and nothing against him. And he does his thing. And I love it. I think they're a great band. He's a great songwriter. But that's just like such a turnoff to me. It's like, I don't know. I'm just like, you know, sometimes he's just kind of, like, telling the crowd to shut up, I think is like, the worst thing you can do. Everyone has their own approach. Yeah, but it's like, you know, what, if I can't win you over with the song, whatever, I'll you know, get to next time, but I'm just gonna plow through it. I'm not gonna sit here and, you know, berate you from the stage to shut up. You know, it all depends on what kind of room you're in. And some rooms just haven't been curating the room to be a songwriter room. It's been a rock and roll club forever. It's like, you go in there and expect everyone to be silent while you tell them about your you know, your feelings and your ex girlfriend. Oh, you know, so yeah, it's kind of a weird battle to choose for me.

Thomas Mooney 29:30

Yeah. He he did that. He didn't necessarily tell the crowd to shut up up here one time, but it was an acoustic show. And john more than hand opened up for him. Oh yeah, the crowd was talking over Moreland and kind of just you know, missing one of the greatest fucking songwriters. Yeah,

Unknown Speaker 29:50

right. Right. And

Thomas Mooney 29:52

so when BJ went up there, he was like, you know, you guys just talked over, john more than set and he's one of the greatest songwriters and you're gonna lie to your kids one day about seeing him. And he just kind of played his his 90 minutes and didn't have much interaction with the crowd. And I think that like my I guess, you know, it was an acoustic show. optimally, you want that to be in a silent kind of room. Yeah, I think that like my mic. My takeaway all these years later from it is that sometimes like one night can make the biggest difference and I'm talking like on the weekday thing that was like a Thursday show no I just traditionally like a college kind of going out. That been like on a Wednesday here, never would have been would have made so much difference. is Bill played here one time on a Wednesday. This was right after I saw it was full band with a it was right when he had released South Eastern and it was an amazing show. But I I know it was because it was on a Wednesday. And it was because you know people right out of college. Were coming up here and buying tickets and not going to the bar and then going Oh, Jason is most blind.

Jeff Crosby 31:07

Right? Right. Like,

Thomas Mooney 31:09

everyone want to see Jason is bold that night. Yeah,

Unknown Speaker 31:11

that's awesome. So yeah, it's kind

Jeff Crosby 31:14

of out in these certain towns too. It's

such a hard thing to, you know, learn because you just kind of it's like a tried and true, you have to just kind of figure it out. When you're touring, you know, what rooms work for you what rooms down. And we've always had to kind of chameleon our way through touring and figuring out how to play different rooms. One thing that really has helped us is you know, doing the acoustic type set or I'll just play acoustic guitar all night. You know, our guitar player, pedal steel player play pedal steel all night, we kind of strip it down, sit down. And it's helped us especially out on the East Coast for torn out there, you don't want these tiny rooms. And it's allowed us to be like I feel equally as confident with my band in an acoustic setting where we are just doing the songs, you know, yeah. And then we have a rock and roll thing. And, you know, we have a lot of like double guitar stuff and all that kind of stuff. And it's it's, it really is two different shows. Right? You know, if you caught one you would want to, well, you got one or the other, you know, the kind of two different things but it's allowed us to really, you know, still go and play those rooms and still be able to, you know, get new fans and you know, have him on his back and being able to crap those two, two different worlds. You know, do though if you can do the Honky Tonk rock and roll our big festival set band, or we can do the like intimate. Yeah, you know, broken down songwriter set.

Thomas Mooney 32:39

There's something about having songs that are versatile enough. Yeah. To be in both worlds.

Jeff Crosby 32:44

Yeah, we're at this point now where it's like, man, we just finally gotten to the point where we've got a no feel like we have a really strong batch of tunes right now. I would, I would take this, this batch of songs and this band in front of five or 5000 people at this point. It's fun. It's taken us a long time, but it's finally like we got it to that special spot.

Thomas Mooney 33:07

This episode is sponsored by the blue light live and Tom's Daiquiri here in Lubbock, Texas. While we are still a while away from live shows, Tom's is offering us all a bit of normalcy by introducing curbside pickup, starting Thursday, April 23. There'll be offering daiquiris beer and the ever so important hand sanitizer, produced locally by Byrne vodka and Pinkerton distillery. curbside pickup at Toms will be available Monday through Saturday from noon until 8pm. The best way to get your orders in is to simply call Tom's at 806-749-5442. That's 806-749-5442. Tom's is located right next to blue light on Buddy Holly Avenue at 1808. Buddy Holly, of course throw all this info into the show notes. And I'll also share a menu. That will make things so much easier when ordering. It'll list prices and Daiquiri flavors and additional information. And speaking of blue light, as you know, it's an incredibly special venue. There's something magical that happens within those walls every night. The while there's not any bands loading up on stage just yet. And there's not that buzz of excitement of a live show. There is still a way to get your dose of blue light magic. I'm talking about blue light merge, go visit blue light lubbock.com you can see their very disappointment of shirts caps, and some really sharp white handmade leather koozies There are numerous things that Dustin Lance and Derek have done right over the years but rolling out a line of brand defining mirch has been towards the top of that list is never paint by numbers items. You never have just feel like they didn't put much thought into them. They're always stylish. Yep, always practical and always sport that iconic Blue Light flaming. Head over to blue light loving calm to order today. Okay, back to the show. Yeah, well you're What are you like for I guess maybe five albums. This next one's gonna be fine. Yeah,

Jeff Crosby 35:12

yes fifth one. It's the it's kind of a big one for me if it feels big. For some reason the fifth album feels like I can't remember I said this on the last time but I can't or on the last interview I was just doing I can't remember if it was like a john prine quote. Or if it was just something I heard. But they said, you know you're not a you're not a lifer until you got five, five albums under your belt. Yeah. And that's just been in my head. It's been like that shining thing in the distance like, wow, you know, yeah, second album, third album for them. And this is different in a way to VPS as well. But it really is true. Once you once you have five albums. It's like, I'm noticing this like writing our sets. Now. It's like, you finally have a nice, big catalog of songs to choose from. Yeah, and I feel like it is a point where you can really put a show together that that can, you know, kind of span all these different areas, or there's different times you were in and yeah, now we just have, you know, we have enough songs to really, I think, put on a hell of a show. And, you know, also it's five in the big it's a milestone, I feel like it Yeah,

Thomas Mooney 36:19

I that's like, that's a great way of looking at it. Because, you know, obviously it means that you've you've done it five times.

Jeff Crosby 36:31

Yeah, right.

Thomas Mooney 36:32

I don't think people understand necessarily that it's a very demanding process to get X amount of songs recorded, right? It's crazy. And then all the work once once you've like, mixed the Nasher did all the work that it takes for from like that point to actually getting it out was another leg that like is just yeah, demanding. I'm going

Jeff Crosby 36:57

through right now I'm just getting the artwork done. And guys, just so many little things, and it's really expensive. And that's the part that, you know, we've done it, we've worked with a couple different labels in the past, and I've just had a hard time justifying it anymore. It's it's like, at this point, you get to the end of the line, and it's like, gosh, why are we Why did these guys get 50% of it? or? Yeah, you know, we're the ones out here, like driving eight hours a day plan all night. You know, yeah, risking our, you know, home life and our girlfriends and our houses and or, you know, it's like, meanwhile, you know, and then at the end of the day, we got to pay these guys. And it's like, I don't feel like labels really promote or at least labels we've worked with. It's like, it's hard to get on. It's hard to get in bed with somebody feeling confident that they're going to pull their weight anyone anywhere in the music business. It feels like every, you know, it's like, with the internet, we really can do all ourselves. And if you have if you have a fanbase that really cares and is invested in you. I mean, I guess that is the whole like Kickstarter thing. That's one of the I gotta say, with American aquarium guys and my friends making the motor cards just did a Kickstarter. And we've been debating Doom forever, but we've been kind of avoiding it because I had this thing in my head about it. I'm like, Alright, when we do it, I'm gonna you know, really want to hold off. But yeah, it really is such a strength to be able to if you can do a pre sale basically ever album.

Thomas Mooney 38:20

Yeah. Well, that's what you have to convince people that it is yeah, right pre sale, you're buying the record now.

Jeff Crosby 38:25

Right? And or you buy the record when it comes to the T shirt. Yeah, there's all this stuff. But you know, we had someone come up to us. We played a gig in Athens, Georgia the other day and someone came up to us, man, what do you guys can do your Kickstarter? And I was like, Well, I don't know. we've kind of been on the fence about it. Kind of in avoiding and to be totally honest, you know, but we might have to do one on the next one. Cuz you know, it's the cost of just doing this. It's just so insane. And me and my wife has just been we've just been waiting for so long. We just can't wait for you to start your Kickstarter. We just really want to we love all the bonus stuff. Yeah, I was kind of one of those moments where I was like, why am I making such a big deal out of this? We should just do this. Yeah, when your fans can be the label now and support you I mean, it's really glad more market jazz for you don't owe anyone anything. I mean, except for your fans, but you're already going to deliver on that. We're gonna be out touring anyway and doing this anyway. It's like, really does. I don't know if it's a permanent model, but I do like that model better than own some dude in a suit. Somewhere in Nashville. Yeah, way too much money to do barely anything.

Thomas Mooney 39:26

Yeah, the I guess in a lot of ways like the Kickstarter thing has gotten gotten more streamlined. Yeah, like you got you know the the CD or the CD T shirt pack all that good stuff. I don't know if you did you check out much like Kickstarter stuff at the beginning when they were like people were first starting. Yeah,

Jeff Crosby 39:45

kinda. I've been following it was a lot of rhinestone a lot.

Thomas Mooney 39:48

A lot of you would see some, like, things you could buy that were just like, well, that's really fucking weird. Oh, yeah. I don't remember what band it was. But I remember This one Kickstarter for like an indie rock band where one of the things was you could go into like the lead singers closet and pick out whatever shirt you want. Right? Yeah. It was, but like, if there was, they had all kinds of just, for lack of a better term, like dumb shit like that. Yeah.

Jeff Crosby 40:22

I feel like fans like that stuff, you know, it's like, that's why I've started using like, even on social media, I've, it's kind of, you know, I get kind of, sometimes I'll put some long journal entry on Facebook, because that's what I've basically been using social media as lately, it's like, trying to use it more of a journal, you know, promote our shows and stuff. But I feel like we've become so impersonal on social media, and it's always constantly trying to paint this, like, beautiful picture of how awesome our life is all the time, you know, and it's like, I know, it's a lot of musicians, I turn around in bands I see. And it's all kind of the same, like, Man, you know, best night ever, there's not, it's always like, trying to post that big picture of you. So, you know, standing in front of your giant crowd, and just, like, amazing all the time, and it's just, this is not the reality of it for and I have friends that play, you know, up to, you know, arenas, and you know, it's just, it's not the reality, everyone still has to just live life. And life is not all great and never for anyone. And so it's like, sometimes it gets so bored of how we are trying to portray ourselves. So inaccurately, you know, everyone's just like, everything's amazing all the time. And so, I started using social media for more of these journal entries, and just like, Hey, you know, maybe I'll just write a big, you know, rant of what we did today, or how I feel, and sometimes it's usually not pretty or not completely uplifting, or it's kind of sucks. It's kind of shitty. A lot of it. It's mostly mostly, it's

great. And,

you know, I'm a mostly positive person. But I've had so many people come up and want to talk to me about that, or compliment me on how much they've enjoyed, you know, reading about our life on the road, right? From just, you know, just like be real with people. I feel like that's something the internet is creating, we're creating these two lives, or two personas. And it's like, getting really strange. And I feel like I meet people all the time, where I'm like, oh, I've known you on the internet for five years. And then you meet them in person, you're like, wow, you're like, kind of deck or like, oh, you're kind of weird. Or, you know, you're not having a great time right now. Or Exactly. If you are, you're being very strange about it. And then you read on social media next day, best time ever, God will thank you. And it's like, I just get so tired of how we're expected to live in this fantasy world with the internet now. And it's like, I just, I refused to buy into it. But that also means that might say something a little too revealing a time or two or whatever, life is fucked up. But yeah, capital isn't great all the time. And, you know, we make bad decisions and you pay for them or whatever, or it's not happy all the time.

Thomas Mooney 42:57

Yeah. Two things on that. The, the, trying to show off your best best life thing on on social media, I think has especially like, I would say, just in general. But I think in music, it has created this, like anxiety in a lot of bands who think oh, you know, why is blah blah, blah? Doing like, so great. And I'm not doing so great. Like a lot of like, trying to keep up with the Joneses. Yeah, no, cuz I totally there. Yeah, you do. It is like this balance of like, you want to show off like, the fucking great night crowd. Right? Right. But you're also not showing the the crowd where, you know, just the night before,

Jeff Crosby 43:42

when happy hour and everyone was talking to me or whatever.

Thomas Mooney 43:45

And then the other thing is, I think we one thing that social media does, that we we really don't talk a whole lot about is the once a band gets to a certain level, they you lose that personal touch between a artist and a band or and their fans, and it's all the same, like, we've all the posts are done. So because the algorithms tell us to do it this way. And you just like, it's too clean, and it's too pretty and it's just, you know, sterile. Like

Jeff Crosby 44:22

I think there is this like weird thing with the red dirt scene, you know, or whatever you call it now, but to us, it's always been the red dirt scene, I guess. But there's this like, there is this. I think people are finally desire, some real talk, you know, some real music. There's just not so you know, when I first moved to Nashville a couple years ago, I mean, the biggest records were Chris Stapleton, and sturgill Simpson, right. And I was like, this is the time to move Nashville. JACK can walk down Broadway in here I'm covering sturgill Simpson songs and Christina, this

is pretty awesome. Yeah,

and it hasn't blossomed like I thought it would you know be in there last couple years I thought that would just keep snowballing and it's still the bro country stuff still seems to be pretty strong and somewhat prevailing you know still seems to be as popular as ever but I think there is this whole other like section splitting off in country music right now where it's like okay, the bro country and overdone electronic pop country stuff is really being separated over here. And then there's this whole other world that we're really happy to be kind of, you know, coming up in right now with with reckless Kelly and the turnpike troubadours and you know, Mike in the moon pies and right, who we just talked about earlier, you know, the American aquarium I like to see these guys packing out rooms and his Bell it's, it's pretty it's pretty inspiring for us coming up like, okay, there's a there's a place for us, right? There's a there's a market for this, there's people that want this and we don't have to, you know, we don't need to go even. I don't even know that world in Nashville. I hardly go to Broadway. Yeah, I play a gig there, here and there. But I mean, that that world may as well not exist to me, I You don't even have to dabble on it. Because, you know, we have our own little space. Now. Some of the

Thomas Mooney 46:17

some of the I think, like we could sit here and talk and be critical and criticize top 40 country all day, all night. Change. But I think that like some of that is like just it's it's a straw man. thing where like, yeah, it's not like they've taken the spots that is boy and moon pies and all the Right, right. They're not taking those spots. It's not like, it's another world.

Jeff Crosby 46:43

You know what, there's always gonna be popular music, like pop music is always gonna have its thing.

Thomas Mooney 46:48

One of my buddies, we always talk about how, you know, nostalgia is the biggest thing, right of like, Well, back in the 90s. country, and back in the 80s. It was real country.

Jeff Crosby 47:00

Yeah. And that's what we started calling. We call them the used to BS. You know, whatever. Well, I'm here right now. And it's fine. I like this place.

Thomas Mooney 47:10

One of the things that we'll talk about is like, it's, it's not like they were playing Townes Van Zandt on the radio.

Jeff Crosby 47:17

Yeah.

Thomas Mooney 47:18

But you know, like, What are you talking about? Like,

Jeff Crosby 47:20

people are having the exact same conversation, right.

Thomas Mooney 47:23

And a lot of ways, like if you if you want to go down that road, I think like, some of the 80s country stuff is just as bad as like, what's happening right now. Oh, yeah. It because I think it's a people don't want to have that conversation, though, about how like, a lot of your favorite 80s bands are actually like soft rock, you'd like yacht rock, right? Oh, yeah. They don't want to hear that.

Jeff Crosby 47:48

I mean, that is it's funny with music to that. It's, I mean, we love as much talk, we always love to talk about it as much as we do to listen to it, you know, what's, what's popular and why we don't like it. And it's all it's all part of it, I guess. But that's why I try not to hit on too much. You know, I'm trying to say like, I have friends that play, you know, in that pop country world, and they make great money and they're making it they have a great career. And it's like good for you, man. That's awesome. I don't care. I mean, I'm sitting in a van for eight hours and playing in bars some nights and I'm gone. Man, I wish I had your job.

Unknown Speaker 48:19

Yeah, but

Jeff Crosby 48:20

grass is always greener. You know, you're right. Yeah, I've been trucking doing this for you know, I hit my 32 and I really started I was like, 17. So you know, I'm past the 10 year mark. And I've had so many friends come and go, you know, stick through it through the 20s and then just kind of tap out. And, man, I don't blame him for a second. Yeah, it's like, the shit I got to do on a Tuesday, Wednesday drive, you know, all day and the goddess Sometimes I wish I could just go home and cut off my girlfriend. Instead, I'm dry at staying at, you know, looking into and Amarillo and got to, you know, head to Austin or whatever, you know, it's like, yeah, there's these moments where you're like, man, I don't you know, you can't blame anyone for dropping out of the whole rat race. But I just say that has never really been an option for me, or something I've felt strongly enough for I would quit

Thomas Mooney 49:18

but I get it. I mean, there's been times for me like I'm like, Am I just you know, pounding my head against this wall trying to do what I'm doing. Yeah.

Jeff Crosby 49:30

Yeah, when it comes to any brain Yeah.

Thomas Mooney 49:32

I want to go back on something you said there about the like the the metal modern surgical thing.

Jeff Crosby 49:39

Oh, yeah.

Thomas Mooney 49:40

It is weird because like, I think you know, that you did feel like it was gonna change music. Yeah. And it hasn't had the impact the lat the long

Jeff Crosby 49:50

lasting effect. I

Thomas Mooney 49:51

thought. What do you think that is? Like, is there anything that you can particularly like point to that you think that was the reason?

Jeff Crosby 49:58

Oh, I think it definitely made an impact. And it's still, you know, there's still bands around right now that I think, got to break through, because of him trying to think about an example, but I don't know a friend of mine place and Margo price has been. And the spans like that we're like, you know, they're doing you know that. But you know, Margo, love or hate her, she has a real band, and they're real players. And you know, she's, she's doing her thing and putting in the work and that she's become this like icon for I don't know, some facet of the country music world, right playing the Ryman meet hanging out with Dolly Parton and all that stuff. And it's like, Wow, that's pretty cool. This doesn't like her career. It's really bizarre. I mean, she put that one record out with a third man and it was like, all of a sudden, it was like, Whoa, this is so good that there's no way that she's not gonna be able have a career from this. But I can't really tell like the struggle thing is interesting. Me too, because he kind of, I feel like now he's thrown his ball in other courts. You know, and, and so like, you know, like Tyler Childers. I mean, I'm pretty sure he signed him, right.

Thomas Mooney 51:10

Yeah, I know. He produced like those last last two records.

Jeff Crosby 51:14

I mean, now Tyler's having like a monster year. I mean, his last year it was like ridiculous. I mean, he's, he's kind of he's already you know, set to be one of the biggest artists this year. Right. So I don't know. I mean, I feel like hasn't necessarily I guess I've I'm in the same boat. I for some reason, thought that was just gonna blow the doors wide open when it was Isabelle Stapleton sturgill. Simpson, you know, that year was just such a big year for like, really good real country records. Those were like good

records.

Yeah. I was thinking okay, this is the new all this pop stuffs gonna finally get pushed aside and,

and they kind of have been

I mean, those guys are headlining as many big festival rides. Yeah, pop guys.

Thomas Mooney 51:56

I do think that maybe the serger thing is not as replicable as as we think it maybe was. Yeah, it's not like I don't like as good as toddler is children. You can almost see like, oh, here's all these little mini Tyler Childers like better will come out of this right that will find or you know, or like, Coulter wall like you can kind of see like maybe that kind of person being you know, discovering other culture walls based off of this one guy getting big right circles, maybe. Maybe what he was he's been doing is this too hard to make a Xerox of?

Jeff Crosby 52:46

Yeah, yeah. It's pretty unique man. And it's weird. Like, the way he's chosen to go. I mean, that new record was so out there. Yeah. And I had so many friends Listen to me. Like, I cuz that's like, this isn't this isn't something I kind of didn't do when I first started. I was like, Whoa, did not see him doing this. But it was has that kind of ZZ Top thing about it or something like long guitar solos and kind of electronic drums?

Thomas Mooney 53:09

I've, uh, I've had like, probably, I've been way off basically on what I've thought circle is going to do next. Now, right? It's because he put like, after meta modern, he put out the sailors guide record. Oh, right. Yeah, but before that, between the two records, he cut a song for that show vinyl. That was on HBO.

Oh, and

Jeff Crosby 53:36

yeah. It was canceled. I can't believe it. Yeah, it was published. I was awesome. Yeah,

Thomas Mooney 53:40

it was it. And that song was like a real garage rocky kind of like, just rock and roll. Right. And I was like, oh, is sturgeon gonna make like a fucking garage rock record? And then all of a sudden, like, of course, no.

Unknown Speaker 53:55

Right? And then no one's kind of,

Jeff Crosby 53:58

yeah, that's pretty out something more

Thomas Mooney 54:02

closer to that, but and then in between Taylor's guide in this new one, he had put out a another song that was like for a TV show. And I can't remember I think it was like, one of the Walking Dead spin offs. Right. And, but that was like almost like a bluegrass acoustic kind of song. And I was like, started we're gonna make a fucking bluegrass and then of course, no. There's no predictor.

Jeff Crosby 54:28

I can't imagine what he's what's going on in his world. He's a hard one to pin down. He's really bizarre guy, but I love his story. And I really love his records. And I love that he definitely is playing by his own rules and don't seem to be following any certain path. You know, he's just really done exactly whatever the hell he wants to do, which is also what we that's, you know, what we'd like to do, and that is what we do. We just don't make as much money.

Thomas Mooney 55:02

This episode is sponsored by wickers musky smoked jalapeno jelly. It's owned and operated by my buddy West wicker, who makes the jelly in small batches for the best quality and freshness. He smokes the peppers with mesquite and uses pure cane sugar to make the jelly. What you get is this great blend of smoky, sweet and spicy. It's addictively savory, for those uninitiated workers is a great addition to any chef's kitchen. Part of what makes wicker so great is just how versatile It really is. For starters, it makes a great me glaze. Throw it on a batch of hot wings, use it on some pork ribs, support chops, really whatever you can think of it on biscuits, cornbread, bagels or toast, throw it on a ham or turkey sandwich. Another super simple but effective way is to get some cream cheese, throw some workers on top and then grab your favorite cracker. wickers is currently stocked at a handful of places in Lubbock and on the South Plains, as well as some Fort Worth and DFW locations. But the easiest way to get your hands on a jar is to head over to wickers. tx.com that's wi ck ERSTX comm I'll throw a link into the show notes for good measure. They currently come in two varieties original and now hot. If you need just a little bit more kick in your bite. You can order anything from one jar to a case of 12 whatever fits your needs. Again, that's wickers tx.com. Okay, back to the show. Record. It's coming out Lonestar. Yeah. You've released the title track and you've released. Yeah, it looks like Laramie.

Jeff Crosby 56:53

Yeah, yeah.

Thomas Mooney 56:54

Those those are obviously songs like the pullback to your Idaho roots. Yeah. Is that a lot of what this new records gonna be? Like is?

Jeff Crosby 57:03

Yeah, kinda. I mean, it's all kind of I don't, I don't really know. My last record, the postcards for Magdalena was such a interesting record for me because I wrote most of it. While I was on this trip to Colombia with an ex girlfriend. We were together for like six years. And it was one of our like, last trips, he she was always doing these while working with these nonprofits. And you know, she's still amazing purchase still on saving the world. word for National Geographic actually is like doing amazing things. It's just amazing person, still a great friend, but I always found myself chasing her to these exotic place, I'd have some time off. And she's like, well, you can get to Colombia, round trip. 600 bucks, you know, and I'm alright, it's good. That sounds like a good vacation, you know, so I took a month. And I flew to Bogota, safe, like three days. And then I flew from there to this little town called taganga, where she was living. And I wrote, it was such a bizarre place, and so unique and weird. And, you know, foreign to me that I just wrote so many songs there, right? It was like, the perfect place for me to go, because it was just super inspiring. And I just, you know, you go to these other places in the world, and you see people existing, and living and, you know, experiencing somewhat the same thing we are but just in a different way in a different place. And that just blew my mind and encapsulated all these things in my life in all these different ways. And maybe right from the southern perspective. So I wrote most of that record there. And a lot of it is kind of from that. It was almost like I was I'm still writing from where I'm from. But there Yeah. And I you know, I'm thinking about these people loving what I'm married, like,

Thomas Mooney 58:52

in a life that just the like the imagery of the postcard. Yeah, totally. The songs are. Yeah, that's funny.

Jeff Crosby 59:00

Yeah, exactly. And my friend, actually, my friend, Brian has this great idea that I'm gonna start putting out these songs because I have a bunch of songs that didn't make that record, just put them out and call them unsent postcards, because I got this handful of songs I really loved when that record. But when I started doing Northstar, I was just kind of in a different place. And I had gone through a couple kind of rough breakups and just being on the road and not having a hard time keep relationships together and drinking too much and letting let the road kind of gets me drugs and drinking just kind of not being attached to anything, you know, like, that's one thing touring all the time starts I've started to realize I have to be careful with it because it detaches you from reality. And I found myself kind of losing my mind at some point in it. And I was like, wow, I don't even like have I guess I do have a house but I haven't. I don't have anything in it. You know, I have like a bag in the corner and about like, I quit paying rent today. They were just there. The box in the garbage and I don't have a place anymore. And I wouldn't I wouldn't care. You know, I mean, it's I don't have I go, what are we gonna do with my bed? my couch was like, but I found myself started. Even now actually, you know, I'm still been kind of living that way. But I mean, we crossed 230 shows last year. And in the midst of it, you start to realize, oh, man, maybe I do need to I need a couple routes, maybe somewhere. This is getting a little crazy, you know, how long can I live like this. And I realized I was just kind of drank into, you know, just like, getting fucked up to get, you know, to blind myself from worrying about it. So a lot of this record was kind of like, going through that realization. And I gotta say, like, it's, it was recorded, you know, in a lot of different places. I was on the road the whole time. So I had to just jump in the studio when I could. So it got it started. It got a little scattered, but I still love how it came out. Because half of it I did in Portland, Oregon, with this guy, Greg Williams, who he did postcards with being he's this amazing producer drummer. And when I was doing the last record with him, I remember you know, he's a great, I knew he was a great drummer, but he didn't play drums on any of my last record. And he played John's would show crow for like a long time. He's on the globe sessions now records got, he's got my favorite mistake on it a couple of big hits. And he had my drummer, can't make it out to these sessions in Portland. I just like flown out there randomly. Just to start getting there. I just wanted to get the record started. And I get out there. And, man, I just don't I know a few drummers in town as well. I just played drums on it. I was like, Well, okay, yeah, if you're into it. I mean, you got it anyway. Thank you, man. But yeah, that'd be great. And the first song was we I got this nice, this is my wheelhouse. I got this one. And I was like, Well, God, I didn't think I'd have it. That would be amazing. If you're down. Yeah, that'd be great. You want to take a few swings at it. And God, he went in there and like the first 30 seconds, I was like, Oh, shit, he's playing drums on the whole thing. Like, right away just had this instant feel. And it just sounds so good. And keynote, you know, it's his studio, he's engineer. And so he knows how to get he knows how to get them. Perfect sounds, you know, like, the drums just sound great. That's something I look for. That's the first thing I look for when I was no record to, he didn't tell how much money someone spent on a record or more. So if they know what the hell they're doing right away with the drums man, you know that the drums sound shitty, the whole record. I mean, it's just like, when it's like to me, I always really zero in on that and Greg's genius of that. So he ended up producing, and playing drums on the first like five songs. And that was the first batch we got done. And I played bass on a bunch of it. But then we had my pedal super band come out. And then we had a keyboard player come out.

And then you know, there I found myself five songs in, it's like, well, it's not gonna meet EP or I really want to do a record. So I got back to Nashville, and went into the studio of a friend Jeff pillar. And I'd recorded some stuff with him before. But we just kind of decided, you know what, let's, I'm just gonna do the other half here. So I'm like the Portland sessions, the Nashville sessions. Let's just mix them together. And that can be kind of dangerous, sometimes, you know, you start getting into a record. And then you can almost hear that line drawn. It's like and as the other studio, you know. So I really wanted to avoid that this whole time we were cutting it, I was really trying to be aware of it. And so we really just tried to keep to keep the same vibe going, you know, and I ended up cutting the other five songs at the Nashville studio. And then I ended up back in Portland on tour, and wasn't happy with a couple of vocal takes. And that's that so I ended up re cutting some vocals from the Nashville stuff. So it's kind of mixed between the two studios. But and then we cut one song song born to be lonely with Jonathan Tyler. He's got a little studio in South Austin. Yeah. And we're playing there. And he had told me that he'd been working on studios. Is it done? It's as well yeah, pretty much like we could cut some stuff. I said, Well, how about tomorrow? You know? Yeah, let's do it for now. So we ended up cutting the track there too. And it sounds sounds a little different the rest of the stuff but I like I love how it came out.

Thomas Mooney 1:04:22

Yeah. But

Jeff Crosby 1:04:23

yeah, the records I've just been I was on tour throughout it. So it's kind of a meat pulling from a lot of different scrapbooks and you know, different like born of belonging, for example is a song about now like six years ago, when I always wanted to cut it. And that was like that title. I was almost the album title those songs like some about I don't know, it's like a sadder version of born to be wild, I guess. I was really like the song and but the North Star song just shined in this unique way. And I was like the idea that like at night Whoa, you can always see the North Star and that was The first thing that really bugged me about moving to the city is you can't see the stars. Right? And I was like, What is this all about? You know, and they're like, what do you see? You can never see the stars out here. And they're like, Nah, man. You know, it's just too much light pollution. The sun's Yeah. And I was like, you know, that's the first line. And as you know, these city lights bury the North Star. I can't find my way. I just I always wanted to use that metaphor. Like, tell me about light pollution. You can't see that. Yeah, that's such a big part of living out in the county alone in Idaho. Yeah, stars. Oh, that's first thing when I bring friends in the city to the stars out here. Crazy. And I was like, Oh, yeah. Yeah, they are crazy.

Thomas Mooney 1:05:40

Mr. This the sound from like, Far West Texas, like fort Stockton. So you can see stars for ever out there too. And, you know you but here in Lubbock, obviously, you really can't you can see some stuff still even in the city. But drive 20 minutes away. And I guess what I was gonna say is I, I guess like a lot of people. Whenever they grow up in a in a place you're your first thing you want to do is get the fuck away from you. Yeah,

let me get away from here. I just placed those on understand me, you can't do what I want to do here. It's gonna be better as the Greengrass thing, right? I guess like for you? What, at what point did you realize that like, you know, your, where you came from? was like, a special place? Was there? Like was that pretty early on? Or? Or has it been like, where you understood it? Better as, as times gone? But as time has gone by?

Jeff Crosby 1:06:49

Yeah, definitely. Yeah, it's it kind of comes into, I feel like every time I get older, just stuff comes into focus a little more, I think the biggest thing for me is realizing what kind of place Idaho, you know, will play in my life and how special that places that I get to go escape there. And you know, that that was like my home home, you know, when I go there that it's like, you know, you know, when you have your home, it's the most comfortable, you are most like comfortable. For me when I go to like donalyn McCall I, I'm just like, very aware of the place and I know everything, and everyone knows me. And it's, you know, you feel that comfortable thing that I just don't have anywhere else. But, but at the same time, I know, you know, you realize, depending on what career you choose, you know, me choosing, you know, to be a musician, I've had to realize what benefits I can get from where I'm from. And for me, it's been, you know, the songs, I can go back there, I can write songs, and peace in a beautiful place, you know, and it's, that's, I can be inspired by that place. But I still I need to, I need the city, I need to go to places, you know, see the grit and the dirt. And, you know, I don't think I could just sit in Idaho and still just, I would, I would I would lose my productivity at some point. And that's why I've had always kind of play that, you know, devil's advocate thing or without, you know, also have to kind of progress is great, you know, I always go to the city until I can't take anymore, and then I go the country till I can't anymore. It's like I found myself just constantly bouncing between the two. And I also realized that like, you know, it's you can kind of see what your career will be like, if I stayed in Idaho, you can kind of see how it play out. Has nothing wrong with it, but I have friends that stay there and you know, just plenty of gigs you just play around. And you know, it's played, you know, the old spots and sports pubs and breweries and it's great. It's a cool, you know, so I'd be fine with that career actually, at some point, but not yet. And I still find myself wanting to sell that desire to, like, keep reaching for some a little bigger, you know, I want to I want to go to a bigger market with and I like to be, I like to be kind of held to the fire a little more, you know, I like I like going to the city where there's a lot of bands and everyone is just crunch. I like the idea that everyone is just given everything that got that to say people in Idaho don't. But there is a really comfortable thing in Idaho. You know, it's it's just a little slower pace. You know, which is awesome. And I love we've we have a following there that it's just like the most supportive group of people. You know, we couldn't be doing any of the shit we're doing right now without our home base following Yeah. So it's interesting thing I jump back and forth with it and honestly someday I'll get sick of driving seven hours. I can love it by Wednesday here and not saying what we've learned here ever ever but right at some point during the road thing, it has the app and it's like man, I know that sound pretty nice. I could. I could be driving 30 minutes to the brewery and play my Wednesday gig and sleeping in bed with me. You know My

Thomas Mooney 1:10:00

gal every night, but that is the thing, though is like, do you see it with? I don't know, the city, it's country thing. You can do it with politics, you can do it with anything. It's like the how, how can you be so comfortable? And so, so sure of your thoughts and your ideas on something if you've not at least try the other thing. Right? You know what I mean? Absolutely. It gives perspective, right?

Jeff Crosby 1:10:29

Yes, exactly. That's all it is. So it's true, man. It's, as I realize, with a lot of people that I talk to people sometimes like, oh, man, how much have you like traveled outside here? Here and there, even outside of the country. It's not saying you need to, I mean, United States is so big you travel around America. If you travel this whole country, you're gonna get some great perspective, because there are a lot of different countries within the United States. So even that alone gives you such and it's such a key part. I think that's why our politics is so screwed up right now. Because people don't look, they don't take that time to think about who other people's perspectives that they're arguing against. You know, it's like, you really do need to go to those places, right? Hang out with those people. In other places, you know, to get a grasp on this whole thing. We're doing this whole experience, and it bugs me, it's nothing that bugs me more than people than blind confidence, you know? Yeah. I feel like we're stuck with that a lot in our politics on how to it's like, what was the way it is? Yeah. Well, so many,

Thomas Mooney 1:11:34

obviously, you, you create your opinions based off of your experience. Right? And right, to get it down. Like there are two Americans, right. Yeah. And

Jeff Crosby 1:11:46

I would say more than,

Thomas Mooney 1:11:47

Well, yeah, but like, I would say, definitely, there is a whole lot more, but probably there's you can split it up for this conference for this sake. And if you don't, if you're surrounded, like if you're just surrounded by Yes, men. I mean, right, you're gonna have a certain thought process. Yeah. You know.

Jeff Crosby 1:12:12

So, probably start questioning who your real friends are at some point, I would think but yeah, it's a that's an interesting thing. And that's a big reason why I left Idaho. You know, like, in Boise, we were this hot band, you know, and if we got to this point, when I moved to LA, you know, I told him, we were talking about Bambi like, man, we got to move out of here. And it was like, What? Why? The hell would we, why? I'm like, this is getting too easy here. Like everyone just thinks, you know, we can't be in this place where everyone just thinks for like the greatest. You know what I mean? It's like, can't be hanging out in a scene, where everyone's just like, you guys are the best or you're the greatest. It's like, I actually get, I don't like hearing that, that I get uncomfortable. And that did not say I don't like compliments. But if I'm in a place where you're being being complimented too much, it's starts to bug me or just makes you feel uncomfortable. And maybe like, I need to find a different room.

Thomas Mooney 1:13:05

Yeah, it's like the, you know, you're the baddest fucking fifth grader.

Jeff Crosby 1:13:11

Yeah, right now,

Thomas Mooney 1:13:12

I'm gonna stay in fifth grade. Yeah, totally. You're gonna have to go to junior high, dude.

Jeff Crosby 1:13:16

Yeah, at some point, you know, I just I'd rather be in, uh, well, you know, I that's why I'm in Boise is such a cool city. And it's blossomed, actually. And I feel so happy that we're like, in the position that we're in. Because we've gotten to play a role in that city as it grows, you know, like, we started doing this three night run, we call it our homecoming run. And we run three nights in Boise. And at first, we were doing three different venues, and doing like one acoustic night. And we It is our fifth year this year, and it's sold out the last three years after all three nights have sold out. And it's like, I don't know if it's like a really cool accomplishment. Like, I don't know how many people at especially at our level that are selling out three nights. You know, if you sell three nights in your hometown, it's like, it feels pretty good. You know, I don't think we would be doing that if we hadn't left. Now what I mean, yeah, we had, like, there's still a few of us that live there. And I still spend a ton of time there. But if I hadn't moved, I don't know if we would have the support that we you know, that we have there right now.

Thomas Mooney 1:14:19

Yeah. I was gonna ask is, um, obviously, there's a music scene there. As far as like, you know, just because the population is so much smaller than, you know, any of your Austin LA. Is the is like the music scene a little bit more tight knit just because there's fewer playing music. It doesn't you know what I mean?

Jeff Crosby 1:14:46

Yeah, no, definitely it kind of is it's um, they started this thing called the tree fort Music Fest. And it's kind of like a little South by Southwest. There's like 400 plus bands. And it's really brought up because we've always had kind of an Indian He and I are like built to spill zoids our big band from there. And there's always been this weird kind of metal and like, indie scene. And country's always been big there because there's a lot of like farm towns and farmland, right? I feel like that always kind of brings the country vibe. But so honestly, there's a lot of like, indie rock and like art rock and weird shit like that. That's, it's super cool. It's just, it's a lot more diverse than you think like musically. There's a lot of weird bands, like the younger generations, you know, breeding this whole other scene. It's just like, strange, artsy stuff. And sometimes I go see bands, and I'm like, this

is the biggest band here right now. Like,

this was pretty weird. But yeah, it's a pretty tight knit scene. You know, there's like the local players. And then there's like the indie rock kids, and it's kind of two separate worlds a little bit. Yeah. But

yeah, all in all, it's

it's pretty dang, it's pretty tight knit. I mean, I,

Thomas Mooney 1:16:01

yeah. Because, I mean, Lubbock is growing bigger itself, but I, I do feel like the I don't know the why, especially back Back in the day, I feel it was probably a lot more where you had like, these different scenes that were okay, being with each other. You're I mean, like, there's, I don't know, like, I can't I can't even think of any examples here. But like, Okay, so here's what is the band thrift store cowboys. They're from here. And they like this was like a band that Amanda shires was in Oh, he was here and so they they kind of break up and on hiatus kind of thing. And like, Dan Daniel flew at the lead singer on is like, going away show. The, the bill was like, you know, a rock and roll band in the country band and like, a indie rock band and like, a rockabilly kind of style band, you know, and it was like, just, they're all loving people. Right? You know, I mean, but it was, like, all these different kind of, you know, different micro scenes coming together in this one, and I feel like that had to be something like that, just because there's not as many. Like how many times you're gonna play the same show with, you know, the same people, you know, the bills have to be a little bit more diversified.

Jeff Crosby 1:17:29

Right, right. You must have like, Yeah,

Thomas Mooney 1:17:32

I don't know. I feel like it has to. Just because I think it's easy to get like in one little pocket if you're in a big huge place,

Jeff Crosby 1:17:42

right. Yeah, totally. And

Thomas Mooney 1:17:45

sometimes the the places that are more rural, have a little bit more diversity, just because that's like, Well, yeah,

Jeff Crosby 1:17:53

we all play it this way. I only have so many venues right now with rock night this night and whatever and ilanics night. Yeah, I could totally see that. And that's I think logic just breeds such a unique scene here is pretty awesome. And what's the other bandit flatland cavalry. For me. Right, right. Man, I saw him I put the music faster. Awesome. Yeah, great, man. As always, man. Yeah, you always see these bands come out of here. It's just like, Wow, man.

These guys are.

I would not expect this from Lubbock. But this is cool. Yeah,

Thomas Mooney 1:18:23

it's a good little place here.

Jeff Crosby 1:18:26

Yeah. All right, man. I mean, we get that Boise gets that a lot, too. I feel like maybe we kind of share the same critiquing because sometimes people just like Idaho, you know, where does it down again? Midwest, right. It's like, really? Kind of West more West. Yeah. People don't even know where it is. So you know, it's, it's interesting, but I kind of like that when you come from a place where people do that. You're kind of like, Alright, I can't wait to Yeah, I'm gonna I'm gonna make that play stick in your head. Because, you know, I mean, it's given us a name, I think just 22 around and say you're from Idaho. It's, it's not necessarily you know, it's like you say from Nashville or from LA? It's kind of cool. You know, cuz of

Thomas Mooney 1:19:05

course, yeah. No, I'm

Jeff Crosby 1:19:07

from Idaho. Like, oh, weird, what? You know, and then it gives us that little something unique, you know, like, like, it sticks in people's head just a little more. Right? Actually, music classes longer enjoy. I was having my buddy's room and he was cooking potatoes. This thing and I stole a couple. And then I was just going around the festival and just saying, hey, great to meet you. And hey, I wanted you to check this cannon potato bags, you know, and it kind of became this hilarious thing throughout the night. Everyone was just like, Dude, this dude gave me a potato. What

Thomas Mooney 1:19:38

the hell does his Twitter handle

Jeff Crosby 1:19:41

kind of play the Jags? Everyone go dude who's right? So I was like, wow, this will play into it. And so I walk up the jacking ground. I go jack are we had a shot at Jamison and then he goes, I go jack was really great to meet you man. I just wanted to give you this before I leave man as well. I know customer I haven't Taito and he just goes and he licks it and then shoves it down the front of his pants and

walks way.

And then he came back and tried to give it back to Oh God. That is yours now. That is yours. That was pretty funny. Yeah, it was ahead of the music.

Thomas Mooney 1:20:14

Yeah, I think we need to end it on that note,

Jeff Crosby 1:20:15

right. Yeah, that's a perfect note. And I'd like to give you a pair of words. Oh,

Thomas Mooney 1:20:22

yeah, well, a finger talking with you.

Jeff Crosby 1:20:24

Yeah, you too, man. Thanks for having us. Awesome.

Thomas Mooney 1:20:26

Let's go get a beer.

Okay, thanks for listening to the pod. Be sure to check out Jeff's upcoming record norstar and please visit our episode sponsors the blue light live and Tom's Daiquiri in Lubbock, Texas, and wickers mesquite smoked jalapeno jelly. We'll see you next week.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai