949. - Kevin Morby

All right, uh, this episode of How Long Gone is brought to you by Stateside with Kai and Carter, a new podcast from The Guardian. And they are using this podcast to slow down the news and wrestle with the questions that we all have about what's happening in the world. And they do it 3 times a week. Jason, does that sound familiar to you?

We don't really talk about, you know, a lot of international global news items and climates and cultures and sports and things like that. We do talk about fashion and wellness, but for everything else, Kai and Carter are a great place.

All right, so who couldn't use more news? Listen wherever you get your podcasts or watch on YouTube. How long gone? The stars and bars are up in my house. It's Memorial Day. The sun is finally shining in New York City. I don't see any grills. I know that Jason has a six-pack of Japanese beer to stand with our enemies. Um, have you you had a hot dog, a hamburger? What have we had today so far?

Today I had protein, I had a coffee, I had some— a glass of milk, I had some carrot orange juice, I did an oatmeal that had some dates and walnuts.

This is not— this is not what I'm looking for. Do you have anything more nut-hanging style food at all?

Even the edibles I took were gay.

Fuck.

All right, do we have anything else coming later? Do we have— do we have anything anything, you know, grill-related coming later. I'm not talking about a kebab. You already know that's off the menu for today.

Oh wow, okay.

You know what I'm talking about.

No kebab, no carne asada. This is going to be a tough one for me. No, I don't know what we're gonna do because I did some grilling a couple days ago. Actually, I grilled up—

okay, okay—

fine-ass steaks from our friends over at McCall's. I did a little—

dude, hell yeah, brother!

And a little ribeye.

Hell yeah, brother!

But you're not gonna like this. I grilled them over expensive baller-ass charcoal No. And then wait, wait for it. Brought it inside and I chopped it up with my German steel blade and then I made some nice carne asada tacos out of it.

So. Oh my God. Oh my God, dude.

Okay. It's a real race trader meal.

That's crazy. You're mixing too many races with that meal. I don't even, I can't even follow that.

I didn't even know Mexicans could eat steak, but here we are.

All right.

Let me say this then. If you're not going to, if you don't want to grill, which I understand there's a lot of mess involved. I'm sure charcoal's running low at your local Ralph's. Cause it's, you know, it's such a holiday. Thanks Saudi Arabia.

Yeah, I know.

The Strait is still closed, so the charcoal's tough to get. But what, what about, what about maybe then, what about maybe going to a local sort of, you know, going to In-N-Out where they got the Bible verse in the cup? You know what I mean? Or even Chick-fil-A is open today because it's a Monday. I'm gonna guess, I'm not sure, I haven't checked, I haven't checked my Chick-fil-A surf cam yet to see if, to see what, to see what the line's looking like over there.

But 2 to 3 and fair over there at Chickies.

The Burbank location is beautiful, you know that.

I know that the, the Burbank, um location. It looks more like a low-security prison in Arizona or New Mexico, all this sort of square Chick-fil-A locations. But you know that my body, the chemistry, the soul, the chi of my body does not agree with Chick-fil-A as well as McDonald's. It rejects both as being soulless foods.

Oh, I didn't know McDonald's had made that list. Okay. Well, look, then in that case, there's a hotel in the Hamptons. They're doing a Popeyes collaboration for the summer, which Which Popeyes in New York feels spiritually Asian.

Feels wrong for the property value.

But it does. It does. And I know it's a delicious treat from what I understand. Okay. So you're not— okay. I'm going to look—

I love Popeyes. Popeyes is delicious.

I'm not America maxing either today. I had a Lynn Witch, you know what I mean? Because I was treating myself on a Monday. I went to the gym, you know, it was quiet, but it was raining until about an hour ago. So now it's beautiful outside. The people are outside hooping. The guys are doing muscle-ups. Everything's right with the world. But I haven't seen any flags. I haven't heard any fire, you know what I mean? I'm not— I'm not— I think to really experience Memorial Day, you got to be down south. You got to be on the pontoon at Oconee. You got, you know, you got to have an American beer in your hand. You got to have the swimsuit from Walmart.

I feel like in the near future, if sort of the general opinion of America and its government continue to get worse and worse over time, Memorial Day is going to be one of the only kind of national holidays that we really celebrate. You know, we're very anti-Cristóbal Colón. We're very anti, you know, Fourth of July. We're anti, you know, everything is this and that. Indigenous Peoples' Day takeover. But the memorials of, you know, the people who died, that's going to be the last one to go down because it's still the one where you can be like, well, it's crazy. A bunch of people died. So like, we can't really like joke on it too much.

So yeah, well, I mean, Christmas is clearly first on my list.

On my list.

The guy's, the guy's fake.

First of all, Chris, Christmas is a, is a global holiday. It's not only in America, and it's not only—

it's a global— well, but it's a global holiday based on a lie is what I'm trying to say. Memorial Day is based on real events, whether you like them or not.

The quiet part out loud, finally.

I think whether you like them or not, it ain't based on fake bullshit made up by big corporations. We all hate corporations. You know, Bezos is saying, you know, don't tax the nurses in Queens, you know what I'm saying? What about getting rid of these holidays that perpetuate money spending when we don't have it, you know what I mean? Gas price— I was paying $7 a gallon in LA, you know what I mean? The eggs, who knows how much they cost. I can't even look at the price, I'll get sick. But, but nonetheless, we're buying presents we don't need for people.

$9 a gallon, just so I don't have to look at some people.

We're paying— we're, you know, we're giving gifts to people we don't like, you know, that we can't afford. It just— it doesn't— that, that's the first holiday.

My brother, a pepper mill, pepper grinder.

He said Memorial Day, July 4th, these holidays, you go, you go buy some cheap meat at Costco and you're outside with your shirt off and everything's with the world. Think about it. It's one of the cheaper holidays, except for unless you did buy the boat that people are on, then obviously you're kind of underwater on it. No pun intended. No pun intended.

But you know what I mean?

You know what I mean?

You know what I mean?

It's interesting that the, you know, the more kind of global cuts, you know, our oxtails, our Korean short ribs, all these.

Yes, yes, yes.

Those food, the cost of those, we're going up. We're going high. Oh, you want wagyu Japanese beef? Oh yeah. $60 a pound, $70 a pound. You want oxtail? That used to be what we feed the, you know, what we feed the pigs and the poorest of the poor. Now that shit costs, you know, $30 a pound, something like that.

I don't even know where to get— I don't— my oxtail dealer is not even responding to me right now. So I couldn't even get it if I can't even get it if I wanted to.

But then go over to Costco. You want a fucking tube of ground beef? It costs $4. You want—

Exactly.

I want— I would like 1,100 hot dogs, please. All right, cool.

Yeah.

Bring the truck around. That'll be $65.99. Exactly.

I'm saying, Jason, this is even Boca Burgers. The inflation hasn't touched that. Not to bring it, not to bring it back to me, but you know, maybe I thought you were going over your brothers or something. You guys would get some Boca Burgers going. Those are still dirt fucking cheap. Beans are cheap.

I'm not even going to get into the cost of abalone.

Thank you. Thank you for sparing the listeners. But I'm just saying it's something to think about.

You wouldn't even eat that in China.

As we reevaluate all of our holidays based on our new political leanings and what offends us and what doesn't, I'm saying that the pro-America ones are the cheapest and sometimes the least offensive when you really think about it. I mean, that I, I'm, I'm more offended by Christmas and what it's asking of us and our, the religious beliefs than I, than I am of a few fireworks on a hot summer's day in New York City.

Same. Yeah, it gives you something to celebrate. Blowing stuff up, getting drunk, that's good. What, what am I celebrating on Christmas? A headache. As soon as you turn this many, I'm holding up 9 fingers, as soon as you turn this many, Christmas is a, is a bitch, dude.

It's unbelievable. You have to wrap something. Are you crazy? That's, it's crazy.

Yeah, unless, unless your parents are going to get you a car for your 16th birthday.

Yeah, it ain't fun.

It ain't fun. And then your birthday comes around, it's like, oh, what happened? You got a little older, you got a little uglier, you got a little fatter, you got a little less hair. Exactly. And your brain doesn't work quite as good. And then next year, more of the same, but kind of compounded over time.

What are we celebrating exactly? What are we celebrating? We're— look, we're knocking on— you and I both are knocking on the door of big birthdays where you gotta— at that point, you got to go to a foreign country to try to forget how old you are. You got to spend as much money as you can to bury your emotions, you know what I mean? When those birthdays start getting up there.

But not with sex tourism, of course. Well, no, that's different.

I know you're going Thailand for your 50th, but I was thinking something, I was thinking something more, you know, for me, I'm not, I'm not really looking into that, but I know that's more your thing. If we had to, you know, if we had to point fingers, just really the, the scooter culture fascinates me.

I want to go check it out.

Chris, you know, I famously live life on two wheels. That's what I meant. You know, that's what I meant.

They're doing, they're doing a lot of filming there lately. Yeah. Yeah.

I'm sure there's a Backpages and you can read it in Thai.

They have a burgeoning film, film scene.

Of course. Yeah. There's, there's a lot of underground filmmakers. There's a lot of Adam Fases over there in Thailand getting stuff made.

Um, okay. I wanted to, oh, really quick. I wanna give a, a, a quick plug for myself. I was, I appeared on a podcast called Proxy that came out last week where somebody, they, they had an issue that their, their husband's best friend was like a bro and she doesn't know how to speak bro. So she consulted with me and, uh, I sort of told her, you know, give her a crash course on how to speak and understand the bro in her life. Give it a listen. It's called Proxy.

You can search it on, on wherever you get podcasts, I assume.

Wherever you get a podcast, Apple, Spotify, the list goes on. Um, and shout out to the Enhanced Games, which really came and went so quickly yesterday. They decided to—

is it over? Is it over? It was only one day.

I think it was only one day. They broadcast it during an NBA Finals game.

Smart.

You know what I mean? Like, I'm watching, I'm watching fucking the Spurs beat Oklahoma, and it's on at the same, you know, starts at 5 o'clock PT, same as the enhanced games. You know, I think there— one world record was made, and then many of the duels or the face-offs, the person who won the sporting event was not even juicing. They were just like, oh, I'm just the best runner.

Goddamn it.

So like a guy who's like, oh, I'm not on anything. I'm just way better at running than you guys. And because they're handing out big prizes, I'll just take my little $250 real quick.

Oh, so it's a cash prize the way the Olympics should be instead of give you a medal that you can't even melt down.

Yeah.

Okay.

So I know that we have, you know, It's cool that somebody was like, the Olympics is broken, it needs to be fixed. I agree with that. And you know, they made the first step of a long journey. Unfortunately, the people involved with the Enhanced Games, you know, they're hiring Bryan Johnson, who's broadcasting with an umbrella over his head. It looks like an MIA umbrella. I mean, like, it looks like a fucking freak show fest. There's nothing cool about it. It's janky. The people attached to it—

I mean, look, this is the—

Jason, look, they make all this— like, the swimmers coming out doing a WW— it looks like Erica coming out. There's like little broke, broke boy fireworks.

Stop, stop, stop, stop. This is the first— this is the first year, okay?

I know, I know, I know. I shouldn't, I shouldn't poo-poo it.

Do you remember the first year of the X Games? It wasn't the best, okay? The SLS Street League Championship, ragtag operation. It's a ragtag operation. I'm just saying, give these guys some time. They're gonna get their sponsors up and we're gonna be good to go.

Every journey begins with a single step. And on that note, let's welcome our beautiful guest today. He's gonna not talk while we introduce him though, okay?

Our guest, our friend of the show, friend of the program, uh, Kevin Morby joining us from his, his worldwide tour that just started a couple weeks ago.

He could be using this time wisely by grabbing a pair of headphones while Chris introduces him beautifully. Keep going.

Yeah, you could grab, you could grab some headphones. You're a professional musician. Uh, his new album Little Wide Open is in stores everywhere. It's a, it's a Chris classic. It's already hanging in the Hall of Fame. People loved it, love it. Currently I think the tour is selling well. Kevin can play 14 shows in France alone. Um, famously he can, he could sell out 500 tickets in Belarus.

Yeah, he's got white dot fever, no blues.

No blues, no blues over at Morby headquarters.

No blues and stop. All right, so let's give him a call.

This episode of How Long Gone is brought to you by our best friends at BetterHelp. Jason, we're, we're deep into May, which is, uh, Mental Health Awareness Month, and this is just a reminder that whatever you're going through, you don't have to go through it alone. Life is a damn journey. Some days feel good and others feel overwhelming. Whatever's keeping you up at night, it's easy to feel like you have to figure it all out on your own, but the truth is No one has all the answers. Well, and no journey should be alone. Having someone with you to listen, to understand, and to support you can really make all the difference.

I agree, Chris. And sometimes, you know, it, it's nice to be talking to somebody even if they're not even listening, even if you don't even get to be in the same room with them, because what you're doing is you're admitting these things to yourself. And that's the most, that's the most rewarding thing you can do sometimes. So you can have a great little therapy sesh with your perfect therapist at BetterHelp. Choosing between over 30,000 people so you can get the right one just for you. Over 6 million people globally are using it. And, you know, have some breakthroughs. Go on that walk after your BetterHelp sesh, you know, whatever it might be. Get a nice little lunch all for yourself, maybe a non-alcoholic kombucha, and just think and be like, damn, I really am him. You don't have to be on this journey alone. Find support and have somebody with you in therapy. Sign up and get 10% off at betterhelp.com/howlong. That is betterhelp.com/howlong.

This episode of How Long Gone is brought to you by a new podcast from The Guardian, Stateside with Kai and Carter. This is covering a lot of our bases, Jason. It's, uh, it's trying to slow down the news and wrestle with the questions we all have about what's happening in the world. And I know you particularly have quite a lot of questions.

A lot of questions. But how often? Because we do this podcast 3 times a week, and that's a sweet spot. How many times do they do?

3 times a week. And I, I have a feeling, just based on the platform and these talking points, that they're maybe going to be covering different stuff than we do. That's just a guess.

The Guardian is not some billionaire-owned platform. They're not afraid to say what they want to say, brother.

Yeah, Rupert ain't sniffing around in, in what, uh, journalists Kai Wright and Carter Sherman are up to over there at, uh, stateside. But yeah, listen wherever you get your podcasts. You can watch on YouTube. It's 3 times a week. And, and who couldn't use more news, you know, especially especially when it's, when it's not, you know, from here, let's say. Give it a, give it a listen, give it a listen. All right, Kevin Morby, thanks for joining us here in Arizona. And I have to say, it's Memorial Day and I'm a little jealous that you're in Arizona on Memorial Day. It feels like a great place to celebrate.

The things I do for you guys, the things I do for you guys.

First of all, you were, you were doing a Reddit AMA 30 minutes ago, so don't act like you're doing it just for us.

Yeah, what did you do for us? You went on vacation and then you get to talk to two awesome guys. Wow, thanks so much.

I was texting, I was texting with my publicist my publicist, because I've been on tour and I'm so tired. My publicist, he had a kid like a year ago and, you know, I'm getting ready to have a kid. And I was like, I was like, dude, there's no way having a kid can be more exhausting than tour. And then he was like, yeah, man. He's like, having a kid, it's just like doing a Reddit AMA.

I mean, exactly, exactly. It lasts for 2 hours and then you're done. Did you get any weird questions on the AMA or people pretty respectful?

Well, no, there weren't like any weird questions. I guess some people asked me like what flavor ice cream I like or something. I was expecting weirder stuff. I feel like people took the day off from AMA because of Memorial Day. They're out celebrating.

Oh yeah. You do have a famously patriotic audience. That's one thing I always say.

I say, and also all of your listeners are there. They would be at their office job, you know, on a typical Monday hitting the Reddit hard. So they're off their devices today. They're at the boat, they're on the creek, they're doing Midwestern activities, right?

Yeah. They're at the creek. I mean, let me just paint you a picture. I'm in Arizona. This is the first proper day off that doesn't involve— because, you know, there's these stopover days on tour where you like, you just stop for the day and then you get back on the bus at night and then it travels. But this is the first time where I'm going to sleep not on the bus. Like, we're— we have an off day in a hotel room and we sleep here overnight and then wake up and play a show tomorrow in Phoenix, which is really amazing to be— to not have to sleep on the bus for the night. It's 100 degrees outside. I had to turn the air conditioning off for this podcast. It's going to get real steamy in here real quick.

Okay. Okay.

I don't know what the rest of my bandmates are doing. I think this is like the— it's been like 2 weeks, like a promo week in New York and then like [redacted address]. We're exhausted. So I feel like everyone's just gone into their little holes and no one's going to emerge until tomorrow.

Hey, Kev. Kev, I'm just happy that you're doing well enough where you got your own room, man. You can walk around there, nuts hanging post-shower. You ain't got to hear— you got to hear Cole tuning a banjo. You know what I mean? This is good for you.

And nothing makes you appreciate a Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona hotel room more than sleeping on a bus for, for some time.

Yep.

Gratitude exercise.

Yeah, it's true, Kevin.

We talk about this— well, I've learned about this from you, and then Katie and I also talk about it, but you, you have a particular preference for a certain kind of a man hotel is what it's described as, which is— yes, what most people would describe as a shithole. But because of years and years of touring, you're like, well, it's better, it's better than the bus, it's better than the van, that frilly bottled water stuff.

Yeah, things like that.

Okay.

It's sort of Stockholm syndrome of like, well, number one, when you, when you cut your teeth out there on the road, like sleeping, like I remember like literally playing shows in like Vancouver and, you know, going back to some loft afterwards and you basically sleep in a pile of cocaine. Sure, sure, sure. And like, you're like, is there like a bed for us to sleep in? They're like, no, there's just the mountain of cocaine that we're all going to be snorting all night and you can lay on top of it.

If you sweep all the little baggies into one pile, you can probably use that as a pillow. Yeah, it'll work.

It'll—

we at least the left ear could rest on that baggy pillow. The classic baggy pillow.

Yeah. Yeah. Which for the record, I feel like I've talked about this a lot. I've never done cocaine, but I do really literally remember so many times in my life, like, or like Columbus, Ohio, like, like going to a party, like, hey, so you said we could like sleep here and then like, where do we sleep? And they're like, oh, just wherever. And you're like, but there's only a hardwood floor. And they're like, well, yeah, anywhere on the hardwood floor. So when you cut your teeth doing that, by the time you make it to a hotel room that you can even share with another bandmate, paint. It doesn't matter if the hotel room is like one star and there's, you know, there's like, there's like, uh, like blood splatter from where people were shooting up or something. You don't care.

You're like, you're like, as long as the blood is splattered on a door that has a lock on it, you're happy.

Exactly.

So beggars can't be choosers at this point.

At this point, you know, I will say today we're in like a sort of like, like kind of like hipster, like kind of like Austin Motel vibes. Like kind of—

okay, sure.

It's very hipstery, which is, which is nice. But the corporate standard— I actually just had this experience because I stayed at the Chelsea Hotel and I love the Chelsea Hotel. That's like my preferred hotel in New York City. I was there while I was doing press, but then the band came into town. We all went to the Fairfield Inn and Suites.

I saw you while you were doing this and I scolded you for moving because you're the star. You're the star. And you need to, you need to kind of show some dominance occasionally, you know what I mean? Like, be like, fellas, I'm staying here. You guys go to the Fairfield. You got to start. I'm telling you, man, they'll They'll understand.

Yeah, they'll like it. I mean, I don't want my boss around all day, you know, getting in my shit.

Exactly.

Yeah, exactly.

Exactly. As much as I love the Chelsea Hotel and hotels like that, there is a sense of ease that washes over your body when suddenly you're staying at like a Fairfield Inn and Suites corporate 3-star hotel standard in Gowanus where it's— you're just anonymous. Nothing. You could be in Madison, Wisconsin. You wouldn't know the difference by the, by the way the room is shaped or looks. And so you get out there and suddenly you get the best sleep of your life. So these hotels, unlike the one that I'm in right now, because, yeah, this is like a hipster hotel, but the sort of Holiday Inn Express, Fairfield Inn and Suites, DoubleTree, those hotels, like, if there's a conference going on of, like, people, like, you know, like a corporate conference.

Sure.

I'm at home. I'm at— that's happening in the lobby. Like, someone's meeting their, like, second wife, you know what I mean? At, like, a conference.

You know what I mean? You feel good. That's the warm hug Morby needs to get it over the line. Okay.

So Chris feels that when he's in airports. I know. Yeah, I do. He just likes seeing that slice of life. And then you, you're in like the 2.8-star review on TripAdvisor, Ohio corporate courtyard.

But Kevin, but Kevin, but Kevin, but Kevin.

Yeah.

Look, bro, look, I know I'm not trying to be a pocket checker, but you're doing pretty well. Well, you know what I'm saying? Like, I know, I look, I know how you're, you're an indie landlord, you're doing pretty well, and I'm just saying, I'm just saying, I'm just saying, I'm just saying, every once in a while I think that you should let yourself— because I know you've done this man hotel thing in a lot unnecessarily, I would say. You've done it in times where maybe you didn't need to do it because you like the way it feels.

Dumping money in Pokémon, what's up, brother?

But I also, I also indulge in the, in the in the nice hotels. I mean, the headline here is that I stayed at the— I went to go do promo, so I stayed at the Chelsea for a week.

But Kevin, but Kevin, who was paying for that?

Me.

Secretly, you paid?

Of course I paid.

Okay. I just didn't know if it was coming out of somebody else's pocket.

It pays, but it's going to come out of my royalties. Sure, sure, sure, sure. You're like, I'm—

you're like, I'm always paying at the end of the day. I'm always—

we're secretly going to charge you the whole amount. Just so—

in the words of Jeffrey Lewis, each, each sip of soup has to be recouped. Sure.

Well, that's a nice—

that's a nice little rhyme. I like that. That is— that is nice.

Okay, so You, but okay. So you've, you feel like you've gotten your fill though. And now that you're on the road, it's like Phoenix. What are you going to do? You know what I mean?

Which I do understand that in that case, go on Reddit all day, but now for a different reason, but now for a different reason.

This is, this is great. Reddit. It's, it's hard because you're just looking at, you're just looking at like words. It's like that on a screen. This is way better.

Yeah. Books are also, you know, kind of boring like that.

Tough.

Books are great.

It is, it is a collection of words mostly though.

Yeah. But it's on paper. It's different. Okay.

Tangible vibes only. It's way different.

It's way different.

I get it. I get that.

Reddit's like AI version of books. It's fucking bullshit.

I want to say too, though, the Chelsea, again, favorite fucking hotel. But there was a point where I went into the bathroom and the bathroom door was closed. I was in there alone, and I went to open the door to get out of the bathroom, and the handle came off, which is part of the Chelsea's charm. But I also feel like that sort of stuff happens.

That slapstick hotel. It's always up to something.

Okay. Were you stuck in the bathroom?

The bathroom? I was stuck in the bathroom, but I got myself out of there.

Okay, you went lockpick mode? Did you kick the door down? Did you call downstairs from your mobile phone?

I was gonna call. Luckily I had my phone on me, but, um, I was gonna call, but then I was like, I bet I can get out of here. And I just— the credit card trick got me right out.

Don't sleep on the fundamental moves.

Wow, I didn't— okay, so, okay, so you pick the lock in the bathroom?

Pick the lock in the bathroom. I've, I'm not— I've been locked in a couple of rooms in my day, and but recently, a couple times recently in France, I was locked in a bathroom.

I'm not gonna lie, your boys had to escape a lot lately in the last 18 months. I'm always escaping, dude.

I'm always I'm looking for an exit route. I'm always looking for an escape alley.

Not like that, Katie. Not like that, Katie. Okay. So for our listeners at home, you mentioned the Chelsea Hotel. It's a legendary New York spot, you know, Velvet Underground, rock and roll vibes back in the day. And then it turned into kind of a druggy flop house and then they redid it. And now it's like a boutique hotel. Now I haven't stayed there, but can you explain what the vibe is like?

The vibe is wonderful. It's, it's, yeah, it's sort of like like a velvety, like, sort of— I don't know. It smells really good in there. But it's kind of like Manhattan itself. There's always something going on. That's what I mean about these 3-star Inguanas Fairfield Inn and Suites. It's like the Chelsea. You're always tempted by the bar. You're like, am I going to go down and have a $50 Negroni? Yeah, I'll go. I will. It's like, yeah, I will. It's not the most restful place, but it's fun where you get to the Fairfield be like, what can I possibly— I guess I'll go down and maybe buy some like Ben Jerry's from the—

I'm gonna get an Electrolyte for the morning. I'm gonna get Electrolyte for the morning at the bodega. Exactly.

See if they have the Blue Takis down in the canteen tonight. Gonna watch Workaholics.

So, okay, are you guys aware of the game Odds?

No, I don't think so.

No, we're not aware of any games. We're adults. What, what is Odds?

I got odds on the Knicks tonight, but it's like a dare game, so So like, and it's really fun to play on tour. So you have to say like, you know, odds are that you have to like stand up on a table and scream, scream at the top of your lungs. And someone will assess how much they do or don't want to do that by giving you odds. And they'll say, uh, 1 in 30. And then you'll count to 3. You'll say 1, 2, 3. And you both have to say a number at the same time that's between 1 and 30. And if you say the same number, they have to do it.

Oh, okay.

Okay.

That's, I mean, that's a pretty, that's okay. How often, how often though are you guessing the same number? That seems pretty rare.

It happens every once in a while, but I bring it up because Liam, who plays guitar my band. I got him with one. I was like, odds are we played the show at Levon Helm's barn and then we drove back down in the middle of the night and we didn't get in until like 2 in the morning. And I said to him like, odds are when we get back there, you have to go to the clerk who's working and say, Fairfield Inn and Suites, I'm not surprised with all these sweets you guys are selling. Oh wait, it's sweets spelled a different way. I'm always doing shit like that. That was the dare.

You're an idiot.

You're an idiot. And he got I got it.

This is some delusional— this is—

he—

you—

so he had to do it and he had to do it and we watched him do it.

I wish I got that dare. That's the type of shit I would do unprovoked.

How did the— yeah, how did the— how did the— how did the attendant handle it? Yeah, this is how Jason speaks to everyone. How did the attendant handle it?

Zero, zero.

That's what I—

zero reaction.

Well, look, the, the overnight attendant at the Fairfield Inn and Suites in Gowanus probably isn't, you know, working on their comedy career, you know what I'm saying?

They're probably— 7th Percocet for that hour and he's kind of on autopilot mode. He's also watching American Dad on his phone.

He had the vibe of like he had just killed the actual attendant in the back and was like, somehow, somehow figured out the computer because Liam also needed a new key. So he worked it into that whole spiel. And so the guy, he was wearing gloves. He had like, he had like rubber gloves on the whole time. I was like, I think this guy just killed someone in the back and he's pretending to work here.

He's melting the body down.

Yeah, I recently, I recently had an experience at a hotel where the key card, uh, stopped working every single day. Every day for 8 days and 8 days in a row. And I kept going down and being— and they're like, are you keeping it close to your phone?

I'm like, no, guys, on the magnetization.

I've stayed at a fucking hotel before. I know not to put my key next to my phone. This is happening every day. There has to be a solution to this. Yeah, there was never any. No one ever gave me the information I was looking for.

This happened to me, the same exact thing happened to me last year, but it was at my friend's hotel. He owns it, so I don't want to shout him out because it's a great hotel. But it happened to me every day, and I was getting locked out of the pool and it. There was one day where I went to the pool and it was locked out of my room, like in a towel, and I had to go to the front desk and I was like, please.

No, bro. No, that's the worst. That's the worst. How was— because you guys played at Pappy and Harriet's last night?

Two nights ago. Super fun. Really fun night.

Why do people— can you explain why people like it there so much? Is it a cosmic vibe that I'm not able to tap into?

It's a little wide open out there, brother. You wouldn't get it.

It's the little wide open for sure. You're playing beneath the moon, bro. Brother. Um, it's great, man. It's awesome. You know, I will say, like, we played and it was amazing. And then inside they have that cool indoor stage, which I used to play back in the day. And there was this amazing jazz band in there. So then like we hung out, I don't know, just one of those things. It's like, it reminds me of Austin, you know, what I like about Austin where it's just like kind of just full throttle, all music all the time. And so like we played this great show and then got to go in and like watch a sick jazz band. And I don't know, it was fun.

How many people come see you out there? Are they all from LA?

You know, I actually asked from stage, I was like, who's from San Diego? Who's from San Francisco? Who's— and it was kind of a, kind of a good thing. There's, there's, there's around 1,000 people there, man. It was an awesome show.

Wow.

That does seem like a lot.

So you played the outdoor area, which is a bigger area, and then indoors they'll have, you know, local bands and people will come sit in and play while you're watching the jazz band. Does, does Kevin Morby have his own section where it's like, you know, Prince is gonna come down and to Soho House and watch somebody kind of— you have a little roped off area?

What kind of No, I was interacting with the fans. I was interacting with the people who had just seen my show. I think we're having a similar experience. Like, oh, now this other thing is happening. And so then I was just in there amongst the people, man. I was in a hoodie.

Does it count? Did you get rock— is it count as getting rock-ognized when it's at the actual venue that you just played?

You can get rock-ognized at your own concert.

Yeah, it is.

I think it's rock-ognized with an asterisk.

Yeah.

Okay. We have to play them.

I was getting rock-ognized like crazy when I went to Pappy and Harriet's. It's like, wow, what was happening there? Oh, it was my show.

It was a Kevin Morby concert and everyone there was coming. Okay, well, you said you were interacting with the people, but sometimes after you just played a show for 1,000 people, you might not want them to interact with you quite as much as the other way. You have a limit of what you want, or were you wide open, off a pill, geeked out, ready to socialize?

Yeah, I was open to it a little bit. People were respectful. I was also with my band and I had my band with me.

They were running interference, I'm sure.

Are people more chill knowing that you're with child, your wife is pregnant, and they're like, we're just gonna be chill right now. Like, yeah, less fan freakouts.

Yeah, less fan freaks out then.

Because I'm sure you've had, had some freaks over the years, but like, you know, I feel like you're fa— I feel like people who like Kevin Morby are pretty normal, unfortunately.

We talk about this, Katie and I talk about this, and other people, like, because I do have some friends.

Who's got the most serial killer fans, you or me, Ben?

Well, yeah, and like, luckily, I mean, we, we know some people who have some like pretty intense fans, but also also, you know, like I'm friends with some people who they have a lot of younger fans. And I think that's the thing. If your fans are like above, if they're not teenagers, they usually have some, a pretty good sense of decorum, especially if they're in their 20s or 30s. But like, yeah, I think, you know, when you get like 15-year-old fans.

Speak for yourself. Speak for yourself, bro. You put me in the same room with fucking, you know, I'm going to go crazy. I can't control myself, you know, with certain adults. You know what I mean? You put me in the, you put me in the room with, Yeah, with, uh, you know, Robert Smith or something, I'm gonna fucking start, you know, grabbing onto his leg like a child whose dad doesn't want to leave for work.

Chris just sat next to Michael Stipe from REM at a dinner, and I didn't see you barking or wiping, dragging your ass across the floor or anything.

No, I'm joking. I know how to behave.

But you're a cool guy.

But, but I mean, Stipe is pretty cool, and like, luckily we've met before, so it wasn't too crazy. But I mean, it is pretty interesting when it's truly your all-timer, you know what I mean? There's like, that's amazing. There's 5 guys. No, no burger. There's 5 guys, you know what I mean? At the top, it's just us.

And I'm hungry.

Yeah, I can't even imagine. All, all my top 5 are dead except for one, which would be— the only living is Bob Dylan, and I would keep my cool around him, but it would— yeah, like you around Michael Stipe, it would be insane.

Who, who are the dead? Who are the dead ones, bro? Damn, that's a lot of dead guys.

Yeah, 4 dead goats. Let's get into it.

Yeah, who are your top 4 dead guys?

Bob's basically there.

Yeah, Bob.

Jesus Christ. Okay, it was his birthday yesterday.

Bury me in my arctic shell.

His birthday Lou Reed, Nina Simone, uh, Leonard Cohen, and Townes Van Zandt.

Oh yeah, they are. They're dead as hell too.

That's a nice collection.

Thank you.

That is a nice collection. You can tell you really do this, Kevin, you know what I'm saying? You really, you're really about this shit.

Yeah.

And now that inspires me. You mentioned the Dylan, you mentioned all these GOATs, you know. Now that, you know, you're, you're still a very young man, but you're, you know, you've been in the game for a minute. I want a Traveling Wilburys-esque supergroup that you are of the Bob Dylan of, you know, get, get the Roy Orbisons over and get everyone. And I would love to.

Yeah, who would be, who would be in, who would, who would be in your Traveling Wilburys? So that's the real question.

That's a great question. Uh, I don't know.

Um, do you have to put Dessner in just because right now, you know what I'm saying?

Dessner would be perfect in there. It would be great in there.

Can Dessner, can he play every instrument?

Yes, very well too.

Very, very well. Okay, instead of George Harrison, MGK off top. You're Bob Dylan because that's your GOAT.

Machine Gun You know, ironically, Bob Dylan loves Machine Gun Kelly.

I don't know. Young— I like Youngblood for this. I like Youngblood for Tom Petty.

I was with—

Bleach the hair. He's there.

Jake Lenderman and I went to see Patterson and Craig Finn. Patterson Hood from Drive-By Truckers and Craig Finn from Hold Steady play a show recently. And someone took a photo of the four of us. And that was funny. You know, just the different generations, I guess, of like, you know, certain sect of indie rock or whatever. And Jake kept saying that I had early onset Unk disease, which is funny.

You do. You are suffering from early onset Unk.

That's cold. I mean, you are the age somewhere in between him and the Hold Steady. So, I mean, the shoe fits.

But then you got what Kurt— they released my Track Star today, and Kurt Vile did his Track Star, and he was like, I know Kevin since he was a child. And I'm like, yeah, Kurt is in between me or Patterson or me and Craig. Drag. So then like, you know, like him or like Adam from War on Drugs, like that's, you know, those are those guys in their 40s. So, you know, man, how old are you?

What are you, 35?

You're 38.

Oh, you're getting up there. Okay, I, I knew it.

But you're a true millennial ass.

I'm a true millennial.

You got a great head of hair, so it's, it's tough to say. What is the— okay, what, how did you do on Trackstar? How did our boy Jack put you through the wringer, or was it, was it easy?

I did good. He gave me a lot of contemporary stuff.

Okay, so it was like your peers?

It was like my peers. And then like the one that kind of stumped me early on was Jesus and Mary Chain, which of course I know who they are and I just watched Lost in Translation, but it threw me. I was like, who the hell is this song? But, um, but I did pretty good. Yeah, it was, you know, he gives you a lot more than what is on Instagram, but I got most of them.

I had a tough time, bro. I had a tough time. I was like, bro, really? I wasn't prepared.

I don't know.

I, I just think I don't, I don't, I don't know. I just wasn't, it was not my thing. I was not good at it. It was fine. I was fine.

It's nerve- it is scary. Like, you think like, oh man, you watch other people do and you're like, oh, I would slay this. And you get on the streets in New York, some people are watching you, some strangers.

Well, it was also, Kevin, in my case, and I don't mean to, I'm not making excuses, obviously, because the edit looks great, but I was, I was, it was hot. I was sweating. It was very warm outside. And I think that really fucked, I think that fucked with my head a little.

Dude, and you're sweating knowing that all these people are watching, you know, like Courtney Love is on the toilet watching you fuck up this Jesus and Mary Train song, you know. You know what I mean?

Dude, I, you know, I did A View from the Bridge recently. I don't know if you saw that, but you know that one? Mm-mm.

The, when you pick up the, the, the red phone on the bridge and you—

Yes.

Is you tell a secret? Is that what you do?

Oh, you tell like a story. And I just did that and I like, they aired mine. And when I was doing that, man, I similar thing. I was jet lagged. I was, I'd flown to London the day before and you know, it's London, it's like overcast. I wore this raincoat and raincoats, you know, it's like they'll make you— if it's hot at all, it like traps that heat in there. And it was like the moment they were like, okay, in action, like, tell your story. I got so hot and the jet lag hit me all at once. And I was like, dude, I am struggling. I'm like, I don't know how to do this. And I was like, it's humbling because you watch those and you're like, oh man, I'd tell the best story in the world if I was ever asked to be on this thing. And then you get there and you're like, I'm fucking sweating, man. It's hot.

You're particularly confident about stuff like this. I will say you think you're going to tell a great story.

I think I'm middle of the road, but also I think it's easy to like do the little Instagram video where it's— the stakes aren't as insane as like, oh, I'm gonna go on Letterman for the first time, right?

We gotta talk to Kevin about, about fucking Auto-Tune Gate. I forgot. Oh yeah, because we spoke about it. But Jason, if you're not familiar, it was Kimmel, right? Kevin, Kevin and the band played on Kimmel, and then he was watching it on the plane that night or whatever, whenever it aired, and it was— they had auto-tuned his voice without out, out asking him.

They just gave you a little love. What percentage of zhuzhing do you think they did on your voice?

60%. 60 or 70%.

Like, okay, so a noticeable amount.

Noticeable to where it's like an aesthetic choice. Like, you know, like the Strokes have their new single and it's like the aesthetic choice. Julian Casablancas is an amazing singer, but he's like, I want to have autotune. That's the sound.

It's like one of the worst Strokes songs I've ever heard. So maybe they should try something else. Let him get it out of his system.

There's going to be other songs.

Yeah, exactly. He's just bored and trying to switch things up or something. But like, it was such a surreal experience because, you know, all this time and money and energy goes into those things. And, you know, we rehearsed the bin, you pay for this rental space, and then you like go and do it. It's a really cool experience and everyone there is wonderful. And like, I played that show before and I love it. And you do the thing and you, it's nerve, you know, it's nerve-wracking. You're like, oh, we killed it. We got it. You know, we did great. Great, and everyone who works there is wonderful.

And then, well, except Jimmy, but we'll get into that later. Go ahead.

Oh my God. Well, I watched it on the plane.

Okay.

I was flying home the next day when it aired, and I was like, oh my God, they've got live TV on the plane, and Kimmel's about to start. I get to watch myself on the screen.

But that's a pretty amazing twist experience.

You look around like the guy with the t-shirt, like, I voted for the criminal. It's me on the YouTube.

Every time I go to the doctor, I walk out of that bitch feeling dumb. I got no real info. This guy in a white coat just say, you're fine, you know, drink more water.

He knows how to charge my copay.

Exactly.

That's about it.

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There was a guy next to me that was like kind of old curmudgeon who was like playing a card game on his computer the whole time, and I was like just like kind of like turning up the brightness of my screen hoping he'd look over, you know what I mean? Like, hey man, I'm crazy, you caught me watching myself. But, um, but no, he never took notice.

Long hairs all look the same to me. I'm sorry, I didn't know.

He's like, bro, I've been playing solitaire for 8 hours, I don't even notice human beings.

I'm kind of in in the zone. So if you—

yeah, I've locked in.

Josh Groban's back on Kimmel.

Okay, so you watched it on the plane, and then how far into the performance did you start realizing that this was fucked?

Well, I'm watching on the shitty earphones that they give you, which are really bad, which are really bad sound quality. So I honestly did not notice. I'm just hearing like the white noise of the plane more than anything. But I'm like, man, we look good. I can tell the performance is good. And then like, then the texts start rolling in. Hey man, did you mean to autotune your voice? Like, is that a new thing? And I was like, what?

Digging the new direction.

Was this, was this from like friends? Was this from fellow musicians? Was this management? Like, who, who was, who was the first flag?

Friends and my publicist. So, um, then walking through the airport when we landed, watching on my phone, like no headphones, just watching on my phone. It's like 2 in the morning. Uh, we landed really late and 2 in the morning watching it. And I was like, oh my God. But to be honest with you, I was so tired from the trip and it was 2 in the morning and this flight, it had been delayed a bunch of times. And so I was like, what? I just have to get home. It's like a 40-minute drive to get home. When I got home, I literally just passed out. I was like, I just got into bed and went straight to sleep. And the morning I woke up to all these texts, you know, a lot of people saying like, good, good job on Kimmel. But a lot of people like, what's up with this autotune? Then I addressed it. And it was this one day that I had home before I was at Kimmel, and then I had to fly to go do this like crazy promo week in New York. So this one day off that then just turned into this long day of like having them fix this Auto-Tune thing that they did.

So how do you, how do you tell them to— how do you— who gets in touch with Jimmy Kimmel's people and says, hey, you illegally Auto-Tuned me, and I'm a nice guy, so I'm just going to let you fix— I'm going to let you fix it, you're going to walk away scot-free, but we need to have that conversation?

Look, Chris is getting in his manager bag right now. He's, he's getting the little tip.

I would have loved to I would have called Kimmel. I would have said, I'm coming down there right now. I'm going to fucking slash. I'm going to slash the Tesla tires. You don't get the shit fixed in an hour.

It was a thing. It was a thing that like, well, you know, first and foremost, like, you're so like, you're, you're, you're honored to be on these shows, right? And you're, you're happy that they like selected you. And so you don't want to like kick the hornet's nest or something. But at the same time, you're like, well, that's not what it would be like putting a face filter on somebody without—

well, I'm personally fine with that. But I know in your case, You also, you can like, you can sing, but it's like your thing. You know what I mean? You're not Adele. Like you're doing it a certain way that you want to do it.

Right, exactly. And it's, yeah, it's all my favorite singers couldn't sing. It's like, it would like be putting like a filter on, you know, yeah, like on like Conor Oberst or something. You know what I mean? It's like the character is what makes it great. But like, in his, I'm not saying that's what makes me great. I don't want to toot my own horn.

But like, it's what makes someone like, you know, uh, there's probably some, there's probably some moments where Conor wouldn't have minded a face filter, but he's looking great now. I saw him last night.

Oh, he's a beautiful man. He's a beautiful man.

Looks good.

He's crushing it. He's crushing it right now. Um, but like, you know, they just, that sort of thing, like, you know, it's, it's the rough around the edges. It's what makes us, us guys with our guitars. It's what makes the whole thing, uh, work.

Perfectly imperfect, bro.

Perfectly imperfect. So anyways, I told my publicist and he, he reached out to the booker who's this really great guy. And the booker was like, oh no, we wouldn't have done that. But then the booker asked the audio engineer and he was like, I did put it on there. I thought he would have wanted it because he's a little pitchy in a couple of places, which then you're like, dude, I almost took it as a compliment because I literally think maybe this guy looked up the producer, saw it's Aaron Dessner, saw that he works with, like, Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift and stuff. And maybe he was like, I took it as a compliment in a way of like, oh, this song is kind of like a pop song.

If you can't look, he said, if he can't have Gracie Abrams abs, we can at least give him the pitch.

If nothing else, we can give —like a guy on this level deserves to have production quality with the likes of the Ed Sheerans of the world.

Ed Sheeran kind of thing. And so, uh, I was like, okay. And so it became this thing where I was like, okay, well, we need to get this fixed. How quickly can they fix it? And then you're in this funny conversation because it's like, well, they have Duran Duran in there today, so they're not going to have time. And like, and then it's like, well, maybe in a week they can re-upload a thing. But as the hour hours slowly eked on, it became a thing of like, no, you know what? Like, they need to fix this as soon as possible. Like, thank you for having us on the show, but you can't do this to my voice. And like, this is my, this is my integrity. And we all sort of quickly came to that, you know, and I was talking to Emilia from Sylvanessa, who's on the track, who's, you know, did the show with us. And like, Jacob, my publicist, and like himself was like, no, yeah, we need to fix this like as soon as possible. And then it's a bummer thing because like the numbers will be different and it won't make it look whatever.

But you're like, well, okay, it kind of shoots you in the foot with those first boost numbers for your total engagement. But yeah, it's got to be done. It's got to be done as soon as possible because 2 weeks later. Yeah. And the world has moved on away from your Kimmel performance.

Exactly. Do we think this is like something they often do? Do we think they put the sauce on other and other people? I mean, certain people are probably fine with it. Certain people aren't. I would imagine.

They did say they're used to it with pop artists. So again, I think they just interpreted me for whatever reason.

That is a compliment, Kev. They saw your little—

y'all motherfuckers up there looking like the Muppets. Is that Zara Larsson up there? I better turn the squelch up to 11 then.

I think too, you know, and like, you know, Amelia is like, she's a pop star. Like, she's, you know, Sylvan F. So it's like a pop. I think he did, the audio engineer probably did a little bit of research and was like, oh, I think this is like a pop thing.

That's pretty cool. Because if I looked at the fucking ADL up there, I'd have been like, this ain't okay. I know what this is. And that ain't that. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

This is undoubtedly indie rock. This guy grew up listening. He loves Isaac Brock. And, you know, he's not trying to— He's not in an EDM duo.

Yeah, it's, it's such a crazy thing that did a lot of people reach out. I'm sure a lot of people, other artists got in touch with you, I'm sure, because I feel like maybe other— this has happened to other people.

Yeah, I think it was a good lesson to learn. And I also think it's a thing where like maybe worth taking my own like person there just to like, I don't know, clear the audio that they use or whatever. But and all of that, they were really accommodating with fixing it. It was just a mistake. And in the end, it's one of those things because I wrote about it and became a thing. I think it, you know, it had its reach of people understanding it wasn't like—

the guy that also was like, he was definitely definitely like his— he was not ill intent. It was like he was definitely not ill intent.

No. Yeah, but he— but it— but it's his fuck up because that's a big decision to make without consulting with you. Yeah, totally, totally.

That is a thing he should have ran by us for sure.

I'm just saying he wasn't— he wasn't trying to make it sound worse, I guess, is what I'm trying to say.

Totally, totally. He's like, I'm trying to say this guy can't sing, man. I gotta fuck him out.

It's like a doctor, like, you know, he put you under for a root canal. He's like, by the way, we took your balls out while you're under. You know, I didn't want pick you up.

Your nose is a little big, so we just trimmed it down a little bit.

It wouldn't be taking the balls out. It would be like, we put you under for the root canal, and we also gave you— we put like a gem. We put like a—

we bleached your asshole while we were giving you— while we took your tonsils out.

A yin yang tooth gem. Hope you don't mind. We gave you a yin yang symbol tooth gem.

Now, it's not permanent, but it's 18 months usually, and then it falls off. Exactly. We thought it looked quite cool.

So I don't know.

It's your decision.

I guess once you wake up.

So you're not into Yin and Yang?

I don't know. All right. This was— it was a big thing, though, I have to say, because I did watch it, but I don't know if I— I hate to say it. I don't know if I watched it before or after it was fixed. Do you know what I mean? I don't know. I definitely watched it.

A lot of people didn't know. A lot of people, like my parents, I explained to my parents. It's like, there's no way they could ever understand. A lot of people didn't know. But it's like, if you know, like, if you make records, you'll know, basically.

It's like feeding caviar to a pig just goes right above their head. They don't— they can't appreciate the nuance.

What I'm saying to you, Kevin, is I, I think I should be able to tell, and the reality is I can't, and I'm coming to terms with that myself. You know, that's the—

Chris is a numbers guy when it comes to music.

It was really on the word javelin. It'd be like, like, uh, it was like—

oh yeah, you went for a 12-octave run on a single word. Exactly.

Damn, Kevin's been practicing. I guess that Mariah Carey vocal coach really helped.

Minor 7th to the D 12th.

Okay, exactly, exactly. Go off, bro.

I don't I said D12. Sorry. That's okay.

They're a great group, Jason. Don't put them down. So are you okay? So you're going, but you're on the road now for a while. It's a classic, like, 3-monther. Yeah.

Well, when's the baby coming? When's the baby coming? In August.

So I'm kind of touring up until being a dad. So I'm just signing up for zero sleep. But in a way, it's good because, like, tour is just boot camp of not sleeping. And I think having a kid is going to be that as well. So that's what you've been telling yourself.

That's what you've been telling yourself.

Yeah. You know what the difference is, Kevin? Every night you walk out on that stage, people cheer for you. They're screaming. They're buying your merch. That's true. When you wake up in the middle of the night to take care of a baby, you get nothing. They hate you. That's true. You get feces. As a man, you can't do shit anyway.

Not dry.

You know, you can't do shit. At least I'll be home.

I mean, tour is so amazing. These shows have been going off. It's been great. Great. But every night you wake up in, you know, I remember this one time, like, like you just wake up in a coffin at 4 in the morning. The other day I banged my head. I thought I was in like a regular room and I like went to sit up and hit my head really hard.

And that's my— I fear I would do that every single night on the bus.

There's just these half-drank bottles of water around you.

I'm still traumatized from my one night on the bus with Katie.

You wake up, you thought your phone was plugged in, but it wasn't charging at all the whole night.

Exactly. There's, like, half-eaten granola bars, and it's just—

there's mustard on my leg.

Okay. There's times where I'm like, there's no way having a kid could be this exhausting, though I'm sure I'll eat those words.

It's just a different type of exhaustion.

Which singer-songwriter are we naming the baby after?

That's the question. Townes. Townes Morby. Townes.

No, not Townes. Not Townes. I was thinking about a little Townes the other night, but Fergie.

There's too many Townses out there, actually. Fergie if it's a girl. Fergie.

We got a name, but I can't say it on a hot mic.

No, of course I understand that. I understand that. We can bleep it. Yeah, we'll bleep it. Scout's honor. We'll bleep it. Bleep it.

All right, well then the child's name is Bleep.

Wow, you cracked the code. You beat the system, you son of a bitch.

I think Fergie Morby is a nice, has a, does have a nice ring to it.

Just sounds good. We don't, yeah, Fergie Morby is quite nice and we don't want to, I'm sure you and Katie had a nice pinky swear on we're not going to tell anyone the names kind of thing. And we want to respect that just to let you know.

We're going to name him Fat Boy Slim or Fat Boy, Fat Boy Slim Morby is good.

Well, Slim if it's a girl, Fat Boy.

Boy if it's a boy. Naturally.

This is Eve Six. This is Eve. He's named after Eve Six.

It's really funny. Ever and Clear. It's—

yeah, it's really funny to think about modern band names as just— give— yeah, Ever Clear. This is Ever Clear Morby.

He's— and Miss Siguros Morby III.

There's always those '90s, like, like one-hit wonders where you're like, that was the name. Like, I'm trying to even think, like— oh, oh, you know, this is Duncan Chic, named after Duncan Chic. Duncan Chic.

Duncan Chic, I think, is a government name too. I think that's his real name, which is a blessing, I would have to say. Overall, that's sick. I was, I was reading today about Local H, which I'm sure you remember, which was—

oh yeah, of course—

which is a, that is a distinctly '90s name, I think. Like, that's very distinct because I could, I could see it on like a work shirt patch, you know what I'm saying? Like, that's how I imagine it totally show— how I imagine it showing up.

The person doing front of house, uh, on this tour, uh, this woman Ollie, who's amazing, she's, she's in her 20s and and like we, we've all been referencing Dumb and Dumber constantly because we played in Aspen and we're all just obsessed with that movie. We're all, you know, at least 10 years older than her. And she said she'd never seen it. And so we watched it with her last night. And I only bring it up because the soundtrack is so good on that. And it's full of bands like that where you're like, who did this? Like who sang Mary Mo? You know what I mean?

Well, Seven, a little Seven Mary Three in the credits, something light, you know, something light for the heads. This happened to me actually with R.E.M. that these producers on a shoot, where they were like, who's Michael Stipe? And I was like, um, he's in a band called R.E.M.

And they're like, I don't— dude, it's mind-blowing when that happens.

I'm like vaguely familiar with that. And I was like, that's— I mean, I guess sure, but that seemed— it just seems so big to me. But I guess it is 10, 20 years old at this point.

I think what's tripping me out now is that like, like I remember when like Lindsay from Snail Mail like maybe didn't know who like some band was, like, like Breeders or something.

I don't want to get it wrong. Yeah, because you know call in. She'll call in. She'll call in.

She'll call in. Shout out to Lindsay. I just saw her. But like, it was a thing where like, like, I don't know, like, Lindsay didn't know who someone was or something who I was like, oh really? Like, I, I grew up with them. But now I feel like there's people like, I don't know, now there's kids starting bands who are like in their late teens who might not know who like Mac DeMarco is or something. You know what I'm saying?

Like, they definitely, definitely, definitely know.

I think just young people, they know a lot about certain music and then certain, you You know, like everyone, every kid knows Slowdive and, you know, these more obscure bands and they're more celebrated. And REM, they just like the younger generation hasn't really grasped onto them with the same love.

They need a TikTok, they need a TikTok thing to happen. That's the only way to really cross over.

Stand video. That's, that's the first TikTok dance. I would say.

It's crazy. Yeah. Some of these bands are like having this big moment because of TikTok. It's really, I think these, uh, you know, Renaissance moments and it's really interesting to watch. But it's mind-blowing when bands like Green Day is the perfect example, and also Strokes, they keep getting younger generations of fans where like some bands just become nostalgia acts. Like Blink-182, I went to see them at, uh, MSG and there wasn't like a person there who was under 30. But like, you know, some like Green Day, like there's a 15-year-old out there right now who's discovering Dookie and they're like, this is my favorite album. It's amazing.

Like, you know, you know what? I hate George Bush too. Fuck this. Exactly.

I was, I was in Montrose yesterday, which is a little suburban neighborhood in Glendale. It's like the very Anytown, USA kind of middle of America vibe. Yeah. And there was a group of, you know, maybe 12-year-old kids all on, you know, mountain bikes. And one of them was wearing a brand new Blink-182 t-shirt with like a modern logo on it, like just got it at a show this week. Oh, that's cool. It's crazy how some of them are like, you're a legacy act, and then and you, you just keep going. You just keep going.

I, it's really interesting. I have this whole theory where I'm like, like Billy Joe from Green Day. He reminds me a lot of Jeff Tweedy in a way, because I feel like those guys, they always, they're always doing something. They're always doing a side project or they're always, they just keep going and they keep like releasing like good stuff and they, and, and going to do this tour, going to produce this guy's album, going to do this cruise. And I think it comes from the fact they really are just like obsessed with music. Like, always hear that like Billy Joe's in town in LA with his cover band doing like 3 nights at the Troubadour. And you're like, man, that guy had sold out stadiums and he's choosing to do that. I think, you know, similar thing with Jeff, you know, where Jeff, you know, he can play these big theaters, but also he'll go into clubs and do solo shows. And it's a cool thing. Cool thing to see.

Yeah. But are you, are you jealous when Billy Joe, Billy Joe from Green Day plays a 67,000-person stadium and then, you know, goes straight to the bar to do covers with his Brandon, like, when, when you're watching the band at Pappy's, are you thinking like, I should be up there too, like Billy? Or are you happy with where you're at?

I'm, I'm happy with where I'm at, but you know, you always, you always want more. You always want— whatever you're at becomes like your new zero, and then you say, oh man, you know, if only I could ever play to like 200 people. And you play 200 people, and there's 500 people, there's 1,000. Then you're like, oh, if only it was like 3,000 every show, you know?

But what if, what if you hit the— if only I could sleep tonight. Yeah. You know what I mean? That, that comes for you eventually, right?

That comes for you eventually. There's that great scene in The Wire where I always forget the character's name, but he's the guy who's like always working on like the little like sailboats and he's, he says to McNulty like, it's not about the case at the end of the day. At the end of the day, you got to go home and have a life. You know, there's always going to be another case and the case can't be your whole life. And it's the same way with music. You know, I make a comfortable living, living my dream, and I built this thing and it's, and it's so wonderful and I've been doing it for so long. But there's times where you really have you have to zoom out and be like, hey, man, it's great out here. I'm doing great. And I can't believe I'm still doing it. I've been doing these VIP packages, which is— I was worried about them going into it because I was like, okay, Chris Brown, I can't wait to see the pictures.

What? Chris, your connection is kind of bad. He said, okay, Chris Brown, because he's known for his fan meet and greet experiences, charging several thousands of dollars to sit on a big girl's lap.

Oh, wow. Several thousand dollars. And then maybe a thick woman would sit in his lap.

Is there a photo of you of a woman wearing some big bud press overalls and you're sitting on her lap?

No, but a bunch of kids drove up from Mexico to the show in San Diego last night who were cool as hell. And one of them had this like sort of Bodhi style, like embroidered shirt that his like girlfriend had made him that was all my lyrics. It was sick. Wow. Commitment. These things, these meet and greets, again, back to the Rock Ignition not being overwhelming. It's not, it's not too overwhelming or taxing. And it's, it's like I was worried that it would sort of be exhausting, an exhausting thing to do before then having to play the show, but it's actually really rejuvenating and meeting these people and they come in and you just hear their stories and like why they like your music. And some of it's really casual, but some people are like, man, I got diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and they got me through my chemotherapy. And like you hear stuff like that and it's really just like, oh man, I'm really lucky to be doing this and that my work is connecting with people.

They should pay extra for that. If you're going to get emotional on me, I got to charge a little extra. That's, that's a little, that's a guy I got to hit you for extra $150 if you're getting emotional.

No, that helps because sometimes you need help with a little gas in the tank to get up on stage, and all those stories will gas you up, right?

You need a little gas in the tank. And like, it's, you know, this record's been— all my records, you know, uh, generally, you know, reviewed very well. And like, you, you see some reviews. I will say this is the first one in a while where there's the amount of reviews I've stopped reading them, because I'll read some of the reviews and they've all been really, um, really great.

Kevin, you can't read the reviews.

You can't read the reviews. Yeah, everyone says that, but everyone kind of does.

Everyone kind of does. Sure. But you, you were— you know what I mean? But you— so Pitchfork gave you a favorable review, but you didn't get the— you didn't get the, um—

I didn't get the crown.

You didn't get the Best New Music. That was an issue for you.

You didn't get the BM, the Best Music. What, what number did you get though? Uh, I don't know.

It seems like Chris knows. Chris, why don't you enlighten us? I don't know.

You told me about it. Uh, so I don't know. 8-something? 8-0. 8-0.

It seemed like I was, I was primed to get the Best New Music, but then it didn't didn't happen. But, but, um, you know, man, zero, 8-0. It was a great review. The guy, the guy was— the guy was a great writer. It was a great review.

Yeah, I mean, that's, that's getting an 8 on Pitchfork in 2026. That is something to celebrate. That's not something that you see too often unless it's just you and Drake, basically.

I feel like they also don't give that to like guitar music because they want to give it to like some freaky EDM bullshit or something that like I don't understand, you know what I mean?

They did the profile and then they like had my like pictures, the lead review, and I was like, I think they might best music. But, you know, they're tricky. They're like coyotes, man. They're tricksters. You never know. You never know. Like, literally going into it, it's like, okay, they gave me the profile. They might give me like a 6, you know what I mean? And like, you have to be prepared for that.

And it is, it is crazy to get the full profile with photoshoot in hometown, then hit you with the 5.5. That does feel a little, that does feel a little, that's happening, motherfuckers.

But it is coyote-like.

That website in particular, I've been all over the spectrum with it, but it's like, but I guess just what I'm seeing I'm saying is you see reviews and they've been really favorable for this, this album, like overwhelmingly so, honestly. And like, it's been really, really wonderful. But still reading stuff that's good about you is like eating processed sugar where it's not, that's not healthy either. And like reading bad stuff about yourself is certainly not healthy. But then when you meet fans and you see like, that's the real review when you, you know, a human being is coming to you and—

Speak for yourself, bro. Our fans hate us. They like your ass. They, you're, you're giving, they, they hate us. They would run us over with their Rivians if They could.

So the good review, that's a false sense of awesomeness. And then meeting the people in person, that is a real sense that you are an awesome person. And we do have fans, Chris, some of them.

Yeah, you guys' fans just have a different way of showing it. It's like flirting. They think you guys like the jab.

They neg us. It's like first graders on the playground. They punch us to show their love.

And I'm not even saying that I got to meet the fans to feel the love, but just the people being at the shows and seeing that they're singing the songs, it's such an amazing—

Well, no, it seems like— I mean, it seems like it's got— I mean, the record's really good and it seems like people are saying it's the, you know, maybe the best Morby they've heard, is what I'm—

your Moon and Antarctica people are saying.

Exactly, exactly. That's what the streets are saying. But I mean, can you feel a difference at the show? Like, do people know the songs already and shit? And it's pretty early on.

Yeah, yeah, it feels a little bit like a level up, which is really, which is really exciting. What's the—

okay, what Kansas City-wise, what is the— do you think this has put you in a different power ranking? Like, is it, is it you, Caleb, Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes? Like, what's the ranking of—

once you hit, once you got an 8 on Pitchfork, where do you move up on the, on the KC rank?

That has to bump you up above Sudeikis.

No, Sudeikis— well, I think, I think probably Rud, Rud and Sudeikis run that town. Oh, I forgot we got Rud.

Rud's tough. You're not, you're not— you ain't touching—

yeah, I'm not getting close to Rud, but those guys are great and I've hung with them And then, but yeah, then the select, you know, well, actually, I mean, Rudd is like grandfathered into running that town, but like Mahomes, Mahomes could blow up the town and no one would get fucking pissed at that guy. He'd be like, I'm going to set a bomb off and blow up everyone. And they'd be like, thank you, Patrick. You know what? You guys will love this. Recently, I was driving down Ward Parkway in Kansas City and I see this like kind of nice car. It wasn't the nicest car, but it was like this kind of nice convertible, and it said Mahomes with a Z. And I was like, no fucking way, is that Patrick? And I speed up to get next to him, and it was his brother. It was Jackson. And I was like, dude, this motherfucker.

The one who's problematic.

The problematic brother is trying to— The problematic brother with the vanity plate that says Mahomes.

Do you think he pulls from that plate? Gets a little runoff from that license plate?

Probably. He definitely gets some runoff. He's probably caused a few accidents, if anything. I say it's me, me and Katie, and then Caleb. Caleb's pretty fucking famous, man. Yeah, he is pretty famous now.

He is. So you— all right, but I feel like you and Katie— I mean, it depends on if we're going as a package or we're separating on the power rankings, because if we go in as a package, obviously that's bumping you up above a couple mid-level Chiefs players.

Yeah, mid-level Chiefs players.

Sure, we're going in solo, things can get weird, you know what I mean? It could get— things can get weird.

I don't want to do that, but you know, I There's some Chiefs players that are, you know, I like, I don't know, like there's some, there's some, you know, nameless Chiefs players and yeah, you know, like there's some baseball players, no one knows who the hell they are, period.

You know what I mean? But when you're in Kansas City, look, when, you know, if I'm driving around with you and the Ranger in Kansas City and we stopped to get a coffee, the, you know, the they/them barista is going to know you and you got to tip 100%.

There's like a, there's a meme account, there's a Kansas City meme account and there's one that says, oh baby, there's one that said, there's like a picture of just like a nondescript like white guy with face facial hair like myself. And it said like, like, like average Joe uses the name Kevin Morby on his Resy account to get free drinks at the bar while he waits. And so like, that's kind of the vibe in Kansas City, you know what I mean?

Okay, so they like you, but they're willing to poke fun at you as well. It's not—

yeah, like, that's fine. That meme probably went like Kansas City viral, which is like maybe 400 likes or something like that. You know, Kansas City. For this, for this, for this, uh, for this account, that's, that's big numbers, man.

That's a good name for a song.

I don't know, how'd it go? Well, it was Kansas City Viral. Didn't go crazy, you know what I mean?

It was me and Katie always said, you know, I'll be like, I'm like a Kansas City 6, you know what I mean? Or no, sorry, Kansas City 10, but like a—

your words, not ours, brother. Yeah, the time split between LA, Kansas City feels like a real whiplash, but I feel like you like that. That feels, that feels too different to me.

Hey man, it brings it back to the yin-yang, dude.

Brings it back. It does bring it back to the—

yeah, that is the yang. Back to that tooth, how long— what's— which city, LA or KC is the longer ride home from the airport.

Dude, they're the same, which is like, it shouldn't be that way. Kansas City shouldn't be as far away from the airport as it is.

It's 4 miles, one of them is 40 miles, takes the same amount of time.

I didn't realize it was that far.

Wow, dude, it's too fucking far. And Howard Hughes built that, the original airport out there in the '60s, and I think they thought it'd be a bigger town than it ended up being.

Oh, I see. So it was wishful thinking. Yeah, they gave it too much room to breathe, let's say. It's a little like downtown LA, right?

Yeah, exactly. Yeah, but then they were like, uh, oh, Turns out culture and fun times didn't really take off in this town.

Culture and fun times. I'm going to come back.

I found it pretty charming, but we had good weather and shit. But I was only there for a day. Kansas City's great.

My whole thing with— it's funny because Caleb's from Chillicothe, Missouri, a small town in Missouri. And then Katie's from—

I'm sorry, what did you say? That sounded racist.

What did you say? Cold brew coffee. He's from Cold Brew Coffee, Missouri.

And Katie's from Birmingham, Alabama. And those two, I'm always talking shit on Kansas City, and those two are always like, Kansas City's the best. I'm like, you're not from there, motherfucker. It's different. You want to go back to Chillicothe and you want to go back to Birmingham?

Cool Water probably is pretty good.

We see your point. It sucks. And I'm like, dude, your hometown is like your brother. It's like, I can talk as much shit on my brother. No one else can talk shit on my brother, but I can talk shit on my brother. It's true. And all the things that make it hateable is exactly what I love about it as well.

My wife hates it when I call it Anacrim instead of Anahim. She's like, yo, chill, that shit out of your mouth, dude.

I call it Kansas shitty Missouri, man. Kansas City, Missouri.

Wow, I've never heard that. That's good. I prefer Nashville. What is it, Tennessee? As a— that's a cocaine reference, Kevin. Sorry, I don't mean to.

Oh, that's fine.

I believe that's a 3— is that Three 6 Mafia, Jason?

I think it may be from the Gotta Stay Fly song by Three 6 Mafia.

Well, Kevin's also— Kevin's an honorary Memphis, you know, he loves Memphis, so I thought bring it back.

Project Kev. Project Kev.

What else? What else are we going to talk about? Project Kev.

Okay, well, now that you're a Los Angelino part-time, of course, let's get into the mayoral race.

Are you, you putting your— are you voting for Pratt or what, bro? I'm voting for Jessica Pratt. She's unfortunately not running this year from what I can tell. It's, it's only Spencer Pratt.

I don't talk politics outside of of indie rock. Yeah, okay, you don't—

okay, smart move. We know where your loyalties fall. You live in fucking so far east, we already know what you're doing.

Yeah, yeah, I'm in El Sereno. You guys know, you guys know what I'm doing. You guys, like, someone goes to Mondani's account and they see all my likes, you know, Kevin Wormby likes Mondani's post, you know.

That's a good way to throw them off the scent. I gotta start liking more Mondani posts so people will leave me alone. That's a good idea. Yeah, who liked this done-to-death project? She's like, oh, Chris is down with that.

I actually heard that Chris supports him. I saw a like the other day.

I would have supported him if he came on the— if he wouldn't have canceled to come on the show, I would have supported him. But he chose his behavior.

Chris liking 3 Mom Donnie posts is his version of doing the work.

Yeah. If I like 3 Mom Donnie posts, I might as well have canvassed Bed-Stuy. That's the same. That's like a full-time— that's a full-time fucking job with how powerful you are.

That's true. Thank you, Kevin.

Thank you for giving me that show of support. Yeah. All right, Kevin. We love you, bro. We appreciate it. Memorial Day. Love you guys too. I'm glad we did this. I'm glad I made it work. Thank you for being so flexible.

We needed a little bro time on the road in AZ, right?

It's really nice. It's supposed to take vocal rest and this is the opposite of that, but that's okay. It's, it's now 2:00 PM. I'm gonna go eat a very late lunch. It's 100 degrees here. I think we'll go for a run later.

Like as the sun sets. Yeah. Nice sunset run after a burrito. Sounds great. Smart move. Yeah.

Yeah. What's, what's your pre-sun run meal gonna be?

I think I'll just get some, I think I'll just get some tacos. Yeah. Also, speaking about looking stuff, I mean, I'm looking, I'm looking double chin right now, but, uh, I, I just, by Trackstar, I saw one of the comments. One of these comments is iconic. It said like, uh, this guy looks Italian by all means, like, uh, features in his face and his hair and even the outfit. He's also got a little extra pasta chub to his face.

Damn, bro, that's ruthless out here.

I like that somebody took time out of their Memorial Day Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. To let you know that they think your face is a little fat, probably because you eat so much pasta.

Comments are incredible. I like, you know, I will say being on tour, you end up looking at your phone a lot, so you, you, you see the strays. But at this point, and I genuinely mean this, the comments don't bother me. I think they're hilarious. I think, I think like, so that's funny. That, that, like, I think that's really—

that is funny.

Laughing all the way to the bank.

My favorite thing in the world is when I get like DMs or like a comment of just someone being like, it's very sweet and it's very genuine when someone's like, hey man, I see you have like an off day here. Like crazy, crazy. I'm just going to throw this out there, but like me and my friends would love to have you over. Do you want to like play some songs in our living room? I think shit like that's so endearing. And I'm like, never ever would I do that. But I love the ask, man. I respect the ask.

Okay. What about when you get the ask of, hey, I'm a local up and coming photographer. And if you need some pics at your sold out concert tonight, I would love to take some photos for you for free in exchange for backstage passes.

Jason, don't reveal my DM that I sent Kevin. Don't reveal the DM I sent Kevin.

Is it endearing when they try that little trick? Yeah. Get on the festival?

I think all of the hustle, I respect the hustle and I respect, you know, like, hey, I see you have a day off in Houston. We live a few hours away in Dallas. We know an awesome cafe. You could be the headliner. I can't guarantee any money, but it would be really sick. Like, if you came and like, I think our projects would really go well and I could promise you, I can guarantee you a good crowd. I love shit like that. I respect it.

I can guarantee you a good crowd is like, yeah, that's as good as money for me at this stage.

You respond with the two middle finger emojis and you say, wow, I love that spirit. Young hustler attitude.

I don't respond, but I just, I guess now I just talk about how I'm gone. That's, that's all we do too.

Yeah. If you live in Dallas, don't be, don't be sad if we leave you on read.

Don't be sad. Fort Worth's only 45. If you got any cafes there, we could think about it. Um, all right, Kevin, enjoy, enjoy your time in Phoenix.

Enjoy the tacos. Congrats on the great new album and all the success, brother.

Love, love the album, Kevin. No joke. And we'll see you, we'll see you on the road for sure.

Thank you guys so much. Mama, I got dreams and I do anything for you to watch me dance, listen to me sing.

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