Podcasts about wmp

Kia ora,Welcome to Wednesday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand.I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz.And today we lead with news we are still waiting for indications of the China-US trade talks in London.Meanwhile, the World Bank said global trade expansion is now at its weakest since 2008 as the tariff tit-for-tat undermines it. They say without a swift course correction, "the harm to living standards could be deep". But they still see a global expansion of +2.3%, largely driven by China, Indonesia, Thailand and India. The retreat of growth in the US will be sharp they say halving in 2025 (+1.4%) from 2024 (+2.8%). The EU will be largely unaffected and maintain their low growth. Japan's low growth is expected to rise in the next three years. They don't review Australia or New Zealand.Elsewhere, the overnight dairy Pulse auction brought downbeat results. The key WMP price fell -1.1% in a retreat expected by the derivatives market. But even at this level it remains in the rising trend that started in mid-2024. However, the SMP price fell a hard -4.8% and much more than expected. In fact, SMP prices have now broken through their weak rising trend, and look quite vulnerable.Also showing signs of running out of steam were US retail sales growth as measured by their Redbook survey. They were up +4.6% from the same week a year ago, the weakest rise since March 2024. After inflation, this isn't any better.The the US NFIB small business optimism survey turned up in May, the first time it has done that in 2025.There was a US Treasury 3 year bond auction earlier today and that showed a small fall-off in support, something worth watching. The winning investors got a median yield of 3.92%, up from the 3.77% at the prior equivalent event a month ago.Across the Pacific, Japanese machine tool orders came in at a similar level in May as April, but that is only a +3.4% gain from the same month a year ago. It was kept positive by export orders, although domestic orders, which had been strong earlier in the year, are now cooling.In China, concerns persist about overproduction in their car manufacturing sector even though local new-vehicle sales overall, including exports, rose almost +10% in April. Those concerns are rippling through commodities that supply this juggernaut industry. Rubber prices, for example, are being hit hard as buyers lose confidence the China car industry can avoid a crash like the property sector. There are signs the government there is worried too, with Beijing telling carmakers to make sensible commercial decisions.In Australia, the Westpac-Melbourne Institute consumer sentiment survey wasn't particularly upbeat, coming in little-changed in June from May. But at least it isn't going backwards. Aussie consumers remain relatively averse to real estate as an investment option and to risk in general. Indeed, responses to a question on the ‘wisest place for savings' suggest that the tariff-related turmoil this year has seen what was already a high level of risk aversion intensify even further.And staying in Australia, the closely-watched NAB business sentiment survey has improved marginally in May, recording its first positive reading in four months. But, business conditions weakened in this survey and it will be hard for sentiment to improve if business conditions get weaker. Those weaker conditions came from ongoing profitability pressures and soft demand, with signs of a further softening in labour demand.The UST 10yr yield is now at 4.47%, and down -2 bps from this time yesterday.The price of gold will start today at US$3,323/oz, and down -US$10 from yesterday.American oil prices are little-changed at just on US$65/bbl while the international Brent price is now just on US$67/bbl.The Kiwi dollar is now at 60.4 USc, and dipping -10 bps from yesterday at this time. Against the Aussie we are also down -10 bps at 92.7 AUc. Against the euro we are down -10 bps at 52.9 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today at under 68.4 and down a bit less than -10 bps from yesterday.The bitcoin price starts today at US$108,723 and up +0.4% from yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has been low at just on +/-0.9%.You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz.Kia ora. I'm David Chaston. And we will do this again tomorrow.

Jarden’s Head of Commodities comments on the first GDT auction of the new season - “The positive momentum that we saw coming into the season, right up until the penultimate event, now looks to be lost with the overall event falling 1.6% and several of the key individual products coming under pressure. WMP -3.7%, SMP -1.1%, AMF 1.4%, Butter 0%, BMP -6.1% and Cheese -4.2%.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kia ora,Welcome to Wednesday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand.I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz.And today we lead with news a relief rally is underway on Wall Street, responding to the delays in tariffs by the US on EU goods.But first, an update of the overnight dairy Pulse auction where prices for both SMP and WMP slipped although less than the futures market had suggested. The WMP was down -2.7% in USD from the prior week's full event, and a bit more in NZD. To be fair both prices had risen sharply since April but this pullback still leaves it in a rising trend despite today's adjustment.Data releases resumed in the US after their weekend holiday with durable goods orders pulling back in April after the unusually strong March gains. The pullback was largely in line with what was expected however, -6.3% lower than the prior month but up +2.7% from a year ago. Perhaps worryingly, excluding aircraft orders, nomn-defence capital goods barely budged in April, a sign that boardrooms remain skittish about future investment.That was matched by the Dallas Fed's May factory survey where activity was reported flat with a decline in new orders.But consumers seem happier, according to the Conference Board's May survey of consumer sentiment. But it was a survey taken before the latest US threats on the EU, so there is a sense of 'relief rally' here after the China tariff pullback. However, despite the month-on-month gain, this indicator is still tracking lower on the longer term, still lower than year-ago levels.Sentiment will be challenged again soon. There were a couple of housing indicators out overnight, and both recorded falls in American house prices. The FHA one was spun as an improvement, but it wasn't. The S&P/Case-Shiller one was a gain but a tiny one and the least since mid-2023.The bond market isn't feeling any better. The latest US Treasury 2 year auction, although as well supported as usual, brought a median yield of 3.90%, up from 3.74% at the prior equivalent event a month ago.And we can note that pricing for Trump Media shares, a marketplace that basically attracts investors who are supporters, is doing terribly. TMTG is down -11% today, down -33% so far this year, down more than -50% from a year ago. To rescue itself, it says it wants to raise US$2.5 bln to shift into crypto investing. It is an idea not going down well with shareholders.Across the border, core Canadian business activity is struggling a bit too. April wholesale trade was down -0.9% from March. That is kind of a lot for a one-month impact, one that records the initial tariff-war skirmishes.Across the Pacific in China, profits at industrial firms rose +1.4% in the first four months of 2025 compared to the same four months in 2024, picking up from +0.8% growth in the January–March period. For April alone, that was a rise of +5.2% from April 2024. Having noted that, April 2024 was a weak base. Still, given the trade challenges, and that China's factories are still very export oriented and vulnerable to trade war risks, this has to be seen as a good result in the circumstances.And we should start to keep an eye on China's carmakers. It is attracting increasing scrutiny because the economic fundamentals seem to be leaking away and quite fast. It could be another 'property development' industry failure, and could have just as large consequences if it wobbles too. They have no problem making cars, and good ones. But not only are they making more than the world needs, there are serious questions as to whether they can sell them for more than they cost to make.We should probably note that South Korean consumer sentiment jumped in May, rising back to levels that were common in November 2024 and prior. The ugly confusion period when its president went full-Trump and tried a palace coup (which resulted in impeachment, one that was upheld by the courts) is now behind it and Koreans are breathing easier. The rule of law won against a power grab. South Koreans will vote in a snap presidential election on Tuesday, June 3.And still in South Korea, they should join the CPTPP and diversify its trade as part of the bloc in the face of US uncertainties, a senior trade ex-minister is saying. (New Zealand runs a huge trade deficit with Korea.)In the EU, consumer and business sentiment basically held steady in May, according to the latest update. The trade wars are not yet unnerving the Europeans.The UST 10yr yield is now at 4.44%, and down -6 bps from yesterday.The price of gold will start today at US$3,302/oz, and down -US$38 from yesterday.Oil prices are down -US$1 at just over US$60.50/bbl in the US and the international Brent price is still just under US$64/bbl.The Kiwi dollar is down at 59.5 USc, a -½c retreat from yesterday at this time as commodity currencies are out of favour today. Against the Aussie we are down -20 bps at just on 92.3 AUc. Against the euro we are holding at 52.5 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today still just over 67.6 and down -30 bps from yesterday.The bitcoin price starts today at US$110,309 and up another +1.2% from yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has been modest at just on +/-1.2%.Check back with us at 2pm for the RBNZ's May Monetary Policy Statement and OCR review. As you will knwo by now, 'everyone' expects a -25 bps cut. But the outlook from there is reasonably clouded, so Governor Hawkesby's analysis at 3pm is keenly awaited. We will have full coverage.You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz.Kia ora. I'm David Chaston. And we will do this again tomorrow.

Kia ora,Welcome to Wednesday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand.I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz.And today we lead with news both superpowers are dicing with unsustainable budget deficits that are posed to explode. The Moody's downgrade was just a teaser. The bond market will make the real judgment.But first today, the overnight dairy auction brought the expected settling of prices, even though they remain high. They dipped overall by -0.85% on the low volumes offered but with the backdrop that the European season is currently at its peak. WMP and SMP both dipped minorly and as signaled in the derivatives market. The Cheese price sank -9.2% however but it had probably gotten excessively high in prior events, so an unsurprising correction. Chinese buying presence was a feature of this event.US retail salesrose +5.4% last week from the same week a year ago, but this is clouded by the unknown impact of their new tariff-taxes. It is their slowest rise since late March and the impact of the tariff taxes will be starting to show up now. So it could well be that retail sales volumes are starting to decline now as a consequence.On Wall Street, there is growing nervousness about how the Federal Government's budget is being planned. If it goes through as the Administration is proposing, the US deficit to balloon sharply. And the bond market will have something sharp to say about that.In Canada, their inflation rate fell to 1.7% in April, but there was a special on-off factor that helped it. It dropped from 2.3% in March not quite hitting the expected 1.6% May level. A large part was a drop in energy prices not only because the oil price is easing but they also removed the consumer carbon tax. Food prices prices were up +3.8% however, especially the cost of fresh food.China has cut its key lending rates to record lows at yesterday's May fixing. The one-year loan prime rate, the benchmark for most corporate and household loans, was lowered by 10 basis points to 3.0%, while the five-year LPR, which is the basis for mortgage rates, was cut by the same margin to 3.5%. These changes were what markets were expecting and the first reductions since October. It is another in the string of monetary easing measures announced earlier this month.That official move was immediately followed by the four largest Chinese state-owned banks who cut deposit rates by between -5 bps and -25 bps. Those four core SOE banks are Bank of China, China Construction Bank, ICBC, (all of whom have New Zealand subsidiaries) and the Agricultural Bank of China. Other banks followed. Money is flowing out of savings accounts now, back to higher earning "wealth products', a move that in the past has been fraught with risk.The US isn't the only superpower flirting with deficit spending danger. China is too, as its fiscal stimulus pushed its four-month budget deficit to a record high of -¥2.65 tln in 2025 (-NZ$620 bln). And there is no public pushback on the wisdom of that.Malaysian exports took off in April with a strong +16.4% rise from the same month a year ago. If we look past the pandemic recovery growth, it was near their best export performance since 2018. But also came as imports surged +20% to a new all-time record high.In Europe, it might have been marginal but it is worth noting all the same - consumer sentiment got less bad in May. This seems to have broken the 2025 run of declines in these survey results, a decline that really started in late 2024.In Australia, they cut their cash rate target by -25 bps as expected to 3.85% which they say is still at a restrictive level, just less so. Inflation and trade uncertainties are still on their mind - and the risks to their continuing expansion were more so that markets were anticipating. Governor Bullock's press conference comments were more dovish than the rate change statement, and more dovish that many were expecting. The RBA also trimmed its growth forecasts. Markets now expect at least two more -25 bps rate cuts to come through in 2025. Yesterday's Bullock comments opens up the possibility of more.The UST 10yr yield is at 4.48%, up a mere +1 bp from this time yesterday.The price of gold will start today at US$3285/oz, and up +US$58 from yesterday.Oil prices are a tad softer today at just over US$62/bbl in the US but the international Brent price is +50 USc firmer at US$65.50/bbl.The Kiwi dollar is now at 59.2 USc, up +30 bps from yesterday at this time. Against the Aussie we are up +40 bps at 92.2 AUc. Against the euro we are down -20 bps at 52.5 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today still just over 67.5 and essentially unchanged from yesterday.The bitcoin price starts today at US$106,320 and up +0.9% from yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has been modest however at just under +/-1.2%.You can find links to the articles mentioned today in our show notes.You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz.Kia ora. I'm David Chaston. And we will do this again tomorrow.

Kia ora,Welcome to Wednesday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand.I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz.And today we lead with news the relief rally following the US-China trade de-escalation continues, for equities at least. But worries continue about recession and inflation. Investors want higher risk premiums. And it seems China is in no hurry to resume buying from US sources.But first up today, the overnight dairy Pulse auction delivered similar but slightly lower results for both SMP and WMP that were achieved at last week's full auction, basically confirming the recent shifts, especially the up-shift for WMP.The April US CPI inflation rate came in at 2.3%, a touch lower than the 2.4% expected and which applied for March. That was largely due to fuel costs falling more sharply (-11.8%). The costs of food (+2.8%), rents (+4.0%) and transport (+2.5%) were all higher.Last week's Redbook tracking of US retail sales recorded a +5.8% rise from the same week a year ago. We will likely see this fade as the tariff-induced buying eases off now.The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index dropped in April to its lowest level since October 2024. But the retreat wasn't quite as much as was expected.US household debt data updates were a mixed bag. Total household debt rose +$167 bln from the prior quarter to a record high of $18.2 tln in Q1-2025. Delinquency rates rose from the previous quarter, with 4.3% of outstanding debt now in some stage of delinquency.US importers of Chinese goods still face much higher costs. The net position after the tempest and pullback is 'worse' for inflation, and negative for trade. Struggle is all ahead for global trade.In India, CPI inflation fell to 3.2% in April, and that is its lowest rate since before the pandemic. Food prices were up only +1.8% within that. The current overall inflation rate is now well below their central bank's 4% mid-point target. If it stays there, a rate cut in India may be on the cards.In Germany, there was a sharp bounce-back in the ZEW sentiment survey tracking in May, putting the unusual drop in April behind it. The survey indicates growing optimism for the next six months, driven by the formation of a new federal government there, progress in resolving tariff disputes, and signs of stabilising inflation. Nearly all sectors reported improved sentiment in May.In Australia, updated data seems to indicate that Kiwis are losing the desire to visit there. That said there were 104,600 visits by Kiwis in March, -9.3% fewer than in March 2024 and almost -10% fewer than in March 2018 (a pre-pandemic equivalent). For the year to March 2025, we made 1.367 mln visits to Australia, little different (+1.4%) to the same year in 2024. It is a similar story for Aussies visiting New Zealand. In March 2025 it was -1.7% less than the same month a year earlier.Consumer sentiment in Australia has stayed weak in March, according to a widely-watched Westpac-MM survey.We should probably note that good weather and favourable growing conditions in almost all regions has boosted wheat production - and is pushing down prices. They are now back to levels they first achieved ten years ago and are almost -60% lower than their peak in 2022. For similar reasons, corn prices are falling now too.The UST 10yr yield is at 4.50%, up +4 bps so far today.There rate may go higher. A Reuters poll of bond investors shows them increasingly concerned about both a global recession, and rising inflation. That is, stagflation.The price of gold will start today at US$3243/oz, and up +US$20 from yesterday.Oil prices are up +US$1.50 today at just over US$63.50/bbl in the US and the international Brent price is just over US$66.50/bbl.The Kiwi dollar is now at 59.4 USc, up +90 bps from yesterday at this time. Against the Aussie we are down -50 bps at 91.7 AUc. Against the euro we are up +30 bps at 53.1 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today just under 67.9 and up a net +50 bps from this time yesterday.The bitcoin price starts today at US$104,161 and back up +2.7% from yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has remained modest at just on +/- 1.7%.You can find links to the articles mentioned today in our show notes.You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz.Kia ora. I'm David Chaston. And we will do this again tomorrow.

Fonterra's new Managing Director of Co-operative Affairs reviews another outstanding GDT Auction overnight (up 4.6%, WMP + 6.2%) as the 24/25 season draws to a close.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kia ora,Welcome to Wednesday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand.I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz.And today we lead with news we are in for a day of significant announcements, but locally and internationally.But first up today, the overnight full dairy auction brought higher prices, up +4.6% in USD terms and up +3.0% in NZD terms. Of note, the butter price hit a new all-time record high of US$74992/tonne. Also, cheddar cheese rose a very sharp +12.0% from the prior full event, and the dominant WMP price was up a heady +6.2%. This has been a very positive outcome, even if it was on relatively low off-season volumes.There seemed to be two big background drivers. First, EU production is slipping and today's NZ auction prices seem to be equalising with European pricing. And secondly, there was a substantial increase in demand from Southeast Asian buyers, shifting from EU supply. Today's result will bring upside to the payout - if it is maintaintained in future events.Elsewhere, there was a good rise in US retail sales last week, up +6.9% from the same week a year ago in the Redbook survey. But as we have noted previously, it is now hard to separate the inflationary effect of the tariff taxes from volume gains. It is about now that the tariff-tax impact will start happening. All eyes are on Apple, because they won't be able to avoid price hikes much longer now.Retaliatory tariff taxes also juiced up US exports in both goods and services in March but it was minor and similar to February. US imports however shot up to a new all-time record high. So the American trade deficit also hit a new record exceeding -$140 bln for the monthNone of this is helping sentiment. The latest survey, this one the RealClearMarkets/TIPP Economic Optimism Index retreated in May from April when a gain was anticipated. It was at its lowest in seven months.Meanwhile, the US logistics managers index returned to more usual levels, but allowing it to do that were rises in inventory and freight costs, rather than the efficiency components.There was a well-supported US Treasury 10 year bond auction earlier today, and that delivered a median yield of 4.28% which was down -6 bps from the prior equivalent event a month ago.Tomorrow will be dominated by the US Fed's meeting outcome. Changed interest rates are unlikely, but there will be intense interest in how they view the present and future economic landscape.In Canada, the widely-watched local Ivey PMI turned into contraction in April.In China, the Caixin Services PMI expansion eased back in April, down from March's three-month high to be below analyst forecasts. This is now the softest expansion in their services sector in seven months. But this Caixin version reported a slightly faster expansion than the official version.There is a lot going on today, and amongst that we are expecting a significant Chinese briefing by their central bank and other regulators about new moves to respond to their economic pressures triggered by the tariff war.In Europe, their April services PMI didn't fall into contraction as expected. Rather it stayed just on the positive side. But it is an anemic expansion all the same.In Australia, household spending slipped in March from February, to be +3.5% higher than March 2024. Of special note was the very sharp -1.3% dive in Queensland.There was an even sharper retreat in building consents in Australia in March with a big -15% dive in consents for building apartments.The UST 10yr yield is now at 4.31%, down -3 bps from this time yesterday.The price of gold will start today at US$3414/oz, and up +US$101 from yesterday, and heading back towards its April 23 record high.Oil prices are firmer today, up +US$2 at just on US$59/bbl in the US and the international Brent price is now just under US$62.50/bbl.The Kiwi dollar is now at 60 USc, up +40 bps from yesterday at this time. Against the Aussie we are up +0 bps at 92½ AUc. Against the euro we are up +50 bps at 52.8 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today just under 68 and up +10 bps. The Japanese yen has strengthened to limit the TWI-5 shift.The bitcoin price starts today down a mere -0.3% from yesterday at US$94,563. Volatility over the past 24 hours has been low at +/- 0.9%.Join us at 10:45am for the release of the important March quarter jobs report for New Zealand. We are expecting no rise in employment and a rise in the unemployment rate to 5.3%. Variations from that might be market-moving.And then at 2pm we will be covering the RBNZ's half-yearly Financial Stability Report. This will be Christian Hawkesby's first big set piece presentation as Governor, a role he holds until at least October.You can find links to the articles mentioned today in our show notes.You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz.Kia ora. I'm David Chaston. And we will do this again tomorrow.

Delve into the world of horror classics with a deep dive into The Blair Witch Project & The Witch. Explore found footage horror & supernatural elements! Unearthing Horror Classics: The Blair Witch Project & The Witch - A Deep Dive Courtney and Just Blane embark on a thrilling discussion of two genre-defining horror films: 'The Blair Witch Project' and 'The Witch.' They delve into the groundbreaking found footage technique of The Blair Witch, its clever marketing, and its lasting impact on the horror genre. Meanwhile, they explore the atmospheric horror and historical accuracy of The Witch, the symbolism of its storytelling, and its thematic connections to folklore and superstition. Along the way, they share personal insights, interesting trivia, and compelling theories about both films, making this episode a must-watch for horror enthusiasts. Chapters 00:00 WMP_005_Blair_Vvitch 00:08 Introduction to The Witch Movie Project 00:39 Discussing The Blair Witch Project 02:36 The Impact and Marketing of The Blair Witch Project 05:03 Personal Experiences and Cultural Impact 06:27 Analyzing the Realism and Techniques 09:13 The Legacy of The Blair Witch Project 23:05 Folklore and Symbolism in The Blair Witch Project 32:00 Transition to The Witch (2015) 33:13 Natural Lighting and Historical Accuracy 33:42 The Puritan Banishment 35:57 The Family's Struggles Begin 37:13 The Disappearance of the Baby 37:55 Symbolism and Superstition 40:40 The Director and Cast 43:28 The Silver Cup and Family Tensions 46:13 The Corn and Ergot Theory 47:45 Thomasin's Transformation 01:00:15 The Role of Black Phillip 01:08:30 Final Thoughts and Reflections

Kia ora,Welcome to Wednesday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand.I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz.And today we lead with news negative data is starting to flow more aggressively in the US as the consequences of dumb policy show through. It been a track to decline for the first 100 days of Trump II.First, the US Redbook index of retail sales rose +6.1% last week from the week before, but the strong suspicion is that much of this is inflation-related.And that is supported by a sharp drop in consumer sentiment reported by the Conference Board, down to a 13 year low in April and confirming the UofM earlier sentiment survey.US job openings fell by -288,000 to 7.192 mln in March, down -901,000 from a year ago to the lowest level in six months and well below market expectations of 7.5 mln. The drop was broad-based. Their quit rate rose to an 8 month high.The US trade deficit in goods widened sharply to -US$162 bln in March, the largest on record, and well above the expected -US$146 bln gap as tariff threats drove US importers to front-load their purchases. Unsurprisingly, that alos generated a spike in wholesale inventories.This bad trade result probably cements a very weak Q1-2025 GDP result. The next AtlantaFed GDP Now update will come tomorrow, and is unlikely to be pretty.The Dallas Fed's services sector survey pointed to weaker conditions and a weaker outlook.The Canadian election has resulted in a narrow win for the center-left (in North American terms) Liberals and the Quebec coalition partner. This is an unusual fourth consecutive win for the Liberals, and an unlikely one, very much aided by Trump trolling. It will be a tough gig because they are clearly facing recession, also flowing from the newly-fractious US relationship.The ECB survey on consumer inflation expectations in the euro-zone rose in March with the year ahead expectation up to 2.9%, its highest in a year.EU consumer sentiment dropped in March and to its lowest since December.And we should probably note that Denmark says it wants the EU to join the CPTPP.In Australia, there are three days left of campaigning in their federal election. Polling is tightening. Despite those polls still showing Labour ahead, much will depend on how voters rank their preferences, which could make it rather close.The overnight dairy Pulse auction came in better than the futures market signaled. The SMP price rose as expected and to its highest in a year, but the WMP price did not fall as expected, rather it showed a small gain and to its highest in three years.The UST 10yr yield is now at 4.17%, down another -4 bps from this time yesterday.The price of gold will start today at US$3319/oz, and down -US$17 from yesterday.Oil prices are down -US$1.50 at just on US$60.50/bbl in the US and the international Brent price is down a bit less, now just under US$64.50/bbl. These are two-week lows as global trade tensions and weak US data dampened the demand outlook.The Kiwi dollar is now at 59.4 USc, down -0.2% from yesterday at this time. Against the Aussie we are up +10 bps at 93 AUc. Against the euro we are unchanged at 52.2 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today just on 67.6 and down -10 bps.The bitcoin price starts today up +1.3% from yesterday at US$95,401. Volatility over the past 24 hours has been low at +/- 0.9%.You can find links to the articles mentioned today in our show notes.You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz.Kia ora. I'm David Chaston. And we will do this again tomorrow.

Kia ora,Welcome to Wednesday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand.I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz.And today we lead with news reality and expectations seem to be diverging.But first up today we can report that the weekly dairy Pulse auction for SMP and WMP brought little-change in the WMP price from the previous full GDT auction in USD, while the SMP price rose +3.0% on that same basis, but basically a recovery. However things are reversed in NZD due to the weaker greenback, with the WMP price falling -1.4% and the SMP price only up +1.7% in our currency.Internationally, the IMF warned that rising US tariffs are marking the start of a new global era of slower growth. Since January, sweeping import duties and retaliation are raising trade barriers to levels not seen since the Great Depression. The IMF cut its global growth forecast for 2025 to +2.8% from +3.3%, and sees continued weakness through 2026. The US will be among the hardest hit, with 2025 growth cut to +1.8% from +2.7%. Others like Mexico, Canada, China, and the EU will feel some effects but are likely to be minor compared to the US.Meanwhile, the US Treasury Secretary has told a private meeting the tariff war is unsustainable and will ease 'soon'. News of these remarks has led to a financial market rally. The problem remains however as neither Trump or China show any signs of backing down, and Bessent himself admitted that talks to de-escalate haven't even started. Markets might be getting ahead of themselves, as is Bessent.In the US, the Redbook retail impulse monitor was up +7.4% last week from the same week a year ago, the highest since the end of 2022. But this is becoming more of a measure of inflation than real sales activity as the tariff-taxes get passed through.The Richmond Fed's factory survey for the mid-Atlantic states reported weak results. It plummeted to -13 in April from -4 in the previous month, and well below market expectations. It is the sharpest decline in factory activity since November. Meanwhile their service sector gauge fell too.The latest and large US Treasury bond auction saw less support, but more than sufficient. However the median yield fell back to 3.74%, compared to the 3.94% at the prior equivalent event a month ago.Canadian producer prices rose +4.7% in the year to March, but they are rising at a quicker pace in recent months. Canada is in its final week of election campaigning.Across the Pacific, Taiwanese export orders rose to the elevated level of US$53 bln in March, but they have been doing this for so long now that the year-on-year gain isn't special for them, 'only' up +12.5%.In the EU, consumer sentiment fell more than expected in April to its lowest level since November 2023.The UST 10yr yield is now at 4.39%, a -1 bp dip from this time yesterday. The price of gold will start today at US$3398/oz, and down -US$19 from yesterday.Oil prices have risen +US$1 from yesterday to be now just under US$64/bbl in the US and the international Brent price is now just on US$67.50/bbl.The Kiwi dollar is now at 59.8 USc, down -20 bps from yesterday at this time. Against the Aussie we are up +10 bps at 93.7 AUc. Against the euro we up +20 bps at just on 52.3 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today now just on 68 and little-changed from yesterday.The bitcoin price starts today at US$91,488 and up +5.4% from this time yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has again been moderate at +/- 2.6%.You can find links to the articles mentioned today in our show notes.You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz.Kia ora. I'm David Chaston. And we will do this again tomorrow.

Kia ora,Welcome to Wednesday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand.I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz.And today we lead with news the Wall Street and business titans who supported the 2024 Trump campaign are starting to turn on him, one calling the current situation "a clown show".The show has gotten even more extreme overnight. The US has added another 50% to tariffs on its imports from China, taking the total to 104%.But first up today, the overnight GDT Pulse dairy auction saw SMP prices fall a bit more than expected, down -2.6% from last week's full auction. But the WMP price slipped much less than expected, down just -1.8% on the same basis. The falling currency over the past week means there is no net change in NZD. The floating exchange rate is doing its job as a stabiliser.In the US, nominal retail sales surged last week, up +7.2% from the same week a year ago as consumers rushed to stock up on goods ahead of the tariff-induced hikes. That was its fastest rise since late-2022. Some of that 'gain' will have been from early price hikes, of course.Going the other way, the NFIB Small Business Optimism Index fell sharply in March, by its most since June 2022 and to its lowest level since October 2024. This was a much larger fall than anyone saw coming. They anticipated a fall but not like this. The component 'uncertainty index' stayed at record high levels.Americans' appetite for consumer debt actually fell in February by -US$810 mln, the first drop since November. This followed a downwardly revised increase of +US$8.9 bln in January and came in well below the +US$15 bln rise expected. There were sharp and notable drops in demand for credit card debt, and car loan debt.The latest UST 3 year bond auction was well supported. But there was a notable -8.5% drop in total bids this time, the largest easing of support we have seen. It delivered a median yield of 3.70%, down from 3.85% at the prior equivalent event a month ago.In China, there is a notable fall in the price of iron ore, down -12.5% from the start of April. That has yet to show up in the cash USD price of Australian iron ore, but it will soon. For reference the price of copper is down -18% in the same eight days.In China, the 'home team' is stepping up to buy equities to prevent them crashing further. State funds were reported to be very active yesterday. Separately, China is letting its currency weaken as a counterweight to the American tariffs. The yuan (CNY) isn't moving much but trending from the target 7.2:USD, but this official set rate is moving in the same direction as the offshore yuan (CNH) and heading to 7.35:USD. It is now at a 17 year low to the USD. China said it will "fight to the end" opposing the new US tariffs.Australia's NAB business confidence index ticked lower in March 2025 from a revised negative level in February, and it is now at its lowest level since November 2024.Staying in Australia, the Westpac Melbourne Institute consumer sentiment survey is seeing fear rising after the Trump tariff actions. Sentiment is -10% lower among those surveyed after the earlier April US tariff announcements. Aussies are now less confident on prospect of interest rate cuts by the RBA.Internationally, the IAEA says that while there is enough uranium being mined to support nuclear energy demand for the next 25 years, more will be needed if the current high-growth plans for capacity expansion continue, and the world could run out by 2080.The UST 10yr yield is now at 4.25%, up +10 bps from this time yesterday. Risk premiums are still rising.The price of gold will start today at just under US$2980/oz, and up +US$14 from yesterday.Oil prices have dropped -US$1.50 from yesterday at just over US$60/bbl in the US and the international Brent price is now just under US$63.50/bbl.The Kiwi dollar is now at 55.5 USc, unchanged from yesterday at this time. Against the Aussie we are up +40 bps at 92.9 AUc and that's a ten month high. Against the euro we up +10 bps from yesterday at just on 50.8 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today now just on 65.6 and up +10 bps from yesterday.The bitcoin price starts today at US$77,213 and falling, and down another -2.1% from this time yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has been moderate at +/- 2.6%.Join us at 2pm later today for the Official Cash Rate review, the first by newly appointed interim Governor Christian Hawkesby. A -25 bps cut to 3.50% is widely anticipated, but given the global turmoil, most of the focus will be on how they see those pressures playing out in New Zealand and how they will respond to them.You can find links to the articles mentioned today in our show notes.You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz.Kia ora. I'm David Chaston. And we will do this again tomorrow.

Kia ora,Welcome to Wednesday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand.I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz.And today we lead with news the world is bracing for the US to start a US$1.4 tln trade war. Tomorrow. The US says it is ready to start hostilities, supposedly with 20% across-the-board levies. Other governments have their retaliation plans ready. Americans are rushing to buy cars they can afford.But first, the overnight dairy auction came in better than the derivatives market had signaled, with an overall rose of +1.1% in USD terms, up +3.2% in NZD terms. WMP prices held steady and avoided the expected dip. SMP prices rose more than expected. But volumes were light, as expected in this part of the dairy season, but actually lower than this time last year. Keeping demand up was bidding from China, while the recent new interest from Europe basically held. Nothing today will change current farmgate milk price forecasts.In the US, retail demand is softening, with their Redbook survey off its peaks and back to average levels since October 2023. That is a notable drop from the November expansion.There were two American factory PMI surveys out overnight. The widely-watched ISM one contracted. This is a turn from an expansion and is not unexpected, but the size of the shift was. New order flows were weak, and the mood is turning even weaker.The internationally benchmarked S&P Global/Markit one fell too, and quite sharply, but not yet into contraction territory. But this one reported a big jump - an outsized jump - in input prices, surely a sign of what is to come. Firms were only able to pass on some of that, but even so it was at a two-year high.American job openings in February fell by -194,000 to 7.57 mln from an upwardly revised 7.76 mln in January and below market expectations of 7.63 mln. Quits fell too as Americans prioritised holding on to the jobs they have.The Dallas Fed services survey reported a notable contraction, with perceptions of broader business conditions worsening in March.And that downshift was also picked up in the RCM/TIPP economic optimism survey which was expected to rise, but in fact fell in April, and to a six month low.In China, although still modest, the Caixin China General Manufacturing PMI rose in March from February's small positive, with a result that was better than market expectations. This marked the highest reading since last November, with output growth accelerating on the back of a sustained rise in new orders amid better demand conditions.The EU March CPI inflation rate eased slightly to 2.2%, to a marginally lower level than expected. Lower energy costs are restraining this indicator.In Australia, February retail sales were ho-hum, up +0.2% from January. That puts them essentially unchanged from the same month in 2024. So after inflation, that means they are -2.4% lower on a volume basis.And as expected, the RBA sat pat with its cash rate target at 4.1%. But once the Federal election is out of the way, markets expect them to cut the policy rate by -25 bps on May 20, 2025.Global air cargo demand is now coming off the boil as trade uncertainties build. The dip at that point wasn't large and it is still ahead year-on-year but with both US and European demand now negative on the year-ago basis, and the Asia expansion slipping rather quickly, it won't be long before we are reporting air cargo activity shrinking.Global air passenger demand held up in February, with the impetus slowed notably. International demand is holding up better than domestic, and the Asia/Pacific region is the best of these. The main weaknesses are in North American air travel.The UST 10yr yield is now at 4.15%, down -10 bps from yesterday at this time. The price of gold will start today at just on US$3106/oz and down a net -US$12 from yesterday and off its all-time high.Oil prices are little-changed from yesterday at just under US$71.50/bbl in the US and the international Brent price is now just on US$74.50/bbl.The Kiwi dollar is now at 56.9 USc and up +20 bps from this time yesterday. Against the Aussie we are unchanged at 90.8 AUc. Against the euro we are up +20 bps at just over 52.7 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today now just under 66.5 and up +20 bps.The bitcoin price starts today at US$85,116 and up +2.1% from this time yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has been modest at +/- 1.8%.You can find links to the articles mentioned today in our show notes.You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz.Kia ora. I'm David Chaston. And we will do this again tomorrow.

Kia ora,Welcome to Wednesday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand.I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz.And today we lead with news the own goals keep coming for the US.But first, the overnight dairy Pulse auction came in with the opposite results signaled by the derivatives market. The SMP price was expected to bounce back after the weakish full auction event the week before, but basically it didn't. And the WMP price was expected to fall sharply. It did fall, but it was minor in the end. So these Pulse signals ended up changing little.Last night's 2025/26 Australian Budget didn't deliver any real surprises in the end, although it is clearly an election budget. But it is one where the dominant challenge has shifted from battling inflation's effects to preparing for global trade instability, and great power rivalry. Australia is facing being abandoned by the US while it also faces rising security challenges from China.Although they are facing budget deficits that could be -1.5% of GDP next year, and probably ongoing deficits for the next ten years, they are accepting that as they announced new spending of about AU$35 bln with much of it focused on cost of living support, some modest tax cuts, and defense. There is a rise in off-budget spending as well. So their funding program there will be growing fast.In the US, last week's Redbook retail survey showed sales held up to be +5.6% higher than year-ago levels. However with inflation rising, and quite quickly now, this isn't as impressive as it was in 2024 when inflation was basically under control.Those fears of returning inflation (from tariffs) are behind a tumble in American consumer sentiment, reversing to lows not seen since the last Trump presidency. The Conference Board survey's expectations index was particularly hard hit, and now sits at a level they say indicates recession ahead. This survey back up the earlier University of Michigan one.And ratings agency Moody's is warning that even in the best scenario, the US's situation is likely to get worse under the current policy direction.But not all sectors are drooping. New dwelling sales are holding at average levels, up +1.8% in February from a year ago, and up +5.1% from year-ago levels. But inflation might be behind this recent small demand rise - buyers getting in before inflation hits existing stock, and before interest rates rise again.But the next regional Fed district to report is saying things in their Mid-Atlantic region are slowing. The Richmond Fed's factory survey has yawed from a small expansion to a moderate contraction in their March survey. Observers had expected the measure to rise to a faster expansion, so the variance is notable. New order levels fell, prices paid for inputs rose faster than expected. The clearest example is the new record-high rise for copper.An interesting phenonium is developing in US equity markets. Retail investors are turning bullish, driven partly by their political bias. At the same time, professional investors are taking advantage of them and are net sellers.Their northern neighbour is talking about retaliatory export taxes as a way to get Trump to talk to them seriously. Their combination with American tariffs isn't going to help anyone.In Indonesia, their currency crisis is deepening, with the rupiah now at its lowest since the GFC.In China, their central bank has adjusted how it raises funds via its Medium Term Lending process. This may be an important change.The UST 10yr yield is now at 4.30%, down -2 bps from yesterday at this time.The price of gold will start today at just on US$3026/oz and up a net +US$17 from yesterday.Oil prices are down -50 USc from yesterday at just over US$68.50/bbl in the US and the international Brent price is still just over US$72.50/bbl.The Kiwi dollar is now at 57.4 USc and up +20 bps from this time yesterday. Against the Aussie we are down -10 bps at 91 AUc. Against the euro we are up +10 bps at just under 53.1 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today just under 66.8, and little-changed.The bitcoin price starts today at US$87,803 and down -0.3% from this time yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has been modest at +/- 1.2%.You can find links to the articles mentioned today in our show notes.You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz.Kia ora. I'm David Chaston. And we will do this again tomorrow.

Jarden’s head of commodities says giving only a cursory view you would be forgiven for being excited by last night’s unchanged GDT auction result, [WMP 0.2%, SMP -0.4%, AMF -1.8%, Butter 1.1%, and Cheese 1%] when of course the devil lies in the detail. Given how the index is compiled, he says the flat overall result may hide some of the more dramatic moves in the numbers that count to New Zealand dairy farmers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the Well Mind Podcast, Dr. Ben Kohls welcomes Dr. Karina Clennon back to the podcast. Karina opens the conversation by sharing about her journey of becoming a professional helper. Together we explore the significance of time and presence in relationships, the challenges of balancing personal and professional roles, and the impact of 'busy'ness culture on mental health. The discussion emphasizes the importance of lifelong learning, agency in time management, and nurturing professional passion and vitality. The episode concludes with reflections on the ripple effect of their work and the joy of making a positive impact on others.Previous Conversations with Dr. Karina Clennon on the podcast.Episode 23 of the WMP: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7bnYOBlNZXnnPy3G6AQDFU?si=TGEIrgI_SsK4xpRETOD6Og Episode 37 of the WMP: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5F1yssp8w9LSv2spsw3dHV?si=4LeLHcAWRAefdGxIPKDaUQ

Kia ora,Welcome to Wednesday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand.I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz.And today we lead with news the tariff war mess is getting messier.First up, the overnight dairy auction came in a bit better than the futures market suggested it might. This event offered lower volumes at the back end of the current dairy season, and prices eased just -0.5% in USD terms from the last full event, but were up +1.0% in NZD terms. WMP eased -2.2% and that was as expected but butter and the cheeses made better gains than expected. Buying out of China was modest, but there was raised interest from both Europe and the Middle East. In the circumstances this was a solid overall result.Most other commodity prices are taking sizeable hits from the now-daily tariff-war battles. Behind all this is the expectation of falling demand as the US economy makes a sudden detour into recession. China's retaliation on US agricultural exports have seen sharpish falls in wheat and soybean prices.The impacts of the trade war haven't hit US retail sales yet - unless you think American consumers are stocking up ahead of the inflationary effects. There were up +6.6% from the same week a year ago.But they are showing up in sentiment surveys. Today's release was for the RCM/TIPP economic optimism index, and that retreated notably. This index rose in November, but has essentially retreated since and is now net-negative and a five month low.The American need for more warehousing and higher inventories is driving their logistics industry to a three year high. The components that weigh on productivity are getting the gains.The US is using a "fentanyl crisis" (one actually in retreat and one driven by American demand) as an excuse to impose increased tariffs. That alone will be inflationary. The counter-measure responses by Canada, Mexico, and now China will distort large parts of the American economy, and have global resonances.The US tariffs are expected to raise the costs of American carmakers by more than US$60 bln, and will drive most into losses, and may even kill some (like Stellantis). Car demand is expected to fall -12% in the US as a result of the needed higher prices.Financial markets continue to react in a negative way. They have given up any post-election gains, and more. Things could get much worse quite soon. Congress is nowhere near to agreeing a budget funding deal.Meanwhile across the Pacific, Japanese consumer sentiment is falling back too now, and is back to where it was two years ago.On the Australian east coast Cyclone Alfred is barrelling towards Brisbane and northern NSW. It is expected to make landfall as a category 2 storm late on Thursday or early Friday and would be the first tropical cyclone to impact NSW since Nancy in 1990.Today the UST 10yr yield is at 4.19%, down -4 bps from yesterday.The price of gold will start today at just under US$2912/oz and up +US$20 from yesterday.Oil prices are down -US$2/bbl to US$69.50/bbl in the US and the international Brent price is just on US$70.50/bbl. Lower expected demand is why this price is soft.The Kiwi dollar is now at 56.2 USc and down -10 bps from yesterday. Against the Aussie however we are up +30 bps at 90.5 AUc. Against the euro we are down another -30 bps at 53.3 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today just over 66.1, and down -10 bps from yesterday.The bitcoin price started today at US$82,930 and down a net -7.9% from this time yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has been extreme at +/- 5.2%.You can find links to the articles mentioned today in our show notes.You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz.Kia ora. I'm David Chaston. And we will do this again tomorrow.

Kia ora,Welcome to Wednesday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand.I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz.And today we lead with news that is not good. Markets are suddenly gripped by extreme fears of where the world's largest economy is heading.But first up today we can report that the overnight dairy Pulse auction has seen milk powder prices fall. The big fall expected for WMP didn't happen but it was a retreat all the same. The small fall expected for SMP actually came in more pronounced than expected. Both shifts have ended the recent run up in these prices although they probably don't necessarily end the higher trending. Neither correction was enough to unstitch that at this event. But uncertainty is back all the same.US data releases overnight remained resilient. The US retail impulse, as measured by the Redbook survey, held strong, unchanged and up +6.2% from the same week a year ago.The next Richmond Fed factory survey moved up a bit but is now showing an expansion, its most since October 2023. This was a better result than anticipated and in complete contrast to yesterday's Texas survey.The Dallas Fed's services survey eased back, but is still expanding although the trend has turned down mainly because the outlook uncertainty is rising.But none of this data trumped the fast-rising doom mood in the US. The latest Conference Board survey of consumer sentiment was particularly negative. Its reading of consumer confidence registered the largest monthly decline since August 2021. Although other similar surveys like the PMIs and the University of Michigan one showed the same trend, this latest one was worse and has just compounded the negative mood.Risk aversion sentiment is gripping financial markets today. Wall Street is lower, the US Treasury bond prices are surging (yields falling), yield inversions are returning, and the USD is rising, in the normal reaction to a risk-off mood. Everyone from consumers to the financial market professionals know the US is going the wrong way with its public policy.And we should probably note that the Tesla share price is down more than -8% so far today, down -14% in a week and down -20% since the start of the year. The "move-fast-and-break-things" strategy isn't proving to be a good business practice.There was another US Treasury 5yr auction today and the well-supported event delivered a yield of 4.07%, lower than the the 4.29% at the equivalent event a month ago.Elsewhere, Taiwanese retail sales are on the rise, up +5.3% in January from a year ago in a strong showing, much better than expected. Meanwhile, Taiwanese industrial production growth eased, but only back to the levels expected.South Korea's central bank cut its policy rate by -25 bps to 2.75% yesterday. This was as expected. It is their third cut since this rate peaked in January 2023 at 3.5%. Their cutting cycle started in October 2024.In China, exports through Hong Kong fell to a one year low in January, and a sharp retreat from December. This is the weakest growth in exports activity after sharp reversals for exports of electrical machinery, and household appliances.In Australia, regulator ASIC is warning of the risks of investing in private markets, a growing trend recently. The opacity of valuations, liquidity and governance has them worried.And as the Aussies get ready for a probably May election, it has been standard to expect the ruling Labor Party to lose, mainly because incumbents are losing elsewhere. But a new poll suggests a change may in fact not happen there. No doubt they are encouraged by the German election where essentially the center held.The UST 10yr yield is at 4.31%, down -10 bps from yesterday at this time. The price of gold will start today at just under US$2894/oz and down -US$48 from yesterday.Oil prices are down -US$2 at just under US$69/bbl in the US and the international Brent price is now just under US$73/bbl.The Kiwi dollar is now at 57.2 USc and down -20 bps from yesterday. Against the Aussie we are unchanged at 90.3 AUc. Against the euro we are down -40 bps at 54.4 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today just on 66.9, and down -30 bps from yesterday.The bitcoin price starts today at US$87,309 and down a massive -7.7% from this time yesterday. Bitcoin has dropped about 20% since Trump's January inauguration, as initial optimism over his crypto-friendly stance fades. Bitcoin wasn't the only crypto to drop. Volatility over the past 24 hours has been very high at +/- 4.8%.You can find links to the articles mentioned today in our show notes.You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz.Kia ora. I'm David Chaston. And we will do this again tomorrow.

Kia ora,Welcome to Wednesday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand.I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz.And today we lead with news inflation is still not beat and the new tariff wars are messing with when that might happen.First up today, there was another dairy auction, and this one came in weaker than the derivatives markets had anticipated. Prices slipped overall by -0.6% in USD terms and by -1.5% in NZD terms. It was a much lower SMP price that was the surprise undershoot, down -2.5% from the prior event and last week's Pulse event. Cheddar cheese also took a -3.4% tumble, whereas the WMP price was only -0.2% lower than the last event, but it didn't fall as much as the derivatives market anticipated. Going the other way, there was a -2.2% rise in the butter price, taking it to almost matching its record high in June 2024. It is at its record high in NZD. Overall, of note today, "North Asia" (ie China) returned with renewed demand to be the top buyer, after largely sitting on the sidelines recently.In the US, the New York region factory survey turned from a negative to a positive expansion in February, a continuation of an improving trend that started in early 2024 but one that has been volatile.But their national survey of house builders turned more cautious in February, hurt by tariff-talk and the expected resulting inflation.In Canada they reported January CPI inflation, and that came in at 1.9% and pretty much as expected. But the "trimmed mean" core rate came in at 2.7%, the one the Bank of Canada follows, above the December level of 2.6% and well above the expected 2.5% level. This is going the wrong way for them and they may now skip the expected March rate cut.We should probably note that German business sentiment rose in February, ahead of this weekend's federal elections, on the hope that a new government won't get stuck in coalition paralysis. More broadly, EU business sentiment is rising too.The Reserve Bank of Australia cuts its policy rate by -25 bps to 4.1%, much as expected by financial markets, citing progress on getting inflation down towards its target range. It was their first cut since 2020. But it was a hawkish cut, and post-election there may not be any more until the clear inflation pressures ease, especially those expected from the looming tariff war. Despite that, financial markets are still pricing in at least two more rate cuts in 2025.The UST 10yr yield is at 4.54%, up +5 bps from yesterday at this time.The price of gold will start today at just under US$2931/oz and up +US$33 from yesterday.Oil prices are up +50 USc at just over US$71.50/bbl in the US and the international Brent price is now at US$75.50/bbl.The Kiwi dollar is now at 57 USc and down -40 bps from yesterday. Against the Aussie we are down -30 bps at 89.8 AUc. Against the euro we are down -20 bps at 54.6 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today just over 66.9, and down -30 bps from this time yesterday and has been among the largest devaluers over the past 24 hours.The bitcoin price starts today at US$94,789 and down another -0.7% from this time yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has been modest at +/- 1.1%.Join us at 2pm this afternoon for full coverage of the RBNZ's Monetary Policy Statement. And before that, we will have the January REINZ results at 9am.You can find links to the articles mentioned today in our show notes.You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz.Kia ora. I'm David Chaston. And we will do this again tomorrow.

Fonterra’s president of global market ingredients reviews another great GDT auction with a 3.7% rise across the board (WMP +4.1%, SMP +4.7%). So, if $10 is locked in, what about $11 for 24/25?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kia ora,Welcome to Wednesday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand.I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz.And today we lead with news it remains unclear what happens next after the chaotic round of US tariffs on their closest trade partners, and then their unexpected suspension.But first up this morning, we can report a strong dairy auction result, with prices up +3.7% in USD terms and up +4.0% in NZD terms. The key WMP price was up +4.1% in USD terms and is now sitting much higher than the anticipated US$4000 level. There were a couple of key factors at play today. First, despite rising NZ production, the volume of product on offer was down, and along with lower US and Australian milk production, there is a supply squeeze. And secondly, there was strong pre-Ramadan buying although not so much from China as anticipated. Where each component has landed can be checked in our dual-currency charts that also interleave the Pulse results for SMP and WMP as well. There are some new high benchmarks achieved today, especially the WMP price in NZD.And, yes, the strength of this auction will have analysts reassessing their payout forecasts. But they will probably hold back because of where we are in the season. However, the base is now quite strong.US job openings fell by -556,000 to 7.6 million in December, to a lot less than anticipated and indicating a definite cooling of the American labour market. Clearly employers were uncertain about how the post-election landscape would play out. And this came well before the aggressive purging of Federal government jobs now underway.Perhaps worse, new orders for manufactured goods sank -0.9% in December from November, extending the revised -0.8% drop in the previous month, and firmly below market expectations of a lesser decline. It was the sharpest monthly drop since June.But retail sales were up +5.7% last week from the same week a year ago on a same-store basis and that was an improvement. However you have to wonder whether this rise was motivated by buying ahead of expected price rises flowing from the signaled tariff increases.Surging inventory levels has seen the US Logistics Manager's Index jump in January from December to its fastest expansion of the logistics since June 2022. Underlying growth and the uncertainty surrounding trade regulations, particularly the tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China, drove the defensive inventory moves.On the trade war front, the US delayed its tariff imposition in both Mexico and Canada by a month, but China set in motion is retaliation, a mixture of its own countervailing tariffs especially on coal, oil and natural gas, plus major 'investigations' of Google, Nvidia and Intel. It also banned exports of some key minerals. But analysts thing there is more symbolism here than hard penalties. They are being saved for later in the game.In Canada, consumer boycotts may have a bigger effect than official retaliation. Other major economies are also readying their retaliation, including Japan and the EU. If all of them act in unison, the impact of just these five big trading blocs will be substantial for the US (and themselves of course).China thinks it can win the trade war with the US just by letting the yuan sink. In fact, all currencies vs the USD are falling. That way imports become cheaper for US buyers, and US exports become more expensive (and less attractive) to overseas customers. It is lose-lose for the US. Trump is fighting natural market forces with unnatural tariffs.Join us at 10:45am this morning when we will report the Q4-2025 unemployment rate. Markets expect it to have risen to 5.1% from the Q3 4.8%. Any variance from that will have implications for the February OCR review due on the 18th of this month.The UST 10yr yield is at 4.52%, unchanged from yesterday at this time.The price of gold will start today at US$2840/oz and up +US$23 from yesterday and another new record high.Oil prices are virtually unchanged again at just on US$72.50/bbl in the US and the international Brent price is now US$76/bbl and a tad firmer.The Kiwi dollar is now at 56.2 USc and up +20 bps from this time yesterday. Against the Aussie we are down -20 bps at 90.3 AUc. Against the euro we are up +10 bps at just on 54.4 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today just on 66.9, and up +20 bps from yesterday.The bitcoin price starts today at US$99,502 and up another minor +0.6% from this time yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has been moderate at +/- 2.2%.We should finally note that tomorrow (Thursday, February 6, 2025) is a public holiday in New Zealand and there won't be a Breakfast Briefing edition. It will return on Friday.You can find links to the articles mentioned today in our show notes.You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz.Kia ora. I'm David Chaston. And we will do this again on Friday.

Kia ora,Welcome to Monday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand.I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz.And today we lead with news about the start of a tariff trade war, a reprise of a 1930s effort, also started by the US, and one that ended badly for everyone.The week ahead was supposed to be basically about jobs, both here and in the US with our HLFS data for December out on Thursday, and the US non-farm payrolls report out for January on Saturday. But Trump's imposition of 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico, and 10% tariffs on China will no doubt dominate the news with its consequences.However there will be other economic data news coming, including key Wall Street earnings reports, January PMIs, central bank decisions from India and the UK, and China's financial markets will return to work after their CNY break on Wednesday. Also, Chinese buyers may be back at Wednesday's GDT dairy auction on Wednesday, which will be an important event after last week's sharp run-up in the WMP price at the Pulse event.And don't forget, this will be an interrupted week with a public holiday in New Zealand on Thursday, Waitangi Day. So Friday is likely to be a day many people also take off to get a four-day weekend. (But not us, of course.)The big news over the weekend was the US imposing 25% tariffs on its neighbours Canada and Mexico. Worryingly, these mean the US has unilaterally broken its (Trump-imposed) CUSMA (or NAFTA 2.0) trade treaty obligations. And more of an issue for any country contemplating making a treaty with the new US Administration is that the basis for these new tariffs are essentially jingoistic and trumped-up, that pretend anecdotes are "common sense" when they are just raw self-servicing prejudice.Mexico and Canada hit back immediately. Canada also imposed a 10% tariff on their oil exports to the US. China is going through the WTO dispute process.An easy way to keep an eye on US inflation is to watch the daily US petrol price. As at today it is US$3.10/gal. We will check back regularly to watch how tariffs impact that. Of course demand will impact that too.How will this affect New Zealand? Here are some early thoughts.Earlier the alternate US inflation measure, "the one the Fed watches", their personal consumption expenditures price index, rose +0.3% in December from November, the highest gain in eight months, but it was the rise expected. That means their year-on-year PCE inflation came in at 2.6% and it's highest in seven months by this measure. The new tariffs are likely to mean higher inflation, something Trump acknowledged in a Fox interview.There were no surprises in any of the income, consumption, or savings data in the PCE release. This may turn out to be the low point in their inflation cycle.The January Chicago PMI recovered from the weak December result on the back of better new order inflows and higher production levels. But it remains in deep contraction territory. The outlook responses in this regional survey weren't very bright.In Canada, apart from the new tariffs from the US, they are wrestling with what the 25 year 'extreme' difference means between their policy interest rate, 3.00% and the US Fed's "4.25% to 4.50%". In market terms that is a 140 bps discount the Canadians carry. It has been thought that +/-100 bps is in the comfort zone for financial markets, so we may start to see reactions and implications. There could be lessons for other economies, although Canada may be facing extra pressures from the tariffs.Japanese industrial production rose in December from November and that limited the year-on-year decrease to less than expected.Japanese retail sales rose +3.7% in December from the same month in 2023, up from a +2.8% gain in November, and better than market expectations of a +3.2% rise. This is the 33rd straight month of expansion in retail sales and the fastest growth since June 2024. Rising pay levels are getting the credit for the expansion.In India, a new Union (national) Budget has cut income taxes (see pages 28 and 29), in the hope it will arrest the cooling of their economic activity by enhancing domestic demand. Those earning about NZ$24,000 pa will pay no tax, and the tax bands above that have been indexed higher. They will still run a deficit of -4.4% of GDP if they can maintain a +6.8% growth rate. They will pay for the tax cuts by restraining their spend on updating their infrastructure. India also cut tariffs.In Argentina, their central bank cut its policy interest rate by -300 bps to 29% on Friday NZT, as inflation eased again. But annual inflation in Argentina was still at 118% in December, the softest increase since July 2023, down from 166% in November.EU inflation expectations rose to 2.8% in the ECB's December survey, taking it back to early 2024 levels. In the ECB MPS, they noted there is still more work to do to quash these expectations. Actual EU inflation ended 2024 at 2.7% and it too is rising.Aussie producer prices rose +3.7% in December from a year ago, but even if that is high, it was their slowest rise since early 2021.The UST 10yr yield is at 4.54%, up +3 bps from Saturday at this time. The price of gold will start today at US$2799/oz and down -US$10 from Saturday and off its all-time high.Oil prices are virtually unchanged at just on US$72.50/bbl in the US and the international Brent price is now US$75.50/bbl and holding the Saturday retreat.The Kiwi dollar is now at 56.4 USc and down -40 bps from this time Saturday. Against the Aussie we are down -10 bps at 90.7 AUc. Against the euro we are little-changed at just under 54.4 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today just on 67.1, and down -10 bps from Saturday.The bitcoin price starts today at US$98,142 and down a sharp -6.5% from this time Saturday. Apparently isolationism and tariffs are not good for crypto. Volatility over the past 24 hours has been moderate at +/- 2.1%.You can find links to the articles mentioned today in our show notes.You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz.Kia ora. I'm David Chaston. And we will do this again tomorrow.

Jarden's head of commodities comments on reversal in fortunes with last night's 1.4% increase in the GDT auction mirroring the fall in the first auction of the new calendar year (WMP 5%, SMP 2%, AMF -7.8%, Butter 2.2%, and Cheese 2.8%). Does this lock in Fonterra's $10 milk price? Which is where the futures market is currently sitting. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kia ora,Welcome to Wednesday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand.I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz.And today we lead with news the dominated by Trump's shows of 'power' and theatrics. Toxic tech-bro masculinity is on full display. Senior female leaders are getting the chop or side-lined. But so far, also backtracks on trade threats. So we will stand back to await any real impacts.But first up today, there was another full dairy auction today and it was a modestly positive one, although volumes sold were seasonally lower, the least since July 2024. Overall prices rose +1.4% from the last full auction two weeks ago, and perhaps the detail is more interesting than the overall result. WMP was up +5.0%, SMP was up +2.0%, and both butter and cheddar cheese had better than +2% rises from that last full auction. That takes the WMP price to its highest since June 2022. Stronger demand from China is part of the reason for today's rise, but better demand out of Europe helped too. In NZD terms, overall prices were up only +1.0% as the NZD rose and is higher than two weeks ago.From the US, the flurry of Presidential executive orders is creating an opening for China to lead some key global initiatives, from health and the WHO, to climate change. While the US is becoming more isolationist, China is finding openings to be less so. The world's power blocs are getting new boundaries.In Canada, their December CPI data brought few surprises, up 1.8% when a 1.9% rise was expected. But overall December prices actually fell from November and by slightly more than anticipated. Some sales tax relief had a part to play as well. With this result, inflation remained within or below the Bank of Canada's midpoint target 2% for the fifth consecutive month, adding to current expectations of further rate cuts this year. They next review that official rate on Thursday next week NZT and their current rate is 3.25%. But trade relations with their suddenly unfriendly southern neighbour will dominate how they approach this.In China, 15 of their 31 regional governments have set growth targets for 2025 less than they had for 2024. Only one raised its target. Basically soft domestic demand and an uncertain global trade outlook is motivating the pullbacks.In Germany, any green shoots they may have been seeing have been snuffed out by households in defensive mode. The ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment fell in January from December, and by more than expected as inflationary pressure perceptions persist. But to be fair, this sentiment index is still positive, and has been since October, just less so.Later this morning, we will get the December REINZ results, and the Q4-2024 New Zealand inflation result. The RBNZ's February 19 OCR review will be influenced by that.The UST 10yr yield is now at just on 4.58%, and unchanged from this time yesterday.The price of gold will start today at US$2740/oz and up +US$33 from yesterday.Oil prices are unchanged at just over US$76.50/bbl in the US although the international Brent price is down -50 USc to now just on US$79.50.The Kiwi dollar starts today just under 56.6 USc and unchanged from this time yesterday and holding its recent gain. Against the Aussie we unchanged at 90.4 AUc. Against the euro we are also unchanged at 54.4 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today just on 67.1 and again unchanged from yesterday.The bitcoin price starts today at US$105,307 and down -1.3% from this time yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has been high at +/- 3.3%.You can find links to the articles mentioned today in our show notes.You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz.Kia ora. I'm David Chaston. And we will do this again tomorrow.

Kia ora,Welcome to Wednesday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand.I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz.And today we lead with news long term rates just keep on rising ahead of the change in the US Administration. And now the USD is slipping back.First up however, the overnight GDT dairy Pulse auction brought the expected changes. The SMP price extended its recent rises, and the WMP price essentially held its full auction recovery. This event didn't signal any changes or concerns.In the US, their Redbook retail pulse index rose 'only' +5% last week from the same week a year ago, but to be fair the base was strong. No unusual signals here either.There were tow January sentiment surveys out overnight. The NFIB one for SMEs was quite bullish and at a six year high. But the RCM/TIPP investor one went backwards unexpectedly, although it was off a 40 month high.As expected, overall American producer prices rose, rising +3.3% from a year ago, although the rise wasn't quite as much as the +3.4% expected. While the lid was kept on by the unchanged services component, we need to keep an eye on the goods rise in December from November, which jumped +0.6% in the month, an unusually high shift. They won't want that to repeat.In a new report, the US Congressional Budget Office is projecting a sharp change in American demographics if the cap in migration is enforced. American will join Japan, China and Europe by growing older quicker - and much quicker than previously expected. And while this aging is going on, population growth will stall out at 370 mln in 2055. The viability of safety net programs will involve difficult choices.In China, their December new yuan loan data was released overnight and there is some impact from their recent stimulus efforts showing up here. It was expected to show a weak borrowing impulse, and it did, just not as weak as was anticipated. Chinese banks extended ¥990 bln in new loans in December, above ¥580 bln in November (which was the lowest since 2012) and above forecasts of ¥850 bln. Still this was the lowest rise since 2017.China is making a "stable yuan" a core policy objective. It is a stability against the USD they are managing.A sidebar update for once highflying Evergrande Property development company; A Chinese court has ruled it must make payments it hasn't the resources to make. And a Hong Kong court has ordered its liquidation. The next saga will be the legal proceedings against its auditor PwC by the liquidator.And we should note that today is the start of their enormous internal annual migration. January 14 is the kickoff of their Spring Festival travel rush, as workers begin to head home for the long vacation over the Lunar New Year. The Golden Week holiday around this event formally starts on January 28 and runs until February 4. But people are on the move now - including for international vacations.After slipping in December, the Westpac consumer sentiment survey for Australia slipped again in January. Homeowners and renters got more pessimistic about current conditions. But they are better than year-ago levels. And their forward looking views are positive now.The UST 10yr yield is now at just on 4.81%, and up +4 bps from this time yesterday. This level is threatening their October 2023 high, and prior to that it is the highest since 2007.The price of gold will start today at US$2671/oz and up +US$6 from yesterday.Oil prices are down -US$1 from yesterday at just over US$77.50/bbl in the US while the international Brent price is now just on US$80.The Kiwi dollar starts today just on 56 USc and up +½c from this time yesterday. Against the Aussie we are up +30 bps at 90.5 AUc. Against the euro we are unchanged at 54.4 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today at just on 67 and up +40 bps from yesterday.The bitcoin price starts today at US$95,517 and back up +3.7% from this time yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has remained high at +/- 3.3%.You can find links to the articles mentioned today in our show notes.You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz.Kia ora. I'm David Chaston. And we will do this again tomorrow.

Kia ora,Welcome to Monday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand.I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz.And today we lead with news the economic world its returning after the end of year holiday season, and finding the 2024 worries are still here in 2025.First up however, the first post-New Year holiday week back will be a relatively quiet one, but there are still some important things to cover, and few of the key ones are local. But the week culminates with the December US non-farm payrolls report in the US, and that will increasingly dominate how the week goes. Markets currently expect a modest +150,000 rise in US jobs. That is close to 'average' over the past ten years. But don't forget that is the seasonally-adjusted result. Actual payroll shrink in the month usually, and that average over the past ten years is by -160,000. That is what we will be watching, because fewer actual people employed could have an outsized impact on metrics like retail sales and the like.The US will also release December services PMIs. A slightly softer expansion is expected. And China will release its important new yuan loan data, and the expectations are for another weak result. Eyes will also be on India's industrial production data, something that has been softish recently.Just as important for us, we will get more December real estate activity data this week. We will also get another full dairy auction on Wednesday, and the intervening Pulse results for both SMP and WMP have shown a marked softness since the last full auction event. And Barfoots are likely to release their December results later in the week.Over the weekend, the FAO World Food Price Index reported a -0.5% fall in December from an upwardly revised November. Dairy prices fell -0.7% but meat prices rose +0.4%. Overall this index is +6.6% higher than year-ago levels with dairy up +17% and meat up +7.0% on that annual basis.On the commodity front, both lithium and iron ore prices slipped on concerns about the prospects for the Chinese economy. The Shanghai stock exchange fell yet again, by -1.6% on Friday to be down a very sharp -5.5% for the week. And the benchmark yield for Chinese government bonds slumped to a new record low of 1.60% for the 10 year. The yuan fell, testing its lowest level since 2007 after their central bank stopped defending 7.3 to the USD.So China is ramping up its subsidy program for consumer durables, trying to spark some extra consumption activity.And China's central bank said late Friday during a quarterly meeting of its monetary policy committee that it will cut banks' reserve requirement ratio and interest rates at the “proper time”.So China is starting the New Year on the back foot.Across all reporting countries, the global factory PMI contracted slightly in December, shifting from the slight expansion in November. Good expansions in India, Taiwan, Canada, and China (among eight others) was offset and more by retreats in the US, Australia and especially the Europe (among seven others). On balance, it was soft new order levels that is turning the global tide.In the US, a good rise in new orders saw the widely-watched ISM factory PMI rise by 0.9 points in December from the previous month to record only a very minor contraction and very much better than was expected. The result reflected the softest pace of contraction in the US manufacturing sector since March. Oddly, the narrative for the internationally-benchmarked S&P/Markit PMI was the inverse with weaker new orders and slipping output. However, both surveys landed at the same spot, reporting a very minor contraction.US vehicle sales ended the year on a strong note, running at a 16 mln annualised rate. EV sales accounted for 9.0% of those, and a surge in demand for EVs helped heavyweight GM claim the top spot for all cars and now second only to Tesla in EVs. Tesla slipped back in the final quarter. (For reference, NZ EV sales in 2024 were 7.3%.)Over the weekend, two Fed governors (Daly and Kugler) both reiterated that the battle to control US inflation is not yet won. Another was more positive, but thought restrive rates should still stay in place until things are clearer.In Canada, their factory PMI delivered a solid performance with good new order levels and rising output contributing to a rising expansion.In Australia, SE NSW and NE Victoria have been hit by a headwave with temperatures as high as 45oC. But a wind-change has relieved things today. Bushfire season is well underway there.Containerised freight rates rose marginally last week (+3% overall), built on a +7% surge on Trans Pacific rates from China to the USWC. Traders are trying to beat what are expected to be new tariffs from the incoming US Administration. Bulk cargo rates stopped falling this week, essentially holding at an 18 month low.The UST 10yr yield is now at just on 4.60%, and up +1 bp from Saturday. The price of gold will start today at US$2639/oz and little-changed (-US$1) from this time Saturday.Oil prices are unchanged from this time Saturday at just on US$74/bbl in the US while the international Brent price is still just on US$76.50. Both are up +US$2.50 since this time last week and at a two-month high.The Kiwi dollar starts today just on 56.1 USc and unchanged from yesterday, but down -20 bps from a week ago. Against the Aussie we are down -10 bps to 90.2 AUc. Against the euro we are also down -10 bps at 54.4 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today at just over 66.8 and down -10 bps from this time Saturday - but essentially unchanged from a week ago.The bitcoin price starts today at US$98,070 and up +0.1% from this time on Saturday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has been low at +/- 0.8%.You can find links to the articles mentioned today in our show notes.You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz.Kia ora. I'm David Chaston. And we will do this again tomorrow.

Fonterra's high-flying chief executive says a $10 milk price is still on the cards, despite a 2.8% easing in the GDT auction overnight (with WMP and SMP both down 2.9%), as the drop is cushioned by a softer exchange rate.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kia ora,Welcome to Wednesday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand.I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz.And today we lead with news the expected glow following the Chinese stimulus signals is surprising in its absence. Markets have turned quite sceptical and the Chinese bond yields have sunk sharply.But first up today, we can report that the overnight GDT dairy Pulse auction brought slightly lower prices for SMP and WMP, but that the fall in the NZD maintained the results in NZD. SMP fell -1.5% from the prior week's full auction (in USD), and WMP fell -1.6% on the same basis. But in that same week the NZD fell -1.3%, so call it quits in NZD. Although they will have noticed this overnight event, the analysts are unlikely to alter their farmgate payout forecasts based on this recent activity, although the ones who still have forecasts lower than the Fonterra mid-point will be feeling a little safer.Also overnight, the Redbook index of US retail activity there rose only +4.2% from the same week a year ago, a much lesser rise than the +7.2% gain the previous week. In fact it was the least gain since March. A bit of a levelling off, it seems.But jumping a lot is the latest survey of small business sentiment. The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index jumped in November to the highest reading since June 2021,and well above what was expected. It is also the first time in 34 months that the reading is above the 50-year average of 98. The election result is said to be the reason for this rise.The latest USDA WASDE report points out new restrictions of cattle imports to the US from Mexico because of an outbreak of screwworm (NWS) and the ban may be long-lasting. US imports of beef from other sources (including Oceania) are likely to rise. They also note that US milk production will likely turn up on higher milk prices.There was another very well supported US Treasury 3 year bond auction earlier today, and that resulted in a median yield of 4.07%, very similar to the 4.09% at the prior equivalent event a month ago. No risk-rise signaled here.In Japan, machine tool orders rose +3.0% in November from the same month a year earlier, slowing from +9.3% growth in October. Local orders were up +5.0%. The larger export order set was up only +2.2% as orders from China dragged.China's export growth underwhelmed in November. It rose +12.7% in October and an +8.5% rise was expected in November (some thought +10%) due to front-loaded US demand ahead of 2025 tariffs. But in fact the gain was 'only' +6.7% from a year ago. Imports actually fell, a signal about their internal economic activity. Chinese imports from New Zealand are down -8.6% so far in 2024.Interestingly, China's stimulus announcements have barely registered in international markets yet. Markets do expect them to cut rates and raise spending, but the feeling seems to be that this will just help them stay little-changed. So far it has been a very underwhelming event.In Australia, the November NAB business confidence index fell to -3 from a near two-year peak of +5 in the prior month, falling below its long-term average. We haven't seen such a big one-month negative shift since the pandemic. And relief from their central bank doesn't seem about to happen.As expected, the Reserve Bank of Australia kept its cash rate target at 4.35%. "Taking account of recent data, the Board's assessment is that monetary policy remains restrictive and is working as anticipated. Some of the upside risks to inflation appear to have eased and while the level of aggregate demand still appears to be above the economy's supply capacity, that gap continues to close." Analysts say this signals they remain confident they will get inflation back under control with the current policy rate and settings. Taking a while, however.And we should perhaps note that coffee prices have surged to their highest level since 1972, driven by low production affected by drought in some parts, excessive rainfall in others. It is similar with chocolate (cocoa) prices, heading back to their unusual March peaks.The UST 10yr yield is now at just on 4.24%, up +5 bps from this time yesterday. The China 10 year bond rate is at 1.88% and down a very sharp -8 bps and to a new record low.The price of gold will start today at US$2693/oz6 and up +US$24 from yesterday.Oil prices are up +50 USc to just over US$69/bbl in the US while the international Brent price is unchanged at just on US$72.50/bbl.The Kiwi dollar starts today at just under 58 USc and down -80 bps from this time yesterday. Against the Aussie we are unchanged at 91 AUc. Against the euro we are down -40 bps to 55.2 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today at just under 67.9 to be down -50 bps from yesterday.The bitcoin price starts today at US$94,850 and down -3.3% from this time yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has been modest at +/- 1.9%.You can find links to the articles mentioned today in our show notes.You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz.Kia ora. I'm David Chaston. And we will do this again tomorrow.

De markt van vermogensbeheerders staat voor meerdere uitdagingen. Aan de ene kant consolideert de markt, maar aan de andere kant springen de private equity fondsen ook als paddestoelen uit de grond. Maar waarom zou je je als vermogende verbinden aan private markten, als je net zo makkelijk je vermogen in een indexfonds kan stoppen? En: hoe houd je je als onafhankelijke vermogensbeheerder staande in een markt die consolideert?  Olimpia den Hartogh, directeur en partner van vermogensbeheerder WMP in BNR Zakendoen.    Macro met Mujagić   Elke dag een intrigerende gedachtewisseling over de stand van de macro-economie. Op maandag en vrijdag gaat presentator Thomas van Zijl in gesprek met econoom Arnoud Boot, de rest van de week praat Van Zijl met econoom Edin Mujagić.   Beleggerspanel  Waarom vindt Unilever het tijd voor afscheid van meerdere voedingsmerken van het bedrijf? En: hoe hard wordt de Nederlandse chipmachinefabrikant ASM geraakt door nieuwe Amerikaanse restricties tegen China?   Panelleden:  - Karel Mercx, Beleggingsspecialist bij Beleggers Belangen  - Martijn Rozemuller, Head of Europe bij VanEck.    Contact & Abonneren   BNR Zakendoen zendt elke werkdag live uit van 11:00 tot 13:30 uur. Je kunt de redactie bereiken via e-mail. Abonneren op de podcast van BNR Zakendoen kan via bnr.nl/zakendoen, of via Apple Podcast en Spotify. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

 Fonterra's COO comments on yet another good GDT Auction (up 1.9%, WMP + 3.2%) and the prospects of a $10 milk price.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We find the chief executive of Fonterra at the 7th annual China International Import Expo in Shanghai where we talk about a great GDT auction overnight (up 4.8%, WMP + 4.4%, SMP + 4%), and the prospects of a $10 payout and possible dairy conversions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fonterra's Chicago-based President Global Ingredients comments on another very good GDT auction (up 1.2%, WMP + 3%) and talks about the new strategy message he's giving Fonterra farmers on the current road show.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fonterra's head of cooperative affairs reviews another positive GDT auction; up 0.8%. WMP +1.5%, SMP +2.2%, AMF -1.2%, Butter -1.7%, and Cheese +2.9%. Plus, today Fonterra announced a further $150m investment earmarked for a new cool store at its Whareroa site in Taranaki, following recent investments in Edendale ($150m) and Studholme ($75m). All up -  $375m.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“It is a team effort to protect public health from Legionella.” - Alberto Comazzi, Ph.D. We are excited to welcome back Alberto Comazzi, Ph.D. of Sanipur US, for his third appearance on the Scaling UP! H2O Podcast. As an expert in waterborne pathogens, Alberto shares his invaluable insights and experiences about Legionella to help our audience stay informed and proactive in managing water systems. In this episode, we cover a wide range of topics from handling positive Legionella tests to the effectiveness of monochloramine in disinfection. Let's dive into the key points of our discussion. How do you handle a call from a client panicking about their first positive Legionella test? Alberto advises us to stay calm and follow the pre-established plan outlined in the Water Management Plan (WMP). First, review the WMP to understand the specific steps to take for this scenario. Consider the positivity rates and the location where Legionella was found. By following the agreed-upon plan, you can address the client's concerns effectively and ensure proper action is taken.  Why have we seen Legionella increase by nearly ten times over the past few years? “5-6 years ago there wasn't much information about Legionella, and today so many people are interested in this field which protects public health.” - Alberto Comazzi, PhD Dr. Comazzi highlights two key factors behind the significant rise in Legionella cases: 1. Enhanced Water Testing and Awareness: The past few years have seen a substantial increase in both awareness and testing for Legionella. Healthcare professionals are now more informed about the risks of Legionella and are conducting more tests. Since 2017, the requirement for Water Management Plans (WMPs) in healthcare facilities has led to more comprehensive water testing, contributing to the rise in detected cases. 2. Increased Water Age in Buildings: Efforts to conserve water, which have important environmental benefits such as saving energy and reducing costs, have inadvertently led to higher water age in building systems. When water remains in systems for longer periods, it can lead to reduced disinfectant levels and higher water temperatures—conditions that promote Legionella growth. While water conservation is crucial, balancing it with effective Legionella control measures is essential for maintaining public health. By understanding these factors, we can better address and mitigate Legionella risks, ensuring a safer environment for everyone. What advice do you have for those putting together a WMP but who doesn't have the ASSE 1280 Certification? Get Certified or Seek Expert Help: Creating a comprehensive Water Management Plan (WMP) can be complex. While obtaining ASSE 1280 certification is highly recommended, you can also consider hiring a consultant to help you draft your plan. However, it's crucial to ensure that you execute and document the plan effectively. Proper training for facility operators on temperature control, flushing procedures, disinfectant management, and documentation is essential. “A Water Management Plan that's just sitting on the shelf isn't doing anyone any good. If no one implements the plan, it is useless.” Dr. Alberto Comazzi emphasizes, “Proactive measures are better and more cost-effective than reactive ones.” With upcoming due diligence plans addressing various waterborne pathogens, being prepared is key. Who has responsibility when it comes to municipal water? Alberto reminds us that there is a division between the municipality and the building. Municipal Water Responsibility: Municipal water suppliers are responsible for providing water that meets regulatory standards up to the distribution system. They conduct primary disinfection to inactivate most microorganisms and secondary disinfection to maintain a residual disinfectant. However, there are no enforceable limits for Legionella in the municipal water supply, and testing for Legionella is not required. Building-Level Responsibility: Once water leaves the municipal system and enters a building, the responsibility for water safety, including Legionella control, falls to the building owner or manager. Building environments, with their complex plumbing systems, cooling towers, and hot water systems, can foster Legionella growth. Therefore, effective management and control measures at the building level are crucial for ensuring water safety. Monochloramine vs. Chlorine: Which is better Disinfection and Legionella Control in Building Water Systems? Alberto highlights the advantages of monochloramine over chlorine: Case Study Results: A case study in San Francisco showed that switching from chlorine to monochloramine in the municipal water supply significantly reduced Legionella positivity rates in buildings—from 60% to 3-4%. This demonstrates the effectiveness of monochloramine in providing better overall disinfection due to its stability and ability to maintain higher disinfectant levels in building plumbing systems. Comparison with Chlorine: Monochloramine, unlike chlorine, is less reactive with organic materials in water and thus produces fewer regulated disinfection byproducts. It is a more stable disinfectant, which makes it less likely to form harmful byproducts while still providing effective disinfection. Effectiveness in Building Systems: In building water systems, especially those with low water usage or higher temperatures, monochloramine's stability is advantageous. It provides a more consistent and longer-lasting disinfectant presence throughout the system, reaching all areas effectively, which is crucial for preventing Legionella growth. What long-term effects on sustainability and equipment should we consider when balancing water conservation with the use of additional disinfectants in buildings? Alberto outlines key considerations: Corrosion Impact: When installing additional disinfectants, consider their potential to corrode plumbing systems. High levels of corrosive disinfectants can damage plumbing, so it's crucial to balance disinfection effectiveness with the preservation of the building's infrastructure. Water Quality Effects: Assess whether the chosen disinfectant might increase other harmful molecules in the water. Evaluate disinfection efficacy not only in the lab but also in real-world building settings to ensure it does not negatively impact overall water quality. Review Published Data: Refer to peer-reviewed literature and research from credible sources like the EPA to verify the long-term effects of disinfectants on water systems. Reliable data helps ensure that the disinfectant does not introduce unintended consequences and maintains water quality over time. How did monochloramine perform in controlling Pseudomonas compared to traditional methods? In a case study, monochloramine was implemented in facilities with Pseudomonas issues and proved effective in reducing colonization. "Unlike short-term solutions like flushing and hyperchlorination, monochloramine's stability allowed it to reach all parts of the distribution system, providing long-term control" shares Alberto. Timestamps 01:00 - Trace Blackmore invites you to celebrate Legionella Awareness Month  05:50 - Upcoming Events for Water Treatment Professionals 11:00 - Interview with Alberto Comazzi, Ph.D. 01:01:30 - Drop by Drop with James McDonald Connect with Alberto Comazzi, Ph.D. Phone: 267-326-2353 Email: a.comazzi@sanipur.com Website: www.sanipur.com    Linkedin: /in/alberto-comazzi-phd-132637128/  company/sanipur-us-llc Technical Paper: Emerging Waterbone Pathogens in Buildings' Premise Plumbing System Links Mentioned All links mentioned on this episode can be found on our Legionella Resources page HERE The Rising Tide Mastermind Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses Drop By Drop with James In today's episode, I have a challenge for you.  Today's challenge is…test boiler sulfite both immediately after sampling and again an hour later on the same, open sample.  Is there a difference?  Why is there a difference?  What would be the impact of waiting until later to run the sulfite test versus running it immediately?  How might your recommendations be different?  Could the way you run your test impact your results, such as how much you agitate the sample? 2024 Events for Water Professionals Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE.

Fonterra's Chicago-based President Global Markets Ingredients reviews a jaw-dropping good GDT auction overnight (+ 5.5%, with WMP up a whopping 7.2%).  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The chief executive of Fonterra reviews a very good GDT auction (up 0.5%, WMP + 2.4%) when the commentary was suggesting the step ups in August volumes, especially WMP (+~60%) were always going to be a tough ask, all the more so considering what happened in the July increases. However, the extra product was seemingly consumed with ease. And are we "sleepwalking" into an energy crisis?   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's another crucial Global Dairy Trade auction taking place tonight as a new season kicks into gear. Rabobank analyst Emma Higgins has predicted WMP and SMP will move lower overnight. The Country's Jamie Mackay explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello Scaling UP! Nation, August is Legionella Awareness Month, and we're excited to bring you in-depth insights on this crucial topic. Usually, we bring you four episodes every August, but this year, you're in luck! With five Fridays this month, we have five episodes packed with valuable information for you. Today, podcast host Trace Blackmore, CWT, is here to answer your pressing questions about Legionella. As industrial water treaters, you are the heroes in the fight against Legionella, protecting your communities and clients against this dangerous bacteria. Scaling up your Legionella knowledge is a great way to celebrate Legionella Awareness Month, and to support you, we've created a free Legionella resources page at www.ScalingUpH2o.com/Legionella Understanding Legionella: Common Questions Answered What is the difference between Legionella and Legionnaires' disease? Legionella is a bacteria responsible for Legionnaires' disease, a type of pneumonia that comes from getting ill after being exposed to Legionella. It thrives in water and poses significant health risks. Legionnaires' disease was discovered in the mid 1970's after several attendees of the American Legion convention got sick after attending the convention. How does a person get Legionnaires' disease? Inhaling water contaminated with Legionella bacteria can lead to infection. What are the symptoms of Pontiac Fever or Legionnaires' disease? Early symptoms mimic the flu, but more severe pneumonia-like symptoms can develop. Look out for high fever, cough, difficulty breathing, chills, and diarrhea.  How common is Legionnaires' disease? Per the CDC, in 2015 there were approximately 6,000 cases reported in the United States. Who is at higher risk for developing Legionnaires' disease? While most people have resistance, fewer than 5 in 100 exposed individuals may develop the disease. High-risk groups include older adults, smokers, and those with weakened immune systems. How does Legionella enter buildings? Legionella enters through a building's makeup water. This is why we need to test the water coming into a building's system and also set up a program to test within the system so we know what to do and respond appropriately if a test comes back positive for Legionella bacteria. What promotes Legionella growth? Biofilm, temperature fluctuations, inadequate disinfectant levels, and water stagnation within building water systems can promote Legionella growth What are Water Management Programs (WMPs)? WMPs are designed to identify hazardous conditions and minimize the growth and spread of waterborne pathogens, including Legionella, in building water systems. How Should I Discuss Legionella Testing Frequency with a Client Who Only Wants to Test Once a Year? When discussing Legionella testing with a client who only wants to test once a year, emphasize the importance of more frequent testing for safety and compliance. Here's how to approach the conversation: Encourage Regular Testing: I always encourage people to test for Legionella at least every season or quarter. Regular testing helps identify potential issues early, ensuring the safety of your water system. Refer to the Water Management Plan (WMP): It's crucial to refer back to your Water Management Plan (WMP) to understand the necessary steps if a test comes back positive for Legionella bacteria. Develop a Comprehensive Plan: Let's come up with a plan outlining what we are going to test, how often we will test, and how we will use the data. We should also decide how to handle positive results, particularly for different Legionella species. Taking some time to plan upfront will streamline the process when collecting water samples. By emphasizing the benefits of regular testing and a proactive approach, you can help clients understand the importance of more frequent Legionella testing and the value of a detailed WMP. Where can I find more information? On our Scaling UP! H2O Legionella Resources Page at www.ScalingUpH2o.com/Legionella there you'll find Legionella resources collected from the CDC, ASHRAE, OSHA, ASPE, WHO, ASSE, APIC, AIHA, ANSI, ASDWA, AWT, CMS, and others along with our prior Legionella podcast episodes, Legionella Legislation, and Legionella videos.  If you have a helpful Legionella resource not listed on our page, please reach out to our Executive Producer Corrine Drury at Corrine@Blackmore-enterprises.com and we will gladly add that to our Scaling UP! H2O Legionella Resources Page. Upcoming 2024 Legionella Awareness Month Episodes: This month, we have a special lineup of episodes focusing on Legionella, featuring expert guests who will share their insights: Episode 376: Dr. Janet Stout, PhD Episode 377: Michael Loewenstein Episode 378: Dr. Alberto Comazzi, PhD Episode 379: Loraine Huchler Stay tuned, and let's scale up our knowledge together to combat Legionella and ensure safer water systems. Thank you for being a part of the Scaling UP! H2O community. Thank you for celebrating Legionella Awareness Month with us. The Scaling UP! H2O Team Timestamps 01:00 - Trace Blackmore welcomes you to Legionella Awareness Month 03:00 -  Upcoming Events for Water Treatment Professionals 06:00 - Answering Legionella Questions 31:15 - Drop by Drop With James McDonald  Quotes “I always encourage people to test for Legionella at least every season or quarter. It's crucial to refer back to your Water Management Plan (WMP) to know the necessary steps to take if your test comes back positive for Legionella bacteria.” - Trace Blackmore “Let's come up with a plan for what we are going to test, how often we are going to test, and what we are going to do with that data, and if we do get a positive what you want to handle that if we get certain species. Take some time upfront and then get the water sample.” - Trace Blackmore Connect with Scaling UP! H2O Email Producer: corrine@blackmore-enterprises.com Submit a show idea: Submit a Show Idea LinkedIn: in/traceblackmore/ YouTube: @ScalingUpH2O Links Mentioned Ep 355 Ep 227 Drop By Drop with James In today's episode, I have another “what if” for you.  What if industrial water treatment did not exist.  I mean no industrial water treatment equipment, no industrial water treatment chemistry, no industrial water treatment knowledge, and no people practicing the industrial water treatment profession.  How would the world we live in be different?  What would the rivers, lakes, oceans, and even skies look like?  What would our standard of living be like?  How would our health be impacted?  What would be the impact upon the cost of goods if industrial water treatment did not exist?  Thinking in such an extreme as this really makes one appreciate what it is we industrial water treatment professionals truly bring to the world. 2024 Events for Water Professionals Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE.

Fonterra's MD Strategy and Optimisation reviews last night's GDT Auction (up 0.4%, WMP -1.6%, SMP -1.1%).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fonterra's Head of Co-op Affairs reviews last night's plummeting GDT Auction (down 6.9%) with WMP -4.3%, SMP -6.1%, AMF -10.7%, Butter -10.2%, BMP -5.1% and Cheese -6.9% See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WISCONSIN MUSIC PODCAST WMP Linktree: https://linktr.ee/WI_Music_Podcast AMPLFYING WISCONSIN MUSIC Episode 147 Hans Christian www.recordingstudio330.com www.hanschristianmusic.com www.rasa-music.com www.facebook.com/hans.christian.2005   Hey there, and welcome to the Wisconsin Music Podcast! I'm your host, Zach Fell, and every Tuesday we dive into the heart of Wisconsin's music scene. We bring you stories and interviews with musicians, organizations, and businesses making waves right here in our backyard. You can catch all of our episodes on your favorite streaming platforms, and don't miss our video interviews on YouTube. Also, tune in to Fox City's Indie Radio every Thursday at 6 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. to catch our latest episodes. This week, we have a special guest joining us, Hans Christian from Alamed Music in Sturgeon Bay. Hans recently got a Grammy nomination for his beautiful album Ocean Dreaming Ocean in the New Age Ambient Chant category. Hans' story is truly inspiring. He started out as a young cellist in Germany, moved to Hollywood to chase his dreams, and ended up working with big names like Robbie Robertson, Billy Idol, and members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He has also collaborated with greats like John Waite and Sparks. Over the years, he's developed a unique sound that really speaks to the soul. Hans also runs Studio 330, his production facility in the heart of Door County, Wisconsin. There, he not only produces and composes his own music, but also mixes and masters projects for artists from North America and Europe. By the way, our podcast website is going through some exciting design changes. If you're part of the Wisconsin music scene, whether you're a musician, an organization, or a business, head over to our website and fill out the guest request form. We'd love to feature you on a future episode. So, grab your favorite drink, get comfortable, and let's dive into this week's episode of the Wisconsin Music Podcast. Hans shares his journey from Germany to Hollywood, the challenges and triumphs along the way, and his current work in Wisconsin. It's a story filled with passion, creativity, and a deep love for music. Enjoy! Thanks again for tuning in to another episode of the Wisconsin Music Podcast. Once again, I'm Zach Fell, your host and creator of the Wisconsin Music Podcast, where I love to amplify the great sounds coming out of the Wisconsin state. We have great talent here, great support, and great listeners. Thanks to Fox Cities Indie Radio for syndicating this on Thursdays and Sundays along with their other great programming. So make sure you check out Fox Cities Indie Radio. If you are enjoying these episodes, please consider donating to the Wisconsin Music Podcast. Donations help pay for the website and putting the podcast up on streaming services, and also getting our name out there to all Wisconsinites and others that are interested in our great music here in Wisconsin. Donations are secure through PayPal and Stripe. All you have to do is go to the website and click on "Donate to WMP". You can also head over to our Instagram and Facebook pages and like us there, leave some comments, and check out the podcast review section of your podcast player to leave a five-star review. It would be great! Have a great week, everybody, and we'll see you next time!

Hear the heartwarming story of two sisters from war-torn Syria. Also the WMP story continues with a message from Johannes Gutenberg.

Hear the heartwarming story of two sisters from war-torn Syria. Also the WMP story continues with a message from Johannes Gutenberg.

Fonterra's Chief Operating Officer reviews the first GDT auction of the new 24/25 season - up 1.7%, WMP + 1.7%, SMP +3.0%.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eurovision 2024. Well. It was a time. We asked our listeners via our socials to give us topics to talk about, and we answered as best as we could. We hate having to say this, but as always here at WMP: these are our thoughts, and our opinions. 2024 was definitely an experience. You’re going … Continue reading WMP Supplemental 13: Eurovision 2024: A Contest For The History Books (For Probably The Wrong Reasons)

Fonterra's  Acting CFO reviews the final GDT Auction of the 23/24 season. And it was a good one - up 3.3% with WMP + 2.9%. We also look at the timing around the announcement of the opening forecast price for 24/25 season and Fonterra's "step-change in strategy". See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rabobank's senior Ag Analyst reviews last night's GDT auction (surprisingly up 1.8%,  WMP + 2.4%) and previews the bank's latest Q2 Global Dairy Quarterly Report, which has announced an opening forecast milk price of $8-40 kg/MS.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Zach Fell loves Wisconsin music so much that he created, produces, and hosts the Wisconsin Music Podcast which is "amplifying Wisconsin musicians." Like Into The Music, Zach uses WMP to expose local artists to a wider audience literally the world over. But there's a lot more to Zach than WMP—he's a band director, a studio owner, producer, engineer, arranger, and one heck of sax player as is evidenced by the jazz/funk/rock instrumental "I Don't Know" by The Fell Boyzs. So get to know Zach here and then make it a point to catch him on the Wisconsin Music Podcast!Part 2 of this crossover event will publish Tuesday, April 16 on the Wisconsin Music Podcast. We turn it around as Zach interviews Rob and gets the scoop on Into The Music. Don't miss it!"I Don't Know" written and performed by The Fell Boyzs℗ 2004 Fell Boyzs. Used with permission of Zach T. Fell.Support the showVisit Into The Music at https://in2themusic.com!Support the show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/intothemusic E-mail us at intothemusic@newprojectx.com YouTube Facebook Instagram INTO THE MUSIC is a production of Project X Productions, Appleton, WI.Producer: Rob MarnochaRecording, engineering, and post production: Rob MarnochaOpening theme: "Aerostar" by Los Straitjackets* (℗2013 Yep Roc Records)Closing theme: "Close to Champaign" by Los Straitjackets* (℗1999 Yep Roc Records)*Used with permission of Eddie AngelThis podcast copyright ©2024 by Project X Productions. All rights reserved.

WISCONSIN MUSIC PODCAST WMP Linktree: https://linktr.ee/WI_Music_Podcast AMPLFYING WISCONSIN MUSIC Nuke Plant Chickens https://linktr.ee/nukeplantchickens EPISODE 140   Welcome to a stirring episode of the Wisconsin Music Podcast featuring the distinct sounds of Kenosha-based band, Nuke Plant Chickens. Born in the midst of the COVID-19 lockdown, these young music enthusiasts have grown into a seasoned band with a powerful synthesis of various music genres, offering a unique, homegrown energy with every performance. The diverse group shares their exceptional journey, discussing their music inspirations, from King Gizzard and his Lizard Wizards to Black Sabbath. They reveal their band philosophy, revolving around enjoyment rather than strict professionalism, and the exploration of a wide variety music genres. They delve into the challenges and triumphs of forging a path in the bustling music scenes of Chicago and Milwaukee. Get a peek into the band's DIY recording process: a journey centered on raw, authentic music creation and problem-solving equipment issues, song selection, and balancing gig schedules. Nukeplant Chickens not only discuss the release of their four finished singles, but also offer a glimpse into the stories imbedded in their music. They candidly share their experiences of attending influential performances and their appreciation of their supportive community. Above all, they light the beacon on their ambitious future plans. We invite fans, fellow musicians, or those simply curious about the eclectic music scene to immerse themselves in this compelling episode. Join us as we reveal all this and more about Nuke Plant Chickens, the band that's lighting up Wisconsin's music scene. ------------------------------------------ Transcript 1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:11,600 Music. 2 00:00:11,994 --> 00:00:14,654 Ladies and gentlemen, music enthusiasts and podcast listeners, 3 00:00:14,754 --> 00:00:18,314 welcome to A Sonic Journey Like No Other on the Wisconsin Music Podcast. 4 00:00:18,554 --> 00:00:22,194 I'm your host, Zach Fell, and we're here to amplify Wisconsin music. 5 00:00:22,294 --> 00:00:26,254 In this episode, we're diving into the eclectic and electrifying world of Nukeplant 6 00:00:26,254 --> 00:00:29,694 Chickens, a band hailing from the charming town of Kenosha, Wisconsin. 7 00:00:30,214 --> 00:00:34,574 Prizing a remarkable ensemble of talent, Nukeplant Chicken weaves a mesmerizing 8 00:00:34,574 --> 00:00:39,094 tapestry of sound, leaving no genre untouched. Get ready to immerse yourself 9 00:00:39,094 --> 00:00:42,834 in the music of Newt Plant Chickens, where every note is an adventure, 10 00:00:43,054 --> 00:00:44,214 every rhythm is a heartbeat. 11 00:00:44,394 --> 00:00:48,374 Join us in exploring the sonic landscapes crafted by this extraordinary band 12 00:00:48,374 --> 00:00:53,414 as we unravel their musical journey in this special podcast episode on the Wisconsin Music Podcast. 13 00:00:53,794 --> 00:00:56,554 Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for joining me here on the podcast. 14 00:00:57,214 --> 00:01:04,994 Thank you. So why don't we get a quick synopsis of each one of your music origins story. 15 00:01:05,014 --> 00:01:07,734 How did you get started? it i'm jeff i'm the 16 00:01:07,734 --> 00:01:11,014 singer and i i started 17 00:01:11,014 --> 00:01:13,794 taking piano lessons when i was seven and i'm 18 00:01:13,794 --> 00:01:17,534 23 now so that's 16 years ago and 19 00:01:17,534 --> 00:01:24,534 yeah i i can't remember why i started doing piano lessons but yeah okay i really 20 00:01:24,534 --> 00:01:33,094 liked guitar hero as a 12 year old so who are you oh my name is uh my name is 21 00:01:33,094 --> 00:01:35,054 ethan i'm I'm a guitar player sometimes. 22 00:01:35,494 --> 00:01:39,854 Awesome. Yeah, I really liked playing Guitar Hero, and that stuff is, 23 00:01:39,894 --> 00:01:44,414 like, the first stuff I learned, so that's a working story there. 24 00:01:45,214 --> 00:01:52,094 Cool. My name is Chloe. I started on bass in middle school, actually. 25 00:01:52,134 --> 00:01:53,914 My dad convinced me to play. 26 00:01:54,014 --> 00:01:57,594 He would show me Talking Heads footage, 27 00:01:57,754 --> 00:02:03,494 and Tina Weymouth basically played for Tango, to, which I'm happy about it, 28 00:02:03,534 --> 00:02:08,354 but I started on bass and then I started guitar after bass and that would have 29 00:02:08,354 --> 00:02:09,674 been also middle school. 30 00:02:10,234 --> 00:02:17,374 And then recently, you know, drums and all of that, but like I play guitar in this group. 31 00:02:19,574 --> 00:02:21,834 But yeah, I've just been playing forever since middle school. 32 00:02:21,874 --> 00:02:25,054 And my dad wanted me to. Cool. Very cool. 33 00:02:25,694 --> 00:02:31,034 Max, I play the drums. And for my fourth birthday, I got a drum set. 34 00:02:31,354 --> 00:02:33,314 I don't know why I didn't ask. 35 00:02:35,174 --> 00:02:37,754 But yeah, I've been playing ever since. I was happy about that. 36 00:02:37,754 --> 00:02:38,774 It's never stopped. Yeah. 37 00:02:40,594 --> 00:02:48,514 Camera. Sorry. Eight. Fourth or fifth grade. when I played trumpet for Mrs. 38 00:02:48,674 --> 00:02:52,394 Ripley in the KUSD school. 39 00:02:53,314 --> 00:02:56,654 Shout out to Mrs. Ripley. Yeah, shout out to Mrs. Ripley. Hi. 40 00:02:58,874 --> 00:03:03,794 You all basically started at a young age and grew through music and decided 41 00:03:03,794 --> 00:03:05,754 on the instruments you're playing in this group. 42 00:03:05,994 --> 00:03:10,654 So what is kind of like your philosophy as a group? 43 00:03:10,874 --> 00:03:17,054 What's your goals? And what makes you guys become this group of musicians and 44 00:03:17,054 --> 00:03:20,114 going out on stage and playing these types of songs that you play? 45 00:03:20,734 --> 00:03:22,834 Well, I'll say whatever sounds good. 46 00:03:24,414 --> 00:03:27,334 Whatever sounds good. Sounds good. Get it to sound better. I don't know. 47 00:03:27,814 --> 00:03:29,054 At least that's my philosophy. 48 00:03:29,814 --> 00:03:33,794 I think we all love being able to have fun. Yeah. Goof around, 49 00:03:33,954 --> 00:03:38,774 you know, whatever feels right, I guess. A lot of goofing around on stage. 50 00:03:39,554 --> 00:03:43,534 Yeah, it's a lot. We're not very professional. No, which is what's good about 51 00:03:43,534 --> 00:03:47,194 it. Which is why, I mean, that's why I did it. You know what I mean? If I'm being real. 52 00:03:48,174 --> 00:03:52,914 If we were going anywhere, Chloe would not be here. Absolutely not. 53 00:03:53,774 --> 00:03:58,834 So, yeah. Just enjoy it. You know, it's not taking things too serious. 54 00:03:59,754 --> 00:04:03,494 You know, that whole thing. Because it's not that serious. Make sure everyone is granted. 55 00:04:04,351 --> 00:04:07,551 Oh absolutely yeah yeah like these guys they're all my brothers and 56 00:04:07,551 --> 00:04:14,311 then so much as far as 57 00:04:14,311 --> 00:04:17,651 philosophies we actually have on the wall a list 58 00:04:17,651 --> 00:04:20,591 though that i wrote a few years ago called the 59 00:04:20,591 --> 00:04:23,331 jam commandments and the the number one rule the 60 00:04:23,331 --> 00:04:26,491 most important rule of the jam commandments no assholes 61 00:04:26,491 --> 00:04:30,091 so that's maybe the philosophy gotcha excellent 62 00:04:30,091 --> 00:04:33,151 so what kind of groups out there would you 63 00:04:33,151 --> 00:04:36,631 say inspire what you guys do well i 64 00:04:36,631 --> 00:04:39,971 mean the biggest one i'd say the one collective is 65 00:04:39,971 --> 00:04:43,291 king gizzard yeah and the lizard wizard okay and 66 00:04:43,291 --> 00:04:47,751 why is it why is that have you 67 00:04:47,751 --> 00:04:52,011 heard them brother come on yeah but 68 00:04:52,011 --> 00:04:55,991 there's listeners out there that haven't so probably helps them kind of grab 69 00:04:55,991 --> 00:05:00,051 an idea of what you're you're about they've done it all and they'll continue 70 00:05:00,051 --> 00:05:06,051 to do more and that's what keeps me i'm not limited to one genre the variety 71 00:05:06,051 --> 00:05:10,711 yeah yeah and it doesn't matter how many albums they release they'll all be good. 72 00:05:11,831 --> 00:05:14,491 Okay cool well it's good that you know to 73 00:05:14,491 --> 00:05:18,511 have that kind of inspiration in your life to be able to have something that 74 00:05:18,511 --> 00:05:24,271 you can kind of follow and go these are the kind of people that we like to you 75 00:05:24,271 --> 00:05:28,711 know follow in their footsteps basically right and always like individual people 76 00:05:28,711 --> 00:05:34,151 we all have different things which is why it's hard to find collective yeah like I, 77 00:05:35,071 --> 00:05:41,291 don't I'm not into like King Giz like all of these guys are I will say I'm not a nerd but, 78 00:05:42,251 --> 00:05:47,771 yeah I'm not you know I have a much more I mean not that King Giz we're all 79 00:05:47,771 --> 00:05:51,231 into OC's yeah we do like OC's OC's are great. 80 00:05:53,731 --> 00:05:58,851 Ween to ween to the stone age Okay. 81 00:05:58,991 --> 00:06:01,131 Well, it's like Black Sabbath, but that's like in a different way. 82 00:06:01,251 --> 00:06:03,671 Pink Floyd, we all really like. 83 00:06:03,691 --> 00:06:08,011 Dice Fits, even though that's in a different realm. They're like my favorite band of all time. 84 00:06:08,571 --> 00:06:13,031 Dice Fits. Everyone looks like Chippewa. Them Crooked Vultures, too. Yeah. 85 00:06:13,951 --> 00:06:20,791 Awesome. So it's an eclectic collection of individuals plus what you all are 86 00:06:20,791 --> 00:06:25,231 together enjoying at the same time, which is what creates the difference of 87 00:06:25,231 --> 00:06:27,671 what you are from other type of bands out there. 88 00:06:29,540 --> 00:06:35,640 So what made you guys decide to have horn players in your shows as well we knew them. 89 00:06:37,120 --> 00:06:40,040 They were they were our friends maddie was the first 90 00:06:40,040 --> 00:06:42,880 and she was just a she was a a friend of 91 00:06:42,880 --> 00:06:45,920 mine from a long time ago i met her through a band 92 00:06:45,920 --> 00:06:48,660 that i used to be in and uh she just 93 00:06:48,660 --> 00:06:54,800 kind of stuck around and jammed with us and yeah yeah yeah and when she when 94 00:06:54,800 --> 00:07:02,500 she was out of town we had a couple more shows so we asked Finn to play in Kirstead 95 00:07:02,500 --> 00:07:06,760 who's basically family with us. Like literally. 96 00:07:07,180 --> 00:07:13,620 Yeah. So when you guys do a live show are they with you all the time or just for special shows? 97 00:07:14,140 --> 00:07:19,460 Whenever they can. Whenever they can. Okay, cool. How long have you guys been together as a group? 98 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:24,960 As the five piece with everybody in here right now since February February, 99 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:29,700 March, it would have been after the live stream. 100 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:34,840 There's like other stuff that goes way back. Yeah. Like I'm the last to join and I. 101 00:07:36,020 --> 00:07:39,360 Okay. So why don't you give the listeners like a little bit of the history of 102 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:41,960 how this group grew and became what it is today? 103 00:07:42,700 --> 00:07:46,280 Our show. Our very first. We got to go back to the jam. Yeah. 104 00:07:47,060 --> 00:07:50,860 First of jam. Yeah. Oh, yeah. The COVID jams. 105 00:07:51,880 --> 00:07:54,600 That's where it started was COVID. Okay. it 106 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:57,920 was a pandemic and we were all bored and the 107 00:07:57,920 --> 00:08:00,900 old band that i was in i got kicked out 108 00:08:00,900 --> 00:08:08,840 of because i'm a i'm a bad guy and i needed a new band and well we we also can't 109 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:15,180 forget that max ethan and cameron yeah we're in a band together a metal band 110 00:08:15,180 --> 00:08:19,160 starting in 2020 yeah 2021 21, 111 00:08:19,160 --> 00:08:21,300 24, 2020. Okay. 112 00:08:22,840 --> 00:08:27,900 Well, me, Cam, and Jeff are all blood related. So that's how far in the back of that goes. 113 00:08:29,340 --> 00:08:34,780 And the first glimpse of the new plant chickens, I guess you could say, 114 00:08:34,820 --> 00:08:38,900 was my and Max's first band. It was called Floodplain. 115 00:08:39,480 --> 00:08:45,880 And we started playing together in November of 2019 or something like that. Wow. 116 00:08:47,454 --> 00:08:54,954 Yeah, COVID hit, and we got bored and started jamming with a bunch of other people. So I don't know. 117 00:08:55,394 --> 00:08:58,854 We kind of just grabbed anyone we could and brought them in the basement. 118 00:08:59,854 --> 00:09:04,754 Just played for hours. I mean, I think we... How big was the biggest one? 119 00:09:04,954 --> 00:09:08,674 The biggest jam that we were... I don't know if you were at the biggest jam. 120 00:09:09,154 --> 00:09:12,374 I think I was. It was the one. It was David, Logan. 121 00:09:12,994 --> 00:09:16,154 That one was pretty big, but we had another one out. we 122 00:09:16,154 --> 00:09:18,894 had these jams of like the most was probably 123 00:09:18,894 --> 00:09:26,234 like 13 or 14 people in the room and like at like many many guitars sometimes 124 00:09:26,234 --> 00:09:32,134 two drum kits yeah and i think one time we had two basses hooked up and everybody 125 00:09:32,134 --> 00:09:37,134 else was like either playing wind instruments or like rapping or vocals yeah. 126 00:09:37,794 --> 00:09:40,794 And we would just i mean we would go from like 7 127 00:09:40,794 --> 00:09:44,414 p.m to mid yeah let's play and then 128 00:09:44,414 --> 00:09:47,234 this was we the people in the band are just 129 00:09:47,234 --> 00:09:50,634 the people that remained from those jams gotcha 130 00:09:50,634 --> 00:09:53,514 wanted to keep playing because everybody else kind of has a life or 131 00:09:53,514 --> 00:09:56,714 moved on right right okay so this 132 00:09:56,714 --> 00:10:00,634 is what kind of glued you guys together was this jam and you guys met each other 133 00:10:00,634 --> 00:10:04,654 i mean you said three of you are blood related but then you guys kind of became 134 00:10:04,654 --> 00:10:09,554 friends and kind of created this this group that you are so where did the name 135 00:10:09,554 --> 00:10:15,654 come from it's a simple story that i could draw out a lot but But basically, I worked at a beach, 136 00:10:15,834 --> 00:10:18,034 the Illinois State Beach in Zion, 137 00:10:18,254 --> 00:10:20,494 which is just down the road from Kenosha. 138 00:10:20,794 --> 00:10:28,634 And my boss was a very nice man, very funny guy, but he was not the most educated man. 139 00:10:29,014 --> 00:10:35,714 Okay. And at the beach, there were some sandhill cranes that were, 140 00:10:35,854 --> 00:10:37,674 you know, they hung around the water. 141 00:10:37,794 --> 00:10:41,714 And he didn't know they were sandhill cranes, though, because he didn't know 142 00:10:41,714 --> 00:10:43,894 anything about birds. And. 143 00:10:44,799 --> 00:10:48,219 Right next to the beach as well, weird detail, but it's true. 144 00:10:48,299 --> 00:10:52,799 Right next to the beach is a defunct nuclear power plant. 145 00:10:53,139 --> 00:10:56,979 Anyways, all these elements coming together. On my first day of work at the 146 00:10:56,979 --> 00:11:00,579 beach, my boss pointed to some sandhill cranes, 147 00:11:01,499 --> 00:11:07,559 and he said, guests and visitors ask me all the time what those birds are called, 148 00:11:07,759 --> 00:11:09,379 but I don't know what they're called. 149 00:11:09,619 --> 00:11:14,579 So I tell them that they are chickens who wandered too close to the nuke plant. 150 00:11:16,239 --> 00:11:20,959 And the light bulb light bulb just went off there you go there you go awesome, 151 00:11:22,179 --> 00:11:24,959 producers and beat makers of milwaukee it is time for the 152 00:11:24,959 --> 00:11:28,459 2024 big beat mke beat battle tournament taking 153 00:11:28,459 --> 00:11:31,659 place at the jackalope lounge at the wicked hop in milwaukee's third 154 00:11:31,659 --> 00:11:34,519 ward on thursday nights between april 25th and june 155 00:11:34,519 --> 00:11:37,359 13th producers are going to go head to head in 156 00:11:37,359 --> 00:11:40,319 three one minute rounds to determine who is going to move on 157 00:11:40,319 --> 00:11:43,359 to the next round of the tournament with some amazing prizes 158 00:11:43,359 --> 00:11:46,099 from some great sponsors don't forget that you 159 00:11:46,099 --> 00:11:49,219 can submit your beats today at breaking and entering.net through march 160 00:11:49,219 --> 00:11:53,379 31st so when 161 00:11:53,379 --> 00:11:56,439 you guys perform out live what's the reaction from 162 00:11:56,439 --> 00:11:59,219 from the audience most of 163 00:11:59,219 --> 00:12:07,119 it most of them are friends so far so it's people who who even if we played 164 00:12:07,119 --> 00:12:11,579 i hope i hope we play good but people who if even if we played bad they'd be 165 00:12:11,579 --> 00:12:17,999 they still oh it's a great job at least not me I haven't gotten a lot of, 166 00:12:18,679 --> 00:12:25,719 people coming up to me who just didn't know how to I saw some people at the 167 00:12:25,719 --> 00:12:29,699 last show some strangers who were people I didn't know who were filming. 168 00:12:31,419 --> 00:12:34,199 That feels nice like a stranger who doesn't 169 00:12:34,199 --> 00:12:36,979 know us wants to look back at us later 170 00:12:36,979 --> 00:12:39,999 people want us to play rooster every single 171 00:12:39,999 --> 00:12:42,859 time every single time drunk people 172 00:12:42,859 --> 00:12:45,739 want us to play rooster that's a good reaction i feel like 173 00:12:45,739 --> 00:12:49,119 we spark a lot of curiosity people don't 174 00:12:49,119 --> 00:12:51,899 really know what what's gonna go on oh 175 00:12:51,899 --> 00:12:58,999 yeah it's gonna happen what we're gonna do right so so are you guys like mostly 176 00:12:58,999 --> 00:13:04,099 covers or do you add some originals in there on top of it we're actually like 177 00:13:04,099 --> 00:13:10,299 all it's like all we do almost no covers i mean we we we played a three hour set. Yeah. To fill time. 178 00:13:11,119 --> 00:13:13,619 There's like 26 songs. Okay. 179 00:13:14,599 --> 00:13:17,679 So where do you guys usually perform? Where's like your home base? 180 00:13:17,739 --> 00:13:20,859 I mean, you say you're in Kenosha, but like, is there a certain place that you 181 00:13:20,859 --> 00:13:24,479 play that you would call home or is you guys kind of spread it all over? Yeah. 182 00:13:26,144 --> 00:13:29,084 Rustic road definitely and let's get the kenosha 183 00:13:29,084 --> 00:13:33,104 creative space okay two places definitely one's 184 00:13:33,104 --> 00:13:37,744 a bar one's just like a community center and they're on the same block and they're 185 00:13:37,744 --> 00:13:42,784 they're right next to each other yeah so downtown kenosha basically okay and 186 00:13:42,784 --> 00:13:47,344 you guys said so you're not really taking this super serious so what are kind 187 00:13:47,344 --> 00:13:52,204 of like some of your main goals with this this group over the next maybe three to four years. 188 00:13:53,424 --> 00:13:57,104 Records. Yeah, a couple of records, probably. I mean, I personally just want 189 00:13:57,104 --> 00:14:00,764 to be able to play out and more than just downtown. 190 00:14:00,884 --> 00:14:05,984 I mean, I'm like thinking to like different live stuff for like like our first 191 00:14:05,984 --> 00:14:08,844 show of the summer that we created in space. 192 00:14:09,084 --> 00:14:12,804 That was one of the best like like times I've ever fucking heard. 193 00:14:15,984 --> 00:14:18,764 Yeah, it was just so fun. fun and it because there 194 00:14:18,764 --> 00:14:22,184 was so many people our age yeah there yeah 195 00:14:22,184 --> 00:14:25,044 and people that like maybe 196 00:14:25,044 --> 00:14:27,824 like all of us collected we didn't know and it was just 197 00:14:27,824 --> 00:14:30,484 it was really fun and it was packed and it was 198 00:14:30,484 --> 00:14:34,824 just it was so great i just want to play more shows like that but get out of 199 00:14:34,824 --> 00:14:41,904 the city too yeah i would really eventually yeah of course but you know i it's 200 00:14:41,904 --> 00:14:45,764 just this is like to be able to play that kind of stuff in Kenosha would be 201 00:14:45,764 --> 00:14:49,264 really and I know that's asking a lot. That would be really fun. 202 00:14:50,624 --> 00:14:54,344 So Wisconsin being mainly a cover band, that's usually what you're going to 203 00:14:54,344 --> 00:14:57,184 see mostly in Wisconsin bars and everything like that. 204 00:14:57,264 --> 00:15:02,724 You guys being mostly original, do you find it hard to get gigs or is it pretty 205 00:15:02,724 --> 00:15:05,584 decent to find gigs for an all original band like yourselves? 206 00:15:06,104 --> 00:15:10,984 It's not hard to get gigs because we're not a cover band. 207 00:15:11,164 --> 00:15:16,044 It was pretty hard at first. it's hard getting your foot in the door with some. 208 00:15:16,044 --> 00:15:23,264 Of these because they're busy they don't have time sometimes it's just it's hard because, 209 00:15:24,424 --> 00:15:29,004 especially in venues in Chicago and like Milwaukee where they haven't heard 210 00:15:29,004 --> 00:15:35,704 you they won't take you into consideration unless you played gigs in the area 211 00:15:35,704 --> 00:15:40,024 before you kind of gotta be there yeah you gotta be active in the scene that's 212 00:15:40,024 --> 00:15:41,844 kind of what's hardest about it, 213 00:15:42,384 --> 00:15:45,124 how is it that to get in the scene if you 214 00:15:45,124 --> 00:15:48,364 can't get into the scene right yeah so do 215 00:15:48,364 --> 00:15:51,884 you find that like it's not hard anymore really to get gigs why is that is it 216 00:15:51,884 --> 00:15:56,344 because you have now played so many shows or what's what's kind of like the 217 00:15:56,344 --> 00:16:00,924 secret for you yeah you play shows make connections yeah and we always make 218 00:16:00,924 --> 00:16:05,464 friends also go and see these venues in person because that will help a lot 219 00:16:05,464 --> 00:16:07,904 People talk, our owners talk, 220 00:16:08,044 --> 00:16:12,624 they talk among each other, really that's a great, great. 221 00:16:13,715 --> 00:16:16,935 Way to sprint yeah absolutely networking and making 222 00:16:16,935 --> 00:16:19,915 sure that you're not like you said earlier bylaws not 223 00:16:19,915 --> 00:16:23,475 to be an asshole right yeah yeah yeah so 224 00:16:23,475 --> 00:16:26,435 be kind you know be helpful be 225 00:16:26,435 --> 00:16:29,315 you know be positive so the local scene 226 00:16:29,315 --> 00:16:32,395 for you guys it seems to be a positive experience is 227 00:16:32,395 --> 00:16:35,455 there anything in the local scene of your area that 228 00:16:35,455 --> 00:16:40,115 you would wish was stronger sometimes people 229 00:16:40,115 --> 00:16:42,875 get egos i wish it wasn't that 230 00:16:42,875 --> 00:16:49,435 strong but i wish like people would build more bills together you know there 231 00:16:49,435 --> 00:16:55,495 was there was a lot of gatekeeping in the scene before yeah that's kind of coming 232 00:16:55,495 --> 00:16:59,695 down a little bit yeah a lot of people i mean like i had said people taking 233 00:16:59,695 --> 00:17:01,915 it seriously and i mean i don't mean like. 234 00:17:03,195 --> 00:17:07,955 Having boundaries within groups and like oh and you know planning out and things 235 00:17:07,955 --> 00:17:11,355 like that because Cause that's whatever, but I mean, taking things too serious 236 00:17:11,355 --> 00:17:13,775 and like professionalism are like two different things in life. 237 00:17:13,935 --> 00:17:18,215 You know, like you can be a professional and not be like an asshole. Right. 238 00:17:18,435 --> 00:17:24,895 Exactly. Which is the problem that majority of people here have because whatever. 239 00:17:25,535 --> 00:17:26,835 Yeah. It's just. 240 00:17:30,180 --> 00:17:33,540 No, that's good. That's good. Now, earlier you kind of talked about hopefully 241 00:17:33,540 --> 00:17:35,500 making some recordings. 242 00:17:35,680 --> 00:17:39,200 Have you done any of that yet? Yeah, we got a record. 243 00:17:39,660 --> 00:17:44,180 Yeah, for finished singles out there. So take them through the journey of the 244 00:17:44,180 --> 00:17:47,280 start, the process, and getting those out there to them. 245 00:17:47,740 --> 00:17:51,000 Actually, this just came up in my year ago today from Snapchat. 246 00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:53,340 We started recording. Really? Yeah. 247 00:17:54,260 --> 00:17:57,440 Like the other day. What is it? The 21st? Yep. 248 00:17:57,880 --> 00:18:06,940 So the 19th. So two days ago. We started recording because I finally got Ableton on my computer. Okay. 249 00:18:07,300 --> 00:18:12,260 And we just, I mean, we picked what songs we had, I think. 250 00:18:12,840 --> 00:18:17,460 It wasn't what ones we had. It was just, you know, what we wondered, what we felt we could do. 251 00:18:17,960 --> 00:18:23,840 Oh, yeah. But I mean, the songs mostly come from me, and Ethan writes some of them. 252 00:18:24,380 --> 00:18:28,040 But I think of the four, they're mostly like old. 253 00:18:28,040 --> 00:18:30,860 I'd like wrote them a couple years ago when 254 00:18:30,860 --> 00:18:33,820 i was in the other band and then they never wanted to play them 255 00:18:33,820 --> 00:18:37,720 okay you know i don't 256 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:41,900 know how we picked the four singles it's the one are they the ones that just 257 00:18:41,900 --> 00:18:47,920 got one yeah yeah okay so the the first four they got finished now you you had 258 00:18:47,920 --> 00:18:51,240 mentioned that you just got ableton about a year ago on your computer so So 259 00:18:51,240 --> 00:18:54,360 I'm understanding that this is a DIY project. 260 00:18:55,020 --> 00:18:59,400 Yeah. So kind of, was this like done in like a living room? 261 00:18:59,500 --> 00:19:02,860 Did you do it at separate places? Kind of like how did the whole thing come 262 00:19:02,860 --> 00:19:03,840 together for the recording? 263 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:06,220 Where was it done? Just my basement. 264 00:19:06,440 --> 00:19:08,980 And it's just like where I'm as I let go. 265 00:19:09,440 --> 00:19:14,040 Okay. So what are some of the things that you've learned over time when you were recording? 266 00:19:16,220 --> 00:19:20,980 If you have to EQ too much, then you need to re-record it. Okay. 267 00:19:22,735 --> 00:19:27,395 Buy guitar plugins if you don't know how to mic and amp and don't be afraid 268 00:19:27,395 --> 00:19:35,295 to spend money on equipment good it's a good investment yeah i still i still 269 00:19:35,295 --> 00:19:37,055 have a lot of stuff on this thing, 270 00:19:37,595 --> 00:19:41,555 so for better recording yeah so the 271 00:19:41,555 --> 00:19:44,415 did you like put blankets up or anything around 272 00:19:44,415 --> 00:19:47,475 the room or is it like sound bouncing off 273 00:19:47,475 --> 00:19:50,155 cylinder blocks or whatever your walls are made out 274 00:19:50,155 --> 00:19:53,075 of it's mostly just it's about 275 00:19:53,075 --> 00:19:55,855 as raw and real as you can get it i mean 276 00:19:55,855 --> 00:19:58,915 we mic up each of the each of 277 00:19:58,915 --> 00:20:01,655 the drums but there's no like for for the 278 00:20:01,655 --> 00:20:07,415 most part there's no like sound cancellation okay there's a lot of that what 279 00:20:07,415 --> 00:20:10,775 a lot of that reverb gets filtered out through these mics anyway because they're 280 00:20:10,775 --> 00:20:17,195 i don't because they're condensers which is which is really nice yep cool and 281 00:20:17,195 --> 00:20:20,315 now you guys got four four songs finished, you released them. 282 00:20:20,355 --> 00:20:23,935 Let's talk a little bit about each one of those songs and maybe pick a few that 283 00:20:23,935 --> 00:20:25,795 you would like the listeners to hear on the podcast. 284 00:20:28,895 --> 00:20:33,375 I'd go for the first one. I'd go for Police State. The first one we released 285 00:20:33,375 --> 00:20:34,875 is called Police State Disco. 286 00:20:35,455 --> 00:20:37,895 Which is not fun. Not a disco. 287 00:20:39,455 --> 00:20:47,315 It's the only one that has Maddie fully on it. Like a solo, like a feature. 288 00:20:47,655 --> 00:20:50,715 The saxophone. And it's amazing. 289 00:20:51,095 --> 00:20:54,735 And is there a certain story behind the song? Or is it just... 290 00:20:55,435 --> 00:20:59,795 You want the listeners to make their own decision about what it's about? 291 00:21:00,495 --> 00:21:04,175 Yeah, yeah. I like that. Let them decide. 292 00:21:05,840 --> 00:25:32,240 Music. 293 00:25:32,702 --> 00:25:36,962 Would be another song that you would like them to hear on the podcast for there's 294 00:25:36,962 --> 00:25:40,262 one there's one there's one for each each people 295 00:25:40,262 --> 00:25:43,082 those who like upbeat stuff there's one called 296 00:25:43,082 --> 00:25:46,422 party wazo and those who like stoner metal 297 00:25:46,422 --> 00:25:49,282 there's one called way on three and the other people 298 00:25:49,282 --> 00:25:52,402 for the other people who like guns and roses ripoffs 299 00:25:52,402 --> 00:25:55,882 yeah there's one for you cool very 300 00:25:55,882 --> 00:25:58,862 cool so of those four do you 301 00:25:58,862 --> 00:26:01,862 want me to put all four on there or do you want me to put two or three on 302 00:26:01,862 --> 00:26:04,542 the podcast for them to hear that's up to me i 303 00:26:04,542 --> 00:26:10,562 mean up to you at least why not okay so after they hear this they want to hear 304 00:26:10,562 --> 00:26:13,562 it again and not listen to the podcast again they want to actually just listen 305 00:26:13,562 --> 00:26:17,342 to the songs in row obviously you guys are probably on most streaming sites 306 00:26:17,342 --> 00:26:23,282 do you guys also have a band camp site or are you not on that yet no we're not on so no we did not okay, 307 00:26:23,762 --> 00:26:29,262 i would say spotify and are you on whether it's reverb nation i think you guys 308 00:26:29,262 --> 00:26:33,202 are on as well where else can they go and hear your music online, 309 00:26:34,482 --> 00:26:39,182 anywhere you can we have some live recordings on YouTube. 310 00:26:40,862 --> 00:26:44,002 That's on your YouTube site okay cool we 311 00:26:44,002 --> 00:26:47,542 have to watch the first show we don't 312 00:26:47,542 --> 00:26:51,142 have ever we have the 313 00:26:51,142 --> 00:26:58,642 most not the most recent show but we have Octoberfest in Bloomingdale the only 314 00:26:58,642 --> 00:27:03,842 full show we have is one we played at a place called Moose Lodge in Kenosha 315 00:27:03,842 --> 00:27:10,082 it was an event called Blue Bands yeah that was a charity it was a charity event but yeah. 316 00:27:11,762 --> 00:27:15,782 Excellent as we're coming down to the end of this when 317 00:27:15,782 --> 00:27:18,482 do you think your next single is going 318 00:27:18,482 --> 00:27:22,542 to release or are you going to do like multi-song ep release yes 319 00:27:22,542 --> 00:27:25,522 so so the the 320 00:27:25,522 --> 00:27:29,302 goal is is because we've got a couple more shows coming 321 00:27:29,302 --> 00:27:36,622 up and the big plan is because it's such a pain in the ass to set up all this 322 00:27:36,622 --> 00:27:41,362 recording and then tear down for shows it's it's such a hassle so So our plan 323 00:27:41,362 --> 00:27:46,442 is to play the shows and then for the winter, 324 00:27:46,582 --> 00:27:51,542 because we don't have any booked then, to record during the winter so that we 325 00:27:51,542 --> 00:27:53,822 can get the same sound, same sonics, same everything. 326 00:27:53,982 --> 00:27:59,402 Kind of like a regular recording process for an album. Cool. Very cool. 327 00:27:59,862 --> 00:28:03,682 But we don't have one in the pipes? We do. We do. Which one is it? 328 00:28:03,782 --> 00:28:07,842 I have a one-tone drum. So that one's finished and ready to go, basically. 329 00:28:09,222 --> 00:28:15,062 Very soon, maybe. be so soon yeah so if you guys let me know when that might 330 00:28:15,062 --> 00:28:20,162 happen we could probably coordinate where this episode comes out around the 331 00:28:20,162 --> 00:28:25,262 same time that single comes out to kind of help you promote that so yeah just 332 00:28:25,262 --> 00:28:27,562 shoot me an email when you think that's going to happen and then, 333 00:28:28,142 --> 00:28:33,382 we'll we'll try to get this all together at the same time for the last question 334 00:28:33,382 --> 00:28:38,162 i have for you guys is there any gigs that you have been at that made a major 335 00:28:38,162 --> 00:28:40,162 impression on you either as As a performer. 336 00:28:40,702 --> 00:28:43,622 Or as an audience member. Watching someone perform. 337 00:28:44,082 --> 00:28:49,562 Are you talking like local scene shows. Or just like. Overall just experience doesn't matter. 338 00:28:50,582 --> 00:28:53,662 Well I. I'm a big fan of. 339 00:28:55,631 --> 00:29:02,331 I hate this word like punk rock shit and the funny thing I'm in this band something 340 00:29:02,331 --> 00:29:05,791 that kind of stick out like slits off but I you're a girl. 341 00:29:07,631 --> 00:29:16,111 We're so right I but I went to I've gone to so many shows like that and that's where I, 342 00:29:16,891 --> 00:29:19,871 just love that environment of like 343 00:29:19,871 --> 00:29:23,091 just people playing their little hearts out that's 344 00:29:23,091 --> 00:29:26,231 just so cute and I love it so much and I 345 00:29:26,231 --> 00:29:29,171 just like loud okay and like I went to 346 00:29:29,171 --> 00:29:31,931 a band I've gone to so many shows with 347 00:29:31,931 --> 00:29:35,071 my dad we've seen a band called the circle jerks okay 348 00:29:35,071 --> 00:29:38,171 one of my favorite bands of all time um I've 349 00:29:38,171 --> 00:29:41,051 seen them twice and the way that they play 350 00:29:41,051 --> 00:29:44,151 and their entire philosophy is 351 00:29:44,151 --> 00:29:47,131 like what I want to do it's just so much they 352 00:29:47,131 --> 00:29:50,411 just never grew up and they're like an 80s punk band 353 00:29:50,411 --> 00:29:53,531 right cool cool cool anybody else 354 00:29:53,531 --> 00:29:56,311 i mean me and you went to go see king diz 355 00:29:56,311 --> 00:29:59,811 over the summer yeah man man like 356 00:29:59,811 --> 00:30:06,171 it's just just go go go the whole time it's just their stage presence is just 357 00:30:06,171 --> 00:30:11,851 unmatched the sound quality was amazing i will say though i saw we saw them 358 00:30:11,851 --> 00:30:16,611 in june in chicago and that was great and And they've put out a lot of music. 359 00:30:17,311 --> 00:30:19,231 But I saw them in 2019. 360 00:30:19,951 --> 00:30:24,851 And I didn't have any fucking clue who they were. And I had never listened. 361 00:30:24,931 --> 00:30:27,511 Or I had listened to one album called Fishing for Fishies. 362 00:30:27,851 --> 00:30:34,051 But I barely knew who they were. I didn't know anything about them. And that was better. 363 00:30:35,131 --> 00:30:37,651 I like that. I like that one better. Because that was my first. 364 00:30:37,691 --> 00:30:39,411 You saw them on the Rat's Nest tour, right? 365 00:30:39,491 --> 00:30:43,171 I saw them a week after they released Infest the Rat's Nest. 366 00:30:43,391 --> 00:30:44,631 Though I had not heard it. 367 00:30:45,451 --> 00:30:49,091 It had just come out and they were, they were finally starting to play it. Cool. 368 00:30:50,151 --> 00:30:51,291 That's that's my view. 369 00:30:53,353 --> 00:30:56,933 I would say for a show that we played, for me and you at least, 370 00:30:57,013 --> 00:31:00,793 I would say that first creative show we did in a club playing. 371 00:31:00,953 --> 00:31:04,653 Oh, you're talking about Green Park. That made a big impact. 372 00:31:05,013 --> 00:31:11,713 My bad. That made a big impact on you too. Just the rush you get from playing that. 373 00:31:12,613 --> 00:31:16,753 I mean, I've seen I saw the OCs live. 374 00:31:17,193 --> 00:31:20,873 I've seen them twice now. And again, just like the go, go, go. 375 00:31:21,073 --> 00:31:24,093 Just balls to the walls for two hours and there's 376 00:31:24,093 --> 00:31:26,953 again stage presence lights sound quality 377 00:31:26,953 --> 00:31:30,153 and i'm a big polyphia fan 378 00:31:30,153 --> 00:31:33,813 and i just i went to go see them wednesday in 379 00:31:33,813 --> 00:31:40,333 milwaukee and then thursday in chicago but just the the amount of musicianship 380 00:31:40,333 --> 00:31:45,733 and the amount of talent in that band it really inspires me and the community 381 00:31:45,733 --> 00:31:51,133 too it just inspires me to be a better person what's the last thing that you 382 00:31:51,133 --> 00:31:53,233 you want the listeners to know about like your social media, 383 00:31:53,313 --> 00:31:57,313 where can they find you and things of that nature? Find us Instagram, Spotify. 384 00:31:58,113 --> 00:32:03,353 Those are the main two that we're on and give our songs a list. Yeah. 385 00:32:04,333 --> 00:32:08,193 That's all we can really ask. Awesome. Well, thank you guys so much for being 386 00:32:08,193 --> 00:32:09,393 on the Wisconsin music podcast. 387 00:32:09,553 --> 00:32:13,933 It was cool to hear about how you guys started, what you're working on and your 388 00:32:13,933 --> 00:32:15,893 future stuff. So thank you so much for being on the show. 389 00:32:16,393 --> 00:32:21,313 Thank you. Yeah. This was fun, man. Cool. We'll be right back. 390 00:32:21,200 --> 00:36:47,920 Music. 391 00:36:47,764 --> 00:36:50,784 Episode of the Wisconsin Music Podcast. Once again, I'm Zach Fell, 392 00:36:50,864 --> 00:36:54,544 your host and creator of the Wisconsin Music Podcast, where I love to amplify 393 00:36:54,544 --> 00:36:57,964 the great sounds coming out of the Wisconsin State. 394 00:36:58,024 --> 00:37:01,464 We have great talent here, great support, great listeners. 395 00:37:01,904 --> 00:37:07,384 Thanks to Fox City's Indie Radio for syndicating this on Thursdays and Sundays, 396 00:37:07,464 --> 00:37:08,984 along with their other great programmers. 397 00:37:09,024 --> 00:37:11,784 So make sure you check out the Fox City's Indie Radio. 398 00:37:12,004 --> 00:37:17,124 And thanks to this week's guest, Nuke Plant Chickens, for being on the show. 399 00:37:17,764 --> 00:37:21,844 Check out their music on streaming and on Reverb Nation. 400 00:37:22,204 --> 00:37:26,944 And check out their gig coming up this Friday at McAuliffe's in Racine, Wisconsin. 401 00:37:27,584 --> 00:37:32,404 If you'd like to be on the show, just go to wisconsinmusicpodcast.com, 402 00:37:32,484 --> 00:37:37,344 fill out the guest request form up at the top, ask for your email and your name, 403 00:37:37,424 --> 00:37:41,184 and then I'll send you an auto email asking you for more information. 404 00:37:41,604 --> 00:37:45,764 If you are enjoying these episodes, please consider donating to the Wisconsin Music Podcast. 405 00:37:46,304 --> 00:37:50,484 Donations help pay for the website and putting the podcast up on streaming services 406 00:37:50,484 --> 00:37:55,104 and also getting our name out there to all Wisconsinites and others that are 407 00:37:55,104 --> 00:37:57,504 interested in our great music here in Wisconsin. 408 00:37:58,044 --> 00:38:01,924 Donations are secured through PayPal and Stripe. All you have to do is go to 409 00:38:01,924 --> 00:38:04,804 the website and click on Donate to WMP. 410 00:38:05,544 --> 00:38:09,624 You can also head over to our Instagram and Facebook pages and like us there. 411 00:38:09,864 --> 00:38:15,084 Leave some comments. Also, go to the podcast review section of your podcast 412 00:38:15,084 --> 00:38:17,504 player and leave a five-star review. It would be great. 413 00:38:18,204 --> 00:38:21,924 You can also head over to YouTube and watch the interviews and leave comments 414 00:38:21,924 --> 00:38:25,124 there as well. Have a great week, everybody, and we'll see you next time.  

WISCONSIN MUSIC PODCAST WMP Linktree: https://linktr.ee/WI_Music_Podcast AMPLFYING WISCONSIN MUSIC Elysian Stew Instagram: http://www.Instagram.com/elysian_stew Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patrick.zyduck Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5lao8yeqTuBXMgRTEjO86i YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCxKM0AR1hwfqkfj-kv7t-6g EPISODE 139 Welcome back to another riveting episode of the Wisconsin Music Podcast, where we unveil Wisconsin's vibrant musical landscape by showcasing its numerous talents. Today, we host the captivating instrumental guitar virtuoso, Pat Zyduck, also known as Elysian Stew. Renowned for his unique blend of diverse musical elements, Pat melds the old and new, crafting a captivating auditory tapestry. Join us on a fascinating journey, charting the course of Pat's musical saga—from his first encounter with the guitar, the eccentric teaching methods of his father, his hiatus in military service, to his enthralling return to the music scene. He further shares his intriguing experiences of transforming life's adversities into potent musical inspiration and the compelling backstory behind his album's title. Along with dipping into Pat's musical voyage, get set to delve into the compelling narrative behind his favorite song, 'Low-Flying Owls,' and the unconventional circumstances that bestowed it with its peculiar name. Candid discussions about maintaining work-life harmony as a musician, arranging gigs that complement his instrumental style, and dealing with harsh criticism provide a comprehensive picture of a musician's life. Pat shares valuable insights into his influences, musical explorations, and recording studio experiences, and talks about the crucial role played by his wife, his ongoing projects, and his plans for future performances. Tune in to unravel the artistry of Elysian Stew, understand his musical style better, and discover the vibrancy of Wisconsin's music scene. "I've always been drawn to the raw honesty of music. It's a way to express emotions that words alone can't capture," reflects Elysian Stew, offering listeners a glimpse into the soul of his artistry.   "There's something magical about tapping into the essence of a moment and translating it into music. It's like capturing lightning in a bottle," he muses, his words resonating with the universal language of music. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Transcript: 1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:11,280 Music. 2 00:00:11,749 --> 00:00:14,789 Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to the Wisconsin Music Podcast, 3 00:00:14,949 --> 00:00:19,129 your go-to destination for discovering the incredible musical tapestry woven 4 00:00:19,129 --> 00:00:20,989 by the talented artists of the Badger State. 5 00:00:21,109 --> 00:00:24,329 Today we have a special treat for your ears as we sit down with the master of 6 00:00:24,329 --> 00:00:28,809 the instrumental guitar, none other than the enigmatic Pat Zydek, 7 00:00:28,949 --> 00:00:33,349 better known on stage as the sonic storyteller Elysian Stew. 8 00:00:33,769 --> 00:00:36,769 Did I say all that correctly so far? You did, yeah. Excellent. in 9 00:00:36,769 --> 00:00:40,089 this episode we'll delve into the artistry of 10 00:00:40,089 --> 00:00:43,269 pat zidek a musician who skillfully combines fragments 11 00:00:43,269 --> 00:00:46,829 of musical influences to craft his sonic stew that is 12 00:00:46,829 --> 00:00:51,169 both nostalgic and contemporary with a mission to invoke emotions each composition 13 00:00:51,169 --> 00:00:55,429 is a journey through the forest of feelings a testament to the profound impact 14 00:00:55,429 --> 00:01:00,049 music can have on our souls but wait there's more pat zidek has just released 15 00:01:00,049 --> 00:01:04,729 a brand new album and it's titled driving the desert to burn a million dollars. 16 00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:53,040 Music. 17 00:01:10,349 --> 00:01:16,689 © transcript Emily Beynon. 18 00:01:51,749 --> 00:01:54,789 You can find this captivating musical experience on 19 00:01:54,789 --> 00:01:57,689 all major streaming platforms youtube itunes and more so 20 00:01:57,689 --> 00:02:00,669 get ready to immerse yourself in the enchanting melodies and 21 00:02:00,669 --> 00:02:03,649 tales of elysian stew do stay tuned to the wisconsin music 22 00:02:03,649 --> 00:02:06,589 podcast where we celebrate the sounds that make our steak 23 00:02:06,589 --> 00:02:10,129 unique one artist at a time so pat welcome 24 00:02:10,129 --> 00:02:13,109 to the wisconsin music podcast thank you 25 00:02:13,109 --> 00:02:15,949 thank you thank you very much for having me this is quite an honor i 26 00:02:15,949 --> 00:02:18,889 appreciate it well thank you so much for being on so let's 27 00:02:18,889 --> 00:02:21,729 get listeners introduced to you kind of give them a summary of 28 00:02:21,729 --> 00:02:25,289 your music origin story yeah so 29 00:02:25,289 --> 00:02:28,489 basically i've been playing guitar most of 30 00:02:28,489 --> 00:02:32,009 my life my father was was a professional musician so he 31 00:02:32,009 --> 00:02:35,749 started me when I was four okay pretty much 32 00:02:35,749 --> 00:02:38,569 had hopes and dreams of you know making it big and everything 33 00:02:38,569 --> 00:02:41,409 and those were dashed at the age of 34 00:02:41,409 --> 00:02:44,749 17 thanks to my father which is an interesting story I 35 00:02:44,749 --> 00:02:48,669 wasn't wasn't done maliciously it was done to let me realize that I wasn't good 36 00:02:48,669 --> 00:02:55,269 enough okay and at that point it was okay now I have to come up with a plan 37 00:02:55,269 --> 00:02:58,589 b because I didn't have a plan b before I was just it was going to be music 38 00:02:58,589 --> 00:03:01,369 or nothing and and realized that music wasn't going to work. 39 00:03:01,449 --> 00:03:03,049 So I came up with a plan B, joined the military. 40 00:03:03,509 --> 00:03:05,629 I got to travel the world for a number of years. 41 00:03:06,109 --> 00:03:10,589 Met a girl, got married, settled down, had a family. Music kind of fell by the wayside. 42 00:03:11,355 --> 00:03:17,395 Fast forward 20 years, that marriage ended, and my sister, who is probably one 43 00:03:17,395 --> 00:03:21,455 of my biggest fans, told me that I needed to start playing again, basically. 44 00:03:21,715 --> 00:03:26,035 A year later, I released my first album, and it was all songs written while 45 00:03:26,035 --> 00:03:28,775 I was going through a divorce, so they were very angry songs. 46 00:03:30,355 --> 00:03:33,555 A few years after that, well, about a year and a half after that, 47 00:03:33,595 --> 00:03:39,115 actually, I released a second EP entitled Tuwache Vida, which was songs I had 48 00:03:39,115 --> 00:03:40,995 written about genocide in Africa. 49 00:03:41,455 --> 00:03:43,755 Something that was pretty near and dear to my heart. 50 00:03:44,655 --> 00:03:48,655 And then I joined a band. I was hired gun guitar player, 51 00:03:48,775 --> 00:03:53,215 played with them for about six years and I was having a blast and everything, 52 00:03:53,315 --> 00:03:56,695 but it got to be a little much, you know, everybody in the band was working 53 00:03:56,695 --> 00:04:01,255 full-time day jobs and the band was starting to have a little bit of success, 54 00:04:01,335 --> 00:04:03,735 but not enough that any of us could quit our jobs. 55 00:04:04,035 --> 00:04:08,555 Okay. So, so I said, I was getting a little burned out. So I said basically 56 00:04:08,555 --> 00:04:10,875 that I needed a brief hiatus. 57 00:04:11,355 --> 00:04:15,575 And that hiatus actually, which was going to originally be a month or two, 58 00:04:15,615 --> 00:04:17,555 turned into 12 years. Oh, wow. 59 00:04:17,915 --> 00:04:19,975 Yeah, yeah. Pretty, pretty surprising. 60 00:04:20,535 --> 00:04:26,595 But then the pandemic happened and my full-time day job, I was out and about. 61 00:04:26,675 --> 00:04:29,235 I worked through a whole pandemic, which was pretty stressful. 62 00:04:29,755 --> 00:04:34,435 And when things started coming out of that, I realized I was in kind of a bad place mentally. 63 00:04:34,895 --> 00:04:38,795 So I decided I was going to start playing music again, just for my own personal 64 00:04:38,795 --> 00:04:42,455 therapy. You know, just it was something I enjoyed, something I loved, 65 00:04:42,455 --> 00:04:46,555 and it was something that took my mind off of everything else that was going on. 66 00:04:46,755 --> 00:04:50,815 And so I had absolutely no intention of getting back into the scene. 67 00:04:51,295 --> 00:04:55,475 But as I started playing, you know, and I was playing when we're kids, 68 00:04:55,655 --> 00:04:59,015 we play for the pure enjoyment and for the innocence of it, you know. 69 00:04:59,215 --> 00:05:02,455 So that was kind of the mindset I was going to bring into it this time. 70 00:05:02,695 --> 00:05:08,795 And I was I was playing for just for the pure enjoyment. And but before long, my muse showed up. 71 00:05:09,275 --> 00:05:11,975 And kind of smacked me in the back of the head and said oh 72 00:05:11,975 --> 00:05:15,435 welcome back i got a whole bunch of songs for you to write now and 73 00:05:15,435 --> 00:05:18,475 i started creating and i 74 00:05:18,475 --> 00:05:21,275 realized well what good are these songs if 75 00:05:21,275 --> 00:05:25,115 nobody's ever going to hear them i was really proud of them and decided all 76 00:05:25,115 --> 00:05:29,375 right well i guess i'm going to release an album and here we are back in the 77 00:05:29,375 --> 00:05:33,955 scene a lot a lot deeper than i had planned on going but yeah of it you know 78 00:05:33,955 --> 00:05:39,175 excellent so what what was what is your muse that made you really get back into this. 79 00:05:39,775 --> 00:05:41,335 Well, it's funny, but she just 80 00:05:41,335 --> 00:05:45,795 kind of showed up one day and I don't know who she is. I call her a she. 81 00:05:45,955 --> 00:05:48,715 I've never seen her or anything, but it's just. 82 00:05:49,723 --> 00:05:53,603 It's kind of a cliche when we talk to certain musicians about, 83 00:05:53,683 --> 00:05:57,963 they say, oh, well, the song was just floating in the universe and it just found 84 00:05:57,963 --> 00:06:00,023 me and filtered itself out through me. 85 00:06:00,203 --> 00:06:03,923 But a lot of the songs on this record, that's kind of the way they came. 86 00:06:04,203 --> 00:06:08,383 Just started noodling in the studio, playing around and all of a sudden the 87 00:06:08,383 --> 00:06:10,923 melody came and I'd build off of that and build off of that. 88 00:06:11,023 --> 00:06:12,243 And next thing I knew, I had a song. 89 00:06:12,663 --> 00:06:19,403 There are a couple on the album that were written for a specific purpose, like Russian warship. 90 00:06:19,483 --> 00:06:24,863 That one was, I don't know if you're familiar with the story of the Ukrainian 91 00:06:24,863 --> 00:06:26,643 soldiers on Snake Island, Ukraine. 92 00:06:27,123 --> 00:06:32,903 After Russians invaded Ukraine, a Russian warship basically told them they needed 93 00:06:32,903 --> 00:06:35,223 to surrender or they would be attacked. 94 00:06:35,663 --> 00:06:39,923 And the Ukrainians, in no uncertain terms, told the Russians where to go. 95 00:06:40,483 --> 00:06:46,883 So I wrote that song with trying to envision some of the emotions that the ukrainian 96 00:06:46,883 --> 00:06:50,563 soldiers were feeling while they were waiting for the russians to attack, 97 00:06:51,123 --> 00:06:54,823 gotcha that's that's where that song came from okay but 98 00:06:54,823 --> 00:06:58,203 like unquiet ghost i was just rehearsing to 99 00:06:58,203 --> 00:07:00,983 do a show and this melody just popped 100 00:07:00,983 --> 00:07:03,743 into my head and i started playing it and inside of 10 101 00:07:03,743 --> 00:07:06,443 minutes i had the song and there's there's a 102 00:07:06,443 --> 00:07:09,343 line in a josh ritter song called the bone 103 00:07:09,343 --> 00:07:12,363 of song where the song is basically about finding 104 00:07:12,363 --> 00:07:15,443 a bone in the woods and there are lyrics engraved on 105 00:07:15,443 --> 00:07:18,163 the bone and if you find the bone and put it back it will give you a 106 00:07:18,163 --> 00:07:23,043 song but there's a line in there it says lucky are you who finds me in the wilderness 107 00:07:23,043 --> 00:07:28,083 for i am the only unquiet ghost that does not seek rest and i wrote this song 108 00:07:28,083 --> 00:07:31,963 and it was like where did that come from it's like i have no idea where it came 109 00:07:31,963 --> 00:07:37,763 from but i figured the unquiet ghost brought it to me so that's what i titled it was unquiet ghost. 110 00:07:38,640 --> 00:09:46,000 Music. 111 00:09:46,464 --> 00:09:51,184 Cool. Very cool. So do you think some of this has to do with your military experience? 112 00:09:52,264 --> 00:09:58,984 This particular record? Probably not. No. A lot of these were just songs that 113 00:09:58,984 --> 00:10:00,984 just kind of came to me as I was playing around. 114 00:10:01,224 --> 00:10:04,944 And it's like, ooh, what was that? I'd build off of it and things like that. 115 00:10:04,964 --> 00:10:09,244 Nothing on the album is specifically related to my military experience, 116 00:10:09,244 --> 00:10:14,464 because that was a long time ago so kind 117 00:10:14,464 --> 00:10:17,224 of diving back into a recap of everything that you've 118 00:10:17,224 --> 00:10:20,284 said so far you said back when you were 17 your dad 119 00:10:20,284 --> 00:10:24,924 basically kind of showed you that in his own way that he felt that you weren't 120 00:10:24,924 --> 00:10:28,844 able to become a professional musician as this was going to become your profession 121 00:10:28,844 --> 00:10:34,144 as listeners are out there what do you think your dad was right about that made 122 00:10:34,144 --> 00:10:36,504 sure that that was the actual path 123 00:10:36,504 --> 00:10:39,424 for you to take was not to become a professional musician at that time? 124 00:10:39,764 --> 00:10:42,964 Well, it's not that he didn't want me to be a professional musician. 125 00:10:43,204 --> 00:10:47,384 He knew I wasn't good enough at that point. And the way he drilled that into 126 00:10:47,384 --> 00:10:51,064 my head was I came home from school one day and he said to me, 127 00:10:51,124 --> 00:10:53,664 he said, so what's your plan? You're not doing great in school. 128 00:10:53,844 --> 00:10:56,744 You're probably not going to go on to college. So what is your plan? 129 00:10:56,884 --> 00:11:00,024 And I said, well, I'm going to go to Nashville. My dad was big in the country 130 00:11:00,024 --> 00:11:02,584 music world. And he said, do you think you're good enough? 131 00:11:02,804 --> 00:11:05,524 And I said, yeah. My dad was the guy on the side of the stage, 132 00:11:05,644 --> 00:11:06,764 the hired gun and guitar guitar player. 133 00:11:06,964 --> 00:11:10,084 He played with some of the biggest names in country music in the 70s. 134 00:11:10,104 --> 00:11:11,704 And that's who I wanted to be. 135 00:11:11,844 --> 00:11:14,964 And he said, okay, cool. And he got up and walked out of the kitchen. 136 00:11:15,084 --> 00:11:18,984 And the next day I came home from school and there was an envelope on the table. 137 00:11:19,064 --> 00:11:23,164 I opened it up and there was $500 cash, Greyhound bus ticket, 138 00:11:23,264 --> 00:11:25,264 and a list of names and phone numbers. 139 00:11:25,584 --> 00:11:28,164 And he said, you're going to Nashville this weekend. And he said, 140 00:11:28,284 --> 00:11:32,064 all I want you to do is just spend the weekend walking up and down 16th Avenue, 141 00:11:32,224 --> 00:11:35,804 which at the time was the street all the major recording studios were on. 142 00:11:35,804 --> 00:11:38,964 And so I did that, you know, that was back in the days when you could send your 143 00:11:38,964 --> 00:11:42,804 17 year old boy off to a different state and not really have to worry about it too much. 144 00:11:42,924 --> 00:11:46,944 It didn't take me long to realize that these guys playing for change on the 145 00:11:46,944 --> 00:11:51,304 street corners weren't good enough to get jobs and they were a lot better than me. 146 00:11:51,424 --> 00:11:54,944 So it was kind of my dad's way of making me figure it out myself. 147 00:11:55,224 --> 00:11:58,964 So that's when I came home and said, well, I got to come up with a plan B. 148 00:11:59,624 --> 00:12:04,544 And and my i fully intended on pursuing music but you know life gets in the 149 00:12:04,544 --> 00:12:10,144 way a lot of times and things like that right okay no that that's a really interesting story it's like, 150 00:12:10,699 --> 00:12:13,619 Like you said, you know, if he would have just said, no, you're not good enough, 151 00:12:13,759 --> 00:12:16,999 you probably would have not listened to one word he said and, 152 00:12:16,999 --> 00:12:18,319 you know, fought against it. 153 00:12:18,499 --> 00:12:23,919 But your own experience, you went, okay, well, am I going to be dedicated enough 154 00:12:23,919 --> 00:12:25,259 to become better than these people? 155 00:12:25,379 --> 00:12:27,759 Yes or no. And obviously you made that decision. 156 00:12:28,339 --> 00:12:32,499 Yeah. Gotcha. Okay. Well, and he didn't, he didn't want to see me go down to 157 00:12:32,499 --> 00:12:35,059 Nashville and then, you know, be living on the street starving. 158 00:12:35,599 --> 00:12:40,239 Right. Exactly. When no parent wants to see that happen. They want to see their kids successful. 159 00:12:41,299 --> 00:12:44,179 Now, obviously, you were in the military. 160 00:12:44,419 --> 00:12:48,759 Did you do anything musical in the military, or was it something in a different 161 00:12:48,759 --> 00:12:52,639 branch of the military that you were a part of? Well, no, I was in the Coast Guard. Okay. 162 00:12:53,019 --> 00:12:56,099 And my first duty station was Kodiak Island, Alaska. 163 00:12:56,899 --> 00:13:01,499 And while I was there, I met a fellow banjo player. So we formed a little group 164 00:13:01,499 --> 00:13:03,539 and we did a cassette tape. 165 00:13:03,899 --> 00:13:07,539 We didn't know anything about vinyl pressing or anything at that time. 166 00:13:07,619 --> 00:13:08,939 So we went into the studio and 167 00:13:08,939 --> 00:13:12,979 recorded, I think, seven or eight songs and put them on a cassette tape. 168 00:13:13,499 --> 00:13:16,299 And it was just bluegrass covers, that kind of a thing. 169 00:13:16,339 --> 00:13:19,539 It was just guitar and banjo. and during that experience 170 00:13:19,539 --> 00:13:22,339 in the studio it was like okay i want to do more of this 171 00:13:22,339 --> 00:13:25,259 this was fun yeah you know we played played 172 00:13:25,259 --> 00:13:28,239 some shows on the base and there wasn't a whole lot to 173 00:13:28,239 --> 00:13:33,539 do in the city of kodiak it's a city of 5 000 people and probably 4 000 of them 174 00:13:33,539 --> 00:13:37,539 are commercial fishermen and so you know the the bars get kind of rowdy when 175 00:13:37,539 --> 00:13:43,299 the guys are in right yeah so there wasn't a whole lot of opportunities to play 176 00:13:43,299 --> 00:13:47,059 but we played some shows on the base at the officers club the enlisted men's 177 00:13:47,059 --> 00:13:48,119 club and things like that. 178 00:13:48,639 --> 00:13:51,859 And then from there, I got transferred to Two Rivers, Wisconsin, 179 00:13:52,419 --> 00:13:55,979 where I had joined a country band. I grew up country. 180 00:13:57,168 --> 00:14:01,388 I didn't even realize anything but country existed until I was 12 when my cousin 181 00:14:01,388 --> 00:14:05,108 played Here Comes the Sun for me by the Beatles and blew my mind. Yeah. 182 00:14:05,648 --> 00:14:11,568 But came back from Alaska, formed a country cover band, and did that for a little while. 183 00:14:11,728 --> 00:14:16,168 And then met a woman, got married, had a family, and wife kind of got in the way. 184 00:14:16,248 --> 00:14:21,328 So that was my first hiatus from music, which lasted almost 20 years. 185 00:14:21,548 --> 00:14:27,168 Yeah. And then around, if I'm figuring this out correctly, going backwards from 186 00:14:27,168 --> 00:14:28,008 what you talked about before, 187 00:14:28,788 --> 00:14:36,508 about mid-2000s, between 2000 and 2010 is when you started your back to music 188 00:14:36,508 --> 00:14:38,328 with a band. Was that around that time? 189 00:14:39,348 --> 00:14:44,908 Yeah. Yeah. Let's see. What would that have been? Yeah, right around mids. Yeah. Yeah. 190 00:14:45,488 --> 00:14:49,688 And I started, you know, I started, I wrote my, my album, which is titled, 191 00:14:49,928 --> 00:14:53,448 I never want to meet another you. That's the one I wrote after I got divorced. Right. 192 00:14:53,948 --> 00:14:58,008 Gotcha. And the guy that owned the studio that I recorded that in, 193 00:14:58,068 --> 00:15:02,048 we ended up becoming really good friends and he invited me to join his band 194 00:15:02,048 --> 00:15:03,948 kind of as a hired gun guitar player. 195 00:15:04,348 --> 00:15:07,768 And I did that. It was a band out of Sheboygan called Icarus Drifting, 196 00:15:07,868 --> 00:15:13,128 which is the band is still around. They're called the Bellwether now. Oh, okay. 197 00:15:13,508 --> 00:15:18,128 Sure. Yeah. Yeah, Eric Cox and Thea, Marissa, and Corey. 198 00:15:18,468 --> 00:15:24,388 But yeah, so after Icarus kind of fell apart, Eric reformed Icarus into the bellwether. 199 00:15:24,528 --> 00:15:27,608 But I played with Eric and Icarus Drifting for about six years. 200 00:15:28,428 --> 00:15:33,648 And that's during that time I released my second album. And then we released an album as Icarus. 201 00:15:34,368 --> 00:15:39,308 Okay. So let's talk a little bit about this newest album that you recently released. 202 00:15:39,308 --> 00:15:43,668 Based um kind of give the listeners kind of like a the summary of from beginning 203 00:15:43,668 --> 00:15:48,408 to end how it started where you recorded it things you kind of learned from 204 00:15:48,408 --> 00:15:54,468 that process and the release story behind it yeah so i wrote these songs that 205 00:15:54,468 --> 00:15:57,628 you know over the course of about 16 or 18 months. 206 00:15:58,968 --> 00:16:03,548 And a friend of mine i live in fond du lac and a friend of mine owns a studio 207 00:16:03,548 --> 00:16:08,068 it's not a pro that's not his business but he you know he has a studio on the 208 00:16:08,068 --> 00:16:12,848 side he's a music teacher and things like that and he offered to record it for 209 00:16:12,848 --> 00:16:16,108 me so I took him up on it and just kind of, 210 00:16:16,628 --> 00:16:20,828 laid out the songs that I did and then you know picked the sequence that I wanted 211 00:16:20,828 --> 00:16:25,788 to put him in and one of the reviews that I got on the record said it's it's 212 00:16:25,788 --> 00:16:30,588 it's a journey going through the desert and seeing almost every single different 213 00:16:30,588 --> 00:16:34,788 terrain a desert would have to offer which is It's pretty interesting. 214 00:16:35,208 --> 00:16:38,228 The songs were not written to be grouped together. 215 00:16:38,688 --> 00:16:41,808 They weren't written specifically for this album. 216 00:16:41,868 --> 00:16:45,728 I would just write a song and log it. And then pretty soon I realized these 217 00:16:45,728 --> 00:16:49,348 songs all kind of go together with a little bit of variation. 218 00:16:49,488 --> 00:16:51,628 So they don't all sound the same. Right. 219 00:16:52,857 --> 00:16:57,877 And the title came from something a woman said to me after a live show one time. 220 00:16:57,937 --> 00:17:02,177 She said, your music just makes me feel so carefree, like I want to drive through 221 00:17:02,177 --> 00:17:03,757 the desert to burn a million dollars. 222 00:17:03,917 --> 00:17:07,017 And I went, oh, I got to write that down. Yeah, definitely, definitely. 223 00:17:07,497 --> 00:17:10,597 Very catchy, very thought-provoking title. 224 00:17:11,277 --> 00:17:15,577 Now, the tunes that you had mentioned earlier, Russian and Ghost, 225 00:17:15,697 --> 00:17:16,657 are those part of that album? 226 00:17:17,137 --> 00:17:20,717 Yes, they're both on this album. Okay. It's Russian Worship, 227 00:17:20,837 --> 00:17:27,017 and there is another part to the name of that song, but it's got a bad word in it. Okay, gotcha. 228 00:17:28,377 --> 00:17:32,017 And then the other one is called Unquiet Ghost. Unquiet Ghost. 229 00:17:32,637 --> 00:17:37,857 My favorite song on the album is Low-Flying Owls, which was one of those songs. 230 00:17:37,857 --> 00:17:39,297 That just kind of came to me. 231 00:17:39,377 --> 00:17:45,897 I just wrote it one day, and I played it for my wife, and we're trying to come up with a title for it. 232 00:17:46,717 --> 00:17:49,537 Because a lot of times, you know, it's instrumental, there's no 233 00:17:49,537 --> 00:17:52,457 story right sometimes there's a story behind it but 234 00:17:52,457 --> 00:17:55,857 it may not be obvious to the listener because there's no words right 235 00:17:55,857 --> 00:17:59,937 so i try to either name 236 00:17:59,937 --> 00:18:04,177 the song after a feeling that the song may evoke or i go the complete opposite 237 00:18:04,177 --> 00:18:09,297 direction and just name it something really offbeat and off the wall and this 238 00:18:09,297 --> 00:18:12,777 one yeah i'd written the song and she said well let's just marinate on it for 239 00:18:12,777 --> 00:18:17,977 a few days and see if something doesn't come to us and we actually saw a road sign sign. 240 00:18:18,337 --> 00:18:22,357 And you know, those yellow diamond shaped signs like a deer crossing sign. 241 00:18:22,677 --> 00:18:26,097 And it said, caution, low flying owls. 242 00:18:26,757 --> 00:18:32,017 And my wife turned to me and looked at me and I had the song recorded and she's like, play that song. 243 00:18:32,357 --> 00:18:35,257 So I played it and she went, Oh my God, that's it. It's low. 244 00:18:35,397 --> 00:18:38,977 And she says, I just envisioned an owl just kind of soaring through the woods 245 00:18:38,977 --> 00:18:42,577 with its wings stretched out. And so that's what I titled it. 246 00:18:43,920 --> 00:21:37,840 Music. 247 00:21:37,688 --> 00:21:41,428 Obviously multiple different states and 248 00:21:41,428 --> 00:21:44,288 venues what can you kind of tell the listeners 249 00:21:44,288 --> 00:21:47,988 about your experience of the local attitude that 250 00:21:47,988 --> 00:21:50,768 you have experienced over the years that you have played out live 251 00:21:50,768 --> 00:21:53,668 good and bad well the the 252 00:21:53,668 --> 00:21:56,668 bad is the typical and i'm sure almost every musician out there 253 00:21:56,668 --> 00:21:59,388 will will agree with me when you know 254 00:21:59,388 --> 00:22:02,448 you show up to a gig and there's five people there and 255 00:22:02,448 --> 00:22:06,648 four of those five people are talking right 256 00:22:06,648 --> 00:22:09,368 you know and that's just part of it 257 00:22:09,368 --> 00:22:12,588 right but you know that it's there's that one person 258 00:22:12,588 --> 00:22:16,108 standing there paying attention and that's 259 00:22:16,108 --> 00:22:19,488 you know you got to bring your stadium show your a-game even if it's just one 260 00:22:19,488 --> 00:22:26,828 person you know well the good stuff is is far outweighs the bad of course but 261 00:22:26,828 --> 00:22:31,928 it's it's like one of the best experiences that ever happened to me after a 262 00:22:31,928 --> 00:22:34,688 live show and during a live show actually is i have a song, 263 00:22:35,428 --> 00:22:41,408 i wrote called river of souls and it's about genocide in africa it's a pretty dark heavy song. 264 00:22:42,228 --> 00:22:48,668 But i was playing a small coffee shop in cheboygan and i saw a woman in the 265 00:22:48,668 --> 00:22:53,588 audience just happened to notice she was crying i mean i'm like you know bawling 266 00:22:53,588 --> 00:22:56,888 ugly crying and we made eye eye contact. 267 00:22:57,168 --> 00:23:00,428 And she got up and ran into the bathroom while I'm on stage playing the song, 268 00:23:00,608 --> 00:23:03,128 looking at her husband who was sitting next to her thinking, 269 00:23:03,308 --> 00:23:04,648 well, you jerk, what'd you say to her? 270 00:23:04,768 --> 00:23:09,328 You know, and finished out the show. 271 00:23:09,408 --> 00:23:13,888 And she came up to me after the show and she says, I've never been moved so 272 00:23:13,888 --> 00:23:16,228 much in my life as I have from that song. 273 00:23:16,748 --> 00:23:19,948 And I said, you were crying because of my song. She goes, yes. 274 00:23:20,328 --> 00:23:22,528 And I was like, okay, I can retire now. 275 00:23:23,568 --> 00:23:26,388 It's like I touched somebody that deeply that 276 00:23:26,388 --> 00:23:29,248 i made her ugly cry right right i mean 277 00:23:29,248 --> 00:23:32,428 that's that it's a highlight for 278 00:23:32,428 --> 00:23:36,208 sure right it's it's something that an artist wants some 279 00:23:36,208 --> 00:23:39,028 kind of emotion evoked from something 280 00:23:39,028 --> 00:23:42,868 that they're doing either from a painting or a picture or a musical composition 281 00:23:42,868 --> 00:23:48,268 just know that they can you know touch somebody with a human emotion with what 282 00:23:48,268 --> 00:23:51,348 they're doing then that lets them know that they're on the right track of what 283 00:23:51,348 --> 00:23:56,348 they're trying to accomplish well even the negative stuff, you know, is okay a lot of times. 284 00:23:56,428 --> 00:24:00,188 I had a song on my first record called why, and it was rather political and, 285 00:24:01,112 --> 00:24:04,372 And I was playing it one day, and apparently this gentleman in the audience 286 00:24:04,372 --> 00:24:06,732 had an opposite political opinion of mine. 287 00:24:07,152 --> 00:24:10,472 And he got up, and he gave me the finger, and he walked out. 288 00:24:10,572 --> 00:24:11,912 And it's like, okay, that's fine. 289 00:24:12,252 --> 00:24:16,052 And then a woman came up to me afterwards, and she said, I'm sorry that you 290 00:24:16,052 --> 00:24:18,772 had to deal with that. I said, I'm not. She goes, well, why not? 291 00:24:18,852 --> 00:24:19,912 I said, it's perfectly fine. 292 00:24:20,132 --> 00:24:22,052 My song elicited a reaction. 293 00:24:22,352 --> 00:24:26,012 I would rather get a negative reaction than no reaction. Right. 294 00:24:27,272 --> 00:24:29,972 At least he was listening. Yeah, exactly. 295 00:24:31,432 --> 00:24:34,772 Told me a lot right exactly so we've 296 00:24:34,772 --> 00:24:38,732 talked about the local scene we've talked about your current project now 297 00:24:38,732 --> 00:24:42,492 obviously you talked about being divorced but it also sounds like you're remarried 298 00:24:42,492 --> 00:24:47,032 is your wife now is she a musician as well or is she just a really good music 299 00:24:47,032 --> 00:24:53,352 lover she's a music lover she is an artist but she's a graphic designer so which 300 00:24:53,352 --> 00:24:57,952 is great because she does does all the artwork for my albums, everything like that. 301 00:24:59,392 --> 00:25:04,132 So yeah, kind of a built-in art director. But no, she's a music lover for sure. 302 00:25:04,352 --> 00:25:10,932 And we go see a lot of shows together and pretty diverse as far as our tastes. 303 00:25:11,352 --> 00:25:15,632 You know, like two weeks ago, we were in Milwaukee at Pfizer to see Tool. 304 00:25:15,932 --> 00:25:21,912 And then the very next night, we were in Madison to see a Ukrainian folk band called Daka Bruka. 305 00:25:22,872 --> 00:25:28,192 Fantastic, fantastic. Yeah, it's good to explore all the different types of 306 00:25:28,192 --> 00:25:30,692 music out there, especially when, like you. 307 00:25:31,873 --> 00:25:34,213 Where you just started out, you didn't think there was anything besides country 308 00:25:34,213 --> 00:25:35,073 out there till you were 12. 309 00:25:35,553 --> 00:25:38,593 Now you're exploring all this different kinds of music. And I think it just 310 00:25:38,593 --> 00:25:41,853 makes you a better, not just a better musician, but just makes you a better 311 00:25:41,853 --> 00:25:45,333 person overall, just to experience all these different kinds of music out there. 312 00:25:45,553 --> 00:25:49,673 Oh, absolutely. Yeah. And, you know, and I draw a little influence from certain things. 313 00:25:50,093 --> 00:25:53,613 I was just playing the other day in the studio and I have a loop pedal that I play with. 314 00:25:53,713 --> 00:25:57,173 I don't do a lot with it live, but just started this little riff and it was 315 00:25:57,173 --> 00:26:00,193 like, that sounds kind of tool-like. So I just built off of it. 316 00:26:00,413 --> 00:26:03,473 Nice. you know and it's just had i 317 00:26:03,473 --> 00:26:06,333 not been exposed to that music i probably never would have done that right 318 00:26:06,333 --> 00:26:09,473 yeah i like to expose myself to a lot of different styles and 319 00:26:09,473 --> 00:26:12,653 genres now one of 320 00:26:12,653 --> 00:26:16,113 the questions i ask is about like work life balance you haven't really said 321 00:26:16,113 --> 00:26:20,973 you're retired or not but do you have like a work life balance difficulty or 322 00:26:20,973 --> 00:26:25,413 is it kind of pretty much you're you got a good balance going there i think 323 00:26:25,413 --> 00:26:31,573 it's it's probably it's pretty decent i mean it's work Work definitely is the predominant. 324 00:26:31,573 --> 00:26:35,613 I do have a day job predominant factor in my life right now. 325 00:26:35,933 --> 00:26:41,553 I work 10 hour days and I have a almost hour drive to and from work. 326 00:26:41,673 --> 00:26:44,853 So I've got, yeah, I live in Fidelac. I work in Appleton. 327 00:26:45,313 --> 00:26:48,553 So it's 47 miles from my house to my job. 328 00:26:48,973 --> 00:26:55,433 So I do spend a lot of time in work mode. You know, I come home and try, 329 00:26:55,573 --> 00:26:59,633 you know, like Mondays and Tuesdays, I'm done earlier than I am on Wednesdays and Thursdays. 330 00:26:59,633 --> 00:27:04,373 So I have time to play after work and things like that on Wednesdays and Thursdays, 331 00:27:04,373 --> 00:27:08,793 I get a little bit of time in the morning to play, but my wife does work Fridays. 332 00:27:08,893 --> 00:27:10,853 So Friday is kind of my day. 333 00:27:12,293 --> 00:27:16,533 It's my day to just do what I need to do and what I want to do and things like that. 334 00:27:16,613 --> 00:27:19,113 And then come the weekend, if we don't have anything going on, 335 00:27:19,133 --> 00:27:23,493 then I go into studio and, you know, play some more or it's, 336 00:27:23,533 --> 00:27:27,853 it's pretty rare that we don't have something going on. at least one of the days on the weekend. 337 00:27:28,795 --> 00:27:34,015 Are you going out and still performing with the new album? Are you getting good 338 00:27:34,015 --> 00:27:36,315 feedback? What's the deal on that? 339 00:27:36,595 --> 00:27:42,495 Yeah, I'm in booking mode right now. I've got a show booked at Oak Brewing in West Allis in April. 340 00:27:42,635 --> 00:27:46,115 It's one of the Amplified Artist Sessions that they do there. 341 00:27:46,835 --> 00:27:51,335 And right now, I'm... So being an instrumental artist, you know, 342 00:27:51,375 --> 00:27:57,895 I'm definitely not a bar scene kind of a guy. So my stuff just is not made for 343 00:27:57,895 --> 00:27:59,815 that particular type of venue. 344 00:28:00,175 --> 00:28:06,035 So I'm trying to find, you know, wine bars or maybe smaller places to play there. 345 00:28:06,415 --> 00:28:10,275 My wife and I happen to love the Door County areas and there's a lot of places 346 00:28:10,275 --> 00:28:12,275 up there. So I'm doing some bookings up there. 347 00:28:12,615 --> 00:28:15,435 There are some places in Sheboygan, you know, I'm trying to, 348 00:28:15,435 --> 00:28:19,755 trying to stick within an hour or two of my house, maybe two and a half if it's, 349 00:28:19,755 --> 00:28:20,955 if it's a really cool place. 350 00:28:20,955 --> 00:28:23,775 Uh but that's not to say i wouldn't take 351 00:28:23,775 --> 00:28:26,915 a you know if somebody booked me a great show in minneapolis or 352 00:28:26,915 --> 00:28:29,855 chicago i'd definitely jump all over it right right 353 00:28:29,855 --> 00:28:32,735 but yeah i'm i'm in i'm in hardcore booking mode right 354 00:28:32,735 --> 00:28:35,395 now and then is there 355 00:28:35,395 --> 00:28:39,535 any gigs i mean you talked about some gigs where you know you had some great 356 00:28:39,535 --> 00:28:44,695 emotional reaction from the audience was there one where you went and saw someone 357 00:28:44,695 --> 00:28:50,635 perform and had a great impression on you yeah so one of my wives and my both 358 00:28:50,635 --> 00:28:53,675 favorite artist is a guy out of Ireland named Damien Rice. 359 00:28:54,776 --> 00:29:00,416 He's a singer-songwriter, you know. I'm kind of reluctant to always say he's 360 00:29:00,416 --> 00:29:03,156 from Ireland because that immediately conjures up the image of, 361 00:29:03,236 --> 00:29:06,816 oh, he does Irish music, but he does not. He isn't a singer-songwriter. Right. 362 00:29:07,376 --> 00:29:09,036 But we've seen him a couple times, 363 00:29:09,216 --> 00:29:12,156 and we're actually going to see him in Chicago on the 1st of December. 364 00:29:12,956 --> 00:29:17,976 But he played the Auditorium Theater a few years ago, walked out on that stage, 365 00:29:18,016 --> 00:29:21,716 and I don't know what the capacity of the theater is. It's probably 6,000 or 8,000. 366 00:29:22,136 --> 00:29:24,936 But he walked out on that stage solo, solo just an 367 00:29:24,936 --> 00:29:28,096 acoustic guitar and that place fell silent 368 00:29:28,096 --> 00:29:31,336 for two hours i mean it was amazing 369 00:29:31,336 --> 00:29:34,616 i don't know how you do that one guy in acoustic guitar i'm 370 00:29:34,616 --> 00:29:41,016 working on figuring it out just yeah it's just like you're just mesmerized by 371 00:29:41,016 --> 00:29:46,256 someone that can go up there just them and an instrument and just control your 372 00:29:46,256 --> 00:29:48,076 attention for that amount of 373 00:29:48,076 --> 00:29:53,836 time it's just exactly yeah it's awe-inspiring and and And he's just so, 374 00:29:54,036 --> 00:29:57,416 I don't know if you're familiar with his music at all, but it's pretty deep, too. 375 00:29:58,036 --> 00:30:02,916 It's the type of music that you really should listen to. And most of his fans 376 00:30:02,916 --> 00:30:04,896 realize this, so most of them do. 377 00:30:05,696 --> 00:30:07,956 They're all in. Yeah. 378 00:30:09,416 --> 00:30:13,016 And that's definitely one of our favorites. And I would love to be able to figure 379 00:30:13,016 --> 00:30:15,556 out how to do what he did with that size audience. 380 00:30:16,916 --> 00:30:19,556 Yeah, you would think it's like a lot of 381 00:30:19,556 --> 00:30:22,556 those songs you would think that that artist does it means 382 00:30:22,556 --> 00:30:26,716 something to a lot of different people each one of those songs and it just everybody's 383 00:30:26,716 --> 00:30:32,456 there to experience that in a live setting right right well it's like dave growl 384 00:30:32,456 --> 00:30:36,996 the fool fighter said one time he said you can sing a song to 85 000 people 385 00:30:36,996 --> 00:30:42,436 and they will sing it back to you for 85 000 different reasons yep exactly exactly. 386 00:30:43,640 --> 00:30:47,440 I'm pretty much out of questions. I mean, you've given us a lot of stuff to 387 00:30:47,440 --> 00:30:50,320 ponder and think about and reflect on. 388 00:30:50,420 --> 00:30:54,000 Is there anything that you would like the listeners to know about before I let you go? 389 00:30:54,440 --> 00:30:57,680 Just check out the album. You know, it's available on most of the streaming 390 00:30:57,680 --> 00:31:02,560 platforms, Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music. It is on YouTube as well. 391 00:31:02,820 --> 00:31:07,560 If you don't have any, I'm finding a lot of my fans are of my age and a lot 392 00:31:07,560 --> 00:31:10,120 of them don't have Spotify and things like that. 393 00:31:10,660 --> 00:31:13,540 So it's up on YouTube as well. but yeah just 394 00:31:13,540 --> 00:31:16,380 go check it out if you like it hop on over to 395 00:31:16,380 --> 00:31:19,420 itunes and you know click that old buy button that 396 00:31:19,420 --> 00:31:22,600 would be great there you go are you on um bandcamp as 397 00:31:22,600 --> 00:31:25,580 well yep okay so i will put all 398 00:31:25,580 --> 00:31:28,860 your links into the description of this episode 399 00:31:28,860 --> 00:31:31,740 so people can just click on that and then go right to that 400 00:31:31,740 --> 00:31:34,440 and you know hopefully you know support you by 401 00:31:34,440 --> 00:31:37,580 buying you know your music like you said on itunes or 402 00:31:37,580 --> 00:31:40,620 over at bandcamp so yeah yeah it 403 00:31:40,620 --> 00:31:43,760 is all of the socials and it's all under the elysian 404 00:31:43,760 --> 00:31:46,560 stew okay that's yeah that's one 405 00:31:46,560 --> 00:31:49,340 more thing i was going to ask you but i forgot it's like where did that name come 406 00:31:49,340 --> 00:31:55,700 from so elysian means blissful or delightful which hopefully people will find 407 00:31:55,700 --> 00:32:02,200 my music and stew comes from a lot of my influences growing up i've taken little 408 00:32:02,200 --> 00:32:05,260 little bits and pieces and kind of all throwing them in the pot to come up with 409 00:32:05,260 --> 00:32:06,900 my own little stew of a style. 410 00:32:07,360 --> 00:32:11,060 And I figured by doing that also, if I ever work with any other musicians, 411 00:32:11,480 --> 00:32:14,060 they will just be added ingredients in the stew. 412 00:32:14,960 --> 00:32:18,640 Wonderful. Wonderful. Well, Pat, thank you so much for being on the Wisconsin Music Podcast. 413 00:32:18,800 --> 00:32:22,580 Like I said, it's been a pleasure talking with you, learning about your journey 414 00:32:22,580 --> 00:32:25,860 through music, and I hope the listeners enjoyed hearing this as well. 415 00:32:26,280 --> 00:32:29,660 Yeah, I do too. Thank you so much for having me. I greatly appreciate it. 416 00:32:29,680 --> 00:32:33,220 It's awesome what you do to help support Wisconsin musicians. That's great. 417 00:32:33,999 --> 00:32:38,739 And then that's it. So I'll do this stuff post editing and everything. 418 00:32:38,919 --> 00:32:42,019 And then I will let you know when this will go live. It'd probably be like, 419 00:32:42,519 --> 00:32:44,559 I'm thinking not till the early 420 00:32:44,559 --> 00:32:47,859 new year, like January, February is when this will probably come out. 421 00:32:47,939 --> 00:32:51,739 So, and like you said, you mentioned a gig in April. So people will catch that 422 00:32:51,739 --> 00:32:53,519 way before that happens. 423 00:32:53,699 --> 00:32:55,699 And then they can, you have a website. 424 00:32:56,259 --> 00:33:02,639 I don't have a website. No, I've just got, I've got the Instagram and my Facebook is under my name. 425 00:33:02,859 --> 00:33:08,999 Okay. I tried changing the name to Elysian stew and all these people kept sending 426 00:33:08,999 --> 00:33:10,779 me messages. Who are you? How do I know? 427 00:33:12,419 --> 00:33:15,519 Cause I have a lot of followers on Facebook and I thought it would be easier 428 00:33:15,519 --> 00:33:17,639 just to change my name and it will be to start over. 429 00:33:17,859 --> 00:33:23,339 Right. By that I realized that didn't work. So I just changed it back to my name. Gotcha. Okay. 430 00:33:23,799 --> 00:33:27,419 Well, Pat, once again, thank you so much for being on and looking forward to 431 00:33:27,419 --> 00:33:30,159 putting this all together for you and letting you know when it's ready to go. 432 00:33:30,479 --> 00:33:33,479 Sounds good. Thank you very much. Appreciate it. Yep. Have a great evening. 433 00:33:33,679 --> 00:33:37,219 Thank you. You too. Well, thanks again for tuning in to another episode of the 434 00:33:37,219 --> 00:33:38,179 Wisconsin music podcast. 435 00:33:38,539 --> 00:33:42,339 Once again, I'm Zach Foe, your host and creator of the Wisconsin music podcast, 436 00:33:42,379 --> 00:33:47,019 where I love to amplify the great sounds coming out of the Wisconsin state. 437 00:33:47,059 --> 00:33:50,519 We have great talent here, great support, great listeners. 438 00:33:50,959 --> 00:33:56,399 Thanks to Fox cities, indie radio for syndicating this on Thursdays and Sundays, 439 00:33:56,479 --> 00:33:58,019 along with their other great programmers. 440 00:33:58,059 --> 00:34:02,239 So make sure you check out the Fox cities, indie radio. Thanks to our great 441 00:34:02,239 --> 00:34:06,439 guest this week, Elysian Stew, also known as Pat Zydek. 442 00:34:06,779 --> 00:34:11,519 Make sure you check out his newest recording, Driving Through the Desert to 443 00:34:11,519 --> 00:34:16,259 Burn a Million Dollars, available on most streaming sites and Bandcamp. 444 00:34:16,599 --> 00:34:21,439 If you'd like to be on the show, just go to wisconsinmusicpodcast.com, 445 00:34:21,539 --> 00:34:26,379 fill out the guest request form up at the top, ask for your email and your name, 446 00:34:26,479 --> 00:34:30,219 and then I'll send you an auto email asking you for more information. 447 00:34:30,839 --> 00:34:34,799 If you are enjoying these episodes, please consider donating to the Wisconsin Music Podcast. 448 00:34:35,319 --> 00:34:39,539 Donations help pay for the website and putting the podcast up on streaming services 449 00:34:39,539 --> 00:34:44,119 and also getting our name out there to all Wisconsinites and others that are 450 00:34:44,119 --> 00:34:46,539 interested in our great music here in Wisconsin. 451 00:34:47,059 --> 00:34:50,959 Donations are secured through PayPal and Stripe. All you have to do is go to 452 00:34:50,959 --> 00:34:53,839 the website and click on Donate to WMP. 453 00:34:54,559 --> 00:34:58,659 You can also head over to our Instagram and Facebook pages and like us there. 454 00:34:58,879 --> 00:35:04,459 Leave some comments. Also go to the podcast review section of your podcast player 455 00:35:04,459 --> 00:35:06,539 and leave a five-star review. It would be great. 456 00:35:07,219 --> 00:35:10,979 You can also head over to YouTube and watch the interviews and leave comments 457 00:35:10,979 --> 00:35:14,119 there as well. Have a great week, everybody, and we'll see you next time.  

WISCONSIN MUSIC PODCAST WMP Linktree: https://linktr.ee/WI_Music_Podcast AMPLFYING WISCONSIN MUSIC dak duBois https://linktr.ee/dakdubois EPISODE 138 Embark on a rhythmic journey with Milwaukee's own Dak Dubois on this latest episode of the Wisconsin Music Podcast, hosted by Zach Felt. Known for his eclectic mix of indie pop, 70s funk, soul, and snippets of 60s and 70s psychedelia, Dubois has been creating exciting ripples in the music scene. In this illuminating podcast episode, delve deep into the musical world of Dubois as he shares the stories behind his acclaimed self-titled album and dynamic performances with 'Doc Dubois and Company'. Gain insights into his creative process, musical roots, on-stage energy and the magic that unfolds with each performance. Uncover the man behind popular anthems like 'Seaside' and 'Portland'. From harmonious soundscapes to Dak's shift to focusing full time on music, explore everything from his multicultural musical influences to the pivotal role of books in shaping his career. This episode promises a melodious adventure through the upbeat world of Dak Dubois that you simply can't afford to skip. Landscape through the retro-modern universe of tunes Dak Dubois crafts, colored with classic rock and roll inspirations from The Beatles and Led Zeppelin and a psychedelic zest inspired by The Grateful Dead. Gain a unique perspective on Dak's journey, gigging experiences, industry transformations over the years and inspiring words for emerging artists. Immerse yourself in the enlightening world of Dak Dubois, an inspiring figure in music balancing life's nuances while striking an engaging note with listeners. Join this melodious sporting adventure with Dak by tuning in to the Wisconsin Music Podcast and following him @DakDubois on Instagram for the latest updates on his musical journey. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Transcript: 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:10.800 Music. 2 00:00:10.643 --> 00:00:14.683 Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another exciting episode of the Wisconsin Music Podcast. 3 00:00:14.783 --> 00:00:18.043 I'm your host, Zach Felt, and today we have a special treat for you, 4 00:00:18.083 --> 00:00:20.603 for all you music enthusiasts out there. 5 00:00:20.743 --> 00:00:26.323 And before I continue, hopefully I will say your name correctly. Is it Dak Dubois? 6 00:00:27.523 --> 00:00:31.003 Dak Dubois. Dak Dubois. Okay. Dubois, yeah. 7 00:00:31.703 --> 00:00:36.003 Just like Marge Simpson's last name. Sure, yeah. Okay. 8 00:00:36.823 --> 00:00:40.863 Our guest on the show today is none other than Dak Dubois, The Milwaukee-based 9 00:00:40.863 --> 00:00:44.223 artist who's been making waves with his unique blend of modern indie pop, 10 00:00:44.483 --> 00:00:47.943 70s funk and soul, and a touch of 60s and 70s psychedella. 11 00:00:48.043 --> 00:00:51.483 His self-titled album, a testament to his multifaceted talents, 12 00:00:51.763 --> 00:00:54.023 was entirely crafted in the comfort 13 00:00:54.023 --> 00:00:58.663 of his own apartment-turned-studio and was released in April of 23. 14 00:00:59.123 --> 00:01:05.463 What makes Doc truly exceptional is his live performances. He's not alone on stage. 15 00:01:05.643 --> 00:01:09.323 He's joined by a rotating cast of talented local musicians, collectively known 16 00:01:09.323 --> 00:01:11.943 as Doc Dubois and Company. 17 00:01:12.183 --> 00:01:17.123 Their shows are a fusion of funk-driven, jammy vibes and captivating crowd engagement, 18 00:01:17.323 --> 00:01:19.343 promising an unforgettable experience. 19 00:01:19.823 --> 00:01:24.103 One of his standout singles, Portland, even premiered on Radio Milwaukee, 20 00:01:24.343 --> 00:01:30.203 and his album has been lauded as an imaginative, colorful exercise by Milwaukee breaking and entering. 21 00:01:30.203 --> 00:01:34.003 If you're eager to dive into his world of music, you'll be delighted to know 22 00:01:34.003 --> 00:01:37.463 that his latest album is available on all major streaming platforms. 23 00:01:38.203 --> 00:01:42.463 So stay tuned as we dive into a conversation exploring the intricate stories 24 00:01:42.463 --> 00:01:45.423 behind his music, the vibrant energy he brings to the stage. 25 00:01:45.823 --> 00:01:48.803 This is an episode you won't want to miss, so let's jump right in and discover 26 00:01:48.803 --> 00:01:52.983 the magic of Doc Dubois. So welcome to the Wisconsin Music Podcast. 27 00:01:54.323 --> 00:01:59.003 Cool. Thanks for having me, man. Cool. Cool. So let's get the listeners a little 28 00:01:59.003 --> 00:02:01.983 bit more in depth about your music origin story. 29 00:02:02.083 --> 00:02:05.743 How did you get started in the music and how did you land where you are today? 30 00:02:06.826 --> 00:02:11.226 Yeah, for sure. So, I mean, I started learning guitar when I was like 11 years old. 31 00:02:11.726 --> 00:02:17.326 I really enjoyed the sound of like the 60s and the 70s and a lot of different 32 00:02:17.326 --> 00:02:19.566 like kind of alternative and indie sounds too. 33 00:02:20.166 --> 00:02:24.746 29 years old. So at the time, like early Arctic Monkeys, Strokes, 34 00:02:24.866 --> 00:02:28.006 Flaming Lips, stuff like that. A lot of that really got me into music. 35 00:02:28.446 --> 00:02:32.786 I started learning guitar at like 11, played a lot, you know, 36 00:02:32.786 --> 00:02:33.846 throughout my teenage years. 37 00:02:34.086 --> 00:02:36.866 I had a stepdad who was a drummer and he would bring me out to 38 00:02:36.866 --> 00:02:39.506 all of these open jams and so i started 39 00:02:39.506 --> 00:02:42.206 playing with a bunch of like blues guys and stuff once i 40 00:02:42.206 --> 00:02:45.026 was about 16 and interesting to start playing in 41 00:02:45.026 --> 00:02:47.826 bars at that age too but yeah you know over 42 00:02:47.826 --> 00:02:50.786 the years i just kind of crafted more and more of 43 00:02:50.786 --> 00:02:53.566 myself as a musician and figured out how 44 00:02:53.566 --> 00:02:56.546 to sing better and play all the other instruments too 45 00:02:56.546 --> 00:02:59.386 and but yeah still guitar is kind of like my main love 46 00:02:59.386 --> 00:03:02.566 but yeah i love getting to do everything thing and kind of write it all out 47 00:03:02.566 --> 00:03:07.906 so wonderful wonderful so you said and other instruments so what other instruments 48 00:03:07.906 --> 00:03:13.466 do you play besides guitar yeah so i play i play drums i play keys i play bass 49 00:03:13.466 --> 00:03:19.166 pretty much anything that has strings on it i feel like i can kind of get down pretty quickly. 50 00:03:19.926 --> 00:03:23.286 So like mandolin ukulele kind of 51 00:03:23.286 --> 00:03:26.066 stuff like that a little banjo but yeah yeah 52 00:03:26.066 --> 00:03:29.166 pretty much anything thing with strings i'll try ripping so cool 53 00:03:29.166 --> 00:03:32.146 very cool have you ever tried like the non-fretted instruments 54 00:03:32.146 --> 00:03:35.746 like violin cello and in the such no no 55 00:03:35.746 --> 00:03:38.626 i don't think i came from that uh that level of prestige as 56 00:03:38.626 --> 00:03:41.326 a child so no i haven't tried but i 57 00:03:41.326 --> 00:03:44.086 understand they're just tuned differently they're tuned in fourths instead 58 00:03:44.086 --> 00:03:46.926 of fifths so right right i feel like that'd be pretty easy 59 00:03:46.926 --> 00:03:50.086 i play slide guitar so kind of used to not using frets 60 00:03:50.086 --> 00:03:53.806 with that so cool cool very cool and have 61 00:03:53.806 --> 00:03:57.446 you implemented let it slide into any of your songs i actually 62 00:03:57.446 --> 00:04:00.206 haven't no i've done it a couple of 63 00:04:00.206 --> 00:04:03.146 times with live i know last night we had a show at 64 00:04:03.146 --> 00:04:06.286 oak and at one point i grabbed one 65 00:04:06.286 --> 00:04:09.586 of my drummer's drumsticks and started playing slide guitar with that so that 66 00:04:09.586 --> 00:04:15.286 was pretty cool it's just on my sg too and i have an sg that's awesome for playing 67 00:04:15.286 --> 00:04:20.126 it sucks for slide but it somehow sounded okay last night so i haven't really 68 00:04:20.126 --> 00:04:23.866 heard anybody using a wooden drumstick for for a slide. 69 00:04:24.579 --> 00:04:27.459 Must be an interesting setup it was the first time i 70 00:04:27.459 --> 00:04:30.739 ever tried it so yeah we had a two-hour set we had 71 00:04:30.739 --> 00:04:33.499 to stretch it out and gotcha you know i looked at the boys i 72 00:04:33.499 --> 00:04:37.679 was like we're gonna get weird you know so we got weird people 73 00:04:37.679 --> 00:04:40.379 like it when we get weird so yeah right i was gonna say i bet the 74 00:04:40.379 --> 00:04:43.999 audience was enjoying it i bet for sure yeah definitely cool 75 00:04:43.999 --> 00:04:47.119 so how long has this has this group 76 00:04:47.119 --> 00:04:50.119 been kind of like together i know it's mostly you when you have this rotating 77 00:04:50.119 --> 00:04:53.179 set set of musicians but as this entity how 78 00:04:53.179 --> 00:04:58.119 long has this been going on just six months so i launched the album six months 79 00:04:58.119 --> 00:05:02.159 ago and that was kind of my first time doing this before that i was kind of 80 00:05:02.159 --> 00:05:05.539 a journeyman like guitarist i would just play guitar in a lot of different bands 81 00:05:05.539 --> 00:05:10.439 whether you know kind of a lot of across a lot of different genres but i moved 82 00:05:10.439 --> 00:05:12.979 down to milwaukee from the fox cities back. 83 00:05:13.579 --> 00:05:16.579 About a year a little over a year ago and started working 84 00:05:16.579 --> 00:05:20.179 on this album and knew that i kind of of wanted to like squeak out 85 00:05:20.179 --> 00:05:23.379 in this scene down here and and just try 86 00:05:23.379 --> 00:05:26.439 something new with it so really glad i did it's been really successful 87 00:05:26.439 --> 00:05:29.379 so far and people have taken taken it really nicely so 88 00:05:29.379 --> 00:05:32.459 excellent so kind of one of my questions is talking 89 00:05:32.459 --> 00:05:36.719 about the local scene so it seems like you're getting a positive reaction from 90 00:05:36.719 --> 00:05:40.379 the scene which is great what are some other positives that you've been kind 91 00:05:40.379 --> 00:05:45.419 of noticing about the local scene for you oh man i got so many homies in the 92 00:05:45.419 --> 00:05:49.459 scene And it's been crazy to just really be in a new place and get to meet all of them. 93 00:05:50.039 --> 00:05:54.419 Yeah. I've gotten to collaborate with quite a few different artists and I think 94 00:05:54.419 --> 00:05:59.059 getting to do recording stuff is great too, but I just love how diverse the scene is. 95 00:05:59.119 --> 00:06:03.359 Honestly, there's so many talented people from so many different like genres 96 00:06:03.359 --> 00:06:09.379 and sub genres that I think it makes, it makes it such an intricate scene in Milwaukee here. 97 00:06:09.919 --> 00:06:13.979 And I love getting to see it, man. man. There's just so much talent and people 98 00:06:13.979 --> 00:06:17.139 are just incredible songwriters and players in general. Yeah. 99 00:06:17.459 --> 00:06:21.699 It's a lot of great talent out there in the Milwaukee and outing areas, 100 00:06:21.799 --> 00:06:24.859 all the way throughout Wisconsin. There's just a lot of great musicians out here. 101 00:06:25.399 --> 00:06:28.659 What are some of the struggles that you've kind of seen in the local scene, 102 00:06:28.739 --> 00:06:32.979 though, that maybe needs help to help it make it stronger? Yeah. 103 00:06:33.819 --> 00:06:39.239 I don't know. I guess I haven't really experienced a lot of struggles necessarily. necessarily. 104 00:06:39.259 --> 00:06:42.739 I feel like selling merch is kind of hard, but I feel like that's kind of, 105 00:06:42.759 --> 00:06:44.639 everybody has that right situation. 106 00:06:45.159 --> 00:06:48.879 I also know that we're like in an interesting financial situation as far as 107 00:06:48.879 --> 00:06:50.179 like the world's concerned right now. 108 00:06:50.239 --> 00:06:53.899 So I'm not going to be like luring that over anybody's head. No. 109 00:06:54.619 --> 00:06:59.059 Yeah. I don't know. I feel like everybody's really cool and it doesn't feel 110 00:06:59.059 --> 00:07:01.379 grossly competitive or anything like that. Like. 111 00:07:02.434 --> 00:07:06.334 Yeah i don't know i guess i think i 112 00:07:06.334 --> 00:07:08.954 wish that the hip-hop and r b scene had a little 113 00:07:08.954 --> 00:07:11.934 bit more support from some of the some of the faces that 114 00:07:11.934 --> 00:07:15.394 i kind of see in the circles that i play in and stuff yeah because i love getting 115 00:07:15.394 --> 00:07:19.354 to play across you know different scenes and work with other people and i mean 116 00:07:19.354 --> 00:07:23.314 they definitely have a lot of support but i feel like it's there's just so much 117 00:07:23.314 --> 00:07:26.974 untapped talent there that i wish that we could almost support those people 118 00:07:26.974 --> 00:07:30.354 a little bit better but but that's honestly my only gripe. 119 00:07:30.934 --> 00:07:33.454 I mean, we're supposed to be a melting pot of everything, right? 120 00:07:33.914 --> 00:07:35.694 Yeah, totally, man. Right, exactly. 121 00:07:36.934 --> 00:07:40.374 Now, talking a little bit about this new album that came out in April, 122 00:07:41.474 --> 00:07:44.394 we're at the end of October with this recording of this interview, 123 00:07:44.574 --> 00:07:46.434 so it's been, like you said, about six months. 124 00:07:46.994 --> 00:07:48.734 So why don't we talk to the listeners 125 00:07:48.734 --> 00:07:53.194 through the journey of creating this project. How did you get started? 126 00:07:53.754 --> 00:07:57.754 How did you put the things together, like your recording equipment and things of that nature? 127 00:07:57.754 --> 00:08:00.774 Year how did it go being in an apartment is the drums 128 00:08:00.774 --> 00:08:03.394 you said you're a drummer so are these live drums or are 129 00:08:03.394 --> 00:08:07.254 these program drums can i talk about all the details of this album yeah definitely 130 00:08:07.254 --> 00:08:14.034 man yeah so in i have a studio in our apartment here and yeah i just sound dampened 131 00:08:14.034 --> 00:08:18.414 a ton of it you know just added a ton of foam and stuff but i live track i live 132 00:08:18.414 --> 00:08:22.674 tracked all the drumming usually i'll I'll do like an eight mic setup on the kit. 133 00:08:23.094 --> 00:08:29.774 I'll do like a mono overhead. I'll individually mic up the hi-hat and like the ride cymbal. 134 00:08:29.794 --> 00:08:32.574 So pretty much just the crash is coming through on the overhead as well as like 135 00:08:32.574 --> 00:08:33.914 the overall blend of all the drums. 136 00:08:35.014 --> 00:08:38.894 I just single mic the kick, double mic the snare, one on top, one on bottom. 137 00:08:39.554 --> 00:08:42.794 Tom's individually. And that's kind of like the general thing. 138 00:08:43.074 --> 00:08:47.134 I think having your mic placement's the best way to go because you don't want 139 00:08:47.134 --> 00:08:50.554 things to be out of phase or to like not come through sounding right. Right, right. 140 00:08:50.914 --> 00:08:54.514 So that kind of took me a little while to figure that out because this is like 141 00:08:54.514 --> 00:08:57.454 my first time really like recording to this capacity. So. 142 00:08:58.293 --> 00:09:02.073 I just had to keep messing stuff up. Even on that album, when I listened to 143 00:09:02.073 --> 00:09:07.693 it, I'm like, yeah, definitely, I've been doing things differently since I recorded that album. 144 00:09:08.273 --> 00:09:13.893 But yeah, I feel like I started recording it because I had played in a lot of 145 00:09:13.893 --> 00:09:17.293 other bands, and I was like, I think I could do this all by myself, 146 00:09:17.553 --> 00:09:22.693 and I wanted to take that on as a little bit of an experience thing, 147 00:09:22.913 --> 00:09:25.533 and I'm really glad I did because it really taught me. 148 00:09:25.533 --> 00:09:29.693 I think it made me a lot better of a guitarist in general, getting to really 149 00:09:29.693 --> 00:09:35.913 look at every single instrument and what it does to add to like the general sound of something. 150 00:09:35.993 --> 00:09:40.453 And I think that, you know, the end result is always what's the most important thing. Right. 151 00:09:40.873 --> 00:09:45.013 That being said, we live above like a venue too. 152 00:09:45.153 --> 00:09:49.673 So yeah, I got to really learn a lot about noise gates. 153 00:09:50.253 --> 00:09:53.513 And I also learned a lot about retracking. So yeah. 154 00:09:53.553 --> 00:09:56.533 And then there's a church across the street that's very old 155 00:09:56.533 --> 00:09:59.753 and it just it rings bells like hell man yeah 156 00:09:59.753 --> 00:10:02.673 crazy yeah so did you sample 157 00:10:02.673 --> 00:10:05.753 any of that and put it in your songs i actually didn't know 158 00:10:05.753 --> 00:10:08.493 i had a friend that i was playing and i had him as a rhythm 159 00:10:08.493 --> 00:10:12.093 guitarist for like a few shows and every time he'd come over to like jam and 160 00:10:12.093 --> 00:10:15.133 stuff he'd always be like oh dude the bell's going off i gotta go record this 161 00:10:15.133 --> 00:10:18.653 and he'd like run outside and record it and he actually used it in one of his 162 00:10:18.653 --> 00:10:22.633 songs and i thought that that was really interesting so very cool yeah he was 163 00:10:22.633 --> 00:10:25.833 more nerdy about it than i was i was just i I always see it as a nuisance. 164 00:10:26.073 --> 00:10:32.653 I'm like, I don't need that bell, you know? So the only bell I want is off of a ride. 165 00:10:32.873 --> 00:10:36.693 Yeah, I hear you. I hear you. Now, you said you live above a venue. 166 00:10:36.773 --> 00:10:41.373 Do you have other neighbors or is it just the venue below you and you're sitting up on top of it? 167 00:10:41.653 --> 00:10:46.293 Yeah, it's just the venue below us. We're on top. And I have a lot of sound equipment here. 168 00:10:46.453 --> 00:10:49.853 So when it comes nights to jamming, I usually try 169 00:10:49.853 --> 00:10:52.553 to do two jams a month where I bring 170 00:10:52.553 --> 00:10:55.473 in different artists and just like you know just mess around like see 171 00:10:55.473 --> 00:10:58.293 whatever happens which has been really great too to 172 00:10:58.293 --> 00:11:01.033 like get to meet a lot of different people in the scene and just like having that 173 00:11:01.033 --> 00:11:03.773 space and you know having people in for 174 00:11:03.773 --> 00:11:06.713 that is just honestly like the coolest thing to do yeah but 175 00:11:06.713 --> 00:11:09.513 uh yeah a lot of times we're pretty loud and they're 176 00:11:09.513 --> 00:11:12.573 pretty loud and our our bedroom and 177 00:11:12.573 --> 00:11:15.373 our living room are like on top of it so 178 00:11:15.373 --> 00:11:18.593 we have a third floor and that's where that is so it's pretty you got 179 00:11:18.593 --> 00:11:21.193 like a whole barrier it's never too bad sometimes you'll have 180 00:11:21.193 --> 00:11:24.513 some djs come through with like and bring like you know 181 00:11:24.513 --> 00:11:28.313 more subs or whatever right and you could feel it in like the whole house it's 182 00:11:28.313 --> 00:11:31.533 crazy but yeah it's it's like getting your back massaged when you're sleeping 183 00:11:31.533 --> 00:11:38.913 so it's not bad man it's not bad cool very cool so you're doing this recording 184 00:11:38.913 --> 00:11:41.493 by yourself so what kind of. 185 00:11:42.395 --> 00:11:45.795 For the people out there that are interested in, like, the recording aspect 186 00:11:45.795 --> 00:11:50.835 of it, like, what are you using for, like, your DAW and your interfaces and stuff like that? 187 00:11:50.875 --> 00:11:54.715 Is it all in one, or is it, like, outboard stuff? What kind of, 188 00:11:54.775 --> 00:11:55.555 what are you doing with that stuff? 189 00:11:56.115 --> 00:12:02.875 Yeah, so I have, I just have, like, a big Scarlett, like, the Focusrite, the 18-input one. 190 00:12:03.095 --> 00:12:05.935 Okay. Just, like, the massive box. and so I 191 00:12:05.935 --> 00:12:09.115 use that for pretty much all my drumming and then I do have like 192 00:12:09.115 --> 00:12:14.355 how to look a universal audio just like a volt I just use that on the separate 193 00:12:14.355 --> 00:12:18.435 side of the space so I don't have to like unplug anything and I'll just if I'm 194 00:12:18.435 --> 00:12:21.415 doing like quick vocal touch-ups or if I'm just like single micing something 195 00:12:21.415 --> 00:12:25.955 I'll use that because that's like where I have my desk and stuff and then. 196 00:12:26.535 --> 00:12:29.195 Yeah and then I also have reel-to-reel as well 197 00:12:29.195 --> 00:12:31.995 and I haven't really got no ton of chances to to 198 00:12:31.995 --> 00:12:34.935 mess with that yet but eventually what i'm 199 00:12:34.935 --> 00:12:37.875 going to do is i think like pre-mastering once i 200 00:12:37.875 --> 00:12:40.635 have my mixes i'll run it through there kind of catch 201 00:12:40.635 --> 00:12:43.455 some some of the you know tube warmth that you get off 202 00:12:43.455 --> 00:12:46.355 of it and stuff because it's just a four track it's not 203 00:12:46.355 --> 00:12:49.495 anything crazy but it's enough to run your stereo mixes 204 00:12:49.495 --> 00:12:52.775 through and kind of add that bit extra or 205 00:12:52.775 --> 00:12:55.355 even just do it on an instrumental basis like if i have a 206 00:12:55.355 --> 00:12:58.195 guitar and i want it to get really trippy put it through there 207 00:12:58.195 --> 00:13:00.835 and then just kind of like casually grab the tape as it 208 00:13:00.835 --> 00:13:03.775 comes through to kind of like wobble and slow it a little bit right yeah 209 00:13:03.775 --> 00:13:06.915 i've been really busy and i have i 210 00:13:06.915 --> 00:13:10.075 probably have like another 10 12 songs 211 00:13:10.075 --> 00:13:12.875 recorded right now and i plan on releasing an 212 00:13:12.875 --> 00:13:16.215 ep at the end of december oh okay cool 213 00:13:16.215 --> 00:13:19.715 which is gonna be cool and that one's gonna be a bit different because i'm gonna 214 00:13:19.715 --> 00:13:25.315 try to so the first album was all just me by myself on everything but i'm trying 215 00:13:25.315 --> 00:13:30.015 to get a bunch of different features from the city of milwaukee on that ep which 216 00:13:30.015 --> 00:13:33.355 is gonna be cool because like my friend wave chapelle is gonna be on it i have 217 00:13:33.355 --> 00:13:35.815 a couple of other artists that i've been working with too, 218 00:13:36.415 --> 00:13:40.095 and then i'd love to get like another rapper on it or like 219 00:13:40.095 --> 00:13:42.935 r&b singer or something and i got a few friends that i've definitely 220 00:13:42.935 --> 00:13:48.535 had in mind but yeah just kind of feel it out you know yeah definitely so let's 221 00:13:48.535 --> 00:13:51.715 kind of go back to the one that you just released in april and kind of talk 222 00:13:51.715 --> 00:13:55.255 about some of the songs on there are there some songs that you'd like the listeners. 223 00:13:55.255 --> 00:13:58.535 To kind of to hear on the podcast so they can go and check it out on band camp 224 00:13:58.535 --> 00:14:01.195 or other streaming sites? Yeah, for sure, man. 225 00:14:02.115 --> 00:14:06.555 It's, it's kind of a, it's, it's like a concept album too. So the whole thing 226 00:14:06.555 --> 00:14:09.695 like front to back kind of tells a story and it really goes through the motions. 227 00:14:10.315 --> 00:14:15.035 So to like name out one specific song I think would be a little, a little crazy. 228 00:14:15.055 --> 00:14:19.875 I know the most popular songs off that album are like Seaside and Portland. 229 00:14:22.480 --> 00:18:01.360 Music. 230 00:18:01.202 --> 00:18:04.202 So i feel like that's kind of like a good little surface level place to 231 00:18:04.202 --> 00:18:06.982 get into with it okay but the album like front to 232 00:18:06.982 --> 00:18:10.302 back it's only eight songs and it's like 36 minutes or 233 00:18:10.302 --> 00:18:13.742 something like that so it's pretty easy to get through it's really digestible 234 00:18:13.742 --> 00:18:20.102 the music on it is i wanted to make sure that it would be something that has 235 00:18:20.102 --> 00:18:23.842 a lot of moments where like the ear candy kind of hits you you know and you 236 00:18:23.842 --> 00:18:29.482 got good hooks good overall feel i feel like in my playing i i kind In my writing, 237 00:18:29.542 --> 00:18:33.422 I feel like I emphasize a lot of minor seven chords and stuff, 238 00:18:33.542 --> 00:18:37.522 so it really gives you that classic alternative indie sound. 239 00:18:37.842 --> 00:18:41.622 But then it's pretty imaginative and really jumps across a lot of different 240 00:18:41.622 --> 00:18:46.042 cultures as far as music's concerned, whether it be more of an Eastern sound 241 00:18:46.042 --> 00:18:48.582 or adding more of a Latin feel on something. 242 00:18:48.802 --> 00:18:55.522 And then all of the rhythm section stuff is super funky, so it's really easy 243 00:18:55.522 --> 00:18:59.022 to get into. Yeah, so you call this basically a journey album. 244 00:18:59.202 --> 00:19:02.922 So what is the journey that this album is supposed to take the listener through? 245 00:19:02.922 --> 00:19:10.522 Oh man, I think I just wanted it to resonate with any kind of like feeling of coming of age, 246 00:19:10.702 --> 00:19:16.602 you know, and really just kind of when everything kind of starts clicking as 247 00:19:16.602 --> 00:19:20.222 you know, we're adults and our brains kind of start forming a little bit more. 248 00:19:20.722 --> 00:19:24.522 I wanted to kind of go over that and the things that we grieve with, 249 00:19:24.682 --> 00:19:27.222 but also the things that we can be excited about too. 250 00:19:27.342 --> 00:19:31.602 And that's kind of the place that I was in when I wrote and recorded all of it. 251 00:19:31.602 --> 00:19:34.442 And yeah and i feel like it definitely can 252 00:19:34.442 --> 00:19:37.182 be or you could just put it on when you got some homies over and you're 253 00:19:37.182 --> 00:19:40.802 hanging out you know and it's it's just easy listening so excellent excellent 254 00:19:40.802 --> 00:19:43.982 so i'll put a few of those on there is there 255 00:19:43.982 --> 00:19:46.722 any ones that you really want me to put on the podcast or should i just 256 00:19:46.722 --> 00:19:49.482 randomly pick a few yeah i feel 257 00:19:49.482 --> 00:19:52.582 like seaside portland those two are pretty cool okay 258 00:19:52.582 --> 00:19:55.242 definitely usually i feel like those kind of get a lot of 259 00:19:55.242 --> 00:19:58.382 play soul mill is really cool too it's an instrumental it's 260 00:19:58.382 --> 00:20:01.102 the opener for the album too but it yeah that 261 00:20:01.102 --> 00:20:06.322 one's just really interesting it's got a lot of like phrygian scale usage but 262 00:20:06.322 --> 00:20:12.122 it's pretty light and it really sticks to kind of more like funky kind of minor 263 00:20:12.122 --> 00:20:17.342 like pentatonic box kind of feel stuff too from like a bass perspective right 264 00:20:17.342 --> 00:20:18.742 it's really nice and easy going. 265 00:20:19.920 --> 00:22:21.360 Music. 266 00:22:21.205 --> 00:22:25.505 Producers and beatmakers of Milwaukee, it is time for the 2024 Big Beat MKE 267 00:22:25.505 --> 00:22:29.505 Beat Battle Tournament taking place at the Jackalope Lounge at the Wicked Hop 268 00:22:29.505 --> 00:22:33.865 in Milwaukee's Third Ward on Thursday nights between April 25th and June 13th. 269 00:22:34.305 --> 00:22:37.965 Producers are going to go head-to-head in three one-minute rounds to determine 270 00:22:37.965 --> 00:22:41.825 who is going to move on to the next round of the tournament with some amazing 271 00:22:41.825 --> 00:22:43.325 prizes from some great sponsors. 272 00:22:43.805 --> 00:22:48.905 Don't forget that you can submit your beats today at breakingandentering.net through March 31st. 273 00:22:51.245 --> 00:22:54.745 Yeah phrygian's kind of known as like the happy major sound 274 00:22:54.745 --> 00:22:57.945 because it's got that raised fourth in it so it's it's 275 00:22:57.945 --> 00:23:00.765 a very cool scale can be used over a lot of 276 00:23:00.765 --> 00:23:04.205 different things and a lot of great songs in the over the 277 00:23:04.205 --> 00:23:07.305 years have over the decades have been using that that that mode 278 00:23:07.305 --> 00:23:10.145 a lot so very cool yeah yeah it's cool it's definitely one 279 00:23:10.145 --> 00:23:13.385 of my favorites especially with like being a 280 00:23:13.385 --> 00:23:16.245 little bit more of a psychedelic artist too you know it really gives it that like 281 00:23:16.245 --> 00:23:19.345 kind of gypsy spanishy middle eastern 282 00:23:19.345 --> 00:23:22.145 feel to it too so what would be like some 283 00:23:22.145 --> 00:23:25.085 influences of yours that would be in 284 00:23:25.085 --> 00:23:27.785 that kind of genre that other that the listeners 285 00:23:27.785 --> 00:23:30.665 would be kind of understanding where that's coming from 286 00:23:30.665 --> 00:23:36.205 yeah i feel like from a modern perspective i'd say like krungbin i would say 287 00:23:36.205 --> 00:23:42.305 like peach pit the band crumb and then i have a lot of like kind of old school 288 00:23:42.305 --> 00:23:47.745 funky feels in it too so i think like funkadelic even like a little herbie hancock 289 00:23:47.745 --> 00:23:49.845 like like Headhunters album, you know? Right, right, right. 290 00:23:51.445 --> 00:23:54.605 And I would say like a little bit of Jimi Hendrix. It definitely, 291 00:23:54.845 --> 00:23:59.005 it's some of the tonalities are like throwback feel stuff for sure. 292 00:23:59.445 --> 00:24:03.705 But it's like hard to beat the 60s and 70s out of you when it's like so imprinted 293 00:24:03.705 --> 00:24:05.365 in your brain, you know? Right, right, right. 294 00:24:06.065 --> 00:24:10.585 So if I remember right, you said you're like in your mid 20s now and you started when you were 11. 295 00:24:11.045 --> 00:24:15.645 So that was like early 2000-ish, I would think. 296 00:24:15.805 --> 00:24:20.305 Is that, am I thinking that right? Yeah, for sure. I started playing in 2006. 297 00:24:20.685 --> 00:24:24.105 I'm 29. Yeah. Okay. So, yeah. So 2006. 298 00:24:24.425 --> 00:24:28.845 So when you were 11, what would be like some of the music that was influenced 299 00:24:28.845 --> 00:24:30.485 you at that young of an age? 300 00:24:30.765 --> 00:24:34.745 Oh, man, it was just Jimi Hendrix and the Beatles and Led Zeppelin and... 301 00:24:35.798 --> 00:24:38.758 Black sabbath you know kind of all of that stuff in 302 00:24:38.758 --> 00:24:41.578 general that was i remember hearing that music and 303 00:24:41.578 --> 00:24:44.598 just being like this is insane and then eventually once i 304 00:24:44.598 --> 00:24:47.478 got an acoustic and i was like 13 14 305 00:24:47.478 --> 00:24:51.558 i really became obsessed with nirvana i feel like everybody has to go through 306 00:24:51.558 --> 00:24:57.218 a nirvana phase and that was my nirvana phase and i i loved learning all their 307 00:24:57.218 --> 00:25:02.298 music because it was simple enough for me to play it and say with it yeah that 308 00:25:02.298 --> 00:25:05.918 that kind of where it was where it was at And then eventually as I got older, 309 00:25:06.018 --> 00:25:08.458 my taste kind of expanded out from there. 310 00:25:08.538 --> 00:25:13.098 And I really started listening to a lot of like jazz and funk and fusion and 311 00:25:13.098 --> 00:25:17.118 stuff like that. And a lot of different, like there's still all these elements 312 00:25:17.118 --> 00:25:21.498 of like psychedelia, but it wasn't as like prominent in it. Gotcha. 313 00:25:21.558 --> 00:25:23.438 Yeah, definitely all that stuff. 314 00:25:23.598 --> 00:25:27.358 And then a lot of like West Coast indie stuff I really started getting down 315 00:25:27.358 --> 00:25:28.918 on probably about 10 years ago. 316 00:25:28.978 --> 00:25:32.598 And I feel like I really haven't ever lost that. So wonderful. Wonderful. 317 00:25:32.758 --> 00:25:37.478 It's great to hear about musicians that start somewhere and they expand out 318 00:25:37.478 --> 00:25:42.558 and just try to search out everything that they can that really helps them become 319 00:25:42.558 --> 00:25:45.158 a better musician. For sure. Yeah. Yeah. 320 00:25:45.698 --> 00:25:51.258 As I'm getting closer to the end here with these questions, one of them is a work-life balance. 321 00:25:51.438 --> 00:25:56.258 So we haven't really talked much about what else you do. Are you doing music full-time? 322 00:25:56.378 --> 00:26:01.738 Do you have a side job or a day job that kind of conflicts with you making making 323 00:26:01.738 --> 00:26:03.018 music? How does that work for you? 324 00:26:03.278 --> 00:26:08.298 Yeah, I actually just left my full-time job a couple of weeks ago to really 325 00:26:08.298 --> 00:26:10.378 launch into this music thing full-time. 326 00:26:10.538 --> 00:26:16.558 And yeah, it was really hard to record and just play a lot of gigs too. 327 00:26:16.658 --> 00:26:17.718 I think over the summer, I probably 328 00:26:17.718 --> 00:26:22.798 played maybe like 30 some gigs with a full-time job and that was a ton. 329 00:26:23.018 --> 00:26:28.938 So yeah, I'm definitely kind of glad I'm making this decision right now. 330 00:26:29.058 --> 00:26:31.918 I'm not broke yet, so I feel like I'm still glad. 331 00:26:32.558 --> 00:26:35.738 But once that hits, I think then I'll be a little bit scared. 332 00:26:35.818 --> 00:26:39.378 But I just wanted to take a couple of months and really dive into it, 333 00:26:39.418 --> 00:26:43.998 work on content and kind of just see what I can do as far as getting the word 334 00:26:43.998 --> 00:26:46.138 out there on what I'm doing and stuff. 335 00:26:46.458 --> 00:26:49.398 And yeah, so the balance is really hard for 336 00:26:49.398 --> 00:26:53.218 sure i think having full-time job 337 00:26:53.218 --> 00:26:56.038 too and you know the demands that come with 338 00:26:56.038 --> 00:27:00.738 a full-time job it's really hard to balance those things out so but yeah definitely 339 00:27:00.738 --> 00:27:06.038 eventually it caught up to me so but yeah definitely just trying to look at 340 00:27:06.038 --> 00:27:11.418 music full-time and see what i can make of it you know and right exactly not 341 00:27:11.418 --> 00:27:15.738 30 yet so i feel like this is a good decision i still have six months until I'm 30. 342 00:27:15.898 --> 00:27:19.858 So this is kind of my mess around era right now. So, right. 343 00:27:20.684 --> 00:27:24.224 Now, in the past, I've interviewed Emily White. I don't know if you know who 344 00:27:24.224 --> 00:27:25.864 that is. Yeah, she's amazing. 345 00:27:26.144 --> 00:27:30.924 Yeah. So, and she's got that great resource, the how to build a sustainable 346 00:27:30.924 --> 00:27:32.904 music career, collect all revenue streams. 347 00:27:33.324 --> 00:27:36.564 Have you, have you dived into any of that and tried to? Absolutely. 348 00:27:36.624 --> 00:27:39.564 Yeah. Yeah. My, my girlfriend was the one that my girlfriend, 349 00:27:39.624 --> 00:27:40.864 Nora turned me onto that book. 350 00:27:41.244 --> 00:27:44.284 And my girlfriend, Nora is a much better reader than I am. 351 00:27:44.384 --> 00:27:48.244 So that's pretty tight because she made all of these notes on how to do all 352 00:27:48.244 --> 00:27:49.424 these different things. And 353 00:27:49.424 --> 00:27:52.964 that was, it really came in handy when it was time to launch this project. 354 00:27:53.404 --> 00:27:56.724 So shout out to Emily white, man. I mean, she's got in. Yeah. 355 00:27:56.804 --> 00:28:00.224 She knows what she's doing, man. And you can read through it a million times, 356 00:28:00.244 --> 00:28:01.684 that book and listen to her podcast. 357 00:28:01.764 --> 00:28:05.424 And it's just the amount of knowledge that you can absorb. It's just crazy. 358 00:28:05.524 --> 00:28:09.144 And yeah, big props to her, man. She seems like an awesome person too. 359 00:28:09.284 --> 00:28:12.904 And I know a lot of people that I know in the scene of nothing but amazing things 360 00:28:12.904 --> 00:28:14.164 to say about her. So yeah. 361 00:28:14.524 --> 00:28:18.684 Yeah. It's, it's, it's great to have. And then she's from Wisconsin as well. So it's just great. 362 00:28:18.744 --> 00:28:23.384 All these great Wisconsinites are doing all these great things for the local scene and beyond. 363 00:28:23.584 --> 00:28:25.604 So awesome. Very awesome. Hell yeah. 364 00:28:26.064 --> 00:28:33.444 The next thing is a gig that you have performed at or seen that has made a big impression on you. 365 00:28:33.964 --> 00:28:43.164 Oh, man. As far as gigs I've seen, I feel like every gig I go to, I'm just always in awe. 366 00:28:44.224 --> 00:28:48.964 Especially bigger names, but even locally, man, it's cool to see people on their grind. 367 00:28:49.564 --> 00:28:54.524 I think my favorite artist to see in the Milwaukee area is Classic. 368 00:28:54.804 --> 00:28:57.404 He's a really good friend of mine, too, so I'm not just being biased. 369 00:28:57.404 --> 00:29:02.564 But I wholeheartedly think he's the most talented guy I've ever gotten to see do anything. 370 00:29:02.784 --> 00:29:07.244 So he's amazing. If you haven't seen him live or had a chance to talk to him 371 00:29:07.244 --> 00:29:08.504 or anything, let me know. 372 00:29:08.544 --> 00:29:12.784 I'd love to link you guys up because he's the reason why he's won like every 373 00:29:12.784 --> 00:29:13.944 award in the city of Milwaukee. 374 00:29:14.084 --> 00:29:16.344 As far as music goes, he's just amazing. 375 00:29:16.684 --> 00:29:20.684 And he's easily one of the most kindhearted and just awesome people to, 376 00:29:20.784 --> 00:29:22.364 you know, like having your circle too. 377 00:29:22.484 --> 00:29:26.584 So very cool. yeah definitely and then as far as shows i've played that have 378 00:29:26.584 --> 00:29:27.904 made a lot a big impression. 379 00:29:29.461 --> 00:29:33.641 Yeah, I'm not really sure. I mean, I've really enjoyed every show that we've 380 00:29:33.641 --> 00:29:36.881 played as a full band and that I've done as like a loop artist too. 381 00:29:37.501 --> 00:29:40.841 But yeah, I don't know. I mean, we just played at Oak Brewing last night. 382 00:29:40.901 --> 00:29:42.241 It's our second time playing there. 383 00:29:43.161 --> 00:29:47.581 That's an amazing venue. I love seeing what they've done with their stage setup 384 00:29:47.581 --> 00:29:50.241 and like their sound dampening as well as like the lights. 385 00:29:50.781 --> 00:29:54.441 They've really put a lot into that place. And I feel like, yeah, 386 00:29:54.501 --> 00:29:56.621 it's probably one of the best stages to play around. 387 00:29:56.881 --> 00:30:00.781 So and where's that? That's in Milwaukee, right? It's in West Allis. 388 00:30:00.801 --> 00:30:03.281 Oh, West Allis. Okay. Yeah. Just 20 minutes away. 389 00:30:03.521 --> 00:30:07.201 Yeah, there you go. Everything's 20 minutes away from Milwaukee, right? Yeah, totally. 390 00:30:08.521 --> 00:30:12.681 And if you had a time machine, you could go back and talk to your younger self, 391 00:30:12.761 --> 00:30:14.301 any advice you'd give yourself. 392 00:30:15.221 --> 00:30:19.481 Yeah, man. I would just tell myself to keep messing up because the more you 393 00:30:19.481 --> 00:30:21.381 mess up, the better of a musician you become. 394 00:30:21.701 --> 00:30:25.041 And yeah, you just got to mess up, man. You just got to keep messing up and 395 00:30:25.041 --> 00:30:28.361 don't take it personally, just get it over with. 396 00:30:28.501 --> 00:30:34.061 And as you continue to work on all of these things, like you eventually just get a lot better. 397 00:30:34.081 --> 00:30:37.001 So just keep messing up and, you know, keep your chin up through it. 398 00:30:37.681 --> 00:30:41.601 Absolutely. Yeah, that's great advice because, you know, I tell my students, 399 00:30:41.641 --> 00:30:46.361 I'm a band director at the high school and I tell them failure is just stepping stones to success. 400 00:30:47.241 --> 00:30:51.141 Eventually it's going to click and eventually you're going to become better 401 00:30:51.141 --> 00:30:52.121 at what you're working at. 402 00:30:52.867 --> 00:30:56.547 Yeah, totally. No, I couldn't agree with that more. I think even if you're self-taught 403 00:30:56.547 --> 00:31:01.867 or if you're taught at a higher level, you got to get your 10,000 hours in there 404 00:31:01.867 --> 00:31:04.067 before you can really just start crushing stuff. 405 00:31:04.407 --> 00:31:08.487 And yeah, you just got to keep messing up, man, because that's what makes all the difference. 406 00:31:08.927 --> 00:31:12.947 Exactly. Exactly. Is there anything that you want the listeners to know before I let you go? 407 00:31:13.627 --> 00:31:19.307 Follow me on Instagram at Dak Dubois. It's just D-A-K-D-U-B-O-I-S. 408 00:31:19.307 --> 00:31:26.707 So yeah that's pretty much it i know yeah i plan on doing a tour here in a few months probably. 409 00:31:27.547 --> 00:31:30.307 Yeah and wherever whatever city you're at you know check out 410 00:31:30.307 --> 00:31:33.827 the music and check out instagram because i'm really good at making sure that 411 00:31:33.827 --> 00:31:37.607 i stay up on content you can kind of get a little bit more feel for what the 412 00:31:37.607 --> 00:31:42.107 live shows are like and they're definitely crazy i just want to make sure everybody 413 00:31:42.107 --> 00:31:48.507 has an incredible night anytime they come out and see us so yeah excellent and 414 00:31:48.507 --> 00:31:49.647 And I'll put all the links down. 415 00:31:49.727 --> 00:31:53.267 I'll put your link tree down in the details of the show so people can just click 416 00:31:53.267 --> 00:31:57.107 on that and go right to all your social media and your website. 417 00:31:57.307 --> 00:32:00.207 So, Doc, thank you so much for being on the Wisconsin Music Podcast. 418 00:32:00.387 --> 00:32:03.207 It's been great talking to you, learning about all your music stuff. 419 00:32:03.367 --> 00:32:04.927 And just thanks so much for being on. 420 00:32:05.247 --> 00:32:07.587 Yeah, thanks for having me, man. I really appreciate it, too. 421 00:32:08.007 --> 00:32:11.407 Well, thanks again for tuning in to another episode of the Wisconsin Music Podcast. 422 00:32:11.947 --> 00:32:15.587 Once again, I'm Zach Fell, your host and creator of the Wisconsin Music Podcast, 423 00:32:15.727 --> 00:32:18.787 where I love to amplify the great sounds coming out 424 00:32:18.787 --> 00:32:22.407 of the wisconsin state we have great talent here great 425 00:32:22.407 --> 00:32:27.847 support great listeners thanks to fox city's indie radio for syndicating this 426 00:32:27.847 --> 00:32:31.767 on wednesdays and sundays along with their other great programmers so make sure 427 00:32:31.767 --> 00:32:37.127 you check out the fox city's indie radio thanks to dr for being on this week's 428 00:32:37.127 --> 00:32:41.567 show check him out all links are in the episode descriptions he has two. 429 00:32:41.680 --> 00:33:06.320 Music. 430 00:33:06.452 --> 00:33:10.312 For more information. If you are enjoying these episodes, please consider donating 431 00:33:10.312 --> 00:33:11.752 to the Wisconsin Music Podcast. 432 00:33:12.292 --> 00:33:16.512 Donations help pay for the website and putting the podcast up on streaming services 433 00:33:16.512 --> 00:33:21.092 and also getting our name out there to all Wisconsinites and others that are 434 00:33:21.092 --> 00:33:23.492 interested in our great music here in Wisconsin. 435 00:33:23.760 --> 00:33:29.360 Music. 436 00:33:24.052 --> 00:33:27.912 Donations are secured through PayPal and Stripe. All you have to do is go to 437 00:33:27.912 --> 00:33:30.792 the website and click on Donate to WMP. 438 00:33:31.552 --> 00:33:35.632 You can also head over to our Instagram and Facebook pages and like us there. 439 00:33:35.632 --> 00:33:41.072 There leave some comments also go to the podcast review section of your podcast. 440 00:33:37.520 --> 00:33:45.840 Music. 441 00:33:41.072 --> 00:33:45.072 Player and leave a five-star review would be great you could also head over 442 00:33:45.072 --> 00:33:49.292 to youtube and watch the interviews and leave comments there as well have a 443 00:33:49.292 --> 00:33:51.072 great week everybody and we'll see you next time.