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Danielle Fishel
This is an iHeart podcast.
Isaac Slade
Guaranteed Human Amazon Health AI presents painful thoughts I I can't stop scratching my downtown. Mm, yeah, but I'm not itching to go downtown and tell a receptionist I'm here to talk about my downtown. Some things you'd rather type than say out loud. There's no question too embarrassing for Amazon Health AI. Chat your symptoms and get virtual care 24. 7 Healthcare just got less painful.
Podcast Announcer
Now streaming on Paramount Plus Beth and Rip are back in Dutton Ranch.
Danielle Fishel
This life here is gonna work, isn't it?
Isaac Slade
We'll make it work. Starring Kelly Reilly Legacy is a beautiful
Jeanette (Caller)
thing, but only if it survives.
Isaac Slade
Cole Hauser, let's go to work. Ed Harris Family is the only thing worth fighting for. And Annette Benning. I can make this a lot harder for all y'. All.
Podcast Announcer
Then Piece of Dutton Ranch new series now streaming on Paramount. Plus support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public, you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index. With AI, it all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors llc. SEC Registered Advisor. Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures available at public.com disclosures this
Bowen Yang
is Bowen Yang from Lost Culture Research with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang. We all know the feeling when life gets really busy. Taking care of yourself can feel impossible. That's why Premier Protein Shakes are my go to. They have 30 grams of protein, 160 calories, no added sugar and they taste amazing. So they're a healthy choice you'll actually want to make. It's not just for fitness, it's for getting after life. The 30 grams of protein gives you the fuel you need. It's not just for intense gym sessions. It's just for life. With a wide variety of flavors, from cafe latte to cake batter, it never feels boring. There's a flavor for everyone. I personally love the peaches and cream, but maybe you're a root beer floater, cinnamon roll kind of person. Premier Protein powers me to say yes to more. Find your favorite flavor@premierprotein.com that's P R E M I E R protein.com or at Amazon, Walmart and other major retailers.
Isaac Slade
Give me money for cigarettes. I'll never leave your filthy bed. I stay the night. And one night we can. Two or three years. The kids are not all right. But that's okay. Cause no one here is take me.
Danielle Fishel
So I ask my listeners to send in their own embarrassing stories from childhood in hopes that we can all connect spiritually and understand that shame is the center of our universe. And so this week we hear from Jeanette, who has a story all about her first kiss and the misjudgment she made about it.
Jeanette (Caller)
Hi, Danielle. This is Jeanette from Baltimore. And this is the story of my first kiss. So just to set the stage, I'm 14. I had never been kissed before, but boy, was I excited and ready. And I had this inkling that a boy at my church, in my Sunday school class, had maybe was interested in me because he had started to brush his foot up against mine. And I kind of knew that it wasn't an accidental. It was like almost like playing footsies. So I had an idea and we had this big, like, celebratory event at church. Everybody got dressed up and the teenagers we were supposed to be helping and. But basically that just meant we were like supposed to be directing people into the celebration. But we just kind of stood there and talked like teenagers do. And somehow it wound up just being the two of us. We were sitting in this alcove and he kissed me. However, he came at me with his mouth open, wide open, and proceeded to keep his mouth open for the whole time. And it was probably the most uncomfortable five minutes of my life. But I was excited because I had my first kiss. And in my mind that meant I had my first boyfriend. And so I was excited. Everything seemed great the next day because this was a Saturday. The next day we went to church and he ignored me, pretended I wasn't there. But I still. In my mind, I was very confused because in my mind we had kissed. So we were boyfriend and girlfriend. So a couple days went by and me being confused, I decided to call him. We did not have cell phones. So I called him on his landline, asked for him, because I had to talk to his mother first, and then asked him what was happening. And he told me we were not, in fact, boyfriend and girlfriend. So that was the story of my very disappointing first kiss. Thankfully, I've had many, many much better kisses since then, but that one was certainly memorable. I hope you guys have a great day.
Danielle Fishel
She was trying to make him jealous right there. She's like, you may have been the first, but you were not my last. They've been so good. They've been so good since then.
Isaac Slade
And their mouths were closed.
Danielle Fishel
Closed mouth kisses. Oh, boy. I mean, this guy sounds like a big jerk. Not gonna lie.
Isaac Slade
Yeah, well, the open mouth thing just doesn't work.
Danielle Fishel
It's not? No. You also don't go at someone with
Isaac Slade
feel even if you have banaka spray, you know, it's not gonna work.
Danielle Fishel
Did you ever write a song about Brittany Baxter?
Isaac Slade
Oh, every song's about Brittany Baxter. Let's just be honest.
Danielle Fishel
Never gotten over, Never moved on.
Isaac Slade
Yeah, that's. That's why I didn't want to be in a Christian band. There's. There's no JPMs and too many girls to write how I feel about Brittany Baxter.
Danielle Fishel
Did you ever write a song about a girlfriend, or is that how it works? I've never written a song, so I assume they're like, hey, this is about this very specific thing. But I sense that that's probably not what it's.
Isaac Slade
You know, I mean, certainly life influences, you know, art and songs, you know, it's not necessarily. Usually about a specific person, although it can inspire things. So certainly, you know. Because it's true. Yeah. You know, but there's also lyrics in there that just want to be that lyric. So at the end of the day, while it's inspired maybe by a relationship or loss of somebody, it's about serving the song at the end of the day, and it needs to be the lyric that it wants to be instead of.
Danielle Fishel
It's like taking action. Yeah.
Isaac Slade
So when I force my stuff on it, it usually doesn't work. It's just like, the song has to be like, this is what it is.
Danielle Fishel
What were your first few songs about? Questioning. You were talking about questioning.
Isaac Slade
Questioning. Yeah. The first song I wrote was called.
Podcast Announcer
Wow.
Isaac Slade
What was it called? The course was about, like, psychics, shrinks, and hypocrites, and it was about hypocrites in the church.
Danielle Fishel
Okay.
Isaac Slade
When the only way to change is to turn your life around. It was the Hook.
Danielle Fishel
Okay. Yeah, yeah.
Isaac Slade
Like, I think, yeah, it was okay. Now it's coming back. It's like many, many ask for answers, answers from psychic shrinks and hypocrites, but when the only way to change is to turn your life around. So I was still a little bit confused with the. With. With the, like, the Christian thing.
Danielle Fishel
Yes.
Isaac Slade
And also, like, not, like, needing to provide an answer.
Danielle Fishel
Right.
Isaac Slade
Something.
Danielle Fishel
Right.
Isaac Slade
But I was also starting to question, like, started young. Hypocrites. Like, he says something. He's saying this, but he's living differently. Like, what? Like, this ain't real. And so, yeah, that was the first song I wrote.
Danielle Fishel
So I was raised Catholic until I was about 10, and we stopped going to the Catholic Church when. Well, for one thing, both my parents were raised Catholic. So then when they had my brother and I, they were like, this is what you have to do. But neither of them really loved being in the church either. But they felt like, you know, you have to. Otherwise, I don't know, bad things happen. And so they were forcing us to go. And my brother and I would complain every single week why we don't have to do this. And they're like, we have to. There's donuts after. And that at least got me through at least my youth. But then when I had my first Holy Communion, and after you take your communion, you have to go confess. And I had been through catechism. I had been to CCD class every Wednesday. And then I go in there, and they're like, what do you have to confess? And I said, I don't have anything to confess. And they said, of course you do, because we all sin. And so, of course, what have you sinned? And I was like,
Isaac Slade
did you make up something?
Danielle Fishel
I did. I made up that I had been mean to my brother.
Isaac Slade
And then did you confess that you just lied?
Danielle Fishel
No, but they suspected I had made it up. So they said, did you just make that up? And I said, yes. And they said, why don't you. Why are. Why would you not confess? And I said, because I've already confessed to God. And they were furious. That goes against every. What you've been in class. What. What is. How did you just get your first Holy Communion when you think you can bypass us? And so my parents got a pretty angry phone call, and my mom was like, that's it? Yeah, we are not going anymore, for sure.
Isaac Slade
So, yeah, that.
Danielle Fishel
That makes questions start young.
Isaac Slade
They do.
Danielle Fishel
They're like, why do I have to do this? Why do I have to tell you anything?
Isaac Slade
Amazon Health AI presents Painful Thoughts why
Danielle Fishel
did I search the Internet for answers to my cold sore problem? Now I'm stuck down a rabbit hole filled with images of alarmingly graphic source in various stages of ooze. I can clear my search history, but I can never unsee that.
Isaac Slade
Don't go down the rabbit hole. Amazon Health AI gets you the right care fast. Healthcare just got less painful.
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Podcast Announcer
for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index. With AI, it all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors llc. SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures available at public.com disclosures this
Bowen Yang
is Bowen Yang from Lost Culture Research with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang. We all know the feeling when life gets really busy. Taking care of yourself can feel impossible. That's why Premier protein shakes are min go too. They have 30 grams of protein, 160 calories, no added sugar, and they taste amazing. So they're a healthy choice you'll actually want to make. It's not just for fitness, it's for getting after life. The 30 grams of protein gives you the fuel you need. It's not just for intense gym sessions, it's just for life. With the wide variety of flavors, from cafe latte to cake batter, it never feels boring. There's a flavor for everyone. I personally love the peaches and cream, but maybe you're a root beer floater, cinnamon roll kind of person. Premier Protein powers me to say yes to more. Find your favorite flavor@premierprotein.com that's P R E M I E R protein dot com. Or at Amazon, Walmart and other major retail.
Danielle Fishel
When do you think you really started to connect as a songwriter? Was it after, right after the guitar? Or do you think the. You really connected as a songwriter a little later?
Isaac Slade
Yeah, it was after the guitar.
Danielle Fishel
Okay.
Isaac Slade
Yeah, it was after the guitar. Yeah. Just because it became the tool in order to write.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Isaac Slade
Because I've never. It was. My intention was I didn't want to. I didn't gravitate towards becoming a shredder.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Isaac Slade
Or like I'm going to be the best guitar player in the world. That wasn't my goal.
Danielle Fishel
Okay.
Isaac Slade
The guitar I love playing, but it was more in service of a song. And, and, and musicians know this, but you, you know, you can pick up, you pick up a, you know, an instrument, say you're looking for a new instrument and you, you pick one up and you play. It's like, ah, it doesn't feel right. And you pick up another one and they play. And when you find that one that you play and it just has this thing in it.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Isaac Slade
You feel like there are songs, like there are songs in this, right? Oh yeah. And so the Franciscan had songs in it.
Danielle Fishel
Totally. Do you still have the Franciscan?
Isaac Slade
I don't. And I'm so mad at myself that I like, I don't know what happened to it. I think I sanded it to try to make it look cooler. And then I think like by the time I was in end of high school, I had like a Takamini and I was like, oh, this one's so much cooler than my Franciscan. And I got rid of it. And I'm so ished. I had that guitar. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Danielle Fishel
I wonder if there's any sort of identifiable track, like, if you could. If you put out the word, like, I gave this guitar away. If there's, like, some identifying characteristic, we could get it back for you. I feel like, you know, TikTok can find anyone.
Isaac Slade
Help me find this Franciscan.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah, find the Franciscan.
Isaac Slade
Part of the body is sanded because I didn't finish the sand sanding job. I just did, like, half of it.
Danielle Fishel
Just did half of it.
Isaac Slade
I gave up.
Danielle Fishel
Okay. And where. Where were you when you, like, where did you get rid of it?
Isaac Slade
In Denver.
Danielle Fishel
In Denver.
Isaac Slade
Yeah. We'll see. I mean, listen, if we can get that Franciscan. Oh, we have Frey record number six in about two weeks.
Bowen Yang
Yes.
Danielle Fishel
I love it. Okay, my last question for you. What are you looking forward to most for this upcoming tour? Is it still really fun?
Isaac Slade
It's a blast. It really is. I don't take it for granted, you know, because we did go away for a while. Like, it was over. We ended and, you know, that was a whole journey in itself. And felt lost for years of just not knowing, like, who I was and what I'm doing, because you get tied into this identity and it really is your baby and it's part of you and it's your story. And so then you're just wrestling with, like, what. I guess I'm done with that. And then, you know, when we decided that, you know, the three of us decided, like, do we love this? Do we want to do this? Do we believe in it? Do we have more to say? And, you know, once we answered those questions, it was like, yep, okay, let's go. Let's. Let's jump in. And we just, you know, we started with an EP just to, like, almost prove it to ourselves that we could. We could do this.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Isaac Slade
And that EP was more so, like, reconnecting us with fans because we had been gone for six years, seven years at that point. Like, not active.
Danielle Fishel
Right, Right.
Isaac Slade
Maybe a couple shows a year, but not anything new. And then, you know, this record was. Was just like this beautiful new harmony with the. With the guys, the three of us, just like this, like, new collaboration that had always been there.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Isaac Slade
You know, like, we were talking about the beginning. It had always been there. We just didn't know it until 20 years into it.
Bowen Yang
Wow.
Isaac Slade
That the three of us were going to be writing this story and. And it's so much fun. And night after night, these fans are. We have the best fan, like, it is so fun. And they come out and they are, like, singing.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Isaac Slade
They know every word.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Isaac Slade
Then the sound systems. Like our front of house guy.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Isaac Slade
That controls the sound and mixes our sound. He. After shows, he'd be like, I. I couldn't push it anymore.
Podcast Announcer
Sorry.
Danielle Fishel
I tried.
Isaac Slade
They were louder than the sound system. We can't do it.
Danielle Fishel
Nothing we can do. When your fans are too loud.
Isaac Slade
So they just want to sing it out. And I love it.
Danielle Fishel
That is so great. I lied. I have one more question. If you had to only listen to one band for the rest of your life, you could only listen to one band.
Isaac Slade
Radiohead.
Danielle Fishel
Okay. So easy for you.
Isaac Slade
Yeah.
Danielle Fishel
Okay.
Isaac Slade
Radiohead. Yeah. Creep was. You know, it was. It was Smells Like Teen Spirit and then Creep.
Danielle Fishel
Okay.
Isaac Slade
You know, when I heard Creep, it was also just like, I'm not alone.
Danielle Fishel
Right.
Isaac Slade
He knows how I feel. Right. I'm not comfortable in my own skin.
Danielle Fishel
Right.
Jeanette (Caller)
Right.
Isaac Slade
I don't belong to the. I don't fit in the church. I don't like what's going on. So it was, you know, it, like, helped me make sense of myself.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Isaac Slade
You know, and I think that's what's beautiful about music. It just, like, helps you feel less alone.
Danielle Fishel
Yep.
Isaac Slade
It, like, you know, you can see yourself in it, and when you hear a song, you know, for the first time and it grabs you.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Isaac Slade
That's the best. That's the best feeling. That's what we live for. You don't even know that you live for that, but when you. When it grabs you and it's just yours, like. And that's what I hope for in this. In this. This new record is like, you know, if there's one song or that, you know, fans, if there's something in this record that they can see themselves in.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Isaac Slade
And they. And they. They say, yes, that's. That's me.
Danielle Fishel
That is beautiful. Thank you so much for being here. The Fray's newest album, A Light that Waits, is available now. Go to thefray.com to see all the upcoming dates for their Summer of Light tour alongside Dashboard Confessional. It will be coming to a town near you. Thank you so much for spending your time with me today, Jill.
Isaac Slade
Absolutely. It was a wonderful conversation.
Danielle Fishel
I really enjoyed talking with you. Thank you. And thank you because I have been a big fan for many, many years.
Isaac Slade
Well, come out.
Danielle Fishel
I will.
Isaac Slade
And I won't talk to you.
Danielle Fishel
Okay. Perfect.
Isaac Slade
Because I'm antisocial.
Bowen Yang
Perfect.
Danielle Fishel
I'll just wave.
Isaac Slade
Yeah.
Danielle Fishel
I'll see you in Denver.
Isaac Slade
Okay. Perfect.
Danielle Fishel
I'll come to Denver. I'm gonna. Because I'm still gonna look for the Franciscan.
Isaac Slade
Come to Denver. But pre tour we can if you wanna come hang with Chris and I. We'll have a nice dinner.
Danielle Fishel
Perfect. Early, early dinner.
Isaac Slade
Early dinner.
Danielle Fishel
I like to eat around 5. 5.
Isaac Slade
Thanks for having me.
Danielle Fishel
Thank you for being here.
Isaac Slade
Yeah, for sure.
Danielle Fishel
Teen Beat is an iHeart podcast produced and hosted by Danielle Fishel, executive producers Jensen Karp and Amy Sugarman, executive in charge of production, Danielle Romo, producer and editor Tara Subaksh. The theme song is by Mark Hoppus. Yes, that Mark Hoppus. Follow us on Instagram teenbeatpod.
Isaac Slade
I'm U.S. transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. We all get distracted when we drive, whether it's from our phones or kids in the backseat bickering. But how we handle these distractions can be a matter of life or death. Before you get on the road for your next road trip, please put your phones on silent and take a mental note to focus on driving. Paid for by nhtsa.
Danielle Fishel
There's a fire inside you you can't ignore. Stand still. Not a chance. You're a lifelong learner who's come this far. Now we're here to help you keep going further. Capella University what can't you do? Visit Capella. Edu to learn more. In our household, my husband and I have both been diagnosed with varying degrees of ocd. So raising awareness of its related struggles and knowing help does exist is important to us. And that's why I'm happy to talk about nocd. It's the world's leading OCD treatment provider, consisting of licensed therapists specializing in exposure response prevention, which has proven to be the most effective treatment for OCD. Therapy is 100% virtual, covered by insurance for over 138 million Americans. And they provide support even between sessions. So you're never facing OCD alone again. Book a free 15 minute call@nocd.com that's n o c d.com this is Bowen
Bowen Yang
Yang from Lost Culture Research with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang. We all know the feeling when life gets really busy. Taking care of yourself can feel impossible. That's why Premier protein shakes are my go to. They have 30 grams of protein, 160 calories, no added sugar, and they taste amazing. So they're a healthy choice you'll actually want to make. It's not just for fitness, it's for getting after life. Premier Protein powers me to say yes to more. Find your favorite flavor at premierprotein.
Isaac Slade
Com.
Bowen Yang
That's P R E M I E R Protein.
Danielle Fishel
Com this is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.
Podcast Summary
Teen Beat with Danielle Fishel: More Time With Joe King from The Fray
iHeartPodcasts | May 15, 2026
In this engaging episode of Teen Beat, host Danielle Fishel sits down with Joe King (with fellow The Fray bandmate Isaac Slade also in the mix) to reflect on the formative—and sometimes awkward—moments of youth. Danielle turns the spotlight toward Joe’s upbringing, his earliest musical inspirations, the origin stories behind some songwriting, faith and questioning childhood norms, and how reconnecting with The Fray has reshaped his artistry and outlook post-hiatus. The episode also touches on nostalgic firsts, the power of fan connection, and the enduring magic of music to make us feel less alone.
[03:31-06:16]
[06:41-09:10]
[09:10-11:09]
[14:46-16:38]
[16:43-18:22]
[18:22-18:57]
[19:01-19:29]
[19:38-20:17]
This episode blends humor, nostalgia, and real talk about growing up, creative evolution, losing—and regaining—one’s artistic drive, and the unique solace music offers fans and artists alike. Danielle’s relatable curiosity and Isaac’s openness make for a warm and resonant conversation—one that speaks directly to anyone navigating awkward formative moments or searching for connection through art.
The Fray’s newest album, “A Light That Waits,” is available now. Tour info at thefray.com.