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Co Wetzel
I appreciate it.
Bunny
What the hell's going on? We have to talk about this glow up because everybody online is noticing it. You look happy, you look healthy. What's happening?
Co Wetzel
Yeah, it's just a lot of changes. A lot of big changes have been happening over the last couple years and yeah, I think it was time. I feel like everybody's been kind of getting on this health kick, you know, seeing Jelly do it, obviously. And then a lot of us, you know, me and Aaron and a lot of the guys just kind of, I guess just figured it was time to get our shit together and. But yeah, no, it was. I don't know. I just looked in the mirror one day and I was like, damn. We were actually doing promo for. For the damn near normal world tour. And you know, after we dropped before we dropped nine lives and stuff and I was on the lake fishing with my buddy. He was like behind me doing some content. We got back and I was looking at myself like, God damn. I didn't let myself go. I got on the scale. Oh, no. It was about two years ago and I was like, I got to get it figured out. So kind of started around then, I guess. And then, I don't know, it's just, you know, having baby girl come into the world and all these things. I don't know. Kind of decided it was time to get, get right.
Bunny
You got the dad glow up.
Co Wetzel
Yeah, I didn't know that was a thing.
Bunny
Yeah, well, you can go one of two ways. I've seen it happen. Like they end up looking hot like. Or they end up fucking looking like John Goodman.
Co Wetzel
So I don't know. I think it, I think I would have been pretty bad off if I'd have went the other way where I was at before, so.
Bunny
Oh, I remember when we were on tour with you guys, you guys were fucking wild.
Co Wetzel
It was that. But yeah, whenever we were on tour together like I mean every now was a party too. I mean, you know just as well as I do, it was, it was chaos.
Bunny
So I don't know how you guys do it. My husband was the same way. Like they would drink every night and I'm just like how do you guys like even function and then do it again the next day?
Co Wetzel
Well, that was, that was it to like to get over the hangover was just start drinking again and about showtime and then you know, we'd party together till 4 or 5 in the morning and then go back into it.
Bunny
No, it was wild. But I'm proud of you. You look really good. Are you taking peptides or anything?
Co Wetzel
Yeah, I got on some peptides. Yeah.
Bunny
Which ones? What's your stack?
Co Wetzel
So I do. I'm doing like the BPC157TB500. I ran Reda for, for a little while.
Bunny
How did Retta make you feel? Because I took retta and that shit made me want to off myself.
Co Wetzel
It was, it was good. Like the first two or three weeks, really good. And then it, I don't know, I just couldn't drink on it. Every time I drank on it. That was whenever it got really bad.
Bunny
But like sick, you get sick.
Co Wetzel
I mean it was like. It was like the worst headache ever. Like super nauseous the next day. But like I never had any bad side effects on it while I was on it. And then I read it for about two or three months and then got off it and then I got like GHKCU and NAD plus and. But I mean I feel like Superman
Bunny
doing all the good stuff.
Co Wetzel
Yeah, the, the energy levels, like everything about it. Like I don't. It's just kind of like a tool that I've been using. You know. Obviously that and eating clean and being in the gym too. So I don't know, it's just, it's good for like the mental health and everything. Like everything about it. I guess so.
Bunny
You seem more clear headed and more focused than I've ever seen you before.
Co Wetzel
Like that was that was another thing with the Reddit too, though. Like, it was. It. It did with my dopamine levels, I feel, like, a little bit like, stuff that I did enjoy because, I mean, it just kind of suppresses, like, your appetite along with other things, I feel like. And so.
Bunny
Bro, I couldn't even listen to music.
Co Wetzel
Yeah.
Bunny
When I was on it, I was driving one day with no sound.
Co Wetzel
Yeah.
Bunny
And I was like, this. You know what? Something's wrong. I was like, this is up. Like, I at least have to. If I'm not gonna eat, I need to listen to music, you know.
Co Wetzel
Yeah, but. I mean. But like that. But that helped a lot with, you know, the alcohol and stuff, because, you know, then I would look at alcohol, like, I can't drink that shit, you know, and. Yeah, so that's helped a lot with that as well. And just. But that was cool coming off of that because a lot of the stuff that, you know, it suppressed, it kind of, you know, carried over into what it is now. And so, yeah, the whole drinking thing, I think I'm drinking like, two or three times a month, maybe.
Bunny
Wow.
Co Wetzel
So, yeah, the last time I seen you, I don't. I think I had a bottle in my hand every. Every time I seen you.
Bunny
So I don't even think you remember that tour.
Co Wetzel
I don't. It was. It was. It was chaos. I don't know. It was. But it was a lot of fun.
Bunny
Isn't it so cool to look back on it and then, like, look and see how far you've grown, though. Like, that's what life is about. It's like, evolve or die. So. And that's what you're doing. And I think that you're setting a really good example for guys that are in the industry and that are in the same lane as you, because, you know, you think of, like, outlaw music and, like, you know, rock country and Texas. Texas, you know, music. You think of everybody just like, you know, kind of having their own, like, wild streak. And you do still have your wild streak, but you. You've kind of contained the beast.
Co Wetzel
Yeah, no, I think this was. It's good to have that happy medium, though, you know, being in it. And. And. And I'm not saying, you know, I'm not. I'm not just, you know, walking a straight line nowadays. You know, I still have my nights where I'll go out and as much as I can. The hangovers are hurting a little more these days, so it's not.
Bunny
That's age. How old are you?
Co Wetzel
I'm 33. I'll be 34.
Bunny
You're still a baby.
Co Wetzel
I know. Everybody keeps saying that. I feel like I'm 85 years old some days, you know, with, I don't know, aching bones and wait till you
Bunny
hit your 40s and you're like, what the happened?
Co Wetzel
I've heard, like, people would tell me that, like, you know, in your 20s, they're like, wait till you get your 30s and you get to your 30s. Or like, wait till you get to your 40s and. Yeah, I don't know.
Bunny
You sniff alcohol in your 40s and you have a hangover. Dude, it's. I had to stop drinking. I stopped drinking in my 40s because it just was not worth the three days of being.
Co Wetzel
Are you not drinking?
Bunny
Oh, I've been sober since 2018 off alcohol, 2017off pills and cocaine, and 2018off alcohol. Yeah. I'm telling you, man, sobriety is probably one of the hardest journeys you'll ever take. So I. I never try to, like, preach it to anybody. And everybody's journey is their own, but when you learn how to control it, it's like the biggest blessing I've heard.
Co Wetzel
It's the super drug. Like, that's, you know, and the older that I'm getting, you know, it's. It's obviously even more appealing to me and. And it does, you know, like, me slowing it down. Like I said, I drink two or three times a month, and, you know, I'll go for the week and a half, two weeks in between drinking and I'm eating super clean. I'm going to the gym five days a week, getting up early in the morning, you know, and watching the sun come up and having that alone time for that 30 to 45 minutes in the morning and just trying to get everything together and. And clear your head and stuff. I feel so damn good, you know, compared to, you know, back whenever it was kind of going to bed at that time, right. And just trying to nurse the hangover all day. But no, I do feel. Me and Parker talk about that a lot.
Bunny
Parker's crazy.
Co Wetzel
Yeah, he's. He's. He's on a different. He's on a different level, though. You know, he's. Yeah, his.
Bunny
I had him in here too, and I was finding out all the he was doing. I was like, dmt.
Co Wetzel
Yeah. Well, yeah, we came up together, and so we had some good times. We had some rowdy times. And yeah, he's homeless. You know, I talked to. We. I talked to him. He's one of my best friends. I talked to him, you know, every other day or whatever. And. And that's just how. That's how kind of that. How our conversations have changed as we've kind of grown up and stuff. And. And he'll tell you. Tell you the same things. He'll go, you know, I feel he's in the best shape of his life right now. You know, he's. He's doing all this stuff, just one album of the year with ACM stuff. He was like, you know, it's. It's crazy because you go out and drink and it's like all that, you know, 10, 12, 15 days of you just being super clean and working out and everything's kind of depletes for a week. You feel like for a weekend, it's really hard to get back to, so. But not. There's a lot of us that are. That are in a really good place right now. I think it's. I don't know. It feels good to feel good and. I don't know.
Bunny
I'm proud of you.
Co Wetzel
Thank you. I appreciate it.
Bunny
Is there anything else that you do besides, like, songwriting? Like, do you journal? What do you do? Do you, like, meditate?
Co Wetzel
Not so much. I've tried the meditating deal, but I don't know.
Bunny
It's hard.
Co Wetzel
It is.
Bunny
It's hard.
Co Wetzel
And I even try to get into, like, the. Was it the grounding where you walk out and barefoot?
Bunny
I get weirded out. I'm like, what if I'm stepping on dog piss? I get so weird.
Co Wetzel
You know, out in Texas, we got a bunch of damn sticker bars and everything else. So, I mean, I don't. The grounding deal in the meditation, I heard is, like, really good for it. But I got plunge. The what?
Bunny
Cold plunge.
Co Wetzel
Oh, yeah, yeah, Cold plunge. So we got, like, cold plunge and sauna at the house and stuff. And I'll do the hot, cold therapy and all that stuff, which is. Which is great, but that. And I'll do a bunch of box breathing. It's been, like, really good for me, especially, like, coming in, doing all these podcasts and stuff and. And not knowing what we're going to talk about. Stuff. Like, I woke up this morning and I walked outside and I was just, like, trying to do my box breathing and stuff. But I think it's so funny that
Bunny
you can stand in front of thousands of people, but then coming to do a podcast or having to sit one on one with somebody just.
Co Wetzel
It is. I don't know what it is. About it, like. And I've always been that way, you know, for the longest. Like, the first probably five or six years of our career, like, from noise complaint till probably before I signed with Columbia. So, I mean, damn near five years. I had, like, really no interviews and stuff like that. And I love that because for. For one, it gave people kind of, like. It was like a mysterious deal. Like, who is CO Wetzel? What is this music? You know? And we had a lot of fans that wanted to know a lot about me, but at the same time, it was. And it really wasn't like. It was kind of like a. The anxiety and everything kind of came. Came from all that, I guess, later on, you know, after doing it a lot. Like, it was never that I didn't want to do them. It was just, you know, we didn't. We didn't push the radio or anything like that, so I don't know, we just never really did them. And then whenever I started doing them, I was like, this is crazy. This is. This is not what I'm used to.
Bunny
It could also be because you're kind of sober now, too, so you're not. Like, before, you were probably showing up hungover or drunk and, like, still having something in your system. Yeah.
Co Wetzel
And. And I would, you know, to get through them. Used to be to get through the podcast interviews and stuff like that, I would. I'd go to the bar and get pretty. Pretty loose and then get on the podcast interview and drink then. And by the end of it, I'm spilling the beans on everything and just.
Bunny
Damn it, we should have got that
Co Wetzel
co. That's what I told. I told Cody and them all the way over here. I was like, man, we should have grabbed some beers on the way over here. And I was like, nah, hell no. I'll be saying all kinds of stupid shit.
Bunny
That's all we need. That's so funny. All right, so moving on, let's talk about how you grew up in East Texas. I actually grew up. I'm from Texas myself. I'm from Houston. But I thought it was great to find out that you grew up around the Fort Worth area, because I literally have a hat that says Fort Worth Famous.
Co Wetzel
Yeah.
Bunny
Growing up in East Texas, it means everybody knows your business, everybody's in your business. What's the dumbest rumor you've ever heard about yourself back home?
Co Wetzel
I don't know. I have no idea.
Bunny
I'm sure there's some spicy ones you don't want to tell us.
Co Wetzel
Yeah, I'm trying to think he's trying
Bunny
to be politically correct CO right now.
Co Wetzel
I really am. And that's the sober thoughts. Sober thoughts in me right now. I'm trying to. I don't know. You're fine.
Bunny
You don't have to answer it.
Co Wetzel
Yeah, well, I'm just trying. You can plead the fit, actually. Yeah, I'll plead the fifth on that one, I guess.
Bunny
So growing up, you grew up with a mom that was a touring musician. Can you tell me about that and take me on that journey?
Co Wetzel
Yeah.
Bunny
What life is like.
Co Wetzel
Yeah, she. I mean, she wasn't. She didn't tour like all the time. It was kind of like a weekend gig deal. She just played like opry houses and stuff like that for, you know, stand in bands. And she. We'd go around to, you know, every other weekend to opry houses and little auditoriums and state or county fairs and shit like that, and she just kind of play all our cover songs and stuff and so I grew up around live bands and going to these shows. I was a little shithead kid that was like running through the. The crowds and everybody's like, where's this kid's parents? You know, and. And my dad, he. He worked his ass off a lot and he was always gone a lot. So, you know, if mama didn't want to leave me with my grandparents, you know, she. She'd let me tag along. And then that actually kind of, you know, transformed into me getting on stage with her at a young age and. And being able to play with these bands and. I don't know, it was a lot of fun. It was a cool childhood to be able to. To come up around all that and kind of, I don't know, see what I kind of liked about each band member that I was around and. And what instruments I wanted to play and just kind of how to work his days at a very young age. So it was. It was a lot of fun. And. And to this day, you know, she'll still. She'll see something. She was. She always thinks her baby does the best on stage, but I know sometimes that that's not the case, but she'll still look or take me every now and then, which is. It's a good thing, though. I like having her come to the shows. She loves to come out and. And to get in the crowd and let everybody know that I'm her baby. So.
Bunny
I love your sisters. They follow me on Tick Tock and they're awesome.
Co Wetzel
Yeah, they're a trip.
Bunny
Yeah, they're sweet.
Co Wetzel
ZK. She's she's starting to make Woods Tick tock famous. I guess at first I didn't even know she was like posting her on, which I don't care. But I start seeing all these videos and, and ZK is a trip by herself and then Woods. I'm sure she's going to take after her aunts too.
Bunny
So I mean that kid. And we're going to talk about woods in a second. But she has your face like. I mean that. You cannot deny that baby.
Co Wetzel
Yeah, she.
Bunny
I feel so bad because Bailey carried her but literally birthed you.
Co Wetzel
Yeah, I know. I tell everybody. You know, I kind of felt bad for whenever she first came out because she did look so much like me. And now she's starting to look more like Bailey, which is a good thing, you know. But yes, there's no denying that one. That's, that's, that's a fact.
Bunny
So growing up in such a musical family, what were some of your inspirations for the sound that you have now?
Co Wetzel
So, like, I came from a bunch of different backgrounds. Like my mom, obviously she was into like old timey country and then 90s country. So like anywhere we went, it was between like that and like gospel and worship music. And then with my dad riding around with him, it was all like old school rock and hip hop. Like hip hop was his, his thing.
Bunny
Like anyone was his favorite hip hop artist.
Co Wetzel
Oh man, he was a big 50 cent, like, like new age, you know, he, he, he messed with like all the old stuff as well.
Bunny
But like 50s album back then was. I loved it was my stripping.
Co Wetzel
Get Rich or Die Trying is still to this day is still one of my favorite records like of all time. But like it was, it was one of them, like one of those, one of those things that me and daddy would go out wherever, wherever it was or whatever we were doing, and he would play, you know, that record or Eminem's record and the, you know, the non edited version and the parental advisory and, and right before we get out of the truck, he said, hey, listen, here you go in there, you tell your mom we listen to this and it'll be the last time we listen to it. I was like, all right, cool. That was like our, our little secret that we had. And then, you know, every now and then I'd blurt out a line or something and Mama like, why the. Do you hear that? You know. You know. And so yeah, she was, she was pretty strict on me as far as like what I got to listen to. But, but Gary Dell was, was a Real one. And let me. Let me just kind of crash out on all of it.
Bunny
Did you ever want to do rap? Did you ever want to be a rapper?
Co Wetzel
No, not really.
Bunny
Like, Ernest. Ernest used to rap, which I find fudgeing. Hilarious.
Co Wetzel
He's cold, too.
Bunny
No, he's great. Yeah, no, he's great.
Co Wetzel
No, I grew up around a lot of. A lot of friends that did stuff, and I used to flow a little bit, but I just never. I was just more like a vocal melody kind of guy, you know? Like, I love Anthony Hamilton, right? And so, like, that was one of my favorites growing up. My. My cousin Chase, he. I remember whenever I first got my first ipod, I guess, like the Nano or whatever it was that came out, we didn't have a computer at the house while I gave it to him to put all his music on, and he gave it to me, and it came with, like, everything that I'd never heard before, like, a bunch of Eminem, a bunch of, like, Anthony Hamilton, and stuff like that. So he was another big influence on. On why I listen to the stuff I do and. And how it kind of transformed my sound, I guess today.
Bunny
I love that. So going from a musical family, of course you're in Texas, so you play football. Football's huge. Take me on that journey of playing football. But also, didn't you get kicked out of college for too many wild nights?
Co Wetzel
Yeah, too many wild nights.
Bunny
I mean, I don't even believe that. Co.
Co Wetzel
I know. It's crazy to think nowadays, right?
Bunny
Yeah.
Co Wetzel
No. Yeah. So in Texas, you know, football's life. It's. It's. It's kind of everywhere. It's. It's hard to get away from and. And just. Just like, it's music, you know? And so, yeah, I came up playing football. Come from a very athletic. Both sides of my family, very athletic as well. And my granddad, he was one of the only All Americans to come from Pittsburgh, Texas. You can't wear number 12 at Pittsburgh, they retired his number. And so just like a bunch of, you know, I came from a background of, you know, it was. You had to play sports whether you liked it or not. But so I ended up getting a football scholarship to Charlton State in Stephenville. Went up there and. And snapped my leg and had to have surgery. And I came back, and that was kind of in the time that we were. We were putting the band together and starting to. To gig a lot more and kind of travel and play music. And so, yeah, once I came back, I was like, I'm tired of getting up at 5am every morning. I'm tired of yelling at me. So, yeah, I told him to kick rocks and started chasing this music dream. And then I stayed in school for another year, so it would have been my two. My second year at Tarleton State. And like I said, we were playing a lot of music and I like chasing women and drinking beer a lot more than going to school. And so they told me to get. And throwing.
Bunny
Throwing balls with a bunch of dudes.
Co Wetzel
Yeah. No. Yeah, I was tired of tackling dudes. And. No, it was. I think it was. Looking back now, it was one of the better things that could have happened to me because that led to so many more opportunities. I feel like, you know, there's no telling where. Where I'd be in life had I stuck it out. And honestly, I'll tell you where I'd probably be pouring concrete, honestly, back in East Texas with my family. So, yeah, I think there's. There's a lot of opportunity in that. And back then, my folks did not think that. That way, you know, about it. They were pretty upset with me. And it was kind of, you know, you got to figure this out pretty, pretty early on. And lucky. Lucky for me, you know, I had a lot of cool guys around me that helped shape the sound that we had. And, you know, eventually having people with the music the way they did and kind of give us this opportunity to continue playing and living this life that we get to.
Bunny
So when did you realize that music was actually going to, like, make it for you? Because after you get kicked out of school, are you thinking, like, fuck, now I really have to, like, make something happen in music or I'm going to go back to pouring concrete with my family?
Co Wetzel
Yeah, it was, you know, it was kind of a bunch of different things because after. After I got out of school, it wasn't. We were playing a bunch of shows, but it was like three or four a month. Like, it wasn't. We didn't have a huge touring schedule. And, you know, it was just us doing it. We didn't have a manager, booking agent, none of that stuff. So we're doing everything on our own. And so that was. That was kind of like the. The. All right, we gotta go. We gotta go ahead and get it. And then I go to jail, I get picked up. You know, I'm. I'm kind of skipping around on jobs. I can't really keep a job just because, you know, I'm. I'm drinking and I'm partying my ass off. And stuff. And so I'm bouncing around. I finally get picked up in Stephenville for a pr, which I don't really remember. I was. I was. I left a party. I think my truck broke down and they found me out in the middle of a soccer field. And so I kind of woke up in jail, not really knowing what had happened, and. And ended up staying there for about two or three days. And finally, you know, kind of coming out of it, called my dad, and my dad said, you know, he was. He was never going to be super upset with me unless I went to jail. And so having to call him on that after that situation, it was. It was pretty hard, you know, and he did, you know, he just said, hey, you're a grown ass dude. You know, he's like, I raised you the way I did, you know, I know what kind of person you are. He's like, but you got to figure this out, you know? And so ever since that moment, it was kind of like, all right, it's kind of like, like fighter or what?
Bunny
Is it the fight or flight?
Co Wetzel
Yeah, yeah, Fight or flight. And. And you know, it was one of them moments that. I mean, I'll never forget it. I was laying in bed one night and I was kind of. I didn't have any money, I was broke. You know, I was. It felt like the music wasn't going anywhere. The songs I was writing didn't really make a whole lot of sense. Didn't mean a whole lot to me, man. And I prayed about it. I was like, God, if this is what you really want me to do, you gotta let me know, like, soon, because if not, then I am. I mean, they're gonna go to the old patch out in west Texas, or I'm gonna go back to East Texas and I'm gonna pour concrete. And I'll never forget that because, you know, I went in and started writing these songs for noise complaint. We put out noise complaint, and within, you know, two weeks, we're selling out shows all over Texas. And that was kind of a moment for me that I was like, like, all right, this is. This is your calling. This is what God sets you out to do. So you need to figure it out and. And really hammer down and really, you know, go all in on that net. And with that, you know, I met jeb with red 11. That's my manager now, you know, Jeff Hurt. And. And, you know, the pieces just really started falling into. To place for us. And yeah, it's just kind of led. Led up to everything that that is now, you know, it's, it's kind of crazy from where it started to, to where it is now and you know, taking the time to look back and enjoying and enjoying those small moments like that, you know, as shitty as they were, as, as rough as some of those moments were to how good everything is now, it's, it's a blessing.
Bunny
So it is such a blessing. And I, and you should be proud of yourself. I remember when I first started hearing about you, I think you were like going viral on X and I think like one of the social media platforms and that's how I had found out about you. And I was just like, who is this? And then my husband found out about you and he was just like, oh my God, I love Company. You have to hear Company. And so like were all co in the house and then you've just like watching just the transformation. And I understand what you're saying because there's sometimes where Jay and I will just sit down and we'll just be like, dude, do you remember like when we were in a 18 passenger van, you know, driving from show to show? And it's like sometimes I really miss those days because it was so simple, you know. And then you look at, to where everybody is now and it's just like holy. Like no, it's a wild ride.
Co Wetzel
It's. And it's, you know, it's, it's crazy to think, you know, they say, you know, the, the, these are the best, these are the best days right here. You don't realize the best days until they're over with. Right? And we talk about that a lot, you know, going from, you know, piling everything into the back of my pickup and driving across Texas, these shows into the van, into the bigger van, into the bus. And now, you know, we're flying around on jets and stuff and it's crazy to even think about, you know, but. Because back then, you know, we never in our wildest dreams thought about that, you know, much less plan to, you know, all these thousands of folks that come out and listen to us, you know. But every, there was, in every single one of those moments, there was really great times that we had and some of the best moments, but we just didn't know how good we had it, you know.
Bunny
Yeah.
Co Wetzel
And I don't know, I think, you know, with life and getting older and everything, I think the best is yet to come. And so I think it's, I don't know, just a good way to look at life and kind of go into each day with.
Bunny
I love that, I love that perspective. Coming in the industry though, did people first embrace your sound or do you feel like you had to like really prove yourself?
Co Wetzel
So like whenever we first came in.
Bunny
Yeah, like when you first came in and like even trying, I know how hard it is to get on radio, you know, so you have to do the whole dog and pony show with them. So what was it like trying to even get played on the radio?
Co Wetzel
Well, I think, I think, you know, coming up in the. We came up in the Texas country scene, the red dirt scene down in Oklahoma and Texas. And so I feel like for the longest time, you know, we started, we put out our first EP like in 2013, and then we did a record after that out in 2014-15 and then noise complaints. So for two records, pretty much I feel like we were trying to do something that everybody else was doing. We weren't like, I wasn't being 100 myself. I was being myself, but my music wasn't. It wasn't showing that a lot. Right. And so with Noise Complaint, it was one of those deals that it was the first time that I just went in all in and was just like, you know, this is 100 me. I'm going to tell it exactly what I want to. I want it to be rowdy, I want it to be crazy. And not to say that I'm the first rowdy crazy to come out of the Texas scene or the red dirt scene, because I'm not. But I think at that moment I just wanted to be. I just wanted to be different than anybody else. You know, I didn't want to be cookie cutter in any way. I wanted to be 100 us, you know, because we were, you know, we're 20, 21, 22, 23 years old. I mean, we were, we were kind of would have been coming out of college if I'd have stuck around. But. But no, I mean, it was, we were still in that party era, man. It was like, you know, we're, we're young, wild and free. And so taking that to the shows and just going crazy and playing to these college crowds and playing to the same kids and people that are going through the same as we are in this, you know, coming of age, like era of ourselves. And so that was super huge for us is just to be 100 authentic, not try to be anything like anybody else. And so in the Texas red dirt saying, you know, you can tour around year round all over Texas and the surrounding states and. And you know, we're playing for, you know, tens of thousands of people, you know, pretty quick. And that was before we even tried anything with radio because we. We did it for so long without radio that we felt that we didn't really need it. And it wasn't until recently, I mean, last. Last year, two years ago, that we took a stab at radio just because we kind of felt in ourselves that it was. We had basically done everything that we possibly could on our own without, you know, anybody's help. And so you.
Bunny
Sometimes you hit that ceiling and it's like you need help to get to the next level.
Co Wetzel
Sure. And I'm not one of the. I'm not the one to be. You know, I hate asking people for. For stuff. You know, I hate asking people for help. I feel like I can always do it on my own and that's 100% not the case.
Bunny
Right.
Co Wetzel
And, you know, I feel like you can always use your. Use help from somebody. And so getting to play all these mainstream festivals and stuff over the last like four or five years, you know, I was just seeing the way these crowds acted, you know, up north and places that. That weren't familiar with our music and stuff. And I was like, a lot of these folks and fans that are coming out listening to. These are listening to people and artists that have multiple number. Number ones on radio. And so that was kind of the moment. Whenever we cut nine lives. I went to Bima Dahi my A R with Columbia and I was like, yo, I think. I think this is the right time for us to go to radio. And I think we have it with High Road. I think that's the. If we're going to do. Do one and might as well do it with. With this tune. And we got Jesse on it, which is a absolute dog. She's a. She's a superstar. I love Jesse.
Bunny
Yeah, we love Jesse too.
Co Wetzel
Got her to come on it.
Bunny
And the controversy that surrounded. I had to stand up for her. I felt so bad.
Co Wetzel
Crazy. Yeah. And it was like, you know, and. And I was. I was doing the same thing and, and it was just kind of like it was, it was. It was so ignorant and not, you know, it was. But she, she's such a dog and such a fighter. Like every. Every time she would like clap back, I was just like reposting it. I was like, yeah, everybody. Like, this is. It was so stupid though. It happened. But.
Bunny
But it was great publicity.
Co Wetzel
100, you know, you. You can't. You can't do that. You can't do that stuff. On your own, I feel right. It was so organic and everything that happened. And, you know, again, I hate that that had to happen. And to her so early on in her career too, but the way she handled it, I was like, yeah, definitely. I definitely want these people around me. I want her on this song, you know, And I thought that she made that song what it is, you know, especially, you know, especially with everything that happened and, you know, first. First single out to radio and it. And it does what it did. It was. It was, you know, beyond us how, you know, how that helped out. And then we start playing these. These festival. We go back to these same festivals that people really didn't know who we were. And. And, you know, they're singing every word to damn near every song. So it's. I don't know, it's. It's crazy to. To look for help sometimes, whenever you think you don't need it. So.
Bunny
Yeah, you have a great catalog too. But I think one of my favorite things about you is you're not afraid to say the word in your song. I love that about you. And what is it? Yeah, is it where you're just like, yeah. Every time I'm like, yeah. I always get behind John, look. Yeah, come on.
Co Wetzel
Go.
Bunny
All right, so let's talk about this new album, Night the Night Champion. Tell me about it. Like, what is different about it? What's the sound? What is your favorite songs like? Tell me all the details about my Champion.
Co Wetzel
Yeah, so the Night Champion, it's. It's. It's a record that kind of made itself. Like, we didn't go into it thinking that, you know, thinking that we were gonna. To make a record. You know, obviously we wanted to put out some music following up the success of Non Lives and High Road and. And all these songs. So we honestly went in to write some songs just to have out, you know, throw out some singles, do this, do that, and the Night Champion kind of wrote itself. You know, we go in to write a song and then we come out with three. And this was, you know, three or four times doing that. Before we knew it, we had this. We had this record. And so, yeah, it's. It's kind of a. It's kind of a. An accumulation of the last 10 years, basically, of me playing music like from Noise Complaint. You know, I feel like every. Every chapter of my life is. Is an album that I put out. You know, I kind of throw that into the record that I'm. That's out at that time, you know, and you can look back on every chapter of my life. And I feel like each one of the records that I put out has kind of been each chapter of. And so this record is no different from that. I think that the Night Champion is kind of a. A rap on probably like the last 10 years of my life and the last 10 years of me playing music. It's just kind of maybe shutting, maybe closing the book for a little bit, you know, And I don't. I don't know what I'm. What I'm trying to get across is whenever I say that no means, by no means am I quitting music or anything like that, you know, But I just think with the sound that I've had for the longest time, you know, Non Loud is kind of a stretch for us as far as the way our music went. You know, we had, you know, four rock albums, basically Southern rock with a little twang of country. And then Nine Lives came out and it was kind of a, you know, a more mature me, super vulnerable. And this record isn't too far off from Nine Lives. It's almost like a continuation of that record. And. But yeah, now the Night Champion, the name and everything comes from, you know, this kind of the last two years of my life and kind of getting everything, you know, all my ducks in a row and getting more my health online with my physical, mental health, everything about it, you know, and just kind of that. That change, you know, it's kind of like me coming out of the night a champion, basically, and not, you know, being, you know, in jail or dead. You know, I think that's kind of. I think in a sense, in my mind, I'm somewhat of a champion from coming out from that, especially in these last two years of my life and where I. With everything. So that's kind of the whole essence of. Of the new record coming out. And we're really excited about it. We got some really cool songs on there. And I think it's got a little bit for everybody that, you know, if you've been a fan from the very beginning or if you're a fan, a newer fan, I think it's. It's got a lot of. A lot of stuff that you'll be able to pick out and be like, oh, this is from this bar. This is from this bar.
Bunny
So do any of the songs have in it?
Co Wetzel
I'm going to say yes. There's. There's a lot of fucks too, so I love it.
Bunny
What's your favorite song on the album? And is there anything that you can share with us today.
Co Wetzel
There's a tune that I wrote with Nick Carpenter from Medium Build called the Man. I think we talk. I'll play it here in a little bit, if that's cool. But there's a lot of. There's a lot of cool tunes on there. There's. You know, I love the. The rock stuff. The more heavier stuff. There's one called Magnet that's on there. That's a banger. It's one of my. One of my favorites. But there's a lot of slow, sad, sappy shit too, and. And I'm a sucker for a slow, sad country song, so we got a few.
Bunny
Are you sad?
Co Wetzel
I'm not.
Bunny
I feel like you have all the happiness right now.
Co Wetzel
That's kind of the deal, too, is. Is a lot of these songs were written three. Three years ago, probably so.
Bunny
Gotcha.
Co Wetzel
Kind of before this transition started, so. And so that's what I try to keep telling these, all the fans and everything is like, you're not gonna be able to hear the change in this record just because it was done prior to, you know, woods and. And this kind of change that's happened for me. So I think people are gonna listen to it and be like, this motherfucker's lying. Like, he ain't changed none. But, no, it's. It's a cool. It's a cool record and we're really excited about it, so. And I hope that. Hope everybody gives it a listen and digs it, too.
Bunny
And it drops. June.
Co Wetzel
June 12th.
Bunny
June 12th. When you sit down to write a song, what usually comes first? Like, lyrics? Melody.
Co Wetzel
Melody. I'm a melody guy. I'm. I'm. I love Nirvana, huge Kurt Cobain guy. And that. That grunge sound and everything. So one of his deals was melody first, lyric second. And so that's kind of the whole process of us. We'll, you know, we'll stay up late drinking, and we'll kind of get a bunch of memos, voice memos and just guitar licks and stuff like that. And then once we get into that space, we'll. We'll bring out old that we hadn't heard in a couple years, whatever. And, like, this is pretty cool. I don't know where we were at whenever we put it all together. But, yeah, it's. It's a cool process. And it's. It's helped out a lot in the past. And hopefully it helps out on this
Bunny
record too, because you're known for being, like, brutally honest. Is there ever A song that you listen back to, and you're like, I shouldn't have put that in there.
Co Wetzel
100. Yeah, 100%. And there's. There's a couple on this record where I was very iffy about, you know, how are people gonna kind of. How are people gonna kind of interpret it? And with everything that's going on in my life right now, how are people gonna, you know, take this, you know, or whatever? But at the same time, like, you know, that's kind of. That's kind of therapy for me getting. Getting those hard things that it's hard for me to say to anybody else out, you know, in the world. And. And honestly with people that, you know, message me, I'm like, you know, I was gonna off myself or I was gonna. You know, your music helped me so much, and then I found your music and stuff like that, you know, it's. It's not only therapeutic for me. I found that it's therapeutic for other people as well. So if. If there's something out there that I can write and that can help somebody else, I think that's. That's kind of what. What I'm put on this earth to do. I think as musician, as. As artists, I feel like that's something that we shouldn't be afraid to do. Right? We shouldn't be afraid to go out and talk about things that are super hard to talk about and worry, you know, how people are going to interpret it. But.
Bunny
But that's what makes you relatable, though, and that's what your fan base craves and needs, is that. That connection. And so you doing that is why you have such a fierce fan base.
Co Wetzel
Yeah, for sure. No, it's. It's. It's. It's crazy. At the same time, like I said, I'm. I'm glad to help. Help, you know, and. And I'm glad that people. There are people out there that feel the same way that I do. And. And, you know, if I can help, it's. It's always a plus.
Bunny
So. So I'm sorry. He keeps snoring over here, and I'm, like, shaking. I'm trying to wake him up. So tell me about the song, the man that you want to show us. What. What is it about? And what's kind of the vibe and all that jazz? Because I want to hear some of it.
Co Wetzel
So I think it's kind of. It's. It's about, you know, a guy just not knowing if he's. If he's worth it, you know? If he's worth. If he's worth love. If he's worth being exactly who this woman thinks that he is, you know, And I think it's. I think that goes into a lot of, you know, everyday life. Not just, you know, if you're in a relationship, but just kind of everyday life. I think there's a lot of. Of a question, especially with me, you know, I go through a lot of days where it's kind of like, am I. Am I doing what I'm supposed to be doing? Am I, you know, am I this person that people think I am? You know, and it's just like. It's a bunch of nonsense that our brains kind of trick us and trick us into thinking that, you know, that we're not good enough, you know, or whatever it is. And so this was kind of. This is kind of where we kind of went with it at first. And the song can be kind of. It can kind of be brought in however people want to, you know, bring it into them. But I think it's just kind of. It's kind of one of those tunes that me and Nick were kind of going through kind of simultaneously, you know, between our personal lives at the same time and. And we got in. I think halfway through the song, we were kind of like, so which way are we going to go with this? Are we going to go this way or that way? And that's what I'm. That's what. Going back to what I said earlier, that's kind of. That's kind of how it can be, you know, however, it's a process. Yeah, absolutely. And however the listener wants to. To take it in. So. Yeah, I'll play it for you.
Bunny
Yeah, please. I want to hear a little bit of it. Maybe like the first verse in the chorus.
Co Wetzel
Yeah, sweet.
Bunny
Yeah, I would love to. It's perfect song.
Co Wetzel
This is. It kind of goes back to that. That rock sound that. That everybody's kind of come to know of me. So.
Bunny
It has that company feel to it. The guitars,
Co Wetzel
Sun coming up on me I'm coming up on it back a crane. God forbid a boy likes to have a drink Nothing like to think the drink likes me and probably why I ain't been home all week. She's waking up knitting my phone you know I like to be alone as long as she don't see what's got to hold on me. You all right? You all right? And it. She.
Bunny
Makes me want to go to the bar and drink and try in my tequila right now.
Co Wetzel
Gave me her Heart she gave me her hand I hope that I'm the man that. Yeah.
Bunny
So good. I love it. Co. Like, that's so good. You have such a talent for.
Co Wetzel
Appreciate it.
Bunny
Just expressing things and getting evoking emotions out of people. When I first heard it, I was like, it was so good.
Co Wetzel
Thank you.
Bunny
Night Champion is coming out June 12th. You guys have to go and get the album. Let's talk about Bailey and Woods. So I know that you and Bailey just got engaged. Like, congratulations. I'm so excited for you.
Co Wetzel
Yeah, it was. I feel like it's been a long time coming. You know, we dated back in. In college for a couple years and then split up for a few years and then kind of got back together. And it's kind of been on and off for just kind of a very long time. And then probably over the last, let's say, probably two, two and a half years, we kind of, like, rekindled that flame that we've had for a while. And, you know, it's. It's really cool because she's seen me at my worst and she's seen me at my best, and so it's. It's. She's. She's such a dog, man. She's. She's one of my favorite people, you know, she's one of my best friends, if not my best friend, I guess. I guess I gotta say, best friend.
Bunny
It's about to be your wife.
Co Wetzel
Yeah, right. Yeah, for sure. No, but she's phenomenal, you know? And then woods comes along. Biggest blessing in my life by far.
Bunny
What was it like being at the birth?
Co Wetzel
It was. It was crazy. So we were on. We were actually on. We were on tour with Hardy. It was the first weekend with Hardy. We finished the record. On Wednesday, she calls me. Wednesday evening, I'm here in Nashville. I'm leaving to go to San Diego for the first show on Thursday. She calls me like, hey, I think that I might go into labor early. You need to. Need to figure out if you're coming back. And I was like, well, I'm leaving to go to San Diego, but, you know, let me know. So I fly to San Diego that night, get there late. I go to sleep at 4 o'. Clock. She calls me in the morning. She's like, hey, you need to get here. I'm. I'm finna go into labor. I was like, all right, cool. So I get there and, you know, I don't. I. I had been sober for a month. I knew that I wanted to be completely sober whenever Woods Got here, you know, and kind of take it all in and everything. And I walk in, I'm dog tired. Not as tired as her, obviously, but. Yeah, it was just an experience. Everything about it, it was beautiful. Yeah, it was. When that baby girl came in and I. I looked at her for the first time and looked into her eyes, it was just like a flip. A little flip switch to my brain, man. It was like everything leading up to this point has been to do this, you know? And that's. That's my little angel, man. It's kind of crazy. I feel like I'm probably gonna go to jail here in about 16, 18 years whenever little boys start coming in or whatever, but.
Bunny
Oh, she looks like Bailey. You're definitely gonna be in trouble.
Co Wetzel
Oh, man. Yeah, Bailey's hot. Yeah, she's. No, both of them, They're. They're such a blessing in my life. They're. They're. They're my everything, and. And so get to spend the rest of my life with Bailey and to raise woods, and it's just. I don't know. It's. It's like I said earlier, you know, I'm in a really good place right now. I feel better than I ever have. And they're. They're one of the main reasons behind that. And so it's. Yeah, it's. It's crazy. It's wild. It's. It's great. Everything's good about it.
Bunny
The growth is admirable. Let's talk about her name, woods, because what is your name? You're already.
Co Wetzel
My name's Roper. Madison. Co. Wetzel.
Bunny
Yeah. So I thought it was really cute that you're Roper and she's Woods. Like, how more Texas can you get, dude?
Co Wetzel
I know it was, man. We kicked around a bunch of different names, and, you know, it was. I don't know. I liked woods for, you know, a boy or a girl or whatever it was. And, yeah, whenever she got here, it was. I knew that I wanted to. To name her after me some somehow, you know, Bailey wouldn't let me name her Roper or co, so we had
Bunny
to go with, like, it's tainted. You can't name our daughter that. Yeah, for sure.
Co Wetzel
Sure. Yeah. No, and Madison was my granddad's name, so it was his middle name. And so keeping that name alive in the family. And woods fits her perfect, man. She's. She's already a little handful. She's starting to get her personality, which she likes to be left alone a lot, which is right up my alley. And Bailey's Alley as well. So she's.
Bunny
If you mess independent.
Co Wetzel
Do what?
Bunny
She's independent.
Co Wetzel
Yeah, she's. Yeah, very independent. And so, like, if you mess with her too long, she'll start, like, shaking and, like, it's the cutest thing in the world, but, man, she's. Yeah, she's a handful already. We've got our hands full. No doubt.
Bunny
Yeah. I'm excited for you.
Co Wetzel
Thank you.
Bunny
All right, well, before I let you go, I'm gonna ask you some quick hitter questions, and you just have to answer just.
Co Wetzel
Well, I suck at these. You know that.
Bunny
You're gonna. You're gonna be good. You're gonna be good. And they're not like the ones that were on the bus.
Co Wetzel
Okay. Thank God.
Bunny
I saw him sit up. He was like, oh, I almost made it through.
Co Wetzel
I will take this tequila.
Bunny
And you know what's so funny is on the bus, that's the first thing you did. You said, where's the tequila?
Co Wetzel
See, things haven't changed.
Bunny
Yeah. No, not at all. All right, so what's the worst hangover city,
Co Wetzel
man? Fort Worth, Texas, by far. Yeah.
Bunny
I feel like parts of Texas just smell weird.
Co Wetzel
Yeah, no, Fort Worth is one of them. Fort Worth. Yeah. Well, it's just all the. You know, you got the stockyards, you got all the. You got all the cattle and everything always running through. Through. But, yeah, it's. I was going to say Vegas, but I feel like that'd be too cliche. And so, yeah, Fort Worth, Texas, it's. It's. You know, we live right down the road. We live in Weatherford, and we were. We were just there at the PBR finals this weekend. And I'm pretty sure today it's been, what, three, four days since Saturday night. And I think I'm just now getting over my hangover. So.
Bunny
Shout out for what's your most chaotic tour story that you can tell? Now, that's not. That's politically correct.
Co Wetzel
Yeah. We saw a girl getting her ass headed and. Waco, Texas.
Bunny
What was she getting on it?
Co Wetzel
I don't know. It was like a star. It was like a. A big star. I mean, her had to been that big around, like, it. I mean, damn. That's like a tree trunk at my boy Lefty's shop in Waco.
Bunny
Lefty will tattoo it all, I'm telling you.
Co Wetzel
Actually, he wasn't the one doing it, or I wouldn't let him tap me again. But we. We were in there. We were all kind of getting something. It was like right before A show. And we're all in there drinking and just bullshitting. And then one of his buddies comes. He was like, hey, y' all gotta come check this out. She's cool. She wants you to check it out. We're like, all right, well, do we walk in there and she's just. I mean, spread eagle. And it was. Brother, so much is about that big around, like.
Bunny
It was like, you could count the rings around it. Yeah, that's crazy.
Co Wetzel
Out to her, man.
Bunny
I mean, listen, I love a queen that can just put it all out there.
Co Wetzel
I hope. I hope she's doing okay, to be honest. She was a sweet girl.
Bunny
All right, what's the song you wish you wrote?
Co Wetzel
Oh. Oh, man.
Bunny
You can play the fifth.
Co Wetzel
Yeah, pass, man. Yeah, we'll pass. We'll. Let's come back. Let's come back to it.
Bunny
All right. What's the weirdest celebrity DM you've ever gotten? You gotta spill the tea. Give us a little tea.
Co Wetzel
I don't know.
Bunny
I know you've had some weirdos.
Co Wetzel
I don't know. I don't know. Like, you and Jelly and, like, y' all are about the only celebrities I really know. Like, honestly, like, I don't. I don't know. Trying to think.
Bunny
All right, what's an artist you want to collab with that you haven't yet,
Co Wetzel
man? Dead or alive or just.
Bunny
Yeah, dead or alive.
Co Wetzel
Sure, man. Mac Miller would have been great to get with, and, man, I was. Me and. Me and Bailey, both. We. We love Mac, and. And I've always been a fan. And. And, you know, whenever he passed away, that was the first time that I'd felt like I'd, like, lost, like, a family member, our best friend before, like, I was so distraught whenever I found out that we were actually in New York, whenever I found it out, and, man, it was rough. Like, we all just went straight to the bar and started drinking that night. And. But, yeah, man, it's. He was. I feel like he was gone, obviously gone way too soon. But the music that he was making, you know, coming up on, his music was always great, but the music he was making right there at the end was. Is some of my favorite music still. Still this day. And. And it sucks I never got to meet him or collab with him, but, yeah, it was. It would have been great to have a tune with that dude.
Bunny
That's a good one. What's your most toxic trait? Co.
Co Wetzel
Toxic trait.
Bunny
Now, especially now that you're on the good. That's the straight and narrow Right, buddy?
Co Wetzel
All right. I'm trying to think about some of the I've done over the last couple weeks. Oh, man. I'm hard to be around after I've been, like, taking a nap or something. I don't know if that's a toxic trait.
Bunny
You're, like, grumpy when you wake up.
Co Wetzel
Yeah. And it's bad because, like, you know, I'll be at the house and I'll take a nap or whatever, and Bailey will be like, hey, do you mind helping out with woods or whatever, doing whatever it is. And I'm just, like, so appalled that she would ask me to do something as soon as I woke up from a nap. But I don't know if that's a. Yeah, we'll call that a toxic trait.
Bunny
It's because you have to get your bearings.
Co Wetzel
Yeah.
Bunny
You just woke up. And anytime I take a nap and wake up, I'm like. Like, way worse than I was before I took that.
Co Wetzel
I would. Sometimes I just force myself to stay awake, because if I know if I take that nap, then it's going to be hell on everybody, so.
Bunny
For sure. And last question. What's your favorite thing about Texas?
Co Wetzel
The people. I love the people of Texas. You know, it's, you know, growing up in East Texas, knowing everybody and now, you know, because we toured in Texas so much and I have friends, no matter where I'm at in Texas, I feel I can call up, help anybody, and, you know, have a. If I'm broke down or have a ride or. But it just. It feels like home, you know, it's just. No matter where I go in the world, you know, we're kind of all over the place and touring and doing this and that, you know, it always just kind of soothes my soul a little bit to know that eventually I'll get to go to home. Get. Get to go home to Texas. And I know it's super homie, and the people are fantastic, and I don't know, man, it's. Yeah. Bury me down in Texas.
Bunny
Yeah. I love that co. Thank you so much for coming on the podcast. Finally. Was it. Was it bad?
Co Wetzel
No, this was great. No. Makes me want to do more podcasts now.
Bunny
There you go.
Co Wetzel
We'll do another one here before. Before too long.
Bunny
Listen, come back on the couch anytime you want. I'm always here for you. So proud of you and your growth. Congratulations on getting married, and I'm just so excited for you.
Co Wetzel
Thank you. Well, I appreciate it. Yeah, we'll. We'll see y' all soon. Thank you for having me.
Bunny
Absolutely. Thank you guys for tuning in to another episode of Dumb Blonde. I'll see you guys next week by. Are you really buying a car online
Co Wetzel
on Autotrader right now?
Bunny
Really?
Co Wetzel
At a playground?
Bunny
Yeah, really. Look at these listings from dealers. Wow, your search can really get that specific. Really? And you just put in your info and boom. Cars in your budget. Mom needs a second. Honey, you can really have it delivered. Really? Or I can pick it up at the dealership. One sec, sweetie. Mommy's buying a car. I think your kid is walking up the slide, Kyle. Again? Really? Autotrader? Buy your car online? Really?
Date: June 1, 2026
Host: Bunnie XO
Guest: Koe Wetzel
This episode of Dumb Blonde features Texas country-rock star Koe Wetzel, diving into his personal transformation—“the glow up nobody saw coming.” Bunnie XO unpacks Koe's journey from wild partying and hard living to new fatherhood, health, and creative renewal. The conversation covers Koe’s shift towards a healthier lifestyle, the evolution of his music, his East Texas roots, fatherhood, sobriety, and insights into his new album, "Night Champion." The tone is candid, humorous, and heartfelt, with both Bunnie and Koe reflecting on growth, music, and real-life struggles and victories.
Health and Wellness Journey (03:46–07:37)
"I just looked in the mirror one day and I was like, damn...I didn’t let myself go. I got on the scale...[and said] I got to get it figured out." (03:54)
Peptides & Supplements (05:40–07:37)
"I just couldn’t drink on it...Every time I drank on it...it was like the worst headache ever." (05:56)
Reducing Drinking and Mental Clarity
“I drink two or three times a month, and...I’m eating super clean...getting up early in the morning, watching the sun come up, having that alone time.” (09:29)
Early Days and Roots (13:34–18:22)
"I was a little shithead kid that was like running through the crowds...if mama didn’t want to leave me with my grandparents, she’d let me tag along." (14:32)
Football, College, and the Choice to Pursue Music (19:03–24:44)
“I was tired of tackling dudes...looking back, it was one of the better things that could have happened to me.” (20:42)
Breaking Through/Authenticity (26:20–29:16)
“With Noise Complaint…it was the first time that I just went in all in and was just like, you know, this is 100% me, I’m gonna tell it exactly what I want to.” (26:42)
Concept & Creation (31:44–36:22)
“It’s a record that kind of made itself...An accumulation of the last ten years, basically, of me playing music...maybe closing the book for a little bit.” (31:56)
Notable Songs (35:07–42:16)
Songwriting Process
Memorable Moment: Live Acoustic Premiere
Engagement & Relationship with Bailey (42:21–45:06)
Becoming a Dad: Welcome, Woods (43:36–46:54)
"When that baby girl came in...looked into her eyes, it was just like a flip switch to my brain…my little angel, man." (44:04)
Choosing the Name "Woods"
Reflections on Sobriety and Self-Care (09:08–10:09)
Therapeutic Habits
Songwriting as Therapy (37:06–38:46)
“If there’s something out there that I can write and that can help somebody else, I think that’s kind of what I’m put on this earth to do.” (38:13)
On Fatherhood:
“When that baby girl came in...looked into her eyes, it was just like a flip switch to my brain, man.” – Koe, (44:04)
On Health & Growth:
"It's evolve or die. And that’s what you're doing. And I think that you're setting a really good example." – Bunnie, (07:51)
On Musical Authenticity:
“With Noise Complaint…it was the first time that I just went in all in and was just like, you know, this is 100% me.” – Koe, (26:42)
On Collaboration and Help:
“I’m not one to...ask people for help. I feel like I can always do it on my own. And that’s 100% not the case.” – Koe, (29:04)
On Brutal Honesty:
“We shouldn’t be afraid to go out and talk about things that are super hard to talk about and worry how people are going to interpret it.” – Koe, (38:13)
Song Preview:
(Acoustic performance of “The Man”; emotional, raw, trademark sound – 40:28–42:16)
(47:01–52:22)
This episode highlights Koe Wetzel’s raw authenticity, both in life and music. The conversation is a testament to growth, honesty, and vulnerability—minus the filter. Koe’s story offers inspiration not just to fans, but to anyone seeking to make real change. His new album "Night Champion" symbolizes this evolution—brutally honest, emotionally rich, with plenty of rowdy edge. Expect both bangers and slow, sappy tunes when it drops June 12, and listen to an artist unafraid to confront his darkness and emerge, by his own words, “out of the night, a champion.”
Host Sign-Off:
“So proud of you and your growth. Congratulations on getting married, and I’m just so excited for you.” – Bunnie, (52:31)
For more conversations about life, transformation, and a little Texas chaos, subscribe to Dumb Blonde.