JOKERMEN PODCAST: In Conversation with DANIEL ROSSEN
Release Date: December 17, 2025

EPISODE OVERVIEW

In this engaging episode of the Jokermen podcast, host Ian welcomes Daniel Rossen, renowned as one of the key creative forces behind Grizzly Bear, for an in-depth conversation. The two discuss Grizzly Bear's recent not-quite-a-reunion-tour after a prolonged hiatus, reflect on the band’s evolution and lasting impact, and examine the shifting landscape of indie rock. Daniel shares candid thoughts about his creative journey, the changing cultural context, life outside major music scenes, and prospects for Grizzly Bear’s future.

MAIN DISCUSSION POINTS & INSIGHTS

1. Returning to the Stage: Grizzly Bear’s 2025 Tour

[04:45-08:42]

• First Tour in 7 Years: Daniel describes the “natural” feeling of reuniting with bandmates and the joys of playing to enthusiastic crowds.
  • "It was a little more natural than maybe we even expected... took a second to kind of find our footing." —Daniel [04:45]
• Live Sound vs. Recorded Intricacy: Daniel notes how live shows transform their intricate studio material into “bombastic” experiences, thanks to a sound guy who loves pushing the low end.
  • "These more intricate tunes... turn into these like, completely nuts, bombastic live experiences." —Daniel [05:46]
• Motivation for Reuniting: Personal lives, the pandemic, and the sheer joy of playing minus any industry pressure spurred the decision to tour again.
  • "Coming back to it, it's just like, well, this is all just for... the joy of playing, which is just a very novel way of coming back to shows." —Daniel [07:21]

2. Reflecting on Grizzly Bear’s Trajectory

[08:42-19:14]

• Evolution of Enjoyment: The band’s earlier ambition sometimes inhibited enjoyment; the hiatus and subsequent return allowed for a more relaxed, appreciative approach.
  • "I found it really... reassuring... to discover how much I still enjoyed performing in that way." —Daniel [09:48]
• Setlist Choices and Revisiting Material: While some “deep cuts” surfaced, expectations and time constraints shaped the setlist. Acoustic plans remained unrealized.
  • "We had some idea about also trying to incorporate more acoustic stuff... which we just couldn't quite get there with." —Daniel [13:55]
• Album Reflections: Shields and Yellow House stand closest to Daniel’s heart; he views 2017’s Painted Ruins as less “soulful,” admitting the band felt its fatigue.
  • "Even at the time, [Painted Ruins] kind of lacked the soul. Like, it just felt a little hollow... we kind of knew that it was like... maybe this one isn't totally working." —Daniel [18:43]

3. Cultural & Personal Shifts in Indie Rock

[19:17-30:49]

• Shields’ Place in Time: Daniel and Ian agree Shields is perhaps the band’s best, but came out just as the “indie” tide turned, leading to feelings of disillusionment.
  • "Overnight... everything that had kind of been building... just sort of dissipated." —Ian [20:03]
  • "By the time we came back around... that cultural shift... had thoroughly taken place." —Daniel [23:15]
• Life Beyond Music’s Center: Daniel spent years in rural upstate New York for a quality of life shift, preferring realness over industry grind.
  • "It was like, I just didn’t want to have to try to prove the value of what I made anymore to anybody." —Daniel [26:46]
• On Regrets and Band Dynamics: No regrets—each member needed space; the challenge of sustaining a band with intense, familial relationships is acknowledged.
  • "The fact that we were able to do what we did at all, I think is amazing. And I certainly don’t have regrets about it." —Daniel [27:27]

4. Creative Life Now: Santa Fe and Beyond

[32:36-38:38]

• Current Base: Daniel now spends most of his time in Santa Fe, New Mexico, appreciating its beauty but finding its music scene “hard” for collaboration.
  • "It’s hard to make music here other than by yourself, but that's fine." —Daniel [33:02]
• Santa Fe’s Scene: A small but vibrant ambient/drone community exists, plus some LA transplants. Finding working musicians is a challenge.
  • "There’s a group of people here that put on drone nights in their apartment... but... any musician working in a studio capacity just can’t live here." —Daniel [33:40, 35:12]
• The Challenge of Creating Alone: Daniel is increasingly eager to collaborate in-person again, describing solo work as “tiresome” and “exhausting.”
  • "I can’t generate the enthusiasm just by myself all the time." —Daniel [35:29]

5. The State of Indie Rock & Grizzly Bear’s Legacy

[45:49-53:38]

• New Indie Scenes: Daniel praises new acts (MJ Lenderman, Geese, Friendship, Wednesday, Horse Girl) and notes a welcome return of actual bands to the indie world.
  • "It feels like people are playing in bands again, which is nice." —Daniel [47:17]
• Band vs. Solo Acts: The rarity of successful, lasting rock bands makes newer groups—like Geese—especially notable. Economic and logistical realities make solo acts more common.
• Grizzly Bear’s Influence: Daniel hasn’t detected overt Grizzly Bear echoes in new music, but notes some younger artists in their “lineage.” He reflects on a reputation as “naïve, millennial hipsters,” a take he disagrees with.
  • "I got the sense for a long time that our reputation was... like Brooklyn interesting, kind of like hipster kids. A lot of style, very little substance." —Daniel [52:18]
  • "The one song people know... really isn’t particularly related to most of our catalog." —Daniel [54:11]

6. Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

Michael McDonald Guest Spot

[57:32-61:21]

• Daniel shares the backstory of Michael McDonald’s iconic (and then-unfashionable) guest vocal on “While You Wait for the Others.”
  • "Chris Taylor, some friend of a friend... knew Michael McDonald... he seems like a really wonderful, open, easygoing dude." —Daniel [58:25]
  • "We received the isolated vocal... just by itself... just one of the most joyful times ever." —Daniel [60:08]
  • "At the time people thought we were taking a piss, like making fun or something... but I couldn't wish for anything better than what that is. It's just a joy and a delight." —Daniel [60:19]

TIMESTAMPS FOR IMPORTANT SEGMENTS

• Opening/Intro to Daniel Rossen – [00:00-04:07]
• Grizzly Bear's Tour Return – [04:45-08:42]
• Reflecting on the Band's Enjoyment and Setlists – [08:42-14:08]
• Album-by-Album Reflections – [17:04-19:15]
• Shields, Disillusionment, and Life Post-Tour – [20:03-27:27]
• Santa Fe Life and Writing Alone – [32:36-35:29]
• State of Contemporary Indie Rock – [45:49-51:24]
• Michael McDonald Session Anecdote – [57:32-61:21]
• Closing Thoughts/Will There Be More Grizzly Bear? – [62:25-64:55]

NOTABLE QUOTES

• On returning to performing:
  "It was nice to discover how much I still enjoyed performing in that way. After it being so long... we can still really do this. It felt like there's potential at least to perform and maybe find new music through performing." —Daniel [09:48]

• On Grizzly Bear's legacy vs. perception:
  "The one song people know... really isn’t particularly related to most of our catalog. And I think because there was a period where we were, like, slightly fashionable kids... that’s who you are." —Daniel [54:11]

• On future possibility:
  "I remain open. I mean, I would love it if we could do more, at least shows maybe, maybe music. But it would have to feel like... the spirit was there." —Daniel [62:48]

CLOSING

While Daniel Rossen offers no concrete announcements about Grizzly Bear’s future, the conversation radiates with both nostalgia and a sense of unfinished possibility. The episode serves as a rare, honest portrait of artistic evolution, aging, and community—anchored by the eternal joy of making music for its own sake.

Memorable Moment:
The show closes with Michael McDonald's "While You Wait for the Others" vocal—an inside joke turned joyously real, emblematic of Grizzly Bear’s playful seriousness and musical curiosity.

[62:03–62:48, 66:38+]

Episode mood: Reflective, candid, wryly humorous—fans of Grizzly Bear, indie rock, or sincere artist chats will find much to savor.