Soder Podcast EP 128: “Rainbow Six Style” with Marcus King

Dan Soder with Marcus King | April 7, 2026

Episode Overview

Comedian Dan Soder sits down with acclaimed blues-rock musician Marcus King for a deep-dive, freewheeling discussion about music, stand-up, their similar upbringings, creative evolution, the challenges of the road, growing up in complex family situations, and the importance of true artistic passion.

The episode weaves together stories from both men’s lives—childhood nostalgia, professional milestones, addiction and recovery, and their shared love of things like wrestling and crowd work—highlighting personal growth and the value of authenticity in art and relationships.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Tour Life, Blue Note Residency & Creative Spaces

• Dan’s Road Update: Final dates of the Golden Retriever of Comedy tour (Charlotte, Durham, Munhall PA, Cleveland, Columbus, Iowa).
• Marcus’s Blue Note Residency:
  • Playing six nights at NYC’s legendary Blue Note, with two exploratory shows a night.
  • Collaboration with drummer Chris Dave (Rick Rubin’s favorite drummer).
  • The flexibility and looseness of a residency compared to one-off gigs: “It’s like wearing sweatpants to work.” ([11:40])
  • Loosening up on stage fashion, from his grandpa’s boots to casual sneakers.

"We're doing like… six nights and we do two shows a night. We just get, like, very exploratory."
—Marcus King, [02:59]

On Creative Community & Artistry

• Respect for Craft:
  • Dan emphasizes Marcus’s musicianship and face-melting guitar skills ([04:25]–[04:53]).
  • Both agree true artistry is about evolution and loving the craft, not just making money.
  • Parallel drawn between musicians who love music and comedians/chefs who genuinely love their work ([25:28]).
• The Artist’s Fanbase:
  • Value in conditioning fans to expect growth and change (“make ‘em a fan of you”).
  • Citing Queens of the Stone Age’s evolution as a model for allowing artists to grow up authentic.

“You guys all play like you love music… I’m watching comedians who don’t like comedy, I’m watching chefs that don’t want to cook. …But that’s not why we’re doing this.”
—Dan Soder, [25:28]

Childhoods, Family, & Emotional Growth

• Early Influences: Marcus started playing guitar before he could walk; both men had “lonely” or difficult childhoods that shaped their paths ([19:04]–[19:17]).
• Dysfunctional Families:
  • Early exposure to divorce and turbulent home lives created a “manual-less” adulthood.
  • Bonding over the lack of memories of loving parents—leading to self-reliance or uncertainty in future relationships ([34:43]).
  • Learning to own personal preferences and stop hiding quirks started in childhood with things like playing with GI Joes past the “acceptable” age.

“People don’t realize children of divorce don’t have the manual to go off of…”
—Dan Soder, [34:43]

• Owning Who You Are: Importance of accepting personal interests and not being ashamed—“be more like horse girls” (own it unapologetically) ([50:59]).

Nostalgia, Grown-Up Self-Acceptance & Letting Go

• Retiring Childhood Hobbies:
  • Both recall the bittersweet moment of putting away toys and the pressure to fit in ([48:52]).
  • Letting go of things at the right time, but recognizing the value and fun in loving them (e.g., wrestling fandom).

“There is a certain…point, but there’s also a letting-go era.”
—Dan Soder, [52:41]

Addiction, Sobriety & Social Life

• Life After Drinking:
  • Both reflect on going out/sobriety and how to keep real connections without substances ([68:09]).
  • The pleasure of small talk and the value of connecting with strangers in social situations.
  • “Nothing after the second location" rule to avoid trouble after parties ([69:37]).

Comedians, Musicians & the “Wrestling” Metaphor

• Big Jay Oakerson and crowd work compared to jazz improvisation; admiration for those who make every set unique ([08:39]–[09:52]).
• “Everything is wrestling”—comparing putting people over in wrestling to lifting fellow musicians and comedians ([57:48]–[58:53]).

“…when you play with people who are, you know, are occupied with themselves, trying to put themselves over…It’s really disappointing.”
—Marcus King, [59:01]

Working with Legends: Rick Rubin, Colleagues & Mentors

• Rick Rubin’s Influence:
  • Marcus was pushed by Rick to call his own shots and unlearn chasing commercial hits ([62:31]).
  • Rick as a real “Sensei,” not giving direct advice but creating situations for personal growth ([63:03]).
  • Marcus’s “jealousy” at seeing Rubin spend time with other artists, and his wife’s perspective check ([60:58]).

“Rick hates commerce. He hates creating for the sake of people buying it… you got to create for yourself.”
—Marcus King, [62:58]

• Notes that Changed Their Game:
  • Colin Quinn’s advice for Dan to “perform the jokes you took the time to write.”
  • Ron White’s note: If it’s going well, slow down; if it’s going badly, slow down ([65:25]–[65:40]).

Miscellaneous Standouts & Fun

• Rolling with old-school, wild stories: smuggling parrots, mafia-owned nightclubs, crazy dads, and out-there childhood experiences ([13:49]–[14:14]).
• Equating finding creative friendships to making childhood friends: “Do you want to sleep over?” ([42:28]).
• Wrestling references abound—Sable, Brock Lesnar, Bret Hart, and SummerSlam nostalgia ([53:03]–[58:19]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On respecting creative evolution:

“I like an artist that I can… it takes me a second to catch up to their next album because I go, well, they’re different people.”
—Dan Soder, [39:29]

On letting go of childhood habits:

“There’s a point where we had to let go. Let the horse run away. Don’t put a stick between your legs over the age of 20…”
—Dan Soder, [51:42]

On learning to be authentic:

“It’s the Colin Quinn bit about… Teach kids how to own what they like, ‘because I like it.’”
—Dan Soder, [50:04]

On the meaning of “everything is wrestling”:

“It is music wrestling. It is putting people over.”
—Marcus King & Dan Soder, [57:48]

On family dysfunction & relationship templates:

“It’s like not ever drinking water... and people are like, ‘Oh...’ It was like you had your first sip of water.”
—Dan Soder, [34:43]

Timestamps for Essential Segments

• [02:42] Marcus describes the Blue Note residency and jamming with Chris Dave.
• [04:25] Dan gushes about Marcus’s talent and “face-melting” playing.
• [08:39] Discussion of Big Jay Oakerson’s crowd work as art.
• [19:04] Marcus shares his childhood and early guitar love.
• [25:28] Dan and Marcus talk loving the craft versus just making money.
• [34:43] Stories of growing up in divorced families, lack of relationship “manual.”
• [48:52] The bittersweet “retirement” of childhood toys/hobbies.
• [57:48] The philosophy of “everything is wrestling/making others look good.”
• [62:31] Marcus on Rick Rubin’s subtle guidance and anti-commercial art.
• [65:25] Ron White’s slow-down advice; importance of comfort and presence on stage.

Closing Plugs & What’s Next

• Marcus King Band’s “Waltz Across Texas” Tour: Playing old dance halls, documented for posterity.
• Blue Note Residency ongoing—details & tickets on MarcusKingOfficial.com
• Fans in Texas: special shows in iconic venues—watch Marcus’s socials for dates ([72:32]).

“Listen to everything that Marcus King has ever made, because I promise you, he’s one of the most talented human beings walking on this planet right now.”
—Dan Soder, [71:58]

Summary Tone

The episode is heartfelt, hilarious, and rich with personal anecdotes. Both Soder and King are sincere and self-deprecating, always circling back to the idea of perseverance, personal truth, and growing up “weird” but resilient. There’s genuine camaraderie and a message of embracing what makes you, you—and having patience for the evolution of both yourself and your favorite artists.