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Stronger with Don Saladino
36 Years Sober: Dave Kushner on Discipline, Fitness & Mental Strength | Stronger with Don Saladino
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- [00:01]
A
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B
No time for full TV shows. TikTok has endless short dramas you can watch anytime. Fast paced, easy to follow, and hard to stop. Download TikTok now and start watching. Hey guys, welcome to Stronger and today. I just had on Dave Kushner. All right, Dave is one of the guitars for Velvet Revolver, which is one of my favorite super bands of all time. It was a combination of of Scott Weiland from Stone Temple Pilots, the Big Three from Guns and Roses, and Dave. So we're going to get into a lot of his musical background starting in high school. We're going to talk about 36 years of sobriety. Is something that's very impressive that Dave is actually celebrating today, his 36th year. And I think it was just incredible to hear his stories about recovery and training and just mindset in general, those little voices in our head that I know we all get sometimes how Dave deals with that. So Dave is now the senior director of artist relations for Guitar center, and it's just incredible to see his transition into this next chapter of his life. So I'm still smiling from this episode. It was unbelievable and I know you guys are going to enjoy this one. So, Dave Kushner, first off, thank you for coming on. What a lot of people don't know is I'm a music fanatic. So though I'm in the fitness space for now, 27 years and I was an athlete. If you told me right now I either had to stop listening to music or stop watching sports, I'd probably say I'd stop watching sports before music. It's nobody really is. It's such an incredible. This has been something that's been with me my entire life. Bad days, going for runs, training work. Music is always in the background. It always sets the tone. And I just think there's so many incredible things that we're going to dive in today. First off, congratulations. 36 years sobriety.
- [02:22]
C
Thank you.
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B
What an incredible journey. I mean, that must have been. I'd love to dive in on that a little bit. On top of it all, it's National Guitar Day.
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C
That's right.
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B
Giving a. Giving a shout out. You're now the senior Director of Artist Relations at Guitar Center.
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C
Yeah.
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B
And that has to be a pretty incredible, you know, gig that you jumped into.
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C
Yeah, it's awesome. I mean, I just feel really fortunate, you know. I mean, I did my time with Velvet Revolver. You know, that was kind of like the dream job, you know. And then after that ended, it was, you know, I did the theme song for Sons of Anarchy, which was my first kind of foray into composing for TV and film. And I did that, worked as a composer for, you know, I don't know, 14 years or something. And then this is, like, my third act.
- [03:07]
B
Yeah.
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C
So it's been great. I mean, I started in May as a senior Director of music education because I went to music school and, you know, that's a big passion of mine is teaching kids and, you know, adults, retirees, whatever. You know, kind of your reaction to music, you know, it's. I mean, everyone. I think it's rare that you ever meet someone like that. You might meet, like, someone like that once in your lifetime. It's like, oh, I'm not really into music. I hear you.
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B
Sometimes I find it really weird. Like, what do you listen to? Like, whatever. I don't. Like. Yeah, whenever you want. I'm like, but you don't have any artists you love? Like, I just.
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C
I don't really listen to music. So.
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B
Like, inhuman.
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C
Yeah, exactly.
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B
And I don't even play an instrument. I couldn't imagine someone who plays an interesting.
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C
But I mean, you know, I mean, how many people in a. In a crowd, you know, at a concert, actually play music? You know, probably. I don't know what the honest percentage is.
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B
We all wish we did.
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C
Yeah.
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B
So I was listening to an interesting interview that you were on YouTube, and I'm trying to repeat the exact words. Go easy on yourself when you hear that voice.
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C
Oh, you were.
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B
You were. You were talking. Now, I think a lot of us do battle, you know, internally with things that, you know, part of our journey. Right. Like. No, there's things. There's that voice that I've had in the past, and, you know, it really keeps us from being able to excel in life. And I think you've done an incredible job with this pivot. I mean, we spoke earlier. 36 years of sobriety. You've taken on fitness now, wellness, recovery. We were going through a bunch of stuff that I'd love you to share to our. With our listeners. But what are you referring to when you. When you say when you, when you hear that voice. Because I think a lot of people who listen to this show, they want to want it. They, they, they want to improve, they want to do better. They are struggling with things like mental health or mindset. And I just want to know if you can give some clarity on that.
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C
I mean, when I think when I said that in context, it was alcoholism and that kind of stuff, there's always, and look even non alcoholic or normal, quote unquote, normal people. And I think everyone has, you know, obviously insecurities and, and self doubt and all those kind of things. And you know, I think that the, it's basically that, that voice of self doubt or ego. You know what I mean? Like, if you think about it from what I've gleaned over the years, you know, it's like, it's like that book the Power of Now. It's like my ego is really kind of against me. There's nothing positive about it, you know, really. It's like, you know, I'm either trying to be on the top of this heap and look down at people, you know, or at the bottom of the heap, like, and I'm not good enough, you know, and that's all ego. So I think that voice is really ego telling me like, you know, you suck. You. You know, what are you thinking? Like, you know, that kind of voice. And I remember a friend of mine was like, he was from New York and he was like, bro, I wouldn't even walk on the same side of the street as someone if they talk to me the way my head talks to me sometimes.
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B
Yeah.
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C
You know, and I really related to that, like, right? And he's like, just go easy on yourself. Like, don't listen to that voice. And, and that was this dude Richard that, you know, was a friend of mine and, and really like a, I guess for lack of a better term, like one of, like a mentor for, for that kind of stuff especially, you know. But I just equate a lot of it to. It's just a manifestation to me of ego.
- [06:34]
B
But before we sat in the studio, we were talking about recovery modalities. You said something I think that was. I wish everyone can leave here with. And you love plunging and you love exercise and you love meditation, but if you're not perfect on it every day, you're not hard on yourself. Or you say you try not to be hard on yourself. Yeah, talk to me about that a little bit. Because I think right now with social media and with all these freaking biohackers out there, which becomes a bit annoying because everyone's trying to systematize everything, and it's like, no, you punch for three, two minutes. Like, it feels good. Do it right. If these things are putting you in a good place, mentally, do it, but don't be so rigid. Yeah, right. And talk to me.
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C
Well, you know, I think it's like when I first stopped drinking and doing everything, you know, part of it was to do the work to, you know, I think if you. If you. If you are drinking or, you know, doing a lot of that kind of stuff, that. That really gets you to a bottom, you know, wherever, you know, and they say, like, your bottom's where you stop digging. So sometimes it's. You still got your job and you got all your stuff, and then sometimes you're on the streets. Sometimes, you know, there's different versions, of course. But, you know, I think that unless you have tools to change your thinking about yourself, you know, you've become this person that you never wanted to be. You become this person, you know, and you come in with, like, shame and guilt and of, you know, you do all these things that, according to your own moral compass, you never plan to do, right? And then you just kind of take away the drink, but you still feel that way about yourself. So you have to use different tools that you learn to kind of. You have to change that thinking. And I think a lot of those tools that I've learned through different processes, you know, is. It's kind of the same thing. And it's. It's like. There's a book called the War of Art by Steven Pressman. It's really good because it talks about, like, the ego. It talks about this kind of resistance that tries to keep me from. Because everything in life that's good for you takes practice, like yoga, meditation, working out, you know, playing guitar, playing any instrument. Like, all these things. It's not just something you do, you know, a few times and you're good at it. It's like, it takes consistency, it takes practice. And there's this. This thing that manifests in you. Like, this thing he labels resistance that every time, you know, things are going good, it's that voice that says, like, ah, dude. Like, you know, you might as well just stop. Like, you know. You know, you only went to the gym once this week. Like, just wait till next week, you know, like, just take the next four days off, you know, and. And it's all of those things that are, you know, ego and this resistance thing that just tell me you know, ah, don't do it. And same with meditation. Like I used to. I remember when I was doing guided meditations because I had trouble just sitting quietly, you know, and so I would do these guided meditations. And that was, I remember in one of the guided meditations the guy would always say like, you know, just, just come back to it. No one. Something about just being perfect, you know, and it's like you try so hard, your brain and society tells you, you know, you should do this perfectly or don't do it at all. And it's like, you know, if you don't go to the gym, we're just gonna end up being out of shape and you know, have high blood pressure. Just because you stopped going to the gym for a month, like you should just give up then.
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B
It's interesting because I started my career as a trainer. I tried. I've trained over 40,0001 hour sessions in my life. Like I did, I owned gyms in the city and I was like knee deep in it. And it was always when I was sitting with someone who didn't have a specific goal in mind, they were always caught up, like, well, I have to have a goal. Like so and so said I have to have a goal. And I'm like, I'm a process type person. And I'm like, you want to. It's a feeling. That's what your goal is. Then I want you to leave here feeling a certain way. That's what I gathered from you. I think in another interview you were talking about keeping it someone that you sat with. I want to say keep it 5% of the goal and like 95% of the process. I remember you getting into this a little bit. So are you a big process person? Is that, I mean, think about, is that what kind of got you to being a world class guitarist? I mean, you weren't sitting there playing cause you're like, I have to do this to get better. You probably loved playing. You probably were in love with the process. That's what I'm trying to say is that people become great at these things. They're the ones like 9 out of 10 times I find out they're the ones that fall in love with the process. Talk to me about the process a bit.
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C
I have a buddy, Paul Hughes, who's old, old friend of mine and he told me when I was, I think it was him or else my buddy Keith. When I first quit drinking, it was like, you know, you go through these breakups, you go through this, you go through that. And when you're, I think when you're newly sober, it's like everything's so. I mean, everything in your 20s is dramatic. You know, it's like breakups and this and oh, the job and the band. Oh, it's so serious and heavy and, you know, and it's like I remember him saying one of those two saying, you know, life is 95 process and 5% goal. And then once you get to the goal, then you're on to the next process. So if you don't learn to enjoy the process, you're right. And he just said it that simply. And for me, you know, in sobriety or just in life, I'm very pragmatic. And my buddy Paul actually wrote this book that just came out, I think last year called the Three Mantras, which is really great. And it's like, there's nothing to get help others get what they want, and this will turn out better than you can imagine.
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B
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C
It's tricky, man. Because it's like if I like the, the, the better day where I feel better.
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B
Yeah.
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C
Would be like when I first started at Guitar center, you know, I, I was supposed to be at the office. On the days I went to the office, because it's kind of hybrid thing, but I was supposed to go at like 8, so, you know, or try me there at 8. And then, you know, I'd get up at 5:30, I'd cold plunge 41 degrees, 3 minutes, get up, sit outside, wet, meditate, and then get dressed, go to the gym, and then go to work. And then work, try and eat, you know, healthy. You get older, you got to eat more protein, you know, like, all this, all these things you, you, you know, see in your newsfeed. Like my Apple newsfeed, it's like Men's Health subscription, you know, like all these kind of things. Like. And even if it's like, you know, hacks or whatever, it's like, do these three biceps, you know, it's like I look at all of them, you know, and. But I think that, you know, eat, I don't know, a salad with some protein for lunch, you know, and snacks and drink a lot of water and, you know, and then just try and sleep at a reasonable hour. And that's, that's like the right day, you know.
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B
That's amazing. Feel good. Yeah.
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C
Yeah. That's what makes you feel good. But then again, you know, it might be like, Saturday is like the one day I get to sleep in.
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B
Oh, yeah.
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C
You know, and then I'm like, you know, if I end up eating a pint of ice cream and some pizza that night, you know, that, that could be a great day too.
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B
Yeah, but, but that's. I, I like that.
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C
But then I don't feel as good, you know? Then the next day you wake up
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B
and you're like, well, that's what, that's what brings us back. I feel like. I think it's those mornings you wake up and you're like, oh, when you do, like, I don't, I don't mind doing it once in a while because I do it once in a while, so I actually enjoy it. I just want to make sure, like, if I'm doing a cheat, it's like, it's got to be the right one. Now, diving into it, I mean, you mentioned Velvet Revolver, which in my eyes is one of the most incredible super groups I know. I don't know if you like referring to it, but it really is a super group ever formed. I mean, you had Wylan from Stone Temple Pilots.
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C
Yeah.
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B
You had the, you had the Big Three from Guns N Roses, Sorum. It was Slash and it was Duff.
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C
Yeah.
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B
And then you came in here and you had a history with a bunch of these guys from high school.
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C
Yeah.
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B
How did this get formed? This was early 2000. Like, I want to say 2001. 2002.
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C
2002.
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B
Right. And then you roll into that with Weiland.
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C
Right.
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B
God rest his soul. I mean, I saw STP several times in concert. I thought, yeah, what a talented group and what an era to see that transition from the 80s, going from that 80s hair bands, you know, and then you're rolling into this grunge era. I mean, you were, like, right smack in the middle of that, I feel like. Right.
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C
Yeah, it's. It's weird, man. Like, I mean, I'm really just grateful to have experienced that era. It's just amazing to have been a part, you know, in that. Just in the middle of that and. And still to be friends with a lot of those guys.
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B
So you basically. I mean, you. You guys were all in this circle together, is what you're saying.
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C
Yeah. Velvet Revolver really started because Duff and I had already been playing together in Duff's sideband. We met in Japan. We got along great. We just. I think, because I found, like, these near beers because I don't drink. And so I was. Found these near beers in Japan, and he was like, oh, dude, let's. Where'd you get those? And so we just, like, hung out and talked and drank near beers all night, and. And we just became friends. And we wouldn't even play music together. We just, like, go to the movies and, you know, like, he's a big reader. He reads books, like, all the time. And he was like, dude, I read this book, Blackhawk Down. Like, we should go see this movie. It's supposed to be awesome. And we would just hang out like that, and. And we started playing music together. And then, you know, I. I saw Slash at one of those shows, and he didn't know I was in the band. And we went to high school. We weren't friends in high school and middle school, too, me and Slash, and so it was just kind of very organic, you know? And then. And we. I didn't even know I was in the band for, like, the first four months, five months. I'm like, am I in the band? They're like, you know, this is my girlfriend.
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B
Are you my girlfriend?
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C
Yeah, totally. It so was. And then Izzy from. From Guns and Roses came and, like, started writing songs, and I was like, oh, great. That's it. I'm out. Like, you know, And Duff was like, no, dude, this is what he does. He comes, he Hangs out for like two weeks. And then he goes, he can't stay anywhere for longer than two weeks. And sure enough, after two weeks, he's just like, all right, I'm going to wherever he.
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B
See you guys.
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C
Yeah, going to Mexico. Or. I was like. And we looked for a singer for 10 months before we found Scott. And. And I had known Scott and we play shows together before he was even stp.
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B
It's like Scott Weiland, though. It's not like some like, third string singer was like, well, we tried a
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C
lot of the third and fourth string.
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B
How'd you get him then? I mean, this is like.
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C
It's weird. I don't really. Like, we had a manager. I don't remember if it was. I remember the manager at one point saying, I heard things aren't working out with him in scp. We should get him. And then I remember, like, Duff's wife and Scott's wife at the time were friends, so they must have talked somewhere. But then I remember seeing him at the gym. I remember seeing Wylan at the gym because we went to the same gym and I had like a cd and I was like, dude, here's a cd. You should check out these songs. He's like, okay, cool, I'll check them out. So I don't remember which part and timing wise, it. But I do remember that eventually we gave him a song and he put vocals on it and we got a CD back and we were like, that's. That's the guy, you know, like, you just couldn't not do it. And then he showed up and he sang it live, and then we were kind of just. That's it. Okay, let's go.
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B
Talk to me about creativity now. I mean, you've obviously always been an incredibly creative person. Do you feel like that's something that's evolved over time, or do you find that being a musician like. Like anything else in life, you start getting roadblocks? Or maybe that creative piece you feel like at times fizzles and maybe later on it gets better. It's interesting to me how I've seen artists have different peaks in different times of their life when it comes to creativity. Do you find, or maybe you didn't find that this healthier lifestyle has that open doors for you, or do you feel like it. It hasn't done anything for you?
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C
Honestly, I don't. I try not to overanalyze it, overthink it, because it's like, for me, it's survival. You know what I mean? Like, I wouldn't if I could drink like a normal person, I would. But when I did, it got really bad, you know, I was equated to like. It's almost like I just lost the privilege, you know, and. Cause I think it is a privilege to drink and go out and do stuff and do other things, you know, and it's like, it's like a driver's license, you know, you have to prove to the state that you're competent of driving this 5000 pound piece of metal around the city, you know, and if you mess that up too many times, they're going to take away that privilege. And it's the same with drinking and all that stuff. So for me, you know, I know what happens when I do it. So I want to just stay away from it and not do it. So a lot of this stuff is. And then you get older, you know, and then you want to take care of your body. You want it. Then you have kids and you want to be around. You know, I used to coach my. I coach my son's baseball team for five seasons, you know, and it's like I wanted. It was the best thing ever, but it's like I wanted to, you know, then I'm like, okay, I got to be in shape. It's like, you know, I gotta work on my back. I want to, you know, be able to throw a baseball and not be like Rodney Dangerfield, you know, an old school.
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B
He's like, oh, you know, and back to school.
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C
Yeah, back to school.
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B
And it's the best.
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C
And you know, all those things. So it's. Then you have a different. I think your motivation changes as you, as, you know. Yeah, you know, you get older and it's like, it's different reasons. It's like, oh, now I'm sitting down all the time. I need to get up, I need to walk around. Oh, my dog needs to walk. Like, you know, even if I don't feel like it, I got to do it because I'm trying to do it for the dog, you know, and not for myself. And all those different things, I think they just kind of change and same with creativity, you know, it's like when you're young and you have the. When I was in music school and I was 18, I would play like 14 hours a day. Like just. I'd get to school at 10, I do all my classes. I'd be done at like 3 and I would just sit in a practice room playing till, you know, 10 at night and just looking at papers of scales and Practicing and you know, but that's. And because that's what I was driven to do, you know, and then it changes and then it's, you know, different things or, you know, I do a lot of drawing and stuff like that too, so. Which I grew up doing as well. So, you know, I'll do that kind of stuff when I get bored of playing. And luckily still, you know, like I've been playing with infectious grooves for the last few years and Robert Trujillo from Metallica is like one of my best friends.
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B
Incredible bassist, by the way.
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C
Yeah. And just an incredible person, you know. He's like one of my favorite people on the planet. Like just. He's so positive and like funny and just inclusive. Whenever people around, you know, he's very. Forget. He's just like really a kind, awesome man, you know. And, and luckily like he lives by where the Guitar center headquarters is in la. So we just meet for lunch. Like now we have lunch like every couple weeks. You know, it's like, it's awesome. And to get to play with him and, and just do fun stuff with him is, you know, it's a gift.
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B
He had some really tough shoes to fill. I mean, Cliff Burton, who's the first bassist who lost his life, I think it was in Europe. I mean, incredible basis. And then Jason Newsted for years.
- [24:08]
C
Yeah.
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B
Was like he was their guy. I mean. But Robert's coming now to that group. It's got to be over 20 years now, right?
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C
Yeah, 20.
- [24:15]
B
And he just, he moved in. He just seemed like such a. Just a, just a bright light when he came to that group. He just seemed like he was so excited and he fit perfectly and he knew his place and it really was nice to see him.
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C
Yeah.
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B
Kind of join arguably I think the greatest metal band of all time.
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C
For sure. And he's still like that. Yeah, he's like still the same guy, you know.
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B
So.
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C
Awesome.
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B
So I have some, I have some rapid fire questions for you. Really, really basic stuff.
- [24:41]
C
Yeah.
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B
Kind of more self indulgent questions that I've been thinking about that I just wanted to learn about you. Top five favorite groups of all time.
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C
Metallica, Allison Chains, Pantera.
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B
We're three for three Sly in the
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C
family stone no, I'm not there with
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B
you but keep going I'd be lying and.
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C
I'm gonna say I don't know, maybe Jimi Hendrix. That's not a group. But yeah, I was going to be a group.
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B
No, he, he counts because I would use him as four and I would definitely use Maybe Sabbath. I thought I was a big Black Sabbath.
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C
Why didn't I say that? But it's so hard, right? Because he grew up listening. Sabbath was the first record I ever bought with my own money. I bought Paranoid and I was a massive Sabbath fan. But when you get put on the spot, you're like, oh wait, I'm lying, I'm lying.
- [25:37]
B
I would throw Led Zeppelin in there. Led Zeppelin would be top five.
- [25:39]
C
I love the who. I was the who is great fan growing up.
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B
Were you Beatles fan?
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C
Dude, it's funny. Like, no, not, not till the Anthology thing came out, that documentary. Okay, because only because When I was 10 years old, I grew up in LA. We, we moved to D.C. and we drove across country. Me and my mom, my stepdad, and I'm the only 28 tracks that we had in the car were the Beatles greatest hits. And there's two eight tracks. One was red and one was blue and. And that's all we listen to for two weeks across the country. And I hated the Beatles after that.
- [26:15]
B
Like, thank God it was the Beatles. My mom did that to me once at Carly Simon. I was ready to freaking kill myself. I was dying. The whole car ride we did was a 10 hour ride. I wasn't across the country. Favorite singer of all time, Ozzy for sure. That's pretty drummer,
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C
probably John Bonham.
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B
Really good, man. I love these answers. Right now I'm sitting here, I'm like this lead guitarist. I thought you'd go with Hendrix, but you can keep going, it's fine.
- [26:48]
C
Yeah, I don't even know, man. There's. There's certain guys, like, that's a tough one.
- [26:54]
B
How about that? I'll let you go top three if you feel like it's too hard to choose just one. I don't want you to offend anyone.
- [26:58]
C
Top 10, man. I don't even know. I mean, you know, because there's guys like Randy Rhodes and Eddie Van Halen that were so instrumental in like changing the landscape of. Or even, you know, look like Slash. I was a huge Slash fan from, you know, 10th grade because he was playing on a level that to me was like, you know. And like at Fairfax they would have, you know, during lunchtime they had bands, they had like a quad and there was like a little amphitheater there. And like I remember seeing Slash's three piece band, Titus Sloan play at lunchtime, you know. And I was. He was just so on another level, you know, and being able to see someone that good when I was that young and live in front of me and hearing them play through an amp and, you know, besides, you know, just listening to it on a record like Van Halen or the first Aussie record or whatever, it was just really impactful. So it was.
- [28:03]
B
He inspired you the most out of any guitarist out there who. Who did you think? Who did you listen to? And you were like, oh, wow, that's. That's just. Maybe you wanted to incorporate something that they were doing, or maybe they pushed you beyond a boundary.
- [28:16]
C
It might have been Hendrix.
- [28:18]
B
Yeah.
- [28:18]
C
As a player when I was 16 and really getting into guitar and, you know, probably Jimi Hendrix. But Slash was a big part of, like, he was the only dude I knew that was on a level that was just.
- [28:32]
B
It was. It was. It was.
- [28:33]
C
Yeah, it was like a big. I was like a. A big fan of his, but he was also a peer, even though he was a grade ahead of me, you know, but we were friends, and it was just weird to, like, know someone that's. I mean, there's a reason why he's. He is who he is nowadays. You know what I mean? But to see that in its infancy, I guess.
- [28:53]
B
Do you think Randy did that early on? I mean, he was so young when he passed. But do you think early on there were other musicians out there? Like, oh, my God, this guy's.
- [28:59]
C
Oh, for sure.
- [29:00]
B
Yeah. He was.
- [29:00]
C
Same with. The same with Eddie. You know, it's like you see talent like that, it's kind of undeniable, and it's. And if you're lucky enough to see it in person at a young age, then it's. You know, it's just so different, you know, when people come or. Stevie Ray Vaughan.
- [29:18]
B
Yeah.
- [29:18]
C
You know, when he came out, it was like. It was unbelievable. You know, I was a massive Stevie Ray Vaughan fan, too.
- [29:25]
B
Interesting. I'm a bassist. You got to close out with this.
- [29:30]
C
I'm gonna say John Entwistle from the who.
- [29:32]
B
Yeah.
- [29:33]
C
Was one of my favorite bass.
- [29:35]
B
They were incredible.
- [29:36]
C
Yeah. But same with, like, you know, Larry Graham from Sly and Family Stone. Another one.
- [29:43]
B
All right, last question.
- [29:44]
C
Yeah.
- [29:44]
B
There was one person and you felt was a mentor to you over the last maybe lifetime, last 10 years. Someone that pops into mind. Who do you think really has helped you evolve as a person?
- [29:59]
C
I'm gonna say my dear friend Dave Marciano, who was an actor. I guess he's still an actor. You know, he doesn't do as much acting. He was an actor back in the day. I think he was on LA Law, that show. Yeah.
- [30:18]
B
And now I'M feeling old.
- [30:20]
C
Yeah. But, yeah, he's just a. A guy I've known for 30 some years. It's probably like, he's a guy that I call on Father's Day and thank him, you know, for kind of teaching me all these little things to grow into the man I've become, you know? So, yeah, I'm gonna say him.
- [30:41]
B
Awesome. That's a nice little tribute. Chris, can we take a couple questions?
- [30:45]
C
Sure. Great conversation, guys.
- [30:47]
B
Thank you for this, by the way.
- [30:48]
C
Let's go ahead and take a question.
- [30:49]
B
This is from Tim in Nashville. Here you go.
- [30:54]
C
Hey, Dave. This is Tim from Nashville. I'm curious of all the musicians, you know, who are some that we might be surprised to learn are the most dedicated in the gym. Thanks so much.
- [31:05]
B
Interesting.
- [31:06]
C
Most dedicated in the gym or if
- [31:08]
B
you can't answer, Jim, just go overall, like, really focusing on their health now and someone who's made that pivot.
- [31:16]
C
Brad Wilk, drummer from Rage Against.
- [31:18]
B
I love Rage.
- [31:19]
C
Huge. Like, I don't say gym rat, but, like, he's just very health conscious. Health conscious. Like, super. Because I knew he had back issues. And I remember. Same with Duff. Yeah, massive, like, you know, trained martial arts. Once he got, you know, sober and got clean, he started riding bikes. And, you know, he's very, like, you know, once he does something, he just goes all in, like, you know. But we used to work out constantly. He studied with Benny the Jet doing martial arts for forever. So he's someone that's very. We used to do this core power yoga.
- [32:00]
B
Yes.
- [32:02]
C
You know, sculpt training with, like, yoga training with weights and stuff. And we used to do that all the time with my wife, too, and. And so Duff for sure, Brad for sure. Scott Shriner, the bass player from Weezer, was best man of my wedding. Great friend of mine. He. He, like, trains with a, like, boxing training, and he's playing all kinds of sports. And it's just like, you know, kind of that thing when you get older and you're just like, you want to be in shape.
- [32:38]
B
You want to feel good.
- [32:39]
C
You want to feel good. Yeah.
- [32:40]
B
100. All right, Chris, next.
- [32:43]
C
All right, this is the last question.
- [32:44]
B
This is from Mike Fitz, and he submitted it online. He said, dave, I'm reading it for you now. He said, dave, slash. Seems like he's in decent shape. Who would win in an arm wrestling match? You or Slash?
- [32:58]
C
Dude, have you seen that guy's? Have you seen his biceps? Massive, dude. His arms are, like, as big as my thigh. Like, not really, but he's in great shape and he's always been in great shape. And he's. If you've ever shaken his hand, he's got the strongest handshake of any probably anyone I've met.
- [33:22]
B
Yeah.
- [33:23]
C
Like so much that he can't. It seems like sometimes they'll shake like a female hand and they'll be like, oh, my God. You know, it's like he's, it's just like auto grip. Like, he's. I would never. I remember seeing him get in fights in high school. He would win thousand percent.
- [33:41]
B
Yeah.
- [33:42]
C
So.
- [33:42]
B
All right, Well, I appreciate the honesty. We still may have to see that on social media. Awesome. First off, genuinely thank you, man. I feel like I could have spoken to you for hours even though it was 200 degrees in here. And I'm sure you're ready to thank God they don't have the heat up anymore. But I really, really appreciate it and I want to thank Christian Ponder and the team at the Post. I think this facility has been amazing, really great to us right in the heart of New York City, 23rd between 5th and 6th. And hopefully you and I stay in touch, man. I really.
- [34:08]
C
Yeah, man. But thank you for having me and it was really great talking to you.
- [34:11]
B
Total honor. And guys, until next time, thank you.
- [34:29]
A
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