← Takin' A Walk - Music History with Buzz Knight
Takin' A Walk - Music History with Buzz Knight
"Dayglow : From Bedroom Pop to Viral Success-The Sloan Struble Story-Making Music History on his Indie Journey" Replay
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- [00:00]
Buzz Knight
This is an iHeart podcast.
- [00:02]
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- [00:38]
Chelsea Handler
What do we do with you? You can't go in the recycling bin, but you can be recycled if taken to a new recycle on center. Find one near you@recycleon.org oregoncenters hello, hello all my people.
- [00:52]
Questlove
What's up? It's Questlove. Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with the one and only ASAP Rocky. He reflects on his journey from Harlem roots to global icon status and discovering the hip hop origin of his name. The ledge was on the tv.
- [01:07]
Buzz Knight
Rakim had the bucket hat Kangol joint on.
- [01:09]
Questlove
My pops was like, that's Rakim. That's who you named after.
- [01:13]
Buzz Knight
I just was like, damn, that got swag.
- [01:16]
Questlove
But listen to the Questlove show on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.
- [01:25]
Joel and Matt from How to Money
Hey, it's Joel and Matt from how to Money. If your new Year's resolution is to finally get your finances in shape, we've got your back prices, they're still high and the economy is all over the place. But 2026 is the year for you to get intentional and make real progress. That's right, yeah. Each week we break down what's happening with your money, the most important issues to focus on, and the small moves that make a big difference. Kick off the year with confidence. Listen to how to Money on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [01:56]
Buzz Knight
Taking a Walk I'm Buzz Knight, and today on Taking a Walk, we're joined by dayglo, the indie pop sensation whose infectious melodies and thoughtful lyrics have captured the spirit of a new generation. As we talk, DayGlo, also known as Sloan Struble, opens up about the creative journey that's taken him from recording in his Texas bedroom to to playing stages around the world. We'll dive into his inspirations the stories behind his songs and the moments of reflection that shape his music. So join us in a couple of minutes here after a few words from our sponsors with one of today's most exciting young artists, dayglo. All right. Day Glo. Sloan Struble. Thanks for being on the Taking a Walk podcast.
- [02:49]
Sloan Struble (DayGlo)
Heck, yeah. Thanks for having me.
- [02:51]
Buzz Knight
Yeah. So since we call the podcast Taking a Walk, and since we're not taking a walk, you and I in person, if you had the opportunity to take a walk with somebody in the world of music, living or deceased, who would you take a walk with? And maybe tell us where you'd like to take that walk?
- [03:13]
Sloan Struble (DayGlo)
Oh, man. I mean, that is. I mean, that's like an infinite question. I feel like there's so many ways you could answer that. I mean, first thing comes to mind is, like, Paul McCartney. That'd be cool to go on a walk with Paul McCartney. Just ask him, like, how the heck did all of that happen? You know, like, how did this. You know, I would just love to hear his perspective, like, how his life began and then where I would do it. I don't know. I. I mean, freaking anywhere. If I get to walk with Paul McCartney, I'll. I'll walk anywhere.
- [03:50]
Buzz Knight
It doesn't matter. Right? Yeah. You know, I interviewed a musician recently by the name of Charles Kelly from the band Lady a, and Paul McCartney was. Was his choice as well.
- [04:05]
Sloan Struble (DayGlo)
So nice.
- [04:06]
Buzz Knight
The answers span so many different places. That's why I love the opening question. But thank you for. For that. So tell me what your earliest memory of music is and one that made you feel something really special and knew you were going to be connected with a life of music.
- [04:27]
Sloan Struble (DayGlo)
I mean, both of my parents, like, they were singers where they would, like, sing in church, and, like, I guess, like, that's where my musical talent comes from. But we weren't like, a musical house. Like, I wouldn't really say, like, instruments were sitting around the house, and it was, like, a thing that was encouraged, especially as a career at first. But I just. Yeah, I mean, I have so many things, just very early development of, like, pots and pans on the kitchen floor and all that type of stuff. But I think the first time where I just knew it was like, my career was when I was, like, 10 years old. My cousin showed me GarageBand. We were having a garage sale, like, my family was, and they came over, and he, like, showed me how to use GarageBand. And I was just obsessed with that whole ecosystem of, like, iMovie and GarageBand all the things that Apple had. And that just completely opened my mind to, like, making stuff. Because I think music is the most, like, innate part of me in the most way that I like to express myself. But I just love to make stuff. Like, I'm a really, really curious person. And whether it's video or music or like, you know, woodworking or like 3D printing, like, I have a 3D printer in that closet and I'm just like always trying to figure out how stuff works. And GarageBand was just like the immediate hook. And so from that point on, like, I never played video games or I never did any, like, activities like that. Like, GarageBand was my game.
- [06:15]
Buzz Knight
Yep.
- [06:16]
Sloan Struble (DayGlo)
There's my dog again.
- [06:17]
Buzz Knight
It sounds like it might be a delivery or. Your dog has a question for you.
- [06:22]
Sloan Struble (DayGlo)
No, he's like, anybody that's walking on the street, he's just like making himself known today. Hey, Benny. Benny, come here.
- [06:33]
Buzz Knight
Hey, Vinnie, you want to be on a podcast?
- [06:36]
Sloan Struble (DayGlo)
He would love that. All right. Hey, Benny, come on. Come here.
- [06:43]
Buzz Knight
He thinks he owns the place. Because he does. Oh, yeah, right, yeah, yeah. Well, you're going to take us inside the creation a little bit later on of Super Bloom and some of the influences and creative process. But as you're talking about your FASC work, have you. Have you been someone who likes to kind of reverse engineer things, whether it be, you know, a printer or whether it be, you know, your keyboard, are you always kind of fixated on just trying different things?
- [07:16]
Sloan Struble (DayGlo)
Yeah, totally. Yeah. I think there's definitely a sense of like the DIY spirit where, like, I have to prove that I can do it. And I think I'm really just proving it to myself. And I think like a really true intrinsic look at it would be like, I don't think I can do it. And so I have to prove to myself that I can. So it's like a self worth thing and that goes towards, like, everything that I create. It's just that sense of like, proving to myself that I can do anything, you know, where from the outside that might seem like it's coming from a place of like, complete confidence, like I can do anything. But I feel like every time I'm like restarting, thinking I can't. So I have to prove that I can do it. Which, yeah, just like, gives me a very, like, explorative spirit of like, trying new things. And I'm just like always watching YouTube and just like tutorial things on like, very niche stuff. And I'm just obsessed with like. Yeah. Proving that I can do it for better, for worse, you know.
- [08:38]
Buzz Knight
Well, it's a great confidence builder, being curious. And it really is, you know, it sparks so many different areas in your life, whether it be the musical side or whether it be with new, new, new technology. What are you taking away these days in the burst upon the scene in the last certainly, couple of years of artificial intelligence?
- [09:04]
Sloan Struble (DayGlo)
Yeah, I don't know. I mean, I'm like, I'm trying to. I don't. I really don't know that much about the AI stuff. Like, you know, it's pretty weird and like, people are like, making people that don't exist and that type of stuff which just goes into, like, social media in general. It's just like, I don't know. I don't know if that's really technically good for us, at least, like, this version of humanity. Who knows if we'll, like, evolved for it to be good for us or something. But I don't know. I mean, it's just such a crazy time with artificial intelligence and art and stuff. But I think, like, Rick Rubin, there was a video, and when I was watching it, all the comments were like, saying, what if this is AI? So. Because he's like, saying it's a video of Rick Rubin talking about AI. But then that's the irony. I don't know if it's real. I'm pretty sure it is. But he's like, talking about AI and saying that the greatest part of, like, things that work and art that stands out is technically, like, unpredictable error, basically. And how, like, that's what the human touch is. And, like, it can't be reduced down to, like, one thing that code could ever write because humanity doesn't make sense. And, like, we are always making mistakes. And that's what propels us forward is usually, like, mistakes that end up being a good thing. And AI, like, doesn't want to make mistakes at all, you know, and that's just not how people are. And I feel like that's how a lot of songs that I've made get written is like, I accidentally do something and it's like, oh, that worked. You know, like, the birth of rock and roll was like, they, like, accidentally broke an amp, you know. So I think that's kind of what propels us forward and AI doesn't have a chance with that, you know?
- [11:11]
Buzz Knight
Amen. Well, take us through the moment you decided to start DayGlo.
- [11:18]
Sloan Struble (DayGlo)
I was in high school and I lived in a small town in Texas, and I wasn't around any type of art scene. At all. And, yeah, I just, like. Like I was saying, just loved making music, but I wasn't at all, like, connected to the industry of any way, shape, or form. Like, I didn't even know really anybody, apart from, like, one of my friends that even liked music that was like, you know, I care about this band. Obviously there was, like, girls that like the Jonas Brothers or something, but there wasn't, like, you know, this band is cool, and I like the alternative scene and all that. Like, I. No one around me really cared. Yeah, I was just making music alone, and I decided to start putting it on the Internet just by myself and just put it as the name of DayGlo. Because there was a band or a song that I liked called dayglo by this band called Brazos. Yeah, just, like, release my songs. Fuzzy Brain, my first album was, like, just a collection of songs because I was like, I want to finish an album by the end of summer and before I go to college. And so the week I left for college, I just, like, uploaded Fuzzy brain on, like, TuneCore CD Baby or something for like, 20 bucks. And then, yeah, just the algorithm did its thing. It's crazy. I never thought in a million years that it would be, like, an actual career, especially to the extent that it's been already so super grateful for that. But, yeah, I'm like, can I call you tonight? And Hot Rod and all those songs. I'm like 17 in them. And it's like, it's just so crazy to think, like, that it's still just propelling my life forward, what I did when I was 17, you know, it's.
- [13:16]
Buzz Knight
Wild and it must be crazy waking up one morning and then seeing the fact that, as you put it, the algorithm had done its job and something has just taken off and gone crazy.
- [13:29]
Sloan Struble (DayGlo)
Totally.
- [13:29]
Buzz Knight
What. What is that feeling like.
- [13:33]
Sloan Struble (DayGlo)
Man? I think it is a blessing and a curse. Like, it's a. Virality is definitely a drug. And, like, once you get it, it's, like, very hard to unwire your brain to, like, need the viral thing again. And that's just, like, the way the industry is shaped now. It's like you have to go viral, which that sucks. But, yeah, I just remember, like, one day in college I was, like, getting breakfast and I saw that Spotify had, like, naturally put two of my songs on, like, a new playlist that they made called Bedroom Pop. And then that's, like, how everything kind of propelled forward so random and so organic. So that was cool. It was cool that, like, it wasn't planted in any way. It was like, really, really organic, which is cool.
- [14:32]
Buzz Knight
So who were the biggest musical influences? You mentioned Paul McCartney at the outset, certainly. But who were some other influen? And how do they shape your sound to this day?
- [14:44]
Sloan Struble (DayGlo)
I was 17 when I made a lot of fuzzy Breen. Like 17 and 18. And like, I love that music, but, like, your music taste changes, especially, like, in these formative years. And so it's just changed over time, like. And I think people have seen that happen, like, as my music taste evolves, like, the music I'm making is pretty different. And I think the people that are through lines, through all of it are just the musicians of the 80s and, you know, earlier. So, like, I grew up listening to a lot of James Taylor. I love the beatles and Paul McCartney, love Paul Simon. I love Phil Collins, Harmony House. My second album was, like, very doobie brothers, Michael McDonald influenced. And those are kind of like the true to myself, like Bruce Hornsby, like, true to myself music, passions. Then there's also, like, the alternative indie stuff. So, like, this recent album was like, a lot like the Strokes and like Phoenix and just kind of that era of like, you know, 2010 indie pop.
- [15:55]
Buzz Knight
So the. The project Super Bloom has a fascinating array of. Of songs and. And styles to it. I'm gonna highlight a couple of them here and get your reflection on it and maybe take us inside your mind and your. Your creative process. First of all, the song Broken Bone. Tell me about that one.
- [16:19]
Sloan Struble (DayGlo)
It's like a jam song. So a band I was really listening to on this most recent record, which is like, totally out of left field, but I was listening to a lot of King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. So they do like. I mean, they. They're known for just releasing tons of music and they have like 25 albums already or something. But it's like generally just like jam rock. And I was listening to a lot of that. Just like, learning how to play the electric guitar better. And with that, like, you know, Pink Floyd and just like, epic electric guitar bands and stuff was. I think what I was scared to do and embrace is that, like, emotional guitar playing type thing where it's like. Yeah, I don't know. I think Broken Bone is just kind of like facing your fears. And musically I did that as well and just had like this epic psych solo at the end. But yeah, it's a song with like, tons of layers. But I'd say just like, mostly about facing your fears and letting life happen, like letting things break and feeling the pain of that and then, like, waiting patiently for them to heal again is generally kind of the ethos behind it.
- [17:45]
Buzz Knight
It's. It's a great one. I want to ask you about another one that I really like called Cocoon, say.
- [17:51]
Sloan Struble (DayGlo)
Yeah, so Cocoon's kind of the same driven feeling of just like. Just like a high energy song. Like, a lot of the songs on this record just my heart was racing and just like, let's Go and like, using high energy music to, like, meet your anxiety. So, like, I always thought, like, you know, if you're feeling anxious, you should, like, listen to calm music, which is probably true, but when listening to King Gizzard, it clicked for me the connection that people have to, like, metal and high energy, like, rock music and how it, like, makes them peaceful people. Because a lot of people that, like, listen to that type of music are, like, calm and, like, chill. And that just never made sense to me until making this record where I was, like, trying to make these songs that were, like, addressing and powering through my anxiety. And I think Cocoon has that same message as, like, Broken Bone. I'm just, like, facing your fears and just rocking out at the same time, you know?
- [19:00]
Buzz Knight
You know, a lot of your music, I think, showcases that you have so much wisdom, but you're a young, a young fella. And one song that really strikes me in that way as well is the one called Old Friend, New Face. Tell me about that one.
- [19:21]
Sloan Struble (DayGlo)
Old Friend, New Faces. I had had that instrumentation, like the instrumental for a while, and production wise, I just wanted it to, like, really embody that 2010 MySpace indie pop thing where, like, Passion Pit and Two Door Cinema Club and those kind of bands sonically. But lyrically, it's like a song about facing and embracing, like, change in other people, I guess. Yeah. I mean, most of my songs are just about, like, growing up and changing and dealing with change and Old Friend, New Faces, like, processing change somebody else is going through.
- [20:09]
Buzz Knight
So what role do you think community, whether it's it's friends or family or fans play in your creative life?
- [20:18]
Sloan Struble (DayGlo)
Creative life. I mean, fans for sure. Like, I think I have a great connection with my fans. I think my fans are really unique in the way that they're, like, really chill people, but they're also, for the most part, young. Like, I've never had any moments with my fans that are like. Like, they idolize me in any way. Like, I definitely feel like I have fans, like, look up to me and they care what I have to say. But, like, if a fan sees me in the street. It's never, like, freaking out or something. Like, everybody's super chill. I feel like I'm friends with all my fans, which is really cool. And so, yeah, I just always keep in mind, like, how they'll perceive what's going on. Yeah, just, like the live show and how that'll translate and having people in my life as well that just know what's going on and are there beside me is incredibly important. I think, like, creatively, it's awesome to just have fans that have, like, grown up with me because, yeah, like, a lot of my fans are my age and we're 18 around fuzzy brain. And so, like, we're all kind of growing up together. And I have, like. I'm kind of like a spokesperson in some ways. And so I'm, like, just trying to make sure that I am making good music at least, you know.
- [21:46]
Buzz Knight
You must be excited, taking these new songs to the road.
- [21:50]
Sloan Struble (DayGlo)
Yeah, no, I'm stoked we don't have, like, a tour planned right now, but really hope. And I'm sure we will soon. But, yeah, I love playing live. Like, I love playing shows so much. Yeah, it's the best.
- [22:09]
Buzz Knight
Well, it's been so great to talk to you. I want to congratulate you on Super Bloom and all your great work, and you're just your creature process. Thank you for sharing it. It's really just fantastic to meet you. Dayglo, Sloan Struble, thanks for being on Taking a Walk and sharing your story.
- [22:27]
Sloan Struble (DayGlo)
Oh, yeah, thanks for having me. This is great.
- [22:31]
Joel and Matt from How to Money
Thanks for listening to this episode of the Taking a Walk podcast. Share this and other episodes with your friends and follow us so you never miss an episode. Taking a Walk is available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.
- [22:50]
Questlove
Hello, hello, all my people. What's up? It's Questlove. Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with the one and only ASAP Rocky. He reflects on his journey from Harlem roots to global icon status and discovering the hip hop origin of his name. The ledge was on the tv.
- [23:06]
Buzz Knight
Rakim had the bucket hat Kangol joint on.
- [23:09]
Questlove
My pops is like, that's Rakim.
- [23:11]
Buzz Knight
That's who you named after. I just was like, damn, that got swag.
- [23:16]
Questlove
But listen to the Questlove show on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.
- [23:24]
Joel and Matt from How to Money
Hey, it's Joel and Matt from how to Money. If your New Year's resolution is to finally get your finances in shape, we've got your back prices, they're still high and the economy is all over the place. But 2026 is the year of the for you to get intentional and make real progress. That's right. Yeah. Each week we break down what's happening with your money, the most important issues to focus on, and the small moves that make a big difference. Kick off the year with confidence. Listen to how to Money on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [23:55]
Chelsea Handler
This season on Dear Chelsea, with me, Chelsea Handler. We've got some incredible guests like Kumail Nanjiani. Let's start with your cat. How is she?
- [24:04]
Sloan Struble (DayGlo)
She is not with us anymore.
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Chelsea Handler
Great, great, great. Way to start. Maybe you will cry. Ross Matthews, you know what kids always say to me? Are you a boy or a girl? Oh, my God. All the time. I know. So I try to butch it up for kids so they're not confused. Yeah, but you're butching it up is basically like an angry woman. Doris Day, right? No, I turn into Bea Arthur. Listen to these episodes of Dear Chelsea on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [24:31]
Sloan Struble (DayGlo)
On June 11, 1998, a deputy from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department went missing. Hey, if they'll kill a cop and bury him, what are they gonna do to me?
- [24:41]
Chelsea Handler
What really happened to the missing deputy?
- [24:44]
Sloan Struble (DayGlo)
Valley of Shadows, a new series from Pushkin Industries about crime and corruption in California's high desert. Listen to Valley of shadows on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [25:01]
Buzz Knight
This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.