TAFS Unplugged: Kurt Vile

Summary

The Adam Friedland Show - TAFS Unplugged: Kurt Vile
Released: May 17, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this lively and offbeat episode, Adam Friedland welcomes acclaimed indie songwriter and guitarist Kurt Vile for an intimate "unplugged" session. The show combines live performance, freewheeling conversation, and deep dives into influences, Philadelphia pride, musical process, and industry anecdotes. Packed with music nerd banter, notable moments, and some genuine vulnerability, this episode is a treat for fans of both Kurt Vile and Adam’s uniquely self-effacing humor.

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Live Performance Highlights

Kurt Vile performs several original songs and shares thoughts between:

• [00:09] – Opens with a melancholic, poetic song about love, family, and the creative process (“Smoke on my lip, I wrote a song yeah... True love is the pure drug for me yeah...")
• [03:31] – Continues with verses about growth, pride, and inspiration drawn from loved ones and life experience.
• [07:59] – Offers a reflective solo about his relationship to New York and Philadelphia, touching on themes of home, ambition, and creative restlessness.

Notable Quote:
"World's been melting in front of my eyes, yeah / My baby girls, they keep me high, yeah... True love is the pure drug for me..." — Kurt Vile [00:09]

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New Album Discussion

Release Details

• Album drops May 29th, 2026
  • [11:00] “May 29th. 29th. May 29th.” — Kurt Vile

Influences and Sound

• Heavy Neil Young influence; Adam and Kurt bond over obsession with Neil.
• Additional inspiration cited: John Prine, Terry Allen, Doom, DJ Screw, the Avalanches.
  • [27:49] “Neil, John Prine, Terry Allen, Doom, DJ Screw and the Avalanches. Wow. Does that sound like bullshit, or is that correct?” — Adam
  • “They're all really good ones.” — Kurt Vile

Recording Process

• Album began post-2022’s Watch My Moves; recorded in multiple locations: Kurt’s basement, LA (Rob Schnapf), Athens, and Memphis (Doug Easley).
• Importance of collaboration but Kurt stays the principle songwriter.
  • [21:33] “I’ll tell them if I don’t like it... I wrote the song and how much anybody else puts into it. I’m the songwriter.” — Kurt Vile
  • “That’s fucking right. That’s fucking right. Don’t forget it.” — Adam Friedland

The “Bez” Influence

• The video for the album’s first single Chance to Bleed features a “Bez-like” (from Happy Mondays) character, played by Ethan Buckler of King Kong/Slint.

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Music Geekery & Influences

Neil Young Stories

• Exchanging concert stories; Kurt attended Neil Young with Crazy Horse in Philly and Massachusetts just before the tour was cut short.

  • [12:28] “Drove up to Massachusetts to see it again... I’m a family man, you know...” — Kurt Vile

• Describes meeting Neil Young, being nearly tackled by Neil’s manager the first time, and eventually getting introduced by Travis from The Sadies.

• Notable Quote:

  • [18:03] “This Down by the River was the best I’ve seen you do... it was like your underground, as in if it was organic, but in outer space.” — Kurt
  • “Oh yeah, we can go to outer space whenever we want.” — Neil Young (as recalled by Kurt)

Pink Floyd, Music Videos, and Gear Talk

• Deep dive into Comfortably Numb’s orchestration, Seinfeld theme’s synth origins, and YouTube obsession (Rick Beato videos).
• [16:24] “Instead of partying, we just watched Rick Beato videos and... we were like high-fiving each other to the Beato. Why? This song is great on Comfortably Known.” — Adam
• Banter about vintage gear and behind-the-scenes music production details.

Songwriting and Dreams

• Discussion of songs coming in dreams (Paul McCartney style), Metallica, and cringey music documentaries (Some Kind of Monster).
• [25:39] “Especially around the pandemic times. I definitely had really pretty ethereal songs in my head. And then I’d wake up and sing them into a recorder.” — Kurt Vile

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Indie Rock Era Reflections

Surviving the Indie Wave

• Adam notes Kurt’s longevity through the late ’00s–2010s “indie moment”, where many bands didn’t last.
• [37:07] “Do you feel like you’re a survivor of that moment? You’re still around?” — Adam
• [37:13] “I feel. I’m glad that I’m still doing it. I got no choice. It’s what I’m gonna do. But I do see these younger kids sometimes and I’m like, man, I paved the way for these fucking kids.” — Kurt

“Elder Statesman” and Fame

• Debate whether Kurt feels like an “elder statesman” for the indie generation.
• [43:00] “Do you feel like an elder statesman these days?” — Adam
• [43:00] “No, not really.” — Kurt
• Self-deprecating banter about age, appearance, and being “looking guys” (hair, style, etc.)

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Philadelphia Pride

• Kurt’s relationship to Philly runs deep: "I've been holding Philly down since... 2003."
• [46:43] “Do you feel like you’re Philly’s guy?” — Adam
• [46:43] “I am. I am a Philly guy. I’m not the only one, but I.” — Kurt
• Stories about Philly culture, music history (nods to Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen’s “Philadelphia,” mobster Chicken Man), and Philly vs. New Jersey pride.
• Funny banter about local quirks (motorcycle “12 o’clock,” “eating poop” after Eagles Super Bowl).
• Album’s title track "Philly’s Been Good to Me" is a deliberate homage to his hometown.

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Heroes, Fanboying & Industry Connections

• Kurt talks about meeting his heroes (Jay Mascis, Kim Gordon, Steve Malkmus), being nervous, and the surreal perks of association with Matador Records.
• Friendship/pen-pal with the late David Berman (Silver Jews, Purple Mountains), recounting their email exchanges and an in-person meeting in Tennessee.
  • [29:15] "David, I, like, we were pen pals a little bit... I wrote him and sure enough, like, email, though, right?... Then my family... we drove through Tennessee and I visited David and he was really sweet..." — Kurt
• The impact of Berman’s “Purple Mountains”:
  • [28:46] “Yeah, that last album Purple Mountains is just devastating.” — Adam

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• [12:18] “I wanna go up to Massachusetts... so I can see Neil Young and Crazy Horse.” — Kurt Vile
• [18:03] “We can go to outer space whenever we want.” — Neil Young (relayed by Kurt)
• [21:33] “People show up, people play, figure out how. Like, they can play their parts... But I have you. I was smart enough to make that rule a while.” — Kurt
• [29:31] “I’m a fanboy no matter what. That’s how I always feel. I always feel nervous to talk to somebody that’s my hero.” — Kurt

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Lighter & Memorable Moments

• Goofing about band roles (happy Mondays’ Bez, demo-swapping, “horror” as instrument)
• Jokes about meeting celebrities, Philly street wisdom, and comparing each other’s looks (Tom Hanks, Dave Mustaine, Mick Jagger riffs)
• Playful shot at Bruce Springsteen’s claim to “Philadelphia” (“He has no right to have Philly’s name in his motherfucking mouth.”)

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Closing Remarks

Album Details:

• Out May 29, 2026
• Double gatefold vinyl
• Lead single/music video: Chance to Bleed (featuring "Bez"-style dancing)

Encouragement from Adam:

• [51:01] “May 29, go get the album. It's got a gatefold... you get two, folks. That’s how much he cares about you. Kurt Vile, everyone."

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Key Timestamps

• [00:09] Live performance begins
• [10:27-11:00] Album details
• [12:28] Neil Young obsession and road trips
• [15:00-17:00] Deep cut music geekery
• [19:54-22:18] Album recording process, influences, “Bez” discussion
• [28:31] David Berman/Purple Mountains segment
• [37:07] Surviving the indie era & generational reflections
• [43:00] Discussion on aging, self-image, and “elder statesman” role
• [46:43] Philadelphia pride, identity, and local stories
• [51:01] Closing encouragement to get the album

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In this unplugged episode, Adam Friedland and Kurt Vile create a singular, intimate space mixing genuine fan joy, musical insight, and absurdist humor — all while celebrating creativity, influences, and the city of Philadelphia.

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Recommended if you like: Neil Young, Silver Jews, indie rock culture, behind-the-scenes music talk, and irreverent Brooklyn humor.

Transcript

[Kurt Vile]

All right. Smoke on my lip I wrote a song yeah Some people said I was doing that wrong yeah but check out my hands My chiming chords on a gold tone Mandelin guitar. World's been melting in front of my eyes, yeah My baby girls, they keep me high, yeah Ain't on no trips, though no LSD True love is the pure drug for me yeah. Jump in my whip my engine winds yeah Zigzag my way Downlink and drive, yeah Puck on my lip Feel I can fly for a while. Wow.

[Adam Friedland]

Wow.

[Kurt Vile]

Yeah. Smoke from my ears My brain is burning My candles burn I'm never learning Watch as my life breaks down Just as a song breaks down.

[Adam Friedland]

Whoo.

[Kurt Vile]

Smoke on my lip I wrote a song, yeah Some people said I was doing that wrong yeah but check out my hands My chiming chord's on a go to Mandelin guitar Smoke from my ears My brain is burned My candles burn I'm never learning Watch as my life breaks down Just as a song breaks down all right. Thanks.

[Adam Friedland]

All right.

[Kurt Vile]

Every time I look at you Sparks fly from my eyes I caught that bright Guess I knew what to do. Seasons come and seasons go but my mind is surely growing into something more wholer Think I'm getting smarter too. But you always were and you always are and I am so proud

[Adam Friedland]

of

[Kurt Vile]

what you've become as well Always growing, always showing a little spark Round the world from whence you walk. Now walk. I flew close to the sun

[Adam Friedland]

and

[Kurt Vile]

I had a whole lot of fun Then I guess I had to calm

down

Punishment fit in the crime well, made a few friends out there

on

the moon in the clouds

[Adam Friedland]

Had a

[Kurt Vile]

whole lot of laughs Hell, I'm still laughing now so look who's laughing now. But you always were and you always

[Adam Friedland]

are

[Kurt Vile]

and I am so proud

of

what you've become as well and always growing, always shining Showing a little spark round the world from whence you walk. A little spark A little spark around the world from whence you walk. That's right. Walk. Now you.

I'll take it.

Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah.

[Kurt Vile]

Well, I drove on up to New York City Deep down, well, life was shitty though. From Philadelphia is where I'm from Guess we come in for a shot of glamour not that I don't live where I love in fact, I know that it's better by the trees but less people and sometimes, well, a man gets lonely and needs a hit of the highlight song. Sam. Whoa.

[Adam Friedland]

Ladies and gentlemen, Kurt Vile. The new album. Welcome. Philadelphia has been good to me. You can clap again if you want. How you doing? Good. You just played. It was phenomenal.

[Kurt Vile]

I love. I'm excited to be here. I'm only excited for this, to be honest.

[Adam Friedland]

Really? Yeah. What did you do after this?

[Kurt Vile]

No, nothing today. But I've been excited to come on the show and I love your set and I've. I always thought you were, like, the good kind of weird. So glad to be here.

[Adam Friedland]

Thank you. Yeah. Like geek chic, kind of. Yeah. Yeah, I get that a lot. So, yeah, I guess, just first off, tell us about the new album. How you feel. How you feel.

[Ad Read / Sponsor Voice]

I listened last night.

[Adam Friedland]

I enjoyed it quite a bit. When is it out? Is it out?

[Kurt Vile]

It is out.

[Adam Friedland]

No, it's not out.

[Kurt Vile]

May 29th. 29th. May 29th.

[Adam Friedland]

May 29th. And is there any symbology behind that number? Numerology? No. You got the 2, you got the 9, then you get 11, then you get Maeve, that's 5, and then you get 16. No, no, no.

[Kurt Vile]

I just.

[Adam Friedland]

So I listened to the album last night. It's like. It's got a lot of Neil, I feel like. Is that safe to say?

[Kurt Vile]

Neil?

Neil.

I've always got. There's always Neil.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah, there's always.

[Kurt Vile]

Are you a Neil guy?

[Adam Friedland]

I'm Neil, yeah.

[Kurt Vile]

Did you see him live?

[Adam Friedland]

I saw. With Crazy Horse.

[Kurt Vile]

Oh, this time. Oh, that was incredible. Yeah, I saw him in Philly. Like, the day I got home from a tour. I saw him in Philly with Crazy Horse. Yeah, this last time with Crazy Horse. And then I. I was so addicted. I was just scheming and scheming and I was like, I got. I gotta see it again. So then I drove up to Massachusetts to see it again. It took some convincing because I'm a family man, you know, I got two daughters and a wife and such.

[Adam Friedland]

So you lied to them?

[Kurt Vile]

No, I told them what I wanted to do, which was I gotta go up. I wanna go up to Massachusetts where my tour manager is, so he can get me these record shelves so I can clean up my house so I can see Neil Young and Crazy Horse.

[Adam Friedland]

Okay, fine. Yeah. Yeah.

[Kurt Vile]

And that's what I did. And then a couple shows like you've

[Adam Friedland]

been rocking on the road, and you're so addicted to rock, you have to go rock more up in Massachusetts.

[Kurt Vile]

And I'm so glad I did, because Neil canceled. They cut that tour off, like, a couple shows later. So I saw that Crazy Horse twice.

[Adam Friedland]

Have you met the man?

[Kurt Vile]

I met the man a few times, but only this last time. The last time I saw Neil was In Toronto. My buddy Travis from the Sadies is an incredible guitar player. In fact, I was playing his guitar earlier when I was shredding. And he's buddies with Neil, and Travis is the first person ever. Even though one time I opened for Neil and they thought I was a crazy fan, they almost tackled me.

Really?

But even though I opened up.

[Adam Friedland]

So you're wearing a Neil Young T shirt, Neil Young hat.

[Kurt Vile]

I jumped off the back of the stage to, like, give him actually a Sadie ct. I thought that was my end. I was like, you know, and this whole entourage of cool old guys were like. And they, like, held up their arm, like, they're gonna check me.

[Adam Friedland]

Like, you talking about old guys? Almost. And it was Levon Helm.

[Kurt Vile]

It was Elliot Roberts, his OG manager almost tackled me. So, yeah, anyway, Elliot.

[Adam Friedland]

Roger.

[Kurt Vile]

Elliot Roberts was his manager.

[Adam Friedland]

He managed.

[Kurt Vile]

I think he started his career managing Joni Mitchell.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah, I was gonna guess that was a guess. If I said it quicker, that would have been a good guess.

[Ad Read / Sponsor Voice]

Yeah.

[Kurt Vile]

But anyway, yeah, Travis was like, the first person to be like, neil, this is Kurt. He's played with you before. Everybody else is just like, like, don't give this guy. Don't give this guy any in with Neil.

[Adam Friedland]

Why? What's so wrong with you? You're a nice guy. He's a. You're in the business. You should be. I know this is a good connection. My mom told me when I moved to New York, she's like, just, why don't you find Jerry Seinfeld's address? And you could knock on his door and say, I'm a young Jewish comedian. And I'm like, mom, what are you talking about?

[Kurt Vile]

I love that.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah. So I went to Epstein Mansion.

[Kurt Vile]

That reminds. When you said that, it reminded me of. I wish we had that pedal.

[Adam Friedland]

Seinfeld pedal.

[Kurt Vile]

Yeah, like Sarah Sherman's Seinfeld pedal where she's.

[Adam Friedland]

Have you ever watched the video of the guy making it? It's also. It's a synthesizer. It's not bass.

[Kurt Vile]

Yeah, I would.

[Adam Friedland]

You. Did you know that?

[Kurt Vile]

I'm. I'm just not surprised. That era, that early 90s, I thought a bass guitar.

[Adam Friedland]

I thought it's a bass, flat style bass.

[Kurt Vile]

But that's true. It sounds.

[Adam Friedland]

It sounds like a slap style bass.

[Kurt Vile]

That is actually. That's good information. Yeah, Good information to know for sure.

[Adam Friedland]

But he. There's a video of him on YouTube doing it live to the show. Yeah. And it's like he did it every episode. I had, like, no idea. Yeah, yeah. What is that?

[Kurt Vile]

It's like in the background. I was like, Wow, the horns.

[Adam Friedland]

You've noticed that? Yeah, that's a real professional right there. Get it up there. It's like when you notice the fucking. The Uncomfortably Numb. The symphonic part.

[Kurt Vile]

Uncomfortably Numb, Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

I felt like I had heard it a million times. And then you noticed that little symphonic track and you're like, now I'm extra smart at music.

[Kurt Vile]

How's that part go?

[Adam Friedland]

And it's like. You want to hear it?

[Ad Read / Sponsor Voice]

Isolated.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah. It's so beautiful. Rick Beato does a video about it and me and my friend. My girlfriend and his girlfriend were both out of town and instead of partying, we just watched Rick Beato videos and we were like high fiving each other to the Beato. Why? This song is great on Comfortably Known. And then my girlfriend called me and she's like, what are you doing? I was like, I'm watching a YouTube video about pink Floyd. She's like, I'd rat that. She's like, that's pathetic. I'd rather.

[Kurt Vile]

I'd rather be dead.

[Adam Friedland]

You'd be cheating on me right now.

[Kurt Vile]

Yeah, I'd rather.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah. Wait, keep. Okay, so now I'm gonna find. So this is in the background the whole time we.

[Kurt Vile]

How do you.

[Adam Friedland]

Let's just talk about. Hey. Oh, no, this is. This is not it. It's not it. Orchestra track. Here it is. Yeah. So you get all those. I don't know what instrument that is to make the seagull noise, but that's. I'm assuming that's the orchestra. Oh, yeah. So like as the. As it goes. So it's like all those, like dark.

[Kurt Vile]

Hello.

[Adam Friedland]

Color is.

[Kurt Vile]

Oh, yeah, sure.

[Adam Friedland]

Okay.

[Kurt Vile]

Oh, right, of course. Yeah. You know what?

[Adam Friedland]

That great band. Check him out. Pink Floyd, especially the song Comfortably Numb. It's. They use that Scorsese. Probably use it.

[Kurt Vile]

Exactly. I was literally going to say when

[Adam Friedland]

they departed, fuck me like a cop. Fuck me like a cop. That's a great sex. One of my favorites. Yeah, yeah, yeah. They have sex in the kitchen. Yeah.

[Kurt Vile]

In the Departed.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah, yeah. Leo and his therapist. And she's like, fuck me like a cop.

[Kurt Vile]

Did she say that?

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah. Wow. Which is like, hey, if I. I just sit in therapy all the time, just be like, why can't. Never mind. Anyway, so let's. Let's get into it. So you. You saw Neil? Wait, tell us about meeting him. What did he say to you? Hey, man.

[Kurt Vile]

He did like that.

[Adam Friedland]

Real cool, man.

[Kurt Vile]

No, he never really. The most memorable time is like. I told him. I was like, I've seen you a million times and this was the best by far. When you played down by the river, which was like a 30 minute version, I was like, you know, he would like be messing with the crowd. He'd be like, you'd think he'd be jamming out the middle section forever. The coolest space jams ever. And then you'd think he was gonna go and sing the last verse and then he would come up to the mic finally and be like, be on my side. And then go back to outer space again. Just the first. So anyway, I told him I was like, this down by the river was the best I've seen you do. I was like, it was like your underground, as in if it was like organic, but in outer space. You're underground and outer space at the same time. And then he just looked at me, he's like, oh yeah, we can go to outer space whenever we want. And then he said it again. We can go outer space whenever we want.

[Adam Friedland]

During COVID do you remember when he became an American citizen so he could vote for Bernie? Do you remember that?

[Kurt Vile]

Oh, that's pretty awesome.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah. And then he did that like Covid concert where he's like, hey, Bernie.

[Kurt Vile]

And I was like, I remember that.

[Adam Friedland]

I started crying. I was like, both my ghosts recognizing each other. I can't believe it. Are you Neil? Is Neil your number one guy?

[Kurt Vile]

Neil, I love Bernie too, but Bernie, I would say number one, but Neil, no, I love Bernie, but Neil, I like Neil better than Bernie.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. What the hell has Bernie ever done?

[Kurt Vile]

I love Neil.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah, yeah. So wait, so did you record after those. Like, how long have you been working on this album? And like, what went into it?

[Kurt Vile]

Okay, I've been working on this album. I'd say, okay, I put out my last full length album. It's called Watch my moves in 2022 on Verve Records. And this is my second full length on Verve Records, New York. Verve Records. I'm proud to be labelmate with the Velvet Underground and Stan Getz.

[Adam Friedland]

Uh huh. Yeah.

[Kurt Vile]

And that's it. Us three. But anyway, honestly, I'd say ever since I turned that record in and it came out in 2022, when I'd get off the road, I'd be working on this record, but hardcore in the studio the last couple of years. But yeah, it's half recorded in my basement, just like the previous album and. And then also some in LA with my buddy Rob Schnappf, who did a lot of my stuff, and Doug Easley. This really Some of my favorite records in the 90s, like Silver Juice, Starlight Walker and Pavement, Wowie Zowie, Sonic Youth, Washing Machine were all done at Doug Easley's studio in Memphis. So I worked there. This is Doug Easley? No, that's me. That's Doug Easley. That's Rob Schnapp in la. That's me. And then, yeah, my drummer, Kyle, records some in Athens. But that's how we do it. We just. We go on the road, come back and you get ideas, hit the studio.

[Adam Friedland]

How collaborative is it? Like? It's.

[Kurt Vile]

Well, it's collaborative in that people show up, people play, figure out how. Like, they can play their parts.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah.

[Kurt Vile]

And figure it out as they go. I'll tell them if they don't. I don't like it. But, yeah, I wrote the song and how much anybody else puts into it. I'm the songwriter.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah. Yeah. That's fucking right. That's fucking right. Don't forget it. You fucking.

[Kurt Vile]

I mean, everybody. I mean, everyone makes their own rules. But I have you. I was smart enough to make that rule a while.

[Adam Friedland]

Have you ever had a bez in your band? What? A bez, like, from Happy.

[Kurt Vile]

Oh, I love the Bez.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah.

[Kurt Vile]

Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

Have you? Just a guy that does tambourine and just. Is funny. Did you read his book, Barakas? Yeah. He wrote a book? How could he write a book?

[Kurt Vile]

It's called Freaky Dancing.

[Adam Friedland]

He knows how to write the.

[Kurt Vile]

Is it Freaky Dancing at all or Funky Dancing?

[Adam Friedland]

Funky Dance. Yeah.

[Kurt Vile]

Yeah. He actually.

[Adam Friedland]

He's Maracas. Right.

[Kurt Vile]

The one video I have out. Yeah, he dances and he's their drug dealer.

[Adam Friedland]

And Chemistry. He sells him drugs and he dances with maracas.

[Kurt Vile]

Yeah. The video for Step on is priceless. He steals the show.

[Adam Friedland]

Bez, he's the best.

[Kurt Vile]

But the one video that came out for this album called Chance To Bleed, that's the first single. There's a person in the video that's influenced by Bez, actually, it's my buddy.

[Adam Friedland]

How'd I pull that out of my ass?

[Kurt Vile]

Ethan Buckler from King Kong. King Kong. His first band was Slint, and he left Slint because he thought the production was really weird on the first record. So he started his own band. But anyway, he's the Bez in the Chance to Bleed video, which is a really good video, I should say.

[Adam Friedland]

I wonder if Bez got paid like the other guys. It would have been annoying, actually, if I was like, a synth player or a drummer. And I'm like, he's doing. It's Easy, right?

[Kurt Vile]

Yeah. Wait, you do play though, right? What do you play?

[Adam Friedland]

His Horror.

[Kurt Vile]

Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

Shut up, dude.

[Kurt Vile]

No, I not.

[Adam Friedland]

Well, yeah, but you're like making. I like songs.

[Kurt Vile]

We talked about music on the phone.

[Adam Friedland]

I know, dude.

[Kurt Vile]

And the first thing I ever.

[Adam Friedland]

I'll send you a demo if you want.

[Kurt Vile]

I want to see the first.

[Adam Friedland]

Hello, my name is Adam Friedland. He's my demo cd. Yeah, I was planning on the networking period after this thing, dude, I wanted to play it. Play Cool. No, no, yeah, I do. Yeah, I play a little bit of whatever. Yeah, that's cool.

[Kurt Vile]

I'm excited to hear your music.

[Adam Friedland]

So you have a song called Hoagie, A song called Wawa. Do you think that. You think that George Harrison was writing about Wawa? The gas, the man.

[Kurt Vile]

That's fucking mind blowing.

[Adam Friedland]

Have you ever watched it? Have you ever listened to Beware of Abaco, the demos from All Things Must Pass?

[Kurt Vile]

Beware of Abaco?

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah, it's like a bootleg, but it's all the demos of George and Phil Spector, who I need to find out more about. I just. I can't wait to find out more about this guy Phil Spector I just found out about.

[Kurt Vile]

That reminds me of. Did you see the Get Back documentary?

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah, it changed my life.

[Kurt Vile]

Heartbreaking, but also funny. Like, George literally playing the most beautiful songs, like, out of his pocket. He's like, everyone has choice when to.

And not to raise the voices.

It's you that decides.

[Adam Friedland]

And they're so mean to him.

[Kurt Vile]

Paul and John aren't even listening.

[Adam Friedland]

They're not even listening to him. And then he's like.

[Kurt Vile]

And then George literally says. He goes, I don't care if you use it. I'll just put it in me musical.

[Adam Friedland]

I put it in me musical. It's like. It's so crazy because first of all, you forget how young they were. They were like 27 or something. Yeah, yeah. And like, he's still the younger kid from school. He's still like, dude, you're a freshman. Shut up, dude. Shut up, freshman. We're gonna fucking give you a swirly and pants you. And he's like, yes or no? That was wrong. Okay, let me run that again. And he was like, here comes the sun. I don't know. Okay, cut all that. Okay. Did you ever saw Paul McCarty? Says yesterday came to him in a dream.

[Kurt Vile]

Right.

[Adam Friedland]

Did you ever have a song come to you in a dream?

[Kurt Vile]

I did. Especially around the pandemic times. I definitely had really pretty ethereal songs in my head. And then I'D wake up and sing them into a recorder. But, yeah, I never actually recorded that side into my recorder.

[Adam Friedland]

You know, I wonder if Enter Sandman came to them in a dream. That'd be cool. Yeah. I was talking about it before how Metallica is just baby. How about spooky, scary dreams. Goblins and ghouls. Did you like that documentary Some Kind of Monster? Yeah. Yeah. So good. You do look a little Dave Mustaine a little bit.

[Kurt Vile]

That's what people say.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah. Yeah, yeah. The therapy scene with Dave Mustaine where he's like, you hurt me. They're, like, all crying. It's amazing. Yeah.

[Kurt Vile]

Actually, I got my manager, Rennie, who's one of my best bros, but I gotta say, I think it was sometime we were on the road kind of high or whatever, and I was like, renny wasn't Some Kind of Monster. The worst documentary you've ever seen in your life? And he, like, paused. He's like, no. He's like, those guys couldn't even talk to each other. And then they made this movie that got them back together and they, like, crushed once again. And I was like, good point. But what I remember. I do remember when I first saw it, though. It was so long and it was cringey, but it was. The thing is, it's the first of cringy. It's the first of the cringy. Like, you have the audacity to get this therapist and, like, look this. Like this sad.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah. Often Never Never Land songs, you're like, we need a therapist. This is too much pressure.

[Kurt Vile]

But. But then it's like.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah.

[Kurt Vile]

I don't know. Then it's.

[Adam Friedland]

It's so funny. It's one of the funniest movies I've ever seen in my life.

[Kurt Vile]

That's what I mean. It aged really well.

[Adam Friedland]

It ages great. Aged well. Yeah. If you. If you smoke a little. I actually. I can't smoke weed anymore. We're talking about it. No. So I heard that you're. This is a list I have of your influences going into this album. Okay.

[Kurt Vile]

Okay.

[Adam Friedland]

Neil, John Prine, Terry Allen, Doom, DJ Screw and the Avalanches. Wow. Yeah. Does that sound like bullshit, or is that correct? That's true.

[Kurt Vile]

They're all really good ones. Do you like the Avalanches? You know them? Oh, my God.

[Adam Friedland]

Since I left you I lived a

[Kurt Vile]

vow it's really pretty.

[Adam Friedland]

Do they have that? They had a. They released another album, didn't they?

[Kurt Vile]

They.

[Adam Friedland]

There was just one, right?

[Kurt Vile]

I thought there was just one.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah.

[Kurt Vile]

And then it took them, like, 13 years or something to put out a follow up.

[Adam Friedland]

They're like Stanley Kubrick. Yeah.

[Kurt Vile]

Yeah. And then, like, people, cool guests like David Berman came out of hiding from Silver Juice to do, like, a spoken word thing.

[Adam Friedland]

Did you know him?

[Kurt Vile]

I did. I mean, I grew up. Influence, like, one of my number one.

[Adam Friedland]

He's one of my number ones, too. I was at.

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In D.C. i was at their last

[Adam Friedland]

concert at the Black Cat ever.

[Kurt Vile]

Wow.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah. His grandma came out on stage.

[Kurt Vile]

That's so awesome.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah. That last album is the Purple Mountains is just devastating.

[Kurt Vile]

Devastating.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah.

[Kurt Vile]

And yeah, you know that he cut through, like, his lyrics and I guess his vocal timbre and like, the production, everything that he stood for. He was like the effortless Bob Dylan or whatever of our generation.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah. And I would say you're more. More. I would say. Is you now.

[Kurt Vile]

Well, yeah, David, I, like, we were pen pals a little bit. Like, because I heard he was a fan of my song. Somebody told me he was a fan of my song Society is my Friend. And then I wrote him and sure

[Adam Friedland]

enough, like, email, though, right?

[Kurt Vile]

I. I emailed him and then he.

[Adam Friedland]

He penned you?

[Kurt Vile]

No, we emailed.

[Adam Friedland]

Oh, you were. And then you didn't spray perfume and kiss it, right? Not.

[Kurt Vile]

Not.

[Adam Friedland]

That'd be cool if you were doing letters, but yeah. I don't know.

[Kurt Vile]

Then my family, I was with my wife and two daughters when they were younger, and we. At the end of a tour, we drove through Tennessee and I visited David and he was really sweet and his wife at the time, Cassie, and he. He was really sweet. And. Yeah, I was so stoked for him with that record when it came out. And I was gonna plan to see him for sure.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah. It's kind of like he's. The lyrics are like. It's like, of that last one, he's like, telling us. Yeah, well, I was like, I wish I should have done. I don't even know him, but I wish I. I should have done something. I got so sad.

[Kurt Vile]

That is sad.

[Adam Friedland]

Imagine that album coming out while you're going through a breakup. Well, I certainly couldn't.

[Kurt Vile]

I will say that's the. I don't. I can't listen to that record. I listen to Silver Juice a lot, but I haven't listened to that one since he passed.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah. In 27 years, I drank 50,000 beers, dude. How much so us, dude.

[Kurt Vile]

Scotch and penicillin. I'm allergic to. Allergic to penicillin?

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah. Are you?

[Kurt Vile]

Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

Why did you say that earlier? Dude? Fucking. You should say, dude. It's a Little bit weird that you didn't say that.

[Kurt Vile]

Yeah, like you're supposed to list your allergies when you come in.

[Adam Friedland]

Well, I just. Yeah, you filled out the medical form before doing TAFS unplugged. I have no idea why you wouldn't say that you're allergic to penicillin. Because we put it in your drink.

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[Adam Friedland]

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[Adam Friedland]

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[Adam Friedland]

It seemed like you. You were around kind of when it was like a lot. The indie kind of moment.

[Ad Read / Sponsor Voice]

The early.

[Adam Friedland]

The late aughts, early mid teens. Tens, tens. What do people call that decade? The 2000 and tens.

[Kurt Vile]

When I was making music, you mean?

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah. And then you were kind of part of that moment. And then it seems like now like you're like. Do you feel like you're a survivor of that moment? You're still around? I imagine there were a ton of bands that just aren't around anymore, I guess. Yeah.

[Kurt Vile]

That's interesting. Yeah. I feel. I'm glad that I'm still doing it. I got no choice. It's what I'm gonna do. But I do see these younger kids sometimes and I'm like, man, I paved the way for these fucking kids.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Kurt Vile]

Makes me mad.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah.

[Kurt Vile]

But. Nah, not really. But. Yeah. But then we were just talking about Neil Young.

[Adam Friedland]

They like guitars again.

[Kurt Vile]

Yeah, that's.

[Adam Friedland]

I thought I was saying this crap forever.

[Kurt Vile]

I know. Even I was influenced. Like, there was a hot minute for a few years there where, like, I wasn't hearing no guitars in my head either because there was all this Charlie XCX and Caroline Polachek shit going, you know, like.

[Adam Friedland]

I'm just kidding. No, I like that a lot. I like it a lot. I love it. Yeah. You're a big Charlie fan.

[Kurt Vile]

I do.

[Adam Friedland]

Love. She's one of your goats.

[Kurt Vile]

Oh, absolutely.

[Adam Friedland]

Really?

[Kurt Vile]

Absolutely.

[Adam Friedland]

Who are your goats? That's a Mark Marisol question. Who are your guys, man? Who are your guys, man? He was mad at me, by the way.

[Kurt Vile]

Why is he mad at you?

[Adam Friedland]

He was. But Tom sharply squashed the Beef. Oh. Cause on my old podcast, I think we were making fun of him, laying down a solo on Instagram. Like, look at this guy. And I was like, mark, like, I was a child. We hated everything. I love you. Aww. Yeah. Yeah. Tom Sharply. I was like, give me his phone number. I was like, I will make this right. I was like, I love you, sir.

[Kurt Vile]

Tom is the best. Tom is.

[Adam Friedland]

He's the best.

[Kurt Vile]

Tom Sharpling is the goat.

[Adam Friedland]

He's the goat. In fact, one of our goats.

[Kurt Vile]

It's funny, because I was at Tom's wedding not that long ago, and Tom Sharply got married, and one of my

[Adam Friedland]

favorite things is to start an applause. I used to do it at school assemblies and stuff. Yeah.

[Kurt Vile]

And Mark Maron was there, and I was with a friend who never met Marc Maron. I was on his show once.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah.

[Kurt Vile]

But I hadn't seen him in a long time. He's like, oh, my God. There's Marc Maron. There's Marc Maron. I was like, oh, yeah, it's true. And then he walked up to me in his suit, and the first thing he said was, he. What's up, genius?

[Adam Friedland]

So that made me look cool in

[Kurt Vile]

front of my friends.

[Adam Friedland]

Well, everything's good. Marc Maron. I've invited you about 73 times on the show, and now I'm officially announcing, even though you have not agreed that Marc Maron will be on the Adam Reed legend. No, I love him, dude. When I first. Before I even started stand up, I was listening to his podcast.

[Kurt Vile]

Wait, he was mad at you because you teased his jam?

[Adam Friedland]

Because he heard a clip about us teasing his jam. And guess what? I wish I. I wish I had the. Yeah, you wish you didn't do it. I'm too shy to play my music.

[Kurt Vile]

I love that.

[Adam Friedland]

Honestly. That's why I love music more than this. Whatever the fuck this is.

[Kurt Vile]

That made me like you, which is

[Adam Friedland]

why I could do it.

[Kurt Vile]

That made me like you. Cause the first one I saw was your Julian Casablancas. And then you fed him this song. You fed him your song. You made him listen to.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah. Make him listen to a demo. Yeah. And he was like, that's intense, man. I'm like, you could have said the best song ever. I don't know why you're singing that. That's intense. Because everyone else has said the best song ever, and probably you're a genius musician. You don't need. You don't need to be doing this, demeaning yourself, Adam, on YouTube. You could be fucking. I don't know. Paul McCartney? Yeah. Have you ever met Paul McCartney?

[Kurt Vile]

No.

[Adam Friedland]

Have you ever met John Bliss? No. I don't know.

[Kurt Vile]

Oh, I wish.

[Adam Friedland]

Who are your, like, I guess, heroes, they say never meet your heroes, obviously. Yeah, they say that, right? What interactions have you had that, like, through music that you're like, whoa. But beyond Neil.

[Kurt Vile]

Beyond Neil, like, because I signed matador records in 2009. I was on that label till like 2020 or something. So a lot, a lot by nepotism. I got to meet the bands that I grew up on. But even so, like early on, my first Matador album called Childish Prodigy came out and like. Like it didn't like on the Pitch, in the Pitchfork or whatever. Not that this matters, but like, they didn't get it. But like All My Heroes, it was their favorite record that year. Jay Maskus from Dinosaur junior Invited me on tour. Kim Gordon from Sonic Youth was her favorite album. And even people like, I don't know, Bradford Cox, Deer Hunter, it was his favorite album. But anyway, yeah, people like that. Steve Malchus for sure from Pavement, or Kim Gordon and Jay Maskus, that's like the big three. They're friends of mine, you know, But I grew up dreaming of something like that. I'm trying to think of, you know, that I'm a fanboy. Like every. I do.

[Adam Friedland]

You get nervous.

[Kurt Vile]

I get nervous.

[Adam Friedland]

I'm a brick.

[Kurt Vile]

I'm a fanboy no matter what. And like that's. That's how I always feel. I always feel nervous to talk to somebody that's my hero.

[Adam Friedland]

I have so many heroes in that Neil story. I'm like, this guy was shitting his pants and Neil was like, what the fuck is that? Yeah. I hope that we can. Yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's scary to meet those guys. I'm nervous. I have a brunch I'm going to and I heard that David Letterman might be at it. Oh, yeah?

[Kurt Vile]

What are you gonna say to him?

[Adam Friedland]

Anti Semite?

[Kurt Vile]

Is he?

[Adam Friedland]

I don't know. That's what came out. See, I'm gonna fuck up.

[Kurt Vile]

I don't know.

[Adam Friedland]

That's the first thing that came out. What's wrong with. Why are you such an anti Semite? So I guess, like, do you feel like an elder statesman these days?

[Kurt Vile]

No, not really.

[Adam Friedland]

No.

[Kurt Vile]

I'm glad.

[Adam Friedland]

Cause you look great.

[Kurt Vile]

Really?

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, you look like you're a youthful statesman.

[Kurt Vile]

You look better. But thank you. But thank you. No, I honestly, I do look at myself.

[Adam Friedland]

We are both like a looking kind of guys.

[Kurt Vile]

You still look alright. Yeah.

[Ad Read / Sponsor Voice]

We still look good.

[Kurt Vile]

You don't look as good as you used to, per se.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah, fine at all. How are you going to. Yeah, but we have her hair, too.

[Kurt Vile]

But I like the modern times. Yeah, that's true. The modern times. I like playing, playing music. I like playing to the crowds. I like in a different way. Ten or more plus years ago, I was a train wreck on stage, like, elusive to technology. So I feel like this is sort of my Neil Young moment. I know we keep talking about Neil, but, like, if you see him live now with Crazy Horse, it's just like. Then in another way, it's like more intense.

[Adam Friedland]

There's something about it where.

[Kurt Vile]

Show in the moment.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Kurt Vile]

That's what I'm excited about, live music.

[Adam Friedland]

Bob Dylan is still touring and he's. I don't know if you've seen him.

[Kurt Vile]

Oh, yeah, he's locked in. He's locked in.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah, it's. It's. It's really actually like, I wonder. It's like, why, you know, I guess like why those guys are doing it? Because they're fucking old.

[Kurt Vile]

They gotta be.

[Adam Friedland]

No offense. I mean, they're friends, but they're old as fuck, you know, like, they're nasty looking. No, but it makes me sick. No, no, but, but, no, in reality, it's like these guys are like, you know, Bob's over 80. Yeah, yeah. Like. And I think thinking about, like, your interaction with Neil is like. I think that that's like a place like their whole, like Bob Dylan's whole life, like everyone's trying to have, has walked up to him and tried to say the dopest thing they've ever said. And then she just walked away. And they're like, you know, and it's like, it happens. Has to be so lonely at the end of the day, right? And I think that, like, maybe they're just like on stage, it's a time where they just like, you know, they're like, this is something that I feel like I could do me in a way that's comfortable.

[Kurt Vile]

I think that's exactly right.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah.

[Kurt Vile]

Like, that's their moment.

[Adam Friedland]

Young bulls walk up to you and they're like, you know, the third album. Yeah. Do they do that? Yeah.

[Kurt Vile]

Well, your past is your own worst enemy is. That's another Neil Young quote. Like, he puts out. He puts out. He puts out like all these classic records and then he puts out this new record and it sounds different than the old stuff. And everybody's comparing it to the old

[Adam Friedland]

stuff, going back to the yo Go ahead, sir. The pastor's your own worst enemy. I'm sick of the shit.

[Kurt Vile]

Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

Going back to sharply, you know, Rot Rock Rule. Yeah. Where he's saying that he's only into the 80s. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He's only into 80s, Neil. Such a good joke.

[Kurt Vile]

Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

Only the. But the rest, I don't. I can take or leave. But the 80s stuff. Yeah, yeah. Which was a real shit. It was total turds deal. Where were you going? Where were you? You became a robot for a decade. A rockabilly robot.

[Kurt Vile]

I still laugh. No one's laughing.

[Adam Friedland]

And now I feel mean. Neil, I love you. I love you. Yeah, I guess. Let's talk about Philly. Okay. So. Yeah, I guess that, you know, you're. Do you feel like you're Phillies guy?

[Kurt Vile]

I am. I am a Phillies guy.

[Adam Friedland]

You're a Phillies guy.

[Kurt Vile]

I'm not the only one, but I.

[Adam Friedland]

You're more than Bradley Cooper. Would you say?

[Kurt Vile]

Yes.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah. More than Shane Gillis. He's not even from. He's from Harrisburg.

[Kurt Vile]

First of all, I don't think they're in Philly and I am.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah, that's true.

[Kurt Vile]

That's part of it. I'm holding it down in Philly and I wanted to even in my. My first album was called Constant Hit Maker, but it's that short for Philly's Constant Hit Maker. So I've been holding Philly down since I guess the early aughts When I 2003, I put out my first CDR under my own name, but I just wanted to put it in writing. And also there's a title track on here. You know, Philly's Been Good to Me, which is a nod to a Tom Petty song, which is California's Been Good to Me.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah.

[Kurt Vile]

But anyway, I wanted to call it out.

[Adam Friedland]

Have you ever gotten 12 o' clock on a motorcycle? What's that like Papa Wheelie? No, he's not Philly at all, dude. He knows nothing.

[Kurt Vile]

Is that Philly?

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah, that's philly dude going 12 o'. Clock.

[Kurt Vile]

Oh, like those.

[Adam Friedland]

Those like their. Guys like the kids. Yeah.

[Kurt Vile]

Oh, that's intense. Yeah, yeah, I remember.

[Adam Friedland]

Did you lick poop after the Eagles won the Super Bowl? No, I didn't care about this guy's. He's trying to act like he's Benjamin Franklin. He's trying to be. He think. He think he Benjamin Franklin.

[Kurt Vile]

Yeah.

[Adam Friedland]

I don't know why I said it that way.

[Kurt Vile]

I like it.

[Adam Friedland]

No, Yeah. I mean, I guess you. You take shots at Bruce though, right? You have bars that are Bruce.

[Kurt Vile]

I love Bruce.

[Adam Friedland]

You better be covered. You better be careful after this Kendrick Drake thing. The other.

[Kurt Vile]

I've covered a few Bruce Springsteen songs in my day and recorded them, but he. He's got the song called Philadelphia, and then Neil Young's got the song City of Brotherly Love. But they're both on the soundtrack to the movie Philadelphia. But even so, because that.

[Adam Friedland]

You would have been young. Actually.

[Kurt Vile]

I think I would have been young.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah.

[Kurt Vile]

Yeah, but.

[Adam Friedland]

And also the Chicken Man. The Chicken Man?

[Kurt Vile]

Yeah. They blew up the Chicken man in Philly last.

[Adam Friedland]

Was that a real guy?

[Kurt Vile]

Yeah, some mobster.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah. Yeah,

[Kurt Vile]

affiliate.

[Adam Friedland]

Wait, so you think that because Bruce Springsteen was born. I mean, it's not his. His parents lived there. He was born in New Jersey. He has no right to have Philly's name in his motherfucking mouth. Well, I mean, it's kind of arbitrary. I didn't say it's no.

[Kurt Vile]

Right. Yeah, yeah, but I'm really. I'm really from there, so.

[Adam Friedland]

And it's offensive. And is it so I can sing

[Kurt Vile]

about Philly and mean it? That's all.

[Adam Friedland]

So the streets of Philadelphia. It hurt when you heard that song.

[Kurt Vile]

No, I like it.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah.

[Kurt Vile]

But in the moment when I wrote those lyrics, I was thinking about it.

[Adam Friedland]

You know, Denzel Washington and Tom Hanks also are not from Philadelphia. How do you feel about that?

[Kurt Vile]

You know what that reminds me of? That reminds me of when I was younger. I was working at Philadelphia Brewing Company, and this kid. This kid, my hair was, like, long and shaggy, and then I got it cut way too short, and this kid got on my nerves, and I. It was the weekend and I wouldn't even seen him. But then I saw him at a party and he took. One weekend. No, it was the weekend, so we weren't at work. And I got my haircut, and I was all, like, shy, maybe a little stoned, and I was like, fuck. I got this bad haircut. And then I took one look at this guy, and he saw me and he took one look at me and he said, you look just like Tom Hanks. I was so pissed.

[Adam Friedland]

You kind of do look. I know.

[Kurt Vile]

With short hair.

[Adam Friedland]

Wow. And you look like Dave Mustaine with long hair.

[Kurt Vile]

I guess.

[Adam Friedland]

Go. What a false modesty. You look like the two most handsome guys on Earth.

[Kurt Vile]

Yeah, but neither of those people I want to look like, to be honest.

[Adam Friedland]

Really?

[Kurt Vile]

I'll be.

[Adam Friedland]

Oh, yeah. People say I look like Mick Jacker. It's really annoying.

[Kurt Vile]

You look like Mick Jackson.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah, I get it all the time. And I'm like, I'm just doing me, dude. I'm not trying to do him.

[Kurt Vile]

I could see that.

[Adam Friedland]

Really?

[Kurt Vile]

Did you make that up?

[Adam Friedland]

I've been going for it for a while. I finally got it. Got it under my thumb. Do you like Stones?

[Kurt Vile]

Yeah, of course.

[Adam Friedland]

Best, in fact.

[Kurt Vile]

Yeah, like when I said I called myself Phillies. Constant hitmaker. I stole that from the Stones album. England's newest hit maker.

[Adam Friedland]

Oh. So guys, May 29, go get the album. It's got a gatefold.

[Kurt Vile]

Yep.

[Adam Friedland]

Yeah. Listen, guys, you get two. Listen, I know you're gonna like, see this in the record store. You'll be like, ugh, I don't want to buy one vinyl. That's such a ripoff. You got two, folks.

[Kurt Vile]

Yep.

[Adam Friedland]

That's how much he cares about you. Kurt Vile, everyone.

[Kurt Vile]

My story roll.