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The Find Out Podcast
The Country Artist Taking on MAGA
01:00:06
Country music artist Bryan Andrews joins the Find Out Podcast to talk about his new single “The Older I Get” — and why he’s decided it’s time to speak out against Donald Trump and the MAGA movement.
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- [00:00]
Alex
Foreign.
- [00:16]
Brian
Hey, everybody, welcome back to the Find out podcast. Well, we had two really big episodes last week, but we've actually got one just as big today and we're changing it up a little bit. I don't know if most of you know this, but most of the group in here has some sort of musical backgrounds to. Music's been always really important to us and we are super, super excited to have a country musician and I guess we also have to refer to as a social media superstar. Brian Andrews is with us today and he's got a song that's out called the Older I Get, which you should go stream on Spotify. But actually what we're going to talk to him today about is a little bit of music and a little bit of politics. So, Brian, so great to have you here.
- [00:56]
Brian Andrews
Yeah, thanks for having me, guys. I truly appreciate it and I, I just ecstatic to be on here, dude.
- [01:02]
Brian
Well, the excitement's all on, all on our end, but hey. So, Brian, I want tell everybody a little bit about yourself because you do not. If we're going to stereotype. If I was to know that you were a country singer and you have that twang that I would think that you were very. I'm not even going to put political parties on it. I'll say conservative or far or, you know, because of the, you know, country tends to lean. Right. Tell us a little bit about yourself and, you know, what happened to you over the last week that caused a lot of media to pick up and start talking about you.
- [01:36]
Brian Andrews
Yeah, so I'm from a small town. You know, my hometown has a population of 3, 600 and actually was born in Idaho, but it's in rural Missouri or whatever. And, and you know, I still do have a whole lot of, you know, like, I wouldn't say like staunch Republican or conservative values, but I definitely still, you know, agree with conservatives on some topics. It's just that, you know, see, being from a small town and watching people go through things like, you know, what we're seeing now with the trade war and, and farmers and more recently over the weekend, you know, opening our markets to Argentinian beef and stuff like that, that's just going to hurt American farmers and, and seeing like when I used to work on the road, I was a welder and seeing guys have to work 60, 70, 80 hours a week just to be able to provide for their families and stuff like that and then be gone for eight, nine, ten months out of the year. I mean, I don't, I don't know how these people continuously vote against their own best interests. And so, you know, my parents, I'm not oblivious to the fact that I probably think a little bit the way I think because of my parents. They're both teachers and they're Democrats. I mean, my grandfather worked for General Motors for 30 years and was a Democrat his whole life. And you know, so I, I understand that, you know, I definitely have influence from my family when it comes to my political beliefs. But, you know, I think most of my political beliefs and just values as a person stem from my faith and being in a small town because I'm sick and tired of watching working class Americans get screwed while billionaires are just raking in cash off the backs of our labor.
- [03:24]
Chris
Brian, can I ask, how old are you?
- [03:26]
Brian Andrews
I'm 29.
- [03:27]
Chris
29? Yeah. You're not crazy. I just have to put this, I just have to put this out front. You're not crazy and your parents aren't crazy. You're not. I wouldn't even frame it as my, my mom's a retired teacher. I wouldn't even frame it necessarily as like you're influenced by your parents beliefs because they're Democrats. I would frame it as workers and educators are Democrats because Democratic policies support workers and educators. Science and education is, they're not Democrats because of it. It's, it's the exact opposite. And, and I think people have just forgotten that. It makes me crazy. Like it sounds like it has, has had that same effect on you where you're looking around thinking, am I taking crazy pills? Because, like, what are you guys doing to yourselves? And they do it anyway.
- [04:17]
Brian Andrews
Yeah, exactly. And that's why, you know, like getting, getting going in country music. You know, I, I, I make just as much rock music and stuff like that as, as I do country music, but my brand is country because that's my background, you know, And I think, you know, just in the wake of everything that I see going on. Pains me so much to see a genre of music that connects so well with rural America be directly intertwined with an administration and policies that continuously hurt them.
- [04:50]
Brian
Yeah.
- [04:51]
Brian Andrews
So for me, as a country artist, I think at first I was definitely pretty nervous to put this song out, you know, and I mean, you guys have heard it. It's controversial in some parts and some parts just aren't that controversial. But it was definitely nerve wracking, I guess, because I knew that, you know, I knew my, my main listenership moving forward and getting bigger was as a country artist and as a country brand was probably going to be, you know, targeted towards Republicans and conservatives, but somebody's got to say it. And I mean, you know, like, as soon as I put it out, I was a little bit worried. But then seeing the response back from it, it has been incredible. And I mean, to think, to think about all the people that I'm bringing back to country music because they had already swore it off because of certain artists or, you know, certain songs or whatever is. And I mean, I feel very proud to be a part of that movement.
- [05:50]
Brian
Yeah, I mean, Brett, I, I want you to talk a little bit about the background of this song. And then also I think the video that you did on, on TikTok. And first of all, and I also want to say, like, I'm not somebody, I think I told you on dms, like, I'm generally more of a rock person. I grew up at a Beatles household and all this. But, like, you know, I, I, I'm somebody that likes a little bit of country. But, you know, some of it has put me off because of basically the capitulation to, to Trump and the right from a lot, not everybody or the ones that are on the left of center have just been quiet, which is also not good either. But, but regardless of that, let's, I want to hear how, how did you come to write this song? And then, then the video that you put out, not a music video, but talk video, how did that all come up?
- [06:32]
Brian Andrews
Yeah, so when I first started writing this song, it was because I started seeing, I wanted to actually write a song called what Would Jesus Do? Because for me, as a Christian, I, and I still think I'm going to write that song one day. But I think as a Christian, I look around at all these people who call themselves Christians in my small town and in, in surrounding areas or the whole Christian nationalist movement, and I'm appalled and severely offended as a Christian by the things that they say I got. For me, it's like, how can I, how can you sit there and call yourself a Christian when I've watched you go to church on Sundays, leave church, go to the Mexican restaurant and have lunch and then come home and get on Facebook and go to a Fox News post and say, I like my country, like I like my tea? Yeah, that's, yeah, that is an awful thing for you to say as a Christian. You are talking about human beings. How can you call yourself a Christian when there is a literal place that exists called Alligator Alcatraz? And when you see it on, on social media, you type a comment that Says, I hope they teach them to run in zigzags.
- [07:47]
Evan
Jesus.
- [07:47]
Brian Andrews
Yeah, that's insane.
- [07:49]
Evan
I mean, I. My. My question, because I don't think any of us here are religious. We're all kind of like, you know, just agnostic to atheists, so not coming from that community. It's really hard to understand how somebody like Trump took over Christians, because, like, for me, in, like, 15, when he came out, I'm like, okay, he can maybe win the primary if he could figure out how to court Christians. And he figured it out. So, like, yeah, how did he do that?
- [08:12]
Brian Andrews
I. Dude, I honestly don't know. I say all the time, I'll never forgive Trump for what he's done to people that I love and that I know. Yeah, but is insane that so many Christians are willing to back this guy. One of the most abhorrent figures we have seen. Terrible dude in the political space. And so, you know, that's where the song came from. I mean, the whole song was wrote out, and then the bridge part where it says, raise your right hand, plead the fifth. That shit wasn't even in the song yet. And we had the song completely done. And I remember I got home from la, I had already started, or I wrote both the verses that say, you know, the older I get, the more I wish Christians tried to act like Jesus. Or the first one where it talks about, you know, the. I can't tell the difference between superheroes and super villains. That part I had already had written out. And when I got home from LA after writing the chorus with the guys who produced it, the song was done. And it was right the day I got home, the next day, the DOJ came out and said that the list didn't exist. And I was like. I was like, what the fuck?
- [09:20]
Evan
Yeah.
- [09:20]
Brian Andrews
And so I sat there and festered on it. And then like, a day after that, I had seen the, like, a lot of the stuff that they were talking about, sending the Marine Corps into LA for all the ice raids and everything. And I was like, what planet are we on? So it just made me so mad. And so when I was sitting there thinking about it, I kept having this line, raise your right hand, plead the fifth, trying to cover up names on a list. And I was like, dude, I've. I've got to figure. Figure out how to put that in this song. And so I'm sitting here listening to the song over and over, and in the instrumental breaks that we had in the song, I was sitting there putting them on a loop on my computer. And I was just writing and I was like, raise your right hand, plead the fifth, trying to cover up names on a list. And then the lion say that it doesn't exist. I was like, oh, you know, okay. And then, and then I was like, in the second part, I want to touch on, on parts that, you know, everyday people can see around us. Because that's how I felt when I was writing. It is like I'm looking around and while this doesn't directly affect me, I know there's people in the world that it does affect. And so I want people to, to feel how I felt in that moment where I can take, I can zoom out and say, this isn't cool. Work2jobs, try to make rent. Nobody can afford to buy a house right now, let alone fucking pay for rent. Yeah, heaven help you if you're born with brown skin. That was in direct reference to the we were seeing happen in la. And mind you, I was in LA the week after all those protests and riots were going on was perfectly fine, of course. And then the Gaza Strip thing, I mean, we've been, everybody has seen that, the humanitarian aid, I mean like, you can say what you want to about U.S. funding, you know, which I completely cannot believe that we did for so long, funding a genocide. But at, at bare bones, if you're trying to get away from the war topic itself, not letting aid into these people.
- [11:20]
Chris
Right.
- [11:20]
Brian Andrews
Is one of the most anti Christian things that I have ever seen.
- [11:26]
Chris
Brian. I was, I was religious for a long stretch of my, of my life and, and am not anymore. And the, you know, two to three year long deconstruction process that I experienced was precisely because of what you're describing. There's this horrible clash that occurs in your head when you are learning about Jesus and all the New Testament stuff. You know, he's just like indiscriminately helping people. Like he trusts everybody, he loves everybody, there's no judgment ever. And then you hit adult life in this country and you find out that what, 60, 70% of Republican voters or of Christian voters are Republicans and they're voting for people who would put Jesus in prison in chains. I mean, they would straight up deport Jesus if he were here illegally, if he were here without documentation. You can't, you can't live with that level of cognitive dissonance in your head for very long. And so you have to do either what you've done, which is like, you know, I didn't have a platform when I was 18. You do what you've done. Which is say, like, I gotta do something. It's gonna cost me some listeners. It's gonna, you know, it's gonna create a polarizing environment around me. But, like, I have to do that or you just have to leave that whole thing and, you know.
- [12:56]
Brian Andrews
Exactly. And it's almost like I look at people saying the. Oh, well, you don't belong in country music. At people who tell me you don't. Or if you don't like it here, get out, you dog. This is a great genre of music, and I. It'll be a cold day in hell before I let you through.
- [13:17]
Brian
Well, well. And if you think about some of the. The greatest country music artists. Right. They would all say the exact same thing that you are saying. Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Chris Kristofferson. Who. I think I told you, I saw him on the street one day.
- [13:32]
Brian Andrews
Yeah.
- [13:33]
Brian
Like 10 years ago. And, like, about fainted. And my wife was like, who the hell was that? Because he was like, 80 or something.
- [13:38]
Brian Andrews
Yeah.
- [13:39]
Brian
And I was like, that's Chris Christopher. She's like, who's that? I go, he wrote me. And Bobby McGee went, oh, wow. Yeah. But they were all.
- [13:46]
Brian Andrews
And.
- [13:46]
Brian
And Willie Nelson as well.
- [13:48]
Brian Andrews
Yes, right.
- [13:48]
Brian
I mean, they were all. Well, he is still liberal, for sure.
- [13:52]
Brian Andrews
I mean, in 2006, Willie Nelson wrote a song. It was just released digitally, but it was right before the Obama presidency. And he wrote a song called Cowboys Are Secretly Frequently Fond of each Other. And it's just about how cowboys in a small town in Texas are sometimes gay and kiss each other and that's okay. I mean, Johnny Cash in the man in Black, that song is a solidarity song with the poor and the people who need help in this country. And. And he was a huge, staunch advocate for prison reform. One of the funniest things in this whole last week is when I got on X and people were just dragging me. Oh, God. And it was like watching your, like, dignity just be ripped to shreds right in front of your face. And then I saw one person said, we need less Brian Andrews and more Johnny Cash. And they posted the photo. Yes. And they posted the photo of Johnny Cash flipping off the prison warden at San Quentin. And I was like, the fucking irony in this photo is at levels that you will never fucking comprehend, dog.
- [15:02]
Chris
We need less Jesus and more Christ.
- [15:04]
Brian Andrews
Yes. Well.
- [15:05]
Chris
Right.
- [15:05]
Brian
Well, now it's the same when they say, keep. Keep the government's hands off my Medicare.
- [15:09]
Chris
Right, right.
- [15:09]
Brian
My Social Security or something like that. But so, Brian. So on top of the song, like we, you did, you did do this video. I think you called it a crash out.
- [15:19]
Brian Andrews
Yeah.
- [15:20]
Brian
Video. And I think that's where a lot of the attention came because again, you know, not to be stereotypical, but when you again, you see Brian Andrews coming across your screen, you don't necessarily expect the words that came out of your mouth. So tell us a little bit about why you did that video and the reaction that it, that it generated after that.
- [15:38]
Brian Andrews
Yeah, I think most of it was because, you know, I've been talking my on social media for about the last year now, like getting more like open about the way I think and things like that. And you know, I knew this song was going to be polarizing anyways, so I just dug into it. I mean, Luke, I sent it to you about a month ago and you know, I knew, I knew it was coming or whatever. So when I was thinking about promoting it, I kept seeing comments like on those other videos saying, oh, he's crashing out or you know, because I'm loud or whatever. And they say, oh, he's paid or whatever the. So I was like, you know what, you want to see one, I'll give you one. So that's where that, that came from. And I thought of all that and I wrote it out before and I thought maybe like if I say this quietly, people will fucking get it. But as I was making the video, it was making me so fucking mad that I kept having to fucking redo takes. And I was like, you know what? It, I'm just, I'm just, I've never.
- [16:43]
Chris
Had that experience before.
- [16:45]
Brian Andrews
So I was like, I'm just going to fudgeing, roll with it and fucking feel the anger.
- [16:49]
Chris
Yeah.
- [16:49]
Brian Andrews
Because I think that's a, that's an emotion that a lot of us are feeling right now. So I want it to be as raw as possible because I want people to able to relate to me in that moment and how I felt because I think we all should be this mad.
- [17:03]
Alex
I don't know anything about being angry.
- [17:05]
Brian Andrews
Yeah, yeah, Luke.
- [17:08]
Brian
I mean, you two cornered the market.
- [17:09]
Evan
Oh yeah, we got cornered.
- [17:11]
Brian Andrews
We both drive pickup trucks.
- [17:12]
Alex
Both getting angry in the front seat. Yeah.
- [17:14]
Brian
Well, Brian, your video, your videos got has been seen over 1.5 million times. And a bunch of the videos that you've done since have been, have been seen millions of times. And the only reason or the only way that that happens on these platforms is if you hit, you know, you hit on something.
- [17:29]
Brian Andrews
Yeah.
- [17:29]
Brian
That people are feeling. And I think you're right. And I think A lot of us on the left are looking around and, you know, looking at some of our more religious relatives and friends. And I know I was. I grew up Catholic. I don't really practice. I don't practice now, but like, I, you know, I went to Sunday school and stuff and all the things that they told us to believe. And I'm like, well, where is that? Like, where is that now? Like, I don't understand. And I think a lot of times we on the left are a little afraid to question people and. Or really call out the religious parts or the hypocrisy. And I think for you to, you know, be from where you are and, and your background, it, like, I think it really hit on people a lot, and I think people really, you know, appreciate it. You also got some for it. But I would say being on X is sort of like having like any. Any. Any of your.
- [18:18]
Frank
Good.
- [18:20]
Brian
Yeah, it's like a badge of honor. Even though it's not fun to read the comments. Except for that one. But I don't ever.
- [18:24]
Alex
I don't ever go there. That place is.
- [18:25]
Evan
I'm not even honest.
- [18:27]
Brian Andrews
I literally texted my label and I was like, I'm pretty. I'm thinking about deleting X. Because I was like, I'm. Dude, there was accounts with 3 or 4 million followers and I was just getting smoked, dude. I mean, that. That video probably got shared. It probably on X alone. It probably has like close to 10 million views. So, I mean, the. Was getting crazy and I was like, you know, the people say on there. So I was like, bro, I don't know if this worth it, but I mean, at the same. At the same token, you know, I. I was texting my dad and I was like, dude, I'm just getting fucking rolled over there. And he was like, dude, that place is like a fucking cesspool of nothing but fucking Elon Musk sympathizers and like, people who just.
- [19:10]
Alex
Yeah, like the elephant graveyard in the Lion King. You must never go there.
- [19:15]
Frank
Yeah.
- [19:15]
Brian Andrews
So I was like, whatever, dude. Honestly, I don't give a fuck. And then, you know, I mean, the. The response, just like you said, has been overwhelmingly, you know, positive. I. I knew that I was going to draw a line in the sand, but like I said, I mean, when I think about all the people that I'm bringing back to country music, it. It makes me feel proud, you know what I'm saying? So, like, I, I don't. The. You know, I was having talks with my team about it, and they were like, you know, well, we just don't want you to alienate your audience. And I was like, well, what am I going to do? Alienate people who already don't fucking listen to my music?
- [19:52]
Chris
Well, and what if you like, take a stance, Bring. Bring the audience to me. Don't alienate. The audience is alienating themselves by being pieces of shit. If they're choosing their music based on how sexist and racist and homophobic it is, they are the one with the problem, not the musician who's not sexist, racist and homophobic. Like, stop fucking pandering. Everybody, the whole world, stop fucking pandering to monsters.
- [20:16]
Brian Andrews
Exactly. And that's the fucking thing, dude. Like, for me, country music used to stand up against injustice, not advocate for it. I think that at the end of the day, if the modern country audience doesn't listen to my music, them. You know what I mean? I mean, I love people and you know, I think that, like, we all have clouded judgment at times for sure. You know, I'm not a perfect Christian. I'm definitely not a perfect person. And I say dumb things that I know I shouldn't say and I say or. And I do things that I know I shouldn't do. But at the end of the day when you really take a look back on it and you should be able to look at yourself and say, I've grown as a person, not stayed in the same exact spot. And I'm just not going to. I'm not going to let a genre of music that I love so much be just this right wing cult of music that nobody else even wants to listen to. So my. My grandfather lived in a small town. He hunted deer his whole life. I mean, the same thing that I do. I mean, we go. He taught me how to fish, how to hunt bullfro frogs, how to gig frogs. I mean, every. The. The most country man I've ever met in my life. And he was as. He was a Democrat because he worked for General Motors in a union for 30 years. Like, and now they want to attack the left. Like, we're a death sentence to you, to the U.S. right? No, dog. Like, it's. It's crazy that you think I'm a lunatic because I want kids who are born into poverty to be able to fucking eat right. Like, what are we talking about? You're not, you're not fooling me, dog. I might be from a small town, but I'm not stupid. And I don't believe that these people are either. I just think that they're having a bad moment.
- [22:06]
Chris
I think you're starting a difficult conversation. And it's a conversation that the country has to have, both with country music and with Christianity. And the first waves of those, those conversations are going to be really painful. And so first, thank you for just doing the thing that's hard and uncomfortable.
- [22:27]
Alex
That shit is no fun.
- [22:29]
Chris
It's, it's, it's scary and ugly and, and potentially dangerous. But I would say, you know, it has to happen. And the fact that you're out there, if there's 10 million views on, on, on Twitter, let's say 9 million of them are like, fuck that guy forever. But then 1 million of them, you know, half of those people are like, well, that guy. But he kind of makes me think about it for a second.
- [22:51]
Brian Andrews
Yeah, exactly, dude.
- [22:53]
Brian
Egg.
- [22:53]
Brian Andrews
Fuck. Exactly. I knew when I wrote this song if I would just fucking get it to the right fucking ears, then maybe if it came from someone who looked and talked like them, they might think about it for longer than half a second.
- [23:06]
Chris
Right. And if you can antagonize any positive thought, like, this is not something. It's not going to be six months from now where Christians are like, we get it now. It's this. Is this to be slow and painful? And those are the hardest battles to fight, but they're the most important ones to win because they're durable. And so I appreciate what you're doing because like those people, they have friends, they have family members, they'll have kids if they're a little bit less shitty or if they come all the way over and they figure it out on their own. Like, those are both wins and, and it takes really painful, uncomfortable things like this to start that process, knowing that it's not going to finish it. So it doesn't feel very satisfying. And it's. Yeah, it's scary. But thank you.
- [23:47]
Frank
Yeah.
- [23:48]
Brian Andrews
Yeah. Well, I mean, I, I just feel like I'm just trying to do my part. And to be honest with you, as a guy who is a straight white dude from a small town who's never been on the receiving end of rhetoric like they use or policy that they pass, it was pretty easy for me to say right at the end of.
- [24:11]
Alex
The day, straight white dudes have had the same rights in this country for 250 years. And if you keep your mouth shut, you'll have them for another 250 years.
- [24:18]
Chris
Yeah, yeah. You can just choose to not do anything, which is how we got things.
- [24:25]
Alex
To stand by and do nothing.
- [24:26]
Brian
Well, that's how We've gotten into this mess and I think that's why we're doing this show. Because we want to say, wait a minute, like not all, all straight white men or white men in general or men at all act like this or think like this. And then we are trying to reclaim what masculinity truly is, which is to, you know, defend and protect your family, but also be empathetic and lift people up who need a helping hand, not a shove out the door like these people are. And that's why like, you know, like I said, even though I'm not religious now, I just, I roll my eyes at these, you know, evangelical Christians in particular who claim that they want to live this, you know, godly life and then just don't. Like they cut snap benefits for poor kids. Like how. I don't know how to square that. Like it, it's just, you can't.
- [25:12]
Alex
It just said if the shutdown continues that November, there won't be food stamps anymore.
- [25:17]
Brian Andrews
Yep. Yeah, that makes out of money.
- [25:19]
Chris
But don't worry, they have the, they have money for, for new jets for Christy Gnome and they have money for artillery shells to fire over the.
- [25:27]
Brian
So, so for people who don't know, I did a video on this. This weekend the Department of Homeland Security actually just bought a two luxury Lear.
- [25:36]
Chris
Gulf Stream Gulf Stream jets.
- [25:39]
Brian
Are they Gulf Streams? Gulf Streams which are crazy expensive at for the tune of $137 million for Kristi Gnome and the bozos at DHS to fly around on. How many hungry kids do you think that could feed? Or how many families could have health care?
- [25:52]
Chris
Tim. Kids can't eat a jet, Tim.
- [25:54]
Brian
Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry.
- [25:56]
Chris
Where are you coming from? Have you met a child? I mean, come on.
- [25:59]
Brian
Yeah, it's just, it's crazy to me. But, but Brian, so you, you got, you know, with this, this crash out video, you know, I saw articles from People magazine about you. Like how, I mean, how has that felt? I'm sure this is probably the most press that has. Has come to you, but how has it been overall? Positive, negative, overwhelming, probably everything.
- [26:21]
Brian Andrews
Yeah, I think the majority of the press has been like the press itself is good, you know, and I think it's like, I think it's such a conversation starter because just like you guys said, you know, it's coming from someone who looks like I look, you know, and so the, you know, especially like NBC doing the whole thing, the whole bit, you know, and everything like that, I think it's been overwhelmingly good. I think there's only been like. I think Breitbart and Fox News did unsurprised.
- [26:47]
Brian
Yeah, shocker.
- [26:49]
Alex
Garbage.
- [26:50]
Brian Andrews
Yeah. So I, I was getting some pretty wild DMS from that.
- [26:54]
Chris
Oh, I'm sure.
- [26:55]
Brian Andrews
But I mean, yeah, over overall, it's been, I think that there's like, when I see that press, it's like hopeful to me as a country artist or just as a musician in general that things. The pendulum is swinging back, you know, and so I think it's just like, it's small, but it's a sign of hope, you know, because, I mean, media does control a lot, you know, whether we want to agree or disagree. It has a very staunch influence on how people vote at the ballot box. So I think that it's been over. I'm glad to see that it's been overwhelmingly positive. I mean, I've definitely never dealt with this much press in my life. So living in a small town like I do by myself, with just me and my dog, it's a little weird, but I mean, it's something that I knew was coming. Like when I put, when I wrote the song and we got the final master back, I was like this, I know what this could do. And that's why when I was sending it to, you know, people like Luke and stuff like that, and I was like, I just want people to get be honestly, I sent it out to people because I wanted reassurance, you know, I was a little bit nervous myself, you know, and, and so sending it out like that and just the response I got from those people.
- [28:15]
Alex
I was gonna say, I hope I gave you a good one.
- [28:17]
Brian Andrews
Yeah, definitely, Definitely validated me. And I was like, you know what it, dude.
- [28:22]
Chris
Well, I, I think the thing that's really wild is like, not, you know, I, I, I'm not going to pat myself on the back for making, for showing up at all, for doing the right decision or making the right decision for a straight white guy in this country. Because it's so easy. Like, it is, it is so easy to leave your house and just not be shitty when you have every lever of power at your disposal all of the time.
- [28:47]
Frank
Yeah.
- [28:47]
Brian
What are they mad about?
- [28:48]
Chris
And nobody's coming after you. I know. Well, they, they think that. Well, they think power is a lim. Zero sum game. And I'm like, dude, we can all have rights. Like, you can all have health care. Like, it's not at your expense. But it's also amazing because it's effective because Republican men, they don't listen to blue haired Lesbian baristas from Seattle. You can platform those people. You can give them every microphone. Those. Those people are just like, look at the freaks. Like, the freaks are going to be freaks. They're all freaks. And that's. And they just shut it down. But when they hear somebody like you, hopefully somebody like us, they. They. It at least confuses them. And when you're confused, you try to reconcile those. Those thoughts.
- [29:31]
Brian Andrews
Yeah, for sure. It makes you at least look in the mirror for half a second. You know what I mean? Zach, I think you made a great video once that I watched. It was like, you make a lot of great content. One that resonates it with me was like, you know, like, I don't think you're a piece of. If you think we should have strong borders.
- [29:56]
Evan
Right.
- [29:56]
Brian Andrews
I think you start becoming a piece of when you advocate and laugh.
- [30:01]
Evan
Yeah.
- [30:02]
Brian Andrews
For the U.S. supreme Court, saying it's okay that we can racially target people or families apart outside of courthouses of people trying to come here the right ways. So, like, that. That, for me was like that. I feel that to my core, because I'm surrounded by conservative people. Even my best friends that I drink beer with on the weekends are conservatives. You know what I mean? And so, like, it's. It's one of those things where, like, even we can definitely get in heated talks sometimes. And sometimes they'll sit there and they'll be like, you know what? I don't want to argue about it anymore. And it's like, okay, so now I know that anytime I start making sense, you don't want to talk about it no more. But when you go home tonight, you'll think about it.
- [30:43]
Evan
Yeah, you are.
- [30:44]
Alex
That's the critical piece, the hit. Hitting the nail on the head. God damn it.
- [30:49]
Brian Andrews
Yeah. So that's. That's where I'm at. I mean, it's like, you think about things like, you know, Christians talking about, oh, well, I'm pro life and don't believe in abortion because of my religion. And I'm like, okay, that's great. But did you ever. Yeah, I was like, did you ever think about the fact that 70 of the women who get abortions in the United States are at or below the. The federal poverty line? Yep. Did you ever think that 30% of those fucking people that get abortions in the United States are 100% below the federal poverty line? Did you ever stop to think for a second that maybe so many people wouldn't get abortions if you weren't supporting politicians who handed them a Financial death sentence when they had a child. Testify.
- [31:38]
Alex
This is the goddamn truth.
- [31:40]
Brian Andrews
I've been shouting this from the rooftops, dude, but it's, it's craz, man. And like, I, I, I just, I don't understand where people can look at something so black and whitely when it's a much more nuanced conversation. Right.
- [31:57]
Evan
Yeah.
- [31:57]
Frank
Well, I mean, I can tell you the precise moment when I became pro choice. I used to be conservative. Like, one of the most influential influencers in my life was my grandmother, who was like a go to Catholic church multiple times a week kind of person. Right. I was, I was like, no premarital sex, blah, blah, blah, blah. I was 16 and had an accident happen. I thought I was being responsible. But you know, when you're, when you're new at these things, like you accidentally, you don't know what you're, what the you're doing. Right, Right. And like that moment, I was like, everything that I fucking believed in evaporated because I was like, I thought I was so careful and I was in love. Right. Like all of the other things that like made it okay in my mind, I was like, I did everything fucking right. And then I don't know what a condom ripping feels like when I'm 16, so. And, and that is why conservatives are not empathetic is it's in toll. And I was that until it happens to you, until you're the person affected, you don't have a reason to feel that empathy and you have to like, suffer. I think in life, if you're anything like me, you have to suffer a little bit to learn why empathy is necessary.
- [33:21]
Brian Andrews
I agree. I totally.
- [33:23]
Frank
I don't think I was born with empathy. Yeah, maybe I'm a shitty person, but I feel like a certain amount of suffering in my life where I was just like all of these things. I'm, I'm doing everything right and I'm still falling through the cracks.
- [33:36]
Brian Andrews
Yeah.
- [33:36]
Frank
Like, I'm still, I'm still getting by you, by the universe.
- [33:40]
Brian Andrews
Yeah.
- [33:40]
Frank
That is what made me finally just be like, oh, actually, maybe I should be a little bit nicer.
- [33:47]
Brian Andrews
Yeah, absolutely. Dude. I, I used to say, when I was a kid, I used to laugh at people who would say, like when I was 12, 13ish, I would laugh at people who would say that addiction as a disease. And now I have a very, very strong empathetic attitude towards addicts because I was a pill head when I was 18. You know, I mean, these problems and things that we see in the world can truly happen to any one of us. And it's so heartbreaking that it takes hap it happening to either yourself or someone you love for you to give a. Yeah. And so that's when I like, you know, going through those hardships, I would agree with you, you know, that that's where when I started really leaning left is when I went through things like that and came out of it and said, you know what? Life just ain't that easy.
- [34:40]
Evan
Yeah, it's just not.
- [34:41]
Alex
I mean, I wonder thumping anybody that can't, you know, that's in those spots.
- [34:46]
Brian Andrews
Oh yeah.
- [34:46]
Evan
There's no point to it. I, I think like, and I'm curious because you're from a small town. Like I've had a theory for a long time that people from like rural areas and small towns, a huge percentage of the reason they don't end up feeling empathetic or like they have a lot of like negative feelings towards people who are sort of, you know, from cities and is because they just don't have any exposure to it. Right. Like, so like they just can't imagine it. It's the same thing as all this stuff is like, until you're exposed to it, you don't understand it. So like I, I wonder like how the do you solve that problem? Because like I think a lot of people who grew up in small towns, like a lot of my family's from small towns and like you're lucky if they go 50 miles from their house ever in their whole life. How can you possibly expose somebody in that position to like, hey, maybe there's another way to look at stuff and all this AmeriCorps terrible, right? Like this national service, how the do you do it outside of that?
- [35:36]
Frank
If I could, if I were king for a day, I would make national service like, like pay for your, your two year associates, like go serve. You don't have to serve in the military, you don't have to be uniformed. Like if you want to be a firefighter, great. But shit, like, I don't know, working in food kitchens, like just any ems, right? Like all of these types of things. People who I've known who've had the benefit of that kind of service.
- [36:03]
Chris
Yeah.
- [36:04]
Frank
Going to a place outside their state, outside their, you know, small town, going into a city has made them a much better, smarter, more empathetic person.
- [36:15]
Brian Andrews
Yeah, that is spot on.
- [36:17]
Alex
I worked on a subway for three years when I was in high school. Had a guy throw a sandwich and a glass plate at my head. Had a whole bunch of happen 100 the reason I am the way I am. Or at least part of it.
- [36:30]
Brian Andrews
Right. Yeah, dude, I totally agree. I washed dishes at a bar when I was in college for three years for eight bucks an hour. And that made me pretty, you know.
- [36:38]
Alex
775 at the subway.
- [36:40]
Brian Andrews
Yeah, it's pretty sympathetic to people who, you know, just don't have a lot. And so that's where like, dude, I'm so sick and tired of seeing, you know, and I think that people to what you said, Zach, I think that people are waking up a little bit because, I mean, I know like, farmers in my community that are starting to be like, yo, what the fuck?
- [37:00]
Evan
Yeah.
- [37:01]
Brian Andrews
You know, I mean, like with this whole soybean crisis, which is fucking insane. Yeah, yeah. Insane that we bailed out Argentina to the tune of $20 billion before we bailed out American farmers just so China could go buy soybeans from Argentina before they bought them from US farmers. It was 40. Well, I think it was 21st. And now they're getting ready to do another 20 billion.
- [37:22]
Brian
Yep. Yes, it's 40.
- [37:24]
Brian Andrews
And he's opening the US beef market to Argentinean beef. How is that going to help?
- [37:32]
Alex
I thought he was America first.
- [37:34]
Brian Andrews
Yeah, dude. And that's what I'm saying. I may be wrong on that, but I pretty sure that's because I had a buddy of mine come up to me this weekend and said, hey, I went up to my dad when the, when the crop thing was going on. He's like, well, at least we still have beef. And he's like, I went up to him yesterday and was like, I don't think we got beef no more. I mean, I've had people, farmers in my community straight up come up to me and be like, dude, I appreciate your videos. And they'll say like, hey, you know, if we didn't. They've had farms for 150 years. I mean, these century farms. And they'll say, you know, if we didn't have our equipment paid off, we wouldn't make it.
- [38:09]
Evan
Yep.
- [38:10]
Brian Andrews
Some people don't have their equipment paid off.
- [38:12]
Chris
Sure.
- [38:12]
Alex
A lot of people.
- [38:13]
Brian
So. So, Brian, are these people. Is it. Do you see them voting a different way next time or is this a. The first step in a multi year.
- [38:25]
Brian Andrews
Or just honestly, I'd have to see how the next three years go of this current administration because the last four years to them was such a. Like, in their mind it was detrimental.
- [38:41]
Evan
Right.
- [38:42]
Brian Andrews
So it would take. And this is why, like, I think Gavin Newsom is Going to be very, a very good candidate and I'll vote for him if he becomes the primary, you know, and depending on who's in the primary, I'll definitely, probably vote for him then too. But it my ideal candidate for a small town, you know, guy that leans a little bit left and I think even people now that are watching the shit go on that lean a little bit. Right. I think the ideal candidate would be someone who is from a red state, that's a Democrat and that. Yeah, somebody, somebody. Somebody who looks like a farmer or somebody who looks like a blue collar guy, you know, or speaks. That's what Gavin Newsom is killing right now.
- [39:28]
Evan
Oh my God.
- [39:29]
Brian Andrews
Because the, these people will not. If Trump has taught me anything, it is the fact that he is so relatable to these people. Because he talks like them.
- [39:40]
Evan
Yes, exactly.
- [39:42]
Brian Andrews
And so I think that that would be like, dude, and I mean, I really don't like Bill Clinton, but when he, like, if he, when he first started running, the guy from, the southern guy from Arkansas, the southern Democrat from Arkansas, that would, that was the ideal candidate. And I think that's why he had so much success, you know what I mean? And like, I don't know, dude. I think it's like, I think about it, when I was a kid, people weren't this divided. I mean, I remember being lean and left in high school and everybody still was a Republican and stuff like that. But like during Obama's first campaign before he got elected, people were not this divided in, you know, like in 2008, we like, I remember being in high school and we would talk to each other and I'd say, you know, something along like a policy issues and we'd argue back and forth, you know, in, in class and stuff like that and people would kind of understand, at least kids would understand you. But now I literally just had a conversation with someone like in July that said to me, I just don't like Obama because he put our, put our country in so much debt that our, even our great grandkids won't be able to pay it off. And I was like, they just passed the largest debt ceiling bill in United States history.
- [41:04]
Brian
Right?
- [41:06]
Frank
They don't like facts. These people don't like facts. They don't.
- [41:08]
Evan
Well, they don't give a. About facts. That's the hardest part is they're entrenched in this belief system. They're like, that's it. This is, this is the way they.
- [41:14]
Alex
Tell a lie that identifies with their bigotry. Then they're Good with it. That's. That's all that matters.
- [41:18]
Brian
Well, but they're also. They're also told by their media that they're right, but they're.
- [41:23]
Alex
But they're telling lies that identify with their bigotry. Right. Like, they didn't like that they lost to the black guy. And so Fox News says, yeah, but Obama made us all poor. And boom, they're happy to parrot that because it's easier than saying, I don't like the black guy.
- [41:36]
Evan
Right. Which is. I mean, this is why I don't want to say that I'm constant. This is why I'm always advocating for, like, the Trump administration to be, like, a complete catastrophe where everybody has to look at and go, look what you did. You can't. Like, that's why I want this government shutdown to drag the fuck on and to keep going wrong. I want people to feel the pain of this. And I know that's a really unpopular thing to say, but otherwise, we'll just keep getting that narrative to work. If people don't feel the pain of what they voted for, they'll vote for it again.
- [42:06]
Brian Andrews
Yeah.
- [42:07]
Evan
I mean, we have to stop it.
- [42:08]
Brian Andrews
Yeah. I understand where you're coming from. And that's the thing. Like, I think that, like, here's the thing. Grocery prices are not down in the slightest.
- [42:15]
Chris
Oh, they're.
- [42:16]
Brian Andrews
And before the election, it was, well, we got to get them grocery prices down, you know? And like, even people in my hometown, they're like, dude, I'm sorry, but, you know, Biden has just ballooned like the everyday cost of living. And I'm like, okay, what the ever? And then he wins or whatever. And now the conversation has changed from, well, Biden did it to, well, Biden did it. So it's going to take us a while to get out of the hole, right?
- [42:42]
Evan
Yeah. But eventually that'll change. That'll. Like, I made a video.
- [42:45]
Alex
So far, he gets. There's only so much rope he gets right. He doesn't get right. It was Biden in two years.
- [42:50]
Evan
Yeah, that's. Well, MAGA will hang with it, but the swing voters that go and don't pay attention and jumped in and when I just voted for prices, they'll be like, well, this mugger didn't fix it, so I'm not voting for him again. And then it'll shift back and that's really permanent.
- [43:05]
Alex
They'll never be. They'll never be permanent.
- [43:06]
Evan
No. They'll always be the pendulum that does back and forth. Right. I mean, unfortunately, I Think there's a huge chunk of this country that doesn't give a. How bad things are as long as people like Trump are in power that are cool with it, you know, but he'll, They'll. MAGA will lose its power if the swing voters see that. Oh, this is bad forever. Like, I'm never going back to this approach, you know.
- [43:25]
Brian Andrews
Well, this is my main thing. It's like, dude, MAGA won't last forever. Like, what are you going to do when it's all over? Yeah, when, when it's all over, what are you gonna do? Because you've just. On everybody.
- [43:37]
Evan
No, I mean, it's horrible. I mean, here's the question. Do you think it dies with Trump, or do you think if Trump died, it would continue?
- [43:43]
Brian Andrews
No, I think J.D. vance has inherited. Inherited the throne, so to speak. And I also think that, like, you know, you see all this happening and these people are more willing to keep parroting these talking points because even if they disagree with a lot of the. They know, if they admit or they think to themselves, it's not even true because we would welcome them back or not even welcome them back, but, like, just welcome them back to sanity, you know, like, if these people think to themselves, well, if I admit he's a bad person, then I'm admitting I'm a bad person.
- [44:22]
Evan
Right.
- [44:24]
Brian Andrews
And I can't do that.
- [44:26]
Evan
Yeah, you can see that.
- [44:27]
Alex
Spot on.
- [44:28]
Brian Andrews
Yeah. Yeah.
- [44:29]
Frank
I mean, that's, that's. I've been saying the same thing. Like, I, I know that J.D. vance doesn't seem to have the same, like, charisma or stage presence as Donald Trump, but the systems of power around him, up to and including all of the billionaires who've aligned themselves with Trumpism, they're not going to suddenly turn away from that because, like, should. Should Trump fucking croak after his next McDonald's? J.D. vance is, is the president.
- [44:59]
Brian Andrews
Yeah.
- [45:00]
Frank
Right. And all of the levers of power, whether it's Oracle, you know, and their new role in Tick Tock or Mark Zuckerberg or all of our means of communication have been consolidated.
- [45:13]
Brian Andrews
Yeah.
- [45:13]
Frank
And there's, you know, outside of, of voting, there's like, not a whole lot of way to, to wrest that back from them.
- [45:21]
Evan
I think the interesting thing is, I think if J.D. vance did take over as president now, you fast forward three years and MAGA would look way different than it does now. Like, I think with Trump being like, MAGA would survive and the institutions of what they want would be the same, but, like, he's an opportunist and he knows that this is not a good long term play. I think if he was in charge, he'd be like, I'm gonna dial it back just a little so I can keep this going, you know, because Trump.
- [45:43]
Brian Andrews
Doesn'T give a. Yeah. What we have to do is make people like these politicians who are not Trump, like even Republicans in the Senate and in the House that, you know, are there now, we have to make them more fearful of the power of the people than they are of Trump. And so I think that's where, like the protests and everything, those are accomplishing a lot more than people think they do. Even on the right when they pair at this talking point, like, oh, fucking look. Looking great for you. You had your protest. Now what? You know, you. I don't give a. Dude, that was a show, show of solidarity. Absolutely there. And it makes these Republicans think to themselves, in four years he's going to be gone and I still have to campaign.
- [46:29]
Evan
Yep.
- [46:30]
Brian Andrews
Should I really be tying my fucking sails to this guy's fucking boat?
- [46:35]
Brian
Well, we have seen that generally he doesn't have coattails if he's not on the ticket. So that's. That's an interesting piece to this. Is that it? That's why we tend to do, well, better in elections where he endorses somebody but he's not on the ballot. We usually beat that person. And I think that's the same thing. And I. It's worth pointing out that the no Kings rallies this weekend, I think they have. It's essentially been confirmed that they are the largest single day protest in American history. You know, the right is going to continue or.
- [47:02]
Alex
7 million.
- [47:03]
Brian
7. 7. 7 million. You know, I've seen. And you know it's big because they've been talking about it on Fox News. They've been talking on the White House about what a disaster it's been then, which is how, you know, it's been successful because they were going out and attacking it before it even happened.
- [47:17]
Brian Andrews
Right.
- [47:20]
Alex
I heard some say that while I was out too, by the way. Really the protest I went to was like downtown and there's a bunch of restaurants downtown. And we were walking and there's this guy and his. I think his family's sitting there and he, somebody, I think his, like, little kid asked him, was like, what is that? And he unironically said it was the Hate America rally. And I, my head was like a swivel. I said, what did you say? And he goes, it's the Hate America rally. I said, oh, so you're sticking up for the pedophiles then? That's what you're protecting? Because that lady over there says her sign says get rid of pedophiles. And you're calling that hating America? That is a crazy thing to say. And his face just drained. That's what I thought.
- [48:04]
Brian Andrews
And then I just, yeah, I mean I, I loved seeing all the American flags because, you know, like I think, think for me, you know, I'm extremely proud of being from the United States and like all the things that we've been able to do through history and through time to make a better America for everyone in it. And it's about time we stop letting these unpatriotic call us that word, right?
- [48:31]
Alex
Amen.
- [48:32]
Brian
Well, and how about this? Do you know how many arrests were made at, at the rallies?
- [48:38]
Brian Andrews
Yeah, wasn't it? Hold on. Zero. Zero.
- [48:41]
Alex
Donald Trump has more rests on his record than they did at the no Kings rally.
- [48:44]
Brian
Yeah, yeah, I mean New York City, right? New York City, which the Times Square was completely jam packed. It was overflowing, hundreds of thousands of people, zero arrests. And look, we have more police than anybody. So like if someone was going to do something, they were gonna get caught. But I did hear that there were in the neighborhood of 10 to 20 counter protest MAGA protesters who got arrested.
- [49:05]
Alex
Yeah, the video, that guy that ate.
- [49:08]
Brian
Oh my God, it's my favorite wonderful video.
- [49:12]
Alex
The N word.
- [49:13]
Brian Andrews
And then wham.
- [49:14]
Brian
So for you before we, we laugh about this, just like there's this guy, it was in Denver and someone was filming him and he was, he used all kinds of derogatory, horrible comments. He used the F word to reference gay people. Did he, did you, did he use the N word?
- [49:28]
Alex
Yeah.
- [49:29]
Brian
And he's being videoed, he knows he's being videoed. And then some guy is like up to, comes up to him and then runs away and he's trying to chase the guy and he trips on his own feet. Nobody around him, nobody touched him. Everyone's laughing, nobody touched him. Gets up, tries to run again and then eats it again and stands up and he's got this like massive gash over one of his eyes. All self inflicted.
- [49:52]
Alex
Also, stupid games win stupid prizes.
- [49:55]
Frank
So the skateboarder did take his glasses. That is why he was chasing this skateboarder. So I, okay, you know, I am, I am one who loves to see MAGA get physically injured for around and finding out.
- [50:09]
Brian Andrews
But he did steal something.
- [50:12]
Frank
Like, you know, you take a man's glasses and he eats and busts his face open.
- [50:16]
Alex
I still think it's funny. That sucks.
- [50:18]
Frank
I mean, I still, like, got a chuckle out of the video. I'm not saying that it's the worst thing that's ever happened, but we. We should just acknowledge that, like, someone stole something from him.
- [50:30]
Brian Andrews
Yeah, that's not right.
- [50:32]
Brian
What a buzz kill. Buzz kill.
- [50:35]
Evan
Dude.
- [50:36]
Frank
Among us, I am the one who's so.
- [50:39]
Brian
I mean, the most quick.
- [50:40]
Alex
I think it's still. I think my favorite, favorite protest video is still from. Was that the first. No, Kings Day. Or was that. Was it hands off that that dude got headbutted? That one was pretty fun.
- [50:53]
Brian
Was that the neon?
- [50:54]
Alex
Yeah, he was some kind of white trash. He was at a protest and was like in this. In these ladies face and was like.
- [51:01]
Brian Andrews
Grabbing them and shaking them.
- [51:02]
Alex
And this dude comes out of the crowd like Batman and just wham, Headbutts him right in the kisser.
- [51:09]
Brian
Jesus.
- [51:10]
Alex
And then the guy. And then the rest of the story is not so fun because the little dick idiot runs back to his truck and pulls an AR out. But then he ended up.
- [51:18]
Brian
Well, there you go.
- [51:19]
Brian Andrews
Yeah, well, to Chris's point, I think that, you know, like, if there's anything being blasted through the media in the last week has taught me, it's that. And I just made a video about this. But, you know, no matter how many of these people obviously wouldn't even, you know, wouldn't give a flying if I drop dead tomorrow or wouldn't stop on the side of the road if I was on fire to piss on me. I still want these same people to be able to afford health insurance or to be able to go work 40 hours a week and then come home and enjoy their time with their children. Or not have to come home after working 80 hours a week and flip the light switch on and wonder if the lights are going to come on because they're so far behind on their light bill. And that's my main sentiment, and that's the biggest difference between me and them, is that, you know, we weren't born to just play or pay bills and die.
- [52:21]
Alex
I like that line. You'd use that in a video? I like it.
- [52:23]
Brian Andrews
Yeah, that's. I just. I just posted it. I was like. I mean, it's. It's all about, like. Because people ask me all the time, especially in my small town, people that I grew up with and that. I know, man, you're just. You're really far gone now, dude. Like, are you okay? Who radicalized you? You did. Dude. Yeah.
- [52:41]
Brian
For you.
- [52:42]
Brian Andrews
Yes. Wanting better for you radicalized me, man.
- [52:45]
Brian
Yeah. It's funny. I. I've gotten the. I'm from a small town in Maine, and I've gotten the same thing. Like. Or friends of friends will. Will tell me, like, oh. Like everyone says, like, people are like, oh, what happened to him? And I'm like, I. I haven't changed. Like, you guys changed. You guys got more, you know, aggressive and. And wanted to blame other people for your. For your problems. Because that's what you're being told, right. Is like Fox News and Donald Trump and, you know, Facebook and all these things are just telling you over and over again that someone's else fault, like, part of it. I kind of. I. I get it. I get frustrated when I go, like, you know, the argument about who is committing most of the political violence in this country, which it's overwhelmingly the right. And they are all convinced, especially after Charlie Kirk, that it's all the left. And I asked them all to Google it, and they won't do it.
- [53:31]
Frank
Yeah.
- [53:31]
Brian
Because they know. Right?
- [53:32]
Brian Andrews
Yeah.
- [53:32]
Brian
But they won't. They can't admit it.
- [53:35]
Brian Andrews
Yeah. And I mean, it's just. It's. It's so sad and it's the. It's a crying damn shame that there's a fact out there that 8 people own more money and have more money than 4 billion people can find. Yep. Combined. But these same people still were able to convince most of these people that vote for them that illegal immigrants at the emergency room and poor people on welfare are the reason they're broke. Yep, yep, yep. 100.
- [54:04]
Alex
It's a big club, and you ain't in it. Wait, I have one question before we wrap up here. We've been talking about a lot of divisive, But I got one more divisive thing to bring up.
- [54:16]
Brian
Oh, God. The last time you asked the last question, you got called an. So are we gonna be in the same boat?
- [54:20]
Alex
It's about music. Because I feel like we have.
- [54:25]
Brian
Dude. Oh, you really doing this.
- [54:31]
Brian Andrews
Bro? I love Nickelback.
- [54:36]
Alex
I've been making this podcast with these for six months, and they have on me for my love of Nickelback.
- [54:42]
Chris
For months here for the first time around. You were here for the first time around when we saw. We were here for Nickelback, and it was terrible. You guys, don't do it to us again.
- [54:52]
Brian Andrews
No, dude. If I. Dude, I bet I catch myself at least once a month going, this is how you remind me.
- [55:00]
Brian
This guy gets it.
- [55:01]
Chris
That's why it's bad it's brain cancer. It never leaves you. That.
- [55:06]
Brian Andrews
That 2000s butt rock was the.
- [55:08]
Brian
I love it.
- [55:10]
Brian Andrews
Divorce. Dad rock. Yeah.
- [55:13]
Brian
Do you feel the same way about Creed?
- [55:15]
Brian Andrews
I love Creed, dude. Oh, God, dude. One of my ass at most of my shows. Sometimes I'll like. If we get encore or whatever, I'll come out and sing higher. Oh, man.
- [55:33]
Brian
I would say you probably do do a better Scott style. I would say for sure. And then your little bit of Nickelback. I would like to see you do a real version of that because maybe I would actually.
- [55:41]
Brian Andrews
Yeah.
- [55:41]
Brian
Enjoy it maybe. Also. We were also. It was pummeled into our brains for.
- [55:46]
Brian Andrews
Several years non stop.
- [55:48]
Chris
When before streaming, when you had no choice. If you wanted. If you wanted new music, you either had to like wing it and gu Sam goody on a CD or you had to turn on the radio. If you couldn't go into a store, you couldn't turn on a station without just being abused.
- [56:04]
Brian Andrews
Abused.
- [56:05]
Chris
I called it Yarl Rock because they all sound like they're saying Jarl all the time. But it's all the post grunge. Like it started with Godsmack through Nickelback and all. Yeah.
- [56:15]
Brian Andrews
It's just.
- [56:15]
Chris
It was a whole thing for like 10 years.
- [56:18]
Brian Andrews
I think that divorced dad Rock has such a huge influence on popular country music today. And so like, for me, when I make like rock songs like that, I love doing that. And then, I mean, I don't know. Well, growing up I used to listen to a lot of pop punk music too. So, you know, just living in the Midwest and everything. So. Yeah, I don't know.
- [56:36]
Alex
I.
- [56:36]
Brian Andrews
But I mean, I love Nickelback. I like Creed. Three doors down. Three Got a little Shine Down. Yeah, dude. Love, dude. Shine down follows me on Instagram and it. That's amazing. I'm so jealous. I remember the day and having like.
- [56:52]
Chris
I don't know, man.
- [56:52]
Frank
I. I thought we were gonna invite you back, Brian.
- [56:55]
Alex
I know.
- [56:55]
Evan
Me too.
- [56:57]
Brian
So close.
- [56:59]
Brian Andrews
It's going so well, dude.
- [57:02]
Brian
I guess it's. Luke used to have a. He used to end the show with a get segment. But I think we're the ones getting now by Luke. That was what this one was.
- [57:10]
Brian Andrews
I don't like that.
- [57:11]
Alex
I don't like that phrasing at all.
- [57:15]
Chris
Crazy plan in the background. It's really.
- [57:17]
Alex
Yes.
- [57:18]
Brian Andrews
Can you take me? Dude, that's already better.
- [57:22]
Brian
That's already better. That's already. Well, tell you what, Ryan. I heard. I heard your. The chimes in the background. Your clock at 3 o' clock went off. So I Know we've been going for an hour, but we wanted to thank you not only for. For being here, which is obviously awesome, but for doing what you're doing. I know it's not easy in particular in the. In the line of work and the. In the categories that you tend to perform in is not an easy thing to do. So we really, really appreciate it. And I loved that when you put your statement out the other day and you, like, did it as a carousel and you're like, I know a lot of people are upset. And then you swipe by and he goes, I stand by everything that I said. We need more people like you doing exactly what you're doing. And it's just great to have you on and have known.
- [58:02]
Frank
Get.
- [58:03]
Brian
Get to know you a little bit over the past week. And I want to make sure that everybody goes and streams all of Brian's music, regardless of some of his influences that we talk about anymore, including. Including the new single, the Older I Get, which is super good, and you should stream it and show support for him. So with that, I'm gonna say goodbye. Oh, you know what I didn't do?
- [58:26]
Brian Andrews
Oh. Oh, gosh.
- [58:27]
Brian
I didn't hawk our merch.
- [58:29]
Chris
So, yeah, dude, let's do this a slightly different way. So, Chris, I know you don't like when I try to give things away, but I was wondering, can we send Brian a hoodie or something? Like, we gotta. He needs some. He needs some stuff, right? Let's send him some merch.
- [58:42]
Brian Andrews
Find out merch. How about you guys send me some and I'll send y'? All.
- [58:46]
Frank
Awesome deal.
- [58:47]
Chris
I like that.
- [58:48]
Brian
There we go. And I think everybody's going to be really happy to.
- [58:58]
Chris
There was.
- [58:59]
Frank
I don't know if it was the last episode or two episodes ago, Rich, We. We talked about Merch for kids. We can. We can do it. There are. Our merch guy listens to our show and sent me an email over the weekend so we. We physically can print this stuff.
- [59:18]
Brian Andrews
I just want you guys to know by the way you guys are getting around. Somebody sent me a DM this last week and it said, dude, you. You should go on the find out podcast. Yes.
- [59:30]
Brian
Now you can tell them that you were on. And also, this is part of our pitch. But so you know, all of our stuff is made in America and printed by Union.
- [59:42]
Alex
Shop.
- [59:42]
Brian
Uni shop.
- [59:43]
Brian Andrews
Yes, dude.
- [59:44]
Brian
Yeah. And they're super comfortable. And everybody else, if you want to buy yours, you can get it@findoutpodcast.com and you can also. Don't forget to subscribe to our substack@findoutpodcast.subsect.com Brian Andrews, thank you very much for joining us. Thank you, everybody, for listening. Have a wonderful week. We'll be back on Thursday. Thanks, everybody.
- [60:01]
Brian Andrews
Thanks for having me, guys. Appreciate it. Appreciate it.
- [60:03]
Evan
Good.