Ryan Langlois + Jonah David with intention

ep27 Ryan Langlois + Jonah David with intention

[00:00:00] I had a moment this summer. The kind of moment I long for every summer, every year where I get to witness something that moves me and share it with the people around me. All that good human stuff. It happened to me. It happened to me. Standing side stage at the Edmonton Folk Festival as Stephen Wilson Jr.

Belted his viral song, father, son, into the hill of Lights to a crowd succumbed by the raw intensity of both. The delivery and deeply shared subject matter. A son now a grown man, willow out the truth of his own rebellion in the truthful light of the man his father was, and he couldn’t avoid becoming himself the same person after years of running from it.

The tenuous relationship of a father and son. It has a deep storyline through human history, not the normal friction [00:01:00] and the coming of age stuff, the painful standoff, and generational stuff. I’m happy to tell you that you won’t hear any of that on this episode. If you need your heart warmed, if the world’s news is hard to absorb right now, and you just need something good.

Let me introduce you to Ryan Langlois and his son, Jonah David, I’m not talking about the gushing kind of good that your puppy videos or AI babies on TikTok give you. I’m talking about two men at very different ends of their life. Cut from the same cloth, the same bloodline weaving each other into their own storylines with a rich, but matter of fact, manner of respect and love and appreciation.

Jonah David is a 22-year-old aspiring artist who moved to Vancouver on his own to [00:02:00] find his muse, and in a few short years has released his first album. Entry oh oh three, as well as finding a partner in a new clothing line soon to drop, called bully. Exciting stuff. Ryan Langlois is his father. Forged from iron or pipe, actually, but more so from the vulnerable, badass spirit of Johnny Cash and the Swaggering pride of Elvis, a father and a music veteran.

Could cast a really long shadow on an artistic boy, but what I found was a man who knew how to step back and let his shadow fall. And a young man who knows it, saving himself, all the troubles that Steven Wilson Jr. Laments. My name is Glen Erickson. This is Almost Famous [00:03:00] enough. Thanks for spending your time with us.

This is Ryan Langlois and Jonah David.

 

 

Glen: Uh, thank you Ryan and Jonah for bearing with and troubleshooting and getting this thing going. And, uh, this is actually a conversation with the both of you that I, I think I literally thought of the day after.

You released your album Jonah. and Ryan was, uh, so proud about it, sharing it all around social media and stuff. And I went and listened to it and, uh, and my, uh, I sent it to my daughter who, who works on this podcast with me and is my, my new musical advisor. And I sent it to her and, and got all her feedback.

And then we were talking about it. And, uh, up to that point, I mean, all, all along, I’ve just been one-to-one with [00:04:00] people on here, right? Just direct conversations about people’s careers. But I just had this like flash in my mind being a dad myself, and this thought of like one person in a later stage of a music career and one person at this early stage of a music career.

Father, son, all that stuff. And I thought, this would just be a different conversation that I think would be really awesome to have. And just knowing, Ryan and knowing how, you know, pretty transparent in life and everything that you are, I, I assumed you probably would be

Ryan Langlois: Yeah. Yeah.

Glen: good for it and down for it.

And, um, and so here we are. So, I mean, I’m gonna wanna sort of talk a little bit about just each of you and where you’ve kind of, you know, where you sort of came from in the getting to where you are and, and what sort of has sort of driven or inspired you and the way that you’re going. So it’ll require a little bit of listening to the other tells things that you [00:05:00] probably already know.

But, I’m also just, I normally I might take deeper dives into that, but I, I’m, I’m curious to get, you know, also your, the others’ perspective since you’ve lived so closely together on, on seeing. How those sort of stories have developed, if that’s cool. so Ryan, Ryan Lang while you were, well, I love the way that you put it in your, your bio.

So you’ve, you’ve deemed yourself a bar stool balladeer for a long time, which is, uh, a pretty cool term. And you’ve, you’ve had a, a pretty, pretty great history. The one that I’ve known about starts all the way back with boom Chuck of Boys. So that’s, you know, I don’t know if that’s 20 12, 20 13, uh, era by the time that kind of hit, hit, hit my, hit my radar.

yeah. And obviously gotten to know you through a number of different things in the province, uh, over time. Jonah, I’ve never actually even met you, so it’s really great to meet you [00:06:00] by the way. Uh, obviously I get to see you and hear about you from your dad and, um. And, uh, playing music stuff. And, and so seeing, seeing your music come out was really awesome.

And just, uh, I got to sit down and talk with your dad, uh, earlier in the summer and asked a bunch of questions about sort of who you were and where you were directed. And that even spurred this on even more. I, I find it really curious and interesting, so I’m gonna wanna find out some more about that.

Let’s start, let’s, where would I normally even start, but, let’s start, Ryan, like, help me out before, boom. Chuck of boys. Like, what was, what was the, uh, what was the drive towards music in your life and history? Was that a common. I’m a teenager, I pick up a guitar. there’s so many different sort of stereotypes.

There’s the, uh, I wasn’t an athlete, so I pursued music line. There was the, I, I liked girls, so I picked up a guitar [00:07:00] line. There’s a bunch of these. Where does, uh, you know, where does that drive for music? And then where that switch flips to where you’re like, I think I can actually do this. Where did that sort of start for you?

Ryan Langlois: Um, it started, you know, I guess nor relative to the general story quite late. I, uh, play music growing up. was around, it, it was a big part of my family. Um, but not performing or instruments music was a huge part. and my dad was very musical, but wasn’t a normal part of life. It was, pretty much only around the campfire when the stars aligned that he would pull out a guitar at family reunions, which was a huge part, like my, my family reunions were full of uncles and aunties singing and playing the fiddle. We had a songbook and it was a huge part, but I didn’t, I mean, nobody in my, I have three younger [00:08:00] brothers and none of us, well, actually I shouldn’t say that my younger brothers did. but I didn’t up a guitar until I think I was about 21. and I had never sang publicly. I’d never done anything like that. And, but I, don’t remember exactly when it was that I first kind of started picking around, but I like, it’s, it sounds super cliche and, and maybe cheesy, but like I had a calling it. I remember when Jonah was born, um, I had a job that I hated and my wife Melissa, had a job that she loved. And so I decided, or we decided that I would stay home and as parental leave and, and do that. And so. It was just a lot of afternoons napping with Jonah and cleaning up the house and making dinner and stuff. And one day, I remember we were our first like real home, it was a [00:09:00] townhouse in Cold Lake, Alberta and Jonah. I’d put Jonah down for a nap and I just remember sitting on the floor in the living room and I was watching this musical, this music doc, I don’t even remember what it was, it was black and white. And there was a scene when they followed band from backstage, just before the show getting all hyped. And they walked out onto the stage and the, opened up to this incredible scene. I remember in that moment I went, what I’m supposed to do. I didn’t, I didn’t know anybody that did it. I didn’t know how to do it, but I felt this incredible. From this moment on with all of your intention, you need to move towards that. And I mean, that’s, that’s the, the beginning of it. And I, just started

Glen: Yeah. Okay. What year were you born,[00:10:00]

Ryan Langlois: me.

Glen: Jonah? What was Jonah?

Jonah David: Uh, am 2003.

Glen: Okay, so same age as my oldest, which makes this even more of a fun story because I, I changed all my job hours to work early mornings so that my son wouldn’t be in daycare, so that I could basically raise him. And then shortly after I, I basically quit my job and started freelancing so that I could just raise my kids and stay at home and I remember all the same stuff.

So that’s kind of a cool parallel, exact same age. that’s really cool. So how did you, how did you like that? That has a couple of like big limitations between that origin story, Ryan, and where you are right now, which is the limitation of you didn’t know anybody else doing it. You weren’t sort of in those circles.

And that’s a common way people can fall into it, is that they already have [00:11:00] circles and they know where to go. And geographically, cold Lake, Alberta, is not very connected.

Ryan Langlois: has, it has limitations.

Glen: Yeah. So, so how did you take that feeling and that sort of calling that you had and how did you take that and, and start moving it in a direction that you could actually like, get some traction going?

Ryan Langlois: Uh, well, I remember I didn’t really know how to play guitar properly, so I remember, uh, my wife and I were attending this tiny little church that set up in a coffee shop every Sunday. And, there was the guy there, the music leader, he was a very talented guy. And, he just happened to be starting a little studio and he needed business cards. And my wife was a designer. She could do all that stuff. So she basically said, well, hey, I’ll design some business cards for you, if you will, give Ryan guitar lessons. ’cause I knew, I mean, I’m, I’m, if I gonna do this, I gotta know how to play guitar. And so, I just [00:12:00] started meeting with him like probably around once a week and, um, he honestly taught me GCDE minor and gave me a cap o and said. This is all you need. You can play any song in the world. And I was like, sweet, this isn’t as complicated as I thought. And uh, I just, so I started playing, um, playing in church a little bit, singing in church a little bit. And then, you know, eventually I remember there was a, there was an open mic that had started in Cold Lake. And so I thought, well, if I’m gonna do this, if I’m gonna be on the radio and I’m gonna perform, I, I learned how to do this. So I just a couple songs. One was some Snow Patrol song that I just remember ’cause it was such a funny fit for me. And I started going to this open mic and singing these songs over and over again. and I started, yeah, just, I, I just started taking every [00:13:00] opportunity could. Where I was to do it. And that one thing led to another. And then this was in the ha i, I just so enjoyed you and Shayla’s conversation, but that it stuck out about the American Idol thing because, I, I did Canadian Idol five times like it, because I didn’t know, I didn’t know what else.

There was no other, I didn’t know what else to do, and then all of a sudden there’s this opportunity so I was like, I’m just gonna go do this. And I went and I, so it was like even that I, it, I, I’m a, I’m a huge after experience in it, I am a huge proponent of that was and what it offered to, especially to guys like me because I had no idea what I was doing. And so I was like putting into this kind of getting a little bootcamp. And so I

Glen: Would you say, would you say you didn’t know where a bar was either? [00:14:00] Like if you go to something like that and now you’re surrounded by all these other people who want to sing like you in Cold Lake, you’re not surrounded by knowing like, you know, where’s the bar actually at that I have to like get to, to get attention?

Ryan Langlois: Yeah,

Glen: Right.

Ryan Langlois: yeah, I definitely didn’t. and, but I just, I knew I, like, I knew I had some talent because I could, I could carry a tune and, and do all that, but I just went in completely green and I remember, oh man, like that first, that first audition. Like everybody know, I think probably at this point knows you gotta go through the, all the levels.

And I remember I got past that first level the very first time, and they put me in that room and they put me on camera I looked like my head was gonna explode. Like I was, was just beat red and, And I just, honestly, it was just one, everything, like, everything do to do it. And I kept actually [00:15:00] like speaking it into life too.

’cause I remember I would tell people, it’s like, I’m gonna be on the radio one day and they’re, they’d look at me like, okay, a, you’re a liner. What are you talking about? I’m like, Noah, I’m gonna, so anyways, I just kept, and like I said, I went to Idol, like, I think it was four years in a row. And eventually I got to the golden ticket and went to Toronto and got on TV and they did the whole profile.

They came to where we were living at the time in Pierce Land, at my mom’s acreage. Jonah was just a wee baby. And they came and did the

Jonah David: Yeah.

Ryan Langlois: like, family thing and, um,

Glen: the backstory. Oh yeah.

Ryan Langlois: and uh, even then I was like, I didn’t, I just didn’t, I was just. Playing when I could. There was really nowhere to play. But, you know, Canada Day would come around and, you know, so I’d go get on the stage at Cold Lake Canada Day and um, and I just

Glen: Yeah.[00:16:00]

Ryan Langlois: and working and started writing and, um, truly I just, I did it ’cause I felt like this is what I’m meant to do and intention is a huge part of my story and so I just intention with everything moving towards it. Mm-hmm.

Glen: yeah, I mean, I see that, that I never, I never asked you about the, your beginnings before, which is like, you know, over just drinks or whatever. So that’s, that makes so much sense to me, Ryan, in the sense that you, you know, our major interactions were when you were in the Project Wild Program, competing for the big money and you, you know, competed one year and you’re one of those handful of people that would actually came back and tried again after going through all of that.

And, uh, and ended up winning money the second year. So, That makes a lot more sense. That kind of perseverance, which I have always felt is probably the most important character trait of an artist, [00:17:00] is to simply persevere. And if you want a career at least. I’m curious because your, like your current, like your current embodiment of your artist in your solo career, you know, very much uses the Johnny Cash Springsteen, these, you know, your heroes of songwriting like John Prine, but, but more the persona blending of, of these kind of iconic figures in music.

Were those the North Star at that time when you were trying all this stuff and you, what you were trying to embody in yourself? Was it guys like that? Were there other people that you were trying to embody? Because you have no choice but to mimic a lot when you’re starting out.

Ryan Langlois: that’s so good. Uh, mimic because I, I didn’t, I did certainly did not consider myself an artist when I started. Like, that wasn’t something I considered and so I, I, I kind of to [00:18:00] emulate or mimic and it was, it, I mean, Johnny Cash was the first one. I remember sitting in the bathroom at the acreage in Pierce Land because the acoustics were great and working on one of my very first songs.

And I just, I, all I did was try to envision cash singing it at Folsom Prison, it was like, how, guess I’m just gonna try and do that. And, uh, KB Lund was another one. He’s, he was one of the first artists that I just, uh, for whatever reason, I just, I mean, I, not for whatever reason, he’s incredible, but I, I was drawn to his songwriting and so I would just kind of try and write songs that I thought KB might sing and

Glen: Yeah.

Ryan Langlois: try to sing them. And so those were the first, and Springsteen came later, and I grew up with Prine, but prime’s become such a huge part of my life over the past number of years. A lot more.

Glen: I’m curious, I’m, I’m [00:19:00] curious because, uh, uh, on a couple fronts, like, people don’t always get to get a sense of, um, like the artist and at home. Like, for example, we talk to artists all the time. You, you read their press, you see interviews on TV or YouTube or, um, you know, and they’re always asking about influences and stuff like that, right?

Like, what were your influences? And then they talk about all that kind of stuff. And then if you really get to know people, that doesn’t mean that they’re necessarily playing music all the time at home or like, I think a lot of people might assume. So I’m curious, like Jonah, you grow up, you grow up with this guy, like was, what was the version at home of like, like music that was being played?

Was he like, you know, trying to tell you what was good all the time and what wasn’t good all the time? What was, what was the perception of like musical influences? You were [00:20:00] growing up in the house.

Jonah David: Um, I mean, I think I didn’t even really have idea of like what I didn’t. sounds bad. I didn’t really get to choose like what was good. It was pretty much like what, what my parents played is what I was listening to. And then, you know, just like black coffee or whatever, you just like start to adapt and start to like it.

And, I mean, another big inpo that I don’t think my dad mentioned, but like Elvis Presley was obviously a big one too, especially when it came to like my dad’s performing. I think you can see it through just like the way he moves and

Glen: Yeah.

Jonah David: intricate every kind of move can captivate you. Um, but I remember like we had lots, every year there was an Elvis Presley. Christmas Orman ornament hanging up. but it was lots of just like Bruce Springsteen. Um, my mom loved John Mayer, so like, it was a weird little parallel when dad was home, it was like more rockabilly, you know, country music. [00:21:00] And then when my dad would leave and he would either have a show or he’d be at work, my mom would like play like John Mayer or stuff like that.

And so, don’t know, it just very much varied depending on who was in the household. But I think that I, I, I pay that all homage to like where my taste is at musically now because I really just like got both parallels. and that just kind of helped me form what I enjoyed and liked. But w with my dad just being at home, I mean, yeah, I, I grew up on all that stuff like Bruce, um, John Prine, lots of Zach Brown band, just all that stuff.

Glen: So at some point you pick up a guitar Jonah, and I remember, uh, I know, I know Ryan, you shared. Sometimes on your social, you guys just plucking together or whatever, and just playing around. But, uh, when did you, when did you decide yourself that you were interested in picking up the guitar, understanding all of this kind of stuff, coming up [00:22:00] with your own things?

Jonah David: I think it’s kinda like my dad. I don’t really remember like a specific moment. It was a little different with my dad because to me, like I, when I started to get to the age where you start to like conceptualize everything that’s going on and like form your own thoughts and opinions, I was just like, music was just like a form a way of life.

Like it was just kind of what. was, it didn’t feel like anything special. So for me it was just like listening to music, singing the songs. That was just what we did. There

Glen: Yeah.

Jonah David: anything special about it. And so, I mean, I was just pondering while my dad was talking about him picking up a guitar.

The first time I can remember was actually in our condo and Sylvan Lake. Um, I love Justin Bieber growing up and he had this song called Die in Your Arms. And I remember, I think we had like this old black guitar that I think my dad bought me. Um, and I was just sitting in my room and I don’t know whether or not I know my dad came in to [00:23:00] help me. Um, but I think I YouTubed lots of it too. But I just like started learning, like plucking single notes, basically. Not even strumming, but just like single notes to that song. And think at that point, when you’re young, everybody’s a good singer. So I didn’t really. like, oh, I might actually be decent.

I was just like, what we did, we just sang and we enjoyed music. And so I would just pluck songs and sing along and then, you know, just like one thing after another, you

Glen: Yeah.

Jonah David: to learn a little bit more.

Glen: Did you get, did you get formal guitar lessons from Dad? I tried teaching my boy, and it was the biggest

Jonah David: Nah.

Glen: in our h. It’s maybe the biggest tragedy in our h history of our house. It did not go that well.

Jonah David: I think parents teaching kids like their talents is just not always great. Like I’m, I think your parents can tell you the truth till they’re blue in the face, but once someone else tells you it, it’s like, oh yeah, this [00:24:00] is totally how it works. And it was a little bit similar with guitar, I think. you know, my parents. Bless them. They put me through a couple lessons. I remember when I started to really wanna like elevate when I started to learn chords, but when I really wanted to like figure it out a bit more, I got put through a few lessons. But to be honest, the biggest thing was just like watching YouTube videos and just like seeing how people strung.

That’s still how I learned all the instruments I play today. It’s just like, song do I love? How is it visually played? And I’ll learn it. And so because of that, there’s a lot of lack of like technical knowledge that I have. I’m now growing into it, but back then it was just like, watch YouTube videos, songs I love and then hit record and play basically.

Glen: Yeah. Yeah, I mean that’s so, I mean, that’s so common. I mean, um. My boy learns everything the same way from that, which sometimes just makes me [00:25:00] stop and think like, how on earth did I learn at that same age? Right? Like I, I remember, I remember guys sitting with their VHS and, and recording music videos from the video hour on MTV or much music or whatever, and then hitting pause and hitting pause and hitting pause and, you know what I mean?

And actually trying to watch how some guy shredded out some solo or something, but did not have that sort of benefit whatsoever, which is pretty incredible, to get a hold of. And even just, uh, and it, not even just the, the lesson part, but even if you think about like the, uh, the equipment, the, the, you know, that you can figure out how everything works or people comparing different things, uh, on YouTube all the time.

People love to do product comparisons and stuff for you. Like there’s just so much. Advantage that way. That makes a lot of sense. Uh, also, I like, I also like the angle that you said that, um, and I [00:26:00] hear this, you hear this sometimes in, houses like, or sometimes rare times when you, when you talk or not talked to you don’t get talked to.

But you know, when like celebrities like have their kids start getting into something like, you know, like Miley and Noah, Cyrus being around Billy Ray Cyrus’s stuff, and then

Jonah David: Yeah.

Glen: they say the same kind of thing. I like hearing that it, you know, it can translate down to Sylvan Lake Alberta that, um,

Jonah David: Yeah,

Glen: you know, music didn’t seem like it’s, uh, some grand pursuit the way it would when it’s just something so a part of the fabric of your, of your household and your existence.

and, and not so crazy to think about doing or pursuing or that you would even think about it that way, I guess. So, um.

Jonah David: Yeah.

Glen: Yeah.

Jonah David: I think it was a bit different for, for my dad though, because like he said, when. My dad has always been big on moving with intention regardless of what it is. And I think when it came to [00:27:00] him and his journey, when he saw that his goal when he saw that docuseries he was talking about was like that, that’s where I want to be.

So like every day I’m gonna move with intent. And yes, it was like part of his life, music was, but I think music is instrumental in like everybody’s life for the most part. But for him it was really moving with intention. But for me, the environment I grew up in, like I always just knew my dad was an artist basically.

So for me there was never an idea of like, I want to do this full time. Like from the start, that wasn’t my be all, end all goal. It was just like dad plays songs on the guitar and sings that could probably pluck along and do that too. And then,

Glen: Yeah.

Jonah David: after another, you start to start to really, I guess take it more seriously.

Ryan Langlois: And that’s the interesting

Jonah David: yeah.

Ryan Langlois: My wife and I really debated ’cause I kind of wanted to be like, I, I didn’t like that no one strapped me to a [00:28:00] piano bench and made me learn theory. I, that’s something that I wish happened. Well, I actually don’t wish it happened, but it, I, I, uh, I romanticized the idea. And so with Jonah, we debated it like I kind of wanted to because I, I, we seen talent or gifting and I thought, well, let’s grow that.

And, it’s just funny the way we learn. Like, I, love coaching and lessons. I’ve, I’ve been in vocal lessons for as long as I’ve been singing and I love that and I thrive on it. And, but Jonah, every time we put ’em in a lesson after a month, the teachers would come to us and say. Listen, I can keep, you can keep paying me, but this is pointless.

He just mimics like he, he can just play everything by ear and he has no interest in theory. So up to you. And eventually we just kind of cave to the, all right. Well, he’s gonna teach himself, you know, he’s gonna find his way and you know, it’ll work

Glen: Yeah, [00:29:00] sometimes you gotta get there.

Jonah David: that was, that was the best way. You know, I think because it was such an instrumental thing in my life it got to the point of like, okay, do you actually want to get on a stage and perform? It was way more of a choice because if I was in lessons all the time and I was doing these things, it would feel like an obligation to my parents to do it. But when I kind of was stripped back and I was like, you don’t have to do this anymore, it was like a choice. And then that became where I was like, okay, do I really wanna do this or not?

Glen: Yeah.

Jonah David: me and not much more for them. And I still remember like. Piano lessons. When I started, I, I didn’t do it for that long, but like I showed up ’cause the girl made fresh baking every time I was there, so I would just get like free snacks.

Glen: Yeah. They know what they’re doing.

Jonah David: play a couple chords, make sure I like, don’t make them mad. And then they would send me home with like a, a book of some sort to learn on. I would never practice it and

Glen: Yeah.

Jonah David: I would just show up again. And that was that. But I definitely like had to [00:30:00] choose it later on. And in a way that was like a blessing.

Glen: I think it’s cool that you guys can observe it that way, that because you, you had the opportunity to see what both were. To really understand and make that kind of a commentary on it. Because I think what you’re saying, Ryan, is like you didn’t get the opportunity to see it both ways. I feel the same way, Ryan.

I didn’t get, my sisters were put, I remember like watching them just agonize, being forced through piano lessons and I never, my mom didn’t force me. I was the third child. They obviously were worn out with fighting with kids over piano lessons. They asked if I wanted to, I was like, no. So they didn’t, and yet there I was at 15 years old plucking out melodies and figuring out notes and theory on my own.

’cause I got interested in music and girls. So that, I look back now and I don’t have any formal training, so I, I empathize completely with what Ryan’s saying that. [00:31:00] I, I can only imagine maybe where my skillset might’ve been, but then I have two kids and the what choice do you make as a parent? You’re like, do I want them to have that same regret if it turns out that’s where they were?

So I’ve put them through it, you know, my son did fine, didn’t care for it. He’s out. My daughter still comes and plucks her songs out on the piano all the time. And she’s so happy that she knows. And anyhow, you just don’t know, right? You just don’t know. But it’s funny how you build the building blocks. I mean, the truth is you’re gonna build them.

I think the way you described Jonah is you’re gonna build them away. You were meant to build them anyhow. And you, that just probably elevated you figuring out that I need to do this my way, not that way anyhow. Right.

Jonah David: Yeah.

Glen: So

Jonah David: even like, I need to do this my

Glen: I.

Jonah David: sorry to interrupt, but it wasn’t even like, I have to do this my way. It was just like, I guess [00:32:00] it’s a choice now. That’s

Glen: Yeah. Yeah, that’s better.

Jonah David: my own lane. It was really just, listen, if I want to do it, I do it. And if I don’t wanna do it, I don’t do it.

And there was no pressure and therefore it didn’t feel ever feel like a job or something that I had to do. And that just like, I think grew the love way more because I just did it. ’cause I liked it. I didn’t do it.

Glen: Yeah.

Jonah David: you know, I was trying to pave a way.

Glen: Yeah. And this is the interesting thing in a conversation between father and son Ryan, is that, is that an overarching personality thing that you had already obviously, probably noticed and seen? Was there an element to Jonah that was like, you know, if I’m gonna do this. Then I’m going to like go after and do it.

And if I’m not gonna do it, then I’m just not gonna do it. Like is that, is that carry over past music into other things? Is that something you felt like you needed to try to give [00:33:00] space for or, or

Ryan Langlois: the re

Glen: curious?

Ryan Langlois: with Jonah is he was pretty much the best at everything he did. And so it was inter, and so it was interesting, I was thinking about it today. It’s like he also, I mean, he didn’t start

Glen: Yep.

Ryan Langlois: until later, but I mean, he’s been on stage with me since he was three, playing a toy guitar, singing Merle Haggard with all the drunk uncles in Pon Tech, Saskatchewan. so he’s like, like when he said it was just normal, so he’s just come up around it. So it’s like it there, there’s a removal of this. it doesn’t feel outta reach and, but I was thinking about like. We were the, you know, the kind of the typical parents that wanted to be super supportive and always told Jonah like, you can do anything you want and you know anything you want.

And now in hindsight I’m like, I kind of regret that because he did so many things and he excelled. But then he kind of, he never, it [00:34:00] wasn’t until the last couple years that he landed and found the thing that lights him up. But I think all these options were like holding him, not holding him back, but like it limited exploding into this one thing that he’s becoming now. And so, I don’t know if that answers the question, but it was, I just, he always had it in him, you know? Yeah.

Glen: I think that’s a great observation, like that’s saying. You know, like that, that you make the observation about Jonah that, you know, everything he did, he did really well. Right. And, um, ’cause like for me, my observation of my boy would be that he, similarly, he did things really well, and the thing that held him back was if he couldn’t be the best, he struggled with wanting to even put himself into it because he got, he got so frustrated by being good at something, but [00:35:00] not being the best.

And, you know, and he would be on the ice with some kid and then he would see where the best was, or he would be doing this other thing, you know, and he would, you know, anyhow, same thing, but yeah. Big challenge. Right. So let’s, uh, like I said, normally I take a deeper dive, but, I wanna make sure I get through a bunch of stuff together.

So, Ryan, you’re, you’re sort of like emergence into this. My assumption is boom, chucker Boys is kind of your first like thing that you latch onto that starts either you’re putting out music and it’s like getting attention or any kinda that stuff. Or am I wrong? Was there solo or another band stuff before Boom Chucker, or was that really the thing that

Ryan Langlois: Well, there,

Glen: started it for you?

Ryan Langlois: a few permeations of the boom chaka thing, like when we were living in Pierce Land in Cold Lake. I had, it was like Ryan Langua and [00:36:00] the Boom Chaka Duo, or Ryan Langua and the Boom Chaka, however many guys I could convince to play with me. And, uh, we would, so like this idea of it, again, we were in Cold Lake, so there was limitation to what was available, but I, I met some

Glen: Yep.

Ryan Langlois: through church and and I would convince them to play with me and we would do these little shows and, uh, and. I was so limited as a musician at like that I had to lean on them. And so I had a drummer and a bass player specifically that played, we rarely had a lead and, but the bass player was so good, he could play lead guitar on the bass. And so I would, so I just was like, solo. And then he would do a one minute bass solo and they used to get so frustrated, but I’m like, but I, I can only strum, you know?

And so that started, but it was, I mean obviously it was the boom Chuck of Boys when we, when [00:37:00] I moved to, we moved to Red Deer and sold Lake area and started that journey. And when the Boom Chucker Boys formed in the basement in Sylvan Lake, that’s, that, that’s the first like real entry into like, oh wow.

Like there’s something

Glen: Yeah.

Ryan Langlois: that’s, that’s, doable.

Glen: Yeah. And so you, you land with some players that have honestly, for lack of a better term, been pretty important names as far as like players in the Edmonton and Alberta. Western Canada region for sure. Guys like Neil McDonald. Uh, Ben Chibe, who’s had a fantastic drumming career, uh, with a number of acts, Joel, Ian.

so that, that act gets some attention really fast. So in, in the scope of things about how it normally happens for a band, you [00:38:00] guys had it fast. You got attention really fast. You got some things, it escalated. You released like two albums within like two years, I think 2013 and 15. You got quickly signed.

your music was being released by Sony, you know, across Canada and stuff. And even on the billboard country charts. What was the experience of, for all the things that you were doing on that, like solo grind, uh, on the, on your calling, you know, in cold Laker and wherever, to all of a sudden making this move, this band comes together, this stuff starts to happen fast.

What was that experience like for you?

Ryan Langlois: it was, I mean, it was incredible. I, but it’s funny, like it was incredible, but I just expected it, so I was never, and I don’t, that’s not like, what the word that I’m not, that’s not being like

Glen: Arrogance.

Ryan Langlois: arrogance, that’s not [00:39:00] arrogance. But I,

Glen: Yeah. Yeah.

Ryan Langlois: I just expected it and so it. And, and again, it all comes from intention.

Like Joel, and I worked together at, at the gas utility company and we didn’t know each other. And then one day somebody found out I had a MySpace page and somebody found out about it and, and then knew they knew Joel well, and they said, Hey, it was truly literally like, Hey, you’re a musician. You’re a musician.

You guys should hang out. And eventually we got over the uncomfortableness of adults asking each other to hang out. And, he came over for coffee and we just, we just gel. Joel was, he was such a gift because I, was, he just was melodically. He had a gift for melody and I could literally sit there and not have any clue how to do anything and I could tell him what I was thinking and [00:40:00] he. You know, in five seconds he could play it. And we just instantly had this, gel same thing. And it was like we’re hanging out, jamming and then all of a sudden it’s like, well, we need a bass player and I’m, we’re going to this church in Sovan Lake and there’s this super cool guy that dresses in a suit and tie and a and sweet shoes every Sunday that happens to play bass.

And I’m like, So we introduce and we a quick kinship and then he comes on board. And then the original drummer, Dave Grove. when I first moved to Red Deer, I didn’t know anybody and I, so I emailed the music store in town and said, Hey, I’m new to town and I’m trying to be a musician. Anybody want to hang out?

And he responded, and he was a drum tech at the store. And he, Dr. He said, Hey, man, I checked out your MySpace page. You want to go have a Timmy’s? And I said, yeah, and, and we just gelled. And then all of a sudden, all four of us are getting together in the basement. And I don’t [00:41:00] even know how, like, it just, it did, it happened so fast. But we, we just kind of like, we, we knew what we wanted. We were an original band, so we did play covers, but we always played our original music. We never like, talked down about it or pretended it wasn’t ours. Um, and we just, we, we all had this collective, um, that always, and I’ve told this to Jonah, I believe there is a, is a king or queen in every crowd, you never know. So if you go half night. Especially in the industry, that could have been the night that projects you. And so every night we would just, every single time we played, I, with all my heart can say, we laid it all out every night and we just went from the basement to the, you know, to the [00:42:00] horse trailer at the Parkland Mall on a Christmas to to, you know, to everything so fast.

And then all of a sudden we’re in Nashville making an album, and all of a sudden we’re going, you know, across Canada with a big country act. And it’s just, it was, it was wild.

Glen: I guess I wanna ask this question, especially being sensitive to the transparency of, you know, family relationship. But I know that you’re super transparent about stuff, Ryan, but my assumption and not, you know, not just from big music docs, but also a lot of my friends that I’ve talked to about this is usually when things happen fast,

It just creates a lot of disruption and internal deregulation and imbalance, either in personal lives at home or in relationships with the people that you’re trying to do [00:43:00] this with. I’m wondering for you if there was any of that and what was sort of happening? Was it, you know, and then I guess the slight angle, you know, was that an easy thing for what was going on at home?

I mean, you were like, must have been 10, 11, 12. By that point, Jonah, like, what was I, I’m interested in on Ryan’s answer. I’m interested in what you can recall about that time too, Jonah.

Ryan Langlois: Yeah, it was,

Jonah David: Yeah, dad.

Ryan Langlois: It was, I mean, in, in hindsight, I can see there was, there was some ne there was some negativity to the process. But in the moment, I mean it was hard. I I missed a ton of Jonah’s baseball tournaments and school stuff. And, because that’s the crazy thing is I, I worked full-time. I never stopped working full-time through the whole journey.

All of us in the band worked full-time [00:44:00] outside of the band. So we, we just ran ragged because we ha we, we would work and then we would gig and work and gig and work. And so, I do know that it for, I can only, for me personally, like, but in the beginning I was so certain. It was what was supposed to be happening that I didn’t, I was positive all the time because I, I’m like, this is it.

You know? And I will, I was thinking about the name of your pod, which is just wonderful, almost famous enough. And I’m like, and I’ve talked to Jonah about this as he’s journeyed, is that like my Part of it was I wanted to be famous, like I, and, and that in part helped me, helped, has helped me do what I’ve done. I wanted to be famous. I didn’t care necessarily about, I wasn’t thinking about art. I was thinking about fame [00:45:00] and position and, um, notoriety is the wrong word. Um, but that ended up being unhealthy. Incredibly unhealthy. And. I don’t know how that came across at the time, like at home for Jonah, but I know for me eventually that, you know, that turned to be very negative.

Jonah David: Yeah.

Glen: thought, Jonah?

Jonah David: yeah, I mean, again, like my dad being a musician was just like, that was just like life. So for me, when he was always on the road and stuff, I mean, my mom was just like the best, she was the best. She was just like a, a best friend, but also my mom. I would just like, I was busy too. I was just busy being a kid.

So for me it was just like, what my dad did was he was a musician and when he would, when he was home, he was present and he was there. [00:46:00] But you know, you’re a kid, it’s kind of understanding like others’ emotions and where they’re at is a little bit harder to conceptualize ’cause you’re just kind of in your own little dreamland world.

I mean, I was just like chasing after girls at recess and playing sports and hockey and stuff. So for

Glen: Yeah.

Jonah David: just like a kid and I didn’t really see a lot of, any of like the struggle, quote unquote, when, you know, things started to escalate and get bigger and bigger. But me, like I didn’t even really know how big my dad’s band ever was.

Like even when they were small, they were just as big as when they were starting to grow. It was just kinda like would show up, see my dad play, no matter how big the show was or how small it was I could. And then I would just like. of the time it was like, man, let’s watch and get, get through this ’cause I want to go home and like go to a sleepover or something.

Like

Glen: Yeah. Yeah.

Jonah David: just so instrumental in my life. I didn’t really, I didn’t really see the ebbs and flows of everything with my dad at home. [00:47:00] And it really wasn’t until when the band separated that then I started to like understand a little bit of where they’re at. And it’s actually now like years removed. as they grow into being a young adult where I can, especially being an artist as a young adult, look back at the experience that my dad had and the separation and everything that came with that and start to actually understand what that must have been like. But when I was a kid I was just, I was a kid.

Like, it was,

Glen: Yeah,

Jonah David: nothing,

Glen: the pleasant, the pleasant oblivion, right? Of, of being a kid, right? That you’re just kinda whatever’s in front of your nose at the time and excites you, you kind of follow it. But I mean, there’s a, there’s an essence, I guess. Well, I guess what that tells me, and you guys can tell me if I’m wrong, number one is that Melissa did a great job of supporting you, Ryan

Jonah David: Yeah.

Glen: and taking care of you, Jonah.

Um, you can’t do that without a partner like that. And, um, you [00:48:00] know, and I, it’s funny ’cause I was just talking with my boys in my old band, the Wee Pool and, and, um, and, uh, you know, at the time when we ended, like, one of the things that was heavy on me and I didn’t realize that they were seeing it was like we had come off of a longer stretch on the road.

And I came home and my 6-year-old daughter, uh, who’s on the podcast with me, Alexi, you know, I, it’s a impossibly. Poignant memory of her jumping up and basically saying, are you done? Like, I don’t want you to go away anymore.

Ryan Langlois: Yeah.

Glen: And, uh, it’s not even like I was like a heavy road band yet, right? Like, we weren’t there yet.

We hadn’t quite arrived, but we were putting in a lot of the work and we were going to Ontario all the time because that’s where

Ryan Langlois: Yeah.

Glen: a lot more success could happen. And, and we had this [00:49:00] great luxury of some things that afforded us to tour there like three times, you know, over being in Western Canada, but just meant more separation.

But anyhow, that moment, but looking back on it, talking with the guys, I now realize like, my kids are great. They turned out great. Like, I think I was so worried. As a dad and an artist that, you know, missing those ball games or hockey games and, and stuff. Like, are they gonna be in counseling the rest of their life because whatever.

But, you know, I love that you both keep sharing this word, intention, you know, because I, I know when I, I can look back on that because I’ve, I was so intentional with my, my kids, right. and I’ve been so intentional with that relationship, and for them now to not have, they don’t, you know, they had a pleasant oblivion to it.

They just thought that’s what I did, and it was fine, and life was good and I wasn’t [00:50:00] taking away from their life. and it sounds to me, Jonah, like that’s essentially what you’re saying in your sentiment of, of growing up with, with all of that.

Jonah David: Yeah, it, I mean, I look back at it now and I’m like, I mean, I’m exhausted ’cause I, I am pretty much doing the same thing my dad’s doing, like just dedicating every extra hour that I’m not working to make the money to do it. Like I’m spending every hour

Glen: Hmm.

Jonah David: that thing and I can’t imagine being. Now my age, having a kid to take care of at the same time.

But I mean, I’ll say this, Don Boo in the face, like my parents did. Just a wonderful job of, you know, my dad would like come back from shows and he’s still working ACO gass, but like, he would always make time to chuck the ball around in the field. And like, when he was home, he made, uh, to spend time with me because I know that was valuable to him, but I can’t imagine [00:51:00] like how exhausted he must have been.

But at the end of the day, we still chucked the baseball around all the time when he was home. And we still, you know, played the odd video game together and we still did those things. And so I think when he was gone, it was just like, that’s okay. Like he’s gonna be back and we’re gonna play again. So I never had that thing of like, oh, I just wish dad was like back home because for me it was just when he is here, he’s here and he is present.

And when he’s gone, that’s okay. He is doing his thing. And it

Glen: Yeah,

Jonah David: It was never like a, a sad thing or like a somber thing of dad being gone. ’cause when he was home he was, he was there.

Glen: I’m gonna guess that you have a pretty good work ethic right now, Jonah. Am I right?

Jonah David: Yeah. But

Glen: really hard?

Jonah David: like that.

Ryan Langlois: Yes.

Glen: but it’s not always like that. But now you’re, like you said, you’re like a young adult. You know what you want.

Jonah David: Yeah.

Glen: it sounds to me like you work really hard at it, which I just find such an interesting observation because of the things you just said, [00:52:00] which my kids are working their ass off in their life and career in school, and I’m more proud of that than the outcomes, right, that are.

Then, and I did the same thing. I, I tried to run an independent record label too. Like I would be with them all day and then I would put them at, take them to school, and then I would work on my own career and then I’d pick them up and be with them and then put ’em to bed at 8 30, 9 o’clock. And then I would start work on my record label till two in the morning and then be up at six with them, or seven.

And, and, yeah, I was exhausted. But to tell you the truth, I didn’t feel exhausted because I was doing all the things that I loved and, and all of it was working. So, and now I get the sense that maybe my kids, I didn’t have to tell them. I’m getting the sense that they, they know, they just know what it takes.

Right. And uh, it’s really cool hearing that come outta [00:53:00] your mouth, um, seeing about Ryan. So I wanna know then Jonah, about. Your pursuits because, you know, you were forced to listen to John Mayer or John Cash, one of the, one of the Johns, and, um, but none of that’s in your record in the music that you made.

And you moved to Vancouver, right? Like so,

Jonah David: Yeah. Yes, sir.

Glen: and is that where you really started, like forming what you wanted to do musically at first too? Like, I, I guess I’m saying both sound songs, direction. Can you tell me about that process for you?

Jonah David: Yeah, I think, I mean, the really brief of like before coming to Vancouver was, I mean, I had. I would say like some young success, I got to do a couple, like great big shows. Um, I did lots of like music competitions, but lots of that was very like country focused and country related and I loved it. Like I love country [00:54:00] music still to this day and it’s like what I grew up on.

So it felt like my DNA and then, I don’t remember exactly what age it was, but I think it was around like 15 or 16 that, you know, you start to like hit puberty I guess. And I just like lost my voice pretty much entirely. It was like a total change. And there was probably like a year, year and a half gap where I just like don’t remember ever singing or like wanting to do any of it anymore.

’cause I just felt like I lost my identity basically. and it was at that point where. I stopped and I totally removed myself from it. at that time my dad was done with the band. And so music was just like, instead of something that we just did all the time, it was just something we consumed. It was just like a regular everyday thing.

And at that point I was in high school and you know, when we’re at sports competitions and stuff, you’re listening to rap, you’re listening to all this new stuff. And that was when I really started to venture into just new types of music and new types of sound. And [00:55:00] it wasn’t really until I turned like 17, 18 where I started to listen to like more r and b music, I guess you can call it. and lots of that strange from like just listening to John Mayer with my mom, I still had that inkling of, I really like this. yeah. Anyways, 18 I worked a job. I also like followed in the p pipelining pursuit of just like, I need to save money. And I had no direction of what I wanted to do again.

I was like, good at a lot of stuff. And it was just like, what do I pick? I don’t know. It’s like so overstimulating. And it was then when I just, I remember I was downstairs in my basement and I had no intention of like what to do. I had no idea. Pretty lost. And I was like, man, I, I think I want to go to like Vancouver and just like check it out. And I remember just like kind of bawling in my basement on WestJet, just like seeing if I’m gonna click the book button to go. and my mom just came down and she just basically clicked it for me. And so I [00:56:00] went to Vancouver and I got off the train and I remember like walking up the escalator and I, it drops you like right downtown. I remember I just like looked up at all the big buildings and I’m from small town called Lake Alberta, so I saw these big buildings and it felt like New York. And so I just looked around and I was like, yep, I’m moving here. And so right then and there I basically like came home. I absolutely fell in love with Vancouver. Um, and packed up my car and laughed right away. Um, and it was when I came down here that, I mean I didn’t, now that I’m not in the household, I get to listen to like whatever I want all the time ’cause I’m in charge of the speaker. So it was then when I really got to like, figure it out a bit more.

Um, and that was when I also started I guess find my voice a bit more because, you know, I’m at home and I could sing to myself and no one’s around. And yeah, it was kind of just a, a couple years of just being a [00:57:00] consumer and still having my guitar and I’m always playing ’cause it was just part of my life. And then I just kinda walked into like, okay, I really love RB music. I love alternative. I, I really loved guys like Frank Ocean, Daniel Caesar, and lots of them were on a big swing come up around like 20 16, 20 17 when I started. And so that started to be my influence. That was like my Johnny Cash, my Bruce Springsteen.

That was like my, my guys that I wanted to be. so, yeah, again, I like my dad. I moved to a city where I absolutely knew nobody and I was basically like, well, shoot, I wanna make music, but I don’t have a crazy drive to do it. I really needed, like, meet some people. I know nobody. Um, and just luckily through the job I worked, I went to like a, a show called Born Live where a bunch of these artists, like from Vancouver got together and played there was one guy on stage and he. [00:58:00] playing for all of them. And I was just like, kind of in awe. I was just like, who is this guy? Like he’s somehow playing amazing sets for like seven, seven different artists in one night. He mixed it all himself. He produced it all himself. I was like, I need to know who he is. So I messaged him on Instagram and he didn’t get back to me and I was kind of crushed. And then I messaged him again. He didn’t get back to me. And I was just like, man, like what do I do? I have nothing to show him. I basically just say I can sing. That’s it. Um, and it wasn’t until like the third message, the last one where I was just like, if he doesn’t respond, whatever, where he got back to me. and I sent him a voice memo and he was like, yeah, let’s do it. And that’s kind of when my musical journey really began of this like new pursuit of what I’m making now. then over the next year or so, we made entry oh oh three. And I’ve really started to learn a lot about, I guess what my sound is.

I’m still to this day figuring it [00:59:00] out, but that was when, like, that journey really began

Glen: So, what’s this guy’s name? We should, we should give this guy a shout out.

Jonah David: Yeah, no, his name’s Euro Visavis. That’s like his stage name.

Glen: Yeah. Okay.

Jonah David: in McKinley. But he is like, I mean, I, I did a short documentary here he is like my, I’m, I’m not making music without this guy. Um, he is just ultra talented, an even better human being. Um, and he can play, he can play anything. He can play guitar, he can play piano, he can play bass, he can play drums, he can play the cello.

He just like, he’s unbelievable at all of it. And he is so technically trained Most of all, I just like him as a human being. And so it was just like nice to just, I’ll pay to hang out with you. You’re cool. You know? And so it just took like time. And, luckily enough he just, we just started like making songs and then all of a sudden you just like move a little bit more with like, okay, maybe I’ll like [01:00:00] work on a project.

And then over that next year, I just wrote a bunch of songs and made a bunch of stuff. And we just, as time grew and we bonded more and connected more, our like, music relationship grew. And then we kind of started to create this sound. And then that’s when, um, the project came out.

Glen: Yeah. Well man, you’re like 22. 23. 22 and

Jonah David: turned

Glen: turn 23. Okay. 22. And you’ve already figured out. One of the secret sauces of this whole thing, which is,

Jonah David: yeah.

Glen: uh, latch yourself onto the best people. Um, and then if they’re also the best musicians, it really helps too. But, um, but, um, that you, you kind of answered one of my questions that I was gonna have for you, which is a lot of people’s first albums tend to be like, these are the best songs that I’ve been working on from two to 10 years or something, you know, that, um, I [01:01:00] need to put together enough to make an album.

Or in some cases it’s a project, right? Like I, I’ve specifically had a vision and so you’re basically describing this as very much a project, right? That you decided like, I’m gonna try this sound. ’cause your, ’cause your record sounds incredibly cohesive. I love, I love what you’ve already sort of.

Brought up, which is, I totally could hear the r and b. So the very first thing, I’ll tell you right off the bat, by the way, uh,

Jonah David: Yeah.

Glen: felt, I felt so bon

Jonah David: Cool.

Glen: the record the second I clicked into it. One is ’cause of the title and, and bon’s love of just zeros and digits and, and whatnots late lately. But, also there’s, there’s two other aspects.

One is like, that’s like for Bon Air, it’s very much soul, kind of old soul that he lets in yours was clearly r and b. And my, my daughter who’s way better with all of these than, [01:02:00] than me immediately was pointing out Daniel Caesar. And, um, and then I was listening again in preparation for this and um, I was like, like your song hang time.

I was like, this is the kind of song that gets on those like sexy time playlists and

Jonah David: yeah,

Glen: like with Daniel Caesar and Omar Apollo and guys like that. I was like, this is like totally in there. But the bon of ever part to me is that sort of, that more classic songwriter

Ryan Langlois: Yep.

Glen: is still in there, but you’re break, you’re breaking expected song structures, right?

Like that’s a real bon of air trick to me. It’s like it’s not going the way you think it’s gonna go. I’m gonna use some electronic elements sparsely, I’m going to definitely use some r and b kind of transitions and, and cord structures. So, um, it sounds like what you’re saying is like I could pick up on what you were trying to put down, um, [01:03:00] which is pretty cool.

Jonah David: a, a big one too I’ll mention is just I really fell in love with De Jean and McGee. Those were like my

Glen: Hmm.

Jonah David: throughout the process. And you know, it’s this music day and age now is so different than when my dad was coming up. I mean, so structured back then with songwriting, especially in the country music industry of like

Glen: Hmm. Yeah.

Jonah David: pre chorus, chorus. Bridge Chorus Song ends three minutes. You’re good nowadays. Like you have artists releasing eight minute songs and one minute songs, and it’s very like free flow. And I listened to Frank Ocean, that’s what attracted me to him

Glen: Yeah.

Jonah David: unstructured. And obviously leaning into like McGee and Dijon.

I mean, Bon Iver was, um, a mentor of McGee for writing for the longest time. And me, when I was listening to Two Star in the Dream Police while making the [01:04:00] project, it was just like, let’s throw everything we know about music out the window, and let inspiration take its place. And my producer was really big on, I mean, when I would come into it, I was like, I wanna sound like these guys.

This is what I wanna sound like. And he’d be like, no. I’d be like, what do you mean? And he would just say like, we’re gonna make. The song that you have proposed and will use the inspiration of those sounds. But your influence will show naturally through the songs. You know, you don’t have to like say, I want to be like them. Your influence will always show, just like my father did with all of his songs. Like you can see the influence subconsciously. And so while making the project, it was just like, let’s throw structure out the window ’cause that’s what we’re attracted to. And structural influence will take its place eventually.

So that’s kind of how that fell together.

Glen: Yeah. Okay. Well that’s pretty [01:05:00] awesome. how have you felt since putting it out? Like that’s, um, you spend all this time, uh, I feel like this is one of the biggest, biggest lessons any artist learns, which is all the effort it takes to get a record made, especially your first one, and then how you feel afterwards when it’s out in the world.

I’m curious how you have felt since it’s been out in the world.

Ryan Langlois: Yeah,

Jonah David: Yeah, I mean, I’m super proud of it now. would say when I released it, I was like, please get this. I don’t wanna listen to this anymore. Like, I was so sick of it because I, you listen to the songs over and over again and you’re just like, I hate this song. I sound horrible. I never wanna listen to this again.

And you know, now being months removed from it, I look back at it with hindsight and I’m just like, man, I really am proud of how that came together. And just the fact that we just kept trucking along, no matter how like, grim some of the sessions were of just like, oh, there’s not a lot coming out. and yeah, [01:06:00] just releasing this project.

I mean, I’m, I’m just like, I’m brand new, so I’m just trying to be a sponge and soak in anything I can. I’m blessed to have a bit of a social media presence and that’s really helped with. being able to promote the project and, you know, through that. And I go down to LA quite often. My partner lives out there.

And just being able to connect with other musicians and people in the industry, it all feels very exciting and new. Um, but it’s really nice ’cause at the end of the day I can like call my dad and just be like, I need advice on this, or What are your thoughts on this? And generally, like always he’ll give me advice and I’ll be like, yeah, okay.

And then someone else will tell me and I’ll be like, oh, he was right the whole time. that’s been the process is I, I’m, I’m super proud of it and I love it and it’s all very exciting. And the project is for some reason doing the best it has right now in the fall time, uh, time removed. So, yeah, I’m really proud and I’m just [01:07:00] excited to like put out the next thing and kind of still figuring out my sound as I go. But for a first project I’m like, I’m,

Glen: Yeah.

Jonah David: good. I’m proud of it.

Glen: Okay. I, I still wanna ask you then about some of what’s next and what you’re doing, but Ryan, I, I just wanna get your, your thoughts on watching that evolve over the last couple of years. Um, partially it had to be from a distance, which I’m sure sort of, influences what that response will be like.

But even him saying he would call you for advice here or there, or, or, or stuff, I’m, you know, I can only imagine just, you know, for me, I, you know, wrestling with like how involved I might want to really be and how much I might really want to help, versus also knowing full well. You know who your kid is and, and what you need to, what kind of space you have to give, uh, a real wrestling match.

[01:08:00] I’m just curious, so what was your experience kinda watching Jonah go through developing kind of his own sound, something different than you in a new era of music? What was that like?

Ryan Langlois: It was, well, I mean, it’s been, it’s, mean, it’s been hard. He’s been, he moved out when he was, you know, just he was 18. So like that has been difficult because I. Any parent wants to be a little closer than we are, and so we’ve just kind of been forced into a, a little more of a hands off and we can’t see what’s going on all the time. so, I mean, that it is challenging and I have for the most part tried to stay out of it because, and I, I realized that, so he, well, actually I, and I didn’t even know, I didn’t know what kind of music he was making. Like I was it maybe a month before you released it that you showed me, like I had, he didn’t share anything. And, and that

Jonah David: Yeah.

Ryan Langlois: Jonah is, is[01:09:00]

Glen: awesome.

Ryan Langlois: fiercely independent. And so he, from, he has wanted to like, I’m gonna do this. My, like, I’m going to, I’m gonna do this. I, I, you know, I, I not, I don’t want your influence, but I want to do this on my own. And so I had to learn to just like he said, it’s like just not. Get my fingers in it because the one thing I learned after we started talking about like how he was gonna release the project and how they were making it, is that I, my, my like skillset and the things that I’ve learned are so specific to Canadian Country Radio and the way that that industry

Glen: Yeah.

Ryan Langlois: That’s how I came

Glen: Yeah.

Ryan Langlois: so,

Glen: Yep.

Ryan Langlois: that is a very specific way, which I am now learning of, of doing business and the way it’s done now, and especially in the, the world with that Jonah’s operating. I mean, it’s just, they don’t [01:10:00] care about any of the stuff I

Jonah David: Yeah.

Ryan Langlois: so, but just saying that though, I have realized that even though, uh, the scope and like. Size of what Jonah is pursuing is a, is a lot bigger than where I got or what I pursued it. It’s funny though, like the business is the same, like, it, it, the it, the, the guts of it are the same. And so it has been awesome for me to be able to share that experience I had because even though it’s a little grander on his end, it’s like, it’s, it’s, we’re go, we we’ve, he’s going through the exact same things that I went through. it’s funny ’cause I remember when he finally showed it to me, I didn’t know, I had know, I truly, I did not know what to expect. And so he sent me it and I actually like, thought I wasn’t gonna like it honestly, because I, I knew who the artist that he loves [01:11:00] and I, and I just, I don’t, I don’t necessarily connect and, but he sent it to me and I truly like, I was like. Oh my God. Like, this is so good. I was just, so, because like you said, Jonah, since he’s very little, I have believed he’s called, he was, his calling was as a writer. I thought my, in my head I was like, he’s gonna write books. That’s what I thought. And maybe someday he will, but I could, he didn’t like to read, so I was like, oh, but dang it.

But now when you listen to the record, and I’ve watched him at his core, he’s a writer. so when I heard the songwriting and all that, I just, I was so proud and was like, it’s in him like songwriting. And, and also like, Euro played a huge part, but like simple melodies. ’cause I just thought I wasn’t gonna be able to connect. Uh, and [01:12:00] then all of a sudden I’m like, wow. And, but this is the funny thing of the different way of doing business. When I heard it finally, I’m like. Holy dude, this is really good. Uh, you need to, you need to like slow down your release schedule and like put out a single and, and, and promote it like crazy.

And I’m like, what if we did like a song, a song a month for six months to get the algorithm crew? And, and I’m like implementing all these things that I should have done. And, and he’s like, well, no, I’m just gonna drop it. I’m like, what do you mean? He’s like, yeah, uh, on whatever date it is, um, I’m just gonna drop it and I’m not gonna tell anybody that I’m doing it. And I’m like, and I was like, oh man, that is like, you know, and he’s like, and I, we talked and I’m like, what do you And I, he’s like, that’s in, in my world, pe this is what we, this is what [01:13:00] artists do. Like we just put it out and people find it, or don’t find it like it, or don’t like it. I was like, oh my goodness.

And,

Glen: Yeah.

Ryan Langlois: but it’s finding, its, it’s, that’s the thing. It’s finding

Glen: Yeah,

Ryan Langlois: finding its people and Oh yeah. We’re I, yeah.

Glen: that’s perfect. That’s the moment. That’s the moment I would’ve, I identified with Ryan, which would be like. All of a sudden being hit with like, it’s good. And then all of a sudden all that music business training would just like overwhelm me with like, you have to do this right? And you can maximize all your opportunities and leverage all these things.

And, uh, I totally get what you’re saying. Uh, my biggest mad respect though, to you, Ryan, about being able to take your hands off and, and not get involved was when I was asking you about all this back in the summer when you were down here playing with Murdoch. Um, and you said you, you had [01:14:00] flown out to be there with Jonah and you said you just, uh, you were there to just make sure the fridge was full and, and the hugs and the hugs were available.

And I’m like, I know we don’t usually we, you know, it’s just such a mature thing to do. Uh, that’s just, it really hit me when you said that, man. Like, um, I thought that was a really cool, just a really cool take. so tell me about a little bit, what, what’s next, Jonah? Because like, yeah, Ryan had just told me like, I think your, your vision and your life is more than just music and it’s art and you’re going down to LA and you met somebody down there, which gave you more reason to go down to la

Jonah David: Yeah.

Glen: uh, who’s also involved in music, I think.

Um, so what are, so what’s sort of the grander picture for Jonah? David?

Jonah David: I think, you know, I want to actually bring it back to. When my dad was talking about when he was moving with intent with the band, things [01:15:00] started picking up. thing was like wanting to be famous. I actually, in the process of making my project really struggled with that because I also was like, I want to be famous.

Like I want to do this and I want to be famous. And it wasn’t until around when I was gonna release the project I kind of had this aha moment of like, actually, like, I’m good. I don’t really like, that’s not my intent anymore. I really found falling in love with the process way more than any other, like and whistles that comes with it. And so to bring it back, I mean, my intent switched so much and it was almost like, now I just want to create. And now my work ethic has never been higher because it’s really just what I love. There’s no. Expectation with it other than someday I want to do this full time. And now that it switched everything that I [01:16:00] do in every approach.

So whether that’s selling paintings or I have my first clothing drop on November 7th with my business partner, um, and also making my new project. It’s all just moving to make it as good as possible, obviously. But I just want to build a body of work where I can look back at it and people who are fellow artists and like peers of mine can look at it and be like, wow, that’s a very respectable body of work.

And so that’s the intention I’ve been moving towards is everything that I do, making sure that it’s authentically me and also that. I’m taking the time to make sure it’s good and not rushing into any of it. ’cause I know that with good music and good art in any respective form, and just time it, it’s gonna happen and it’ll, it’ll make shift.

It’s it’s world for me. I, I don’t have to do that myself. [01:17:00] Um, and so right now it’s just focusing on next project. I guess. I’m, I have a studio session right after this call. Um, we’ve been working for the past two months now on the new project. And I’m just working on a couple projects. I’m opening for an artist named Avenir, who’s actually from Edmonton. I’m opening up for him in Calgary and then also in Vancouver in March. So just kind of prepping a project to maybe, uh, be able to display some of those songs at that show. Then, and then, just kind of like. Maybe like when I was younger, I feel like I’m getting a little bit better at all these different art forms, and sometimes that’s a double-edged sword.

’cause I’ll go a week without singing at all, but I’ll be painting and working on clothing or vice versa. And so right now I’m just kind of decided, I don’t know why I have to choose one. I’m gonna just do it all and I’m gonna do it all really well to the [01:18:00] best of my ability. And over time I hope that I can just do this thing full time.

That’s That’s the goal.

Glen: Yeah, I think that’s incredible. I mean, I don’t think you have to choose one. I don’t know. I, I get that there’s a pressure out there that makes you think to really be successful,

Jonah David: Yeah.

Glen: to sacrifice something to choose one. But again, like, yeah, the tongue in cheekness of my podcast name about fame is as much tongue in cheek about success and, and the fact of like, what actually defines success for you?

Like what actually, um, is successful. So I think that those are great. Observations and great, uh, reflections on your own.

Jonah David: So you also talked about a clothing drop, which I’m gonna want you to send me the links and stuff for after, so I can put it in the show notes and all that. But,

yeah.

Glen: so tell me about just a little quick

Jonah David: Yeah.

Glen: snippet on like, what is, what’s [01:19:00] the joy, the love of clothing creation and the opportunity that came up there?

Jonah David: I think it’s just like the world I’m in. Clothing plays a huge aspect of it. I mean, growing up my dad strives for less, better things. That’s his motto. And he, he has lots of very good pieces, but very few. And he definitely had very much of like a super suit or his own costume, if you will. When he was playing shows it was like tighter jeans and his black Chelsea boots in a either a t-shirt or whatever he was wearing.

But he had his outfit and style was like a thing for sure. But it wasn’t until I moved to Vancouver where I was like, oh man, I really wanna like be stylish and cool. And after that it kind of just played its part and like everything, I just kind of fell in love with it and I noticed that I had an eye for like what was decent and what wasn’t. And I was able to meet, um, my now business partner earlier this year, um, in [01:20:00] February. And he just kind of opened up that world, kind of like Euro did, where I was just like, ah, like you’re, you’re gonna teach me and this is amazing and we’re friends first, but I get to learn so much from you and just be a sponge.

And then throughout the year just decided, I was like, man, no one is making the clothes that I want. And obviously that’s the point where you go, okay, I guess I could make my own. when that came, a big thing was, you know, we’re, both of us are artists, but also we love to go to the gym and we love to like take care of our bodies and you know, go on runs and whatever.

And we’re like, let’s make clothing that. We can wear the same thing to both. so it’s kind of our love for athletics and our love for designer garments. merging those worlds into one and it’s just like made by artists for artists. And

Glen: Yeah,

Jonah David: bull, the brand is called Bully. It’s actually, um, based in Los Angeles.

It’s a Los Angeles LLC. [01:21:00] and yeah, we’re just like kind of working away on making that brand. Our first product is a pair of shorts and that comes out on the seventh. So that’s been an ever consuming thing in my life of time, but it’s like super rewarding and it’s just like another entity. My

Glen: yeah,

Jonah David: all, end all goal is I want to be like a Pharrell Williams or like a Kanye West.

I want to be able to like, have my foot in all the different ponds and really succeed. Um, and this is just kind of like laying the groundwork right

Glen: yeah,

Jonah David: all the nitty gritty work.

Glen: yeah. I took, uh, I took my daughter and son down to, um, this big festival in Vegas, in 2019. And, and honestly like. We were there the first day I felt just to be in the merch line for the Tyler creator

Jonah David: Yeah,

Glen: which were incredible. So, I totally get what you’re saying. I think it’s so interesting, and I’m sure, Ryan, you totally know what I mean by this too, right?

Is um, it’s [01:22:00] just when people like you have a calling, you said Ryan, when, when somebody feels like that thing that we would call artists inside of ourselves, we’re inspired by something and art is really just taking, finding a way to take that thing that’s inside of us. It’s more than our head. It’s our, it’s just our, in our ethos, it feels, and we wanna just give it form, right?

Like we just want to get it outside of ourselves and give it form. And then we have this incredible need for it to mean something to somebody else too, the way it meant something to us. And I feel like that’s what the process of art is. But you need, you always need somebody who knows how to just technically, objectively unlock it and, and give you paths and avenues.

I think that’s maybe one of the coolest things that I’m hearing in your story so far, Jonah is like, a, you know, this thing where [01:23:00] your, your dad didn’t try to interfere, which could be a part of, I think a lot of people’s stories and then b, that you have found people that. We’re able to sort of unlock that for you and give you very productive avenues to make these things happen, which is exciting and, and more rare than maybe we would think it would be, which is pretty awesome.

Jonah David: it takes a village always. I mean me, my dad and I have been talking about this over the past week, but just learning, like it really does take a village to do any type of creative thing out there. It takes a village, even if you’re working a regular nine to five job and just living life, everything you do, it takes a village.

And I think I am so blessed to have met the friends and like the mentors and the people I have in my life, but none of that

Glen: Yeah.

Jonah David: without me putting my best foot forward and like putting myself out there and like actually showing up to grab that coffee, you know, it’s funny now saying that out loud [01:24:00] like my dad and I feel like life has like been built around coffee and it sounds really funny, but like, you know, he doesn’t show up to hang out with Dave Grove and grab Timmy’s.

Maybe Dave doesn’t drum and maybe that band never happens out the way it does. And you know, I don’t meet up with my friend Callie now, business partner. For coffee just to chat about like creativity in life. I don’t have a brand six months later with him, and if I don’t meet up for coffee with Euro and just see if there’s anything there, none of this happens. And I think it’s just like reminding young artists and artists of all age, all different genres that like, you can have the greatest ideas and just be the best creative possible, but without moving with intention and putting your best foot forward and just like, just like face-to-face interaction and building your village and of your people, none of it happens.

Glen: Yeah.

Jonah David: and [01:25:00] you’re, you’re slightly arrogant to think that you can do it all yourself because it just genuinely, it doesn’t work that way. It

Glen: just go get the coffee and get it going.

Jonah David: Get,

Glen: I was laughing actually when Ryan, when you were first saying that line. I laughed ’cause I just thought like, like, like the music scene in this country almost feels like it was built on. Like we grabbed a Timmy’s and then we went and did a thing. You know what I mean?

So, um, anyhow, it’s kind of funny. Getting along on time, so I just wanted to, Ryan like where you’re at. I think it’s, this is what part of it was interesting me, is that I, I’m excited and I’m, I’m, I love all hearing of the story of like how things are starting and emerging for you, Jonah and

Jonah David: Thank you.

Glen: Ryan, I’ve loved your story of, I mean, I didn’t know the pre-story, which I’m, uh, I love hearing now about just how much effort and intention you put into just deciding that this is the way it’s gonna [01:26:00] be.

but you know, the boom Chaka era was kind of fast and over in a pretty short window, and then you moved on to solo work and, and I mean, you first entered Project Wild in 2017 is when I first saw you solo and was struck with, you know, it, and I, I feel like charisma isn’t even the right word. I feel like there’s just something else that you have.

It is charisma Ryan, but it’s, it’s like, it’s like an honesty that I’m almost scared to look a person in the eye with. Do you know what I mean? And the fact that you perform with it and then you come and sit on the bar stool and you still have the same, like, I know that when I meet you that we’re gonna be talking real shit in three minutes

Jonah David: Yeah.

Glen: that.

I mean, that’s what happened back in the summer. We just, like, you sound checked and then you came and sat down and all of a sudden we’re literally talking about all of the most important things in our [01:27:00] lives immediately. and it’s, and it’s, it’s just, it’s very. It’s a larger than life version of that, which I see has now carried you through a lot of this stuff.

And um, and so you went on a trajectory with your solo career, you know, and were working at it and you released an album and then you’ve released a whole bunch of singles but not a full album for quite a few years since then. Then you sort of felt like you disappeared a little bit for a while and I know that it was, you know, a lot of hard times and some family tragedy that happened and then I talked to you and now you’re sort of trying to get that muscle flexed and get going a bit more.

So I’m curious just to know where you’re at with the Ryan Langua solo career and efforts and pursuing it’s, I’ve said this so many times on this podcast, in this in life, but especially in music, the easiest thing to do is just stop. [01:28:00] There’s, it always feels like nobody’s out there begging you for a new song.

Nobody’s asking you to make another record other than the handful of people maybe. Um, but it never feels like it. Um, so the Keep Goingness is so hard, and I’m just curious where you’re at right now in the, in the Keep Goingness of Ryan Langlois music.

Ryan Langlois: I don’t know. Honestly, I, I know, I know that I’ve been working through, like I’ve had to find an identity outside of music and, I, so I’m working through, you’ve had Tamara Beatty on here and, she’s been instrumental in

Glen: Yep.

Ryan Langlois: lives, but when I worked with her, she. She gave me more time than I deserved.

That is the wrong word. But, and I remember I was going through some similar things and she just had this saying and she looked me right in the eyes and said, It has nothing to do with what you do, how your [01:29:00] voice sounds, the key of your songs, your set list like you have. And we all have a capital V value that never diminishes and you are putting so much into your small V value and it’s skewing everything. And I have just, that has stuck with me first, and something I’m working through now, continuing to believe, not believe ’cause it’s true, but, uh, aligning myself with that capital V instead of the small V.

And it’s been a, it’s, it’s a challenge because. I, I like to perform. I like, I do like to be on stage. I’m a little more scared of it now than I used to be, but, moving forward, I’m just gonna, just, I shared this with Jonah the other day, but I’m like, I’m gonna, I’m gonna pursue, I’m gonna follow my peace instead of feeling the need to like zoom all around looking for something if I moving forward, if I [01:30:00] don’t have peace.

And so taking it truly like day by day, month by month, I’m right. I’m, you know, I’m starting to write a little bit more again and I would love to release another project down the road, but I have been challenged to be like, is you being present You can have the best set list in the world and you can practice and practice. And I practice a lot because I’m aiming for some perfection. But I was really challenged with like, but what if you just sit on that stool and are just present? And I’m like, whew. Uh, that’s scary to me, but I feel like there’s something profound about it and it’s something I’m learning right now, and I’m gonna move towards that.

Glen: I feel like what you’re saying, Ryan, is a thing that I’ve been wrestling with, which is, um,

I have such a hard time getting outta my own way and I have so much bullshit that I [01:31:00] have not been willing to call bullshit. And, and because that’s, could I sit on a bar stool and be enough? Right. That’s partially a narrative of validation, which is what an artist has been wrestling with all along.

Like Jonah, you said, like you wrestled with like, do I need fame? Is fame the thing that makes me enough? for Tamara, who by the way, has I, I could spend a whole nother episode talking about Tamara’s gift to not just look at someone’s voice, but to see their spirit when they start singing and then have the articulation to, to nail it every time is so incredible.

But she’s so right about your value. And the thing about being able to sit on a bar stool and be just enough that way is if you could do it and be the absolute truth of who you are. And the problem is [01:32:00] we learn to get away with, and that’s where imposter syndrome comes from. We learn to get away with. I get all this validation for a great record or a great song or a great performance, and I knew that it was only about 60% me or 80% me that night, or 40% only me.

And it was some of this other factor and stuff. And so we never believe it is the word believe about ourselves enough that I’ve met people in my life who sat across from me and I felt small, or I felt exposed simply because they were so pure in who they were and their their convictions and truth and authenticity, and they didn’t hold onto any of the bullshit.

It never became part of what that whole interaction was. This is the stuff I’m really learning at my age, which is I’ve known a bunch of this stuff and yet I’ve never really followed it all the way down. And if I [01:33:00] did. I’d be scared because I have to face the ugliest things to get to the truest things.

And your songs are like more like you sing with more vulnerability than almost anybody I know, Ryan. And um, I guess that was always part of my curiosity too, like, you know, transparently Jonah, like what it’s like growing up and being like, my dad sings about very real shit. Like, is he okay? I was, I, I made a solo record once.

Like I did it like You Jonah. I kind of put it out there with no fanfare, but I allowed myself to go to dark places ’cause I wanted to connect with some feelings that I knew were hiding in there. And I was afraid to do it ’cause I was afraid of my kids saying, is my dad okay? You know?

Jonah David: Yeah.

Glen: Um, but I hear you say that Ryan and I just think.

Yeah, that sounds exactly who you are and where you should be right now is like get all the way down [01:34:00] to the full a hundred percent truth, because I haven’t met anybody else who, who sings with as much conviction and, and, and honesty

Jonah David: and

Glen: and

Jonah David: Um,

Glen: got a lot of spiritual background. You’ve talked about it today,

Jonah David: today,

Glen: right?

Jonah David: right?

Glen: Um,

Jonah David: Um,

Glen: yeah. I, it’s, it’s incredible. I think you should just follow it.

Ryan Langlois: Well, thank you.

Glen: Yeah. I just really wanna thank you both for coming on and tell your stories. It’s been amazing

Jonah David: Yeah.

Glen: look forward to seeing everything that’s coming out. Gonna post all the links and stuff.

but I really appreciate both of you taking the time and, and, uh, I think it’s so interesting and I appreciate you guys doing so.

 

alexi: Hi guys. Welcome back to my YouTube channel. My name’s Alexi Erickson, and today you’re gonna do a day in my life and a fit check.

Glen: Okay. That, um, is that a good lead? It’s [01:35:00] a good lead. Thank you. You said you would lead, but I thought, um, as you were doing that, like you should be careful what you like put out there.

Maybe one day that’s what I’ll manufacture for you. Oh. Your own YouTube channel. I think that’s what everybody wants anyhow.

alexi: Yeah, if I could, like if money was no object, I would definitely just like film. Just film stuff. Just film like me. No, you wouldn’t. I would, you know what? I’m too shy, but I would love,

Glen: that’s so not you.

alexi: No, I actually, we were having this conversation on my trip like last week and it was like, oh, if money was no object and quite a few people.

Glen: Ah, shoot. The phone dropped.

alexi: Okay.

Glen: Now I have more editing. Oh, that worked really well.

alexi: Yeah, because I’m awesome. Um, see Pro YouTuber. Um, back to what I was saying, back to

Glen: what you were saying actually,

alexi: um, we were saying if money was no object.

What would it be? And quite a few people said jobs that would mean they were famous. And [01:36:00] I don’t think people understand that. They probably don’t want to be famous. Like a lot of them.

Glen: I, yeah, I don’t think people understand, I mean, if they only directly correlate fame and money as the right combination, I think they haven’t listened to enough famous people

alexi: no

Glen: talk.

’cause I. You know, some of the podcasts I listen to and they talk about it quite a bit. And in fact, even the one just yesterday morning or this morning, they were just talking about, you know, people who have studied money being the thing that, you know, you can get like rich or whatever, and you get like really, really rich.

And it does actually. Provide like a, a measurable scientific amount of happiness.

alexi: Yes.

Glen: And then it goes past that and then it just starts to have the reverse effect and start to, no, but that’s, I would be the type

alexi: of YouTuber who is like. Doesn’t have like 10 million followers. I have like 900,000 and it’s like enough to [01:37:00] make a profit, but not enough that like if I travel, people would like globally recognize me.

Oh,

Glen: well that, you know, here’s the thing about fame is like, the funny thing is when anybody talks about which. Amount that they would want when nobody has ever been able to predict no achieving fame, let alone what scale. Right.

alexi: This is true.

Glen: Like at all. I think

alexi: I’m okay just never being famous,

Glen: but I’ve had like this conversation with friends, like there’s a famous thing Would rather be rich or famous.

Yes. Like the two and my ads, I was always the famous. Yeah,

alexi: I remember this. I’m like, I’ll

Glen: take the fame. Um, because I think I just get more joy outta life and I think I already know how to do life without money anyhow. You know what I mean? True. So, but I mean, it’s always a good conversation point. Um, anyhow, so we’re sitting under the green glow of a Soys Soys, which we for some reason decided Oh, and the

alexi: restricted private parking.

Might I add?

Glen: No, that’s that one [01:38:00] spot.

alexi: Maybe. No, but.

Glen: Maybe the whole thing, but we Okay. Maybe the whole thing, but nobody’s here. And we decided some reason this was better than a dollarama, but we, which we just traded one green glow for another. Yeah, we

alexi: definitely did.

Glen: And we decided that it would be fun to just record on our road trip to.

Buy cheap treats tonight. So yeah. Here we are. Yeah. Um, following up episode 27, and I thought this one was fun to put right after the we pull episode because that kind of broke the mold felt like a special version of a thing. I mean, one did

alexi: too though. Like having the devil.

Glen: Yeah, exactly. That’s exactly it.

Like to do banger after

alexi: banger.

Glen: Yeah. So another one where I have more than one person on.

alexi: Yeah.

Glen: And then the unique angle of sort of their story and interactions kind of interweaving the whole way, which is what kind of what I hope for.

alexi: Mm-hmm.

Glen: And um,

alexi: and you were kind of geek ’cause it was like a father son and we’re a father [01:39:00] daughter.

Glen: Oh yeah. I mean there’s the whole like all the aspects, oh, nevermind. You

alexi: did not sound convinced.

Glen: I don’t.

alexi: You are like, uh

Glen: oh. Well, whatever. I loved it. You know, I loved it for that reason. Like the whole time. This is

alexi: true.

Glen: Yeah,

alexi: this is so true. You wanna hear my note?

Glen: You have a note.

alexi: Well,

Glen: just one. That’s all I get.

Now you get one note.

alexi: You got one note. Well, I could have written a criticism, but I chose not to. So can’t yourself. Thank you. Wrote a C criticism,

Glen: that would be a first.

alexi: But I’m not gonna say it because you know why I have love and kindness and grace.

Glen: Is it just ’cause you had a tough week that you wrote a criticism, nutrition?

alexi: I just decided, uh, if I can’t be happy neither can you?

Glen: Oh my. Oh, I’m just kidding.

alexi: It was a great note. Sorry. It was great. I loved it.

Glen: Well, now nobody thinks that’s sincere at all. There’s nobody, I

alexi: didn’t, I don’t know what I was on. I was just like note taken and then I wrote, like, I put a start and I put like a little note and it was like a light.

It, it was a criticism and then I was like, [01:40:00] that’s so silly. I deleted it.

Glen: Oh, okay.

alexi: Hence here. I’ll flash, I’ll flash my note at you. Look at see one note.

Glen: Yeah, I see it.

alexi: Okay. Anyways, it was, um, not what Jonah said, although he was interesting and I like that. He’s like a merging. That’s a cool perspective. We wouldn’t have, like, we haven’t really had that yet.

Like

Glen: Correct.

alexi: Emerging, not so much.

Glen: Yeah. We’ve had some who are. Early stages career, but to be honest, settled

alexi: in a career more.

Glen: Yeah, you’re right. Everyone who was technically would’ve been considered in the business, an emerging artist, they had still been doing it for like six to 10 years. Yeah. Do you know what I mean?

That’s what I mean. Yeah. You’re right. I mean, that was why I loved the story storyline though, right? Because it was very much like Ryan wrestling with. Yeah. Is he done?

alexi: Yeah.

Glen: And then his son with like,

alexi: do I start,

Glen: or like, how do I do it my way? Mm-hmm. Like that little conversation about him ’cause you know, being like, [01:41:00] nah, I’m just gonna drop it like outta nowhere on my own.

And all those sort of choices. Yeah. We’re just so, you know, new generation, indie. Mm-hmm. Like all of it. So

alexi: yeah. I like the way he’s doing it. It’s very, for lack of a term, like chic, almost like, it’s like chic in like, like, I don’t know, just the way. Did you like

Glen: his musical inspiration references? I figured all scene named the,

alexi: um, I also like that there was like the references for like his inspirations for.

Like his music? Yeah, like his actual, like music. But then earlier in the episode when he was talking about his musical inspirations growing up, very different.

Glen: Well, I don’t think he was calling them inspirations. I was thinking he just like

alexi: what he grew up with. He was just

Glen: saying, this is what I got played in my house and it was distinctly either my mom or my dad’s.

Yeah.

alexi: Music,

Glen: which you could probably relate.

alexi: Yeah, I was gonna ask like what do you blue rodeo for

Glen: everything else?

alexi: Literally. Yeah. It’s like, that’s just so funny. ’cause I [01:42:00] was like, oh, I think it’s interesting that like he grew up with like one of, he said the most predominant was like Elvis Presley. And he says like that’s reflected in how his dad performs.

But then like you look at him and it’s like zero. Like you don’t get that at all. Right? No. And then I was like, that’s really interesting. Like you wouldn’t think that. But then at the same time, like. Our house because of Mom. Not so much. You was like a Vet Brothers Blue Rodeo, like Mumford and Sons and it’s like, that’s not my music taste at all.

That’s not what I like, have ever like sat down at the piano and wanted to play like,

Glen: but you can draw lines through things.

alexi: Oh, totally.

Glen: So you know, zero Elvis in Jonah, David, but. He completely understands the influence of style and performance. Yes. And swagger and confidence. And I’m pretty sure he carries himself with a lot of confidence and knows what is required when you step on stage.

True. As a result. ’cause he saw it [01:43:00] firsthand, right?

alexi: Yep.

Glen: And you have no blue rodeo in you. Yeah. Or that, or Yvette brothers. But

alexi: I love a folk fest

Glen: and you, but you love a folk fest, so

alexi: that’s so true. There you go. Um, I’ll read you my note now.

Glen: Okay.

alexi: Um, but I don’t know, I think there’s a lot of ways I could like talk about it and like go with it.

But it was just that, um, how not Jonah, um, his dad was saying that when he was. Like not up and coming anymore. Like he was in it. He was like not thinking, he said, I’m not thinking about the art anymore. Like, like the art wasn’t his thought at one point. Like it just became like an unhealthy negative, almost obsession to get like famous.

Yeah. And then how it was kind of funny that like he was on your podcast named almost famous enough and just that comment and I like, I find [01:44:00] that interesting ’cause like. Oh, so many things. It’s just like, I think so many artists and like people that you’ve had on your podcast can relate to that. And just like at some point, like even if it was like a slight pivot and then pivot back, like just like when you’re starting out and you start to gain traction, like trying, like where’s the line of like wanting.

Glen: Don’t you think? Most people won’t be honest enough, that’s what mean as much as he was.

alexi: And I’m like, I think everyone who is kind of setting themselves up in that career, like even if they admit it to themselves or not, like that’s part of the goal. Like, ’cause that’s how your music gets out there and stuff.

Like that’s just a integral part of getting big that like I like no one though has been like, yeah, I really wanted to get famous. Like I really, because like even like Dan first episode was like, here’s how I worked so hard to like. Put myself out there and get my stuff like, and he was alluding to like how to make myself famous, like how to get myself out there.

So I’m famous. Didn’t say it [01:45:00] right, but then he just comes and rips like,

Glen: well you had Shayla who said the exact opposite. She goes like, I don’t want to be, yeah, famous. She goes like, I want to keep doing this and I would love to find people who appreciate what I’m doing.

alexi: Yeah.

Glen: Which touches on. Part of what fame comes out of.

But you know, she was very authentic in being the opposite. Yeah. Which I think is two versions of authenticity, which are really great to hear.

alexi: Yeah. But it also, like for the first time, maybe kind of like, and not in a negative sense, but like question the title or like the name of your podcast. ’cause if I was like.

An artist who was at like, let’s say Jonah’s level or like a little bit above it, like emerging, doing well for myself, and I think I’m on a trajectory to like do well and be successful and then you invited me for an episode and I was like, excited. But then like the name might like h me a little bit or like put me off like almost soon enough as if like I’m not there or I’m not gonna get there, [01:46:00] or like I’m not enough.

Like I was just like, I wonder if anyone’s. About that. About the name? I think they have

Glen: because remember, which is the whole point, but, and Chris and Chris Winters, one of my first season guests. Yes. Really good friend of mine who I, and we talked openly about this on the podcast. We’re going to potentially start this thing together.

Mm-hmm. One of his challenges was whether that was the right name for the exact reasons you’re talking about. Yeah. To which I was convinced it’s the right name.

alexi: Oh, I love it.

Glen: And, and I, I completely agree that it might give some people some heat and you know, another people. Feel like it’s like just a great fit for them, which has to mean that other people would feel that maybe it isn’t.

alexi: Yeah. And

Glen: those are the people less likely to say something. So I understand. I don’t have the sample size.

alexi: Yeah.

Glen: But that’s okay to me because the truth is, I think the truth of the name is that [01:47:00] it encompasses all of that. Yeah. Even if they think that it’s not. Them or they don’t fit inside of that skin.

Or it might be a challenge to them. Like, do I wanna associate with that? Um, I think the tongue in Cheekness of it is that every, that’s where everybody is at.

alexi: Yeah.

Glen: Like the, the millions dollar earning artist can be in the same pocket

alexi: Yeah.

Glen: Of feeling that way or what they experience in their career. As, you know, the person who just makes a few records and tours around a little bit and then quits.

But yeah. Um, the other interesting thing to that point about you saying Ryan, bringing that up, um, we had supper on Monday night. Mm-hmm. Ryan and I, and he was in town and so we had supper and most of our follow up was actually around the wheat pool episode. Oh, cute. He, because he had just listened to it.

And he was making a lot of comments, observations, asking some [01:48:00] questions, and, and you know, he kind of made a comment at one point about how obvious it was that we were a band that had meaning.

alexi: Mm.

Glen: You know, like, we like the art. Oh yeah, yeah. Like our songs meant something to people. Like people keep asking for reunion shows because the songs meant something.

Yeah. And he said. You know, his biggest swing was with the boom chuck of boys who were, who got, you know, quick fame and all that. But they were, he, as he put it, and I, I, you know, I may not say this perfectly, so I hope everybody takes what I say with a grain of salt. He was, I think what he was saying was.

You know, their songs were not like meaningful songs. They just sounded good. They made people want to get up and move. You know what I mean? Yeah. They made them feel good. It could like fill, like the number one

alexi: priority wasn’t the emotion behind the song. Yeah. It whereas like a lot of that was for, for you guys, was good time songs

Glen: that would maybe get on country radio that would make them famous really quick.

Mm-hmm. And make money and they did those things. Yeah. He said, but. [01:49:00] There’s no reunion tour. He said for them there’s no, you know, people flying across the country. Yeah. Because of stuff. He goes, so there’s just that distinct difference. That’s kind of another layer in there, which I found. Yeah. Interesting.

Because, you know, you know, like for our band, I was, I felt maybe, maybe I’m wrong, I didn’t ask the guys this question, but I was the one maybe who wanted fame more than anybody. ’cause Yeah, I care about fame, obviously. We just played the game. Yeah. Which you’re famous, but. Yeah. So, but in the end, like I knew, like what mattered the most, like, like the thing I treasure the most is that value that the songs meant something to people and it meant some, the way they meant something to us.

So you sometimes have to choose and sometimes you don’t get a choice. Yeah. But which way it lands for you. But, and it’s funny though, I don’t know how you were feeling about like Jonah’s responses to that, where he was [01:50:00] sort of saying. Like he already came across a moment where he kind of flipped a switch about like, do I want to pursue fame or do I wanna pursue making things that I wanna make my way?

alexi: Mm-hmm.

Glen: And it’d be really easy to quickly judge that and say, in my position. Like you’re just too young to know it either. Yeah. Anyway, but I’ve listened to lots of stories and interviews with famous people, like big artists who, maybe not themselves, but they talk about someone else who kind of was always that.

A person who was just committed to their art.

alexi: Yeah.

Glen: Like the podcast I listened to recently, the celebrity actor they were talking to, she was talking about Heath Ledger. Mm. The, yeah. Like, um, no longer with his heath ledger about how, you know, Hollywood tried to push him into this heart throb mode and he just wanted to [01:51:00] make the kind of movies he wanted to make, and he turned down things left, right, and center.

You know, and it’s a special kind of person who makes that choice young, I think. And so I, I’m looking forward to seeing whatever Jonah can produce.

alexi: Mm-hmm.

Glen: I really like his song hang Time on his record, by the way. I think it’s my favorite. We’ll do another little lesson on the record. I put it on the Spotify playlist.

Oh good. But it’s a gooder, I think. Um, yeah. So I really enjoyed having another unique episode. Yeah. Like that, a different kind of conversation. To have and it kind of motivates me to look under more rocks to see what kind of different angles. Seriously. Yeah. You can bring to the podcast. So,

alexi: and I loved hearing another adult, young adult.

Glen: Young adult. Young adult. You wanted to say,

alexi: I liked hearing another young adult reflect on their experiences as a piano child as well.

Glen: Yeah. There you go. He hated it. That’s funny. You. That’s so real. You didn’t. I didn’t hate it. Didn’t hate it though.

alexi: I didn’t hate it, [01:52:00] but as soon your brother did, it became, oh, no one hates piano like kale does.

But I didn’t hate it, but as soon as it became my choice, all of a sudden I loved it a lot more and I was like, there’s something really real about that sometimes.

Glen: Yeah. I guess. Who knew

alexi: you? Yeah. Yeah.

Glen: I just wanted you to hang in there long enough to be able to get to that point where you would be able to figure that out.

Because I can’t make you figure that out. No. Yeah, yeah. But so cool. That was a little bit forced because my story is I didn’t get forced to do it. Regret and thought about that. Regret. Yeah.

alexi: No, I’ve had so many conversations with like my friend who was also in piano, like since a young age, and both of us are so thankful we got forced, like in the moment sometimes it was like, ugh.

Yeah.

Glen: Like

alexi: hate,

Glen: but now you’re glad you have it.

alexi: Oh. But now we look back and we’re like, it’s like being able to

Glen: swim or not swim. You hate swimming lessons, but now like how do you feel around water? Yeah. Not scared to like Right. Fall in and die. Yeah.

alexi: So awesome. Yeah.

Glen: Okay. Well that’s a great place to leave off the falling in the [01:53:00] water and dying comment.

Yeah. That’s really positive, but, okay. Well thanks for making Okay. Thanks for watching my

alexi: YouTube video. A note. Yeah,

Glen: yeah. Sorry. You need a proper closing here. Yeah.

alexi: Uh, thanks for watching my YouTube video. Please like and subscribe, comment for more. Um, yeah. Okay.

Glen: Perfect. See you

alexi: next week.

Glen: Okay. Love you.

Love you. Bye. Bye.