Hey guys, I'm Andrew and I'm Chris from talking with Andrew and Chris and we're here today to talk to you about anchor we started this podcast a couple years ago, and honestly at the beginning we had no idea where to start. We just knew that we were really good at talking a lot kind of good kind of get we got better at it. But then we found anchor anchor is your One Stop Shop for everything. You need to get your podcast off the ground and the best part it's free. It's free dude free and you can make a little money on it you put your podcast up. Up there you can edit it record it right there on the app or on the website on your computer. They send it out to Apple music, you know their podcast Spotify all the other podcasts places that you've never even heard of but they're there and it'll get there and people listened to those other places that you've never heard of. So, it's it's kind of important I would say, it's pretty much like if you have a podcast idea and you're not using anchor then I don't know what you're doing because it's I don't know. What are you doing? Not using anchor which is the first mistake exactly and all you need to do to get started is Load the free anchor app or go to Anchor dot f m-- to get started and it's all right there for you and I highly recommend it. Enjoy the rest of the episode. Hey guys, Chris here from talking with Andrew and Chris. Have you ever wanted to start a podcast get that idea that's in your head out into the open to the world. I know personally that I struggled with that for at least three years ever since I found podcasting. I was completely consumed by the freeform nature of it. The flow of a natural conversation on radio is something I was not exposed to Prior. Or so, of course, I wanted to make my own being an artist being a creative three years later. I came across an amazing service called anchor which help me take this idea from my head and bring it to you guys. Anchor is a One-Stop shop for recording hosting and distributing your podcast. Best of all, it's 100% free and ridiculously easy to use and now anchor can match you with great sponsors who want to advertise right on your podcast. That means you can get paid to podcast right away. In fact, that's what we're doing right now by reading this ad to you. It is such an incredible. Credible easy-to-use experience working with anchor and I highly suggest you'd for anyone who just doesn't know how to get this thing off the ground it helped us and I'm sure it'll help you. Thank you guys so much for watching our show. We really appreciate it. Hey guys and welcome to the first ever episode of talking with Andrew and Chris Andrew and I'm Chris. Thank you guys all so much for tuning in. We really appreciate it. This is something that Andrew and I have actually wanted to do for quite some time long time long time. I'm and we've tried and we've tried and we failed we failed hard until now because I think no I think yeah, I think we're onto something really good. We just had our first ever call with our first guest our friend Derek from walk knee. It was very fun. It was fun. I think I think you guys are really going to enjoy this episode. We dove into the creative process sort of got to see what makes Derek tick learned about hard work and his Relentless ethic toward just trying to be the best musician. He can be he's got a lot of elbow grease. Yeah, exactly. And he's just a really cool dude to talk to and we couldn't be any more grateful for him for being a good friend and coming on this show and helping us out. So without without spoiling anything further that is what you can expect from this show and this episode. Yeah, and we're going to be uploading these episodes late Sunday night, so you can have a Monday morning wherever you're driving to on a Monday morning. Make sure to like subscribe leave a review if you can it's going to be everywhere where you can listen to podcasts and Spotify to I know that's a bit of an obscure one, but we will be on Atif I yep Spotify Apple podcast all the ones that have weird names we're going to be everywhere. Yeah, the podcast will always go up every Sunday night like we said and we hope you guys enjoy your Monday mornings. And without further Ado. Here's Luci arose by walk knee. Hey guys, welcome to the first ever episode of talking with Andrew and Chris show about life music and everything in between. I'm Andrew and I'm Chris and we're really really really excited to have as our first guest ever. He's a long time friend longer time. Musician Derek Mariana vich AKA walk knee. What's up Derek? Nothing much. Did you send my last name? Right? What's good guys? What's up Chris? Yeah. Miss you guys did we miss you too, man. Thank you again so much for for being a part of this thing man. That's you know, we couldn't appreciate it. More dude II feel like I feel like I had you, you know, it's just I can't leave the boys hanging dude. We love that man. We love that and that's why we wanted to have you on this show as early as we could because we just feel Oh, no, man. We're coming out to your show in Brooklyn. You know we go to we like you man. We like to hang out with you and talk to you so it's been it's been it's been a long time since caramel rapping in Tyler's basement. True. Were you ever in on those those those driveway van rap sessions off the driveway van rap session the only driveway session I have it Tyler's and carnivals and ever Dan and Tyler showed me the the record with breakthrough on it and It's like crying their eyes out because they're banning. I remember that. I don't but I don't remember a lot of back. I just remember like Dan showing me their version of that song Perfect and being like yo, All-American Rejects comes in right here boo gobble. I was like dude your Hollywood ending dude. You're not All-American Rejects. Yeah. Don't feel don't feel bad about not remembering it because like 95% of my my dealings with Darren Tyler. I don't remember either so do know I was the one who did remember that's kind of why I was around. Yeah. You were like our scribe I mean, If you don't remember, you know when we were hanging out in that exercise room in Chicago then like as long as you remember that then I don't care. What else you forget. Oh my God, I'll never forget it was like, yeah, we get noise complaints everyone be quiet. You just wanted to the exercise room. There's like, you know what? We're not we're not potentially getting thrown out of a hotel. We're just going to go sit on some exercise bikes and just chill. Oh man. What to worry? What even what tour was that what Freaks and Geeks tour it had to be that was like, I think that was the same tour when we shut down a whole floor of a hotel in Allentown. Oh God. Yeah that that was the craziest that was probably one of the craziest parties ever been to my knowledge. Just like I think they that was probably the smartest Hotel we've ever been to because they were like, oh, there's three band staying here and a whole bunch of dumb kids. Let's just give them all the same floor and book every room on that floor for them. And we literally had the whole floor and I'm pretty sure I woke up in the morning to a picture of Derek wearing a bulletproof vest. Yeah mean the security guard became homies. I asked him if I could wear his bulletproof vest and he let me wear it was pretty sweet. So many questions about that first off. What kind of hotel are you staying in that? The security needs a bulletproof vest? Well the Holiday Inn. Yeah. It was actually the Holiday Inn, you know like holidays by chance know that's yelling at the Holiday Inn who you know, that's a classic rap song. I'm chilling at the Holiday Inn I do about it. I'm singing is actually about that Holiday Inn in Allentown that same night. Actually me and Chris born went on to Dickey Betts from The Allman Brothers tour bus that was just like a wild night and he's anything like touring with all you guys dude my first guitar my dad purchased for me from Dickey Betts because one of my uncle's was a tour manager of this band. What was their name? They were like this band from the 70s that was huge in Europe. They wrote. Time Summertime Blues or whatever that who song was that got really famous that was their song and they covered it but my first guitar was from Dickey Betts has just guitar graveyard. My uncle's I can get you a guitar cheap awesome. It sucked but I didn't even know that he was who he was at the time. Like I knew he played with the Allman Brothers, but I didn't realize he was in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I was there like three four months later and they had like all his shit like in a case and I was just like damn like Seriously, cause at the time I was just like a big like all time low key and like all young and over the last few years. I've kind of I feel like I've cultured myself a bit more with music trying to reel trying to align myself with the Great's not that all-time lows and great, but try to set my sights a little bit higher. So I'm forcing myself to listen to little little bit different style music and stuff like that. But when yeah, what good times voice great Rate times dude, you know, I'm kind of glad you said that because one of the things I've noticed about your newest EPO know is that you know, when you're in the Big Time those songs were Rockin right? They were very in your face your vocal sounded great, but they sort of they you can tell the journey that you've been on, you know, like you have a pop song but then out of nowhere, there's a rip in guitar solo. And that doesn't that doesn't mean it's like a classic rock song and you do it in such a way that it's like you're combining I can tell where You came from and where you currently are and you're blending those to at least I get that as a listener and I think that that's really you're on a good path is what I'm trying to say. Well, thanks Chris. I think that it's I think it's a very important thing. It's always been a very important thing for me to never Define myself as one thing because I make all different types of songs that kind of write how I'm feeling like if I'm feeling angry like it's going to sound may be heavy and gain a little bit more aggressive and a lot of my favorite artists artists. I think that have done great. Throughout hit by music history or the artist that kind of ride the line first example that I guess was like Fallout Boy back in the day. Like they really interface with like the pop hip-hop then like pop punk and so a little bit of so let me thing like that and panic at the Disco like you couldn't really Define those bands and I kind of wanted to be like that with walking. I don't I don't want to Pigeon myself in any way because now that walk me is my project and I have full creative control. And I ran out of all the songs and stuff. I you know, I want to be able to experiment throughout the rest of my life because this is this is a thing where walk me is my name, it's not just a cab and it's not just like some project idea that we came up with. It's it's got a very deep meaning like it was my mom's maiden name stuff and that's story goes way back my mom passed away and I was like 15 and that's kind of like what gave me like a kick in the ass with music kind of forced me to use music. To just keep myself busy. So it has a very very strong meaning and I never want to have to have a conversation with myself and be like is this walk me like my am I going to be able to pull this off. I want to be able to just kind of do whatever the fuck I want for the rest of my life. That's kind of how I'm trying to set it up. That's that's pretty sick because honestly, I remember like seeing you guys in the big time and it was dope and you guys were one of the better bands of that scene back in the day. All right P that scene and It's just listening to the new stuff and even like the older songs. I airplanes and stuff like that. It's it just sounds more fun. Like all the other stuff. It kind of sounded like you were just like yeah. This is the songs that were writing the fit in this scene and like girls like it. So we're doing it lets us tour. But now it's kind of like you're just like I wrote this and I'm just gonna put it out whether people like it or not and it seems like people really like it and I like it and I'm just really excited to see you continue to have fun. Well, thanks boys. Yeah. I think that making it was kind of scary because like Chris said it's like it's kind of the most pop stuff I've ever done like when I really see a rose. It kind of just scared the hell out of me. I was like wow, like this song is really good. But like this is super pop and it like I kind of just my producer kind is forced me to run just run with it and it turned out to be a really great thing Lucia Rose was one of the songs I sang that got me through all those American Idol auditions and then after I got cut I submitted it to a friend of mine. And it got picked up one of those Now That's What I Call Music compilations just pretty cool. So I mean it seems like it's working out. I've kind of learned that like the things that make me uncomfortable or the things that I need I need to do because that's the only way I'm going to grow. Right. Yeah. No, I mean I definitely shows but you know, it's funny. You said that you said that this new EP is the most pop Papa record you've ever done but simultaneously, I almost feel like it's the most rocking release that you've had absolute. And so I kind of would like to know was that a subconscious thing that just naturally happened or was it an active decision you made to try and like because obviously that song is very Pop. I mean it's a now that's music, you know, but it's still the most Rocking song in that. In that compilation yet. It fits so perfectly or yeah, we are. I don't know we think about like what walk me is the core of it. And I mean, I guess I don't like to like some people think that pop is a dirty word, but I've kind of realized that pop isn't even really a genre. It just means that you got hooks and whatever so I kind of like pop is always been something that I've written. I've always written songs are like kind of pop songs, but we always want no matter. What happens with walking you want to keep at least keep a rock and roll attitude? Because that's who I am. You know, I grew up listening to like my son my first records that I listen to we're like guns and roses and like Lincoln Lincoln Park it which isn't really rock that's kind of more of a fusion stuff. But I just, you know, I always wanted to be a rockstar growing up. So I figured it would be good to attack the pot world with a rock and roll attitude for sure. Definitely. I mean when I was Chris and I went to see you when you were on tour pretty recently I think in Long Island and yeah, it was efficient Brody right was on guitar Rogan Rogan Roman. Yeah Rogan because somebody else is like, oh, yeah. That's that's it fucks Rogan. Nay Brendan. Like that was the like you guys melted my face with all of the rock that you guys brought forth. I was not expecting because those were for the EP came out, so I haven't even heard the only song I heard that was on it was probably loose. Rose where was it? Yeah. I don't think you played airplanes or north or any of those songs. Yeah, you played pretty much the whole EP and I was blown away. I was like one song is sounded like the Allman Brothers one song. I was like is this is Santana guitar solo bro, but then at the same time as look around I was like all these girls are eating this up, which means that it's pop AF so I don't know how you did that, but I'm I don't know when I'm going to stop listening to it. I think that bromine Rogan and Nate and Brendan Brendan and I mean, I have a number of people that I play with but Rogue an innate and definitely been named Nagel was bass player broken Allen's guitar player. I'll move there from being a really big part in building this live show looking at myself as like a solo artist. I've kind of taken the live performance as as an opportunity to do more rather than just play the record because when you go see like even when you go see like Lil Wayne like he's got a full rock and roll bands like the best guitar player. You can find his dream shreds. Yeah. I've seen it and they just you know, Just they ham it up. So having Rogan and Nate there to just kind of make me look better is really really awesome. I love those guys. Absolutely. Yeah, I noticed you guys also have a similar aesthetic like when looking at walk me. I didn't think oh, this is a solo artist who has a live band, you know you guys in the way you played off each other to in the live show. It felt very organic. And to me that was that was very impressive considering you haven't really been jamming with these guys for very long, correct? No, it's I mean, it's been a couple months like Four months maybe maybe five at this point. I've been I lost I've been losing track of time, but I definitely try to like, although walk me is my project like these boys are just as much a part of walk me as I am just as much as my manager. Brian is a part of walking just as much as you guys are the fans like and everyone like walk me is not just me. It is technically but it's not it's it's a big group of people that all have come together for for one reason and that is to do something. Powerful and meaningful and I think I try to just create like a family environment Rogan and Nate and Brent and everyone that I play with like we're all friends, which is I think super important. No one is coming out with me that you know, we don't necessarily like or someone that is just a call. Yeah, he feds but you know, he's a dickhead we don't like him, but we'll keep around like I I really want everyone to feel as involved as possible and I want To create as many opportunities for these dudes as possible because they haven't been necessarily working in the industry were in the business of original music for for very long and definitely not touring. So I really want to kind of show these guys the way and so we can all kind of get our figure out our own careers in the music industry and kind of establish. So yeah, that's awesome. I mean it definitely shows on stage that you guys get along and like each other. I think that's really cool. The how you want everyone like that's a fan of walking to feel like they're part of it like more than just enjoying the music. What was what's like, one of the first bands are artist that made you feel like you were like a part of them that I feel like they had to have inspired you to feel that way. Right? I mean like I have to give this answer there's not really I mean like it started started with local bands, you know, I started going to see shows when I was like in fifth grade. Actually my first show I was like 10 and it was a hardcore show and South I'd of Pittsburgh and I'm basement since dinner. Then I start Alex started skateboarding and stuff and then I will go skate at this church where they would have chosen alternative like 2005 and almost across the street and this guy was like hey, have you ever been to ship into a shells? Like no, but I'm broke. Well, let me walk you in I'll get you in and it was like Valencia and punchline and this local band called man Valencia, dude. So seeing all that like made me like be like wow like I could do this like this. Guys are sick, but it was really just it wasn't until I got lost in the Myspace world of all time low that I really felt like wow like I can I could actually do that. Like this is your I feel very included in these guys journey and it made me want to do it like it was there's no other way for me to explain it like the that band did a lot for me because they played a lot but they played in Altoona a lot like JC Ray is a girl from Altoona. They just like as teenagers we come here all the time. So I definitely made me feel like I was a part of that journey and I don't understand like made a prey and stuff too. Like even like especially may I prayed actually like for real like 100% like Derek Sanders is like the absolute 100% like most down-to-earth grounded human being I've ever met in all of my dealings and travel that band was, you know, I open for them and I was like, 15 and then we follow their tours and they would always think give us encouraging words and stuff and then it got to the point where I got to write with Derek and then from there when they would come around like you kind of take me backstage. So me the way that they do things and actually make me like kind of show me the way and that make that inspired me even more like just just seeing how these professionals do it and having that inside look was definitely really beneficial. To me and made me want to just go go go did um, I don't know. I probably never told you this but May Day Parade, I actually consider discovering that band was one of the the seminal moments in my life as a musician because I found out about them freshman year of high school and up until then. I was just like all about alternative radio, you know Rise Against Foo Fighters all that stuff. I didn't know that there was this small punk rock movement, you know, like the happening like the Warped Tour scene. I had heard about warped or I knew Link played it but I didn't really know about like the side stage bands and all that type of stuff. So I mean, I feel like a lot of people our age to like I could name a bunch of my friends who I know that like May Day Parade bands like that really influenced us and in a sense. It's sort of interesting because you don't really have that punk sound anymore, but you definitely have that punk mentality. So I mean, you know, like I feel like we don't really have that sound anymore either Andrew and I we sort of but we still have that punk mentality where we're always grinding and grinding, you know, No, so I think that those bands like all time low like you mentioned like I think I don't know where we would be musically without those bands even though we're not doing that anymore. You know. Yeah. It's yeah kind of seems like all those punk bands started like like I feel like with pop and all that stuff. It's like the pop stars are like celebrities and you're just like, oh, I hope I can meet them and I take a picture with them but I feel like punk bands are always like now, we're all the same. We're all just friends. We were just on stage playing the songs and you guys are just down there singing the songs with us, right? We're all this with Derek was saying exactly. Yeah exactly. Yeah. I think going into hopefully, you know, like I'm not sure what's going to happen for me in the next year like Bo beep we've got lots of high hopes and big plans and Big Dreams, but I really am trying to make a point to keep that mentality with me is as long as I can because those are the artists that survived even like the pop star artists that we can't get to like the ones that make their fans feel included the ones that care about their fans. Those are the ones that stick around forever. They're the ones that will always always be there because you can't do anything without your fans and going through like the three-year, lull in between the end of the big time the rocky beginning of walk need to now. I feel like I lost a lot of fans. So all I try to do now is just make sure those people that I have that are still with me understand how much I value them and how important they are to me because You know all these great things that have happened for me all these things that people come up and talk to me about things that people are like wow, like you're so cool. Like I want to be able to do anything without them. So it's it's a it's definitely crucial like you got it. You gotta give that love back. Yeah. I mean think they're fucking rock stars and just like don't they look at fans as consumers and numbers and it is a business, but they're people You know and it's like it's been a dream of mine to have anybody care about my music as much as I do and I think some of these kids care about more than I do like they're getting tired of up and they're just like y'all like what like how like, how is this happening? How is this real life? Like it's just surreal even still after 10 years, you know. Yeah. I mean, I remember well, I should say I don't Were the big time ever flying to play a show on Spirit Airlines and I've seen walk knee flash Spirit a lot to play a show, which is pretty cool. I can't say that I've ever flown somewhere just to play a concert. So I think that the fans are still around definitely really really like you and definitely feel the love because I think that anyone who has literally been to one of your shows knows that this is what you like to do. This is what you love to do and you love, you know, meeting the people that let you do that and you just love seeing them out in the crowd and it's not even that you want. Don't necessarily like a big crowd to play for like a lot of people like you want just the people that are in that because you know, the people there in the room or people that want to be there and support you in are all friends. And you just want that for everybody. Yeah. Yeah 100% I definitely want big crowd. So don't give me right laughs right? I was going to say I think that that mentality because I noticed the community at your show in Long Island a couple months back, but I just think that your mentality will it's bound to double and snowball, you know, based off what you just said like you care and that's that's what people want. In an artist, I think I think that's what the people want. I think that the industry wants something totally different totall. I mean you've you probably had a little taste of that with the American Idol experience, right? Yeah, the American Idol experience. I wouldn't necessarily call that the industry I would call that television. Um, I always kind of viewed it like going into the American Idol stuff. It was always like it is always 100. It's been something that I've never wanted to do as long as I've been a singer. I can't tell you how many times people are like dude. Why don't you go try out for American? I don't want you to voice. I gotta be working construction. Like I work construction for like 10 years. All right, use and everyone's a go try out for American Idol and I was like, I don't know about this. I don't know and then I was doing music lessons with my friends kid, and she kind of like forced me to do it and I kept getting through and kept getting through because I was just singing original music and I guess they thought I was unique or whatever I end up doing like three auditions before I even got in front of the judges. And it was a really awesome experience like meaning Lionel Richie and Brian and Katie Perry and I got like some really awesome career advice real advice from them not just like television advice. But yeah, I mean the the industry it is much like the industry where you know, it's if there's another guy that looks just like me and has the same hair as me and things the same way as me and whatever but he's just a little bit better looking like that. Dude is gonna get it like it's just kind of It's kind of the way of the world. So I think that at least the way of the industry right now is like I just think that the number one thing to do is like what we were talking about is like cultivate your own fan base create your own world. Like don't let other people tell you who to be or how to be that was kind of like a big reason why I didn't really want to succeed with American Idol, you know, everyone's like use it till you get far enough that You know the like you can make it you can make something out of it. But once I got to Hollywood week and they were like you get a deal with Hollywood Records and $250,000. I was just like I don't know about this like all the horror stories. I've heard about people being locked and 7 year contracts. Like I'm not a dick. I'm not Disney dude like and that was like my big concern. I was like am I gonna have my freedom limited and it like it was just, you know, it wasn't for me, but it Definitely like the whole time man. Like I would just sell the whole time. I was there. I was just like I don't want to be here. I don't know if I want to do this like this is because I was just kind of scared probably to be honest. But then once I got the Hollywood week, I was like, this is the coolest thing ever like they put us up in the Roosevelt Hotel never like 200 other incredibly talented singers and artists and it was really awesome. So I mean part of me wishes that I would have tried a little harder. I'm prepared a little better, but I think It worked out for the best because feeling defeated from that whole experience was what made me submit my stuff for now and like it has made me kind of just be like, all right. Well, I gotta get this I gotta get this album out. I got to start really doing this for myself and start making new fans because I've always viewed the like American Idol was I think it was like a Dave Grohl quote or something. He's like you don't stand in line and become famous over and like a success in music industry. You like by one city instruments and like jamming and a garage and suck until you become Nirvana. Like that was always my mentality and that's just kind of how I felt when I was there. I was like, this is skipping. This is skipping a step. I was like I need I need to do a little more grinding before I'm ready for this type of thing. Yeah, and I mean since then you've kind of Hit the Road pretty intensely. I mean you just got off of what a month ago about a month-long tour. Yeah. It was like a little over a little over a month. I think it was an honor. Started in August. It was like a month-long van tour and then because of Spirit Airlines their music for Miles program. I got to fly to a bunch of different cities like Orlando Atlanta Nashville, Los Angeles Minneapolis few other different places. And so if it was like one month of just straight bands for and then there was a month of just fly gigs and songwriting sessions photo shoots music video shoot. Thing like that. So it was two months. There's actually eight weeks straight is the longest that I've ever been out consecutively and it was brutal, but I can't wait to do it again. Yeah speaking of that. You have a tour coming up in December. I do it's a it's with a band called the Von's and they're from New Jersey. They're pretty sweet there like a like an alternative that little more of a rock band. I guess. It's so pretty in D. And it's just us two and we're doing I think Brooklyn Philly Long Island's Garwood, New Jersey and then there's an Upstate New York date that I can't remember for the life of me right now, but it's just five little shows to close out the year celebrate the release of the EP and just kind of it's gonna be really easy. I think because all the Northeast yeah those drives aren't that long? Yeah. We have a mic to Rapa from the stolen he works over it's all good booking and he's my booking agent. He's even whenever We have longer towards the he's a king of for doubting and he met he's made our touring. So so easy. So shout out to my dude. He's made it happen for me now, dude, that's that's incredible and congratulations on that. One thing. I actually wanted to ask you was you know, you mention that you are you simultaneously put out your most pop and then I said, you're also your most Rock record and you're touring with a rock band right. Now. Are you going to explore the options of touring with more pop artist, maybe even like Solo artists that are you know, straight pop like radio pop or are you going to try to stay more in that alternative rock world with the emphasis on Pop? I think that I'm gonna just explore, you know, I think that what this music is kind of set me up for is you like I said before the ability to ride the line, so I think I can tour with anybody. I would always say like, you know, either still like there's only five songs out, but I have a mountain of music that just touches Everywhere and I used to always say like I could tour with Katy Perry Lionel Richie oil is Brian like I want to be able to to take to to gather as many fans as possible. I think that the difference between this music and the big times music was the big-time music was very Niche sound. It was like that worked or email pop punk took thing, but I think that the new Tunes like everyone can listen to and appreciate so yeah, I'm definitely not opposed to touring with straight pop artists. It would be sweet to get on tour with like do it Lipa. That would be nasty. Wait, let me see. So cool. Like we were but then at the same time I got would absolutely love to tour is like the main or I could see that working really. Well, you know, like any of it would be stored like a night game to like just I think that I have a sound like a note that allows me to kind of do all that so yeah, I think just get sky's the limit boys. I feel like I could see you having almost the exact same transformation The Martin Johnson had because he was in Boys Like Girls is like, you know. Topping the always headlining the tours of the all-time low and all the other ones and then all of a sudden now, he's the lead singer of this incredible pop band and I know that you're a bit more rock than they are but like still like you can get solos. They both have solos. But yeah. Yeah, it's a little more rock obviously, but it's not it's not out of the realm of possibilities that right but you see a lot of those kinds of guys, like maybe not a lot of them but some of them try to like quote unquote get out of the scene and try something else and they just can't because they don't sound like anything else. Whereas I think I think your progression Derek was very natural. You know because you haven't abandoned it, you know, I'm guilty of doing that. I sort of abandoned my seen roots for a few years really dove into this whole folk world and just pretended like I never went to a warped or and I think that hurt me in the long run because now I sort of like we said earlier I use those tools those tools. I got, you know being in a DIY grind booking your own shows booking your own weekenders. I use those more now than I did when I was, you know in the DIY bands in the hardcore scene, so I think it's a beautiful thing that you Have that mentality and like you said, you're always expanding. Yeah, I think that's that's been one thing that I've noticed that people said that about the EP is the like wow that you've grown so much and that is always been my goal with every album on that's why I didn't put out an album for a while is because I felt like a lot of the stuff that I was working on recording. I scrapped three records. They all were just felt like a step back. So the people up here just like wow like you grown so much and my goal is Every time just grow from the last because that's what that's what we hit the big time. We put out five forty pieces big time and every time we just kept getting better kept getting better and I think that if I keep going at this rate like by the time I'm 30 years old, hopefully, I'll have like some granny there's some Grammy award-winning cuts and shit like that. Like I could see I left my truck my goal. My goal is to get that Grammy and become like a worldwide like Performing Artist. That's those are those are kind of my big goals right now. Yeah, and I mean honestly man, I think you could be one of those artists that wins a Grammy for the same song both in pop and rock which you don't really hear Too Much happening like that anymore yet most that I think that other thing that that I've definitely been experimenting with little bit and trying to interface with more with is the hip-hop world the way that hip-hop is innovating music is just like unmask. There's no one that does like I'm By any means of yes, I can rap but I'm by no means a rapper. I just mean the way that the music's made the workflow the mentality like the turnaround on these hip hop songs is insane like me goes can go into go into a studio and make an album in a day because they're just like living freely. Like there are is just full of like some people may argue that it's not as quality or whatever is like May Day Parade or whatever. I don't think that's Really true but these guys are just going in and they're just doing it they're saying it but landing on the record and then like, okay cool next track before, you know, you got 15 songs and just like that. I think that that is something to Aspire towards just being able to be a machine like that like the Hollywood ending days like touring and freestyle like learning how to freestyle rap with all you guys and stuff is actually become a very very big part of my writing process. Not necessarily rapping but applying the freestyling to my singing just getting up on the mic and just doing a freestyle singing track just to find a melody or some lyrics and it's actually change the way that I write a lot. I used to be like I used to view myself as some like sad poet Lyricist guy. That was just so tortured and now I'm just like Yo, dude, let's put it out on the track and see what see what comes out and a lot of times. The words that just come out from my come out and just a freestyle end up being the one's that I keep because they're just flowing directly from my subconscious. I'm like, wow, like that's really to I never really thought I never really realized that I feel like that sometimes I have my subconscious songwriter mind kind of tells me how I'm feeling before I even realize it so, it's cool man. I'm just kind of trying to experiment a little bit dude. I mean, I mean look at how else to the boy came about No, he was in a country pop and put out like one EP every two years and then all of a sudden he becomes to deploy puts out a song every week. I'll do that with never forget. Like I wish you know, I love Dan. I love Tyler. I love all those boys but I wish Brandon Stewart like all the success in the world. Not that I don't wish those guys at but I've just seen that dude. Like when he first moved to LA man, like he had no idea what like what he was gonna do. Yeah time for jobs. Like all day every day and now he's doing it and like it inspires me everyday. It's work hard and stood apart is definitely one of my heroes dude that stew pocalypse mixtape is all I put on all the time. I mean dude, you speaking of Stew the bull, you know, his first track live at MSG dude. It was at MSU want to talk about someone is put the work in you know, that's mention. Like how much can I drink more than you can think? And it's recover of Aerosmith's don't want to miss a thing. Oh, my God gives me chills. I remember I just remembered and telling me about that. He was like, yeah Brandon was in our studios in the he's in the studio. We're working on a song and he did the student voice and he was like, yo bro, like you have to just do that. Like that's it like you ain't mad and they just want with it. I'll never forget when they made snow boots and they're just like follow my party. So I knew that that was one of the Rap songs I might have ever heard in my whole life and it like makes me angry. How casually they wrote those songs because it was like I try so hard to be a good musician and then Dan is like Yo dude, check out this thing we did last night and it's like Shamu and I'm like dude. This song is so catchy. That's how they do it man. Like those kids. Those kids were very very big in like my metamorphosis as well. Like Tyler and same hear a lot about songwriting and just a lot about how you have to be in order to Succeed like not necessarily like I don't mean like they influence me to like party like an animal that was already like a part of me before I met them, but it was it just you know, they I remember I had a conversation with Tyler one day and I like I said, I was like this email I thought of myself as a Simo poet guy and Tyler's like dude just sum it up. He's like just say it like you don't have to be so poetic about he's like people will connect was it more if you just come right out and say it. Yeah, so I tried to write my Eric's on this on this new EP. I don't necessarily think they're the best lyrics that I've ever written, but I think that they're the most like blunt like in Lucy Rose. I say like I just didn't have the balls to speak up. I just knew I had to leave my friends like did you say fuck it? Did you think balls and yeah. Hell yeah, I definitely I definitely credit Tyler and Dan for like teaching me how to listen to music like the way I do now because before I was just like oh cool song and I'm like, wow listen to what they're doing in this part and that part is They're they're wise beyond their years when it comes to music. They definitely are they've lived. They've lived eight of nine of their lives. Yeah. Absolutely. Well, you know, I think that they're like well, maybe only a few I think Dan's like a cat do like you can isn't he somehow just land on his feet no matter what you throw him off. I don't know if I've ever heard a more accurate description of Dan than just he always lands on his feet. Just so people know because we've been talking about them for a while now. We're talking about our friends in a band called seven seven one five. But Derek with with all that being said man. I don't want to lose this question. I know we're a little bit aways from it. But you were talking about earlier about sort of an improvisational writing process. Now that makes me want to ask because I love talking about this with people. Do you let the lyrics come to you first or do you you let the melody find you over the chords or whatever and then you're singing and you're like, oh no I miss you. Like you find you find that one word and you build off that like, what's your process? And that yeah, so basically how I'll do is I'll build a track and then I'll just sometimes I'll have an idea already with lyric but lately that hasn't been the case. So I'll just go in and I'll sing a Melody because I've been trying to write more for my voice rather than all right. What is this song mean? What's the song gonna be like beforehand? I just kind of go into it blind and figure out what works my voice and then sometimes I'll just say I'll say to Lyric in that little scat track or freestyle or whatever and I'll build off that. Or sometimes it'll sound like I'm saying something else. Oh, yes II actually I was watching this Def Leppard documentary and that's how I came up with Pour Some Sugar On Me. They all just takes did a bunch of different scat tracks and they came up the line love is like a bomb baby. Come on get it on and so I was like fuck you don't gotta try that. That's sick. So yeah, it's like a lot of times I'll just it'll come it'll start with the Melody. I don't write lyrics to The Melody, which is something that I never used to do, but it's become The most efficient way for me to write and and the best way for me to write songs that sound good with my voice. So so for example in the big time error, you were writing lyrics down first and then finding a Melody for those words. Well, it wasn't necessarily always that way like there were a few songs that were like that but I would write I would write a lyric and Melody like hand-in-hand like Like I'd write the right the acoustic track or if I start with an acoustic guitar and then I would just go through part by part and just try to come out with something. Whereas now like I'll just go and do the whole track and I'll be like, I like that part. I don't like that part. Let's cut it. Let's let's get rid of this. Let's try something else here. So it's definitely been it makes it a lot more fun and more. Makes it feel less like work. Yeah. Now that's interesting. I've never really spoken to someone who dabbles in to both sides of that. Usually it's like yeah, of course I get the words down first. And then I find The Melodies that work with the words or vice versa. So it's actually really interesting to see someone who uses that approach considering, you know, like people seem to react well to your songs and really enjoy them ready. Well thanks to you. Yeah, some of the songs on the EP like a lot a lot of this. Actually, I don't know if every song was this way, but unhappy definitely was unhappy started as just like I'll record a lot of times when I write a song. I'll just be jamming on my acoustic guitar like not even make it not even make a track just jam on my acoustic guitar and put my voice moment was on and unhappy was like this slow like R&B kind of like bumping guy and Vibe and there weren't any real lyrics in it. Other than tell me. Why are you so unhappy? Do you even know and so that just kind of stuck? Name built song around that and then one day I was at the beach and I just started playing it like double time as I damn. Do this is funky like we got to cut this so I called up Mike O'Malley the guy who produced. Oh, no, he's a great 100% great musician and producer and he just he was like, all right, let's get let's get it. This is pretty sick, and we just kind of just with all these songs a lot of them. I unhappy with probably Happy and Lady were like the two that got written during the time of recording, but a lot of like beasts and why and what's the other track on their Lucia Rose Lucia Rose. We see a rose have been written for like over a year. Mike be step in written for like over a year. And so we kind of just in that process. We were kind of just recording songs. We weren't even necessarily recording an EP Mike. I just thought I was living in Pittsburgh. I was doing community service and I was doing some community service and I just went to Mike's place and was like, let's just record some songs. Like I need to get I need to express myself because it's been like six months since I had recorded anything and it just created this long year long process of three hours sessions couple times a week and we just we just did it. Like I had to kind of pull the trigger. We had like four other tracks. So we think about doing like an eight. Song release and then I just kind of like, all right, you know what like we gotta give these people something and I had to kind of cut mic off and be like, all right, we can't work on anything else. We need to put focus on these songs and get these ones out. No. Yeah, dude that that makes sense. Now you referenced earlier about the hip-hop game and how you know, there is such a steady outflow of Music being that you just that you realize that you know, your EP is pretty short. Do you plan to follow it up soon. Are you do you plan the tour heavily? Off that like how do you plan a counteract that culture that you obviously are very in tune with well. I think the big thing is doing I mean, obviously we have plans to release another single early next year and we're going to just do a couple of singles potentially like an acoustic release stuff like that, but I won't release like an actual body of work probably to middle of next year or something like that. Um, because we're going to really try to just since this is the first thing we're going to really try to promote these songs as much as possible get as many ears and eyes with these songs, but I think I'm a massive thing that that is crucial to why hip-hop has such a constant outflow of content is collaboration with the big time and with like, oh no and stuff. Like it's all stuff that I wrote, you know, like a lot of the production elements and stuff Mike O'Malley he came in and he programmed a lot of the like this stuff looks like production elements, but I think the key really is collaboration because he's Pop artists will be like, hey, they've got like ten producers that will send them like a hundred beats and a hundred different instrumental tracks They don't even have to worry about sitting down writing the song me just go in and their vocalist. So yeah, I've got I've been working with a buddy of mine in calc over. He's really really great producer and songwriter. So we're trying to do some kind of collaborative release or something like that. And I think that really it's just like building the network of producers and just working with everyone a lot of people only work with one person because with bands and rock music in general like it's all about like you have to find your sound and you have to make your sound and that's it. Like once you have your sound and you gotta stay within those lines, but being a singer and a solo artist like I can do whatever I want like I could work with Lenny producer. I want any type of production I want and I think that that is going to be the thing that really He sets me apart is my I'm not afraid to work with a bunch of different people. Even if it is a little bit different. Right. No, I mean I definitely think that your approach is what I hope will because that's something I'm trying to do as well with our own stuff is I hope will set us apart, you know in this this modern world of rock where everything is so, you know, people want the single they don't really sit most of my friends don't sit down and listen to an album front to back anymore there. So it's such a short short fuse everyone has and we are assuming our attention spans have shortened a lot with the internet and social media and all that stuff. So I think Approaches is really smart. And I think that as long as you're consistent and I think you know, you have sort of a schedule around your releases with all the touring you're doing I think that you know doors will open up I sure hope so next. We're really just we're going to hit it. It's the end. This is the end of the year. So the music industry kind of shuts down a little bit at the end of the year, but we're definitely going to hit it extra extra hard. 2019 is going to be the year that we just hopefully blow everyone away. Did I would love to see that before we wrap up here? There's just one last thing I wanted to ask you about because I find it very interesting. It's very it's a nice cover artwork and it's just it's very vague. You know, there's no title. Yeah. Well, no, you titled the EP but it's just it's so just its own thing. I want to know like a little bit of the process behind that. Yeah. I love that. It's that it's Terry who's normally a photographer being the subject of the photo which for everyone who knows Terry. It's definitely amazing. But even for people who don't know Terry, it's just such a great. I didn't know that yeah, that's more Terry Terry swick was the first photographer that the big time ever had and we took her on her first tour. She was on our first tour which was the puffer store back in the day and I give Perry credit for I mean, I may be one of the ones I give Terry credit for creating the swamp like creating like the she took all the photos. And everything she was the one who portrayed all of us to the rest of the world and I always felt like I owed her everything because of that. He was a very close personal friend of mine still is and you know, I always felt like she never really got the recognition that she deserved and I just always felt that way and then her friend she posted this that photo on Instagram and I was at a point for those people who don't know me like I can be super indecisive. To the point where I get my own way and I was thinking about album artwork and I was trying all these different things and I saw that photo and I was just like I fucking want that like I want that to be my out more work and everyone's like water. What are you talking about? Like that's just a picture like why do you want that? I'm like because it accurately describes where I'm at in my life right now. I'm barely keeping my head above water like what I'm just you know, I'm chilling and I'm I'm just getting through it just like Buddy else. I thought that like the colorful like the rainbow or whatever that is like in the top left corner kind of represented my dream and how is just kind of looming over me. But really it was it was just something that I just I saw it and I was like, I need that and the reason there's no title on it. There's nothing is because I was looking at a lot of hip hop cover art and like a lot of these a lot of new artists and a lot of people don't even put Like a title on their thing anymore because they know it's just going to be released digitally. So I was like, yeah, I'm gonna kind of just say no title and just put it there because it's gonna be here in a little exact in the bottom. Anyways, you know, when we do physical copies and stuff, you know, we'll put like the walk and you logo and stuff the bottom or maybe what? Oh, no on the back or something like that, but I really it was really just something that was kind of natural. I just I saw it and it inspired me. And I felt that it captured with the EP is about called it's called. Oh no because it's really because a bunch of songs that are about being unable to do like seeing a problem the distance and not really being able to do anything about it and not being able to like keep yourself going. So I was just like, okay cool like this photo seems like it seems like it really embodies everything. I think they were there a couple other artwork. If pieces that it just when it doesn't feel right you just know I mean when you do know, you know, yeah and it just it just stuck. So I thought it was a good omage to Terry for all those times that all my boys posted her photos without photo cred and tomorrow night. I thought it would be a good call back to the big time to you know, like just show to show all those fans and all the people that are still listening that I haven't forgotten where I come from. Yeah. That's beautiful, man. I want I think it's forget. I think it's really cool. Because like you said like Terry like, you know, you brought her out on her first tour in your first tour, but she was around for a lot of Tours after that. You know, it's 7 Minutes in Heaven even Hollywood ending and stuff. So I think even if she doesn't know it or maybe no one really knows it like she was kind of the window for all of the fans to see that scene and she's so not good at doing that with her photography like obviously she gets great live shots and stuff, but she's also just always there and because she's not just the For that's trying to not be seen like she's always part of the hangs. So it just feels so natural. So everyone definitely feels included when you see her stuff but even more so just with the EP like this. Oh nothing. I think that that's something that a lot of people can grasp right now because you know in this day and age there's a lot of problems in the world and a lot of people want to do something about it and maybe they feel like they can't and they try to and maybe like not feels like nothing gets done but it's kind of like, you know, even if it's out of your control like you want to do something about it and you'll find a way to do something. And I think that a lot of people can relate to what you're putting out, which I think is gonna you know help people relate to it and keep coming back for more but 100% Yeah, I think that like, oh no for me was that it was that exactly that it was like I just need to do I was like I need to put something out. I just need to do something like it's not necessarily for other people like just for me because for a long time I felt extremely like incredibly invalid as far as being an artist went because people will be like, oh you're a musician can I Listen to your music and I'd be like, yeah, I've got two songs on Spotify but like aren't really me. Like doesn't really sound like me and I was just like I gotta have something to do anything to just represent my talent and who I am so then I can have peace of mind when telling people who I am like I so I have something to actually back it up. And so that was like kind of my flight away from being like wow, there's so many problems in my life. There's all this stuff you and real life happens and it happens fast and I I feel like that EP is like is I mean, it's helped me get through the past few months which have been pretty I've been pretty brutal but it's you know, like what you what you just said man, like people I think people can grasp definitely can get where I'm coming from and I hope that people connect with it in a way that helps them through as well. Totally. Yeah dude again. I think that just Segways back to what we spoke about in the beginning of this episode is you really wear your heart on your sleeve, you know, like that is As such in the the omage in the photo to the content of the songs that you shared with us. Everything about you is just you're such an open person and I think that that will permeate through very genuine. Yeah, very genuine. So thank you man. I'm trying I'm trying to be a bit more genuine trying to trying to just put it all. I'm not the type of dude that like love social media like I kind of hate it but I realized it has it kind of is the way that the world works now so unnecessary evil. Yeah, trying to get over myself and just kind of put everything out there because I feel like that's that's that's the only that's the only way to really show people who who I am on a regular basis and let people in because you know, the music is one thing but what really matters is if people are going to be able to connect with me and if people are going to be able to believe in me as a person because that's the music the music back the music is the most important thing I think. Think to me, but other people it's hard to it's hard to get people to latch onto just some songs like you it's kind of you got to be everything totally which its can be hard but it's definitely the way that it works Derek. I got to say that this conversation has made me proud to be your friend man. Like seriously. I wish you nothing but the best going forward. I think you have an incredible album on your hands and I'm sure the music is to come is is going to be absolutely incredible. Well as well, so with that being said we got to we got to start wrapping this one up Derek where can people find you. What can they expect from you going forward and into the new year? Well, you can find all my stuff over at walking.com, but I'm on Twitter Instagram Facebook YouTube all that stuff. If you go to any of my videos, you can find the link to my album. I just released a music video for Lucia Rose, which is up on YouTube. It's over on Facebook over at the Now That's What I Call Music page. Page and I'll be on tour from December 13th through the 17th and Northeast. So if you're listening to this go walking.com store grab some tickets and come out and party with us because it's gonna be awesome. Oh, yeah on the ground and in the skies Derek, thank you so much for hanging out with us, man. We appreciate it anytime. I love you guys. Thank you so much for the we love you, man. Love you too, bro. Have a good one, homie. Thank you. All right, you two brothers. Peace out. It was a little bit of you. In Greek, I know he had a history. I was waiting up by the phone waiting for your call waiting for your call. I was waiting for your call. You said I want it. All you said you needed my body. So come and meet you in the hotel lobby. I said are you your
Welcome to the first ever episode of "Talkin' with Andrew and Chris". We are very happy to introduce you to today's guest Derek Mrdjenovich, of the band "Walkney"! After appearing briefly on American Idol and landing a spot on NOW 66 with his single “Lucia Rose”. Pennsylvania singer/songwriter Walkney is releasing his long awaited breakout debut. Produced by Michael O’Malley (Pittsburgh, PA), the EP features Walkney’s most soulful songs to date. With dancy anthems like "Unhappy", Walkney implements classic elements like brass and strings taking a sure footed but small step into the world of pop. No stranger to heartbreak, Walkney lyrics are like an open journal to love lost. The third track on the EP, "Lady", represents the push and pull of being in a less than healthy relationship. This song really embodies the theme of the record, which is being completely powerless in addressing an oncoming problem. "Wah" gives us a look at the gritty and darker side of Walkney. Since 2016, Walkney has spent ample time on stage. After landing a Spirit Airlines sponsorship (Music4Miles), Walkney toured in the US/Canada, and has plans to expand his international horizons. "After three years of writing and recording for what would be my first solo release, there’s nothing better than being able to give people a small representation of what I’m capable of. These songs are only the tip of the iceberg, the first step... the beginning.” - Derek of Walkney. Keep up to date with Walkney: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WalkneyOfficial/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/walkneyofficial/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/derekwalkney?lang=en  Listen to Walkney: Spotify: shorturl.at/awGS4 Apple Music: shorturl.at/luwA6 YouTube: shorturl.at/bckKZ Soundcloud: shorturl.at/lzT26  Keep up to date with Andrew and Chris: Instagram: Andrew: https://www.instagram.com/not_awgyomai/ Chris: https://www.instagram.com/christianevanko/ Twitter: Andrew: https://twitter.com/awgyomai Chris: https://twitter.com/ChristianEvanko  Follow Andrew and Chris's band "The Stash": Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheStashNY/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheStashNY Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thestashny/  Listen to Andrew and Chris's band "The Stash": Spotify:  shorturl.at/izGU5 Apple Music: shorturl.at/chEFL iTunes: shorturl.at/cdqO2 YouTube: shorturl.at/szEGJ Google Play: shorturl.at/oAGL2 Amazon Music: shorturl.at/jFLO1 SoundCloud: shorturl.at/gnrH4  Subscribe to "Talkin' with Andrew and Chris" Podcast: Apple | Spotify | Google Play | YouTube | SoundCloud As always, "Stay Sweet!" 