Episode 39 - Spencer Crandall

[00:00:00] Speaker A: This was for the home team. [00:00:14] Speaker B: Hey, welcome to Tailgate Beers. Ryan and Austin here, as usual. Tonight we have a special episode, a post show episode, which is the first time here on Tailgate Beers. First time that we've had somebody sit down with us after they got off stage here at cruisins and West Peoria Farmington Road. So let's welcome Spencer Crandall. [00:00:35] Speaker C: Hey, thanks, guys. I'm honored to be the first off stage guest. That's kind of cool. [00:00:39] Speaker B: It is. So it's probably a little sweaty. [00:00:41] Speaker A: A little like leather sticking to the shirt. [00:00:44] Speaker B: Yeah. But no, we. We appreciate you sitting down with us and especially as you're just coming off stage and I'm sure you want to go relax and eat something or. [00:00:52] Speaker C: I'm actually. I got tons of adrenaline, so now's the time to ask me all the Harding questions. [00:00:57] Speaker B: Yes. [00:00:57] Speaker A: Did you eat? Did you eat cruising or. [00:01:01] Speaker C: I don't usually. I have like a big breakfast and kind of like a later lunch. And then I. I don't eat till like after the show because I get like. This might sound weird, but, like, you don't want to get burpee on stage. [00:01:12] Speaker A: So what's your after show me a look? [00:01:13] Speaker C: Like if I'm being a good boy or if I'm being a bad boy. That's the question. Because I'm trying to eat healthy. [00:01:20] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:01:20] Speaker C: So, like, I know, but, like, it's so hard, especially on the road. You guys have great food and I'm like, man, I should get. [00:01:26] Speaker A: So what's a good boy meal? [00:01:28] Speaker C: I'll do like a protein shake. And like, I don't know. It just depends on where we are and what we're around. Sometimes it's like, literally all that's open is Taco Bell. So that's where it's just like, oh, no, I guess I have to eat that if I'm being a good boy. I bring stuff from home. I'll bring, like protein shakes, protein bars. [00:01:46] Speaker A: So you don't just eat like. Just like we have grilled chicken. You have all these different options. [00:01:50] Speaker C: I would totally do that. Like on your guys menu. If I'm being a good, good boy. Again, said good boy. A lot. Like grilled chicken wings, a salad. Yeah, maybe some wings aren't terrible. It's like mostly protein. [00:02:02] Speaker A: What have you ordered right now? [00:02:04] Speaker C: I don't know. I can't decide if you ordered. You haven't ordered anything yet. [00:02:07] Speaker A: Let's get this order put in. [00:02:09] Speaker B: Jordan calling. [00:02:10] Speaker A: I mean, we got. [00:02:11] Speaker C: We'll see how this pod Goes. [00:02:13] Speaker A: Yeah. So ducks. I mean, ducks. Ducks. Has I. Or I order shrimp a lot because I've been trying to be a good boy also, if we're going to keep hammering that. [00:02:21] Speaker B: But it is a breaded. [00:02:23] Speaker A: Breaded shrimp. No, no, I do grilled. [00:02:24] Speaker B: Oh, do you? [00:02:25] Speaker C: I do the grill for you. [00:02:26] Speaker A: And then I love getting the burger over there. What do we get? [00:02:30] Speaker C: Aioli. [00:02:31] Speaker A: The aioli burger. No bun. [00:02:33] Speaker B: Bacon and aioli. [00:02:34] Speaker A: So bacon aioli burger. [00:02:36] Speaker C: That's kind of like how I can meet in the middle. [00:02:39] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:02:39] Speaker C: I'll do like a slightly unhealthy, but then make like, two good choices, like no fries, no bun. Yeah. [00:02:44] Speaker A: Like, I go to bed, check a couple boxes off. [00:02:46] Speaker C: Yeah. I go to bed, like, at evening, so at cruisins. [00:02:49] Speaker A: And they can do it over there. Both are great. I love getting just the. I just. I don't know. I love chicken, so I. I always get. Just give me some grilled chicken, no salt, no nothing. Just give me some grilled chicken. And I do that a lot. Their salads are really good. They're very. I mean, it's a massive salad, so. [00:03:09] Speaker C: Okay. I have a lot to think about. [00:03:11] Speaker A: Yeah. You feel like ordering? We can put it in right now. Be ready. [00:03:14] Speaker C: That's too much pressure on the pod. I. I can't. [00:03:16] Speaker A: We've never put an order in. We've never tried to call an order in. [00:03:19] Speaker C: Our first ever. [00:03:21] Speaker B: So I. I mentioned to you off camera earlier tonight that I've watched a few podcasts of yours today just in preparation, just in case we were able to sit down with you tonight. And I've got so many questions. There's so many conversations I'm so impressed with. With how you handle yourself, both with your. Your past, your history. But then, you know, how you've moved forward and. And I'll be honest, I've never, like, sent in my research. I do a lot of research. Like, creepy. [00:03:50] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:03:50] Speaker B: Almost like. Like, they're like, really? That's. You know, you. You dug that dear kind of thing. [00:03:55] Speaker A: He easily knows the last four of you. Social. [00:03:58] Speaker B: But I've never actually shared with Austin like, a podcast and be like, hey, go, go watch this. Because it's. To me, it was just that, I don't know, impressive or whatever it was. But your. Your podcast with Patrick, shout out to him. He did a hell of a job and doing that podcast and there's so many questions I want to ask, and we won't probably get to half of them, but going. Going through your story and in that podcast, I Mean, there was very little to do with music. It was most. [00:04:32] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:04:32] Speaker B: Mostly about what you have gone through, and I'm gonna start tearing up now just thinking about that, and I. [00:04:39] Speaker A: And. [00:04:39] Speaker B: And I'm gonna have to. I'm gonna deflect here in a second, honestly, because what you have gone through, what you have seen and. And what you have dealt with in life, but then how you handle yourself through that or how you've handled yourself and how you talk about it to me is just nothing less than. Than a miracle. [00:04:56] Speaker C: Oh, thanks, man. That is very sweet and very kind. I. Yeah, look, we all have our stuff. I feel like we got into some sobriety stuff on that podcast, which is crazy. Hitting eight years sober this week, which is wild. [00:05:10] Speaker A: Congratulations, man. [00:05:11] Speaker C: Thank you. And just. Yeah. I mean, there are certain interviews where you get to those places, and other times, like, it's all like, you know, what are you ordering for dinner? And I'm. I'm both guys, so it was fun. It was a good combo. And I appreciate what you just said. That means a lot because there's so many times you do an interview or you put out a song, and you're like, does anybody care? Does anybody listen to half of this stuff? And there's so much noise, so it is cool to hear. Like, no, dude, I listen. And I sent it to a friend. Like, that makes everything worth it. So I appreciate that a lot. [00:05:42] Speaker B: Absolutely. [00:05:42] Speaker A: And we sit here with. I mean, tailgating Tall boys. Tailgate Beers, White Oak Brew. [00:05:50] Speaker C: Yeah. Yeah. [00:05:50] Speaker A: Our sponsors are this. And, you know, I was texting Ryan today, even, about it, and, you know, we've had, I mean, I don't know, five to ten people on here that, again, don't drink. And it's something that, for us, it's. It's all about everybody's story of whether it was military, whether it's your music career, whether it's your drinking, whether it's the. You're a partier, whether you're somebody coming out of sobriety. Like, everybody has a different story. And to me, I never want to turn people off of, like. I mean, I don't remember who we were talking to. Somebody's. We're like, hey, man, you want to come on? And we want to do this podcast, doing this intro. And they're like, well, I mean, I'm. I mean, I would love to, but, like, you know, I don't even drink. I'm like, well, just. [00:06:34] Speaker C: I know it's about the conversation. [00:06:36] Speaker A: I know it's called Tailgate Beers. And now I feel bad, but I'm like, but then look. But then we have people on and. [00:06:42] Speaker C: Everybody can handle it differently. I have friends, they can have a drink every single night. It does not affect them. They go to work, they can work out, they can do all the things it affected me. I started drinking at 12 years old. I drank from like 12 to 22. I drank way too much and I just got to a point where it wasn't right for me, but I love that it's right for other people. I'm literally in the business of throwing parties. I just was a part of a party in there, Right. So I want people to get drunk who want to get drunk and then if people don't want to, that's fine. I love an NA beer. I drink an NA beer almost like every night in my hot tub or like watching a game or whatever. I miss drinking in a lot of ways. I can be around it as much as anybody. People always, you know, very kindly are like, hey, can we bring a beer over to watch the game? I'm like, dude, of course. I actually have alcohol like in my house from parties and stuff. I feel very removed from like the struggles of, you know, like itching to drink, whatever. So you guys are very kind. Yeah, it's like I said eight years next week, so feel really good. And it's not like I had some like wake up in a ditch moment or anything. I just, just wasn't for me anymore. I did it for a decade, 12 to 22. And then for me, I'm such a all in or all out guy. And I could feel myself going all in and was like, okay, if I keep going this route, I'm very extreme, like, oh, I told my dad I want to play football. So then every day I'm going to lifts and we get a trainer and we do all the things and I get to go play in college, like it's very rare I do something half assed, which is a great strength. But it's also my kryptonite. [00:08:32] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:08:32] Speaker C: When I'm really into something and when I dove into it, I think so much more of it was about trying to get people to like me by being a kind of person that would drink a ton and that would be the rowdiest friend that you have. And then on the other side of that, I gave up drinking and found out that's not why people like me. People like me for other reasons. And I rebuilt my self esteem with something else and now I feel great about it. I don't need to go back. [00:09:01] Speaker A: And it's an interesting test, though, and I'd even compare it to, okay, what if you stop making music? And people were like, well, now we're not really your friend. [00:09:11] Speaker C: Totally, man. And you know what's like, you're not sad Is like, sometimes I believe that. Sometimes I really believe. Oh, if I was in music, these people wouldn't text me. [00:09:20] Speaker A: And you could say. You could say it about so many different things, dude. So I didn't drink. [00:09:24] Speaker C: Mine's weird and specific, but, like, it's for everyone. Oh, if I didn't make this money or if. If I don't go to the gym enough or we all have something like that. [00:09:32] Speaker A: Everybody has something. It's a normal thing. So for me, I, who Ryan, can contest to this, that I, because of the business I'm in and honestly just my personality, I respect everything you do. I am probably polar opposite in the fact that most people would identify as me and Wayne can throw a party. Like, I can go out and I can drink with the best of anybody. [00:10:01] Speaker C: Sure. [00:10:02] Speaker A: But I went from. I went like 45 days, at least try to do it once a year. But I did, like, 45 days, no drinking. And it was kind of weird in the fact of, like, yeah, man, I'm like, I'm honestly actually pretty. I'm pretty fine. And I do it a lot for me. But at the same time, it is interesting of, like, what, can we just not hang out just because I'm not. And then I go through these whole, like, I go through this whole progression of, Is it. Are we only friends because I am drinking? [00:10:33] Speaker C: Is it like, yeah, dude, I lost so many friends. I lived in an apartment complex. I lived on this floor with a bunch of people. And I started. I didn't tell anybody. I was, like, sober. And I really didn't even try to be, like, fully sober. I was like, I'm going to take a month. Kind of like you said month, 45 days. And I just felt way better and felt like I needed to, like, just stay doing that. And all of a sudden, I hung out with these people every night. Every night. Because we're going out five nights a week, and all of a sudden it's, yeah, well, I'm gonna stay in. And then I haven't seen half these people in so long. They're lovely people. But I realized, oh, this is a group of people who do something together. But maybe outside of that, we aren't as, like, good a friends. [00:11:19] Speaker A: You don't have that deep connection. [00:11:20] Speaker C: Correct. [00:11:20] Speaker A: Everything. [00:11:21] Speaker C: And so then all of a sudden you're losing not only like your outlet of stress or your, you know, your identity of being the party person, you're losing all that. And you're also like losing friends. And you're also, you know, it's just kind of this thing that it can be very heavy for a lot of people who give it up. And I'm really lucky. I have a great family. I have other awesome friends who were like, I've got a buddy, Scott. He's never drank a day in his life, so he's like, come hang out. [00:11:49] Speaker A: Ever, ever, ever. [00:11:50] Speaker C: Not one day, not one drink, not one blunt, not nothing. [00:11:56] Speaker A: Good cup of coffee, nickname like Jesus or. [00:11:58] Speaker B: No, I've heard the analogy. And the, the other podcast that I watched today, I've heard the analogy of, of watering friendships, watering relationships and, and letting some go and, and not watering them versus watering the ones that, that matter or watering the ones that are in the same path or the same, you know, thing that, that you're into or where you're going or what your plans and goals are. To me, that was just an amazing kind of analogy to think about. But you also mentioned on there too that sometimes that's even blood. Sometimes that's even, you know, people that are, are the closest to you that you've known for all of your life. [00:12:39] Speaker C: Yep. [00:12:40] Speaker B: And, and that it just was kind of eye openening as far as that is concerned. [00:12:45] Speaker C: Yeah. I have great parents, I've got three siblings. My older brother struggled with substances and stuff his whole life and been in and out of rehab. And, you know, there's been times where like, we didn't talk for like a year. Like we weren't super close and we're trying to mend a lot of that stuff and like, that takes a lot. Like, that's. It is a tough relationship at times, but I freaking love the guy and he's my brother. And you want to make it work, so you put in the work. But you only have so much water in your watering can. And you also. I think that if you're going to extend this analogy, you have to remember to water your own stuff because it's so easy to be like, okay, music, my physical appearance, I gotta call my mom and then I gotta do this and, oh, there's a bunch of stuff to do around the house and you're just out of water and you're wondering, I'm so burnt out. I don't have any growth. I don't. I feel so starved for like, Soul points and nutrients. And you're like, oh, no shit. I only water these things. And I don't even take time for myself. It's crazy. [00:13:50] Speaker A: It's so crazy. You use that water analogy. Because I. I don't know where you heard it from, but I use that so many times because I went through a phase where, again, I only have so much to give. Yep. I only have so much to give. And we all felt that with friends, where I'm trying to make Ryan happy and I'm trying to do this and I'm trying to, you know, again, going back to all the other people, and I've literally given a drop and a drop and a drop and a drop and a drop drop. And yet we're such great friends. But I've only given him a drop. But, yeah, I give all this to people that are false or in the moment or all this stuff. And it's been a battle I felt since, honestly, since I was in my younger 20s. [00:14:38] Speaker C: Yep. [00:14:38] Speaker A: I'm like, where do I give it? And that. It's so funny. Use that water analogy. And I've never heard anybody else give it, but it's so true. And I've never heard anybody say watering yourself because you're watering all the other. [00:14:52] Speaker C: Plants, and while you're drying up yourself, you're shriveling up. And in my 20s, I think I really wanted to water things that I thought were cool or that I thought that's, I think, the cool flip. I just turned 30 and I'm like, oh, I don't need this. I don't need this person. It's with nothing but love. It's actually like a. It's like a version of self. Love is to go. I actually have to cut out. Like, yeah, that's not me. Cool. People want to do that. That's awesome. That's just not me. I have a finite amount of water, and when I get to the end of a week where I allocate that water to the correct places and I am just, like, thriving, there's not a better feeling. You know what? It's tough. You have to make sacrifices. [00:15:42] Speaker A: It comes with sacrifices, even just comes down to a budget. Truly, you get X amount of friends, you get X amount of give X amount of give a dollars or whatever it is, you get X amount of me dollars. [00:15:57] Speaker C: Yep. [00:15:57] Speaker A: And I'm going to give you a dollar. [00:15:59] Speaker C: Your circle strengths. And it's again, with nothing but love. It's like, oh, maybe I don't need 85 acquaintances. Maybe I need eight people who would drop anything at 3am and drive to my house. Oh, my gosh, let's water that. Let's go deeper there. Because these people, again, you stop drinking all of a sudden, it's like, I mean, I haven't talked to you in seven years. [00:16:21] Speaker A: I have family and I have friends that him and I have had a deep conversation on this. Of, again, you have blood. But then I have. I mean, I have friends. I have people. I mean, I could call my stepdad up right now. I've used this analogy of I could call my stepdad up. He's in Branson, Missouri, eight hours away. [00:16:44] Speaker C: Yep. [00:16:45] Speaker A: I could call him up right now, be like, Dave, I need $10,000 cash, five gallon bucket, some rubber gloves and 10 foot of rope. [00:16:57] Speaker C: All right, cool. A walk. [00:16:58] Speaker A: He would be like, I am on my fucking way and I won't tell your mom. [00:17:02] Speaker C: And my parents are in France right now. They would swim. Figure it out. [00:17:06] Speaker A: Yes. But that's him. And I have friends that were like, Ryan. And, you know, my girlfriend booked our cars to get oil changes on the same damn day in the same 30 minutes. Which I'm like, I don't even know what you were doing. Okay. But what's nuts is he was. I asked Ryan. Ryan was gracious enough to say, I'll come get you guys. And then he was going to be with his kids at games. And then I go, we'll walk. And then ended up being colder. And I thought, more of the story. We're there and they're all saying it'll be three hours. And I'm three miles from my house. Pick up the phone, call one of my. One of our guy friends in our group. Yep, I'll be up there in five minutes, pick you up, drive you home, dropped us off, and then said, hey, I gotta run town, run some errands. When you guys are ready, take it. Yeah, call. Lord, no, call my wife. She'll come get you, take you up there. And to me, you know, my girlfriend Macaulay was like, you have such a great friend group. Do you have people that can do that? [00:18:12] Speaker C: And so you watered that like that. You gotta take a second ago. Sick. [00:18:17] Speaker A: But how many times have you thought and been in that situation, been like, I don't water that enough. I don't spend enough time. That's the worst person that would die for me to. Literally, I don't. And I like, that means a lot in the sense of, you don't water it enough. Like, you don't look, you don't Call that person up enough to go, what's going on? How's this going? You know, how are you doing? What's happening? But yeah, you take those for granted because you got to spend time worrying about watering the people that you're trying to even. You know what I'm saying? It's a weird thing. [00:18:58] Speaker C: It's really hard to balance. I think all three of us are business minded people and I think if I'm just being super honest, I replaced maybe some alcoholism with workaholism because one on Paper is good. It makes me money. It helps me get. My music can be just. It can be much worse. [00:19:25] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:19:25] Speaker C: And. And so if I. I mean, at the end of the last headline tour I did, On Paper is the coolest, best year of my life. Two highway number ones Opry debut selling 15,000 tickets on a headlining tour. Boom, boom, boom. I was miserable. I was miserable. I had no water. I was dying. [00:19:49] Speaker A: Like you giving it all to everything else. [00:19:52] Speaker C: Everything. I hadn't been on a date. I went to the grocery store three times that whole year and I was roasted and. [00:19:59] Speaker A: Do you find dates at the grocery store? Is that where. [00:20:02] Speaker C: No. [00:20:03] Speaker A: Why did you put those two together real quick? [00:20:06] Speaker C: Comma. [00:20:07] Speaker A: I was like, is that where we. [00:20:10] Speaker C: Just like weird things I'm thinking of like, oh, I didn't water like my physical health. I didn't water my romantic relationships. And so it's, it's a too because in a lot of ways, you can't just like pour water on something and overnight it's like, it's like, okay, I gotta spend six months. [00:20:28] Speaker A: But again, that goes back to good friends. Those good friends that have been there for you and you're like, hey, I'm add water. Hey, I'm here. I'm here to hang out. Hello. [00:20:36] Speaker C: If you're lucky enough, you have people in your life that water themselves and they don't need all your water all the time. And they're like, I'm here for you. I'm good. [00:20:45] Speaker A: Here's. Here's how I'll spin it. And this is, this is how I feel with our friend group. While I'm busy watering all the other things, I think some of my friends are probably watering me. Like, they're literally giving me. [00:21:03] Speaker C: We're so lucky. How lucky are all of us to have anyone in our lives that takes any of their spare water? They do not have to. [00:21:11] Speaker A: But I think that even when I'm not looking, I actually think some of my good friends are. Oh yeah, are sprinkling that's my mom. We have a friend that's in a group text. We are in a date. You probably have one a day to day group text of your friends. If you're not in one, we can add you to one. [00:21:31] Speaker C: I have too many group texts actually. [00:21:34] Speaker A: We have a group text. Our buddy is from North Carolina. He is not here at all. And we are in a group text. Hey, what are we doing tonight? What are you guys doing? Are we going to watch the, the game? Are we going to watch Spencer? He doesn't live here. He is in this group text and he is one of the best contributors to the whole thing but he loves being a part of it. And I'm telling you again right now, call, we can call up Uncle Co right now and go, hey man, we're in a pickle. And he's like I'm catching the first flight. [00:22:05] Speaker C: That's awesome. [00:22:05] Speaker A: And so no, it's good but so. [00:22:07] Speaker B: I know we've been very deep and. [00:22:09] Speaker A: I'm got deep quick. [00:22:11] Speaker C: Yeah, I usually do that. [00:22:14] Speaker B: I, I, there's one other analogy that I just want to briefly touch on and I do want to touch on, on music and, and talk about everything you have going on musically and as an artist. But at the end of, of the podcast we watched today with Patrick or I watched today, one of the, the final questions was, you know, what, what final advice or what kind of, you know, takeaway or, or you know, whatever the question was and I'm paraphrasing here, and you talked about the self love and we kind of mentioned it already but you know, you gave the analogy of watching a baby trying to walk for the first time. Nobody is saying what the fuck, why can't you take off running? Why can't you stand up and walk? Why can't you put one foot in front of the other to a 1 year old? And it's the same thought process for us individually as we should be thinking about ourselves, giving ourselves that much room for expansion, for, for growth, for learning something. We all, I'm 45 years old. You're 35? [00:23:23] Speaker C: 6. [00:23:24] Speaker B: 36. [00:23:25] Speaker C: Just turned 30. [00:23:26] Speaker B: 30. [00:23:26] Speaker A: Oh you know, oh, 3. 31 this year. [00:23:28] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah. [00:23:29] Speaker B: This is all our first time around, around, you know, on this earth I'm. [00:23:33] Speaker C: Sure 45, 36, 30. We all thought we'd have it figured out and I don't, I'm not even close but I'm trying stuff and the, the version of self love that I try to tap into, that I think you're referencing is this form of, like, deep, deep, deep grace. Like, asking yourself, like, how could I know that? Of course I don't know. I've never done this, especially with music stuff. I'm like, I've never been 30 with this many streams and no label and, like. So I'm gonna be pretty gentle with myself, and instead of beating myself up, it's already gonna happen from the world and the Internet or people throwing tomatoes at you. Instead, I'm going to be the person in my life that hopefully loves me the most because I'm the only person I have to spend my whole life with no matter what. That's it. The worst, saddest thing that I see in friends, family is people who, like, genuinely don't like themselves. That sucks, man. [00:24:42] Speaker A: You live in your head every. [00:24:44] Speaker C: Yeah. What a horrible place to be having this voice. You're no good. You're not good enough. Look at. Do I believe that I am God's gift to the world? No. I have a lot of stuff I want to get better at. I. I don't want to keep falling into these cycles. But what. What good is it to sit there and beat myself up? I know what I did is wrong. I can get up and I can try again. There's no rules. The whole game's made up. There's no such thing as a timeline. [00:25:12] Speaker A: But I still even think. I still even think, whether it's you saying you're going through, and I don't know why I think this. It's either you going through the game of Jumanji. [00:25:22] Speaker C: Mm. [00:25:23] Speaker A: Or you reading a book like you really don't know what's coming next. You're in. You're on this page. You're in this move, like, right now. That's all you know. When you're reading a book, you don't know what's happening in the next chapter. You're sitting there reading, ready to go to the next page. But when you flip that page over, you have no idea. And life is the same exact way. You have no idea what chapter you're about to turn because you're. You're writing it as it's happening. Those pages are, like. Are being laid out literally as it happens. [00:26:00] Speaker C: And in hindsight, you can look back, go, oh, not my best. Whatever, but. [00:26:04] Speaker A: But you don't know. [00:26:05] Speaker C: No. And the. The baby thing is, like, kind of funny or, like, quirky to think of. But when you really, like, go hang out around babies and very quickly be like, oh, I mean, like, they're fine. Like, even if they mess up like, we love. [00:26:24] Speaker B: You're good. [00:26:24] Speaker C: Like, trying to walk. No one's, no one's being like, come on. [00:26:28] Speaker B: Judging you. [00:26:28] Speaker C: Yeah, we're just all big old babies waddling around. We have more money, we have car keys, whatever. A lot of us, this is like. And this doesn't excuse shitty behavior. If you're doing something on purpose over and over, you gotta look at yourself in the mirror. But if for the first time, you trip and you stumble, you're like, what was that? And you get smacked in the face. You already got hurt by getting smacked in the face. By life, by that person. It's not gonna help you to sit there and loathe yourself or live in regret. You can't change it. So it's just no good. And for myself at least, I literally practice talking to a child version of myself all the time. Oh, dude. I know why that scare you. [00:27:15] Speaker A: You just stare in the mirror and just say, precious, pretty bird. I want you to know. [00:27:23] Speaker C: Like, I wrote a song one time called 7 and 70. And it's like the only people I'm trying to impress are me at 7 and 70. And it's like, I want my. You know, because we, we have all these things from childhood that you kind of like drag around with you. And the more you can kind of show your like little kid self, like, you're safe, you're good. That person, they can't hurt you. They're not around. Like, you're good. There's these big bad wolves in your head either don't exist or you have the tools to fight them. So you're good. Why are you stressing out? And I think if you can like convince your own self of that, at least for me, my anxiety plummets. [00:28:07] Speaker A: That's crazy. We got deep very quickly. [00:28:10] Speaker B: So. So a quick, A quick turn of the. Of the deep. So I. I have seen. And it was on the same podcast. I won't be. I won't lie that at a very early age you got into clowns. [00:28:21] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Got like. We mean, got into clowns. [00:28:26] Speaker B: You can tell the story, but he was actually like in it. Like a clown school. Almost like learning was like a before school program. [00:28:34] Speaker C: It's not like I was like going to, you know, Harvard. [00:28:36] Speaker A: How old were you? [00:28:37] Speaker C: I was like 10. [00:28:39] Speaker A: A before school program. [00:28:41] Speaker C: Hear me out. It's not, it's not creepy. [00:28:44] Speaker A: Sounds very. [00:28:45] Speaker C: There's an art teacher. He was like a world renowned clown. He was like in Barnum and Bailey, like legit. And they just wanted chaperones to, like, have people hang out before school. And there's a bunch of other adults there as well. And he's like, hey, like, I don't know if this sounds fun to anybody, but in my little station, you know, people like, oh, coloring, whatever, teach kids how to, like, juggle and stuff. And so I went one time with my buddy, I was like, this is sick. And then we just got a bunch of my friends to start coming, and so we, like, called it the Clown Club. And we would show up, and I learned how to unicycle and juggle, and I could do all this crazy stuff. [00:29:20] Speaker A: This was happening at school. [00:29:22] Speaker C: Yeah. Like 30 minutes before school, some parents get to work. [00:29:26] Speaker A: But, like, a teacher was teaching this. [00:29:27] Speaker C: Yeah, Mr. Goldman shout. Mr. Goldman taught me how to shade. Taught me how to write a recycle. [00:29:32] Speaker A: Okay. [00:29:33] Speaker C: It's kind of sick. And I. I did like a. [00:29:37] Speaker A: It's fucked up that in the world we live in, I mean, that's why. [00:29:40] Speaker C: I always had to preface, like, there. [00:29:41] Speaker A: Was no molestation in the world we lived in. I have stories. I could tell that if I said it in today's terms, people be like, whoa, that's weird. [00:29:52] Speaker C: None of that. It was literally just a before school, like, plenty, 10 other adults in the room, but super cool, earned how to unicycle, and then did this, like, little kid's birthday party. These people at the school were like, hey, you guys are actually kind of good. Like, come do this. So I made, like, $15. So I was kind of lie and say my first job was as a birthday party clown. [00:30:11] Speaker A: So something you don't know about me, something we can go ahead and go on. So my grandfather was a Shriner. So I grew up going to circuses, going to clown competitions, and he would compete against other clowns in his category. And at the end of the day, most of them were all drunks. But so my thing, it was wild because I. While they were doing that shit, I was like, at the booths, like, I could buy this magic trick. I want to buy this magic trick. I would like to do this. And I was all about magic. [00:30:46] Speaker C: Oh, yeah. [00:30:46] Speaker B: So. So my thing to offer the conversation is that I've been on the Bozo show. Wgn. The Bozo Show. I was on the Bozo Show. I met Bozo. I have pictures with Bozo and Cookie, who was the. The other clown. I wasn't chosen for the grand prize or whatever. [00:31:02] Speaker A: Do you think that you have, like, a. Deep down, like, you just want to be on, like, a main talk show Is that why this podcast came about? Because you didn't make Bozo show. You didn't make Regis and Kelly. [00:31:12] Speaker B: This is about Spencer. This isn't about Ryan right now. [00:31:15] Speaker A: I'm just asking because this is starting really come about. He actually tried out for Regis and Kelly before. It was like Ryan and Kelly when Regis was retiring. [00:31:26] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. I put my name in the hat. [00:31:28] Speaker A: He's been on Bozo. He's been on Regis. I don't know how many other Chicago Fire, Chicago Med. [00:31:32] Speaker B: I've been on both of those. Sick. [00:31:35] Speaker A: That's kind of a. I mean, like I said, I think he's got kind. [00:31:37] Speaker B: Of like John Goodman. I've been on a couple of his movies. [00:31:40] Speaker C: That's awesome. [00:31:42] Speaker A: So it gets deeper where I'm like, that's pretty sick. I guarantee you if I dig deep enough, he's probably been on Price is Right. He's been on a few late night shows maybe. [00:31:51] Speaker C: Were you the main replacement for Ellen or Oprah or anyone? [00:31:56] Speaker B: I can only. I could only hope. I can only wish for that. [00:31:59] Speaker C: I used to have a podcast I love. I mean, it's fun, man. I love. You did. [00:32:04] Speaker A: You're like. What was it called? [00:32:06] Speaker C: It's called why are we here? And it was. It got very deep. [00:32:09] Speaker A: So why. Why don't you do it anymore time. [00:32:11] Speaker C: I just have so many jobs and like I get home from the road, I'm just so roasted and my conversations were. Were taking a hit because I'm so busy. [00:32:24] Speaker A: When was the last time you did it? [00:32:26] Speaker C: Two years ago. Super fun. But it's a ton of money. It's not, you know, it. It takes a lot of investment. [00:32:34] Speaker A: Revenue generator. [00:32:35] Speaker C: No, like you have to sell a ton of ads and you have to promote the out of it. And for me, I promote my music so much that like it felt weird to like promote, promote, promote. Hey, and here's podcasting here. So I would like to do it again in my life. We never think I will. [00:32:50] Speaker A: We're always. [00:32:51] Speaker C: We never promote our good friends. [00:32:53] Speaker A: We never. We don't ever promote. [00:32:55] Speaker C: Well, why wouldn't you promote your White brewing? Like the brand new Rip and Lips IPA has a hazy after. [00:33:03] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:33:04] Speaker A: We've never once shameless. [00:33:07] Speaker B: So oddly enough for the creeper that I am, I told him earlier, I watched one of his podcasts, so I. [00:33:14] Speaker A: Knew that Brian does so much research. [00:33:17] Speaker B: He did one with the three. Three guys was four of you together. That and I forgot already. But the name of the song that you released. Me. They released a song and the Three guys that co wrote that with. I mean that's when I watched Today. But. But no, it was, it was very lively. You were very lively host and. And try to. Them and. Yeah, no, and. And even them. I mean three songwriters. Not necessarily, you know, podcast or forward facing type of personalities. Yeah, no, you. You brought it out of them and thanks, man. [00:33:50] Speaker C: I mean you guys are doing a great job, but gotta like steer a ship. It's. It's kind of like this. You guys know it. There's like an art to it and you gotta. [00:33:59] Speaker A: There's an art. We're trying to figure it out. We have people telling us we're doing fucking wrong. They're like, Austin, why do you do this? I'm like, I don't know. I'm just trying to be me. I'm like, I'm trying not to. [00:34:07] Speaker C: You guys trust it. [00:34:08] Speaker A: I'm like trying to. I'm like, at the end day, I'm like it. I'm like, I'm just trying to be myself. I don't know. I don't know why I sit like this. I don't know why I talk like this. [00:34:14] Speaker C: That's all you can do. [00:34:15] Speaker A: I'm just trying to do it. But it's so nuts to watch a video of yourself and to do that and be like, I didn't know I talked like that. I didn't know I fidgeted like that. I didn't know there this many gnats in the goddamn room. Because we had podcasts where there's a gnat flying all around the room that I'm like, why is it here right now? But I'm like, what do you want from me, man? We're trying to figure out how to edit this. We're trying to be yourself. [00:34:39] Speaker C: That's all you can do. [00:34:40] Speaker B: But so I. No, I know. Just real quick, I just want to say we're about 40 minutes into. Into the podcast here and. And I know you want probably go over and relax, get something to eat. So you want to be respectful. And that's. That's my mannerism right there. I do that little cough thing. I don't know where. Why? [00:34:57] Speaker C: Throat clear? [00:34:58] Speaker B: Yeah, a little throat clear. I do it a lot. I almost. But. But no, I know Austin has a question here too. [00:35:06] Speaker A: I do have a question. I have a question before I ask my main question. I don't know. We got super deep really quick. I'm trying to like get out of that. You moved to Nashville when? 20. [00:35:22] Speaker C: 20. 16. [00:35:23] Speaker A: 16. What's something like what's your favorite thing when you're back home? You're. Because you seem, again, you're running a small business. [00:35:32] Speaker C: Mm. [00:35:32] Speaker A: That you're doing all this stuff independently, mind you, that we haven't touched on at all. And I give you full props. And as somebody on the outside, I am like, man, if I'm in your boat, like, I am rooting for you. [00:35:52] Speaker C: Thanks, man. [00:35:53] Speaker A: I'm cheering for you. And I know this goes against everything else we're a part of. In a way, ten day man. Like, I don't know. I keep wanting to see you crush because we live in a world that you have the business access, you have the music access. You have all these things to do it yourself. I would do it thousand times yourself before I would let anybody fuck with what you're doing, man. And I've never told anybody that. On this podcast, we try to stay pretty neutral, but at the end of the day, man, I don't know where your journey, you know, is taking you in the future, but I would keep doing. If you've gotten this fucking far, I would do it yourself. Until. Until somebody is knocking down your door. [00:36:42] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:36:42] Speaker A: And you're going, let me think about it and I'll get back. [00:36:46] Speaker C: Yeah. It's tough. There's. [00:36:49] Speaker A: It's easier said than done. Yeah. [00:36:50] Speaker C: There's days where I'm like, oh, my God, I'm gonna do this independently. And, like, I'll change the game. There's other days I'm like, I don't want to change the game. I just want to be a part of the game. Because I watch people who get to play the festivals and get to do all the things. And a lot of times you just get handed stuff. I'm like, oh, I want to get handed something. But when you handed something, it's not real. Like, I. I watch people play the Grand Ole Opry all the time. Like, you've like, 5,000 monthly listeners. That would mean nothing to me personally. Maybe that's awesome for them. When I got to play the Grand O Opry, they handed me a gold record. Like, that's cool. That that meant something to me. And I like earning it. I like this, like, going real fan by real fan, real ticket by real ticket, and who knows what the future holds? Like, maybe I sign soon and people like, he sold out, but who gives a shit? [00:37:45] Speaker A: You have the same opportunities. What I don't get. You have the same opportunities. So you met. You meet. You've met me and Wayne. [00:37:52] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:37:53] Speaker A: You've met throughout being independent You've met all the same people. [00:37:58] Speaker C: Yeah, I'm playing the rooms. Like, I'm playing. I'm playing these things where it's like, in the 90s, this couldn't have happened. [00:38:06] Speaker A: Right. But you have all the content, the access. [00:38:08] Speaker C: I've met everybody, all of it. I'm on the radio right now on xm. I'm not. I don't have a label. I have two number ones on xm. Hopefully. Fingers freaking crossed. We. We know the people, we're doing the things at the end of the day. And I think it's gonna get even more swinging in my direction. It's only gonna be real people, real streams, real tickets. That's what's going to matter in the future. [00:38:36] Speaker A: I love it. And again, if you sign, no matter what you do, I just think people like yourself, like, keep doing it. [00:38:45] Speaker C: Thanks. [00:38:46] Speaker A: You have all the contacts. If you got down to it and you're like, dude, we got to fuck it. We. I got to sell some. You could start going through your Rolodex of just. Of just. So a Rolodex was when you would go through your contact list of paper. Okay. So, dude, you could start calling everybody and go. All of a sudden you have your whole yearbook because you already have all the players. [00:39:09] Speaker C: I'm very lucky. [00:39:10] Speaker A: Already know. [00:39:11] Speaker C: And I've. I've worked my tail off for God damn near 10 years. Doing this started in my dorm room. You know, Tick Tock has changed my life. And that's. It's huge reason why I get to do stuff. But I'm super lucky, man. I like the position I'm in. And there are days where it feels like I trade with someone and then there's. Most days I'm like, ah, I like my thing. [00:39:35] Speaker A: Yeah. Well, we wish you nothing but the best. [00:39:39] Speaker C: Thanks, man. [00:39:39] Speaker A: Absolutely. Couple things that are going to really kind of. I have a couple questions that really can kind of lay the mark for our podcast. So one, Would you put pineapple on pizza? [00:39:55] Speaker C: Yeah, for sure. [00:39:56] Speaker A: Okay. Do you look when you wipe? [00:39:58] Speaker C: Yeah, for sure. Okay. What are you, a psychopath? [00:40:01] Speaker A: Thank you. Agreed. Just asking. Don't yell at me. [00:40:04] Speaker B: Jordan. [00:40:04] Speaker A: Do you, Jordan? You do, Jordan. You guys, I wasn't very confident. [00:40:09] Speaker C: You don't have to answer any of these. I'm not getting interviewed right now. [00:40:13] Speaker A: I just asked you. That was not very confident. You laugh, so I felt like she's kind of like, okay. Anyways, so Jordan doesn't look, but. So here's what's going to happen. [00:40:25] Speaker C: Okay. [00:40:27] Speaker A: You're. You're on. I would say you probably on it. I don't know. What airline do you fly? [00:40:33] Speaker C: The most freaking was Southwest. [00:40:37] Speaker A: All right, well, this is going to be very controversial for Southwest. You're on a Southwest flight. They recently cut cost. You know, times are. You know, times are rough. You know, every other person gets a seatbelt. So planes going down. You're on your way to your favorite island, and you happen to pack on your carry on every album known to man. [00:41:01] Speaker C: Okay, okay. [00:41:02] Speaker A: Southwest just so happened to give you an upgrade for, like, $85 for a parachute. [00:41:08] Speaker C: And am I saving the albums with the parachute? [00:41:11] Speaker A: You grab the parachute and then you have to. You're fumbling around, planes going down. The steward is telling you, sit down. [00:41:19] Speaker C: Right. [00:41:19] Speaker A: Asking you all this. These questions and stuff, but you're like, I gotta get out of this thing. I'm grabbing my parachute. [00:41:24] Speaker C: What I love about this question is I think you're asking me, what are the five albums I'd take on a desert Island. [00:41:29] Speaker B: Yes. [00:41:29] Speaker A: What? [00:41:29] Speaker C: 5 Roundabout Way. That we get. [00:41:32] Speaker A: Well, the whole time the plane is going, I want. [00:41:34] Speaker C: Okay, I want you on a plane. You ordered our Coke. [00:41:36] Speaker A: No, no, no. [00:41:37] Speaker C: They don't have ginger ale. [00:41:38] Speaker A: I want to set the stage for the plane is going down, and there's a sense there's a lot of pressure. [00:41:43] Speaker C: Okay. [00:41:43] Speaker A: So, like, we're like, I don't know what planes fly. What, 20,000, 30 a lot faster. [00:41:47] Speaker B: Sure, sure, sure. [00:41:48] Speaker A: 20 what? What? What? 30,000, 30,000ft. So now we're already at 20 because you already asked these questions. [00:41:54] Speaker C: I already know. So. Okay, ready to put on parachutes? [00:41:57] Speaker A: Okay, so you have parachute on. [00:41:59] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah. [00:41:59] Speaker A: Cracking Door. [00:42:00] Speaker C: 2020. Justin Timberlake. 2020. Experience, Theory of Everything. John Mayer. Not everybody likes the album. My favorite divide. Ed Sheeran, Traveler, Stapleton. And then this is really tough, but, like, maybe 1989 or red or one of the great Taylor Swift albums. [00:42:29] Speaker A: I like it. [00:42:30] Speaker B: Wow. [00:42:30] Speaker C: Bada boom, bada bing. [00:42:31] Speaker A: I like it. Plane didn't hit the water yet? [00:42:33] Speaker C: Nope. [00:42:34] Speaker B: Yeah, lots of time. [00:42:36] Speaker C: Bonus would be. Is it Human Experience? John Bellion. Love that album. [00:42:42] Speaker A: It's a good one. So I have a John Mayer. Mine is live in Los Angeles in your. In your atmosphere. [00:42:49] Speaker C: Great pick. [00:42:50] Speaker A: It's. [00:42:51] Speaker C: I listen to Free Falling, but when. [00:42:55] Speaker A: But when you listen to in your atmosphere, it's the only time he ever plays it. I don't know that. That album is incredible, but Ed Sheeran, too. Ed Sheeran's this never gets talked about. [00:43:09] Speaker C: You could argue that Ed Sheeran's Divide is one of the best albums. [00:43:13] Speaker A: So why do you think Ed Sheeran does not. And some people might say, oh, Ed Sheeran gets the credit. Why do you think Ed Sheeran does not get the credit he deserves? In general, the. Of the. In the limelight. We talked about this earlier artist this motherfucker played, I mean, has played some of the biggest arena arenas and he's got that rotating stage. [00:43:34] Speaker C: Have you seen it? [00:43:35] Speaker A: Watch those videos. [00:43:36] Speaker C: Seen him live. [00:43:37] Speaker A: And he does, he does the. What is it called? [00:43:40] Speaker C: Looping. Looping, yeah. [00:43:43] Speaker A: Pretty wild. [00:43:44] Speaker C: My. I think, I mean it's hard to keep him out of any top 10 of the last 30 years. I mean if you're starting to add an Elvis or Michael Jackson stuff. But even that, like he's. He's selling hella records, selling crazy tickets like genius. There's probably been very few people that are bigger than him. I mean, truly the only person I can think of that is alive that's bigger than him is Taylor Swift. Yeah, she's the goat. [00:44:14] Speaker A: So you're swifty? [00:44:16] Speaker C: Yeah, big time. [00:44:17] Speaker A: I've always been. [00:44:18] Speaker C: Always. So I, I think she's the greatest of all time. [00:44:21] Speaker A: I am not a swifty. [00:44:23] Speaker C: Reason. [00:44:25] Speaker A: Hold on. I am not a swiftie. I have a 10 year old daughter, okay, who went through a swifty phase. But now she is apparently not a swifty anymore because it's not cool. [00:44:34] Speaker C: She'll come back. [00:44:35] Speaker A: Me personally, me personally, I am not a swifty. I actually there's no Taylor Swift album I've ever been like, oh my God, this is the best album ever. Blah, blah. [00:44:46] Speaker C: And I just like hate music or. [00:44:48] Speaker A: No, no, no, I mean I'm talking. I love, I love. I have so many female albums that are like my top, in my top 10, 20 albums. I love when I started watching Taylor Swift of how she handled her business, of how she was a beast in the industry in. In the last five years. I feel like I became a Swiftie. [00:45:15] Speaker C: She's a bad mama Jama. She is, she is legit. [00:45:19] Speaker A: Yes. And again, she runs her business, her production, everything she does. The methodical thought of how she went about doing everything to me. One, I think Morgan Wallen and some other people took the same note of. Think about it. What did Taylor Swift do during a certain period of time? Taylor Swift went MIA for a while and came back bigger than ever. Why? Because people could not get access. People couldn't go see a show. People could not get what they wanted. And I truly believe that some very big artists at a certain point are like Wait a minute, so you're saying less is more. So you're saying that if I just don't give them what they want, if I only tour 10 times, 20 times a year, as opposed to 100 times a year. And then this built this whole craze where it literally. She changed the economy in cities. She changed. [00:46:31] Speaker C: Yeah, there's no one bigger. There's no one bigger. [00:46:33] Speaker A: There are cities that are like. We pivoted our whole, like, funding of our city based on Taylor Swift showing up. [00:46:42] Speaker C: Isn't that insane? Yeah. She's the Goat Man. [00:46:45] Speaker A: Yeah. So from there, I had major respect of who she was. [00:46:50] Speaker C: As long as you can say out loud, respect, then, look, music tastes. Music, taste. [00:46:56] Speaker A: But I love all me, dude. I love all music. I just. I have albums and things that it's. I've never gotten in my truck, man. I need to get that Taylor Swift album going. It's just. It's not been my job. Have I been in a stoplight? [00:47:10] Speaker C: Different Strokes for different. [00:47:11] Speaker A: Have I been jamming Katy Perry at times? Absolutely. [00:47:14] Speaker C: Of course. [00:47:15] Speaker A: I got. I mean, I got. I got music for days. And I've been at the stoplight that I'm like, jamming. I'm like, have to stop and like. [00:47:22] Speaker C: See, you don't have to stop, brother. [00:47:24] Speaker A: You don't have to stop. I gotta at least stop a little bit. But, no, I love all of it. But I think it's crazy, the business. And then you hear about what she tipped all of her staff and the drivers and all that stuff. [00:47:38] Speaker C: I've heard some firsthand stories. [00:47:41] Speaker A: It's life changing. I mean, her sitting there, rolling through pouring down rain, playing the piano at. [00:47:48] Speaker C: The rain show in Nashville, the messed. [00:47:51] Speaker A: Up scenes where she rolls with it, laughs it off and. Because to me, when I watch an artist and I'm. This is. No offense, I know everybody's under something, but you're up there and you're performing and things will go wrong. But for you to, like, call out shit and to say, like, to get in this whole, like, what the fuck is happening? Pissed off for her to roll. I mean, she's got millions and millions of dollars of production, and she is, of all people, one that can go, God, fuck this. Like, I'm not doing this shit. And she laughs and rolls. Rolls with it, figures it out, deals with the. I don't know. That's where I gained respect. [00:48:37] Speaker C: So she's a baller. [00:48:38] Speaker A: She is. [00:48:39] Speaker C: She's the Goat. [00:48:39] Speaker A: So. [00:48:41] Speaker B: So we're here. Tailgate, beers, cruisins, West Peoria Farmington Road. Spencer Crandall opened up tonight and put on a hell of a show. [00:48:50] Speaker C: Thanks, man. [00:48:51] Speaker B: Got a lot of good feedback and. And just all the praise again. We we spent a very deep conversation with with you tonight. But I loved it. I. I love what what you stand for. I love where. Where you're coming from. And you've got at least four fans that are sitting here that are are cheering you on for. [00:49:14] Speaker C: I mean the rest, we won't speak. [00:49:16] Speaker B: For you guys, but I'm speaking for them. [00:49:19] Speaker C: I need to hear of audible. Yeah, I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. [00:49:22] Speaker B: I'm speaking. [00:49:23] Speaker C: Thank you. Thank you all for you guys. [00:49:24] Speaker A: And we still have to get answers out of yeah but. [00:49:28] Speaker B: But the whole other podcast to join Austin and I on Tailgate Beers post show. [00:49:32] Speaker A: Like I said in a whim too man. That's where I so much respect dude. [00:49:37] Speaker C: For real. You guys rock. [00:49:39] Speaker B: Just appreciate just to sit down with us, spend some time with us. [00:49:42] Speaker C: We appreciate you anytime. [00:49:43] Speaker B: We appreciate it. [00:49:44] Speaker C: And I'll be back. I'll be back in the fall. Pretty sure. So do it again. [00:49:47] Speaker A: We'll be watching it. We'll be watching. I mean you just heard it here. He just said he's coming back this fall. So here's the tease. By the way, Te. [00:49:54] Speaker B: I got a green tea. I got a green tea. [00:49:56] Speaker A: Paper cup teas. [00:49:58] Speaker C: Thanks y'all. [00:49:58] Speaker B: Green tea.