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Welcome to Wisconsin's local music scene.
This is Max Ink Radio. We are local music.
Happy Saturday, everybody. Welcome to Max Ink on Civic Media,
original local music from Wisconsin.
Max Ink Radio is sponsored by Ignite Glassing Gifts.
Locally hand-blown glass, three locations in Madison,
and you can shop online at IgniteGlasingGifts.com.
We got a super show for you tonight.
Let's dive right in with a double dip of, or does it explode?
This is from their latest album, Tales to Needed Outcomes.
It's Max Ink on Civic Media. We are local music.
You're welcome.
You're welcome.
You call my voice
The waves of tension rolling down
You don't realize
The waves that I've suffered
or the danger
stayed in less than implied
You're welcome.
You're welcome.
You're welcome.
You're welcome.
You're welcome.
You're welcome.
You're welcome.
Percy.
What a gist of the disease.
What a gist of the disease.
Something in the air breaks musty and untrue.
Something in the ground.
Rose tired of beings stood upon.
Something in the air.
Something in the air.
Something in the air.
It's false hope for redemption.
Something in the sky.
Falling but no one seems to care.
Something in the west bird.
Speaks true to me, no alright.
Something in the air.
Something in the air.
Something in the air.
It's false hope for redemption.
And I can't make you leave if you don't.
When all that has already been said.
I can't make a difference in the outcome.
If the circumstances don't change.
Something in the air.
Something in the air.
Something in the air.
Something in the air.
Something in the air.
Something in the air.
Something in the air.
Something in the air.
Crawling back to you babe.
Won't keep me from leaving.
I know I like to say things.
Then go back to changing.
All my life, my dreams weren't what I'm doing.
And I'm holding on the hope that I am using.
When you came along, you made me think about it.
You raised a family and worked at wood a lot with.
Crawling back to you babe.
Won't keep me from leaving.
I know I like to say things.
Then go back to changing.
It's nine years old, I sold my soul to make it.
And I'm going to go as far as I can take it.
I may never find myself in something other.
Then my daddy's dream and living for my mother.
Crawling back to you babe.
Won't keep me from leaving.
I'll never love someone like you.
Again, forever, forever after.
I thought I had a choice to choose.
It won't be me.
I'm in too deep.
Crawling back to you babe.
Won't keep me from leaving.
Crawling back to you babe.
Won't keep me from leaving.
Crawling back to you babe.
Won't keep me from leaving.
Crawling back to you babe.
Won't keep me from leaving.
Crawling back to you babe.
Won't keep me from leaving.
Won't keep me from leaving.
Crawling back to you babe.
Won't keep me from leaving.
Crawling back to you babe.
Won't keep me from leaving.
Won't keep me from leaving.
Crawling back to you babe.
Won't keep me from leaving.
Crawling back to you babe.
Won't keep me from leaving.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
Won't keep me from leaving.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I don't want to lose myself again.
I've been around again.
I don't want to lose myself again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
I've been around again.
Everybody's got a place to hide.
Everybody's got a place to hide.
After everything I still believe in the ruins of tragedy, we can build it up.
Everybody's got a boat to roll.
Everybody needs a holiday.
Everybody needs a holiday.
Everybody needs a holiday.
Everybody's got a place to hide.
We need a holiday.
In the ruins of tragedy, we can build it up.
We need a holiday.
In the ruins of tragedy, we can build it up.
In the ruins of tragedy, we can build it up.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
In the ruins of tragedy, we can build it up.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
Who knew that Wisconsin sounded so good? It's Max and Gradio. We are local music.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
You're listening to Civic Media. Stay up to date on the latest news and information for your local community and Wisconsin by signing up for our free email newsletter.
Welcome to Wisconsin's local music scene.
This is Max and Gradio. We are local music.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
We need a holiday.
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
We need a holiday.
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
We need a holiday.
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
We need a holiday.
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
We need a holiday.
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Can you hear me as I'm screaming?
Nothing is enough.
On Melancholy Hill there was a tree and a plastic lake.
On Melancholy Hill there was a tree and a plastic lake.
On Melancholy Hill there was a tree and a plastic lake.
I want to get up and say enough is enough.
On Melancholy Hill there was a tree and a plastic lake.
On Melancholy Hill there was a tree and a plastic lake.
On Melancholy Hill there was a tree and a plastic lake.
On Melancholy Hill there was a tree and a plastic lake.
On Melancholy Hill there was a tree.
On Melancholy Hill there was a tree and a plastic lake.
On Melancholy Hill there was a tree and a plastic lake.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
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Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Welcome to Wisconsin's local music scene.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
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Let's give the drummer some.
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Let's sleep together.
Let's give the drummer some.
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Let's give the drummer some.
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Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
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Let's give the drummer some.
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Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
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Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
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Let's give the drummer some.
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Let's give the drummer some.
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Let's give the drummer some.
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Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
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Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
Let's give the drummer some.
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Let's give the drummer some.
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We are local music.
We are local music all the same.
That's from never mind the acorns
for the flavor that kills.
They got a big show coming up on Valentine's Day.
We'll tell you all about it right now.
We have to say hello to the flavor that kills
they're in studio with us right now.
Good evening, Ryan.
Good evening, educational Davis.
Welcome to vaccine radio.
Jimmy, I want to name too.
If he's got to be an education, I'm.
You got to get on that microphone.
That's what your name is.
Yeah, I'm going to have to come up with something.
It's going to be really great.
We need a name for you.
What?
Are there any ideas?
Yeah, we'll go with something here.
Poppy Johnson.
I'm Poppy Johnson.
And yeah.
Do you guys ever watch in German class?
Did you ever watch Poppy Poppinheimer?
Can we talk about that on radio?
We have to learn journalism.
That's for the educational Davis show on civic media later on.
Hey, Ryan, one thing I picked up when I was doing some interview research here,
and I didn't know about this for the flavor that kills,
but you all have some music that dates back to 2013.
That's when you all got together,
and I just played something from,
is that you're right?
2013, 2012?
I suppose, yeah.
Yeah, I guess time flies.
Yeah.
I bet you before that though.
Talk about that.
Just the history.
You've been, I mean, that's, what, 12, 13 years now.
Yeah, a lot of it's a blur.
Playing a lot of local shows, going to different sounds,
different things that we've tried.
Different people, a bit of the group.
We had Jeff Quinn, our last iteration,
and for that, we had Emily Lindster.
And yes, people go as people come.
Nice.
Talk about the song we just heard, all the same.
Oh.
It's a cool song.
It was actually a really cool album,
and really that there was kind of a transition
from those older albums to the current album.
It kind of went from a more 70 styles funk
in the older albums to more of a rock and roll bass funk,
I guess, for Book of Secrets.
Yeah, I think we went from writing songs
to basically writing an album as a whole,
so it kind of really affects the way you put things together.
I think that has a lot to do with it.
Yeah, but you know, dials funk earlier, yeah,
and that's probably, that's probably fair.
Yeah.
Yeah.
You know, with the flavor that kills,
Ryan needs to learn how to use the studio microphone.
Yeah, I was just talking right into that.
I was saying, there we go.
I'm too loud.
We'll practice that a little bit.
Here we are.
Davis, you joined the band, I think, like, 2018.
It was just like an improv too.
Hey, can you fill in for us?
Yeah, my band was playing out,
and the flavor that kills is playing out in their cornfield,
and their guitar player didn't show up,
and I was there.
Yeah, quit.
Yeah, so I didn't quit yet,
but at that point, he didn't show up.
But, you know, so I had my guitar there,
because I'd played really in the day,
and, you know, we were having a real magical time,
so I jumped up on stage and...
When was the decision made after the show that you were in the band?
I just kept showing up, so I guess that was what happened.
Oh, you just kept on showing it up.
Yeah.
They didn't even, they were like, why are you here again?
Why stuff?
Okay.
Are you still doing solo music?
Yeah.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
What are you working on these days?
Educational Davis is still a thing.
It's technically the name, my solo project.
Right.
Yeah, we're working on some new material.
We're just trying to touch it up before.
But, yeah, I mean, you know,
and I also play in true name,
and I play with M. Shay sometimes.
Oh, yeah.
They do all sorts of stuff, just because...
Yeah, a lot of time.
You collaborated with her on M. Shay's latest release,
I think it's called Bleed.
Yeah, I played this one note.
That sounded pretty good.
Or middle of nowhere or something like that.
Right.
Ryan, are you in any other projects
beside flavor that kills?
Not, no.
No, I'm not doing anything else.
Right.
It's like, actually works for a living.
Yeah.
Unlike me.
Yeah.
Well, work is fun, you know.
It pays the bills, I guess.
You know, everyone in the flavor that kills,
you guys are all veterans.
Kristen and Eric, they're all of you guys.
Not war veterans.
Not war veterans.
Music scene veterans from Madison here.
I guess either one of you can answer this question.
What's your opinion of what the scene here in Madison is?
Like, back in the day versus what it is like today?
Boy, things have changed a lot.
Oh, yeah.
Exactly.
That's why this is a great question.
It used to be a lot more bands.
Yeah.
I remember that.
A lot more metal, a lot more punk boy.
A lot more, you know, just crazy stuff like you with the ponds, you know.
I remember like a lot more weirdos.
Yeah.
A lot more weirdos.
Yeah.
Like, get on stage and just do something that.
All right.
That like, you, you, you might not enjoy, but.
Like, right arm severed.
There's an example.
I mean, I.
So good night.
Crimson hitter.
Yeah.
I believe it's a better.
Yeah.
Very nice.
From those days that still is going.
Yeah.
That started out as a band that raised eyebrows and still does.
But a lot of bands.
There's songwriting.
I feel like there wasn't that kind of great.
There's not that.
Most people weren't quite as goofy.
Well, there used to be a lot more publication as a town.
It used to be a thing.
People grab a publication like at the grocery store.
And then you get rich cafe.
Maximum ink.
What was the other one?
I forgot all about Rick's cafe.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
There's one other one that they had for a bit.
I think it's put up by a night.
Well, there was a night sights and sounds which became or which rocker worked for.
And then got maxable ink going up.
You know, I want to say this.
And Rick Twight did Rick's cafe.
Yeah.
I think one of them.
Yeah.
They did like record reviews.
Like 15 record reviews of local bands and every every every every publication.
I think this this touches on something that I've been learning for some years now is that.
A scene is only as strong as its its media.
Like a music scene requires kind of some people talking about it.
Like because that's part of the fans, right?
These are people that like music.
I mean, you Jimmy K.
Or someone that likes music.
I don't to my knowledge, you're not playing every week.
I'm not a musician.
Okay.
So there we go.
So that's even more important, right?
Right.
We need people like Jimmy K.
Well, I remember it.
Maximum ink.
They had that paper publication.
It's like you pick it up.
It's like, oh, who's playing where and when?
You got like every calendar.
And you know what?
Milwaukee does.
Every bar.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
But they throw everything else in there.
Like you know, some basket weaving.
Well, I want to know about the basket weaving too.
Yeah.
But it's like if you just want to know about the music, it's like you have to dig through a lot.
We should have some live shows with basket weaving.
We can we can make everybody happy.
Hey, speaking of new bands in Madison, you guys are playing with mothballs on the 14th.
I love that name.
It's great.
I can just imagine I love how band names are picked.
Mothballs.
What do you know about these guys?
Well, I know that the, you know, moths are really underappreciated in the end.
When I was a little like, yeah.
They're very courageous.
Yeah.
What can I say?
My grandma told me not to eat them.
You know, if you find them in the shed, just leave them be.
It's going to be the interesting time.
I know.
Okay.
I mean, personally, I'm not actually, I haven't done my Reese.
I haven't actually got to know these guys in this particular band.
Configuration.
So I have to claim a little bit ignorance, but I'm very excited.
Yeah.
Because like every time we play with a band, we haven't really seen much.
It always impresses me at least.
Yeah.
I mean, like the first time we play with moon boot.
Yeah.
Remember moon boot?
Yeah.
But I mean, like, I've never seen them until this show and they blew my mind.
So that's the wonderful thing about going out to show is, and I think this is mothballs.
It's one of their first shows, if not their first show.
So come out and check them out.
It's going to be the happy hour of love with the flavor that kills.
It's happening Friday, February 14th.
That's Valentine's Day at the high, at the gamma ray here in Madison.
And we're going to do the show on Valentine's Day.
I'm going to be there.
I think I'm going to have some civic media merch.
Oh.
Come on down and say hi.
I'm MC in the show.
I get to introduce the flavor that kills.
I believe this will be my second time introducing you guys.
I think I'll just do it at would fast.
Oh, that's right.
Yeah.
That was a hot sweaty day.
Yeah, sure it was.
She's, yeah.
What's coming up?
You guys are working on new music.
There's an album in the can ready to go or close to being ready to go.
It's being mixed by somebody possibly.
Oh, man.
I don't know where we're at with that.
So the story, the story is, we work with both our instant on book of secrets.
We really liked the process.
You know, bow, the tech whiz, but also a very sane person control.
You know, in charge of things.
Well, we ran around and play with toys and made songs.
Right.
And he kept the tape rolling, all that stuff.
It was a very fun, intense creative process.
Well, he wanted to do that again because he was, he was going to be in Madison in September.
And we didn't have many songs.
So we had about three songs, like, roughly complete.
And then we had like 10, like, licks.
While somebody was sorting out, like, a problem with their equipment, somebody else played.
And I have this weird habit of recording stuff, especially with the flavor that kills people.
And we just took one of our tracks and just re-recorded it, but different learned that.
And so what we did was we ran into the studio in September with bow.
And we took three songs that were sorted on.
Plus 10 riffs.
And we came out with a whole batch of really cool songs.
And we got 10 tracks in there.
Is it going to be released in a vinyl again?
Oh, yeah.
I feel, yeah.
Same, same thing.
Look at Secret's is a good album.
I have the vinyl.
I play it often at home.
It's one of my favorite ones from the 2024 season.
Nice job on that one.
Thanks.
Like it.
The next one.
The next one is basically finished recording.
Yeah, the other recording.
We finished recording it.
It's all in the other, all the other hands are on it right now.
Well, I estimated date release.
Do you want to commit to anything?
Probably not till July.
July one.
I mean, hopefully it'll be warm.
July 25th.
Come back.
2025.
With the album drop.
25.
25.
25.
We would love to have you.
Yeah.
Ryan, Education Davis.
Thank you so much for coming in tonight.
Looking forward to seeing you at the Happy Hour Love at the Gamma Ray Bar.
February 14th is a Happy Hour Show.
So you can get out of work early.
Come have some cocktails.
Get happy.
And see a great local show at the Gamma Ray.
129 West Main Street.
I believe that's the address.
Don't take my word on that because I like to give fake news.
Gentlemen, thank you so much.
Yeah, it's two doors down from where the rising sun needs to be.
That's a nice point of reference there.
That's the American Dream, my friend.
The flavor that kills Maxing on Civic Media.
We are local music.
I am so happy to be joined today by Rob D's.
Now Rob is known as an artist, an educator, and an activist.
Thanks for joining me.
Oh man, thanks for reaching out.
How do you fulfill all of those roles,
artist, educator, activist?
It's really just about putting my best foot forward
in whatever it is.
I'm either in the context of just trying to be a light.
If there's some way that I can spark something
for someone else, whether it's through music
or if it's impacting the kids that I work with,
hopefully people can get something from what I've gone through
and kind of push it along and pay it forward
as I try to pay it forward.
So that requires a lot of faith and a lot of belief that
even when things ain't okay, things gonna be okay.
Hip hop for you is also a really big part of your life
as the artist portion, but you also use it to sort of help kids
learn more about the music and how to do it and why it matters.
Why is that important for you?
For me, it's important in understanding being a voice
for the voiceless.
Sometimes, you know what I'm saying?
Like especially for me, like being a child of hip hop,
understanding that your voice makes noise,
like your voice resonates, your story resonates.
What you come from and what you've gone through is
it's something that you hope that you could pass along
that others can gain from it.
And that's the same way that I feel like with the babies
that I work with, shorties, the youngins and that, you know,
like to give them the understand that they have a story
that's important.
But yeah, I mean, like to really be able to get kids
to understand and in a lot of ways where like arts programming
is getting cut.
The importance of sharing stories is something
that needs to connect us all.
At least for me, trying to get kids to really understand
that their story is important.
Their struggle is important.
I've often heard that the word inspiration associated
with what I do, but like my biggest hope of inspiration
is to inspire other.
That's the thing.
And I feel like these babies out of future.
So we got to inspire them.
So when you see the light bulb go on above their head,
they're getting what you're talking about.
What does that feel like?
I taught a class this morning and it's an alternate
educational program that I'm working with.
So these are kids that have basically been expelled
or taken out of other programs.
I won't go into the name of the program.
But on the first day to see them buy into what we're talking about,
like you can see when you talk about the light bulb going off,
it's probably a light bulb that nobody's ever really gotten
to get them to open up.
There's a certain responsibility so that there's a joy
that comes from it.
But it's like, okay, man, let's roll up our sleeves.
Now let's get to it.
So the hope is to get them to see that their story has just
as much relevance as their song.
So in seeing that, it's always encouraging.
And it's always heartwarming.
At least for me, it always encourages me to continue to try
to be mindful and do that and share that connectedness.
Like hopefully that kids understand my life path.
And what I've kind of gone through and sharing that with them
helps them to be able to share their truth.
So it's a dope feeling.
I enjoyed it.
What is important to you in specific about celebrating Black History Month?
For me, especially now, the understanding that we are here
and it gives you a certain sense of pride of the history
that we have contributed to this place.
And with the hopes that as we continue going forward,
we as a country can understand the contributions
that African-Americans have made to this and not forget
to try to move forward together.
It's very important for me to honor that and to respect that.
And furthermore, I'll say to you,
like for me, it's always a responsibility
to be Black History every day.
I appreciate the month and I'm going to celebrate it to the fullest.
But it's also an importance to be Black History every day.
How are we doing?
What are we missing in our discussions about, you know,
whether we want to talk about Black History or Black Future?
Probably going to be weird to say it.
But I think we're missing the humanity of it all.
And that goes very deep.
But I think it not just having humanity be a check-off point, you know,
but having actually be an actual action to really care about common man
and who we are in our experiences.
And being able to appreciate the humanity of it all,
I think that will help the progress has been avoided.
And this is just my opinion, but sometimes I feel like, you know,
more about checking the box as we grow more through the times
that we are living in.
I think we should really start looking at appreciating the humanity
and letting that guide our forward motion.
Let me turn back now to music because your creativity,
it's landed you in some really great company.
And the one I'm really interested in is the National Museum
of African American History and Culture.
Tell me about this.
First of all, I was the, obviously, as none of the,
I was the community recipient for the National Medal of Honor
for Library and Museum Services on behalf of the Madison Public Library.
As a result of that, there was several interviews to have.
One of the interviews that happens will story corpse.
One of the things about being interviewed from them,
it put me in the Smithsonian.
And it just so happens that in the Library of Congress,
this interview is now housed in both of these places
and the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian.
That's how I weirdly got to be in the Smithsonian.
It's not alive. It's the actual truth.
You go to the Library of Congress,
are you going to the Smithsonian Museum for African American Studies?
You can go in here and sit down and listen to it.
Your story will live on forever that way.
Yeah.
You kind of lead this mad lit program.
I know it's been going on for a little while,
but how is it?
Where is it at in its growth process at this point?
We're answering year five.
And honestly, when this started,
I had no clue where we would be a year or five,
but here we are.
So excited about that.
The whole premises being at the top of stage street
to just share in the humanity of it all.
Understanding that people come from different backgrounds
and we still need to co-exist together to make things happen.
That's the celebration of that.
We have musicians.
We have visual artists.
We have small business vendors.
They don't necessarily get a chance to interact in the downtown area.
So we come and we actually move towards a better understanding
and existence for ourselves.
Where can we get more information?
So I would say the biggest thing is part of the project
that I work with,
the Greater Madison Music City Project,
which is basically a project designed to build
a music ecosystem in our town, you know,
understanding and really kind of the same thing
and realizing and kind of pluck people
into the end of the system.
And so where people are all being able to get an experience
from our music.
So that website is our GMMC.org.
So that's WWW, O-U-R-G,
Amazon Mary, Amazon Mary.
C is in city.org.
And when does Madlet get going again?
I believe we're starting in late June this year.
We actually moved up a week.
So something to look forward to for sure.
Yeah.
Well, I want to end this with your song Composure.
Tell me about this song.
I love it.
I think with the times that we live in,
Composure is required.
And it's kind of what I talk about,
just, you know, keeping your composure.
Even in being recognized in the town
and the interactions,
the weird interactions that I encounter,
even, you know,
the responsibility of being an African-American
and a predominantly white place, you know.
You know, even the composure of the climate
that our country is in.
All these things kind of require
a certain amount of composure.
And that's kind of where this song came from.
My homegirl,
Rocca,
Alimonde,
did the chorus on it.
Obviously, we played together in weapons of master function.
So it was an easy-ass,
and I appreciate her.
And yeah,
it was, it's funny because I,
I haven't released any music in a while
because I've,
I was doing a lot of other things.
So it was kind of me just kind of throwing something up there
and saying, hey, here it is.
That's it.
Thank you again for joining me.
Rob D's the artist.
Let's take a listen
to his song composure.
I'm a blue collar baby,
I'm a T-Cut Dad.
Something and I might need because I speak in facts.
Rob D's the same blue,
because I was speaking in facts.
Walking my ability,
these words and my debris.
How to keep composure through all of this greed.
Some throw jazz for us to fall off.
That day,
the only spot for us to fall off.
Work on old visions,
make sure they saw off.
Drew out of date,
point plays I call off.
This is for those separate organizations.
Tell my soul,
smack on these equal generations.
For the real,
we the people type situations.
Must've seen things before the trailblaze.
You come up at times,
we fail,
and give the joy at times,
we fail.
You just spread your wings,
and say, hey,
you just keep composure,
you're composure.
Time to get composure,
go for my demons.
See, that's the only way
to bust through the glass sips.
You can't trip 90 days,
so we'll be able to keep calm.
And now I'm tapped in my deeper feelings.
Things fall apart, man.
Now I get it.
But I know I'm back excellence.
It's often expected.
Staying clean,
when it's time to sort heck it.
The bull jazz and marches won't stop.
I don't sweat it.
Falling for the whole lust.
Now I'm batting,
and come up short.
And the way I come batting.
That was a decision with no time to trip.
Come on, soul on the line.
Word of words, ask let me.
It's money.
Managed to pray,
then your tension.
Now I just pray,
people give my intentions.
No matter the hurt,
which happens,
it's gonna get better.
Stay close.
To come up,
then time to be bailed.
And give the joy,
then time to be bailed.
You just spread your wings,
then sail,
and you just keep your composure,
and your composure.
It seemed like the y'all are going through it.
Cooler heads,
but bail composes.
How to do it?
Y'all got demons,
and excuse how fools me
was shaped up a story.
No one could have knew it.
Last name,
Franklin,
but I ain't no son.
In the word,
snowfall,
when he said you came.
And black and white,
sconsum required strength.
And I go for what I know,
shoot, think I ain't.
For seven,
and for less,
not part of my debate.
It's because I'm gonna be love
in the world for the hate.
You ain't put the pain,
then I know you came your late.
And you be just talking,
and I'll be like,
I'm straight,
plenty of fools,
put the care about you.
Be the loudest ones,
popin' how they got you.
You ain't never saw a partner
that's the part that hurt.
Keep my composure,
while they scream out loud.
Circle group to the point,
I had to cut it down,
photos different than mine,
then I got to shut it down.
What's where they go?
I just go when I hear it.
I ain't sayin' folks wrong.
I'm schoolin',
but what's fibbing?
You come up,
and times we are.
In the short,
and times we are.
You just spread your wings,
and say,
and you just,
keep your composure,
away your composure.
Oh, don't filter,
away your composure.
Maxing on civic media. We are local music. That is the steep water band and their song shift and on the phone with me right now.
Mr. Jeff Massey from the steep water band. Jeff good evening. Happy Saturday to you and walk in the Maxing.
Well, thank you. How are you doing, man? I'm doing well. It's great to talk to you again.
Are you coming long time friends of the Maxing radio show Jeff? We appreciate that.
Right on, yeah. We appreciate it.
Hey, man. We just played the song shift. That's from your latest album. It came out to what
earlier in 24 or 20 late 23 years like that. Tell us about that.
Just on the, yeah, just on the tail end of COVID that that came out. Yeah. Yeah, ship. That's the
that's one of my favorite tunes on that record. And it's usually a regular staple in our
live set too. So that's a good one. It's a rocker. It's it is a rocker. You know,
Jeff, I always find band names and how they are picked rather interesting. I love the stories behind
them. I saw a little nugget while I was doing my homework tonight that the band names,
steep water band was actually taken from a cargo ship that you saw in Lake Michigan.
Correct. Yeah. Tell me about that story. Well, me and my, but we were, we were thinking about
band names and we had been going back and forth, being a friend of mine. We were driving over the
Bishop Ford Expressway from Indiana, Chicago. And when you look over, there's all those cargo
vessels there. And it said warning, steep water. And we were kind of half out of it. It was
early in the morning. He's like, how about steep water band? I'm like, yeah, that sounds pretty
cool. And as soon as I told the rest of the, you know, the rest of the guys, the band are like,
that's perfect. And you know, when we thought steep water, I was thinking high water like
danger high water, but steep water is actually that really dirty water. Like if you steep vegetables,
if you steep something, the water that comes out after the fact. So it represents like a really
dirty water. So I kind of, I kind of thought, well, we kind of have a dirty rock and roll sound
steep water. It's very fitting. So everybody liked it. And that's been the name ever since.
I like it. Was there any names that obviously got the accent that was a close second up?
Maybe dream water. So something with water. You know,
we're on a water theme for whatever reason. Yeah. There might have been, I don't remember,
but in any other picks, we're so like, we're so not into them. I don't even remember what they
would have been. Now, you guys are in the studio working on some new music for 2025. And as a
fan of the steep water band Jeff, I got to tell you I'm pretty excited about it. What are you guys
working on? And do you have just a guess in when we might be able to get a taste?
Well, I mean, we're hoping we're hoping that we'll have a full length album later in the year.
But we're talking about maybe releasing some singles and some videos on the way out to the end of
the year. So I'm hoping, I mean, what is it now? It's February. I'm hoping, you know, by April,
we might have, you might have a little glimpse of what's going on. But yeah, we've been
tracking songs and we got four songs. It's about done. We're going to go into a whole other
batch of songs in Chicago here. So it's coming along real good. I'm excited to get these songs done
and get them in our lifestyle too. Nice. Where do you guys record down in Chicago?
Well, it's, every album's been different. The latter turn of the wheel and return of the wheel
was recorded in Miller Beach, Indiana, our drummer's brother Jim Winner's home studio. We did
last two there, which we love. He's got a great setup. This time we're recording
in Chicago down in Bronzeville in an old house that my buddy lives in. He's got this killer studio
in the basement. Nice. And we went over there just for fun to see how it would go and it's going
great. So now it's not just for fun. We're actually looking to release the material, you know.
We just went there to see how it was and we love it. So let's come out great. Jeff Massey from
The Steepwater Bans is on with us here on Maxine. Jeff, talk about the work as far as the writing
and matching the lyrics with riffs. What's that process like for you guys?
Well, it's, there's a couple different processes like sometimes I'll have
sometimes like a whole song and the lyrics and the title and everything would just kind of come at
once. You know, usually on like an acoustic guitar sitting on my couch and then I'll show it to
the guys and they'll throw their parts on it. You know, that's usually how we do it.
I don't usually come in and say now you play this and you play that because it's more of a
band vibe where everybody comes up with their own parts. And then the other way that songs happen is
you know, Eric or other guitar player writes a lot. So he'll give me a piece of music or he'll bring
or we'll jam on some of his riffs and then it's up to me to always put the lyrics and the melody on it.
So it could come from the band jamming or from me bringing in or any one of us bringing in ideas
and we just we always finish them together, you know. Do you guys get together a lot for like
you know, you know, writing together or it's the most of the writing done solo and then
bring what you have to the group to to work out the pieces. It's a little bit of both.
We don't get to we get together in spurts. I mean, we're always together because we play a lot
of gigs. Right. So we get together in spurts when we can, when we know we're going to record and
we kind of put the pressure on ourselves. So we've always got ideas that from sound checks and
you know that. But when it gets time to actually get down and recording, that's when we really
focus and we start getting in a room together and and trading ideas and then and all comes together.
We work well under I guess a little bit of
fun pressure, you know, knowing like, all right, we're recording. Let's go, you know.
Right. Right. Jeff, you guys are touring out, you're enough for a big tour.
Other than your favorite stop here in Madison, which I know it's your favorite,
what other cities are you excited to see on tour? I know you're going to fill you're going to
debut, I believe. Of course, a couple shows in Chicago. Yeah, well, I always love playing hometown
showing Chicago, you know, martyrs is a great place. We're getting ready to go out. Well,
towards the end of March, we're doing probably three weeks out east. Right. And we've been,
we've been spending a lot of time out east lately. So I really, you know, really enjoying New York.
By going to Maine, I think we're going like Delaware on this next run, which I don't think we've ever been
Massachusetts, you know, Pennsylvania. I mean, we like playing everywhere, you know, but I've
really been enjoying the east and realizing that, you know, there's a lot of music lovers out that
way. So looking forward to that run coming up. Plus, you get to go to cool cities like New York or
Philly. Grab yourself a Philly Philly cheese steak, Jeff. Yeah, Philly. We're playing Philly. Of course.
For sure. Of course, the show in Madison. I believe I don't have the calendar for me,
but I think it's the second show on the tour here in Madison at the Red Rooster on Seaford Road,
Saturday, February 15th. It's going to be a great show. We're looking forward to seeing you here
back in Madison, Jeff. Yeah, I like the Red Rooster. We played, we played there I think once before.
And that's a great little spot. So it really is. It's they do a great job focusing not only on
the local music scene, but they bring great, great bands like you guys across. Hey, Jeff,
I really appreciate your time tonight. Congratulations on the upcoming new album. I can't wait to hear
the music and look forward to seeing you at the Red Rooster on Saturday, February 15th.
Hey, that sounds good. Thanks for having me, man. Hey, we're going to play the song Found.
And tell me about the song as we go into it here.
Found. I mean, that that's another one of my favorites.
For maybe some of you guitar players know what I'm talking about, but that was an instrumental song
that I had laying around. And it was in a weird guitar tuning. And I recorded it as a demo.
You know, it's almost like this instrumental piece. And for some reason, I tuned the guitar back
to regular tuning and played it that way, even though I wrote it in an odd tuning. And then all the
lyrics and melody kind of came out like that. So it's funny how that happens sometimes.
Yeah, it's supposed to be like an instrumental piece, like a Jimmy Page type, you know, like,
I don't know, like a black mountainside or something. But then when I put it in regular tuning,
it totally changed the vibe and put some vocals on it. And there you go. Black mountainside,
I got to go back and listen to his uplist song now. But first we're going to hear Found. This
is the Steep Water Band. It's Max Inc on Civic Media. We are local music.
