Choice Cuts from The Butcher’s Kid – Live From The Madcity on Max Ink Radio

you found Wisconsin's local music authority. This is magsync radio. We are local music.

Why, from the mad city, we have the butcher's kid here. Uh, John Nelson's dad, I guess,

I thought he was a butcher, but maybe not. We're gonna hear. But he grew up as the butcher's kid

and it only seemed proper to record and play under that moniker. And now John is releasing new

music recorded at Megaton Studios with Paul Schluter. The new album is aptly titled

Choice Cuts. And the butcher's kid is here tonight live from the mad city presented by the

Aaron Weber group. John, welcome to magsync radio. Thank you, rocker. I appreciate you inviting me

down. You just came from playing a show this afternoon. Where were you at? I was at Dooners Black Hawk

Club. Dooners Black Hawk Club. Where's that at? It's, uh, on Black Hawk Island road. And it's right

on Lake Hoshka Island. Really cool place. Wow. And that's kind of down by Fort Atkinson

Wing. Yep. Fort Atkinson right off 106. Sorry. Yeah. And how was the show? A lot of people.

It was good. A lot of ice fish have been. They had some sort of thing going on down there.

Everybody's in and out and, um, it's Valentine's Day. So I, I made fun of those people a little bit.

It is Valentine's Day. That's right. Yeah. John, tell us about growing up as, uh, the butcher's kid.

Well, you know, um, I was, uh, in Utica, Utica, Wisconsin. And then, uh, when I was about three,

we moved to Florida. My mom and my, my brother and I, and when we came back, I was 11, 12 years old,

and I met my real dad for the first time. And his name was Butch. And, uh, when we'd go into the

bar down there, Utica bar, they used to call him the butcher sometimes. You know, and I always

wondered if he had something to do with that mob or something. Yeah. I knew, yeah. I knew he liked

hamburger and stuff all the time. But, uh, yeah, that's, uh, that's why I grew up with my uncles and,

playing, you know, country guitar. And, and that's kind of where I learned how many uncles did you have?

Oh, I had, um, there were, there were three uncles. My brother had three brothers. Yeah. And, um,

they all, one played drums. One was a great singer. I thought he wrote songs, actually. And one

was a bass player. Wow. They had a band going on. Yeah. It was like a band. And he had a bowling team.

And your dad played my dad played too. Yeah. He played guitar and would sing. And, uh, yeah. We

would, it was a great time. And, uh, to know that I had a family like that from Florida. And I,

and I love my stepdad too. But, uh, yeah, getting to know those, those guys were, was a big part.

And they were in the country music, right? Yeah. Uh, my uncle Oscar was into like a jazz swing.

My uncle, Ronnie was, uh, the country ramblers. My uncle Donnie was, uh, like a vocalist.

Ronnie Donnie. Ronnie Donnie. Ronnie Donnie and Aki. Yeah. Ronnie Donnie, Aki. And then there's Butch.

And then there's Butch. Uh, well, how did you get started playing music?

Um, you know, uh, my dad had an old echo guitar sitting in the closet. And, uh, I, I,

I would just go in there and I'm like, well, what's that? And I would just pluck on the strings.

And pretty much there. They're, hey, here's a C chord. Here's a D G. And, uh, um, so I started like

playing like songs that I like. How old were you at that time? I was 11, 12 years old.

Okay. It's usually when it starts. Right when you came back to Utica. Yeah. Right when I came

back to Utica. It's like finding my roots again. Yeah. Yeah. That's, that's a good time.

And, uh, so your uncle's, they kind of helped you, uh, helped you along there. Did they jam

with your treaties? You get to jam with their family band or what? You know, that's the,

that's the thing about, uh, those guys, um, my dad would play. And, um, he'd do a couple shows and

like he didn't get a lot of people to follow him. But they were, it was like, uh, they,

they didn't teach me a lot, but I watched them play. Yeah. Um, it was almost like, uh,

competition between them. Mm hmm. It really was between all the uncles. Yeah. And,

and who could do better? And who got who to dance? And, you know, um, which I thought was

strange, but I think it made them all a little bit better. Now, do you play other instruments?

Yeah. You're a multi instrument. Yeah. I, uh, played bass and a cover band, Mr.

Breeze for many years. Great time. Um, uh, play a little bit of drums. Not too much. Yeah.

Um, just enough to get you in trouble. Just enough to get in trouble. Yeah.

Oh, that's pretty cool. Um, what were your influences growing up? You said country. I mean,

what kind of country are you talking about old school country guys? Yeah, a lot of country guys.

Well, it was old school country guys. Um, uh, you know, Whalen Jennings, Willie Nelson,

yeah, Johnny Cash, um, Roy Clark, a big fan of Roy Clark, Chad Atkins, that type of country.

Um, and it's so, I started learning those songs, but I love pop. I love Beatles,

Elton John. It was kind of eclectic, you know. Well, let's get to some live music from the Man City

with the butcher's son, uh, the butcher's kid. Yeah. The butcher's son, the butcher's kid, uh,

presented by the Aaron Weber group. The first song you have for us tonight, uh, it's a new song.

It's called Maria. Uh, tell us about this song before you play. Um, Maria, I wrote about some

friends of mine that, uh, basically are just total opposite people. Um, and then, uh, after a few

years, they, they really loved each other. You could tell. They really cared for each other. Um,

until, uh, Kelly, uh, got, was killed in a police shootout. Um, he said he was not going back

to prison, jail, whatever it was. Um, and then Maria, a couple days later, she shot herself and

died from a gunshot wound herself. And Mike and Maria moved up here from Texas when I went to

school up here, immediate friends, because we were both southern, you know, like from Florida,

you go to Texas. And, uh, I asked Mike if I could write a song about, you know, Maria and, uh,

he said, absolutely, uh, he, he, he, he gave me his blessing. And I said, okay, well, I'm going to

pretty much say exactly what I thought about it. Wow. So I wrote it. It means a lot. It really does.

Wow, it sounds heavy. Uh, let's check it out. This is the butcher's kid right here live from

the mad sitting on maxing radio. This is Maria.

There was something in her smile. It was hidden in her eyes. She didn't want you to see.

She quietly kept to herself. Really liked a party all night. Yeah, she robbed the sits of tracks.

Last time I saw them was on a beautiful spring day. They both look so happy.

The Kelly lost the shoot out. There was too much Maria to collide.

They grew up in a small town. No stranger to the pain.

Oh, Maria, oh, oh, oh.

I'll always remember. Forever etched on my mind. The memory of a smile.

It's not just another day. Nobody seemed to notice. They wouldn't hear any more.

The lives were full of passion. She could not live without him. They really love each other.

But Kelly lost the shoot out. Then it was too much Maria to collide.

They grew up in a small town. No stranger to the pain.

Oh, Maria, oh, oh, oh.

Maria, that is the butcher's kid live from the Mad City on Maxing Radio. That was pretty cool.

John, you came in from Fort Ecconson tonight. What city do you call home now?

Deforest. Deforest. Yeah. Now, you're not doing many shows this winter. Where do you normally play

in the Wisconsin area? Mostly Jefferson County. That's where I know the most people. The, you know,

easy to get in. I don't really beat down the doors. I don't have a website. I kind of go by word

of mouth. And if they call me here, I'll do the show. I have a full-time job. And I respect the

people that do it full-time. And I don't ever think that I could do that full-time. But I will show

up if you call me. I'll go. Well, now, yeah, you said that you had lived in Cambridge for some

amount of years as well. Yeah. That's kind of down towards Fort. Yeah. Fort Ecconson,

Jefferson area. Yeah. It's basically, you know, I think about it. It's around the lake,

cashew on all around the lake. I guess I'm a liquor. There's a racket. Yeah. That's my thing.

Oh, what do you do outside of music now? I drive school buses. I believe they're not.

I don't drive the big buses. I drive the smaller, bigger vans. Yeah.

But I started doing that part-time, maybe three, four years ago. It's kind of addicting these kids,

driving little kids. Yeah. And I don't have children. They become my children. So you don't get

here with like rubber bands and spit balls. Oh, I did when I started. Oh, yeah. You know,

that's what John Melchimich did before he got famous. Oh, really? He was. Yeah. Bus driver.

Yeah. That's awesome, man. So keep it that. Maybe you'll get somewhere.

Well, and it makes sense because my dad was a truck driver. Oh, what's the funniest thing

a kid's done on your bus? The funniest thing. These kids from the St. Peter School,

they like to listen to the church stations. Yeah. The religious station. And I was driving

down the road and I hear a. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. They did this cat thing.

Like me. How are you? Like they're talking. And I just I cracked up. I couldn't. I really couldn't

believe what they were doing. But yeah, that really made me laugh. That's funny.

John, you're also taking up playing leads for a new project out of Helenville.

Yes. Helenville. Yeah. But when might we see that group perform?

I'm hoping that comes hopefully by summer, maybe late summer. It's a project that it's

taken a little bit of time because we're not doing anything that's no standards. We're not doing

like we'll musting Sally or anything like that. So it's taken a little bit of time to learn

to do the things. Well, perfect. Well, let's get back to live music from the man city presented

by the Aaron Weber group. The next song you have for us tonight is called Barely 22.

And is this a song about surviving the first year of legal drinking? No, I was 19 when I could drink.

I'm that old. Yeah. Why? Of course, this is another story of another love song as I want to call it.

It's a song about when you graduate high school and you lose those friends right out of high school.

And they're not barely 21, 22 years old and they're not here. So I wrote it about

basically how I started writing about my mom, you know, giving birth to three little

no-neck monsters like me and my brothers. But then it kind of morphed into singing more about

the people that I, you know, that aren't here anymore. So all right. Let's check it out. This is

Barely 22. You're listening to live from the man city with Richard's kid on magazine radio.

She was barely 20 when she gave birth to three. I wasn't much to her. She wasn't big deal to me.

Oh yeah. She can shrug it off like it ain't nothing. And now keep coming back like a mom to the frame.

And we just stand out the window.

Looking for a reason for what just happened.

We lost a different right out of high school.

Happens way too often. He was barely 20, too.

I didn't hear it on the radio. All the people TV news. You see the words don't come out right.

Yeah, they never do. We just stand out in the rain.

Looking for a reason for what just happened.

Looking for a reason for what just happened.

I spoke to mom and dad a couple of days ago. I feel pretty lucky that I still can.

Yeah, we talked about life and how to live it.

So I'll try to live the best that I can. We just stand out the window.

Looking for a reason for what just happened.

Looking for a reason for what just happened.

Barely 22, that is the butcher's kid you're listening to live from the man city on max ink radio.

You know, John, which comes first for you when you're writing a song, the lyric, the riff, or the concept?

I usually start with the lyrics. If I have an idea of a phrase, I keep these weird notes in my phone.

I'll have a strange lyric. For example, I haven't wrote a song about this, but it was vanilla baskets

gymnastics. Let's see that quickly. Yeah, and I shared that with a friend of mine and she's like,

oh, I'm into gymnastics. I go, you can have it because I can't write anything with it.

But if I have more than one that kind of relates to each other, then it becomes the chords and then

the concept. So I see. And do you write, you know, for acoustic mainly, for a guitar, or do you write

with a band in mind? If I have a drummer, like if we're jamming, you know what I mean?

Like if I got a bass player in a drummer that are jamming something, I can write to it.

I can't write any hard rock stuff with my electric guitar because I have to figure out what the

lick is first. Yeah, you know, that's how it works. What kind of electric do you play? I'm curious.

You're here tonight with an acoustic, but yeah, I mainly strats or tallies.

I was really into like SGs and Gibson's. Then I kind of discovered I needed to play a little

differently thanks to Paul Sutter. So yeah, I learned a lot. I go and do a different instrument. So

yeah, mainly strats. Now you haven't been an always in the country. Your first band after high

school is a metal band. Yeah, I think if I had to pick like the most fun band that I've ever

been in, that was the one. Really? Yeah, it was late 90s. Obviously last crack was in legendary

status. Then we used to play everything that came out like tool, helmet, prong, corrosion of

conformity is like one of my all-time favorites. Oh, yeah, COC. Yeah. Well, that's pretty good.

Well, let's get back to live music from the Mad City presented by the Aaron Weber group,

the next song that you have for us tonight. It's called Hold On or Hang On. Hang on. Hang on.

Tell us about what this song is. I wrote this for a friend of mine that we were writing songs like

Crazy. His name is Jimmy Hill. Oh, yes, I know Jimmy Hill. Jimmy Hill. I do.

Rest is soul. Yeah. Yeah, that was tragic for me. I almost quit playing music period

because I thought at our peak, we were probably writing five songs a week. I'd come up with the

chords and he would come up with lyrics. Bam, bam, bam, bam, bam. Every week. He was an amazing

singer. Like I would, I've never heard anybody like Jimmy Hill. So when he passed away, I just

want. I just didn't want to do it anymore. I had this dream. He came to me and my dream.

And we were at the studio and I said, hey, bro, what are you doing here? You've died.

And he looks at me and goes, yeah, I know. I just wanted to tell you I'm okay, bro. Wow.

And when I woke up, I could smell his perfume and like cologne on me. Yeah. Like I knew it was real.

Oh, God. He would always give the sweatiest hugs to. Yeah, I know. Those big giant bear hugs. Yeah,

I mean, I know. So yeah, that's what got me back to it. And I wrote this song for him.

That's very cool. Let's check it out. This is Hang On, The Butcher's Kid,

Lime from the Man City on Maxing Radio.

Years from now, we'll look back. Think about these days.

The way we lived our lives and how we loved each other.

Oh, everything is good and you're doing fine.

It hasn't been the same for me. The way to love.

And I've known this from the very first time. We were sitting on the front porch,

just playing our songs. And I remember the day you said to me,

no one is truly gone. So we'll all hang on as our little world spins around.

So we'll all hang on.

The days along in the night saw. So cold.

Stars don't seem to shine as bright as they did before.

Sun rise up every morning. I can't believe that you're not here anymore.

And I've known this from the very first time. We were sitting on the front porch,

we're just playing our songs. And I remember the day you said to me,

no one is truly gone.

So we'll all hang on as our little world spins around.

So we'll all hang on as our little world spins around.

So we'll all hang on as our little world spins around.

Spinning around.

Yeah, the butcher's kid, hang on. You're listening to Live From the Man City on Maxing

Gradio. We'll be right back shop local, eat local, listen local. This is Maxing Gradio.

We are local music. We are back live from the Man City on Maxing Gradio. My name is

rocker here with Jane in the control room. And we have the butcher's kid, John Nelson with us

tonight, performing live in our studio. John the new album Choice Cuts was recorded at

Megaton Studios with Paul Schluter. And he played guitar in some of the track's drummer,

Zach Brisington. He's also on the drums. And he plays with the Elizabeth Mary group along with

Paul Schluter. And Paul Schluter's from last crack, like how did you get this to happen on your

album? That's what they do at Megaton. They could provide every instrument out there.

Paul can do a guitar bass. I wouldn't doubt if he can drum too. He might play in that.

And then Zach is there. And Zach will sit down to the scratch. And I would suggest anybody

that wants to go in there and like if you're a acoustic solo player, go there. Because the

Zach makes the stuff up. And he makes it before even hears that song. It's that good.

I mean, here's the scratch. And Paul is obviously great. Now Paul played lead on one of your

songs on your new album and called Sacramento. What's Paul Lake is a country guitar player?

See, these aren't really a lot of country. And if you listen to the songs,

and I release the whole album the other day, so they'll all be out up there for anybody wants to

listen. He had this great idea for that song. And he approached me and said, I'd like to play

a solo to that. And I just did a bass solo on there too. So it's a solo with a bass solo

in the background. It's super, super cool. So yeah, he's a great country player too. He can play

anything. I'm not kidding. I can play anything. It's true. Megaton City was Paul Schluter

recorded your album, Choice Cuts. Let's get back to live music from the man city presented by

the Aaron Weber group. The next song you have for us today is called Sacramento. Tell us about

this song quick before you play. This one, this chord structure thing I played over and over at

Open James. And I would just tell like a lead guitar player, hey, sit in with me. Just noodle

through the whole thing. You just go ahead, go for it. And they really liked the way this chord

structure is. I don't know where it came from. It just came out of nowhere and we would do this

like for 15 minutes. This isn't that long. But boy, yeah, but this is kind of stemmed from jams.

Well, let's check it out. This is Sacramento. The butcher's kid live from the man city on Maxing

Radio.

I'm just living like child.

Got no regrets running wild.

I'm missing you, missing me again.

I have a lifetime left to give you.

I'm walking my shoes, I'm walking yours.

Long stone walls shady side.

We won't begin to understand.

Until we know about the truth.

All around is one horse town.

All the burning gold and crimson hills.

You can hear the chorus of the same old lies.

It's a symphony of the works and trees.

I feel so emotional.

And I don't know why.

This could be our only chance.

This could be our only chance.

The dreams only last until the sun rise.

The common gold like ocean waves.

We had it made you and I.

Hardly stuck, we're having it all.

Flowers bloom and seasons change.

Looking back, I wouldn't change the thing.

For good times and some really good times.

I'd spend my whole life with you.

I feel so emotional.

And I don't know why.

This could be our only chance.

This could be our only chance.

This could be our only chance.

Yeah, sacramental.

That is the butcher's kid.

When you recorded at Megaton, was that at the new studio?

No, you're at the old one.

I still have to go over and see the new studio.

But it's just amazing how many records he has on his wall.

I know.

And I was happy to bring one to him.

I hope it's on the wall.

Tell us about Meaning Page Hamilton of the band helmet.

I saw the helmet in 2045 in two years in a row.

And we paid extra to go meet the band.

Watch the soundtrack.

It was really cool because there was only like 15 of us.

So we waited till the end so we could have a little bit longer.

And I asked Page Hamilton.

I used to play him when the album came out.

We were like, yeah, let's do that.

And I asked him how he came up with that rhythm.

How he comes up with those rhythms.

And he told me some dude in New York when he was a kid and showed them all this stuff.

And I was like, really?

Oh, I don't even know the guy.

And I don't even remember the guy's name.

But then he goes, uh, the guy that I really like rhythm player is Malcolm Young.

Oh, yeah.

It's gonna through me because that's my classic rock, you know.

And you know, helmet is so, you know, bon-on-don-don-don.

Like it's so bizarre, but I was so happy to meet him.

That's pretty cool.

That guy he's actually played for David Bowie's band and has a master's degree in jazz guitar.

I looked him up.

I googled it.

Did you really?

Well, let's get back to live music from the band city presented by the Aaron Weber group.

The next song you have for us tonight, it's called Anymore Time.

Is this a song of forgiveness?

It's pretty much.

Yeah, this is one where there's not enough time to do things, you know.

And I always try to talk to people about just being nice to each other.

Yeah.

We have different opinions who cares.

And I started vinyl groups.

I said, you know what, quit arguing.

Spin vinyl.

Cool.

But this is kind of in the same vein.

Well, let's check it out.

Anymore time.

This is the Butcher's Kid, live from the Mad City, Maxing Radio.

We're not different, we're quite the same.

Let's get together as friends again.

And when those long days are getting on, it's time for us now to tag along.

Down a sold-back road a mile or two, find out what's good for you.

No, they really are one for you.

It's all that you have left to give.

When there's nothing left for me and you, it won't be any more time.

Feeling like I could just walk away.

I won't find nothing over here.

I don't know what I'm looking for.

It wants to play, Tom Petty.

Like a dead dream on a cold winter's day.

It takes me back to when we used to play.

It's all they really want from you.

It's all that you have left to give.

When there's nothing left for me and you, it won't be any more time.

Where you gonna go, what you gonna do, now that you've grown.

We're not different, we're quite the same.

Let's get together as friends again.

When those long days are getting on, it's time for us now to tag along.

Down a sold-back road a mile or two, you'll find out what's good for you.

It's all they really want from you.

It's all that you have left to give.

When there's nothing left for me and you, it won't be any more time.

Where you gonna go, what you gonna do, now that you've grown.

All right, the Butcher's Kid, lying from the Man City on Maxing Radio.

That was any more time.

The Butcher's Kid, I gotta ask, what's your favorite cut of meat?

I like rib eyes.

Nice. What's coming up for the Butcher's Kid?

Like I said, I'm gonna do that project with that dark country coming out.

But also, I'd love to support the album and love to get a band together.

I got two people, somewhat interested.

There are other projects, you know how drummers and bass players are.

That's right.

Yeah, probably do that.

How do we find your music online and keep up with your shows?

I don't have a website and I've been told that's stupid, you should have a website.

But I'm on Broadjam.

So you go to Broadjam.com, you can pull a Butcher's Kid, I'll put little notes in there.

And then you have spots where you can check out all the music if you want.

Well, we have time for one more song tonight.

I'm lying from the Man City with the Butcher's Kid, presented by the Aaron Weber Group.

This song is called Save the World.

Couldn't we pick something easier?

Yeah, this one here, I was playing with Frank Bush or one of those guys.

And he's like, oh, I don't have a song like a grandiose is saving the world.

But here's mine.

But yeah, this is another, I guess, something that I thought forever.

I just wanted to write a song about nature.

And the whole game became that.

Nice, let's check it out.

This is the Butcher's Kid, Save the World, live from the Man City on Maxing Radio.

I heard the poms of Twilight play.

The loons we'd laugh to far away.

Slay rides in summer sales.

Even through the poor detail.

Rivers of gold is flowing down.

The parts of the last were found tens.

The sun was flashing through the trees.

Far beyond the wall of mountains.

These are the gifts that last forever.

Mother earth shall never die.

We can save each other.

We can save the world.

We can save each other.

We can save the world.

But we surplausited right through hills.

They vexed the veils with grain hail.

The woods were sad,大家好 missed.

All the brothers were complaining.

The storm broke through the heavens,

with rain upon the mountains.

Looked the valleys below,

even life to all the world.

These are the gifts that last forever.

Mother earth shall never die.

These are the gifts that last forever.

Mother earth shall never die.

Perfect.

Oh, the butcher's kid right here live from the man city on Maxine Gradyo.

Thanks so much for coming in tonight.

We really appreciate it.

I'm very honored to come in and do this and thank you.

It's a great experience.

Well, you know, special thanks to Robert J.

And Terry Barr for the great interview.

And Michael Grasman from Soundcheck Entertainment in the whammy

and Soundcheck Entertainment band.

Battle of the bands coming up.

And next week I will be there.

Rob Roberts will be in here spinning tunes next week.

And I'll be with Sean Michael Dargen and we'll be hanging out

at the Battle of the bands next week at the burrow.

We'll see you then.

If it's local music from Wisconsin, it's heard here.

This is Maxinc Radio.

You found Wisconsin's local music authority.

This is Maxinc Radio.

We are local music.