PipemanRadio Interviews Rod Rodrigues About Tales Of A Changing Life Part 2

0:04 Hey, you have THENTO censure. I'm wow, cra you young. Wake up America. It's time for the Adventures of Pipe Man on W four c Y dot com. West Pompeach is number one internet radio station. Here's your host, the pipe Man.

0:53 This is the pipe Man here on the Adventures pipe Man W four c Y Radio. And I'm here with our next guest. And I really dig that having this guest because I am totally into musicians opposed to people that play instruments, and we definitely have a musician with us on the show here today. So let's welcome to the show. Rod Rodriguez. How are you? Thank you, Thank you very much, Thank you very much for having me. Yeah, I'm good. This is like a pretty cold here today. It's minus eight Was that minus eighteen this morning? Wow? What is n Is that? It was n fahrenheit? Because or where are you at? I mean Toronto? Yeah, that's why faired? Was that in fahrenheit? Oh?

1:36 Good question, that's probably with you. Yeah, it's minee eighteen So it's probably pretty close to zero then in fahrenheit something like that. But you know it, we should all the whole world should just be on one system. Because it's it's too much work to always try to translate stuff. And you know, the US uses one system, well, the rest of the world mostly uses the rest I think we should join. I think the metric system is way smarter than whatever we use. Like we have to memorize when we're kids, how many feet there are in a mile and how many yards there are in a mile, and it's not easy to remember because it's not in multiples of ten. So like they so hammered in your head that it just becomes iMac But it's not that you understand why it's that many feet or that's or that many yards, you know whereas Yeah, and I love driving when you have the metric system too, because it seems like you get places quicker. Oh yeah, indeed, you know, it's like, oh we already weent sixty kilometers. Man, that's great. It's also great because you figure you're speeding, but you're not. It's like, you know, oh, look at me, I'm going one hundred and ten kilometers an hour. Yeah indeed.

3:05 And also like the pounds and kilograms and whatever. Yeah, And I uh so I've been to Toronto because I used to be in the investment business, and I had to go to Toronto to get a Toronto futures license because I traded futures as well as many other investments. And one thing I have to say about Canada is whoever handles investments in Canada are really good in notre stuff because in the United States you can fake through those tests we call multiple guest tests because they're all multiple choice. So you don't like, you take classes here for the investment tests, like a three day blitz course.

3:49 They don't want you to learn anything, just memorize, so you can just go take the tests and pass, whereas in Toronto you had to actually write, like as if you were doing a Masters or a doctor You had to write, you know, full on essay answers, fill in blanks like there was no you could not guess your way at this exam. And so I say that in a good way because that the likelihood of a scammer getting a license in your system is very unlikely compared to ours. So you have real professionals there. And I think the same thing holds true with music. I mean, I am always in awe how you have bands like Rush and other bands like that that only have three people and can make more music than a band of nine.

4:43 Oh yeah, actually there's a duel here. They're called Crown Lands. I don't know if you heard about them. Okay, they sound a lot like like Rush and you guys, it's unbelievable. Wow. The drummer he plays and sings in the guitar player does all the rest. Yeah, it's unbelievable. Yeah, they're fantastic. That is amazing to see. I love hearing that stuff because to me, that's true musicians. You're a true musician if you don't need a lot of people in the band and you yourself, you're a true musician as well. And so I have a question too, like, so you're Brazilian Canadian. So were you born in Brazil or do you just have Brazilian heritage that your family's from Canada but they're Brazilian.

5:29 No, I was born and raised in Brazil, but I moved moved to Canada in twenty seventeen. You know, I'm also like have like the Canadian citizenship. Yeah, why, Like I can't say it that, Like, Okay, I Amber is Brazilian, but I'm also like Canadian at some point, you know, like these days, I can't say like okay, as as I mentioned before, like like minus nine eighteen here, and I was like, okay, so this doesn't feel like Brazil at all. That's what I was going to say. Like, Okay, first I was gonna say, I thought Brazilians that come to the United States or or North America, they only come to Florida because we have a huge Brazilian population here.

6:13 But the weather is similar, okay, yeah, very similar indeed, And like people like me moved from the north to the south to get away from the cold weather. And you moved from like one of the best climates in my opinion, to one of the worst. Did you realize that what's gonna happen? Did you realize when you're moving? Hey, I gotta be sitting here doing an interview at eighteen below. No, and you know why, you know what's funny, Like my first summer here, I was like, what is this? I was I wasn't expecting that at all, you know, right, extremely humid, you know, was like no, like like for fere I am from, it's not humid like that. Oh yeah, from Mounties. You know, yeah, it is really hot, but it's not humid. You know, when I got here, the first summer was like, what is this? I was expecting to be like Canada, right.

7:16 Right, See, you moved to a place that has terribly hot and humid summers and terribly cold and miserable winters. That that was brilliant. But I think that's where the best musicians come from because listen, okay, so me as an example, I'm saying here right now, doing this interview. Well, I can also see the ocean right in front of me, and I'm like, yeah, why am I doing this interview? I want to be out there surfing. And but during the winter, like in New Jersey where I grew up, during the winter, like you worked your butt off because there was nothing else to do. Basically you hibernated. And you know, you look at places like Canada, like Sweden, like Norway, all these places they come out with the greatest musicians because I think these musicians just sit there and play their instrument all day long, because that's all they have to do.

8:16 Indeed, I think it's I think it's uh, it makes a lot of sense actually, right, And you know what, I think, even the weather and all like everything here, I think I could say, like I gotten inspired by everything the environment or like or what people listen to. You know, I think like Toronto. Toronto has a huge prog scene. You know, they're like amazing progressive metal and wrong dance here. You know, I think I can't see that. I got really inspired by everything. You're nice and uh that's that's what you want, right you know, yeah, exactly, like right now, if I would.

8:57 You know, I used to play guitar and I used to play drums, but I also lived in California and I didn't practice enough because I was too busy doing other things. While it's nice out just like right here. You know, I could be sitting there playing the guitar, or I could be out there outside in the war and be like I'll practice later, yeah you know, but it's winter out. Yeah, I'm going to practice now and that's all I'm gonna do. Yeah. Actually, I like for any kind of instrument, for sure, Yeah, you need some a lot of time of dedication for sure. You know, you really want to be like good at it, you have to have to spend a lot of time of the instrument for sure. Like when I when I was younger, like I used to play like twelve hours per day, like sometimes like fifteen hours, you know, for every day. Like while my friends were going to to move to the parties, I was practicing guitar. I love it, But that was like that was my choice, you know, like I wanted to be a musician, you know, like since then, like I have been like a full time musician my whole life.

9:59 You know, I nobody I tell you you have to do that. Usually it's the opposite. Your parents are telling you put that down and go get real job. You know. So it's so true. It is a choice. You're so right. And even I look at myself. Okay, So when I was playing guitar in high school, the idea of playing guitar sounded great, but the idea of practicing all day every day, Like you know who was my idol, Randy Rhoades was one of them, and he practiced for eight hours a day. When I found that out, I'm like, oh, I guess I'm not going to be a very good guitar because I'm not practicing eight hours a day, you know. And it really I think you have to have the passion for it, you know. I have a passion for music.

10:45 I don't know that I had a passion for playing the instrument. I have a passion for hearing it, you know, And so there are different people like that. So thank God because there's people like you that have the passion for the instrument. And then it's like it's kind of like magic. I watch people like you, I'm like, man, I wish I could do that and you and probably with a lot of work, I could. But that's the difference. To me, it would be work. To you, it's passion. Exactly, And it's the passion that moves you to that. You know, Okay, Oh, I'm gonna practice for like twelve hours a day. Why because I'm so passionate. You know, I love it so much, you know that. I that's not boring for me exactly. That's that's what That's what I seem like most of the new generation of kids, because like I have been like a music teacher, like since nineteen ninety seven. So I saw, like I've seen like many different generations, you know, and I see like these days they don't have the same passion. Unfortunately, they don't have the same passion anymore.

11:53 You know. They would underspend like five hours or eight hours with an instrument. You know, do you know that's why I think. That is what I think. It also ties to the reason why people don't listen to whole songs any anymore. Exactly, it's the same. Thing, like, you know, there's no real appreciation of it, is what it comes down to. And for us when we were younger, music was a whole experience, not just listening to a few seconds of a track. Oh yeah, exactly. It was like you immersed yourself in this album that you spent your hard earned money on, so you would even if you didn't like it. You know, how many albums are my favorite albums I did not like when I first heard it, you know, and it's true of a lot of people, like sometimes you gotta hear it over and over again. But it's immersing yourself, putting my headphones on, opening up, reading the lyrics, looking at all the art work, and listening to the whole album from beginning to finish without skipping anything. You know, now days, if people listen to one track on a whole album, it's a lot. Oh yeah yeah.

13:06 Can you imagine how challenging was for me to write one of the songs like eleven minutes long, right, you know, right, How could I expect people to listen to the entire song instrumental instrumental instrumental song like eleven minutes long? You know, it's very challenging for sure. Actually, my goal was to reach fifteen minutes. Nice it was fifteen minutes, but okay, I was I was happy for eleven minutes. Some of the best songs in history are long. Why Because it's like therapy. Okay, you know, so to me, music's the greatest therapy. But also, if you got therapy once, it's not going to do anything for you. So to me, immersing yourself once again using that word and listening to a fifteen minute song, let's say it gives you time to go on a journey and whatever is mentally ailing you you can disappear from. I don't think you can disappear in a minute or two minute song from the things that music cures. Oh yeah, yeah, that's just my viewpoint.

14:17 Oh yeah, no, I totally agree with you. And I love what you said about Okay, So I'm glad you brought up about being a music teacher because you're gonna laugh now because one of the other things is, like I remember when I was first taking guitar lessons, and all I wanted to do was play songs, as as most of your students are probably the same way. Oh yeah, And the teacher had me doing these scales over and over and over again, and I was like, bump this, this is no fun. But that's why I never got good though. You need that foundation, and like maybe it's not as much fun in the beginning, but nothing is to get to the You gotta go through that to get to the fun part exactly, you know.

15:01 And you know what, after you learned the scales, for example, it would be easier for you to learn songs, right. Yeah. If you look at you don't that When you're new, a new student, you're thinking this is bullshit, Like I just want to play music. This is this garbage, you know, But it's true what you said. Like patonic scale, for example, is the first skill that I the students normally learn, right, it's the pentatonic skill. Why because there are so many songs, classic songs, they were all all the songs they were all played with pentatonic scale, like say like Black led Zeppelin's Black Dog started to have them, or Pink Floyd's Comfortably Non like all the Gimmer solos or maybe all Jimmy Page or infant slash, you know, Jeff Back, Eric Clapton. You know, like after you learn those five notes, you know, after those five notes, you get used to that sound, you know, and it gets easier for you to memorize their souls, you know, when there you go, you know, and actually, you know what, I think there are some students they get to that point, you know, that they realize, okay, So I can see how important it is because actually my technique is getting better and also like my hearing is getting better, my understanding how the soulos work better, or even like some riffs. If you look at Black Dog for example, that's pentatonic scale. Yeah, breaking out the Rules by Peter Frampton, right, that's totally pentatonic scale. You know,

16:35 Like there are thousands of songs that I could that I could name now, but I think some students they get to that point that they realize, okay, Yeah, I can see how important it is, you know, and how I actually I'm improving my playing and like in my listening and my understanding about music in general too. It's interesting too what you were saying, because I'm thinking about again referencing back to my experience with it, and it's like, I don't even I think you need all that stuff because you said about you know how it sounds. I still to this day, I can play a couple of things really badly on guitar, and I have a guitar that I rarely pick up because I play it badly.

17:23 But I don't have the ear from not practicing enough and not doing enough of that scales and stuff that I don't even have an easy time tuning the guitar. I don't know what it should sound like, you know. And I think that's the difference somebody that really becomes a musician, like you just said, they know what it's supposed to sound like, you know, and they develop this ear, you know. And I think that takes a lot of work. It's not just talent that develops that ear. It's a lot of work. Yeah, it's a lot of work, of course. And after like you learned so many songs, for example, you get used to how those chords sound together. You know, Oh, okay, so this is a G chord, ah, but this is a G N and D, you know, like the transition of those chords for example, Oh, this is C F G, which is a very common chord progression, you know, And okay, but what if I changed I replaced this app for D minor for example, And why they are so similar?

18:25 You know, like your ears they get used to that, you know, and then you're understanding about music and in your ears, they will get used to that, and you will like, okay, you can learn songs easier, you know, notally scales, but also like how do the chords are built, how they're organized together? You know, why the song sounds so sad, and why this song sounds so so happy for example. You know, it's a combination of things, a combination of chords and scales and how you will build the melodies all of that. It's the combination of all of that. Yeah, And you know you mentioned Stairway to Heaven before and when I was going to college, and I you know, I took like music theory, music appreciations, a couple other classes.

19:09 In the appreciation class, this is the one thing I remembered more than anything else of any music classes or any training I took, is the professor said, the key to writing a hit song is to appeal to all three different types of people auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. And then he said, if you want a perfect example of the perfect song that does that, it's Stairway to Heaven. And then you have a whole different philosophy of that song after that because after that, because I'm also on motivational speaker, so I'm big into the auditory, visual, kin of stetic, that whole thing and use it for training people and stuff like that. And you know, so it made so much sense because if you think about it, you know, the first verse is for the auditory, the second, the middle is for the visual, and the third is the kinesthetic, and so you appeal to all three and that progression of the song is bringing all three types of people together exactly exactly.

20:24 And it's interesting how all those parts and all of that is connected. Yeah, exactly exactly, which brings me. Okay, So you have this new album, Tales of a Changing Life, Part two, And I'm always also in awe of artists, and I can keep coming up with material and writing songs like I'm a published author. I have one song I've written and I had to go to my bro and have him help me after I wrote it to turn it into a song because it was more like a book, you know, and there is definitely a technique to write a song. And you know, he's asking me stuff like can you get rid of us? No, that's important, Like I thought everything was important. He's trying to eliminate stuff, you know, and make it more basic. And so just the idea of, you know, creating these songs. I'm always in awe of artist. How you know, it's one thing to play somebody else's song. It's another thing to create something from scratch. And yet yet look at what you've done with this new album, and it's a perfect example of how good you are at that.

21:35 Oh thank you. I really appreciate it. So how does it happen with you? What you know, what goes on in your mind? Is it similar? Like me as an author my book? I wrote the first bar book in twenty four hours the first half and the second half took six months. Oh wow, you know what I'm saying. It's like fast right right, But you're in this mode and then when you leave the mode, and then it took me six months to get back into the mode basically, you know, And so I'm always in awe writing a whole album like that's even more difficult than writing a book, because you're writing unique, different songs. Like a book, at least the chapters all tie together, not always the case in album. Like yeah, you have concept downs, but still to tie all of that stuff together, all the music together. It's not just words.

22:28 Exactly, and that's very challenging. Actually, that's what many people they ask me, Like how you wrote like a conceptual album but with no lyrics? Right? Yeah. The thing is because like first of all, I don't sing. I got to like some background vocals that kind of thing, and I don't know how to write lyrics. I don't know. I don't know how how to express myself through words, you know, I know how to do how to do that like through melodies, you know. So of course like this album, not all this this project, I would say like because of part one, end apart two, and I think it's more like how the listener will experience it, you know, how those songs will touch those people's.

23:15 Heart, you know. Okay, Like there's some like more aggressive songs like like in Nukshock so heavier, you know, like more technical, a little bit of fusion, and but there are like some very emotive songs like Mom's la by you know, like the So it's how everything will, how that music will, how the music itself will tell the people's the story behind it. Yeah, like like of course, like I was the one who wrote those songs. I know exactly what's going on behind it. Why those songs, Like why I name those songs like that? How why I have like those melodies together, How I have those chords, those chorts or canes together to feel like this or like that.

24:03 For example, uh Mamslay is a very emotive song, but it's still very happy, very like uplifting, right because off the chords like major chords, and there's the choir and there's that interro with the baby and that there's also very dark songs like takes off a change in life, you know. So, but what was behind it now? Of course like for people for other people's feel it the same way that I did, will be will be hard, Yeah, that's yeah, but that's troop the song with lyrics though exactly exactly. But actually that's what I want, you know, that's exactly what I want. I want to let my my music touch touch the people's you know, and and how they feel with it.

24:47 You know. Actually I would love to to to hear from people what they feel with my music. How the story actually is is is touching them in some way. See that. It's so cool too, because there's two types of artists. Theres ares that you know, they have their meaning to their songs and they expect you to you know, assimilate to that meaning. And then there's artists like you and many other artists that put your own meaning to it, because yeah, you have your own meaning. But for a song to be successful, in my opinion, is that it has to have meaning to me. Yeah, maybe has meaning to you, but if it doesn't have meaning to me, it's not gonna hit there. It may be okay, it may be an okay song, but it has to hit there.

25:36 And there's like certain songs like they hit me a certain way and surely not the way that the artists it was hitting them. Yeah, and that doesn't matter because we're both benefiting from it exactly. There are even some songs that they are kind of emotional for us, you know, for us like listeners, you know, and probably the who wrote the song of the artists who wrote the song while he was like having a beer or whatever, you know. Who right, and you know, uh, you've also you've worked with a bunch of great musicians. Now here's something interesting interesting to me. I'd kind of like to know your viewpoint as an artist. Okay, So, like one of the musicians you worked with is Kiko from Megadeth, and I'm always Also I've known Dave since I was at the first Metallica show ever and I met cool. Yeah, awesome, And I've always been in like I've always been of Mustaine's guitar playing. But then I'm like, wow, he always gets these like super great guitarists. And even though he's somebody that has he goo, which is something you need anyway, I don't mean it in a bad way. I think that's why he wasn't He's not still a Metallica. There was too much ego between him, James and Laws. That's

27:07 too much ego in one band. You need a little less, you know. And but the thing is, so I'm like, wow, to me, that's he really cares about the music because instead just care about his guitar playing. He brings on people equally or better than him, with no ego involved, and lets them shred the lead at times, you know a lot of times, and that always like that puts me in awe of him in that way. And what's your viewpoint on stuff like that? Yeah, I really like giving the freedom to the musicians to do their things. Yeah. No, And I think also like the quality of the of the music. It's it's related to that freedom that the musicians have, you know, to add to their touch to the music. You know, even though like I play like instrumental music and like my guitar is still like in the center of everything, you know, Like there are some songs, for example, even Tales of Changing Life, really long song, you know, but with a long introduction, like with the orchestrations. Like when I have the solo section, I was like, okay, am I going to do everything?

28:24 You know, I was like, okay, no, there's write a lot of guitar here, so I'm gonna do something with the with the with the keyboards kind of like back and forth solas, right, like something like deep Purple you see you a lot, right, So, and I like doing giving that freedom to them because I know that they will add their touch to it and the music will get better, it will be better. Actually, the only instrument I would say, because I kind of like wrote everything, you know, like of course, like the guitars, I wrote everything, but even like the bassis, I get give them some ideas, but mostly the drums, I wrote most of it, you know, because actually I start, I start playing drums when I was like twelve, and I switched to guitar later and I was like fourteen thirteen, fourteen, and so I don't play drums anymore, but I know how the instrument works, you know, and I know how when you use like the symbols and the crash and like in the grooves, you know. So I had, like I always have that kind of like very very I would say, like an advanced idea of the of the of the drums, you know.

29:38 But I always give them the freedom to do whatever they want because I know that they are they are they are drummers. You know. I'm not the drummer. I'm not going to do any better than them, you know, or even the keyboard player. Okay, So I gave him a lot of a lot of a lot of ideas, you know, and also on the bass, but I know that they are bad than me playing those instruments. Nice. Yeah, And the same way will be the opposite, like when I have to record the guitars for other artists, for example, and they give me the freedom to do whatever I want or like just touch my my style to that, you know so, and that's exactly what I wanted from them, you know, give me that. And also I know, like I'm one hundred percent sure and they do the songs they sound like that it's not only because of my guitars, but also because of them.

30:28 Yeah, yeah, absolutely. And by way, so it's funny you mentioned about you started on drums, because I played drums for nine years before I switched the guitar, and then I switched to sing and thrash metalw and I sucked at all three. I don't believe you. Oh no, I told it, or else I might be doing it today. It was the same thing, though not practicing enough, Like okay, with the singing, I didn't sing properly, because if you sing thrash metal without you seeing your throat properly, you're not gonna last too light Like sometimes now on my show, i'll sing a song. I can barely get through one song, you know, because but if you're trained properly to sing that way, it doesn't hurt, you know, because you're doing it right. And that's same with everything. Drums. Oh, I so hated working on the practice pad, you know, like give me a real drum set, like and so that was always me. I was the typical of Yeah, I don't want to put in the work.

31:32 I just want to be a rock star man. And that's why we are in the world we are today with rock stars don't exist anymore because really, musicianship is what the goal should be, not rock star, and that is I think we're making a comeback with that. I'm finding with a lot of interviews that I'm doing is musicianship is coming back. It was gone for a while, like stuff was so basic and no real musicianship, and I think it's making a comeback, and artists like you that are brave enough to do the longer songs in twenty twenty four, you know, are making a comeback, and I think people are actually digging it. I think the younger generation coming up, they're sick of the bubblegum rock.

32:25 You know, it's not even bubblegum pop anymore. It's bubblegum rock. And with people like you, you know, and other real musicians. They're coming to appreciate something that maybe the generations that are into that bubblegum rock never really listen to, you know, like you know how many gen zers I've talked to that never heard of Pink Floyd? Oh, Like it kind of blows my mind. How do you not know who Pink Floyd is? But that's what I'm talking about. But then you talk to the real young kid and they know. So maybe we're making it come back to real music.

33:07 It's funny that you mentioned that because I was watching uh, you know Ricky Piano the YouTuber No, I don't know. Yeah, he's uh, he's he was like a college professor. Okay, he thought at Berkeley and he has a his like huge music channel, and he was talking about uh, mister Beast, it's like the biggest YouTuber like he was mentioned like one of the mister Bat's interview the the guy mentioned mentioned Prince the guitar player. Yeah, and and mister Beast he didn't he didn't know about Prince like at all. I did not know Prince exactly. That's good to play more instruments than anybody I've ever known, I think, exactly.

33:54 And that's That's why what Rick was kind of like very disappointed. How you can't know anything about Prince. Have you ever heard like a bird Prange or kids? You know? Like, well, you know the thing is is the music today came from that foundation. And I think if you're going to be a musician, you need the foundation first. That's where I made the mistake. That drum pad is the foundation. Those scales are the foundation. And just like a house, you may not want to build the foundation. You just might want to decorate the house. But without the foundation, you don't have everything else exactly exactly.

34:35 And you know what, I think it's also because these younger kids, like they don't they don't have seen passions. I remember when I was a kid, like when I was like thirteen fourteen, when I was like getting more into like rock and metal. You know, I was so passionate for it. I really want to know more bands, new bands. Okay, so oh, I like okay, so what but what is behind them? You know? Like what bands did used to listen to? Or drink theater for example, I love drink theater. So what what dance that John Bertucci likes? You know, like oh it's rush, yes, and Creamson genusis Marinium, you know. And uh, and I think they're not They're not that curious anymore, you know, to know what is uh the foundation of that sound? Yeah, of that style.

35:27 I mean, you think about it. You mentioned metal. I talk about that because I'm a total metal head, and I talk about all the time that a lot of the newer metal follows like this algebraic equation formula to make metal instead of what metal was, you know, And it's like and that's why it's so simple. And but the difference is is the metal heads during the eighties, the metal bands, the Mega Deaths, the Metallicas, the Slayers, their foundation was everybody were meant. There was no foundation of a thrash metal band. There was no foundation of these genres we have now. So the foundation was the same for everybody. Everybody's foundation was what they now call classic rock. And you know, led Zeppelin, you know, Cream Mountain Kiss, the Beatles, you know, and you know, I can't even believe there's kids nowadays that don't know who the Beatles are? How do you not know who the Beatles are? Like, you don't even have to like them, but you should know who they are. I mean, and they were to me, they were geniuses what they did because if you look at their whole career, they went in basically every area you could go. That was a difference back then too. You take Elvis, Elvis crossed multiple genres, you know, Beatles cross multiple genres, and and experimentation. That

37:02 was one thing that I shouldn't have listened to my dad. But when I started playing the guitar, I was like, I didn't know what I was doing. So it's just experimenting and see what sounds I could get out of the guitar. And he's the one I see, like, you suck. You shouldn't need You should give that up because you don't know how to play. And he didn't understand what I was doing. I was trying to find out, like you were even in the game before, what sounds I could make, because otherwise, how are you going to create music if you're just basing on everything else. You heard exactly exactly, and you know what you mentioned about Beatles and what It's funny like the kids that they know Beatles these days, it's because of their parents, right, you know, because their parents like Beatles, yeah, or any other bands even like the when like because I have, like I teach like mostly the kids, you know, and they're like between like eight years old and fifteen mostly you know. And I can see like the ones that really like rock for example, is because of the parents.

38:04 Yeah, you know, and that's all that's that is the difference nowadays too, because I remember when I was a teenager probably you too. There's no way my parents would ever go to the shows I was going to. Oh and nowadays, like I bring my grandkids man, you know. Uh, And so you're absolutely correct. That's something I've talked about recently. That's very interesting about how you know, this is like the first time I think in history that parents and kids they liked the same music. I didn't like the same music off my.

38:45 Parents did, right, I didn't. I didn't have that influence of my parents. I had my older brother. Okay. So it's funny because I was interviewing, uh, John Lodge from the Moody Blues recently, and I told them I'm like, listen, I had a brother that was eleven years older than me. I know about you because I stole his a Moody Blues albums and listened to him while I was a little kid and he's like, yeah, we're that band. Almost everybody has that story of their older sibling. That's how they found out about us. And so yeah, it wasn't the parents. Nowadays it's it's the parents, like because we are the parents now right right.

39:26 Like. I gotta hide my albums if my kids or grandkids come here because they're gonna want them, whereas before like my parents like, uh yeah no, if I never hear that again, it won't be too soon, you know. And that is the one cool part about nowadays, I think because he didn't have that then. Oh but but yeah, that foundation like when I was if you were teaching me guitar, way back when I would come to you and say, hey, I want to play like Jimmy Page, I want to play like Randy Rose, I want to play like you know, Leslie West. I want to play like Eric Clapton. And nowadays, what I have to ask you is, what did a do the kids even have an idol that they asked that they want to play like.

40:18 No, see, I have no reference at all. See that's the difference because there's no real there's not really a lot of standouts nowadays, you know, you don't have that. Like there's bands that you can love and you wouldn't name any of the musicians, whereas, like I remember, I knew the members of every every member of the band. You know. It's like you know even the people you wouldn't think you would know. Type of thing. The other thing I think I have too that you probably have is I have this amazing ability no matter what song comes on the radio, I can hear the first second of it and I pretty much know what it is. And I also probably know all the lyrics too, you know, because I had the lyrics in front of me, and I would listen to the album over and over again and read along the lyrics the whole time instead of trying and guess what it said. Nowadays that the kids just guess what it says, and usually you're wrong.

41:15 Yeah. Right, So the album was released on the eighteenth of October. And tell everybody how they can connect you on socials on the web and how they can get the album or check out all your YouTube videos and everything. So now my website's double dot Rodrodriguez dot net. Okay's Rodriguez with s at the end. He's not Rodriguez fast. Oh, I'm going to correct that because I thought I saw it. See, I knew I was doing something wrong. See that's mental programming, because when I created this title here that nobody you'll see is just for the recording.

42:01 I kept saying, looking back and forth, and I was like, it's spelled differently. I better make sure I spelled right. And still in my head it was automatic, I put, I put a zee. But you know what, actually, actually it's all wrong, just because Rodriguez with zad at the end, it's just Spanish. Yeah, Rodriguez with ass at the end. Portugal's Portuguese. I'm glad you brought that up because I was gonna bring something up earlier. You know how many people here in Florida think all the Brazilian people here speak Spanish, and I'll actually start speaking Spanish to them, you know, And it is it. It is interesting that nobody really knows that. And I do know that, okay, And I thought it was cool. Also on your website that on You're about you, it had it in English and Portuguese, and so I know how that is because I have a bunch of Brazilian friends and it's like sometimes it's so annoying to them. People just like start speaking Spanish and like, you know, we don't speak Spanish.

43:02 Actually depends because like I can't. I can't understand the South America from Mexico. I can't. Just a different accent. I really can't understand. But but it's you know what's funny. Uh here people think I'm French because of my accent. That's funny. Yeah, And you know it's funny too because you mentioned that I go to Costa Rica a lot and I I was just telling this story recently. I was at a restaurant and this uh girl was serving me and I looked up and I'm like, you're Argentinian, aren't you? And she looked at me because I'm a gringo.

43:43 How do you know your accent? I can totally tell the difference in your Spanish and even speaking English with your Spanish accent because the Argentinians they enunciate everything very strongly. That's why it's easier for me to understand in Argentinian because they enunciate everything every other part of Spanish. They like combine words and eliminate vowels. So if you're not really fluent, you don't know what they're saying. Then they're doing it so fast, and they're also very loud, and they speak kind of hard. You know. They have this hard accent. And I'm from New York and New Jersey, so like I assimilate to that anyway. They remind me of New Yorkers.

44:27 Okay, yeah here, like because of the accent. I think people they think that I'm French because of Quebec, because Quebec is right. And yeah, many times, many times if oh, you're French right now, I'm not French. I speak French a little bit, but it's not a Yeah. So you were talking the social media, Yeah, social media Rodrodriguez Official Instagram, TikTok and I'm very I'm very active on social media. My YouTube channel Rodrodrigue. I have the videos there. I try to be as as active as possible. And there are too and I and also my albums on Spotify and also my band camp. You guys can find me there.

45:13 I have like physical copies there, have sunk book with all the taps that the guitar players can learn the songs. Yeah, I love it. See that's all so old school to me. I love it. That should be new school, like musicians would be a lot better if we had the old days where you had all that stuff that you're giving right now. Yeah, yeah, indeed, because you know what, like I grew up with all of that, you know, Like I still have a lot of song books of my favorite artists that I have, like the regional ones, like the physical song books, you know. I remember going to a record store and I would buy songbooks of bands and try to learn how to play by that.

45:59 Oh yeah, and you know what, I have a funny story. I have a I have a very very special albums for me. One It's Inkling Mom, Scene's Rising Force. It was a big changing for me. It was a game changing for sure, right and uh and During Theater is Awake those two albums because like before before Rising Force, like my favorite guitar players were like Mardy Friedman and Alexis Konik, and I was like more into like trash and daft metal. And then and then I listened to Rising Force was like wow, what is this? You know?

46:39 And then During Theater came out. I remember when I when I when I heard Drink Theater first time was the radio show back in Brazil that was like nineteen eighty four and uh, and they were playing the demos or like, I don't know the damos or the songs they were about to release of that album. And uh. And I used to listen to that to that show every week because you know, I really wanted to know new bands, right. That was the only way we have, right, the radio shows or MTV or whatever. I didn't have MTV at home, but but I would listen to those radio shows like every week every week and had like my tape. They're ready, Okay, we're going to play like this new song of this band. I would like record in and listen to it later, you know. And then they played this, uh this it was three or four songs from the Awake album. Yeah, I mean I think they played The first song was the Mirror like with seven strings. I was like, what is this? I was like, man, I've never heard any things have you like that? Because back in the day, I think that the only one who played with seven strings was Steve Vibe with White Snake, but he didn't play it that have you? Right? And I also I think Mark Gangel also played but it wasn't heavier right, like faster and you can't actually hear the the seven of the string and when I heard that, I was like, what is this? And then the keyboards the kind of dark and also the the way that the singers singing the song. That was a totally game

48:11 changing for me. You know. So I have like the Rod before listening to Awake and the Rod after listening to Awake. Wow, and I got like, really I fell in love for the band after that, you know wow. And the album didn't come out, and you know that was I think the album came out in September, and uh, and we couldn't have the CDs there. You know, it's just like at least a more at least like a month or two months to get there, right. And I remember back in the day they were like so you could like rant CDs. Kind of believe it, we could rant CDs. And I remember the Christmas of nineteen ninety four, I found that album during theaters awake and I rented, you know, and I listened to that album like on the repeat, like I would go to bad playing that album on a repeat, and and I would like a wake up with that album playing, you know, like that was for days, for days, like at least like five days. You know, that was a complete game that really that was a big game changing in my life. Was was that album. After that album, I kind of like a lot more like open minded about music, and I started listening to other bands like Anger for example, Kiko's old band. You know, I had a huge impacting me too. Later I had the opportunity to have a few lessons with him. And anyway, so after that album, you know, I started listening to different kinds of music and also got more into like instrumental

49:42 music too, like sev I Angley, uh Satriani you know and all those guys and like and later like fusion like Alan Holds or Scott Henderson, you know, like jazz and whatever you know, and all of these days I listened to anything basically anything. I'm not a country guide though, but or this spot these days of really don't like the New Boss, right. That's why I like Mustaine though, because it's like jazz metal kind of yeah, right, like you listen that in Killing is My Business like Last Rights, Oh, it's totally you know. And then uh, I'm also a big Michael Schenker fan. You know, all us metal heads, you know, we all started kind of with Ufo. You know, it's kind of funny because I saw something recently about that.

50:36 I'm like, oh, that was true, like so many metal heads like UFO is the most unknown popular band there is. Somebody said that like recently, because if you talk to every metal head, they all like UFO and it's not really it's not even really metal. Well see that's because like I was going to Metallica's first shows, so the reference was Ufo, Oh yeah, to Metallic, Like, of course Metallica is one of my favorite bands. And you can see by my shirt, you know I am. I am a Slayer fan. What did their first show ever? You know, but like Slayer, they all played cover songs in the beginning that of all the like British you know, heavy metal invasion stuff, So people don't realize, like you use that, you have that, as we were talking before, You have that as the foundation, then build on that, you build on that. So these new musicians today, what are they building on if they're if they don't know these other bands, what are they building on? That's what I wonder.

51:45 Yeah, indeed, indeed, yeah, and you know. You are a badass. Thank you. Everybody's got to get your album and they can't listen to my show. I'm trying. Thank you? What final words you leave the listeners with? Oh? So if you guys can listen to you all? What all the worst we sat here today? You know, keep in mind everything, you know, Listen to your favorite artists, buy their albums, go to their shows, you know, get their merch you know, don't like just skip the songs on the spotfy I know I don't like this three seconds of the song. Listen to it.

52:29 Some of my favorite songs if I only listen the first three seconds, I wouldn't even know them today. Can you imagine these kids listening Battery? Oh, they wouldn't make it to the good. Part exactly exactly. This is one How long is the intro the class? It's like ten to twenty seconds? Yeah, you know, like so you would never know. That's the thing. My generation, we waited through that stuff because we knew something good about to happen. Exactly exactly exactly. And you know what they probably think, like, oh, but this song is called Battery, But it's kind of a ballad. You know, right. But see that's the whole key to me.

53:16 A good song builds up, the build up and I think that's what's missing in songwriting today because they've actually, I was talking to somebody about this, they've actually changed songwriting today to appeal to the track track track mentality. So it's like, get ready intros, get rid of solos, get rid of bridges. You're not gonna have three verses now there's only two. Yeah, like, but sometimes and sometimes the songs, sometimes the song begins with the of the chorus. Right right exactly. Yeah, you got to get right to the point, you know, Like music's a journey, is my opinion.

53:58 And that's not the journey. That's just you know, a temporary a temporary high. You want the full high. Listen to the whole album exactly exactly. And also also the live shows, it's not the same as you watch but watch it on YouTube or a DVD or blat. I don't get it's here at all. I don't get people that go to live shows and watch it through their phone. Okay, I'm a journalist and I'm required to do and I just do like a few seconds, okay, and that's what I do. But I could watch it on YouTube at home if or I laugh. I go on tour and I do all these fiestivals. The people that are sitting in front of the big screen, not even near the stage, sitting down watch it do that at home, you know, like live music. I'm a firm believer that if we didn't cut out the live music during that two years of the pandemic, we wouldn't be so pissed off right now.

54:57 Oh yeah, you need it. We knowed music you need. And you know what, sometimes I see when and go I always go to concerts, and uh sometimes I see people like sitting right beside me on their TikTok while the guy's shratting or you know, like really, you know, not even feel me in, but let's sitting there Like why, yeah, I. Don't get it. I don't don't get it. Like, oh my god, you feel like. Two hundred bucks to get the ticket, you know, go there. Like I should start a new business. Pay me two hundred dollars. You can come to my place and scroll through your TikTok.

55:43 Well that's a really good idea. I'm gonna keep that in mind. There it is. Well, it's been a pleasure. You're a badass musician, and uh, you know, thank you for taking the time to make great music and thanks for being on the Adventures of fight Man. Thank you, thank you for very much for having me. I'll see you next time. Absolutely thank you For listening to the Adventures of Pateman on w for CUI Radio.