The Word Alive’s Telly Smith on Community, Therapy, and Aftershock Festival 2026 Highlights

0:04 Hey, you're listening to Adventure Mountain Pummeling on W4CY Radio. This is Pipe Man here on the Adventure's Pipe Man W4CY Radio, and I'm here with. Telly Smith from The Word Alive. Nice. I like your hat. That's what I want to talk about first. Does it say what I think it says? It does. Fucker. Yeah. So, I got a funny story about that. All right. Because you might be in another band, too, by wearing that hat. Okay. Did you hear about what happened with William Shatner, Captain Kirk, and his new, at 95, heavy metal band? No.

0:50 Oh, yeah. No. So, they debuted at Riot Fest a couple weeks ago. Really? Yeah. The name of his band are The Fuckers. The name of the album he's coming out with is What the F is Heavy Metal Anyway, or What the F is Heavy Metal. And so I just thought it was funny. As soon as I saw your ad, I'm like, oh, got some William Shatner merch. Yeah, you know what? I wish that this was that. I'm trying to think. Oh, this is from... My friend. Has a vintage company that he runs in Kansas City.

1:34 And this is just a hat that he gave me when we were shopping for stuff. He collects, like, random memorabilia. He has an insane, and it's Wico, vintage. Nice. If you're ever passing through. He has some of the craziest old, like, memorabilia from every cool tour that's ever existed. And just very rare pieces of... Like, merch, posters, show-worn stuff. Like, he just has cool stuff. And he has this little hidden thing. So, he just has these that he just sells in the front shop. But behind all that, he has this, like, crazy collection. But William Shatner, I wish... Now I have to get some of his merch.

2:15 Right? I have to now. Right? Yeah. And so... Besides the fucker, what's your favorite, like you say he's got a lot of really cool shit. Yeah. What's your favorite? Like memorabilia wise? That he has. Or at all. Yeah, I mean he's got some really cool stuff from Nirvana, Kiss, The Eagles. He has some Beach Boys stuff. My dad loved the Beach Boys. He has some random stuff from like early tours um from all these bands and he has one i think one of the first road like roadie metallica outfits that they had for their crew oh really he's got random stuff from all different bands different styles of music so he's got a lot of cool stuff.

3:07 Well check this out if you like memorabilia and i was at metallica's first show ever that's my 80s battle vest. Oh shit Well, then you would probably like his collection as well. He's got some really sick stuff. This is awesome. Like Slayer didn't even have a patch yet. So I just did that. Yeah. And I was in L.A. and people thought I was a gangbanger. And, you know, it's back in the day where we drew all our own shit. You were at Metallica's first show. And Slayers. That's pretty crazy. That's awesome. Yeah, our lawyer, his firm does Metallica. Nice. My manager is Ryan Downey and has done a lot of write-ups, worked with Metallica for years.

3:49 So, yeah, they're the goats. No doubt. Like, and who would have ever known? Who would have ever known we'd be sitting here at Aftershock with who knows how many people out there? Yeah. Like, I would have never imagined it. I was going to those first shows, there were 25 people there, you know? Like, it's wild. I mean, I think hard rock, metal, it's just something that will never die. And you see the way the world is, it's like, feels like rock and metal is getting bigger than ever all over again. Yeah. And it's like, any time when people are angsty, struggling, frustrated, they turn to music. And so, and then live music has bounced back in an amazing way the last six years.

4:32 So... I'm just grateful to be here, part of it, just like you are. Yeah, it's the best therapy there is. Think about it. We're here, like one big family, and there's all kinds of bullshit happening in the world, and we don't even care right here. I keep saying the world could learn a thing or two from metalheads and people in this community. Well, it's community. Community is what it goes down to. I think a lot of people are starved for connection. They're starved for community. And we have been trained that you find that through social media, but that's, and you can, and I, a lot of people have found that, but inherently that's not real community. You need to see someone face to face. You need to actually spend intentional time with them, not because it's convenient that you can look through the screen, but because you choose to. And yeah, when you combine that with live music that is meant to be inclusive and meant to be an escape, I think, like you said, it's therapy for a lot of people.

5:31 It's healing. I always say from stage at our shows, like music is magic and it is very healing and it can bring people together and yeah, you should be able to look around and there's, you know, we're in the artist compound now and you could probably find a hundred people who believe a hundred completely different things. And they could be friends. Exactly. And so there is a way to get back to that point, but we'll see which way the world goes. Well, I have this idea of how to solve it. And that is a huge music festival that the whole world is required to attend. All leaders are banned. They get the big X on the credential thing for all the security.

6:15 Yeah. And Put them all in a pit and then we'll all just let it all out in the pit and hug each other afterwards. Yeah. Get in the pit and hug someone. Exactly. Yeah. There it is. And that is what people don't realize, like what we do here. And, you know, it's funny because I had somebody working for me and she had to cover a festival for me one weekend because there were two in the same weekend. She had never been to a rock show in her life. Yeah. Country girl. And I'm like, and she was scared. And I'm like, listen, you go to these country shows where a bunch of rednecks are drinking Jack Daniels and kicking the shit out of each other for who's more macho.

7:01 And you're going to go to this show. You're going to meet a bunch of new friends. You're going to find out we're one big family and like none of that bullshit goes on. Yeah. She came back. Oh my God. You were so right. Like, I met all these cool people. Everybody was so nice. I teabagged some guy, and he's my boyfriend now. And I have this new favorite band. I don't know if you know them. They're called Bring Me to Horizon. Yeah. I'm like, yeah, I think I might know them. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And going back to therapy for the artists, too. Oh, it's very therapeutic. Yeah, you're getting shit out that you might not be able to get out if you couldn't write it in a song like it. It comes out differently when it's in a song than if you're saying it.

7:45 Yeah, and I think that's what so many times you feel like you've heard everything and then someone puts out a song and someone could be like, that's exactly how I've been feeling. That's exactly what goes on in my head and it feels like you're in my head. And I think I refer to it because obviously writing the lyrics and singing to my band people have said that to me and I'm like I feel like to a certain extent we just the songs are there the energy is there the stories are there we just happen to be those storytellers that pull it out of the ether so to speak and you know we're kind of conduits in that sense where I don't know how or why I ended up here for a lot of ways but it after doing it now for like 20 years you're like well this is what I'm supposed to do.

8:33 And, and I, I love it. So I just, now I just try to experience the world, soak in everything good and bad and just share whatever feels right. And you know, to me, the key to a good songwriter too is yes, you're speaking from your mind and your heart and the things that you're getting therapy out of, but the other people out there, they're able to put their own meaning to it. Absolutely. Which I encourage. I, and, And I sometimes talk about what songs mean, and then sometimes I wonder if this is doing a disservice to all the people who may find something really special that they need within it had they not been pushed. So I teeter back and forth on that.

9:14 Yeah, and it is true. Because if you say it, it might go in their mind then first as opposed to what they would get out of it. And I do find that some of the most down-to-earth artists... are not the ones that are saying, well, this is what the song means and that's that. Because there's that, too. It's like if somebody came up to you and said, oh, well, it had this meaning to me, it would be like you saying to them, well, that's not really the meaning of the song. And I think it's so important, even your attitude like that of you're putting it out there, you have your meaning, but somebody else can have theirs too.

9:55 And that's sometimes hearing someone else's meaning gives it new meaning to me where i'm like wow like i didn't know this song would invoke that in someone and i'm like that's cool now i'm thinking about it and then i'm like man like i totally see that and so yeah it's. Cool that's very cool so Have you ever played Aftershock? This is our first time playing Aftershock. We played several different DWP festivals over the years, but this is our first time at Aftershock. So what do you think about this one compared to the other DWP festivals? I mean, way less steps in my health app, so I can't complain about that. And I mean, for all intents and purposes, the weather, it is hot when you're in the sun, but It's not that bad.

10:41 And to be like. It's kind of like a summer send-off, I feel like, where everyone's kind of ready for the fall, but we're still. I'd rather have it be this weather than it pouring rain. Yeah, totally. So, I don't know. This first experience, it's been great. And seeing so many friends. I think, too, being in California... A lot of people just have a more, like, we're on vacation mindset. It feels more laid back. Even, like, all my friends who work here feel a little bit more, like, at ease than some of the other festivals. So, yeah, I think California brings that out. I lived in California for 15 years, so I love California. LA, mostly. Where in LA? Well, started in Hollywood. Then I went to North Hollywood.

11:22 Then I went to Silver Lake. Then I went to WeHo. Then I ended up in Woodland Hills. You sound like me. I lived in Agoura, Westlake, Thousand Oaks, Marina Del Rey. Yeah. I lived in Marina for a month with my friend in between spots, and I loved the Marina. It felt like there was zero stress in Marina Del Rey. Right? It was nothing. It's cool. And the first cheesecake factory ever in this country was there. Really? Yeah. So there's one there. That's the original one. And it was on a windsurfing beach. Oh, wow. Yeah. I did not know that. It was kind of cool. Yeah. You know? But, yeah, L.A. is a different vibe. I think the trees are a different vibe. Like, I think it's cool with the trees and at night the lights.

12:10 Like, it's... We played the epicenter stage yesterday and they moved it under the bridge. Oh, yeah, yeah. With the lights reflecting off it. It was awesome. Like, I'm really excited to be posting our photos and videos from it because... It reminded me of Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2. Nice. And I was like, this is such a cool backdrop. And then watching my cam last night in the VIP area under the trees with the lights underneath it. It looks like almost... Like adult Disney or something. Exactly. But, like, then you're watching a show. It's really cool. It is cool. And it's cool over there, too, by that highway overpass because there's people that are standing up there watching it. Yeah. It's, like, such a cool vibe when I see that, you know?

12:52 Yeah. Awesome. So, how's Danny Wimmer treat you as an artist? Great. You know, I think it's, like, really difficult as someone in that capacity to... have the care, attention, and detail to all the artists. I mean, there's so many, and for multiple days. And what people don't think about, too, it's like they're doing, you know, louder into bourbon. It's like they're going for months at a time. It's not just one day or one weekend. and it is a grueling experience and to put it off or to pull it off in a way where all the fans, the artists, everyone feels like they had a great experience. It's already the hardest possible thing. You're dealing with inclement weather that you have no control over the, you could pick every year.

13:41 You'd be like, okay, we're going to move it to this date. There was not been rain or a storm here in five years. And there will be a storm. Like, So it's like everyone does the best they can. And just from being on the other side of it and being on a ton of festivals over 20 years, I've never seen production and teams care more about the fan experience, the artists. And then Danny will take time with any artists who comes up to him. It's just rare. So DWP is my favorite festival circuit and I think most artists probably would be able to genuinely say the same. I've been doing the Danny Wimmer Festival since the beginning and I've never heard an artist say a bad thing.

14:28 And you know... because I've done a lot of other festivals, that's rare. Yes, it is very rare. And that's why I ask about the artist, too, because it's so important to take care of the artist, and I think he gets that. Yeah. Because you're going to give us a different performance, and if you have stress with loading, if catering sucks, if soundcheck doesn't work out, How are you going to give us a good time? Yeah. You know, so he also realizes the connection of every moving part. Yeah, their team set you up for success to the best of their ability. Exactly. And like you said, there's some things you can't control, but.

15:08 Stuff happens. Nobody can. Yeah. You know? It's a ton of. Think about how many cables there are here probably... 500 000 maybe more right some sometimes stuff goes bad some stuff goes on you can't control it you never know someone makes a mistake that happens you just got to roll with the. Punches i know in the radio studio like sometimes something's not working and it may have just been a wire that went bad and you have no warning it just happens yep you. Know it could work a hundred times one way and the hundred and first time you're like it doesn't work totally no no rhyme or reason. So what else would you like to let the listeners know that we haven't covered already or things coming up that they should be looking out for?

15:50 Yeah, we're wrapping up here. This is tentatively our last show of the year. This morning we got asked if we might be interested in playing three more shows in December. So we might be hitting Texas, but if we don't. I'm going to be just in the studio finishing album number eight for The Word Alive, and we're excited to make some announcements, and we'll be seeing some more of the folks from this circuit next year for sure. Nice. Well, I love it, and I'm glad you were here at Aftershock and killed it, and thanks for being on The Adventures of Pipe Man. Yep, thank you for having me. Thank you for listening to The Adventures of Pipe Man.

16:30 On W4CUI Radio.