Joe Rogan Experience #2489 - Ryan Bingham

Joe Rogan podcast, check it out. The Joe. Rogan experience. TRAIN BY DAY, JOE. ROGAN PODCAST BY NIGHT. ALL DAY. What's happening, man? Good to see you. Yeah, good to see you, man. All right, to the microphone, sir. All. right. Um. you were [ __ ] great at that. McConaughey thing last year. I really. enjoyed that. That was my first time. seeing you perform live. It was really. cool. That was very cool. You're so. relaxed up there, man. So it was like.

you brought everybody into a nice like. comfortable chill vibe. It was cool. I'm. glad you guys felt felt that way. Sometimes it's. it takes me a minute to get into the. groove, you know. Yeah, but it felt like. that, you know, like felt like you were. in it. Like it brought us brought the. whole crowd into it, too. That that. event that he does, the two events, the. one the singer-songwriter one and then. the other one with the the auction and. everything, they're so cool. Such good. events. Yeah, they're good people, too, you know. It's uh. I.

really grown to just appreciate the. community around here in Austin in the. Hill Country area and all of that stuff. I definitely. uh. wouldn't have the career, I don't think, if it wouldn't have been the for the. community around here that just. supporting songwriters and music in the. way that they do. It's pretty. incredible, you know. When they get. behind anything, it's just like it just. feels so good to see that many people. come together and and you know, have. that support, you know. >> It's a really good place, man. Austin is. a really good community. It really is. A. very positive place in a lot of ways. >> Yeah. I mean, nothing's perfect. There's.

no perfect places, but it's it's really. good. Yeah. I like it so much better. than when I was living in California. It. just feels like real people. It's just I. miss it, man. I mean, I'm I'm I'm in the. process of moving back to to Texas as. well. >> Where you at right now? Uh. outside of Dallas, Texas, out by Tyler. That I've been I've been in Topanga. Canyon in LA for years, you know. So. I've been in the middle of it and um Um. Doing that Hollywood thing. Every time I. get across the state line, it's just. like that weight comes off and you're.

just like, "Ah, man, I'm I'm home, you. know?" So, yeah. Did you have the coolest [ __ ]. character on Yellowstone? It was such It must be so fun to play. It was so much fun, man. I had the I I. laugh I always talk about it. I got I. felt like I had like one of the easiest. jobs there, you know? It's cuz my. the character was kind of a smaller. role, you know? Most of the time I I'd. work like one or two days a week and. then the rest of time I'd just be like. fly fishing and get lost in the. mountains. >> In the mountains and just disappear out. there, yeah. It was awesome. God,

Montana is awesome. That show made so. many people move out there, though. I don't know. You better take your. license plate off your car before you. go. Right, you better not have a. California plate. They'll [ __ ] write. things on your hood. Run you off the. road. >> Yeah, they get upset. It's very. interesting. They're very proud to be. from Montana and they want to keep it to. themselves. Like, let it go, [ __ ] We're all Americans, all. right? If you got a good spot, you. should be happy that people from. California figure it out. Yeah. Don't be. a dick. Like, you're American, [ __ ].

You're not It's not the United States of. Montana. Shut the [ __ ] up. >> I guess it's kind of anywhere, right? You know? >> Not that much here. Yeah. Here's pretty. inviting. I've never had that experience. here. Not really. Texas is a pretty friendly. place. >> Yeah. And there's so many different walks of. life that have that have been here for. so long, you know? I think I've. >> Yeah. In Montana and stuff, man, if you. were tough enough to survive those. winters and stake a claim up there back. in the day, you had to fight for it and. they're still fighting for it now, you. know? That does make sense. I mean,

that's also one of the things that's. highlighted by the whole series of the. all the different Yellowstone series, the older ones with Harrison Ford and, you know, it they really do explain in a. lot I mean, it's kind of a a cool chunk. of history to see like how this all got. started. How the kind of people that had. to survive out there when, you know, you all you had is a. fireplace. Yeah. That's it. You got a. fireplace. You know, I love all those. mountain end stories, you know, Jim. Bridger and all that stuff. It's just. like, man. And there is something you.

get up there in those mountains they get. into you gets in mountains get into your. bones it gets into your blood and it's a. it's a different thing, man. I. It's a spiritual place. It is and it's. also it's like the most potent art. Like it's it's nature's art and you. don't think of it as art but God it it's. so beautiful. It's like stun Like. sometimes when you're up there you just. have to stop and look like, God this is. gorgeous. It's so overwhelming if you haven't been. there.

>> It gives you a feeling. It's like it's a. almost like a drug that hits you because. of the beauty of it all. Like you take. it in with the blue sky and you see the. clouds and the mountain and maybe. there's a lake below you in the canyon. and you're like, God this is gorgeous. It's like you're. you feel it in your your DNA, man. Mhm. It's like your your body knows like this. is a fertile beautiful place that's. filled with life and this should excite. you. So all your natural human reward. instincts are all like this is a place I.

should be. Yeah. Like look at the sky, look at the lake, look at the mountains. This is fertile. This is like. life-giving. Yeah. Yeah, several years. ago. um I went to a guide school up there and. I got a hunting guide school. >> Mhm. And uh. it was a whole pack squad but it part of. it was I grew up cowboying and ranching. but I've never really been up there in. those mountains like that and I'm my dad. had always fantasized about that. We'd. talk, you know, one day we're going to. go on like a pack trip up in Montana and. you know, we'd watch all those movies.

like Lonesome Dove and all of that. stuff. So it was always just kind of a. daydream and. um. years ago I was just kind of overwhelmed. with music stuff and all that and didn't. what know what I was going to do and. ended up I just wanted to go up there. for a trip, you know, maybe go on a pack. trip and I started looking up places and. I found this uh. place called Royal Tine Outfitters and. they're like, "Yeah, you know, we could. come up and you can take take you on a. pack trip ready, but we also have like. this 6-week school, you know, that you. can. train to be a guide. It's all uh mule.

pack and all kinds of stuff, you know, and so I was like, "Man, I'm going to. sign up for that, you know?" And it was. life-changing. There was only six of us. in the class and um. you know, spent weeks back in the back. country packing mules and horses and Oh, wow. What we just tie a rope between two. trees with a tarp for sleeping at night. and always post up a couple of guys to. watch over the horses at night. And I remember one morning I woke up and. it was in June, you know, but we were. way back in there and uh. I woke up and the snow was coming down. and I I just kind of raised my head up.

and I was looking out at the horses and. the snow was just falling down on their. backs. And there was that moment in me I was. like, "I don't know if I'm ever going back.". I was like, "God, this is right where. this is where. where I need to be.". >> Right. >> It was it was tough to come back to uh. civilization after that. I think we're. doing something with ourselves to. ourselves with civilization that we. can't really fully appreciate because. we're wrapped in it and it's not until.

you get to nature where all that weight. just gets lifted off of you and you feel. more normal and you're like, "Oh, this. is where people are supposed to be.". Yeah, you know, no phones, there's no. nothing, no distractions and it's just. like you. all your senses heightened, your. eyesight, your hearing, your sense of smell, like all of that. stuff and. you know, I remember going into it, you. know, I I I didn't know what to expect. really. I've done some camping and. things like that and grew up ranching. and all that, but this was a way. different deal and I remember I just had.

this like backpack full of gear, you. know, and by the time I got out of. there, like I just felt like all I needed was a. pair of scissors and some way to start. some fire, you know, and all this stuff. about it. Yeah, I follow this one dude. God, I'm. trying to remember his name. Clay. Let me Let me pull it up because uh I. really enjoy his uh his videos. But, this dude uh he lives uh I believe he. lives in Alaska, but he does a lot of.

trips in America, like all over America. >> Mhm. in the lower 48, and he goes and. like lives by himself in some kind of. harsh environment. Like, he's done it in. the swamps. Clay Hayes. That's it. Does he like take. his kid out there? >> Uh he. I believe he has. He's taken his dog. But, a a lot of times he just goes. entirely by himself. >> Mhm. And uh they're very very interesting. Like, he starts his own fire. He'll.

figure out how to get food. He figures. out how to purify water. He's taken salt. water and made his own thing that kind. of distills it into fresh water removes. the salt like very slowly by using uh a. piece of bamboo and fire and boiling the. water in the bamboo so that like the. water evaporates and then drips down and. it doesn't have salt in it apparently. >> Yeah, I love that stuff, man. >> I love it. Just to have those skills, just to know how to do it, like whether. you'll ever need it or not, just to know. how to do that. It's just so cool. I.

remember. um. in that that guide school, there's a lot. of different parts to it, which was so. cool. It's like we did a whole week of. like back country um like wilderness. first aid. You know, you had guy had a. paramedic come in and teach us all this. stuff. And then was a whole week of just. like leather work. There's a whole week. of shoeing horses. There was uh fly. fishing and entomology and all these. just kind of little skills. But, one. thing that. really stuck with me was uh. uh a fire building uh kind of drill when.

we we started when it was kind of right. when we first got there. And it was. pretty wet and it'd been snowing. And um. And only six of us, you know, and we're. guys from kind of all over the country. And I grew up in New Mexico and West. Texas, where it's pretty dry, you know, and you kind of. build a fire, you can kind of just take. some little small twigs and get a little. fire going, you know. And so he goes, "All right, you got 2 minutes to build a. fire and you need to have, you know, like a flame to be 3 or 4 ft high.". And man, I'm running around grabbing. like little sticks and twigs, and I'm. just and we have a lighter, too, you. know. I'm just struggling. It's just.

smoking and they can't get it going. And. I look over and there's a kid from. Alaska in the class, and he just runs. over to this big dead pine tree. and just breaks off the biggest branch. of dead, you know, pine needles and. takes his lighter and just. within like 5 seconds has this massive. fire going. I was like, "Okay, that's. how you do that, you know." And it was. so just the littlest things, you know, that to have that knowledge, you know. And and part of it was, you know, he was. explaining to us that the instructor was.

like, "Yeah, you know, if you're out. here with your guide and somebody that's. hunting, maybe he's an elderly guy or. somebody gets hurt, and you get caught. back in the mountains and it's snowing, it's like you better get a fire going. and keep him warm real quick, you know.". So it was always a, you know, a reason. and a purpose behind it, which was. really cool. And. I'll never Those are some some of the. things I'll I'll never forget, you know. >> Did they teach how to start fires with. like a piece of metal and like flint? Like, you know, what is that? A striking. rod? Yeah, we did some flint stuff and. with like the pitch wood from some of.

the old pine trees, you know, you can. find that pitch wood. And. we did some bow and wood drill stuff. Not a whole lot of that. That [ __ ]. [ __ ] is hard. That's hard. >> So hard. >> it in the Boy Scouts, and it took like. hours to start a fire. Yeah. It You have. to [ __ ] keep sawing. And if you're doing it with your hand, you're going to blow your hands up. >> Yeah. Yeah, you got to get your bow. Get. your technique down, you know. You got. to practice it. >> stick on the top and the the stick that. goes all the way to the base thing, and. you cut a little hole in the base thing,

so that it like all the little embers. can fall into your kindling and you got. to saw the [ __ ] out of that [ __ ]. >> imagine trying to do that, you know, in. the snow or when it's wet, you know, it's like, man, this this stuff's just. Very, very unlikely. You know what's. really good for kindling? Fritos. Really? The oil that's in it? >> Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's kind of shocking. >> Yeah. We were in Alaska and it was. raining all the time and there was one. day where it stopped. I was with uh my. friend Steve Rinella took me up there. with. >> Okay, yeah. my friend Brian Callen.

>> Mhm. Brian Callen, all these guys. So, we. went up there and when we got one day, like a 10-hour stretch where it was not. raining. We like, we got to start a. [ __ ] fire cuz it was it was raining. every day for like 5 days in a row and. we couldn't find any deer. It was a. nightmare. It was tough hunting. >> Yeah. So, we this one day and we were. trying to figure out things to light on. fire cuz everything's soaking wet. And. so, we got some pieces of wood from like. underneath the bottom of trees and [ __ ].

and dead trees that were covered by. other things that were kind of sort of a. little bit dry and we used Fritos. And. Fritos, when you light them, man, it's. crazy how much oil is in those things. >> Yeah. They just. and they stay lit for a long time, like. a candle. And so, we started like piling. little thing and we we got that fire, I. was like the happiest I've ever been in. my life. Oh, I bet. And you're back and. stuck. Just cannot get Once you get that. kind of cold, too, it's just like. there's almost, you know, You're cold. and you're wet. wasn't that bad.

cold-wise. It was like in the 50s or. 60s. Yeah, it was just the wetness. The. wetness was impossible to get away from. I thought once you get in your tent, you'd be dry. You get in your sleeping. bag, you'd be dry, but I had to take a. piss in the middle of the night. I had. to turn on my headlamp in the tent and. when I did, it was all just mist. >> Yeah. everywhere. It was moisture and I. was like, oh my god, I'm never going to. be dry. I had to just accept like. there's no drying here. How long were. guys back in there? >> About 6 days. We had to We had to leave.

We were supposed to be there for 7, but. we had to leave on the 6th day because a. storm was coming in. I was like, I could. get stuck. Cuz you can get stuck up. there. We were on I guess Prince. Edward's, is that what the island is? Yeah, um you get stuck up there. And I. was like, I got to get back home. I got. to work. >> get fly in like on a On a puddle jumper. >> plane. >> Yeah, we landed in the pond. >> So they had certain windows to get you. in and out of there, huh? >> Yeah, exactly. And you could drink right. out of the pond. Like the pond was all. rainwater and there was no It was too. high for beavers. So you didn't have to. worry about giardia or anything in the.

water. You could just drink right out of. the pond. I'm like, this is crazy. >> Yeah, that's the best. I've never been. I've been to Alaska only like in in the. winter on a like skiing thing, but I've. always wanted to go up there to hunt and. fish and The people are extraordinary. Those are rugged people. Like when I did. a a gig with my friend Ari in Anchorage. And one of the things And it was weird. because you get there it's 11:00 p.m. it's bright out. Like this is weird. One. of the things that we talked about after. was like, those people were [ __ ]. cool. Like there's there's something. about living up there like where you.

could die going outside like a good 6. months out of the year. There's [ __ ] bears everywhere. If you. look sideways at a moose, it'll stomp. you to death in the [ __ ] Walmart. parking lot. Like it's it's. There's bald eagles everywhere. The The. salmon are as big as your thigh. I mean. the people there are they work together. The There's like they're very friendly,

but they're very rugged, but they're. also like they realize they need each. other. Like there's a sense of like. community and coolness. Yeah. You need. each other. If you your [ __ ] car. breaks down the side of the road, you. could die. Like someone's not going to. let you die. They're going to pull over. In California, they're like, someone. will get them. They just keep driving. So you just lose this sense of. community. >> Yeah, you're not calling You're You're. not That's That's who you're calling for. help in times of need is your neighbor, right? Exactly. >> even if like the bridge washes out, it's. like here comes your neighbor with the.

backhoe and the tractor and like these. do-it-yourselfers, yeah. >> And that makes a cool friendship when. your friend helps you out or when you. help your friend out. It's like. >> That's what I miss about living in. Texas, too, you know, it's just like. this some of the small things or. whatever that you like. even up at my place in Topanga, you. know, you want to build some fence or. whatever. Like I do have I feel lucky. I've got a couple of really good friends. up there neighbors that, you know, love. to come, you know, work with their hands. and or you get their hands dirty and. we'll build stuff and but like man, in. Texas, you want to like weld something.

or you need something with a tractor or. some heavy equipment thing, you know, like you're not getting that done in. California. You know, it's going to cost. you a fortune to, you know, get someone with a skid steer up to your. house to help you move some dirt around, you know, but here in Texas, it's like, "Oh, man, just call Frank down the road. He's. He's got a. There's people that have a long. tradition of doing stuff, you know, it's. like. It's a real place. And I grew up like. that, too, you know, and. um you know, people cutting hay and.

stuff like that. It's just when you're. young, like man, we would go. stack hay for everybody around, you. know, it's like that was the summer job, you know, it's like let's just go. That. makes a strong person. >> Yeah. People that throw hay around, those are strong motherf- like that term. like farmer strength, that shit's real. >> Yeah, you better said. I was always a. little guy, too, so I had to use some. learn how to use a leverage real quick. Yeah, roll those bales up on your knee. I. think one of the last times I did that, I remember is uh I was going to school.

in Stephenville, Texas and had a good. friend over in Glen Rose and it was the. middle of July and. and he's an older man and asked us to. come help him stack hay in his barn and. it was you know, we're stacking it in. the barn, you know, so it's just like. you're inside the barn. It's just hot. It could have been 110° in there, you. know, and we're talking hundreds of. bales of hay, and it was just all we. could do. Of course, we're hungover. We're sitting, you know, in college. You know, we're trying to. We're stacking hay, and I was like, "I. think I think this is my last hay. hauling job right now." Yeah, those jobs. Those are good for letting you know that.

this is not the life you want. Yeah. Like get a good rugged manual labor job. It'll knock some [ __ ] sense into you. >> That's how I got the guitar, man. I I I. learned pretty quick that the guitar. felt a lot better in my hands than that. shovel did. Yeah, I know that feeling. I I spent one. summer doing insulation in an attic. It. was all that fiberglass insulation. Yeah. I had it in all my skin cuz you're. sweating and your eyes. Yeah. Yeah, you're sweating cuz it's hot and it's. the summer, so it's getting into your. pores, and you're always itchy. You feel.

like it's on you all the time. Also, like it's got to be terrible to be. breathing that [ __ ] in. Oh, the worst. Yeah. And I don't even think we were. using equipment. I don't think we used. any safety equipment. >> Heck, no. You didn't have a mask on or. anything, right? >> believe so. I think we just installed. it. Just unrolled that [ __ ] and stuffed. it into the. into the rafters. >> Using paint with lead in it, right? And then the Back then, the gasoline had. lead, too. >> So, drinking out of the water hose.

>> Right. Oh, yeah. Yeah. I think it makes. a resilient person to drink out of water. hoses. Heck, yeah. You get tough or die. You get extra minerals. from the [ __ ] copper on the faucet. Yeah, it's uh those jobs are really. important like for a young person to. figure out what they don't want to do. Mhm. It teaches you work ethic. It. teaches you like, "Hey, like this is You. can get some satisfaction out of a hard. day's work and a hard week. Like you did. it. You put it in. You feel good about.

yourself. You know it was difficult to. do, but don't do Don't do Don't do Don't. Don't keep doing that." Yeah. Figure out. a way out of this. You You. You You got to understand it. You. understand it. You You got to feel for. it. You know what hard labor is, but. >> Yeah. don't ruin your life. Yeah, I I. I feel real grateful. My my granddad was. always a real hard worker and even when. I was 12 and 13, you know, in the. summers or I would spend a lot of time. living with them and he always had a job. lined up for me, you know, it was like, "Hey, you're going to go over here and.

we're going to mow so-and-so's lawn this. morning or we're going to go over here, we're going to. send you out to Ken's and you're going. to build some fence this weekend or and. uh always enjoyed it though. I enjoyed. those guys I was around and um. you know, I I'd work all day and then. we'd sit around and they'd drink beer in. the afternoon and tell me stories and. you know, I I and even now like I'm on. place, you know, it's like I don't want. to be building somebody else's fence, but I'm glad I know how to build my own, you know, or things like that and have those. skills. I still love working around the.

house and doing little projects and. things like that. I meet a lot of. younger guys and kids that. sometimes I I uh. I guess I have a expectation that they. know how to do that kind of stuff, you. know? Right. >> They want to come over to the house and. help us on projects and stuff and I'm. like, "Oh, yeah, cool. We'll just you. know, I already dug those holes and set. up a string line and we'll set these. posts." And they're like, "Okay." And. then after about a half hour I look over. and they're just kind of looking at the. ground. I'm like, "What are we doing here?" You.

know, and they're like, "I don't have a. clue what you want me to do." You know? That's hilarious. That's hilarious. But uh. yeah, it's uh it's it's wild. It's it's. changed, man. Kids ain't out there. mowing lawns no more, that's for sure. No. Well, there's something about that. kind of work like putting in fences and. all the stuff that you see the cowboys. doing on Yellowstone and then hanging. out together afterwards that's so like. viscerally appealing to people. There's.

something about watching that life like. it's you would say it's like a simple, difficult life maybe. I don't know what. it is, but but whatever it is, it's like. it's so appealing. Mhm. Like so many. people wanted to be cowboys after they. watched your show. Mhm. I think it's. something goes to like you were talking. about that guy living off the land and. stuff like that. It's just uh. you know, something that's been. ingrained in us over thousands of years. of survival and like we have we all have. that in us still today and we just.

unfortunately lose in touch with it cuz. we're not doing it as much and when you. get the opportunity to even just go. plant a garden or something like that. I. think that's that's in us, you know, and. it's it wakes up something within that's. just been a little bit dormant for a. while, you know, and I think you're. right. You know. I think that's exactly. what it is. I think it is like it's in. our memory. Like the memory of our genes. that this is like a pleasing life. This. is a satisfying life. >> It's like that mama bear energy, you. know, kids come it's just like all this.

like. >> Yeah. Oh man, you know. Yeah. Yeah. It's. it's there, you know, and it's just like. I I realized that having kids it's just. like oh man, it wakes something up. within you that's always been there, you. know, and that you were born to have, you know, that that survival instinct and all of. those things and. I I still that's what I still love about. it. Like I even at home being on the. road and being in big cities all the. time and you're just surrounded with. information and screens, man. As soon as.

I get home or get outside or get into. nature, it just it wakes that stuff back. up in me and it. I feel like it puts that spark back in. my eye, you know. Yeah. I uh try to stay. in tune with that as much as I can. Well, it's clearly so appealing to. people that don't experience it. I mean, the how many people that are watching. shows like Yellowstone never go into. those areas, but they watch it and. they're like aww. >> Yeah. I want to live like that. >> see the like prices of horses it just. skyrocketed.

Buying old ranches for like five grand. and now. it's like 50. 50,000 bucks for a. for a trail horse, you know, which is. cool, you know, and I hope people are. enjoying that and getting something. getting something out of it. Like you. know, I still. I mean, you know, I'm not running a. bunch of cows these days, but I keep a. few horses around and especially for the. kids, you know, and whether they want. anything to do with them or not, like we. enjoy so much in the afternoons going up. and feeding them some carrots or. brushing their tails and just being. around that energy. My my youngest. little boy, he's just got.

He's got some kind of mojo with animals, you know, and I've got this old mule. and her name's Honey and she's got these. big ears and she's massive, you know, and I remember when he was like three or. four, I'd be looking around for him in. the backyard and. I'd look out in the pasture and he'd be. out there with that mule and she'd have. her head down and he's just out there. petting her ears, you know, and just. like his connection with those animals. and then you know, getting kids up to. the house or. or from the city that aren't around. those animals their first time around.

horses or maybe even dogs and stuff like. that and you can see their. they're so anxious and you know, not. maybe so scared, but they're just. nervous, you know, it's just big animals. and stuff and within like 20 minutes of. just sitting them on their back or. petting them and then you see them relax. and you see that energy kind of slow. down and uh. I just I I love that, you know, I think. it's so magical to watch and Yeah, that's another relationship that's like. primal, the relationship between people. and horses. >> Mhm. They do that with addicts. They do. equine therapy where they have just have.

like people that are that have like. heavy anxiety and depression, they have. them hang out with horses. >> I know even me, I still do. I mean, I I. I have get depressed and stuff like that. every now and then and I love being. around them. I can walk out to the barn. and just being around them and. laying on their backs and it's just. like, ah, yeah, all right, here we go. Just touching their head makes you feel. better. Like, hey, how are you, honey? What's happening? >> And they look at them and they connect. you know, I get eye contact with them. I. think it's a looking into your soul. An.

ancient thing. I mean, they helped us. survive. >> Mhm. We and you know, and we took care. of them. It's like this ancient. relationship. And then when you're. around them, that connection like. immediately rebonds, reestablishes. I. think it's in our DNA. I mean, just. think about like how many. generations of humans had to survive on. horseback Mhm. before anybody invented. anything else. It's like if you wanted. to travel faster than you could run, it. had to be a [ __ ] horse. So, that was. probably thousands and thousands and. thousands of years just cooked into our.

DNA. >> Mhm. And when you're around them, it's like, "Oh, my friend. This is my friend." It's. waking it back up. Yeah, it's it's it's. there, yeah. It's weird that stuff is in. you. Mhm. That nature stuff is in you. I. mean, that's why we like watching shows. like this Clay guy. >> Mhm. I love that, too. I love that Steve. Rinella's show, that MeatEater. I like. watching that with my kids. And. aren't you friend Are you friends with. Remi Warren? >> Oh, yeah, really good friend. >> up being my neighbor when I was in. Montana working on Yellowstone. >> Oh, really? Yeah.

>> crazy. And. I you know, what I really liked up there was where. they filmed the show. You know, it was. kind of way out there, southwestern. Montana. And a lot of folks that were. working on the show would go back to. Missoula or in the cities. But I was. like, "Man, I want to go. get as far away out there as I can." And. so, I would kind of went down. this West Fork area that's on the. uh. right on the edge of the most massive. wilderness areas out there that goes. into Idaho. And uh the road I was on, you know, was. paved dirt then it dead ended and it. turned into a dirt road. And then I got.

this cabin that was just way back up in. there. There was no Wi-Fi, no nothing, you know. And I just. um just disappeared out there. And um. and ended up meeting some folks and Remi. was just right down the road uh going. towards Sula. And so, I got the chance. to just go over there and hang out with. him and go stomp around the mountains. with him. He's such a cool dude. It's. like Remi's the best. Just you know, like you talked about going to Alaska. You know, I love going into those. places, but like you want somebody like. that with you when you go. For sure. Yeah.

Yeah, he knows how to get around. >> Yeah. And he used to have a great show. Well, first of all, he had Solo Hunter. where he'd go and film everything. himself, which is so much more difficult. than just hunting. He'd set up the carry tripods with him. and [ __ ] and set it up and make sure the. the camera's on the animal before you. would shoot it and then film himself. film himself moving up to there, set up. different cameras that could show him. executing the shot. Like, "God, that's. so complicated." And he's a beast, man. Just try I was trying to keep up with.

him, you know, just. walking around the mountains with that. guy. I'm like, "Oh, man, wait up. I'll. be I'm coming." Yeah, they get that. mountain cardio. >> Yeah, he's like a mountain goat. Well, he you know, he hunts probably 200 plus. days a year. And on top of that, he does. a lot of guiding. And when he's doing. guiding, he's like always in the. mountains, always hiking. It's like you. you just get conditioned to it. Yeah, he's fit. I went to Hawaii with him and. did an axis hunt over there. Coolest. things I ever did. And.

I I got this buck and. we're loading him up in the truck and. all that and he was like, "Man, I'm. going to I'll meet you guys back at. camp." You know, and it was dark already. and like I know, you know, during the. day we were hunting it was just steep. mountains up and down and I said, "You're going to just going to meet us. back?" He's like, "Yeah, I'll meet you. back." And he just put on his backpack. and just took off running. And we you know, drove down this. mountain road to go back and he beat us. there by like a half an hour, you know. And that was his workout. He's like, "Oh, it's part of my workout. I'll meet. I'll meet you guys back there." I was. like, "Oh, you're you're an animal.".

That's funny. Axis deer in in Hawaii is. very interesting cuz they were given. um to King Kamehameha in like I don't. remember what year it was. Find out what. year they got introduced there, but. they're everywhere now. Um I've gone to Lanai a bunch of times. >> That's where we went bow hunting. Yeah, it was wild. There are thousands of them. everywhere and you're trying to sneak up. on a group of 10 and then you don't even. realize there's like a hundred right. here laying down that you didn't even.

see and then they get up and spook the. rest and stampede. You know, you've. you've been there. Uh. Okay, it was in the 1800s. A gift uh to. King Kamehameha. from India. And uh there's 30,000 of them in Lanai. and only 3,000 people. >> Yeah. I mean it's crazy. It's the only. place where you can go hunting bow. hunting and you stay at the Four. Seasons. Right. I think Remi said he got kicked out of. there though cuz he he was hunting so. much and you know, they all that red.

clay there, you know, on your boots and. stuff. He said so the whole hotel was. just like red clay everywhere then the. fridge is just full of meat, you know, like blood dripping out. They kicked him. out of there? Oh, I don't know if they. kicked him out but like he's like, "Well, maybe we ought to go find. somewhere else to stay, you know." Well, just take off your boots before you come. inside. That's all it is. But yeah, it's. that weird red clay and and it all used. to be part of the Dole pineapple. plantation. So when you're around there, one of the things you notice is like. there's layers of dirt, but then there's. like almost looks like plastic bag.

underneath it. Like a like a hefty bag. >> From all the farming. Yeah, so I guess. they had a layer of like that kind of. whatever the [ __ ] a. hefty bag is made out of, whatever that. plastic is, and then the dirt was on top. of that somehow. And then the pineapples. would grow up through it. I subs keep. moisture and stuff like that in the. ground. >> Yeah, I would imagine. But it's it's. it's disconcerting cuz it doesn't feel. like nature. It feels weird. It's like. this is weird there's plastic everywhere. in the ground. Yeah. It's also. >> the mountains and like those old World.

War II turrets and stuff that are up. there. Did you come across any of that? I mean it's just like First of all, like. hunting axis deer on in Lanai and like. you get up on the top and you're. surrounded by the ocean. I mean what a. trip, you know? It's just seeing that. and then coming across all those old. relics and just all the history there is. just something to take in, too. And uh. we are laughing cuz obviously they're. trying to like control the population of. the axis deer there and I think somebody. some somebody mentioned like, "Man, just. get a couple of Bengal tigers out here.".

Exactly. That'll thin out the population. It'll. thin out the population of people, too, unfortunately. >> Yeah. The thing about them is that they. did evolve around tigers. That's why. they're so fast. Like they'll jump a. string faster than any animal I've ever. seen in my life. I have a video of me. shooting at an axis deer at 80 yd and. it's uh we have a slow-mo of the arrow. So, as the the arrow's coming, it's a. perfect shot within 10 yd of him, he.

hears it and whew. and he's gone. It's the craziest thing. Like you you. you you look at it, you're like, "How. the [ __ ] did he move that fast?" This. thing's going at least well, from the. actual like leaving the bow, it's going. 275 ft per second. Yeah. And he can get. out of there within 10 yd. Within 10 yd, he's hearing it coming and he's like, "See ya.". Yeah. And nowhere near him. Like it he. was a foot in front of It was a the. arrow landed a foot behind his ass.

Jeez. That's how fast they move. >> Yeah. It's crazy. How long did you go. over there for a while or just kind of. like a few times trip, yeah? >> Um we found that the best time to hunt. is actually in the afternoon because in. the afternoon it's really windy. And. when it's really windy, it covers your. sound a little bit. >> Okay. The morning's rough. Yeah. The. morning's rough. Like the morning. I I got a couple of them in the morning. couple of times morning hunting I got a. deer, but it's. a lot of blown stocks. You got to walk. super slow. You got to be real cautious.

And again, there's a lot of high brush. and you don't know where the [ __ ]. they're hiding. Yeah. You got to kind of. find a pinch point and. >> Yeah, you jump one and then the rest of. them sound off. The way they're barking. and all of that is pretty crazy, too. >> It's weird noise. What you got to kind. of do is like find where they're going. to be and just wait. Cuz they travel so. much, they do so much moving. You think. I'm just going to go, you know, still. hunt and spot and stalk and I'll I'll. find one and I'll. You're almost better off just staying. put. Yeah. Just staying put and wait for.

them to cuz they're moving all over the. place. There's so [ __ ] many of them. It's crazy. Yeah. But. it's amazing how unsuccessful people are. bow hunting them. Mhm. Rifle, it's a. done deal. It's If you want meat, and. it's the best meat in the world. It's so. del- It's For the people that live. there, it's incredible. I mean, they. have access to the best meat in the. world. 100% they're going to get a deer. >> And so, if you have a But if you have a. bow, we went there and then So, I went with. Remi, I went with John Dudley, Cam.

Hanes, and Adam Greentree. They're like. all seasoned bow hunters. Everybody. Everybody got a deer and we made a. podcast about it. We had a good old. time. They had 150 people go over the. next year and one was successful with a. bow. They didn't take any chances, yeah. That's how hard it is. Because it's like these [ __ ] are. they're dialed in, man. >> Mhm. And they move. >> of people chasing them, too. They they. know the game, right? 365 days a year.

they get hunted. There's no season. And. then they have snipers that are after. them at night because, you know, they. use it for meat for the restaurants and. meat for people and so And they just. have to control the population. There's. so many of them and no predators. >> Yeah, and still can't thin them out, right? >> it's crazy. I think they got a good head. start. They eradicated them from the Big. Island. Oh, did they? I didn't know. that. Okay. >> Yeah. Somebody tried to reintroduce them. or introduce, I should say, to the Big. Island and they're like, "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. We know where. this is going. You're going to He's.

going to destroy people's crops and. destroy people's gardens. >> over. And they already have plenty of. wild pigs on the Big Island, so they. just they whacked them all, unfortunately. It's kind of like the. pigs here in Texas, right? Didn't they. go. wild? I don't know, you know, growing up. here when I was younger, I never. remember them being like how they are. now. They don't stop. They have three or. four litters a year, and each litter has. I think they can have as many as six. piglets. It's crazy. >> They just and they can get pregnant 6. months old. At 6 months old, they can.

get pregnant, they're ready to rock, and. they're just spitting out pigs. And just. tearing tearing [ __ ] up. >> Yeah. I we have a lease out here for. hunting land, me and some of my friends, and the amount of pigs is disturbing. It's like you hear them everywhere. You hear them in the bushes. They're all. over the [ __ ] place. It's like most. of Texas probably that's not like city. has wild pigs in it.

Taking over, man. And this all came over. on boats. >> Yeah. That's how it all got here. Yeah. It's important, man. Yeah, guys. from Europe, they brought boats, and and. in the boats, some of them brought pigs, and then they let them loose. It's. crazy, man. Tearing stuff up. Yeah, I don't ever. remember them being as bad as they were. like in the last 15 years or so. It's. actually bad in California, too. And. California has them from William. Randolph Hearst. Didn't they take Didn't. they like eradicate them off the Channel. Islands out there? All that stuff.

>> They I think the islands, and they had. mule deer on some of the islands out. there, too, right? Yeah, I think so. >> which island had mule deer. But apparently, they had a like a. like you could go hunt on one of these. islands. >> Yeah, I think you I think you might. still be able to like on Catalina or a. couple, but maybe. Do they really allow that? >> They did cuz I know my. my buddy Matt would he did it like maybe. the. last year or the year before, but I. think they're trying to put a stop to it. and and kind of stop it.

>> Those Channel Islands are pretty. interesting. I remember first moving out. there, even just going out there 15. years ago and. um seeing the islands out there, you. know, and I'd ask people all around. I. was like, "Man, what's the deal with. these islands out there?" And half the. people that I would talk to be like, "What are you talking about? Islands?". >> Islands. And I'm like, "That island. right out there." They're like, "Oh, I. thought that was Long Beach, you know.". Really? I was like, "Have you looked at. a map, you know?". I love maps, so I just started, you.

know, doing some research and figuring. out all about it and they're really. cool. And over the years I've met some. really. cool guys who go out there a lot and. spearfish and just to go out there to. them and. besides Catalina, like Santa Cruz and. San Miguel and you know, they're all. like nature preserves and protected. So, it's like going back in time when you. get out there and uh. uh I love it out there. It's such a such. a cool spot. Did they try to Are they. trying to eradicate deer from Catalina? I think I read something about that.

See if that's true. I think they're trying to remove the. deer because they said the deer were. non-native to the island, which Yeah. Yeah, I think that's what they did with. the. with the hogs and I don't know. There's. like a a specific island fox out there. Yeah, here it is. As of early 2026, California officials have approved a. controversial plan to fully eradicate. the non-native mule deer population on. Santa Catalina Island to restore the. ecosystem. Around 2,000 deer introduced. in the 1930s for hunting will be removed.

by ground-based hunters to protect. native biodiversity. Come on. That sounds crazy. How about just let. people hunt them? What's wrong with you? Um so, the issue is Catalina Island. Conservancy. considers the mule deer an invasive. species that disrupts the ecosystem as. they consume native plants and seedlings. while spreading fire-prone invasive. grasses. Really?

I have I just always worry about. conservancies and their their judgments. on things like that because there's a. lot of They want to eradicate all the. pigs from Texas or the from California. rather. They think of the of them as. non-native and they want them out too, but. you're not going to. They want to. eradicate the There's like elk in. California that are Yellowstone elk that. were brought there in like the 1950s. that they they want to eradicate them.

too. >> the tule elk? No, they're actually. they're actually Rocky Mountain elk. >> Oh, okay. Yeah, but they're they're a. larger breed of Rocky Mountain elk that. they call yellow Apparently. >> Like in the Sierras or down in on along. the coast and stuff? Tehachapi. up in that area in those mountains. >> Um big [ __ ] elk like 400-in elk. Like. a couple of those elk out there that are. in the front, that's what they're from. >> that's what they're Those are massive. >> Yeah, it's from Tejon Ranch. >> Okay. Yeah, and.

>> Oh, yeah, it's like going up over the. Grapevine. Exactly. That's where you got. those? Uh-huh. Wow, I had no idea that. they were that big out there. It's all. It's the biggest private ranch in. California. It's like 270,000 acres. I've heard of the ranch, but I I didn't. know that they had elk like that up. there. Yeah, one of the rare places. Gorgeous. [ __ ] place. But uh they also go out. It's kind of funny, they go up to um. there's a golfing community at higher up. in Tehachapi and um the elk just hang.

out on the golf course. Just chilling it. up. >> giant elk like 400-in elk just chilling, hanging out together on the golf course. and dudes are playing golf. That's wild. While they're lying down next to them. like 20 yards away. It's crazy. I seen I. I saw some one time I was driving up the. coast. I think I was going up to San. Francisco to play a gig and. maybe they're the tuley elk. I'm not. sure what they were, but it was along. the coast there and I looked over in a. field and there was like 30 head of them. just laying down and I was there and I'm. like, "Oh man, I didn't even know there were.

elk down here." It's just I love seeing. wildlife that in unexpected places, you. know. Yeah. They recently just found a. wolf around Los Angeles. >> Oh, really? Yeah. See See if you can. find the story about that wolf that they. just discovered in Los Angeles. There's. a mama mama bear black bear with three. cubs now running around in Topanga. Oh, yeah. >> Yeah. There's a lot of those. >> of lions running around. Um there's a. lot of a lot of bears. I I've seen them.

in Pasadena and people's pools. Mhm. I. knew that there's a bunch out in. Pasadena and like Glendale. >> detected in Los Angeles County for the. first time in more than a century. Crazy. Isn't that nuts? Yeah. Those guys can. [ __ ] travel. I had a lady on who was a wolf biologist. and she was talking about like the you. know, they'd collar some of these wolves. and they would track them. They'd go 500. miles. >> Yeah. Like it's kind of insane.

>> I didn't know that. That's That's. incredible. Well, that's how they. learned about them. It's really the only. way to tell is to like put a collar on. them and track them by GPS. Mhm. And you. know, they mean they're extraordinary. animals like Where were they Where were. they originating from in in Montana, Wyoming and how where were they going. the ones that they were tracking? >> I think the ones that they were tracking. were the part of the group that was. brought in, you know, in the 1990s, you. know, so there was that pack and the. subsequent packs that came after that.

that were all the reintroduced wolves. And so they would, you know, dart and. collar some of them and when they would. do that they'd just track their motion. They're like, "Jesus, these [ __ ] are. covering some ground, huh?" They're. covering some ground. They're covering. some ground. And it's interesting, too, that they actually make mountain lions. kill more deer. They're competing with them. Yeah, because uh the mountain lions kill a. deer, and then the wolves will steal it. Oh, okay. >> come up on the mountain lion and they'll. surround him, and the mountain lion will. go, "Fuck this. I'm out of here." And.

he'll just go kill another deer. So, he. doesn't even get a chance to eat his. deer cuz the wolves keep stealing his. deer. >> tracking the lions, probably just. following them around, huh? They're. smart, man. Dirty work, yeah. They do. They let them do the dirty work, and. then they steal their food. >> Work smarter, not harder, huh? So, it's What does it say? The wolf that. they found? >> Yeah, that's from when February when. they first spotted it. Mhm. So, the wolf. was born in 2023, Plumas County's. Where's Plumas County? It's traveled. more than 370 mi. Wow. Including. crossing State Route 59 near Tehachapi.

There you go. Uh they had one up in. Tehachapi, too, that uh a buddy of mine. It was actually closer to um. uh. the city that's down there. What's that. [ __ ] city? Bakersfield? >> Bakersfield. Exactly. Wildlife officials. now estimate at least 60 wolves live in. the state. >> Wow. One crossed over in 2011. Wow. From. California, from Oregon. So, uh so, they. find them in the Tehachapi Mountains.

Interesting. Biologist told newspa- Oh, oh, that. Biologist told newspapers that she could. encounter a mate in the nearby region. such as Tehachapi Mountains, potentially. forming a new pack or continue to roam. What was that picture you just had of. the elk? Yeah, that's that golf course. Look at that. Uh. >> Giant [ __ ] elk chilling on the golf. course, clashing. >> Yeah, look how beautiful that is. God, so pretty out there. Massive elk Oak. Tree Country Club. Perfect sanctuary for. them, right? Oh, yeah, man. And it's.

just It adds to the coolness of playing. golf. I mean, you're playing golf around. giant, beautiful animals. >> those greenskeepers love them though. Right. They probably [ __ ] up all kinds of. things out there. Yeah. It's. the wolf thing is interesting because. they they just brought them back to. Aspen and they did a really stupid. thing. They they brought them into an. area where it has a lot of livestock and. they brought them in from a place in. Oregon where these wolves had all been.

captured because they were killing. agriculture. Yeah. So, what did they do? They captured them and they dropped them. off in Colorado where they started. killing cows again. >> park. They're just doing Well, it's on. people's my friend's ranch. One of them. they dropped three wolves off on my. friend's ranch. >> That's tough, man. I got even with the. bears and stuff, you know, you get some. problem bears or whatever and then they. go and drop them out where farmers and. ranchers are living, you know. And so, I. said, "Man, how's how's that going to. work?" You know. Well, it's the people. in charge of these things that making.

these decisions. They don't understand. what they're doing. They're monkeying. around with wildlife, nature, biology. and you you don't know what you're. doing. Yeah. >> You don't you have no idea. Also, like. how how the [ __ ] you in good conscience. take a wolf that's used to killing cows. and put him around other people's cows? Yeah, it's already it's already. programmed and then the dinner bells. ringing. >> exactly how to do it. It knows it's. easy. They're all fenced in. They they. taste delicious. Why would it stop? Or. why would it Yeah, why would it go chase.

chase the tougher prey, right? >> So, now these poor ranchers have to have. people monitoring their cows 24/7. They. have to have cowboys up all night that. are wandering around and on horseback. and just looking for wolves. I mean, it's a disaster. They've killed. dozens of cows. And these are folks. that, you know, have been like we. surviving on this land for generations. and and dealing with that and you know, have have a history with managing that. stuff, you know, and probably be the.

folks I'd want to ask. Yeah. That's how to handle it, you know. Well, they would certainly tell you. don't let the wolves in and if you do, kill them, you know, but now it's gotten to the. point where I think they're going to. have to do something about them. Will. they put a. Will they put a hunting hunting limit on. them, you think? Honestly, that would probably do something, but. really what you should do is hire. someone to recapture them and don't drop. them off there. Don't drop them off in. [ __ ] Aspen, you idiot. Cuz they're.

going to eat people's poodles, too. Okay, they don't give a [ __ ] Well, if. they run out of cows, if somehow or. another the ranchers scare them away. from the cows and they make it into the. town of Aspen, you don't think they're. going to eat your golden retriever? They're going to eat all kinds of dogs. They eat dogs in Alaska all the time. Yeah. Yeah, you hear with all of those like. the lions and stuff, man. They're coming. after your kids. Yeah. Yeah, there's. been a stuff at Malibu Creek Park, you. know, I've heard a couple of incidents. there, you know, hits. Like, man, they're. they're going to go eat something.

Especially when they're old. Yeah. When. they get old. Mhm. You know, when they. can't catch a deer anymore. and they're hungry and they haven't. eaten in a few days and they see a kid. hanging around a little too close to the. outside of the woods. I got a big one. that comes right by my house. I got a. little game trail cameras set up and I. got a little fountain right in the. front. It doesn't come around when I'm. there cuz we got the dogs, you know, a. lot, but. whenever I'm out of town for weeks at a. time, I'll come back and that sucker's. just laying on my front porch. Just massive and then the the other day.

a friend of mine was taking the trash. out and that's like it was like around. lunchtime and it jumped over the fence. into the driveway and had a dead rabbit. in it dead rabbit in its mouth just. looking at her, you know, and she's like. Holy [ __ ]. >> They're there, you know, so every time. I'm even walking around by myself or. with the dogs, you're just like, man, this sucker could just be in a tree. looking at me right now. Yeah, you're. just living with monsters. >> Yeah. Woo. They're there. California spent more than a hundred. million dollars trying to make a bridge.

over I forget which freeway it is. I think it's the 101. Is it the 101? I. think you're right. So they spent over a hundred million. dollars and it's still not done. Oh my. gosh. For a bridge a bridge for the. mountain lions. Like you [ __ ] dorks. It's like this idea of like it's going. to be a bridge but it's going to have. dirt and grass on it so it'll encourage. them to walk across so they don't have. to go over the highway and die. Is it nicer than the roads we're driving.

on? Yeah. Well, a hundred and ten million dollars. is crazy and it's still not even done. Like it is like it's it's so crazy. So that's what it. Early 2026 they think it'll. >> up to Ventura, right? Yeah. Yeah. So. they want to have this. this big dirt mound and this bridge so. the animals can get across the highway. But it's just like it's so goofy. And they never want people to do. anything about the population of. mountain lions regardless of how out of.

control they are. They don't do anything. about it. They have to hire people the. state has to hire people to go and get. the bad mountain lions the ones that are. problems. Yeah. And when they capture. them one of the things they find out is. they're. they actually kill them, right? So one. of the things they find out when they. examine their diet it's like 50% pets. Yeah. 50% dogs and cats. That's what your. mountain lions are eating. >> That's crazy. Yeah. And they spend money like a lot of money. going after these mountain lions and.

instead they could make money by letting. people hunt these mountain lions and. giving them tags and control the numbers. in that place to home ranch. One of my. buddies works there and they have a a. trail camera set up on a pond and they. found 16 different cats that were. drinking out of that pond. >> Oh my gosh. That's insane. I was like when I first started going. out there, too, the coyotes, you know, and even around like in Hollywood and. stuff, you know, like, man, I swear I. just saw a coyote running down the.

street with a pair of sunglasses on. And a gold chain. Eating better than any of us. When I went there in '94, that was the. first time I ever saw a coyote. I. couldn't believe it. I was staying at. the You know, they have those furnished. apartments, the Oakwood furnished. apartments. >> Oh, no, not really. >> like for people that are like. don't have a house yet and you got to. move to California quick. They have this. place called Oakwoods. And you go there, it's already got a couch, it's already. got a TV, it's already got a bed. You're. like, okay. Like an Airbnb type of. thing. >> like you can just move in. And I was.

driving up to the entrance to the place. and I see these little dogs on the. street. I was like, what the [ __ ]. going on? These do-. That ain't no dog. I was like, oh my god, they're coyotes. Like, this is weird. And so this is like. '94. I had never seen a [ __ ] coyote. I didn't even heard of a coyote being. out just wandering on the street. I just. couldn't believe it, that they just. wander around on the concrete. I mean, it's they're they're everywhere. I feel.

like I've seen more there than anywhere. You see them more in town than you do. anywhere else. Yeah. Yeah, they Well, they have large populations of them in. downtown. Where they know where they den. up. They den up in certain warehouse. buildings. Okay. Yeah. >> Like abandoned buildings and under. bridges and freeways and stuff. >> Yeah. They like they live there. They. probably keep the rats down. >> Nature will take back over one day, won't it? Exactly. >> Yeah. Yeah. I think they probably keep. the rat population in check, though. Yeah. If you think about it.

>> Yeah. They keep a lot of other things in. check, too. Right. Cats. Well, there's a terrible video from. Woodland Hills a few years back where a. guy. was unloading his car and his toddler. was out there in in the grass like right. next to him. And the coyote grabbed his. toddler and he to run away with his kid. Yeah, I saw that, man. I, you know, I'm always watching around for stuff and. with my arcados or just people around. the neighborhood and stuff. You got to. remind you remind yourself, you know, they're they're there and they're not.

scared of you, you know, they're not. they're not afraid. I. I remember the one of the first times uh. I went up to Ojai, just north of uh LA. there, you know, I just wanted to go up. there and go hike around and check out. the area. and uh there was. uh an archery shop up there and I this. old guy kind of looked like Charlie. Daniels, just big overalls, big old. beard, you know, and I walked in there. and just to. check out the shop and also just ask him. about, you know, some areas to go stomp. around and. and I had a uh. a Australian shepherd dog at the time.

and uh. just ask him where I, you know, good. places to go stomp around and he said, "Yeah, you know, you can go up there.". He goes, "But I wouldn't take your dog. with you.". I was like, "Really, why?" He's like, "Man, those lions are real deal up here, you know." He's like, "You. He goes, "You won't see them, you know, until they're all on you, you know." And I just you know, I knew. there were lions and stuff like that, but hearing it from from that guy, you. know, maybe he's. tried to scare me a little bit, but, you. know, there's I. it's uh it's it's real deal. It's real. It's real and they try to downplay it.

and cuz the all the wildlife lovers, all. the greenies, they don't want you like. sounding the alarm and killing them. But. their goal is to have zero hunting. Their goal is to have all the animals. just balance each other out. It ain't going to happen. You can't. It's not. >> Not with humans in the mix, yeah. >> No, the humans have interrupted that. whole idea, right? So if you've got a. city and then you've got wild giant. predators, like 170-lb cats that are.

killing dogs and they're like, "You got. to control them." Can't manage one. without managing the other, right? And. so the first way the first thing they. did to stop people from doing it is they. banned hunting with dogs. So, if you ban hunting with dogs, guess. what? You basically you're killing most. of the hunting cuz the reality of. mountain lions is you can't find them. They're really hard to find. Really hard. to catch, really hard to find, and the. best way to control their population is. to tree them. And you get dogs to tree. cuz that way you know if it's a tom or.

if it's a female. You know if it's. mature, you know what size it is. You. have a really accurate. estimation. You can look up at it, oh. that's a mature tom. That's what we're. looking to kill. And then you can. control their population. That's the. only same with bears. It's a great way. to control the population. >> and decide if it needs to go or if it if. if it needs to stay, right? Yeah. But they do little things to stop. the effective hunting first. So, California. you can still hunt for black bears, but.

you can't use dogs anymore. And so, as. soon as they stopped the use of dogs, the amount of black bears they harvested. went way down. So, the amount of bears. in the population went way up. Yeah, I. don't think they I mean I I know they've. been around in Pasadena a lot, but I. don't think there's been one in Topanga. for a while. I mean I've been up there. shoot almost 15 years and hadn't heard. of one. This is the first time I one's. kind of made it over in in the that area. that I know of anyway. Maybe up, you. know, around the. uh. Malibu Creek and those state parks, but. uh In Topanga there's probably people.

feeding them. Oh, 100%. Yeah. >> berries for you, my friend. Come. >> them weed. Some berries. Topanga is great, but it's always. sketches me out if a fire catches. Oh man, I we we got hit hard last year. as you know, the Palisades stuff and. man, I didn't. that was kind of it for me, too. I was. like, I'm out, you know. It's. terrifying. >> Yeah, I've been evacuated out of there. several times over the years, but um.

I've got horses up there now and stuff. like that and luckily I had like a uh. I always keep a big truck and a trailer. just in case and I've got some friends. down in Burbank that have some stables, you know, that I have like as a backup. plan and. but this was just a different deal. I. as a crow flies, I could see the smoke. from the Palisades, you know, it's like. a mile away, you know, and we were. actually working in in our arena there. and smoke came up and. I was like, "Shoot, let's just go.". Every time I see the smoke, like I don't. wait. I'm just like, "We'll be the first.

ones out and you know, beat the beat the. mad rush of everybody that's going to. decide to try to stay and. loaded up the the trailer and the truck. and the camper and the dogs and all that. stuff and I was like, "Let's go." And my. wife and I went down to Burbank and I. remember we were driving through the. night and the wind was just howling like. I've never seen before and power lines. are snapping and it's just like trees. are coming down and it just felt like. the end of the world, you know? And we get to Burbank and we pull back.

in these stables and there's a kind of a. big cinder block wall. and I just got as close to that as I. could cuz it was blocking the wind, you. know, from hitting us and. the next morning I woke up and I just my. throat was sore and hurting. I could. hardly breathe and I opened the camper. door and the Altadena fire had started. and it was right there and so it was. just a. mountain of black smoke coming over the. top of us there and uh. so I let's go. Let's get out here. Let's. like head north and I had some friends.

in Moorpark, you know, up in that area. going towards Ventura that had horses. Trying to find some place to to go with. some horses and. they're like, "Yeah, come on up here.". So we went up there, stayed there a. night and then they cut all the power. off up in that area cuz the winds were. snapping power lines and they were. worried about fires and. and you know, after doing that a few. nights and I was like, "Let's just head. east and go to Texas, you know?" So we. just. There's only so so many friends you can. like show up with five horses and a. bunch of dogs, you know, like, "Hey,

we're going to stay for while, you. know.". Especially in California. Yeah, we're. like, let's just get out of here. and headed back and you didn't know when. we were going to make it back and they, you know, closed indefinitely or. whatever. I was just like, man, I'm. I'm over it. I got evacuated a bunch of. times when I lived there, but the last. one was 2018 and. when the last one we got out early. I. came home from the comedy store and we. saw fire coming over the top of this. hill and it was probably like 1:00 in. the morning and me and my wife were. sitting there and I go, "What do you.

think?" She's like, "Let's get the [ __ ]. out of here." I'm like, "Let's get the. [ __ ] out of here. Let's just grab some. [ __ ] and maybe it'll come this way, maybe it won't.". So, it didn't burn the house down, but. my neighbors, the front front three. neighbors all lost their house and my. next door neighbor, his his roof caught. on fire, but my friend who refused to to. leave, he stayed in the neighborhood and. protected his house and guided. firefighters. He brought the. firefighters to that house and showed. them that it just started on this guy's.

roof and they hosed it down, they. stopped it in its tracks, but it was. pretty [ __ ] bad. But. >> It's wild cuz you know it's going to. burn. I mean, it's not a matter of. you know, if, it's just when and I mean, that's that's canyons have been burning. like that for thousands of years and and. even the Chumash were setting them on. fire on purpose to get ahead of it, right? And control and all of that stuff. and now there's just so many houses and. communities back up in there it's so. it's just a it's a tough thing, but when. they when they hit, man, they're it's. they just. they're rolling through. How fast they.

come through. Those Santa Ana winds are. blowing like that and It's just very. surreal in person. You can watch it on. the news and you kind of get a feeling. of it, but when you're there and you're. driving down the 101 and you look at the. side of the highway and you see like. these hills in the distance that are. just covered in fire. >> Mhm. Hundreds of yards of fields of fire. just making their way over the top of. this hill and burning houses and We saw. it when the the Palisades thing was. start I you know from our house there's.

kind of a little mountain that comes up. on the back and. I hiked up there and was watching it and. you could see the smoke and then you. could like start seeing little flickers. of the flames. And then it was just like. somebody dumped gasoline on this thing. and I mean. the flame shot up. hundreds of feet into the air. and my wife is on the balcony you know. the house and I'm kind of up on this. little mountain I'm looking over looking. in her eyes I'm like start packing up. It's um I'll start I'll go hook up the.

horse trailer I'll be up there I said. let's load up and just. and you know the wind was blowing. uh like offshore then you know so you. the fire is like all on the coast you. know. And just depending on where that how. that wind is blowing you know at the. beginning it was blowing offshore and. then within. a half an hour it just shot up the. coastline and just ripped up through. Malibu and burned all that coast like. that's the. uh the stuff that you always thought was. the safest. Right. You know. Yeah. And. then the next day the wind shifts coming.

back on shore and it blows it back. towards Burbank you know going back up. like the fourth up that way and then the. she winds are shifting again and then. coming back across. you know so. I was amazed at the through some of the. fires that I've been through seeing the. firefighters up there those guys are. incredible man. Those helicopter pilots. uh the airplane pilots seeing those. tankers fly through there I mean it's. just incredible what those guys can do I. mean if it hadn't I mean they they saved. that whole canyon. Yeah. Up Topanga at.

least you know it's like man there's so. much brush in there that. probably needs to burn that's been. accumulating over years you know and. cutting those fire breaks and. seeing them drop the retardant on the. ridge lines and stuff and then watching. the wind it's just like man I. hats off to those guys you know. Absolutely. Yeah. I mean think about the. amount of damage that was done in that. fire and how much more would have been. done if it wasn't for the firefighters. That's how crazy it is. Yeah.

Yeah, it is. And I met one of the. helicopter pilots. I was on a flight. somewhere. and we just happened to be sitting next. to each other and we were talking about. it and just. you know, learning from him, you know, about, you know, the thermals that come. up from underneath and trying to hold. those helicopters in, you know, in. formation and all of that stuff and how. heavy they are when they're full. Right. >> as soon as you release all that water, whatever is in them, that, you know, all. of a sudden that the power that they. got, you know, throttles full throttle,

you know, when they're loaded down and. then they drop all that water and then, you know, trying to get back a hold of. it and. I never even thought of that. And then. you got then you got. >> an enormous difference. >> 90 mile an hour winds blowing and, you. know, and you you I could see them from the. house, you know, there'd be like two or. three helicopters that would come in, start dropping water and then they would. move out and then the tank the planes. would come in and then. helicopters back in and then you had the. guys on the ground, you know, trying to. contain it as well. Just the the.

coordinated effort between them, you. know, I can imagine the conversations. there. Hey, man. It's so crazy that they didn't have the. reservoirs ready. Oh, dude, it's so sad. I I had Spencer Pratt on, you know, he's. running for mayor now. He's explaining. it like how bad it was. Yeah. How do you [ __ ] that up that bad? It's. devastating to hear that it's like. you know that that stuff's coming, you. know, and to not be prepared for that is. just unacceptable, you know. >> incompetence. Yeah. It's complete total.

incompetence and yet they still are. there. Like you you're definitely not good at. the job. And yet you don't take any personal. responsibility and you blame everybody. else, and the problem. It's just [ __ ] It's a problem that. happens every few years. Like you're. going to get fires, period. The fact. that you don't have a full reservoir is. crazy. It's crazy. You should dump all.

your resources into fixing that [ __ ]. reservoir stat. Get that [ __ ] filled up. >> residents are more prepared than. anybody, you know, cuz I think they just. got to where they you can't depend on. it, you know? Mhm. So I mean I I know. our neighbors and stuff have a pretty. good program in place. You know, we'll. all get together and talk about, you. know, who's got fire hoses and swimming. pools with access to water and where, you know, evacuation plans or you know, there's some folks that. uh will have horses, but they don't even. have a horse trailer up there and you.

know, I'm like, "Okay, I'll come get. yours too." Or whatever, you know, you. know, we we need to do and um you kind. of just have to have that mentality, I. think, you know? Yeah, definitely. Definitely. It's You know what's really. freaking me out about like the Paradise. fires is what is in the ground now? You know, like how much toxic [ __ ] got. melted into that ground? Because think. about how many people have electric cars. now. Well, the houses old houses, too. You know what I'm talking about? >> Right. The materials that they're made.

out of and asbestos or Mhm. lead and I. mean the stuff and the stuff in the air. that was even if you you know, you were. several miles away from the actual fires. that the wind and blowing all the ashes. and the smoke and all that stuff over. Um I remember going back up in there, you know, weeks and just trying to get. stuff out of the house or whatever when. they'd let us back up and you could. still it would just make your throat. hurt, you know? Yeah. >> Breathing that air and stuff, so Right, that's. It's not just wood fire. >> Yeah, no, uh-uh. No. Like.

>> Yeah, wood fire is hard enough, but the. chemicals, burnt TVs and computers and. hard drives and electronics and. refrigerators. Treated lumber and like. >> Yeah. Uh all that shit's going to get in. your ground water. Like it's it's it's on the surface. It's. going to rain. It's going to seep. through. Like what happens to the water. Is anybody checking the water out there? You know, you got to imagine. I doubt it. Especially like Topanga, I. bet a lot of folks have wells. Don't you.

think? I think there's some, you know, it's definitely all like on septic up. there, too. You know, I mean all the all. of that building code stuff's got pretty. crazy up there. I don't know. I would say it's a mess. I would just. worry about even breathing the air that. has the dust of all that [ __ ] in it. Like I probably wouldn't want to live. there anymore. If if I was in a place where all the. houses burnt to the ground and I knew. there was toxic [ __ ] in the ground, I'd. be like Hey, let's get the [ __ ] out of. here and sell our house to China.

Oh, man. Cuz that was the other thing Spencer. said, they're the ones who are the. number one land buyers in the Palisades. It's China. Is it going to be a Is it going to be a. golf course resort up there before we. know it? Who knows? >> Yeah, or affordable housing. Yeah. >> One or the other. I don't know, either. I don't know, but it's just I I really. wonder what the long-term damage of all. those chemicals in the ground is. It has. to be pretty high. Got to be. You know, I don't know. You. know, I was talking to some friends of.

mine out there the other day that have. grown up there, lived out there their. whole lives. And you know, going over to. Channel Islands, you you know, they got. those oil platforms out there in in the. water. And there's been oil spills, obviously, throughout there through. history and. um but also like when you're surfing and. stuff like that, there's oil that's been. on top of the ground. It's just like so. surface level. It's been there for. millions of years, you know. And so. I don't know, you know. It's like I'm. sure all the toxic stuff that happens. How long does it take for it to dilute, you know? And there's not much rain or.

the wind or like what, you know? I'm not an expert on it, but I. I feel like Mother Nature takes pretty. good care of herself. You know, we're. we're the ones in trouble, right? >> Right. Mother nature will sort it out. over time, but I just don't know how. good it's going to be for the people. that live there. >> It can't be it can't be the long-term, you know. I have a buddy that has a. house out there and he lost his house. and it burned down and I asked him about. it and he said, "I think what they're. going to do is take all the dirt out of. their backyard and then replace the. dirt." And I'm like,

"Okay. I don't know if that's enough. Like cuz. what about his dirt? What about your. neighbor's dirt? What about the all the. toxic [ __ ] that's in his dirt that's. going to get down into your ground as. soon as it rains? And also the air. >> all the Roundup and everything else. that's coming down, you know. It's. It's just it's uh it's sad, man, you. know? It's sad that's just the kind of. the state of it. It's like it's. it seems like just it's so far of a mess. that even the folks that do have answers.

that do want to fix stuff, it just kind. of becomes impossible for. for any solution, you know? It's like. all the red tape and all the. hoops and things and all the permits or. whatever you're like you can't even. you know? The road's blocked. Okay, well before we. could even get somebody out here with a. tractor to move the rocks, you got to. call 10 other people to get it approved. and then the process and then it's now. and it's like that's the part I'm just. like, man, I wish I could just call. Frank down the street with his. bulldozer. We'll just go we'll just go. move this right now, you know? And it's.

like, you know? >> Well, government has increased so much. in California and they just want more. regulations so they could justify more. government and so they just regulate. themselves to a place where people just. want to leave. They just go, "Look, I. can't [ __ ] do this anymore. Let me. get out of here." And it's expensive, man. It's so expensive to live there, you know? Meanwhile, it's beautiful. It's such a great place. They [ __ ] it. up so hard. It's paradise. It's. paradise. >> mountains within like two, three hours. you can be in the Sierras, you can be in. the Or the you know, national park, man.

and then swim in the ocean on the same. day. It's gorgeous. One of the most. beautiful places I've ever been. Yosemite, I mean, get out of town, you. know? >> Incredible weather. Kern River, like, man, it's beautiful. >> But. they got ruined. They got ruined with progressive. politics and bureaucracy that just. ramped up all the control they have over. people to the point where you can't even. buy flavored Zyns.

They banned Blackjack. You can't have. Blackjack anymore. They just stopped. Blackjack in the casinos. They stopped. flavored Zyns. God. They just They just. regulated into oblivion. There are all. these people that want to be They want. to be the mommy of the world and tell. you what to do. Like, [ __ ] off. >> Yeah. Like, [ __ ] off with all your. goddamn rules. You're just making your. government bigger so you can justify all. these [ __ ] rules and you need the.

rules for the government to sustain. itself. So, you just keep adding more. rules and adding more government. Yeah. We were reading about it the other day. Like, what was the number that. California's government went up by like. 24% and their population went up by like. 1%? I know and now you're run kind of we're. running out of places to go. And now. you're kind of running out of places to. go. Yeah. I'm always looking for hideouts, you know, to kind of get away from. It's. like, man, you you find a spot to go to. You kind of don't want to tell nobody.

about I know, right? >> That's what I hear about West Texas. I. think that's hard about Montana, you. know, when I first started going up. there years ago. I mean, it was just such a. and still is. It's a paradise. It's. just, you know. And I I think that's probably what a lot. of people are upset about. They lived up. there. It's like, man, the the secret. got out a little bit and I can. understand that. But. >> I get it. I get it from that. perspective. They got to let that go. >> Where's the next place, you know? >> The thing about Montana though, or like. Wyoming, another example, is that winter.

will thin the herd. It's like West. Texas. Like. that's funny. Same kind of thing like. you know Marfa and that and that area, you know. I grew up all out there going. to junior rodeos and all kinds of stuff. and it was just ranches, you know, and. you know, local diners and stuff like. that and um you know, I hear people. going out there and buying houses and. you know all that stuff. Then they go. out there for like a week and they. realize that the only thing open at. night is the Dairy Queen. They're heading back to New York pretty. quick, you know. Yeah.

But the thing. >> right about Montana. Those winters will. thin them out, yeah. >> gets you. The winter's rough. It's cold. We were uh the first time I ever went. hunting was with Rinella. That's where I. got that mule deer that's on the table. right there. Mhm. And um it was 9° in. October and we're camping. And so we're. sleeping on the ground at 9°. I'm like, bro, how do these [ __ ] people And you. also you go by these old homesteads. So. they were giving land out there for.

people. Mhm. You just you can get a. chunk of land, just start farming on it. and the government was encouraging. people to move there, but. >> yeah. it's all this like. muddy ground. Like the ground is like. mucky. Like when you hike in it after, you know, a while, your boots are so. heavy Just clay, huh? cuz they're just. thick with this clay. Yeah, just muck. all over your boots. And so it's not. fertile. It's not good like in the. Missouri Breaks, like that area. Mhm. It's not good for growing things. So you. find these abandoned homesteads. It's.

really eerie. Yeah. And you just think. like this family that came out here in. like the 1800s and they tried to set up. shop and Mhm. maybe got killed by. Indians and you know, maybe all the way. I I think about my my family. I just got. stories, you know, about them selling in. New Mexico and Um, you know, coming out. on a with a on a covered wagon with. maybe a steer and a pig and they're. like, yeah, here's you a bunch of acres. and you got to prove it up, you know, and. dig a hole in the ground is what they're.

living in, a dugout, you know, and dig a. hole in the ground, that's where you're. living and you try to build a ranch out. of it and. I always laugh and I always talk to. family or my grandparents. I'm like, why. did y'all stop here? You just like you were so beat down and. you're like, oh, this is the driest, flattest place, you Yeah. But we're here, the most roughest, you. know, I was like, it's only maybe. another thousand miles out to California. or just keep going. They're like, nope, this is it, we're done, you know.

Yeah, I guess people didn't know what. they were going to find if they kept. going either. Like, you want to keep. going for like another month? Oh, yeah, just miles and miles of more desert and. no water, you know. >> how long would that wagon trail take? >> Weeks. You know, even just like. Missouri, Texas and then out to. through what even like just going. through West Texas to get to, you know, Southeast New Mexico and all that and. you're in, you know, that's just rough. country and the people have always been. tough out there. And you're a sitting.

duck. Yeah. You're a sitting duck. You're slow moving with a wagon, pulling. the horse and you got all your [ __ ] in. the wagon and they just looking at you. from the hills. Yeah. Wasn't glamorous. No. I know my, you. know, my granddad was. pretty tough old guy and is real a. cowboys you'd ever want to know or meet, you know, but. he he wasn't really one to ever brag or, you know, talk or fantasize or. romanticize about the cowboy stuff, you.

know, cuz it it wasn't romantic then, you know, it was survival and it was. rough and it was work and you know, you. had no running water and I remember. um, him having a conversation with this guy. and he was like some like a tech guy, you know, he'd been in all this. website [ __ ] or whatever and he was. asking my granddaddy said, "You know, what's the most, you know, important. invention of your lifetime?". And I think he was expecting my granddad. to say like the computer or the internet. and my granddad said refr-. refrigeration.

It was the most important invented, you. know, Yeah. >> was growing up he was like they. had no way to keep their food cold, you. know, other than like root cellar, you. kept it underground, you know, so. it was just a perspective, you know, I. think everybody was surprised to hear. it, you know. Well, I think people are. so accustomed to electricity and so. accustomed to things like refrigeration. Yeah. You just like Or running water, yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. I mean, when there was no. refrigeration, you had to eat what you. had, Mhm. you know, like that day and. then the next day you had to get. something else. Yeah.

And. unless you knew a place that was an ice. house, Mhm. you know, that would get a. giant chunk of ice and you could have an. ice box and stick it in there and cool. things. Mhm. Like you're [ __ ] Yeah. You're on your own. Yeah. Well, you had to learn how to dry meat. That was a lot of it. Make pemmican, dry. meat, make things that that'll survive. and last. And. you know, that's how also how market. hunting almost wiped out all the deer in.

this country because people needed fresh. meat every day. Mhm. So, they were just. shooting everything that existed. Yeah. And then finally they started looking. around and going, "Hey, we lost all the. elk. There's no more deer left. Like. let's. Let's make some [ __ ] regulations on. this shit." And they stopped market. hunting. I did not know that. Yeah. That's. interesting, yeah. Beginning of the. 1800s by, you know, the time, I guess, I mean, when did they. start doing regulations in terms of uh.

hunting regulations in this country? Cuz. obviously they wiped out almost entirely. the American bison. There was all. they're almost gone completely. And you. know, a lot of that was just for. tongues. Nah, man. That's crazy. >> Yeah, they they would send them back. east. They'd pickle their tongues. >> Didn't Steve uh Rinella have a something. like a show on him? My buddy was telling. me about that. I haven't seen it yet. They said it's really interesting. He's. talking about the history of the bison. and the hunting and all of that. Yeah. Yeah, I think his uh book's called. American Buffalo. But, it's really good.

Um. First hunting regulations appeared in. colonial laws in the 1600s, mainly as. seasonal closed seasons for certain game. like deer. In terms of nationwide US. law, the first major federal game. protection statute was the Lacey Act of. 1900, which targeted commercial and. market hunting and interstate trade in. illegally taken wildlife. Yeah, there was elk in every state. Yeah. >> And then, we wiped them out. And there. was deer in every state. But, now.

there's more deer than there ever has. been before, which is interesting. Congress passed the Lacey Act. when modern regulations start. So, the. 1900s, most states had game and fish. commissions, hunting seasons, bag. limits, and license requirements, all. reinforced by federal laws like the. Lacey Act and later migratory bird. protections. Well, it's amazing that they did that. We have. an amazing system, too. Like, the.

the fact that the United States has so. much public land. You know, there's so. many different places where people can. go and they can hike, they can white. water raft, they can fish, they can. hunt, they can camp. I mean, we're. unlike any country when it comes to. that. It's like, the amount of land that. we have that's available to Americans. that every It's public for everybody is. [ __ ] incredible. Yeah. I mean, being up in Montana and New. Mexico's like that, too, and California. But, I'm up in Montana where I love, you. know, staying in that wilderness area.

Like, that little cabin that I stayed. in, you know, probably didn't have much land. with the cabin. But, man, there's. thousands and thousands of acres of. wilderness public land with dirt roads. everywhere. Man, I would. you know, on those days off that I had, I would just drive back in there for. miles, man, and just see the most. beautiful country, you know, and and I'd. haul my horse back in the way to the. trail heads and just go explore stuff, you know, and you'd. head go over one ridge into the next,

and there's a waterfall, and there and. there's another drainage, and it's just. like. you know, and this is the wilderness. area, too. This isn't even a national. park, you know, and I was like, man, this is is. beautiful country as I I've ever seen. anywhere. >> I never did, you know, I was always on. my toes about it, and I I'd talk, you. know, knowing Remy up there, he knew. that area really well, so I'd kind of. ask him spots to go check out and. about bears and stuff, and he said, man, there weren't too many grizzlies back in. there, but you never know, you know,

especially coming over from Idaho and. stuff like that, so. I never did. I've run into some black. bears. Um, never in any in any wolves and all. that, but. um, you know, I don't know, maybe being. horseback, too. I don't know. A lot of. those places I never did, but. I definitely had my eyes open. Yeah, that's another animal that they. want to list again and make them. available for hunting, particularly in. Montana and Wyoming. They just have a. lot of grizzlies. Yeah. They have a lot,

and people don't want you to shoot them. They think of it as trophy hunting or. whatever it is like. It's tough, man, but man, you live like you said, you. like those folks that live back up in. there, you know, that they all they can. have is their neighbors and people to. depend on, you know, and it's like, man, you get mauled by a bear taking your. trash out, you know, or something like. that. That's what you your experiences. with them, and you know, everybody wants to keep them as pets. until they're in the backyard with you. They don't play by the rules. They don't.

play by the rules, and they're 900 lb. Good luck. A 900 lb giant [ __ ] wild animal that. eats everything it can. Yeah, and even. like that that lion hanging around my. house is like, man, I'd be cool. You're. you're fine, but once you go on down the. road, you know. Yeah. I don't need you in my backyard. The. thing is that you can't do anything. about it either. In Texas, you could. just shoot them. Yeah. And Yeah, we don't have that problem. Yeah, that's how it should be. Like you shouldn't have wild monsters. living in your yard.

>> No. And you should have you should have the. the right to decide that for yourself. >> 100%. Not only that, they're going to be. fine. They're still going to be plenty. of them. Okay, but it'll probably be a. more healthy number if they get whacked. whenever they eat someone's dog. Yeah, and have a healthy respect for coming in. your backyard or coming after your. animals or your kids, yeah. Yeah, they. they should understand that. but just like we're so goofy. We make. laws to protect them that don't protect. us. Like help me out. Like do you love.

animals more than people? Like I love. animals, but I'm I'm on team people. Yeah. 100%. >> Yeah. Everybody else is cool, but team. people first. >> Yeah. You know, oh, we got monsters in. our neighborhood? No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, we got to kill the monsters. so that kids can play outside. You don't. have to worry about them getting eaten. Yeah, me too. I mean, growing up. ranching or farming or what I mean, that's your job is to take care of. animals, you know? It's animal. husbandry. It's It's That's your job. I.

mean, to take care and provide for these. animals to provide food for your family, you know, and. um and the wildlife that's around it, you know, it's like in to take care of. the land and the dirt and the water and. the grasses and all of that stuff has to. be supporting each other to make it all. work, you know? And uh at the end of the day, I just. feel like we've just lost touch. It's cities. >> you know? It's urban environments, it's. unnatural environments that have given. people this delusional idea of what our.

relationship is with nature. Mhm. And. you know, people just think food comes. from a restaurant. Yeah. And you know, the ground is for streets. Mhm. And you. drive around. >> Sidewalks. Yeah, just pave it all. It's. all just this delusional perspective. that comes from that sort of urban. existence. And I just think that's why people that. live in the country and live in, you. know, environments where you like. Alaska, where you're confronted by. nature, they're like more interesting.

people. They're They're more robust. They're cooler. Were you saying out there earlier that. you rode bulls? Mhm. Yeah. Dude. How many times? Shoot, that started when I was a kid, you know, riding steers when I was like. 10 in the junior rodeos and then You. were 10 years old and someone let you. ride a [ __ ] steer? Really? That's. >> just like It was like little league. baseball, you know, where I grew up. So, a steer is a bull that doesn't have.

its nuts. Yeah. And so, how much less do. they kick when they don't have their. nuts? Oh, they're a lot They're pretty. docile. >> Oh, you're on the video. How old are you. here? This is I was like 17. This is in uh. Monterey, Mexico, actually. Wow. Why in Mexico? Look at you, dog. Damn, that's crazy. Damn, dude, you're good. And you got off without getting stomped, too. Is it just knowing when to release?

Yeah, you got to know You got to know. when to get off. That's for sure. And. right there. Uh-huh. You're like, that's. a wrap. Yeah, he kind of bucked me off. there. He He kind of had me over to the. side there, you know, but that's a good. time to check out. There's like that. gray zone, you know. Either That or you. hang on and you end up underneath him. You You out when you were 10 years old, though. How wild are your parents? Like, yeah, that's a good age. >> Yeah, well, they you know, my they. ranched and grew up out there, and my my. uncle rode bulls professionally, and.

yeah, and uh that's kind of how I got. into it, too. I looked up to him a lot, and uh see pictures of him riding bulls, and then it was just around, and I was. like, I want to go try that, you know, and. and man, I just got the bug for it like. super young. I was like, just. ate up with it. Just Wow, from 10 years. old. That's nuts. >> Yeah. And so, how do you teach someone. how to fall off of a bull without. getting stomped when they're 10? Well, when you're riding those little. steers, you know, a lot of time they. they cut bulls and turn them into steers.

cuz it makes them a lot more docile. >> what are you talking Steers are, you. know, typically like 600 lb, 6 700 lb, you know, compared to 1,500 lb bull. that's aggressive and you know, back. that wide and horns like that, you know. They're like little steer, you know, I. remember my dad or uncle would get in. the chute with me and hold their horns, you know, and like the other time they. just kind of run out there and jump and. kick and just fall off on the side, yeah, not too bad. Um. and then you kind of graduate up into.

like the junior bulls, and then the. bigger bulls, and then the all and then. the harder they buck, you know. So, there's kind of different levels you can. progress as you as you go. Uh but it was. a lot different deal back then when I. was riding. It was really before the PBR. started, you know, there was no helmets, there was no vests, there's like none of. that stuff. It was. just old school rodeo, you know. But at the same time, I I say that, but you know, it's it's. it's an evolved in such a sport now. Like, the bulls are just so much ranker.

now than they were back then, you know. It's like, now they're breeding them. like race horses and the genetics where. every one of those bulls, you know, bucks, you know, and like you got to go. to get on three or four of them in a. night, you know, back when I was doing. it. We'd go to the. there were still kind of full rodeos. with all the other events and you know, out of 15 or 20 bulls there might be one. or two in there that were like bad to. get on. They would hurt you, you know. The rest of them were were pretty. ridable, you know, just to say so and.

you know, we're smoking cigarettes and. drinking beer back behind the shoots so. you know, that kind of a thing, you. know, we weren't training and doing yoga and. I like all these guys are today. You. know, but I I loved it. I I had so much. fun and I loved the road part of it, you. know, getting the truck with your. best buds and go down the road on the. weekends and there's always a band. playing and. um you know, it's just it was so much. fun. I loved the culture of it and it's. just a good good times, you know. How.

many times do you think you've rode. bulls? I mean, I rode till I was about 23. From 10 to 23? >> Mhm. Wow. >> That was all I ever wanted to do. I was. like yeah, wanted to just ride bulls, yeah. And. you know, I rode in high school, rode. junior rodeos, rode bulls in high school. and then I went to Tarleton State in. Stephenville and. rode bulls for Tarleton and then I got. my pro card for a couple of years. and that was when like the PBR was like. starting up and all of that and.

Wow. >> It got intense. What Jamie? The one in the picture I. just lost he was backwards on it. Oh. yeah, I was probably getting. I was probably getting dusted. Oh no, that's not me. >> not backwards. That's not backwards though. >> is riding backwards though. Yeah, he is backwards. I don't know if that was on purpose. That seems like a ridiculous choice. >> it off if he did. Yeah. What a terrible. choice.

Yeah. It was cool though. I I loved it, man. I. loved it. How do you go from that to anything. else? Like how do you stop riding bulls. and eventually become an actor and a. singer. It was all very much a kind of a natural. progression, you know? Since I was a kid. at the junior rodeos, there was always a. dance afterward and a band playing, you. know? And it's a very much a family. community deal, you know? Like you go to. these towns and you know, there's the. junior the rodeo was going on and then. the dances street dance and.

uh. food and music and you know, growing up. listening to bands play, especially in. Texas, you know? You got all the guys. like Gary P. Nunn. You remember he he. always played the dance halls and you. get Robert Earl Keen and some of the, you know, going to hearing those bands. and um. I moved to Laredo, Texas when I was like. 16 or 17 when my dad and my mother had. bought me a guitar. And uh. didn't know how to play it much and uh. walked into this place my dad was living.

at and he was playing dominoes with. these guys and this guy saw my guitar. and he's like, "Yeah, you know how to. play that thing?" I said, "No." And. he said, "Well, let me see it." And he. picked it up and he played this killer. like mariachi song called La Malagueña. And I was just fascinated with it. I was. just like, "Wow, I. can't believe you made that guitar sound. like that, you know?" I've been dragging. that thing around for a couple years. I. didn't even know how to tune it up. And. uh. he's like, "You want to learn how to. play this guitar?" I said, "Yeah." He. said, "Let me show you this song." And. he taught me the Malagueña. It had a.

couple little parts, you know, a finger. picking part, a strumming part. And uh. it really kind of gave me the that. foundation, you know? Just kind of those. few little tools. And then I went up to. Stephenville to to ride bulls at. Tarleton after that and uh. a couple of other friends that I'd met. there that rode it could play the guitar. a little bit and they had bands that. played every weekend uh in the town. There's a little bar there called City. Limits where all these bands would come. play like Jason Boland and the Cross. Canadian Ragweed guys and Pat Green and. uh Robert Earl Keen, like all the Texas.

guys would come play, you know? So I was. like. I went from being on the border. and just kind of just mostly like the. corridos and Tejano bands that I would. see, which was really cool. But when I. got up there, I was like, "Oh man, there's all these like. cool kind of song, you know, guys. writing the original music and songs and. playing in bands." And um would we'd go. watch them all the time. And uh. as I was still rodeoing, I. the only song I knew was that um. Malagueña tune. So, I was like, "I got. to come up with some new stuff. It's all. I know how to play, you know?" So,

I went and got a book of chords to teach. myself some new chords on the guitar and. I'd just learn one or two at a time and. I'd start making up songs about our. adventures on the weekends, you know? A. lot of it was just sitting in the back. of the truck and being in places where. you didn't have radio signal or, you. know, nothing to really listen to. You're. tired listening to the same old stuff. and I'd make up songs and then. whatever town we would get to, my. buddies would be like, "Man, play that. song you you were singing in the. backseat, you know?" And And so, that's. how the whole songwriting thing started. And then.

I ended up getting a job working for a. guy named Mack Altizer. He had a rodeo. company called Bad Company Rodeo in Del. Rio. And. I I'd ridden bulls at some of his rodeos. and knew him and my uncle had known him, you know, over the years. And so, I was. kind of familiar with with uh that whole. thing and uh. started working for him on the ranch and. helping with some of the rodeo stuff and. still riding bulls. And he found out. that I could play the guitar and and. sing a few songs. And he always had a party at the rodeo. He was kind of notorious and famous for.

having like just awesome parties. And. he's like, "Man, all right, Bingham, bring your guitar. You're going to play like the. after-party, you know?" And pull the. flatbed trailer up there for the. hospitality tent for all the contestants. after the rodeo. And. those were like the first he really. encouraged me to like start playing for. people and doing that. And then it would. just spill over into the bars. afterwards, after the rodeo. Everybody. would end up going to the bar. And. they were like, "Bingham, bring your. guitar with you." And uh I started. getting gigs in the bars. The bars would. ask me to if I wanted to come back and.

play. And just after like I feel like a few. years of that, it was just like, you know, I was kind of a weekend where. I was riding bulls. I I was definitely. not going to making a living doing it. Always had to have a day job during the. week, you know, either working on the. ranch or doing something. And uh. I started getting to where I could go to. these bars and make like a hundred bucks. in tips, you know, within a couple of. hours and. get free beer, free food. And I was. like, "Man, this is. almost as much as I made all day digging. holes.". with the shovel, you know.

It didn't take me long to figure out. that that was pretty cool. And uh I was. just like, "I'm going to stick with it, you know.". What a organic sort of a journey, you. know, like a natural progression. Yeah, and I didn't have high. expectations, you know, but I just like. And I I was talking about kind of. community in this Austin area and in. Texas in general. It's just like, "Man, people were so supportive, man." I just. like, if you had a song, they'd play it. People loved live music. They're like, "Yeah, get up and play, you know, like. Mac with the rodeo company and all the.

guys that worked there, Dave Jennings. and. Casey and Smurf. There's a whole crew, the the Bad Company crew from those. days. And they always had kind of the. Bad Company house band, too, where. everybody would get up and try to play a. song. And it's just like, "Man, we don't. care if it's any good or not. Just get. up there and play. We're all We're all. in it together." And there were so many. like places that were like that that I I. I don't think if I was in that. environment, I probably never pursued. it, you know. I had so many people, you. know, supporting you and encouraging you. to try it and it took me a long time,

you know, to. uh work stuff out and learn cuz I didn't. have any really formal music musical. background or lessons or training. I. didn't really just learn it on the road. and playing in bars and. from other musicians, you know. Really? So, no lessons at all? Just figuring it. out along the way? Yeah. Well, they got. you know, they got taught me the La. Malagueña there, but then after that it. was just, you know, anybody else who had a guitar and might. know a song, you know, I'm like, "Oh, what a cool How do you play that chord?".

You know, they're like, "Oh, you play it. like this, you know.". Yeah. Wow. So, how many years were you doing. that before you got Yellowstone? Oh gosh, for a while. I mean, I think my. you know, I was. 22 or something like that in. Stephenville, you know, Ryan Bingham. starting to play songs, trying to play. gigs. Um. after the, you know, ended up moving.

down here to New Braunfels in the Austin. area, playing music for a while, and. then ended up going out to Los Angeles. and playing, and then hit the road with. a band for I think I had. four or five albums or so, you know, out, you know, and been touring for five. or six years. I think I. How old was I? Like. when Yellowstone started? Like 36, 37, so yeah, I'd been playing. doing the music stuff for a long time. Hm, and so how did the Yellowstone How.

did you go from music to Yellowstone? Like how did you even Did you do any. act- acting before that? No, I'd been one of I'd I'd done a film. with Jeff Bridges years ago called Crazy. Heart and wrote some songs for that. movie. That was really my own thing. >> That was a good movie. It was pretty. cool, you know, I was I was just like he. Jeff Bridges plays a musician in the. show and I and we're like the backup. band at the bowling alley for one of the. scenes, you know, which was really cool. Um. and then.

written some songs for some other films. and some TV shows since then and I I met. a guy named John Linson in. in Los Angeles, a producer, and his him. and his dad, Art Linson, they did like. Sons of Anarchy, bunch of shows and a. bunch of great movies and um. he introduced me to Taylor. And Taylor. was. I think it was that movie Wind River, his first movie. You know, I'd met. Taylor and just kind of talk about music. and stuff, and he wanted me to write a. song for Wind River. And I'd given it a.

shot a couple times, never really had. anything that fit for what he wanted, but he ended up using a song that I'd. already written. And um and we just kind. of kept in touch, and then when the. Yellowstone thing came up, um he got in. touch again about writing some songs for. the show. And then he learned that I used to do. all the rodeo stuff, I think, and grew. up ranching, and he said, "Well, shoot, you can. do a lot of this stuff. I got to find a. way to get you in the show, you know.". And it literally went from the. conversation. He's like, "Well, I don't. I don't know what I'm going to do with.

you, but I'm a I'll find something to do. with you, you know." And and he. literally said it. He's like, "You know, if you do good, I'll you know, he goes, 'If you suck, I'll kill you off. If you. do good, I'll keep you on.'". Something like that, you know. And I'm. like, "Yeah, I'm going to. >> no formal acting like training or. anything? >> No, not at all. That's what's amazing. Do you really good. Oh, I appreciate. that, you know. I I get to kind of play. a cowboy and be a little bit about of. myself. >> Yeah, but it's that role's got some.

complexity to it. It's not just a. cowboy. It's like you've got some. complicated scenes, you know, some. emotional scenes, some deep scenes, and. you're really good, man. Thank you. >> That's impressive. I appreciate that. It. was I I enjoyed it, you know. I hadn't. done much acting at all, and. um yeah, I got to give a lot of credit. to the actors that are on the show, too, you know, that those folks that have. really studied it and paid their. dues learning that craft, you know, they. really create the environment, you know, especially for me not knowing much about.

it, you know, and just kind of being a. part of the scene. Like, they're so good. that. they make you react in a certain way. >> Right. >> they they know how to get it out of you. Whether you know, Cole and. Yeah. >> Kelly and Luke and all those folks, you. know, they like they they know how to. set up the scene. They know what they're. doing. So, they already kind of have the. whole thing. set up. And so, when I walk into a scene. and they say their line to me, it's just. like, "Oh, okay. Yeah, I got to answer.". Right. >> I'm just like kind of like naturally, you know, answering that, you know?

>> Right. Right. Yeah, it's like if you. work with a really good actor, sometimes. you forget they're acting. You're like, "Oh, like oh yeah, we're we're acting.". Like you seem like this is really. happening. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, for me, like I think there was moments where I. thought it was really happening, you. know? How long did it take before you got. comfortable like doing that on camera? Still not. Really? >> Yeah, still not. Yeah. Well, you play it. off good. >> Well, thanks, you know? I think some of it comes from the riding. bulls, you know, you learn how to. channel that anxiety or or fear into.

just like, "Oh, okay, it's go time. Let's just like Dude. >> pull it together and and channel that, you know? If you could ride a bull, I. think you could kind of do basically. anything. Man, I. you know, that's one thing my uncle. taught me when I was young, you know, he. he was really quick to be like, "Man, it. doesn't matter how strong you are, you know, it's not about it's all. mental, it's all in your mind, and it's. all. uh it's not I think I can, it's I know I. can and I will." Mhm. You know, and he. goes, "If you don't If you don't believe.

that every time you go put your rope on. one of those on their backs," he's like, "it ain't going to happen." Yeah. >> he says he he says you don't It's not. being cocky, it's just being confident, you know, and believing in yourself and. and having that that power of mind over. matter, you know? Yeah, if you could do. that, acting's easy. And take that in. anything in life, you know? And I and I do cuz I I definitely have. moments where, you know, I'm like, "Woof. Okay, take a deep breath. It's go time. Let's go, you know? Let's.

channel that.". >> having more than a decade of doing that. with bulls, Mhm. like that that's so. uncontrollable. Like it is like. you're at the mercy of fate and how this. plays out. Yeah. >> And you have this enormous beast and. you've chosen to scare the [ __ ] out of. yourself and get on top of this thing. and try to ride it. >> to join join the dance, you know. >> Yeah. If you can do that, if you can do. that and be successful at that, I kind. of think you could do anything.

I think that that I mean, I wouldn't. want my kid to do it at 10, but [ __ ]. it's probably very If they could. survive, pretty valuable. I laugh I really picked. two of the easiest professions, you. know, riding bulls and playing music like. Right, two two that have the least. amount of success ratio. >> task, you know. Well, you did you going to ever get any. serious injuries? Uh I've You know, I was fortunate like. not serious injuries. I did I There's. one of the worst I ever I got knocked.

all these teeth out. I got jerked down. one night in Weatherford and um. took my lip off and my teeth went. through down here and. I These are all fake up here and. my lip was just hanging by a thread. What was wild it didn't knock me out, which was wild though. I got on this bull and uh I remember it. was in Weatherford, Texas and uh it's. got a. uh Butler Arena there. And he had this. um. little Angus bull there. Didn't have. horns on him, little muley. And uh. usually you can go up to the guys that.

own the bulls and a lot of the bulls. have patterns, you know, that they that. they'll do over and over, you know, so. you can kind of talk to the stock. contractor, the guys that own them and. be like, "Hey, you know, what's this. bull do generally do?" And he's like, "Ah, most time they'll. take two jumps out and they spin to the. left." Or they take two jumps and they. go to the right. Or ah, they just, you. know, they'll jump kick around and make. a circle. And he goes, "Man, he goes, I. don't know." He's like, "The last two. times I bucked, he's never he hadn't. been ridden. He'll usually jumps out. there and just spins right in the gate.". And he said, "Nobody's really ridden him. past three or four seconds, so cuz I. don't know what he's going to do after.

that.". And sure enough, that's what happened. I. got on him and I it jumped out and just. got it on right there in the gate, just. spinning right there. And I rode him. through it like three or four rounds. And after I rode him, like I think the. bull didn't know what to do next. He got. a little frustrated and he just stopped. And just stopped dead still and just. blowing and just. you know, just mad. And uh you never. really want to jump off of them when. they're still like that cuz you just. you'll fall right beside them, you know? So, you want them to have a little.

momentum so when you you know, you're. checking out they can you can get away. from them. >> Right. And so I spurred him a little bit. to get him to jump. So, when he jumped I. could jump off. But when I spurred him. it just jumped off straight up off the. ground like a cat off all fours. And when he came crashing when he jumped. up like that I you know, kind of rocked. me back on back like that. My hand's. still tied in the rope. And then when he. came down he just brought all that jerk. me down with the force and I came. forward and he threw his head back and I. just head butted him.

And then when he did then of my hand was. still caught in the rope and then he. took off running around just dragged me. around and just stomped the crap out of. me. You know, for a bit and I finally. got loose and uh I remember running over. to the fence and I just you know, I just. kind of had my arms on the fence and I. could see all the blood just kind of. pouring down all over me and one of the. bull fighters ran up and he looks at me. and goes, "Oh, buddy.". He's like, "Woo." And uh So, they have.

to stitch your lip lip back on? Yeah, you know, and the shock was just yeah, I. didn't feel anything. Like I was just. like in shock and I was like, "Oh, man.". You know, I remember like my girlfriend. was there from high school and my buddy. and. um we drove to the little you know, they're like, "You want to call an. ambulance?" I was like, "Nah, I don't. want to have health insurance and call. an ambulance, you know?". Um. got in my buddy's car and we drove over. to the emergency room. in Weatherford and I go in and the nurse. she's just like, "Oh, man." She's like, "We can't do anything for you here.

You're going to have to go to like. Dallas to like trauma, You know, you're. going to get like a oral surgeon to put. you back together. And uh. she goes, "You want me to, you know, get. you an ambulance here?" And I was like, "No, I think we can make it, you know.". And she's like she gave me some pain. pills. She goes, "Don't take these now.". She goes, "Hold on to these and then. when you get to Dallas, then take them. because you're probably going to have to. wait, you know, before they can because. be 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning before. they can get somebody in there to see. us." And uh sure enough we got to Dallas. and I'm just sitting there in the. waiting room. And I had a rag and I was.

just holding my mouth together. And uh. the shock wore off, man, and then it's. uh you know, I was starting to feel it. Took those pain meds and then doctor. came in and held me back and gave me big. shot in the roof of my mouth, try to. numb everything and just I think it took. him longer to clean it all up, you know, pull all the hair and dirt out of there. and sew me up and. the teeth Oh, it was an ordeal, you. know, for sure. For months after that, you know, getting the dental work done,

all that crap. So, how was the. the lip hanging off? It I It bit it all It wouldn't came all. the way off. It was just hanging on. right here by the side, so it was just. hanging down. And so they just had to. stitch the lower part to the upper part. and put it all together again? >> Yeah, just all across right through the. middle and kind of If I shave, I got a. big scar that kind of goes down there. And then they went through down here. Um so I got some stitches down there and. then most of the stitches were all in my. my gums and all of that stuff. >> had to put like posts and implants and.

all that stuff in you. Wow. >> Yeah. Yeah. That [ __ ] takes forever, huh? >> Kind of knocked the front four out and. then it just dominoed the rest of them, man. I just. Riding bulls with no health insurance is. wild. That's crazy, man. That's crazy. Yeah, that was just life back then for. me, you know. And then going into the. music stuff was like. I don't know. I just wasn't really. scared about it or even the expectations.

of making it or I mean to me at the time. I had a truck and a camper on it and I. was like, man, I was like. I got no bills. I got no. responsibilities. I'm just like go make. a hundred bucks a night playing music in. a bar. I was like this is the dream, you. know, I'm like I made I made it. Yeah. Well, I think when you've done something. super super difficult, everything else. seems easier. And if you've done what you did with. riding bulls for that long, like the. music business is like what's the worst.

that can happen? >> Yeah. Even the travel part, you know, like you know, in the early days of. playing when I really decided I was. going to try to make a run and play, you. know, and it was like. Oh, what? We got to get in the van and. go drive around and Right. >> play in bars, you know? I was like we've. been doing that rodeoing for years, you. know, we used to sleep in the back of. the truck or whatever and it was fun for. us. You know, we loved it. So the idea. was like. starving on the road playing in a band. playing music. I was like, [ __ ] let's. go, you.

And and getting a guaranteed paycheck. every night, you know? Right, the. gratitude you must have. >> bulls, I mean, at the time, you know, you walked away with nothing. Right. You. know, a busted a busted lip, nothing, you know. Yeah, and no health insurance and you're. risking your life and there's not a. bunch people that love you. No. Yeah. Yeah. Well, it's a great base to start out. from, you know? I mean, it sounds like. it's almost like. the universe engineered this path for.

you to go down. Like if you wanted to. pick a path that would bring you to. where you are right now, it it is the. perfect set of circumstances. I. I I. I look at it all the time, you know, just from an outside perspective, I. guess, and just like, wow, how in the. world all this come together and just so. a lot of luck and perseverance or. whatever and I I. wouldn't say I haven't worked hard at. it, you know, I feel like I have and all. that, but it there's a lot of luck out. there and a lot of good people, too, you.

know. A lot of good people helped me out. along the way and gave me gas money and. gave me a place to sleep, a place to to. eat and helped us get other gigs and. other I mean, I remember going from one. town to the next and not having gas. money to get to the next and having no. plan other than like let's just head. west or head east and you know, you'd go. play at a bar and sure enough there'd be. somebody there that would be like, "Oh. man, y'all should come back to my house. We'll have bonfire and play some songs.". And he's like, "Oh, my brother's got a. bar in Phoenix." And you know, he's.

like, "Call them on your way out." You. know, we'd go there and and we'd always. like chop firewood or wash dishes or. we'd mow your lawn or wash your car on. the way, too, to like to get gas money. and keep on going, you know. >> Wow. So, that was just kind of how I always I. feel like I learned early if if you were. willing to help yourself, you know, there's people would help you all day. long. I think. luck. is a factor, but it's only a factor if. you've already had all those other. experiences. Like think about it, if you.

hadn't ridden bulls, you hadn't gone. through all the ranching, all the hard. labor, all the different things, then like you probably wouldn't have. capitalized on that luck the same way. No, not at all, huh. Your character. wouldn't be the same. No. You know, that's like part part of who you are is. the character that you've developed from. what you've done. It kind of conditioned. me to do it in a way in a big way. And. it seems like it's your life it almost. like it's engineered for this to happen. the way it happened. Mhm. Which is kind.

of crazy. It's been cool, man. I feel. Very storybook. Mhm. You know? Yeah. Very like movie. Like a plot in a movie. Guy was a cowboy, bull rider, starts. singing songs, people are like, "Hey, you should probably do this for a. living." And then someone's like, "Hey. man, you should be on TV.". You know, and the next thing you know, you're on one of the biggest hits in the. world. >> like, that's that song, you know, one. day they're going to put me in the. movie. I was like, I was like, how about living this thing.

right now, you know? It's like I know, I. meet people all the time and they're. like, oh like. you know, they can't really believe. where I'm from or whatever. They just. think it's some like made-up story or. whatever. I'm like, all right, yeah, all. right, man, you know. Well, it seems. like a story that someone would make up. if they wanted to pretend to be a. cowboy. Yeah. Well, I think a lot of. people have. I bet, right? I bet. Yeah. And a lot of people still do. >> Yeah. Isn't that funny? Uh-huh. That's funny. That's like stolen. valor almost. Yeah. You know what I.

mean? In all kinds of stuff, you know, professions or whatever, you know, people pretend to be the Oh, yeah. What. it is. Oh, yeah. Would you mind if I. went to the restroom real quick? Oh, no, no, no, no, not at all. I totally. understand. Go ahead. I want to keep. talking about I don't want to stop this, but. >> pause, take a leak, we'll be right back, folks. And we're back. Yeah, it's um. it's kind of funny that people would. want to fake the life that you've lived, but that is. such a romantic story. Like it's such a. like it's such a movie.

that it makes sense that people want to. fake. It's got to be weird walking. around like having lived a life that. people would want to fake and pretend. that they lived. It is it's it is sometimes, you know, and it's like uh. you know, I remember. when I really started for you know, playing music and stuff. I mean, I wore. cowboy hat all the time. That's that's. what I rode bulls and you know, it was. my very much my identity, you know, but. no cowboy stuff wasn't really cool then, you know, I like feel like in the.

uh early 2000s and all of that, you. know, you know, there wasn't a lot of. big there wasn't a big Americana scene. or you know, any of that kind of stuff, you know, and um definitely going to New. York or going to Los Angeles and touring. around like I would be the only one. wearing a cowboy hat, you know. I remember the I think the first time or. one time I was in LA, we were out on the. Santa Monica Pier. And there was a guy. that had like the one-man band thing, you know, out there and there's all. these tourists on the pier and I'm just.

like out there checking out the scenery. and just minding my own business and. this guy gets on the microphone and he. just points over at me and goes, "Oh, Brokeback Mountain.". And everybody on the pier turned around. and looked at me. They were just. pointing at me and laughing at me and. I'm just like, "Ah, okay, you know." So, it was like that was the association. with the cowboy hat at the time, you. know. That's hilarious. Yeah, they changed cowboys for a while. Now it's a whole new ballgame, you know. Threw a whole new monkey wrench into. that that legend.

And but you know, now playing and man, I'm so stoked to see all these new bands. out there and like so many young folks. playing actual instruments, you know. I. felt like for a long time there was so. electronic and DJs and all that stuff, you know, and Well, there's a giant. country comeback that's going on right. now kind of nationwide. I'm sure you. love open the gates. Zach Bryan song? Yeah. That's such a. great bull riding song. >> Man, they got some great tunes, man. Yeah. That's a great bull riding song.

Um but there's um there's so many great. musicians out there now and also who've. lived like. different but very like Charley. Crockett. What a fascinating dude that. guy is. Like just kind of performing on. the streets and Yeah. you know, just. being kind of a vagabond, traveling. around and then. finally catches and and people like, "Damn, this music is [ __ ] great, man." Yeah, like wearing it on their. sleeves, you know, and like and having. the confidence to I think people have.

always been I think there has been. plenty of folks out there, you know, writing from the heart and so to speak. and all of that and you know, having a. certain in integrity to the things that. they're saying and and one of you know, the truth in their speaking into their. songs and things like that and now. there's just a there's a lot more of of. a platform to support them, you know, and and like people like, "Oh, wow, there's a there's a bunch of this stuff. out there, you know.". >> There's also an appreciation for it. because I think we're all. fearful that people like you won't exist.

in the future. Cuz it seems like a guy like you, you. know, bull riding, living on a ranch, like saying songs in bars, like that. almost is like a thing of the past. Oh, very much. >> But it's so romantic to people that like. when we meet a guy like you in real. life, you're like, "Oh, keep him. around." You know, like you want to make. sure that people like you still exist. It's it's a very exciting thing for. people to have a person who's lived an. authentically interesting life. And.

authentically out of the box life. It's. not a normal life. Like you you you're. if you. meet a million people, the odds of you. meeting one guy who used to bull ride. and then started singing in bars with. his friends and was happy living on the. road and now all of a sudden he's on a. [ __ ]. gigantic television show. It's not even one in a million. It's. pretty it's strange cuz sometimes I. you know, I meet people and I you know,

I'm like, "Oh, yeah, I grew up just like. you, you know." And then I realize like. I don't think I did. I kind of have to think about it myself. I was like, "I'm not. >> You rode a bull when you were [ __ ]. 10, dude, okay? Most people when they're. 10, they're playing with GI Joes. Yeah. You know, they're not riding bulls. That's a very unusual setup for the rest. of your life, you know? If you can I. think if you do something's difficult. when you're really young, you you get. accustomed to fear, you get accustomed. to anxiety and nerves and.

the the thing that. I mean, that that is like the mark of a. man. Like, a man is his ability to be in. a very high-stress situation and keep. his [ __ ] together, you know, and to have. gone through a lot of that when you're. very young. Like, riding a bull at 10 is. crazy. To gone through that when you're. very young, it just develops the kind of. character that allows you to kind of do. anything in life. And I think. most men see that, and they wish they.

were like that. I remember a moment, you know, it was really when I was, you know, riding steers, and then I made that. transition to the big bulls, you know. And it wasn't like, "Oh, here's this. like this little steer." And then. there's the in between, and then there's. the big It was like this little steer, and then this big bull, you know. I went. to. It was a junior rodeo in Odessa, Texas, and it was my first year to ride junior. bulls, and um. I entered the. the bull riding. My uncle was there with. me, and uh.

they started running the bulls up into. the chutes, and they were big. They were. like backs that wide, and horns sticking. out inside of the chutes, you know. And. uh they were big, but they didn't they. didn't buck that hard, you know. They. just kind of jump kicked out of there, but they were still big, you know. And. like, I remember like scared, and like. in tears, you know, kind of I was. scared. And uh my uncle, you know, was. super cool about it. He wasn't like, "You have to do this, or you have to do. this." He's like, "Man, whatever you. want to do, you know. You want to pack. it up, we'll. we'll get out of here right now. It's. like, this is either for you, or or it's.

not for you, you know.". And uh I remember just. him telling me, "You want to take like. 20, 30 minutes and just kind of think. about it, and whatever you want to do, we'll we'll make happen, you know.". And I did. I kind of walked around there. for a bit, and. um. I just had this some kind of like I knew. I would regret it if I didn't do it, didn't try it, you know. There was. something in me, where like I mean, cuz. I slept it, I dreamt about it, you know. I just I loved it, and uh. I was like, "No, I'm going to do this, you know." And I put my rope on him and.

had all the support there that I needed. in that moment and they opened the gate. and this big old high horn bull he just. turned and kind of jumped out there real. docile and I think I rode him two or. three jumps and fell off and it was just. like, "I'm the king of the world.". I was like, "I I'm a bull rider now, you. know, I'm not just the steer rider kid, you know." I kind of made that little. and I remember after that. I just. man, I just craved it. Like, just the.

higher they jump, the faster they spin, the better I like it. Really? >> Oh, just yeah, just. dirty ranked. Just run them in there. Let's go. And when I was. when I was little, I maybe when I was like 14 or 15, you. know, the guys were starting to breed. the bulls for like the PBR. Like they. full on started these like breeding. programs, you know. Used to. you could go to a practice pen and, you. know, being an old farmer that had two or. three old bulls that you could get on. and practice and they'd jump around and. just, you know, nothing that was really.

going to hurt you bad, you know. And. then they started breeding these young. bulls. Man, you'd go to the the practice. pen, there'd be 10 or 15 of these like. yearlings that bucked and. they needed somebody to get on them, you. know, like test pilot. And I was the. test pilot. There was a guy named. Bradley Raspberry, I believe, kind of out in Brownwood. I remember. going to his house and. uh. I could ride I could ride. I was pretty. sticky when I was I could ride a lot. better when I was younger than I was. when I got older, you know. For some. reason I just had that no fear or.

whatever that was. And I'd get on 10 or. 15 a day and just. they just kept running them in there, man. They'd be trying to flip over in. the chute and just, you know, they're. young green bulls that were half wild. and and they're just trying to figure. out which ones bucked and which which. ones didn't and they would, you know, they'd get rid of the ones that didn't. buck and keep the ones that did and man, I'd just be like, the wilder they got in. the shoot, like. the more aggressive I got. Like I just. like was like, "Oh, okay. That's what. we're going to do. Come on. Let's go.

Let's Let's do this, you know?". I don't know why. I was nuts, you know? >> God, that's so crazy. That's such a crazy way to live your. life. You know, wild bulls, you say wild like. the ones that are out there in the wild, they're some of the most dangerous. animals that you could ever encounter. Mhm. When they're like they call them. scrub bulls. >> Mhm. Like my buddy um Adam, he lives in. Australia or he used He's moving to. America, but when he lived in Australia, he he said that they would encounter. these scrub bulls, which is like wild.

domestic bulls that got out and started. breeding and then they many generations. later, they're now completely wild. >> like deer out there. Yeah, and they will. run after you. I know these three guys. from Australia that that or several. Australian guys that came over lived in. Stephenville. A lot of these cowboys. have moved to Stephenville cuz it was so. central. It was kind of cowboy capital. there and uh his name was Lance Kelly. He had some brothers and they were from. up there in North Queensland somewhere. and one summer he went back to work and.

then when he came back, he wanted to. he'd tell me about where he was from all. the time, you know, and. I was young curious. I was always. fascinated. I was like, "Wow, you're. from Australia, you know? I've only seen. movies, you know, like the. uh. uh what's it the. Oh, gosh, I'm drawing a blank. >> Crocodile Dundee? >> No, Man from. Man from Snowy River. I don't know which. was a anyway. Um but I was a fascinated. with Australia and him and his brothers. And so he went home and he he had. videotaped a a VHS, you know, you didn't.

have phones back then. It was like the. old cam. VHS tape recorder and he'd video tape or. duct taped it around his body while he. was walking around working on the ranch. and he'd have his four-wheeler and. they're chasing these wild cattle and. rounding them up him and his brother. brothers and. he would just like chase them on a. four-wheeler as long as you know to keep. them running till they got so tired they. couldn't go anymore and then he had this. piece of pipe on there he could run up. behind them and kind of knock them down. and then he'd jump off and tie their. legs together and they would catch a. bunch of them like that and then his.

brother would come by you know later. with a truck and a winch and winch them. up into the trailer and they would catch. all these wild cows like that and and to. be able to see that footage and stuff. and have him tell me how they were doing. it and show me and I was like oh that's. the coolest thing in the world. I want. to go When can I go you know? Australia is such a crazy place man. It. is I mean it's bigger than the United. States and it or the size of the United. States roughly and it has less people. than Los Angeles.

>> And everything will kill you over there. >> Everything will kill you everything. >> spider. >> Every snake crocodiles. They have salt water crocodiles and. giant [ __ ] great white sharks and. like. And hardy people man. >> Yeah. Hardy [ __ ] come from that. place. >> like I feel like Texas and a lot of. folks from Australia are like a bit. kindred spirits. Yes. >> Yeah. I think so too. My buddy James. McCann was on the podcast yesterday. He's a comic out of Australia. And uh. he's from there and he spends time here.

He was living here for a while but he. had to move back cuz he had another kid. And but now he's coming back and forth. and trying to figure He's really. talented. >> He's coming to Austin or what? Yeah he. was living in Austin for a couple years. and and living in America for a couple. years living in Austin for about a year. But you know his wife is about to have. another kid and they just decided to go. back to Australia where she's got. support but man he [ __ ] misses it. He. was here he's like mate I miss it so. much. I miss it so much. Like. I think there's any place like this.

place. Mhm. It's pretty awesome. But Australia it's. like it's the same kind of thing it's. like it's a rugged place and the kind of. people that are that live there they're. fun. They're fun kind of. got a. super [ __ ] up oppressive government, unfortunately. I think it's a lot about. what you say, too. You know, when you. survive certain things. in your life and um. you know, it it it puts things in. perspective of what you're taking. seriously. anymore. What's a what's an emergency? You know, what's Yeah, always this this.

is this is life or death or is it not or. you know, and and. and to be able to laugh at stuff. Man, I. I love you comedians. It's just like, man, to be able to just joke and. cut stuff about the most serious things. or whatever it is. Like, God, we need. that so much, you know. It's an. important service. It doesn't seem like. it is to people cuz it seems stupid. You're like, oh, you're just telling. jokes. Like, not for Well, for me, when. I go and watch a good comedy show, I. feel better. It's medicine. And I think.

it also puts life into perspective. With. a sense of humor, you can kind of look. at things through a different lens and. go, yeah, we're probably going to be all right. I. get a feeling like, you know, I think a. lot of folks have this idea that. songwriters or where you know, especially I you know, have a bunch of. sad songs or whatever to go to that deep. place and you live through stuff that. you write about, but man, I find in. comics, man, I like like I feel like. they're some of the heaviest stuff in. the world that those folks have. experienced to be able to.

you know, come up and tell these kinds. of jokes and stories and the educational. part of it with it, you know, it's so. much I don't know, for me it seems like. it's so much more than just a joke. It. is with some. I mean, some people just. do jokes. It all really depends on your. style, but I mean, if you go back to. like Richard Pryor, his whole thing was. like explaining life and telling. stories, but with an amazing sense of humor. And. then you would leave that and you just. like everybody feels like more united, they feel better. >> Yeah. Just like you you like what. everybody was thinking. Yeah.

It was everybody's thinking, afraid to. say, and also he would look at things. from a very wise perspective that was. also hilarious. So you walked out of. there feeling better. Yeah. You felt. like you were better. Felt like there's. a. uh. bringing some hope. Yeah. You know. Yeah, there's hope in humor. >> Yeah. For sure. But there's hope in. music, too. Yeah. You know, I I don't. have any musical talent at all, but I. always think of music as almost like a. drug. Because music when when a good. song hits, you're like, [ __ ] Like.

you're If you're in the car and a good. tune comes on, like especially back when. I used to listen to the radio, >> Mhm. you know, and like you didn't. expect what was coming on and all of a. sudden it's "Radar Love". >> Yeah, all of a sudden it's "Radar Love". by Golden Ear and you're like, [ __ ]. yeah, let's go. >> Yeah. Like you you feel different. It. like changes your mood. Like a You hear. like "Free Bird", like you're flipping. through the channels and the [ __ ]. guitar solo for "Free Bird" comes on, YOU'RE LIKE, YES. >> MHM. You feel better. Like it it excites.

all these parts of your senses, your. consciousness, your feelings. It's. It's a drug. I mean, it's an amazing. thing. >> real therapeutic for me. At the very. beginning, like I. Like I said, I didn't have a high. expectations, but I. I knew when I. kind of wrote some of the first songs. that I wrote and I like got some of that. stuff off my chest, like it changed me, you know. Yeah? It like. it became a tool that all of a sudden I. had access to this thing that like.

was helping me heal in a way. Like I. could get I could get stuff off my. chest, like the things that it uh. I was uncomfortable talking about in. conversation with folks. Like I could. put them into a song and like sing them. to the wall. Ooh. And I was just like. getting that stuff out. Like there. wasn't anybody in the room. I was just. like. you know, but I was getting this stuff out out of. me, you know. And it's also a way for. people to hear it where it's not. annoying. Mhm. You know what I mean? Like if you just tell some sad story. about your life, people are like, oh. jeez, I get it. >> we go.

Cry me a river, kid. Everybody's got a. story. But, if you have a sad story in a. song, it's like [ __ ] it's kind of. it's beautiful. Like, I love a good sad. song. You know, a song that has like real. emotion in it, whether it's a real story. or whether like one of my favorite. Colter Wall songs is Kate McCannon. Yeah. Jamie turned me on to that song. He He. sent it to me. >> man. Colter is a gem. He was [ __ ] 21. when he made that song, which is crazy.

Yeah. You listen to that song, that. sounds like a 58-year-old man who's been. smoking cigarettes his whole life. Yeah. And that dude is interesting, too, cuz. he still works on a ranch. Yeah. Yeah. He's a great guy. He's one of my. favorites of the younger guys that have. come up and been doing this. He's just. um. I same way when I first heard those. first songs, I was like, who the who the. [ __ ] is this? Like, you know? Then you. saw then I saw like a picture of him and. I was like, oh man, he's a kid, you. know? Crazy. And I just.

a. fabulous Raise your right hand if you're. a wicked bird. You hear that, you're. like, what is this? Yeah. What Who is this guy? And when I. couldn't believe he was 21. I'm like, that makes zero sense. Yeah. He's got it though, man. And there. there's a bunch of them out there now. that I'm hearing, too. There's just like. I'm like, man, how cool, you know? How cool. I'm so glad that they're. getting a shot at it or just getting the. support. I don't I don't know if it's. like getting a shot at it, but it's like.

getting the the love and support that. they deserve for the It's good music, man. Yeah, it's great. Great music and. there's a thing now with the internet. where it's so easy to share something. Mhm. You know, like someone's got a good. song and it's on YouTube or Spotify and. then you just send a link to your buddy. You go, bro, check this out. Like, I I. got to say like half the songs I find. out about my friends just send me. Mhm. >> And then all of a sudden I'm like, oh. [ __ ] Yeah. Then then add it to my. playlist, you know? It's like it's easy. to share things now where you don't have.

to go to the record store and pick up. the record and you know, now it's just. like within seconds of you getting it in. your phone, you're listening to it. >> Yeah. And it's easier to record the. stuff, too, you know? It's like you. don't need a. half a million bucks in a studio and all. that stuff. It's like, man, half the. stuff you can record on your phone. >> Look at Oliver Anthony. Yeah. One [ __ ] song. >> Yeah. One song and the first show he. ever does is like 18,000 people. That's. the first show that dude ever performed.

at. >> Yeah. I feel for him. I would never have. been able to do that when I started, you. know? Like I would he's not prepared for. anything like that. And I, you know, I. don't know, maybe they're not. I But. that's a lot of He settled in, man. >> He settled in pretty easy. He figured it. out. He's a smart cat. >> Yeah. He's a really smart dude and he. settled in really easy. >> they have to, you know? I mean, I always. think like, you know, cuz it's changed. so much since I started out, you know? I. mean, we didn't even have like.

you know, if you wanted to learn how to. play a song, you kind of had to go. listen to the record and just try to. figure it out, you know? And rewind it. Now there's like, oh, here's a guy. that'll just show you every note and. this and. >> Yeah, there's a guy on YouTube that'll. show you exactly where to place your. fingers. >> you know? And that took me years to. figure out, you know? And. but you know, maybe that is like today, you know, these guys, it's uh. they're learning how to do it at such a. quicker rate and like they know how to. handle the crowds and do all the stuff. and it's just like, boom, there you. there you go. Well, that's with. everything today. >> Yeah. You know, I think that's also why.

like um I mean, in martial arts and like. UFC, there's a reason why the guys are. so much better today. And it's because. they get to see everything that. everybody's ever done and then they. practice it and improve upon it and they. get it at at a year early age. You can. essentially just on your phone watch. every fight that's ever taken place ever. in human history that's been recorded. I. did that on the road a few years ago. I. mean. I've still I've always been a pretty. rudimentary guitar player, you know, I. can't solo all over the place and all of.

that stuff and. I think it was like 2019 last I put out. out a record and I was going on a tour. and my friend Charlie Sexton produced. the album. He's a wonderful guitar. player and Charlie Sexton, the guy from. the from the 80s Beat So Lonely, that. guy? >> Played with I remember that song. Dylan, played Arcangels. >> like really young when Beat So Lonely. came out, right? >> yeah, legend. And I remember calling him. though. I was like, "Man, I really want. to get better at the guitar, you know?". And he's like, "Well, just listen to all. the stuff that you really like, you.

know?" He's like, "Don't try to play it. all note for note." He says, "I'll just. keep listening to it and like you'll. start eventually finding those places. and develop your style and. but it was when I when I got on the road. as well, man, I had access on. YouTube Right. all of my favorite. musicians and guitar players and I just. kind of made a point of sitting down and. I even found this guy that was just. breaking down and giving simple blues. guitar lessons for kids. I was like, "Now this is great. Never done anything. like this." And just like went through I. went back, you know? Right. I got to.

memorize all the notes on the fretboard. and I needed you know, and it was just. it was so much I had so much fun doing. it. And. you know, and also give confidence to. get up and jam with other musicians and. play and and kind of know what key. you're in, what what you're doing and uh. uh. you know, I went years you know, without. having any kind of lessons or training. and then I just like within. 3 weeks of being on tour and watching. YouTube videos of it just stepped it up. so much. They're like, "How'd you learn how to do. that?" I was just 20 about 20 years. later in my career I decided to learn.

how to play the guitar on YouTube. It is amazing. I mean, that's the. positive part of the internet, you know? If you can avoid the negative parts, there's a lot of great positive stuff in. the internet and the access to stuff. like that is amazing. Yeah, off we all. could just avoid Or of everything, right? Well, there unfortunately there's a lot. of people that don't have good lives and. they do have a lot of extra time because. they're not really investing in their. own life. So, they're just spreading. negativity online. And it's just human nature. Wild wild.

world. It is. It's a wild world, but. it's also a wildly positive world, too. Just what you just said about the guitar. stuff. >> Mhm. >> Or with the Oliver Anthony stuff. I. mean, this guy. standing there with a guitar in front of. a field with no production value at all, but has a song that he's singing from. the heart. Like how many how many views. is that [ __ ] have on YouTube? It's got to be like. 100 million views or something nuts. I mean, that song was [ __ ] gigantic.

>> Yeah. Rich Men North of. >> Mhm. I remember my wife playing it for. me for the first time and I was just. like, "What the I was like, "What is. that?" And she's like, "Oh man, check. this out." You know, I was like. that's so [ __ ] red. Yeah, I got a. chance to see him perform live, too, with his band. They're [ __ ]. fantastic. And he's settled he's. completely settled into being famous. now. He's he's full he's cool with it. >> Yeah. He's still the same dude. Mhm. I. met him real early on and I actually. talked to him on the phone. How many was. it got 236 million?

>> Holy [ __ ]. Wow. >> say like he's settled, did was he I. didn't know that. Was he having a hard. time with it? >> freaking out at the beginning. And I. contacted him early on and he said, "Hey, can I ask you some advice?" And we. talked on the phone. I said, "Yeah, sure." So, I called him up and he was. just telling me that he was getting hit. up by all these different people that. were trying to give him money to sign a. contract and this and that. I go, "Hey, hey, hey. Don't sign nothing." I go, "You don't need nobody. You don't need. to be locked up in any contracts with.

nobody." And he was like, "They're all. telling me I got to strike while the. iron's hot." I'm like, "Fuck them." I. go, "You got talent, dude. Talent is the. number one thing. You already have that. You're going to be fine. You just keep. making songs like that, you can't. [ __ ] lose. But what you don't want to. do is be tied with some legal contract. to some [ __ ] just sucking you like a. vampire. And they're going to be stuck. with you for years, and then you're. going to have to go to court to get out. of that [ __ ] Exactly. Yeah, you have.

the opportunity like like you said, you. just man, you're writing good songs, you're doing good stuff, and you have a. way to give it to the people. But he's. getting offered $7 million to sign this. I'm like, "Don't do it." I know it. sounds like but that $7 million they're. giving you that cuz they're going to. make 14. There's not a chance in hell. and you don't need them. You don't need. them. You should get all the money. You. should get all all. You You shouldn't. give any money to anybody else. You. don't need it. You can make your own. records, you can put it all together. yourself, you don't need nobody. I guess you always got to remember.

they're they're going to buy for one, sell for two, or something like that. >> Yeah, exactly. It's There's no way. they're going to give you that money. unless they're going to make a lot more. And then you're going to get stuck with. them. Don't do it. And he's like, "They're all telling me I got to do it. now cuz if I miss this opportunity." I'm. like, "You ain't missing [ __ ] You ain't. missing There's not a chance you're. going to miss it.". >> Especially when you're that young, you. know. >> Yeah, and good. And just [ __ ] good. Who knows what they're going to be, you. know, be writing in the next 10 years, you know. >> Yeah. Have you heard that song Woman. Scorned? I haven't, no.

Is that one of his new ones? He wrote that one after a breakup, and. it's just wow. You hear that [ __ ] it just gets you. right in the the bone marrow. >> Yeah, get you. >> Yeah, it's fantastic. It's so good. But. it's just like, you know, it's it's a. beautiful story. And I love a story like. that. When he was like selling uh like. he was selling like uh heavy equipment. Like he was a salesman, just like. [ __ ] machinery and [ __ ] And then. writing songs, and he gets fed up one. day and he puts this song Let's make a.

video of this [ __ ] song. Yeah. And. then all of a sudden, boom. And people ask me all the time, they're. like, "Man, do you think's you know, the. best young songwriter out there, you. know, musician, or guitar player? I'm like, man, I don't know. It's. probably some 16-year-old kid in the. garage that nobody's heard of. That's. probably the best guy out there, you. know. >> And he's ready to jump off. >> Yeah, and he going to hit you with some. song that just. you know, crushes you. Yeah. They're out. there. Mhm. It's just but that's the. thing that I was saying about guys like.

you that people look at guys like you. and it's such a romantic story. They. worry that there's not going to be any. more of you. Mhm. You know what I mean? Like with this weird digital world and. AI and. just. this strange [ __ ] life that we're. we're all living like now that are. not I wouldn't want to say simple cuz. it's not simple, but it's unencumbered. by all the [ __ ] of the the world. that we think is fake and unfortunate. >> Yeah. >> Like to to have this pure life and this.

wild romantic story. When people meet a. guy like you, they're like, man, there probably ain't going to be. many more of them. I don't know, man. I mean, like I mean, look at this guy, you know? And guys are. kind I feel so fortunate, too. Like. when I did come to Austin like in my, you know, mid-20s, you know, I met guys. like Joe Ely and Terry Allen and uh. Guy Clark and like these little Steve. Earle, legendary kind of guys that I. looked up to. And I remember being young.

then and being like, oh man, you know, these these are the guy last guys left, you know. >> Right. >> So, you know, I don't know. There's so many of these. young folks out there doing it that I. think. uh crave it. And they're that's what. they're interested in. They wouldn't. want to hear play that music, you know, they want to feel that stuff. So, I'm. optimistic about it, but I can. I can definitely is a different world. out there these days. Not and I you. know, even for myself, you know, just. going with the flow and like, well,

where are we going tomorrow, You know, how is this How Like I have no idea how. so much of this social media stuff is. working or what, you know, and how you. put out an album or songs and then it's. like. don't worry about all that jazz. Just. like just keep writing. Yeah. >> Just keep writing, keep making it and. Just be undeniable. Man, at the end of. the day if all of that stuff disappears. like. you know, you can always go. sit on the sidewalk and put your tip jar. out there and play a song for people who. are walking down the street and I.

guarantee you there's going to be. somebody that's going to stop and. appreciate it, you know? >> Well, that's what got Charley Crockett. started out. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> I've had plenty of gigs where like, you. know, you go into some bar and the. you know, what my wife always says, go. where you're celebrated not where you're. tolerated, you know? You go into some bar and they kind of. you can tell they don't really want, you. know, they're not excited about you. playing or whatever. Like, you know, [ __ ] I'll just go I'll go park in the. parking lot across the street and sit on. the tailgate of my truck and play and. we'll have a party over there, you know? Yeah. That is the crazy thing about music.

Yeah. You could just kind of set up. anywhere. >> need all that stuff you like talking. about that's signing contracts and deals. and all that. It's like, man, just like. you got that guitar in your hand and you. got your song. you know, hold on to it. Yeah. It's. pretty and protect it, you know, that's. what's it's. something that's that's special to you. I think when I talk about the therapy of. song writing where I said that's what. it's. I hold on and protect that ruthlessly. You know, I'm I'm not just giving that. away, you know, and that's more that. part of it's way more important than uh.

selling an album or a concert ticket or. going on the road touring and all that, man. Like what I get out of music is. like when I'm sitting at home in a room. all by myself. and letting myself pour out of me and. I'm just. just singing it to the wall, like that's. what's saved my life, you know? That's. awesome. And any of the rest of it. I'm. glad that you articulated that way, too, because I think there's young. aspiring songwriters and singers out.

there that are listening to this right. now that are feeling this and they just. can't wait to get to a pad right now and. start writing. Get pick up their guitar. and start writing. Cuz it's like stories. like yours and the way you express it it. it it inspires people to get excited. about it. Inspires people to really dig. in. I hope so, you know, I definitely had. folks that mentored me like that and you. know, steered me in the right direction. in a lot of ways. Terry Allen, the guy. definitely I just like man just keep.

writing. Keep, you know, and then. whatever it whatever that's making you. want to do that in the first place, you. know, like that like hold on to that, you know, and protect it and and the. rest will all be always be around and. it'll always come and it'll change and a. a good song will. survive and find its way just like the. guy, you know, that song you just played. me like you said 200 million people here. and just. it'll it'll find its way, you know. >> Yeah. Find it'll find it'll find its way. into people's hearts, you know. Yeah. And and like I said, it's just.

it's important for people like you to. tell your story. Really is. It's it's. fuel for people. Thanks. Thank you for being here. I really. appreciate it. It was a lot of fun. I. really enjoyed it. Uh and tell everybody. they want to find you performing. anywhere where they can catch you. You. got a website that shows where you're. going to be at everywhere? >> All over the interwebs. Yeah, it's all. out there. Is it do you have your own. personal website? I do. It's probably. just ryanbingham.com or. binghammusic.com, something like that.

Got all the tour dates. >> are up there. Yeah. Do you use social. media at all? Yeah, we're on all this I mean all this. stuff. >> attention to it or you got somebody that. does it for you? >> Both. We both, yeah. Like mostly like on. Instagram I pay attention to that one, you know, and check in and stuff like. that. There's so much of it these days I. was like I can't keep up with all of it. Yeah, you know. It it'll rob your time. Yeah. I'm trying I'm trying to go get. away where all that stuff's turned off. That's where I'm going to find me. Beautiful. All right. Thanks, brother. Appreciate it. It was a lot of fun.

Thank you. Appreciate it. Bye, buddy.