My Pop Five
My Pop Five
Dylan Glatthorn: The Beatles, Sondheim's "Assassins" , Laura Marling's "Once I Was An Eagle", Jurassic Park, and "There Will Be Blood"
What makes a composer tick? In this absorbing conversation with Dylan Glatthorn, we explore the unexpected creative influences that have shaped his musical identity. From a shy child with a toy piano to an accomplished composer for theater, film, and television, Dylan's journey reveals how early artistic experiences can profoundly shape a creative career.
Dylan takes us back to his childhood in Tampa Bay, where The Beatles served as the "connecting glue" between his parents' different musical tastes – especially meaningful after their divorce. This early exposure to melodic innovation established his appreciation for music that balances emotional vulnerability with technical precision, a hallmark of his own compositional approach.
The conversation delves into the nuanced storytelling of Sondheim's "Assassins," which captivated Dylan with its ability to navigate morally complex territory while balancing serious themes with sharp comedy. Similarly, Laura Marling's album "Once I Was an Eagle" demonstrates the power of music that is "both tender and subtle but also big and heartbreakingly forward" – a quality Dylan strives for in his own work.
When discussing Spielberg's "Jurassic Park," Dylan analyzes how John Williams' score enhances the story without overpowering it, while Paul Thomas Anderson's "There Will Be Blood" showcases Johnny Greenwood's experimental approach to film music. These contrasting influences reflect Dylan's versatility as a composer who can move between traditional melodic structures and more innovative techniques.
Throughout our conversation, Dylan articulates a creative philosophy centered on authenticity: "Keep writing what you like, not what you think other people will like." This principle guides his current project "The Pelican," a musical about a coastal Florida town facing complete destruction from an approaching hurricane. Whether you're a fellow creator or simply curious about the artistic process, this episode offers valuable insights into how diverse influences coalesce into a unique creative voice.
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We'll see you next time. But until then, what's your Pop Five?
All right, everyone, we are back with another episode of my Pop Five. We are here with an incredible composer, lyricist, musician, dylan Glathorn. Thank you so much for joining Dylan. We had a pleasure of working together recently on one of your projects and I'm so thankful for that. Thank you for turning the favor and coming on the show. We're so excited to have you. Yeah, ryan, thanks for having me, of course, audience Dylan as a phenomenal composer. He's worked on TV, film, commercials, theater, quite a bit, and the project that I was just alluding to is a musical that you actually wrote, which is phenomenal. But before we kind of get into it, what we do to start the show for everyone is have them run through what their pot five is, with no comment, no context. So, dylan, if you've got it handy, what is your pot five?
Speaker 2:Sure, just pulled it up again, which again I kind of told you. This is so tricky because I'm like, wow, how broad do I go? And like, but I ran these five by my wife a couple days ago and she's like, yeah, that, that kind of. That's you in a nutshell. Those are good, Good. So, the Beatles okay, sometimes musical assassins. Laura Marling's album once I was an eagle, the movie, the movie Jurassic Park and the movie there will be blood.
Speaker 1:Amazing man. I think one of the cool things, especially with people that have gotten I've gotten to know even just a little bit one of my favorite things to do when I see their pot five is there are sometimes little pieces that I could be like, okay, I can see that, I can see how that reflects in their work. And then there's always those surprises that I'm like how the heck is this going to weave into what we're talking about? And so, yeah, I'm excited to get into it. But before we kind of start going down the list there, I'm curious to have the audience know a bit more about your background. I know you started out your life and career and just growing up in the St Pete area and so why don't you give people at least a brief rundown of your background and kind of how you got started into this world?
Speaker 2:Oh, my goodness sure. So I was a shy little only child that my parents were afraid wasn't going to talk to anyone, and they got me a little keyboard I actually I forget which is first, either a keyboard or my my grandpa got me a little toy piano and I started playing songs by ear, like off the radio. They're like, hey, something that he shows interest in. So yeah, started giving me piano lessons and that kind of broke me out of my shell a bit and I joined this little song and dance troupe called pizzazz. You know we went around nursing homes and stuff and performed just in the Tampa Bay area.
Speaker 1:What age is?
Speaker 2:this, this. You know I did that from like five till I was probably 11.
Speaker 1:Wow, that's awesome.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and then and then by that point I kind of learned about this performing arts magnet school. I had kind of learned about this performing arts magnet school they call them magnet schools down there because they kind of attract people from around the county so we bussed in from, like it was, the North County kids and we went South County so I had to catch the bus at 4.55 in the morning. Middle know, middle school, high school, but that's kind of where I met a lot of like my friends that I still know today. We all you know had different majors.
Speaker 2:I was piano major sixth grade and then I became a musical theater major and kind of stuck with that through high school and then we all kind of moved up to either New York and moved out to LA, kind of moved up to either New York and moved out to LA and I decided to go to. I got into NYU for music composition and so came up here for undergrad and then took a year off and then I kind of realized I wanted to study film scoring because I've been doing musical theater all my life. I'm like you know, a lot of my friends are becoming directors. Film scoring seems to be the same idea as like writing for stories, writing for characters. So I went back, got my master's in film scoring and that's kind of what set the bar for today.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's interesting, you know, especially when you're talking about like those early inceptions of just being like thrown a toy piano or a kid piano to kind of just like that is the impetus for what ends up being the rest of your life in some ways. Was that a like a familial thing? Was there music going on in the family? Or was that a bit of just like hey, you know, we're trying all these things, we're trying sports, we're trying this, we're trying that, and here's a piano is one of those things, you know?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think it was just a piano is one of these things. Like my dad isn't, you know, musical at all, he likes to say oh, you know, I play the spoons as a joke, but the man cannot play the spoons as a, as a drummer, percussionist, you know like people say that, but like playing the spoons is very difficult. Yeah, yeah, and you know, my, my great grandma was a concert pianist. My grandma on my mom's side was in an Andrew Sisters-style trio when she was a kid, but her parents were like you can't do this as a career and it kind of made her stop. So there is a history back, but in terms of my parents, no, they're not really musical.
Speaker 1:No, it makes sense. I was kind of a similar situation. You know, no one was really musical. My family, hey, I liked watching sports and my family was like big sports family. But I would like they would ask me, hey, what was your favorite part of the soccer game today?
Speaker 1:and I'm like the snack at halftime, you know like that capri sun really hit you know, uh, but but you know, once I kind of got introduced into the music world, it kind of just, you know, took off from there and when you find your thing, you find your thing Exactly yeah, yeah, but with with all of that, I think you know in your story you also kind of spoke about, you know, getting to school and things like that and one of the things I was surprised wasn't on your pot five and we will talk about the things that were there. But I saw in your background was the, the Minkin scholarships and like the impact that he has had both directly and indirectly on your life.
Speaker 2:So I was surprised that he wasn't here on the list as well, I know, yeah, I mean going through like kind of the people and things that didn't make the cut Really tricky. But yeah, mankin Alan Mankin obviously had a huge impact on songwriting and also just like helping me get through undergrad and grad school, of like paying for a huge portion of that with his scholarship, so awesome Well let's get into the things that are actually here.
Speaker 1:I do want to start with the Beatles. They are everyone knows the Beatles. They are super impactful, but I also think one of the reasons that that's the case is because I think everyone also. As much as they are pretty universal, they are also very intimate and personal in terms of the relationship that people have with the Beatles, and so I'm curious what was your introduction of the Beatles? Why was it so impactful for you?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I was really hesitant to put the Beatles. Why was it so impactful for you? Yeah, I was really hesitant to to put the Beatles because it's almost it's beyond cliche at this point, like it was. It was cliche 70 years ago, um, but the Beatles really were, in terms of like musical influence, next to the only thing that I listened to up until age like eight.
Speaker 2:I feel like and and what's interesting. I feel like it's the center of the Venn diagram of what my mom's and dad's influences were and what they would kind of you know, play for me. You know, my mom was really into like early Beatles, like pre-Rubber, soul, and then the later Beatles. I feel like is more, more my dad, who is more like big into Jimi Hendrix, led Zeppelin. Yeah, I just feel like that was always the thing that we could. We could kind of like connect on as like a family and my, my parents got divorced when I was in sixth grade and even more, so it was kind of interesting. They would each independent, independently play you know their influences, and the beatles every time was always kind of like the connecting glue yeah, would.
Speaker 1:Do you remember any specific tunes or or things that like originally hooked you? I know my experience when I was first getting into music, into records, even really young is like I would do the thing where I find a song and then I repeat it till it. You know makes everyone crazy. Yeah. So I don't know if there was something you know hard day's night or something caught you and you're like this, is it? You know I'm stuck on this song or anything like that. Yeah.
Speaker 2:I feel like there was always like a different different song for each. You know era Chapter. Yeah, there was always like a different different song for each. You know era after yeah, and I can't remember. You know I get them all mixed up because it was. They were all when I was so young but like I remember I'm looking through you on rubber soul, that was. That was a big like repeat song I'm looking through you.
Speaker 3:Where did you go? I thought I knew you. What did I know you don't?
Speaker 2:look different just because you know it's. It's always pretty clear to pick out who wrote which one, even even in the lennon mccartney where you're like, oh, they both wrote together. It's always pretty clear to pick out who wrote which one, even even in the lennon mccartney where you're like oh, they both wrote it together.
Speaker 2:It's like, yeah, but you know this is clearly a john song or it's clearly a paul, and that one I feel like is I, even to this day I always forget. I'm like, wait, it's a paul one, because super melodic, right. And then I'm like, well, wait, is it a harrison one? Because I feel like I saw it being a harrison sometime. I don't know, but like it, kind of that song hooks me just because it's super melodic but also super percussive. And these are kind of elements that I still gravitate towards to this day Super like groovy, you know, percussion based but still melodic, and you know falling somewhere in between like cool and having your heart on your sleeve but not being too corny but still being emotional, you know, and riding that balance, I don't know. That's one that stuck with me for a while.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's interesting to hear you talk about it because I think that there's some people, the way they kind of feel or receive music first sometimes starts from like an instrument, instrumental standpoint, and others it's like lyrically. And you actually hit both kind of in your description there and I think in your work as a composer and a lyricist you know you you have to have that focus on both. And so I'm curious if, even at that age, if you were just like just as into one over the other, or if there was points that you were maybe more drawn to lyricism versus you know what was happening instrumentally, or has it always kind of been that combination for you, I think, if I, if I had to pick gravitating towards one, it would always.
Speaker 2:It would always come down to music over over lyrics, which in a Beatle sense I would say puts me in the Paul camp over John, because I feel like Paul always gravitates more towards the music and John always more towards the lyricism. I'll always go for something that fits a good melody over something you know that doesn't suffice the lyric. But then ultimately, you know, try and try and find the balance.
Speaker 1:I, I would say if, if there was a scale, it would be like leans more 60, 40, yeah, and, and it's, it's crazy because all of them were such good lyricists as well, you know, you know, for a while, when I weirdly my college offered a beatles class when I was getting my music degree, one of my music electives was a beatles class. You, know, and everything that was. You know, what was hipster for me at the time was to say I was a george guy, you know, because everyone was yeah, john and paul.
Speaker 1:You know my wife, my wife always said she was a george guy and I still gravitate to that in some ways, like something, and while my guitar gently weeps and like there's some of my favorite songs ever, you know, I also like, when I go back and revisit, it's just like it's so clear like, even though Paul might not even be the most popular one, like everything that they did was just so innovative for that time.
Speaker 1:And I think it can feel corny sometimes now you know I'm putting corny in air quotes right in hindsight but it's also like, if you're comparing to what was happening at that time, there's so much of it that was like. It feels corny now because everyone tried to, you know, iterate off of that for everything we've ever heard ever since, and it's like you're losing, like what was very unique and creative at that time. So I've gained so much more respect for, I think, a lot of the early stuff and, you know, the Paul heavy stuff. Because of that, you know, because it's just like you're reminding yourself that like, oh yeah, all these things that followed were because of what paul was doing and what the beatles were doing with the music at that time so yeah, and even later.
Speaker 2:So you know it's, it's um, it's easy to put paul into like the, the corny camp sometimes, and rightfully so. Sometimes he goes, he goes a little cheesy, um, but like he was also pushing the, you know, helter, skelter, right, and yeah, certainly he was like trying to make it go metal, you know, and and like I don't know so, and and john, even like I feel like john has his moments in early beatles where he can get a little corny or whatnot. So like they, they both, they both, they contain multitudes in their own right. I feel like that was the beautiful thing about their collaboration, right, they kept pulling each other in these different directions.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and it's why there was friction too. You know, cause you have those people who are such incredible creatives. You're going to have rub as you're trying to innovate and do these different things, you know. But like you hear it, I mean they even the ways they compliment each other, like the famous one day in the life you know how it transitions from John to Paul and the innovation there and all the production ways that they were pushing it in that area.
Speaker 2:It's just really, and that's a funny thing Cause, like, even though, again, even though I say like in general, general I'm more of a Paul guy, that's a song where I'm like, eh, I don't really need Paul's bridge.
Speaker 3:I kind of wish it just stuck with.
Speaker 2:John's made the grade and, though the news was wrong, woke up, fell out of bed, dragged a comb across my head, found the way downstairs and drank a cup and looking up, like it holds and as I got older, like I've come to appreciate it more and like what it does, like adding adding a bit of sweetness to the salty and like I don't know. That's that's what I always try to do too with everything, what I always appreciate in general it's like if something's sweet, I never want it to be too sweet. Like add a little salt to it, add something that makes it it. You know, I hate to say gritty, because gritty itself is like a kind of like corny word now, but like something that like gunks it up a bit.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and what's interesting with that tune too? What I generally gravitate towards in music is like, yeah, the opening of that song. I'm like I could sit in this forever and you could give me 52 verses and I would love it if it was the same vibe. At the same time, I'm like I believe that and maybe I only feel that way because it's cut short it's like that, leaving you wanting more type of mentality. If they actually did just do that vibe from beginning to end, would it be something I go back to and listen to as much as I do. It's. It's crazy how just influential they are. And then when I was, I mentioned that class and like I went back and like revisited I have some old notebooks, you know, and like I went back and looked at them before we talked and I'm just like I'm reminded like when I was kind of going through that, like the short timeframe that they did all of this in, you know, there was all this innovation in, like you know, 10, 12 years or something like that. It's like crazy.
Speaker 2:Not even yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so it's. It's wild Just the ways they were able to just change the world Literally.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm curious has anybody else, any of your other guests, put the Beatles?
Speaker 1:So that's a good question. Yeah, so I was just about to say that whenever you brought it up, that like it's a pretty typical. But no, we've done. This is now our fourth season and you're the first person who's put the Beatles, so it's scary, I'm like cause I kind of went through.
Speaker 2:I'm like nobody's put the Beatles. I'm S I'm scared too Cause it's so obvious, but like I'm just going to do it Cause it's true, you know it's it's it's being truthful.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and yeah, I mean, and it makes sense, I think, in terms of how it relates to the work that you do. Right, there's so much you can learn and just be inspired by, and I think you know some people view inspiration specifically in like the art world, to mean that like there's something there that made you go write your first novel or write your first score. But sometimes inspiration is enough to be like it makes me want to keep listening to new records or it makes me just want to keep having, you know, experiencing music, and that can be, you know, enough to completely change your life in so many ways too.
Speaker 2:So yeah, I'm even now, just as we're talking more about the Beatles and thinking about like early Beatles, they're even like innovative things that they would do, like simply innovative things where, like in, we Can Work it Out, where it goes from like 4-4 to 3-4, you know, that kind of like rhythmic modulation at the end of the chorus, and like these are things that, but, and yet it feels inevitable. Back to that, I, subconsciously, where I'm like, okay, how can I complicate this? But not complicated in a way where it's like, oh, I'm making it like confusing, for right. No, I'm making it like in a way that's adding to the narrative, that's adding to whatever the storytelling is for this, but doing it in a way that that feels inevitable.
Speaker 1:Yeah and it feels right. Like you, you almost wouldn't even be able to tell. You know, I I think the the thing that really gets people with like mixed meter stuff or weird changes like that is like when a person who knows nothing about music can tell something's a little off with this, like that's what you don't want. You know, everyone loves here comes the sun and don't realize that there's weird 13, eight bars in the middle of it or 118 or whatever it is. You know, and it's just like. You know, if you can make it so that everyone's just dancing along and humming along and no one can know, the better, like that's. That's the goal.
Speaker 2:Exactly.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I love it. So I know you said it's, it evolves, but you know you got to ask cause, like I said, everyone's in there. So who would you say is your favorite Beatle? Then, at this point, at this time in your life, I, I would just have to go back to paul paul mccartney yeah, I know there's.
Speaker 2:There's something about the way he writes that feels very close to home, like even in you know, I'm sure you watched the the get back documentary, the sixth part, and uh, you know, for, for all of his can we? Yeah, for all of his assholishness that at times it seemed like there was still something like and I'm sure at this point they were, all you know, at each other's throats and, like you know, had their own assholishness, but like there was still something that I connected to, where I was like he's just in the jam and like trying to come up with the oh, what about this, let's you know? And like that kind of creative spirit that I'm just like, yeah, that's that that feels right to me.
Speaker 1:Yeah, in in most documentaries too that I've seen, or even like some of the films that they've done, like you know, the like silly movies and stuff that they made in in correlation with like the help record and stuff like that. Well, it's unspoken. Paul was really seemingly like the leader, really trying to push things forward almost in every instance. Of course the others were creative and writing songs and making a huge input, but in terms of actually logistically trying to move a record forward or a production forward every time, it seemed like Paul was the catalyst for that, which is so valuable when you have all those creative minds trying to do something. Yeah, totally agree.
Speaker 3:Good choice, then how about you still george?
Speaker 1:that's what I was just gonna say.
Speaker 2:I was like, as we were talking, I wanted to say john, but um, my heart's still pulling me to george I love it I think, just because some of my favorite songs ever are are ones he wrote, so I'll listen to something probably a hundred times a year, you know, yeah, yeah, it's just like so good and I would say george is somebody that I've really come around to as I've gotten older, like, and his songs are just like, I agree, gorgeous and yeah, and maybe in a way that an eight-year-old dylan couldn't fully connect to, but but now a 30 something, dylan can connect to.
Speaker 1:I think what gets me the most and this may be like sacrilege a little bit, but is that, I think what hurt George a little bit or some of those songs is, I think, some of the way the production choices and how those have aged and where I really see a lot of the George songs really shine is when they're covered, you know, and it's like when I hear someone else sing or perform while my guitar gently weeps, you know, I think of like that at his tribute concert, when everyone are doing those songs. You know, after he passed, you know, of course there's the moment of Prince just fucking shredding, you know but as.
Speaker 1:Tom Petty singing, or just like whenever that movie came out across the universe, you know, and hearing some of the songs in there, I'm like, oh, I hear so much more of the beauty of the song, like when they're covered, and so that's why I'm like maybe it was like just some of the production elements that just like may have rubbed people different ways about his songs too. Yeah, oh, I love that. So I always say, like, the true test of the song is like when it's covered, is it just as impactful? You know?
Speaker 2:I. I think that's the case for any art form going back to like shakespeare. Shakespeare's work has lived on for so long because people are able to like reinterpret it, like figure out new ways to to perform it and everything. 500 years on, and we're still having shakespeare festivals. And it's like it's when you get too precious with an artist and like, oh no, it's like this is the definitive way. You know, don't cover it, don't change it, don't, don't mess with the, you know the chords don't mess with no all chords.
Speaker 2:No, don't change with the lyrics. That's when you you know, an artist dies because it needs to continually evolve and transform. And people reinterpreting yeah totally.
Speaker 1:I mean, it's funny that you say that, because I just did an interview last week with someone and they put like Baz Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet on there, you know, and that one has so many like, that one is iterative in terms of like completely taking a different spin, but just like it works, you know. Yeah.
Speaker 2:I'm not going to lie, that's probably like top 30. There's a world where that could have made in my top five, my top five.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so it's cool. Like you're saying, it works in generations and like those moments and those scenes and the dialogue, like regardless of what's around it or who the actor is, it works. So, yeah, cool. Well, let's move on to the next one here. I hadn't seen this show in years and years, but when I'm back and listening to the soundtrack it kind of took me back. But sonheim's assassins were hitting the musical theater world, so tell me what is it that inspired you?
Speaker 1:what did you love about this? How are you introduced to this musical? Oh my, goodness.
Speaker 2:So first off question for you yeah, which recording did you listen to?
Speaker 1:I listened to the original Awesome Good.
Speaker 2:And that's the one that I feel like I connected with the most. There was a Neil Patrick Harris version that when it came out I was just like, oh, this is all wrong now. And then they just recently redid it one or two years ago and it's phenomenal because I feel like they reconnected to the roots again. But my introduction to this musical was in high school. There was an older kid that was doing it as a senior projects. Every senior had to pick a musical or a play to do as kind of like our thesis project, right, and you would draw from underclassmen to be in it. So you're putting on the full production high school has kind of changed the.
Speaker 2:I don't think there are senior projects anymore because you had it where, like the rich kids could put on the better production and like get sets and everything. But it just I remember learning this material and and talk about cliches. You know, like, if the Beatles are the cliche for, like you know pop rock, every. You know, like Sondheim's the cliche for, like you know musical theater composers and I think for a long time there was part of me that didn't connect to Sondheim. And even like in like I don't know if, if you were to say, well, who's your biggest like musical theater composer influence, I don't know if my gut would say Sondheim, even though I feel like so many of his shows are in my top 10, you know, like Assassin Sweeney Todd, west Side Story, which he wrote the lyrics to, but in particular Assassins.
Speaker 2:And again, just doing this has made me figure out things that I gravitate towards. In everything it's like there's something that's profoundly serious about the subject matter and the material, and yet it's so serious that when there's comedy in it it's the funniest thing you've ever heard. And I remember Encores, which is a program done in New York. Every year you have the Encores series where they revive shows that haven't been, you know, on Broadway in a while. And uh, they did assassins a couple of years ago and I took my wife and she was like that's the hardest I've ever laughed at a at a show, just because again it's, it's so serious.
Speaker 2:And when they take it over the top, uh, it just like it hits you in a way that I don't know. It's just a guttural, violent laugh. And yet also like Ballad of Booth, this epic I forget how long it is six minutes, it's very long but it just like weaves through this, like saga of his life and like why you know from his perspective, why you should care about what he's doing and what he's done and this murder, and you get on his side and then, and then, like by the very end, he starts talking, you know, and, like you know, say saying that the bad things again you're like yeah, oh okay, no, I was with you and now I realize, oh okay, no, this is is the core of it.
Speaker 2:There's the craziness.
Speaker 3:Now the Southland will mend, now this bloody war can end, because someone slew the tyrant, just as Brutus slew the tyrant. He said damn you, lincoln, you righteous whore. Tell him, tell him what he did. You turned your spite into civil war. Tell him, tell them the truth and more.
Speaker 2:Tell them boy tell them how it happened, how the end doesn't mean that it's over.
Speaker 3:How? Surrender is not the end, tell them.
Speaker 2:And just the fact that Sondheim was able to ride that line in writing this show. It's just so interesting to me and so cool. I just love the show.
Speaker 1:Totally yeah, and for the audience. This is a show the subject matter of which is, you know, taking characters like John Wilkes Booth or Lee Harvey Oswald and famous assassins here and putting them in the story of not necessarily a sympathetic light, but just viewing things through, potentially, their perspective, and you know the themes of sacrificing for their version of the greater good, or you know the desires of attention or desperation and disillusionment, and so there's lots of, you know, feelings there amongst, like Dylan's saying, serious subject matter, but also, you know, know the comedic side of things too. But, yeah, it's a really cool show and even like gun gun song.
Speaker 2:I feel like that. That's one and I'm trying to you know forgive me, sonheim, if I mess up one of these lyrics, but just think like it's.
Speaker 2:It starts with like uh, it takes a lot of men to build a gun a person in the mines to build the iron men in the mills to forge the steel men and machines to turn the barrel like it's. It's just talking about, almost like an instruction manual, how to make a gun just one, and all you have to do is pull your finger, pull your little finger, and it changes the world. Changes the world. Changes the world right.
Speaker 3:Men in the mines to dig the iron. Men in the mills to forge the steel. Men in machines to turn the barrel, mold the trigger, shape the wheel. It takes a lot of men to make a gun, one gun.
Speaker 2:And all you have to do. And even even in that, where it's, it's something so simple that it could be, you know, like an instruction manual. It's saying so much right, and you can interpret it how you will, but it's it's kind of like I don't know um it it's living in this gray area, this murky middle ground that you're like these people were all so awful. Oh, but I could see why they did it. No, but it is awful, yeah, but some of these things I understand and are human, but they interpreted it this way, you know. So I love things that just make your brain continually flip and like it's not this overly dogmatic preachy, like, oh, this is how you should feel about the situation and these people. It's like, no, here are the questions. Yeah, here are the questions.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think the world can be pretty binary in a lot of reactions, you know, and I think one of the things that it does is it forces you to have that uncomfortable conversation of like, at least acknowledging the nuance of everything.
Speaker 1:You know, like the world is significantly more gray than it is black or white, you know, and even when it goes against the things that you might feel are part of your ideals, you know, and I think it's so important for that especially, you know, I think it's evergreen because, I mean, we just see it in the political sphere, you know, if it's, if it's not your team, it's bad and they're evil and wrong.
Speaker 1:And while they're like like this, there are certain things that are evil and bad and wrong. But there's probably more nuance to that right. There's reasons why they may be justified in their own mind in terms of how and why they're making the decisions they do. And it just asks the question and forces you to kind of ponder what might be the experience that that person had, because they were also a little baby at some point and, you know, getting through the world the best way they could and they found themselves where they were and again, there could be despicable, hateful, evil things, but there's nuance there in terms of how all of that stuff plays out and I think that's an evergreen concept in terms of just the world we live in.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and it's easy to think, oh, gray, like if you're doing like the middle ground, then it's boring. You're not really saying anything. Like the middle ground that it's boring, you're not really saying anything, but like, no, it's. It's saying something you know and like again, it's something that I'm always drawn towards where it's like it's both you know, something that's that's hard on the sleeve but also stoic, something that that's subtle but also bombastic, you know.
Speaker 1:So yeah, yeah, you know, so yeah, great show, I love it.
Speaker 1:you know instrumentally, and uh, you know arrangement wise there's quite a bit of diversity in the sounds that you hear throughout this thing as well too. Um, you know, starting off kind of like circusy, you know, and then it kind of feels patriotic at times, but then, you know, really transitions to have some, you know, modern sounds for that time too. So was the you mentioned that, like you were actually learning this. So were there things you know that you took from it from a arrangement standpoint that you really like, or was it primarily the subject matter that you loved?
Speaker 2:oh, my goodness probably if I had to say more subject matter how it approached it, but instrumentation wise, and how, how it's arranged. In particular, I think why I like this original is because for the most part, it's stuck with actual instruments, and I think there was a period of time in the late 90s, early aughts especially, where it was like, oh well, we can't afford a string section, so strings will all be played on keyboard one, you know, and I'm just like no, and and I just I still, there's just a huge part of me that that hates it. I'm like get, get one string player. I'd rather hear one live musician playing an actual string instrument that I can like, that's tactile, that that I can like, really feel the emotion behind, rather than like a full string orchestra being played on keys too.
Speaker 1:So I I think there's something huge about that that I gravitate towards yeah, for sure, it's like pit orchestras have such like a distinct sound in terms of even that same instrumentation is captured differently in like a studio setting or an orchestral setting, you know.
Speaker 1:And so you know, I think the way this is written kind of captures like a like traditional approach to, I think, orchestration and things like that. But I also think that there was like a lot that I felt felt new or different in terms of like sonically, how it was moving into different, different portions of the songs and for the different characters and and when you were talking a bit ago, like talking about music and film, like writing, creating these like palettes for characters is really important, and so that was one of the things on this most recent listen that I felt like, oh, I could hear some of the choices here to be like this is specific for this part of things, not just melodically what's changing, but actually like the instrumentation and the arrangements completely changing based on the characters that they're, you know, writing and supporting. So pretty cool musical.
Speaker 1:For that reason.
Speaker 2:It's so great and this isn't in my top five, so I'll just mention it briefly and then we'll get off it. But do you know the musical Adding Machine?
Speaker 1:No, I haven't heard it.
Speaker 2:It's this. It's crazy. You should absolutely give it a listen, but it's. The pit is drums, piano and synth. But synth is used purely in like square waves, sine waves. Like you know, it's a synth and I think so, while I gravitate towards that like very tactile, real instruments. I love synth, but I just love it when it's not trying to disguise what it is. I love it when it's like no, I am a synth.
Speaker 1:When it's not like symphony on your keyboard.
Speaker 2:Exactly yeah. So like I'm kind of like, whatever it is I'm listening to, I like it to be bold and what it? You know what it actually is, yeah.
Speaker 1:Well, to keep things moving in terms of time, I want to kind of move on to your next one here, which, what I think is interesting based on our conversation here, is we've talked a lot about instrumentation and and not necessarily funk directly, but that energy you know down behind it, and this is completely not completely, but in a lot of ways directly in contrast to that and that's Laura Marling's Once I Was an Eagle, which is a phenomenal record, singer-songwriter and yeah, just curious to hear, I had never heard this record before and I was floored by it and I had it on repeat for the past two days, because it's especially this opening is just like unreal.
Speaker 1:So tell me about your introduction to this. What do you love about it? Why is it here on your pop five? So this album?
Speaker 2:came to me in like well, shortly after it was released in 2013, about a decade ago, and I remember listening to it and being just floored by well, like you were saying, the. The opening just grabs you right away because the first four songs are basically one song strung together right, and it's playing with the same thematic material that seemingly feels so simple. Sometimes it's just like going up a scale but doing it in this like funky, groovy way, but again mainly just with an acoustic guitar, a little bit of hand percussion Hand percussion she's working with a cellist a lot on this album and bass, and that's really it didn't ask you to save me, not when you knew me well, wouldn't?
Speaker 2:ask you even to behave. And again, I think, just to go back to things that I, I like I know you were. You were saying that you feel like goes in contrast, but I feel like, when I think about it, it's so similar. It makes so much sense why I would like something like that because it's both tender and subtle but also big and heartbreakingly forward and heartbreakingly forward and the lyrics are just devastating, but sometimes sung floating. Then I remember this was actually right before I met my wife and I went through this big breakup with somebody that we hadn't even. It was like three months that we just flashed the pan. But I remember going through this breakup and listening to this album on repeat and then it had kind of changed its meaning to me because I had loved it before and now I was re-listening to the lyrics and they meant something new to me. Yeah, this album, like you were saying, I could just listen to it on repeat and I have. I have listened to it on repeat many, many times.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and in some ways it's designed to do that. Like you mentioned, the first four songs can almost sound like one. There's not a hard cut or break and if you're not even paying attention, you don't know that the track changes. At the same time. If you play any of those four tracks individually, it sounds like on its own perfect, like you don't need idea.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it doesn't need to be anything else, and so I think that that nature can allow it to be cyclical, because you're just like, hey, I'm entering this zone for as long as I need to and then I can pull out when I need to and it's going to continue to be there. You know, um, and and yeah, I agree that there's like a lot of that energy and and things in there, based on the things that you've said, you've liked, like I'm thinking like there's like the heavier drums and like devil's resting place that are like it gets a lot more there. But I think, like when we're talking Master Hunter.
Speaker 1:Yes, like there's a lot of those where, you know, I think, going back to the top of what we were saying, like when we were thinking even of the Beatles, and like the instrumentation, things, like that referencing a singer, songwriter, record is not necessarily what I guess I would have thought would have been, but yeah, there's, there's so much in here that's just like it's, it's so good and her voice is phenomenal, like it has, like you know, is reminiscent a little bit of like early Joni Mitchell or Fiona Apple or those areas but but it's just like so.
Speaker 1:Fiona apple is huge, fiona apple is probably number six, fiona apple almost made the cut. Oh man, yeah, such a huge her fetch the bolt cutters, record this fast, or what? 2020, I guess now it's been a while, but yeah yeah, just so innovative and stuff. But yeah, it's, it is. It was so good. I, I am uh, I was blown away by so much of it. So, yeah, I'm glad that I have now heard it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and just to go into contrast the lyric, when we were in love, when we were, when we were in love, I was an eagle and you were a dove, you know like this subtle lyric and then the very next song I am a master hunter. I cured my skin. Now nothing gets in. Yeah, yeah in. You know, it's just like these huge. You know I'm hardened, oh, but I am tender and emotional. No, you know, get away from me, I'm hard. You know, I love that push pull.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's interesting when we're talking about lyricism to use. You touched on something that, like even the experience you had with the record, you know when you're in love versus when you're going through a breakup and how it hits you. But you're also a father as well and just I've noticed that the way music and art can hit you, even at different stages of your life too, being older and married. Now there's certain records that respond to me that I may have thought were like ah, I don't get this. Like you know, I was a big Coldplay fan growing up, you know. Or U2. U2 is kind of the same way and like their older records, I'm like they're not young and hungry anymore, like I don't resonate with the records you know. But as I get older I'm like, oh my gosh, like I'm hearing referencing more and it's like more correlated and I'm like just life experience can completely change the way that you can relate to art and music.
Speaker 2:That is so true there certain certain things that I can't even watch or listen to now as a father who are like my wife and I will look at each other like we have to skip this scene. This is too much. We're gonna walk away. Yeah yeah, it's true, it's so true yeah that's awesome, man.
Speaker 1:I may cut this part, but I don't um, uh, I don't know if it was prevalent when we last, when you were here in town, but I am expecting my first child now, in May. Oh my goodness, ryan, congratulations, that's awesome, thank you. Thank you, yeah, but I'm a. I'm curious now because I think one of my fears is because I'm so young, invested in and in love with music and things like that, that they won't be you know, or they're going to be like I only want to hear baby shark or whatever.
Speaker 1:Have you had any experience like that with your kiddo, in terms of like their relationship to music?
Speaker 2:at this point I'll say it's, it's not too much of a well, I get that concern Once. Once they're born, you're like not even thinking about that.
Speaker 2:It's like just triage, you're, you're like just get there, um, but so far it's like he, he's so musical, he loves to dance. He'll just, he'll come up and play certain things on the piano. That I'm like you're you're finding this, aren't you like you're you're finding like I think like he'll just like repeat, like a note or something, or like find intervals, yeah, or like. A couple days ago I was like playing like a rage against the machine song and just like, and he like came in, he was like, yeah, and just starts like dancing to it. I'm like, yes, awesome, so I don't know, there's, there's a huge. I mean like you're literally going to have such a huge influence on your kiddo that, like, even even if they don't end up liking what you like they're going to find you're going to transfer your sensibilities and they'll, they'll put that someplace else.
Speaker 2:That like sure man that's dangerous.
Speaker 1:with rage man, you're gonna ask him to clean his room and he's gonna give you the fuck. You, I won't do what you tell me, exactly, fuck you, I won't do what you tell me.
Speaker 3:Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me.
Speaker 1:Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me. And that's when you shed a tear proud, you know.
Speaker 2:Beautiful, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1:Awesome. Well, I know we're getting close here on time, so I'll go ahead and transition here next to one of the greatest movies of all time for all young folks who are obsessed with dinosaurs at jurassic park. It's, it's a phenomenal movie. Uh, five stars on all yes tell me about your intro. What do you love about jurassic park?
Speaker 3:there. It is welcome to jurassic park. We've made living biological attractions so astounding that they'll capture the imagination of the entire planet. The most phenomenal discovery of our time How'd you do this? Becomes the greatest adventure of all time. Can I touch it? Sure, universal Pictures presents you feel that, oh my god.
Speaker 2:So jurassic park we actually like it's so funny revisiting these things, that especially movies that I'm like, oh, I've, I've watched jurassic park probably 500 times, like there's nothing new to be gained from it. But we watched it maybe two weeks ago, after not watching it for like a year or two and and I don't know if it was like the first time that we'd seen it, as I was like a father or like the you know first time watching it, like since you know, owen's been like a toddler. But there was something that hit me differently and I was, I was like this is, this is just straight up a horror movie. And I'm like like I I know you can say, oh, it's a thriller, it's that. I'm like, no, this, this is crafted like a horror film and, um, it's probably why I like it so much, because I love horror. But every, every beat of the film is just continually captivating and I remember, like growing up, always getting towards the end. I'm like that's it, that's the end they're getting.
Speaker 2:They're getting on the helicopter. You know, and I, yeah, I remember always being sad when they're getting on the helicopter. I'm like, no, this means it's over, I want more. I remember this last time, when they got to the helicopter, I was like exhausted. I was like, in the best way, I'm like, oh, my god, that I'm, I am emotionally drained. Good, okay, I can like take a take a nap. That was amazing. Uh-huh, it just keeps getting better.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's, it's, it's a perfect film in my view yeah that I forgot how it ended until I I kind of re-watched it before we did this recording here and so like I was also surprised by the ending of just being like shoot, yeah, that that's it. You know they, yeah, they got away, and I think some of it's just because I've seen every sequel in all of the you know jurassic worlds now, yeah, you know, which are not as good as no original.
Speaker 2:There's nothing, I mean even like, like they're fun yeah, like some of them are fun, but like nothing like the original yeah, nothing.
Speaker 1:And and one of the things that you know, going back again to know just the innovation of that time, what they did to make that T-Rex look like it did is insane. You know, and like I luckily live really close to Universal Studios and you know, and like anytime I've done the backlot tour there, it's just like seeing, even just like, what those dinosaurs look like are still built in those back lots.
Speaker 2:It's just like, yeah, that still looks like a fucking t-rex exactly well, and and they use cg uh-huh in the film and sometimes it's obvious, you know, like when they see the the big dinosaur at the beginning, when, when they're coming to the park, but still that t-rex scene where the t-rex is introduced. I know they are using a combination of like a real animatronic t-rex and cg, but I like I I still think there's. There's at no point am I like oh, that's cg in that sequence. I'm like I'm still terrified. I'm right there with them like, oh my god, a t-rex just burst through this cage and is now.
Speaker 1:We need to like hide in our cars and not move like I'm terrified yeah, and it's weird because it's one of those things that, like, I think one of the things that they felt like they had to do with all the advancements in the new movies is like the dinosaur had to be this is the equivalent of 10 t-rexes, you know, whatever. Like they had to get bigger and more crazy, you know, but like I'm still more terrified of that t-rex in this first movie than I almost was in anything that showed up in the jurassic world movies.
Speaker 1:You know, absolutely yeah it's, uh yeah, incredible, and I we haven't touched on it, but I mean just especially in your world, the score is incredible yeah, I mean, what the the best to ever do it, john williams yeah, and there's times like I haven't seen, you know, times that I haven't watched the movies in years.
Speaker 1:I'm not even thinking about the movie, but I'll just be walking down the hall, you know, and I'm just like like I like I don't know, I love like when you have like a really good melody. I've never been a conductor in my life, you know, but like in my, in my mind, I'm still just like, you know, and I'm just like thinking about that. You know, it's just yeah, it's beautiful, beautiful score, great movie.
Speaker 2:So so melodics, yeah, just like tied to the DNA of of the movie.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, dna of of the movie. Yeah, yeah, it like it enhances it, um, but also like doesn't overpower it. It makes sense, it matches the intensity. It's also funny because like that, that's the main theme, that you were just the, you were just humming, but it's like this, this beautiful melody, that you would think, well, wait a second, this doesn't. Does this make sense for a terrifying, action packed dinosaur movie? And somehow it does.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's true. I also think part of it too. Like when you were talking about this being a horror movie, there is yes, it is a horror movie. I think at the same time and this is true with a lot of things that feel scary there's also like a sense of curiosity and wonder that comes with something that's foreign, right. And so I think when you're looking at like the big park and these massive creatures, like there is like some of what makes it scary is, I don't know what that is or what it's going to do or what it can do, and I think the melody kind of speaks to that. Like here's this like wonder and curious thing. You know as much as it is terrifying.
Speaker 2:So oh, and you, you, wow, and just hearing you talk about it is making me realize more why I love it. Because what I gravitate most to in horror films are the horror films where I'm like I don't, I don't know what, what that is like we're in a dark room, I don't know what's standing in the corner or or if anything is in the corner, it's just, and we're left looking at this dark space for a minute and we're, you know, like, like, those are just the, the things I love. I love anything that's kind of spooky and haunted, but also like, yeah, it's great, yeah, I, I'm curious now.
Speaker 1:You know this. Yes, we've been talking about the main theme, but the score is also like every other aspect of the movie too. You know even the background undertones. You mentioned that there is some synergy between theater and film scoring, you know, in terms of having to create these moments. But I think that's where it's somewhat unique in that you know, typically when there's stuff happening on stage, you're either in song or you know not. You know versus like scoring. There might be a little hunts of slight violin here. That's happening when someone's walking in, or little piano cues or just like low rumbling sub sounds.
Speaker 1:You know, and it's just like that's all part of scoring too, so this is not necessarily related to Jurassic Park, but I'm curious like was that a big change in terms of trying to learn that world, moving from the theater world?
Speaker 2:yes and no, because I, I feel like I also always had this huge relationship with midi. I feel like, and being forced to like create things on my own. My, my dad, got me a midi keyboard when I was like I don't know 11, you know, and and and I was just like playing around with it, um, so, so I I feel like those kind of like discoveries and the curiosity about like certain sounds and, like you know I was, I was able to kind of, like you know, have that from an early age. So now when I came around to film scoring, you know, in my early 20s, I feel like it was just banding it all together, you know, with the, the knowledge I had of midi and like creating sounds on my own and musical theater and the storytelling aspects that I learned from that. So it, yeah, and, and this also goes with like the idea of like I, I feel like I've never, I've always felt like I've had one foot in every camp I've.
Speaker 2:I was never quite a band geek, but I played, you know, and I never played in orchestra, but I was always, you was always the accompanist in theater, but I was also an actor, but I never, you know. So the idea of scoring with a single note, or my mind never went to like oh, but it's not a song, it's not a fully orchestra, it's like no, it still felt right to me, sure.
Speaker 1:Totally no, that's good.
Speaker 2:Okay, awesome, there's more I want to kind of get into I know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm also realizing where we are on time so let's transition here to your last one. Here there will be blood pta. Wonderful, wonderful film. Daniel day lewis, paul dano, who you know was young in this but incredible, love this movie. I loved getting a chance to re-watch it recently with for this, so thank you for that. But yeah, why is this here on your pop, ladies and gentlemen?
Speaker 3:I've traveled over half our state to be here tonight. I couldn't get away sooner because my new well was coming in at coyote hills and I had to see about it. Ladies and gentlemen, if I say I'm an oil man, you will agree. I'm a family man. I run a family business. This is my son and my partner, hw Plainview. You, boys are a regular family business. You have a great chance here. My son is a healer and a vessel for the Holy Spirit. He has a church. You will be cast up and thrust back to position. I'm fixed like no other company in this field.
Speaker 2:We actually just rewatched it last night. We got about, we got a late start so we got halfway through before we had to go to bed, but still the the, just the feeling I had watching it was like first off. I'm so glad I picked this in my top five because I'm just I'm, I'm watching and listening to it. I'm like this is everything that I want a movie to feel like, to sound like to you know, to look like the cinematography is gorgeous. You could just you could tell that it's like shot on film, that that it's like, you know, the orchestra feels so real, like there's no way that that this orchestra could be like you know, virtually produced. Like you could tell it's a bunch of musicians in a room together.
Speaker 2:You know johnny greenwood of radio. You know it's kind of like his first huge you know film. He may have done one other before this, but like, for the most part, known as just being, you know, one of the, the guitarist and you know one of the songwriters in radiohead and like I was, you know, a huge radio fan, radiohead fan, huge paul thomas anderson fan, uh, and like them coming together to make this world like it's just it's. It's so many things that I love in one movie and I think it's it's the. You know, while I love this like intensely melodic john williams score of jurassic park, another huge component of like how I write and the things that I love is held in like John Johnny Greenwood's approach to scoring in this film. You know, things that are just hugely like groove based and and like sometimes like these complex meters going on top of each other and then, like you know, clicking in almost in, like this phasing kind of way, and then like drifting apart.
Speaker 1:It's just an awesome movie, yeah yeah, from from the start to the, the score in this one has that like really high-pitched swell kind of at the beginning of things and then, like I hope you got to, you said halfway but like you know, the the explosion yeah, yeah, the explosion, you know, but like the, there's like that clicky percussive element that happens when he's like running with the sun and that.
Speaker 2:that's that like multimeter thing that I'm talking about. Like, when it's like starting off, you're like what's happening and then it all just starts to make sense. Yeah, that explosion.
Speaker 1:There's a lot that's really subtle in terms of these choices. I think a lot of like the Trent Reznor, atticus Ross scores too, you know, and it's like it's crazy that like these dudes from these rock bands are like taking over the film world, you know, and the scores, and I love it for it because like, yeah, social network and even like the new challengers movie, like all these different, you know rockers who ended up making these soundtracks, it's great.
Speaker 2:But and again, some of some of my favorites, like Trent Reznor, I mean Nine Inch Nails, like huge parts of me that just gravitate towards that. Things that, the groove that they have.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's just I love it. Like his character is so interesting and I'm curious too, because I know you mentioned like having different feelings now, you know, with the child as well. But like a lot of this movie is like this relationship with well, really it's a relationship with man and money and capitalism, you know, but there's also these other elements of like what a brotherly relationship is and can be and like the father-son relationships. You know, son, in with an asterisk, you know.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 3:Yeah, the father-son relationships.
Speaker 1:you know, son in with an asterisk, you know Right, yeah, but like there's elements that I'm curious to you know. In seeing some of those elements now, do you feel differently about like that relationship, or was it always like he's a scumbag type of thing in your mind when you watched it, even initially? Or what are your thoughts on him as a character?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean obviously he's a scumbag on him as a character. Yeah, I mean, obviously he's a scumbag, but like I, I feel like there and even at the time you know we were, we were in the middle of like the anti-hero, like tony soprano, like breaking bad walter white and everything and like revisiting those shows, like revisiting breaking bad.
Speaker 2:I had a different reaction where I was just like walter white to me now in retrospect, I'm like and re-watching it. He's completely irredeemable. Like. I'm just like walter white to me now in retrospect, I'm like and re-watching it. He's completely irredeemable, like I'm just like. There's no, he is doing it for himself.
Speaker 2:He had so many moments where it's like the choice was clear, like, and he, he made the selfish choice yeah, and like with, with this, I think, and there will be blood, I think there, there, well, there's not much. There's a little more of a gray area where, like you can see the tenderness that he does have for this adopted child, but still somebody, a child that he cherishes as his own, but he just doesn't know where to put it and he doesn't know how to balance it against this greed and drive that that propel his being forward, right and like we just, I think back to the, the opening of this film. That I think is just gorgeous, because you have score against this man that is trying to build an empire, but he's really just trying to like make a buck, to then make another buck or whatever, and we don't get any words or dialogue for the first 10 or 15 minutes of this film all the time, yeah, and yet the storytelling is like some of the most powerful storytelling.
Speaker 2:You, you completely get what's happening. So so, yes, it, it definitely hits differently. As a father, I'm like, no, you asshole. Like your, your child is is deaf and like you can, you're only concerned with, like you know, now, fixing the well, that's.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's exploding, but um even initially, you know, like right, when it happens he's just like throwing him down. Yeah, I, I felt on my initial watch like scumbag, sc, scumbag, you know. But there's times when I watched it again recently that I was like I'm not so sure, like did he, did he care? Like it was like. There's moments where it's like he's so excited when he comes back from the deaf school, you know, and like even the moments when it's clear it's a con. There's like the big baptism scene where he's like you know, I failed my son or I abandoned my son and he's screaming that you know, and it's like in those moments I'm like you know, I know he's putting on a front so he can get his you know oil pipeline, but at the same time I'm like it's also real, like I think he might feel the real girl.
Speaker 2:Yeah, exactly, and that's the gray area that I'm like. It's what. I love it, because, like, there is a huge part of me that I'm like believe. I believe that he does profoundly care about his, his son, and he just doesn't know you know where to put it in his toxic masculinity and that's why it's so heartbreaking at the end too, you know, because it's just like the whole bastard in a basket scene.
Speaker 1:You know like, yeah, because you could tell he wants it too, I think, even with, like the brother character, again with an asterisk. You know it's like he. He wants, I think, because he doesn't have that familial relationship like he. I think he desperately wants this to be his brother and wants to be able to have that. And it's like, you know, I think he likes again I'm butchering lines this time to be like you know, I've abandoned all humanity, you know, but like now that you're here, I kind of am like, have some hope, you, and it's just so. There is something that he feels there but ultimately, yeah, it's just driven by greed. And again, going back to that opening scene, the fact that from the very beginning broken leg, he can pull himself out of that well and drag himself probably miles to back to land, for example.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's just, it's wild, it's, it's incredible. So, dylan, we'll, we'll get you out of here, but before we do, we ask everyone five rapid fire questions. Okay, oh, my goodness.
Speaker 2:To send you on your way.
Speaker 1:So first things first. If you could be on a reality TV show, which one would you choose?
Speaker 2:I don't know if I'd want to be on it, but the only reality TV show that I watch and love is Love Island UK.
Speaker 1:Okay, you'd be a producer.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, love it, it's, it's.
Speaker 1:It's the only garbage that I let myself watch, but, man, it's one of my favorite things. Amazing. Okay, if people have never consumed any of your pop five, what's the one thing you'd want them to go experience right now?
Speaker 2:Goodness, go listen to once I was an eagle by Laura Marley.
Speaker 1:Just do it Okay perfect, perfect, okay for your work. If I had to, you know, press play, needle drop moment of a performance of your work. What's the one thing you'd want us to be able to go in here or listen, oh, my goodness, how long does it take to drown from the Pelican?
Speaker 2:Diana DeGarmo is doing the. Does the demo on my SoundCloud.
Speaker 1:We'll play that to send us out a little clip from it, because I think it's beautiful.
Speaker 2:So I love that one too.
Speaker 1:And then okay, similar, staying in the Pelican world, which I'll give you some time to talk about here at the very end. But if you could dream cast the Pelican, okay, it's on Broadway. Okay, my goodness, who is an actor or actress that you would want in it?
Speaker 2:I'm not making you cast the whole show, but if you could pick one, my goodness. Yeah, this is very difficult. Well, I've already mentioned diana de garmo, who is phenomenal, and I love her as zephyr I'll I'll give a shout out to michelle dowdy, who is one of my oldest, dearest friends, who is just like I learned to write for the female voice from.
Speaker 3:Michelle.
Speaker 2:Dowdy and she's been playing Georgia here in New York for a number of workshops. So I'll say Michelle Dowdy is Georgia.
Speaker 1:Beautiful, I love it. And last one here what would you say is one piece of advice. You'd give a past version of yourself.
Speaker 2:Oh my goodness this question, I would say to just continually to be honest. Be honest with yourself, keep writing what you like, not what you think other people will like.
Speaker 1:That's perfect. That's perfect, awesome. All right, dylan, where can people follow you? What do you have to promote? How can people just explore all the wonderful things that you make?
Speaker 2:Sure, I got music on Spotify. Dylan Gladhorn. I got a lot of stuff that I've written for different projects. Shipwrecked Comedy, which is a YouTube comedy group that makes a lot of great stuff that I've written for. Otherwise, my handle is at Glathorn. You can find me Instagram, yeah, SoundCloud.
Speaker 1:Beautiful. We'll put that all here in the show notes. And then you know selfishly, you and I got to do a 29 hour reading of your musical, the pelican. Why don't you tell people a brief view on what the pelican is and maybe any insights on what the future is for that show, if there's anything, yeah yeah, um, so the pelican is in the not too distant future.
Speaker 2:Small coastal town in florida that was a once bustling metropolis has been reduced to a few square blocks of dry land, and this is about the steadfast few that have chosen to remain, and now that a new hurricane is coming and threatening to wipe them off the map once and for all, they now must decide whether to stay or go yes, wonderful, it's a.
Speaker 1:It's an amazing show. I felt so lucky to be a part of that reading and you had such a good and you nailed it thank you, thank you. Uh, the la version, the cast was so cool, you know, yes, top porter and brian, london dales and mary kate wilkes, like all brilliant cast even now, yeah, um, and the next thing, uh, on the horizon for it.
Speaker 2:We are the day after the reading in in california. We got selected to be a part of the new work series at new york theater barn that's happening later this year amazing it related or, like someone heard it at the la one, or separately.
Speaker 1:You had submitted for.
Speaker 2:Just separately. We'd been in talks with Joe Barrows at New York theater barn and just so happened that he gave us, sent us the email the day after the reading. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:That's amazing.
Speaker 1:Well, Dylan. Thanks so much for doing this show. Man, it's such a pleasure. You're so phenomenal at what you do and I know there's a big future coming, so thank you Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1:Yeah, of course, all right, thank you. Bye-bye, that'll do it for today's show. Thank you so much for listening. We're going to go out in the best way possible, listening to a number from the Pelican. Dylan's such a great composer and I know you're going to hear it and love this tune. So here's how Long Does it Take to Drown? Featuring Diana DeGarmo from the Pelican. We'll see you next time, but until then, what's your Pop 5?
Speaker 3:I don't want this To stand still, but I'm sinking. I'm sinking Every minute another inch more. I can feel the water surrounding me. I give in, I try to tell, but how long does it take to drown? How long does it take to drown? I grew up with my skin in the sunshine, thinking someday I'd swim through the clouds, but I never could lift off from this ground. So I learned to walk through the water, pushing weight with both of my knees, wondering who put the anchors around my feet. Yes, I'll see with this child, but how long does it take to drown? How long does it take to drown? I know Every time.
