Kristian Bush (Sugarland) Interview + Taylor Swift + The Rock

Speaker 1 (00:00):

Welcome to the Pop Culture Show with Barnes, Leslie and Cubby.

Barnes (00:04):

This is the severely damaged Pop Culture Show. Barnes, Leslie, Cubby on location in Framnash Vegas.

Cubby (00:14):

Love that, I'm a little jealous though because I am not there, I am in Bryant Cubby Jersey, New Jersey.

Barnes (00:22):

And we're all having cocktails, so who knows what's going to happen in this show.

Cubby (00:26):

Yes.

Barnes (00:26):

And Cubby's how many Jägers in?

Cubby (00:28):

Five, six maybe? A couple Jäger shots.

Leslie (00:29):

Are you serious?

Cubby (00:30):

Yeah, come on man.

Barnes (00:31):

Are you really?

Leslie (00:32):

So Cubby, just to say, I haven't seen Barnes in person since the reunion show.

Barnes (00:37):

The 99X Reunion about a year and three quarters ago?

Leslie (00:41):

Yeah, so here we are.

Barnes (00:41):

We are, cheers, cheers.

Cubby (00:42):

It feels like 1995 all over again, doesn't it?

Barnes (00:45):

Totally. And Leslie drinking, I mean we should probably put about 15 disclaimers on this show right now because I don't know what's going to happen. So, please rate and review and subscribe our little show. Our guest today, now all of a sudden we're Grammy winners every week. Kristian Bush from the band Sugarland among others, he's got about 57 different bands and one of them is Billy Pilgrim and they have a brand new release coming out, but it's not really that new. It's an interesting story, you're going to love it, so he's coming up.

Leslie (01:17):

Such a good guy.

Cubby (01:18):

We've got Bush, I hear his last name I think of Revenge of the Nerds, you know that one.

Barnes (01:23):

What are the odds that we have a guest two weeks in a row that have both won Grammys and both have songs called Stay.

Leslie (01:30):

Oh, that's true.

Cubby (01:31):

Wow, look at that, that's digging deep. And you know what, I got to tell you, we're really raising the bar each week, it's crazy.

Barnes (01:36):

We are.

Cubby (01:37):

Yeah.

Barnes (01:37):

And you know what, let's raise it again. Next week, someone who does not do podcasts, Dr. Oz.

Cubby (01:43):

All your COVID questions.

Leslie (01:44):

That's huge.

Barnes (01:46):

That is going to be awesome.

Leslie (01:48):

That is huge that he's on our show.

Cubby (01:49):

He's a good dude and I've had the honor of interviewing him several times and he is the best and I can't wait for him to join us next week.

Barnes (01:56):

As Cubby says, we're the little show that could.

Cubby (01:59):

We are, we really are.

Barnes (02:00):

We're just a little show that could.

Cubby (02:01):

We're three people doing the work of ten for the good of millions.

Barnes (02:04):

Yeah, we have a staff of 70 that backs us up. No, we have a staff of nothing.

Cubby (02:10):

You didn't tell people where we could be heard, you always mention that.

Barnes (02:13):

I was getting to that.

Cubby (02:14):

Okay, go ahead.

Barnes (02:15):

I was getting to that. Cubby, we can be heard on iHeartRadio's app and I've been hearing commercials for the Pop Culture Show which is cool on there.

Cubby (02:21):

Yup.

Barnes (02:22):

And also in Teslas and by the way if you're buying a Tesla, use my code, you'll get a thousand free miles.

Cubby (02:28):

No way, what is your code?

Barnes (02:29):

Yeah.

Leslie (02:29):

What? How does this happen?

Barnes (02:30):

Well, just hit me up on social ... it's just when anyone who has a Tesla, if you use their referral, they'll give you a thousand Supercharger miles and then you get a thousand and those come in handy. I use them to get here.

Leslie (02:42):

The Tesla's outside my front door.

Barnes (02:44):

You know who bought one? Mark Wohlers, Atlanta Braves All Star just bought a Tesla. He called me yesterday when he was ordering it, "Hey dude, what's your code?" And then I got a thousand miles.

Cubby (02:55):

I want one so bad, I'm already sold, I'm sold.

Barnes (02:58):

And where else are we besides Turks and Caicos, anywhere else?

Cubby (03:03):

Honduras? No, Japan.

Leslie (03:05):

Guatemala.

Cubby (03:06):

Guatemala, worldwide.

Barnes (03:08):

Worldwide.

Cubby (03:09):

Yeah, worldwide, come on.

Barnes (03:10):

We were charting in Japan, but then I don't know what happened. We went from 38 to like 150.

Cubby (03:16):

Why did we spike and then go down and then spike?

Barnes (03:18):

I don't know.

Leslie (03:18):

How we're doing in Canada?

Barnes (03:19):

Canada? We're in the 200s. They don't get us, like most people.

Cubby (03:24):

Right.

Barnes (03:24):

They're right in there. So Kristian Bush is coming up, Dr. Oz next week and we want to get into our How Was Your Week segment and I've got something. I want to go last because it's going to involve trying something. Leslie's going to try something of mine and we're going to all witness it live.

Leslie (03:45):

Cubby, I have no idea what I'm getting myself into.

Cubby (03:47):

Yeah.

Barnes (03:47):

You do because you see it and you've been asking a lot of questions and I'm not giving her any information, so we'll get to that in a few minutes.

Cubby (03:53):

And I mentioned how I wanted to be there, now I'm glad I'm not there. First I had FOMO about you guys being together in Nashville.

Barnes (03:59):

Why?

Cubby (03:59):

Well, I don't know what's going to happen or what Leslie's about to try on.

Barnes (04:01):

Oh, it's good, it's going to be fun.

Cubby (04:04):

All right.

Barnes (04:04):

I hope she reacts. I don't know what her verbal reaction will be, but.

Leslie (04:10):

Who knows after a glass of wine.

Barnes (04:12):

I can't wait to see it.

Leslie (04:13):

It'll be severe.

Barnes (04:13):

How was your week Fram?

Leslie (04:15):

So I had a little bit of a space out moment and I think it's because-

Barnes (04:19):

This is every week, Fram.

Leslie (04:20):

I have a feeling it's from too many Zoom calls. Cubby, I'm on Zoom calls all day as you know.

Cubby (04:25):

I know.

Leslie (04:26):

From 8, 9 AM until 6 or 7 at night, so.

Barnes (04:28):

She's a multimedia executive.

Leslie (04:30):

So the other day I had a one hour break and my husband was like, "Can you go with me, I've got to pick up," He has an old farm truck that was getting work done, "Can you go with me, follow me back home?" I'm like, "Absolutely." So I take him, long story short we get to the place, he picks up his keys, I'm like, "All right, I'll follow you back to the house." I'm following this white, old white truck, I'm in his car, we're going down the road, I'm following him, I'm following him, I'm following him. He takes a left so I'm like, "What street's he taking a left on at some neighborhood, some random neighborhood? Maybe he's going to somebody's house to pick something up?"

Leslie (05:11):

I go down the street, the car stops in the driveway of this house, I pull off on the side of the road and this woman gets out of the car and looking at me like, "Why the hell are you following me?" I realize that I'm following her.

Barnes (05:25):

Oh no.

Leslie (05:28):

I think I'm following a black SUV which is my car.

Barnes (05:32):

Oh my gosh, this is so Fram.

Cubby (05:35):

That is great.

Leslie (05:36):

She's looking at me like, "Are you here to rob me or something?" I'm like, "Oh my god." So, I start the car and act like I don't know why I stopped on the side of the road, I hit some dead end street so then I go down another street not familiar with dead end street. Now I'm going like, "Lenny's probably freaking out wondering where the hell is she?" And so I'm heading back to the farm, he doesn't have his phone, I'm like, "He's really going to be worried about me, I don't know what to do." This is like 20 minutes after I followed him. Finally I get halfway there, he is now coming the opposite way looking for me.

Barnes (06:13):

Oh my gosh.

Cubby (06:15):

You can't make this up.

Leslie (06:18):

Waving, waving, I'm okay. I can't it make up, so long story short, I just spaced out and was following the wrong car.

Barnes (06:23):

Fram what happens? Where is the disconnect?

Leslie (06:26):

I don't know.

Cubby (06:26):

Were you just paying attention to the color?

Barnes (06:28):

Were you on the phone?

Leslie (06:30):

I thought I was following my car instead of following his car. And again, some poor random lady is wondering why the hell I'm following her and stopping in front of her house.

Cubby (06:39):

Yeah.

Barnes (06:39):

Leslie, this is a trend. This is not just something out of the blue, this happens for 30 years.

Leslie (06:44):

I'm getting worried about myself.

Cubby (06:46):

Yeah, I mean it really is concerning actually. I mean, we should probably unplug her mic, to be honest with you.

Leslie (06:51):

Cubby, I need some of that Jägermeister you're drinking every day.

Cubby (06:54):

Yes.

Barnes (06:54):

Keep sipping that wine because you're going to need it in a few minutes Fram, I'll just tell you that. Wait until we get to me.

Cubby (07:00):

I can't top that story, man. I'm not even going to play in this game, that is funny.

Barnes (07:05):

Cubby, you've got nothing?

Cubby (07:06):

No.

Barnes (07:06):

I'll give you one, Cubby's such a dick to me.

Cubby (07:10):

Shut up.

Leslie (07:10):

What?

Barnes (07:11):

He says that I call him too much.

Cubby (07:12):

No, you've calmed down since I said that, but no, there are so many things that you could text and everything's got to be a call. I mean, you can just text it.

Barnes (07:22):

No, because I'm really not a phone talker.

Cubby (07:23):

No, you are, you're the only one.

Barnes (07:25):

But I'm really not, only you. Because it's show related and I feel like I don't want to type a soliloquy into my text and so I call.

Cubby (07:33):

Look, I agree, sometimes you need the phone just to get right to the point and talk it out, but a lot of your calls could easily have been a text.

Barnes (07:40):

Here's how it goes, I dial, here's Cubby, "Hello?"

Leslie (07:45):

Cubby, I need to ask you a question though.

Cubby (07:47):

Please.

Leslie (07:48):

Are you a little intimidated by Barnes?

Barnes (07:51):

For what?

Leslie (07:52):

Because with Barnes texts me and I don't get right back to him because I'm on a million Zoom calls a day, I'll go like, "Hey, let me call you back when I have a break."

Barnes (08:02):

Keep drinking.

Leslie (08:02):

Because I know, I know that he is like, "Where is she, why is she not calling me back, why is she not texting me back, why is she not calling me back?"

Barnes (08:10):

Keep drinking.

Cubby (08:11):

You're a hundred percent right, Leslie and even though Barnes is our friend, it's almost like a boss.

Leslie (08:17):

It is, it is hardcore.

Barnes (08:19):

So then this week my phone rings and I look down it says Cubby and I have this really funny picture for Cubby and I'm like, "Oh, now he wants to talk."

Cubby (08:28):

Right, yeah.

Barnes (08:28):

And then I pick it up he goes, "I know, I just want to know, can you give me some mic recommendations and I need some chair recommendations and a desk recommendation. And how do I plug in these headphones to the speaker?" I'm his personal Apple Genius.

Cubby (08:42):

Leslie, have you noticed Barnes is not very warm on text?

Leslie (08:45):

It's short.

Cubby (08:46):

It's very short, there's never-

Barnes (08:47):

You're welcome.

Cubby (08:48):

... never an emoji, not even a smiley face.

Barnes (08:51):

I give you the fist all the time.

Cubby (08:53):

Yeah, you do, you get the fist and then the pound I like that.

Leslie (08:54):

Did you like my little gifs that I send?

Cubby (08:56):

Yeah.

Leslie (08:58):

I'm trying to do funny gifs and I know Barnes hates that.

Barnes (09:01):

Okay, you're the two people with a real job and you have time for emojis.

Leslie (09:06):

Hey, I like my-

Barnes (09:07):

I just float around.

Leslie (09:08):

I like my Bitmoji.

Barnes (09:09):

Wow.

Leslie (09:10):

I think it looks cute.

Cubby (09:11):

Yeah, right.

Barnes (09:11):

So how was your week, Cubby?

Cubby (09:14):

You know what, it was much better than last week because you remember we had the tropical storm up here and so this week we were back to normal, normal work week. I will admit, I'm a lit nervous, I've got some butterflies in my stomach because my wife and I are taking our first road trip with our six-month-old baby. We're taking a six hour trip to Virginia Beach, Virginia, my home town and I'm not going to lie, I'm nervous about how it's going to go. I know the baby sleeps well in the car, but I know she's not going to sleep for six hours straight. I don't want any meltdowns, I want to be prepared, I want the wife to be happy, I'm worried about this trip.

Barnes (09:46):

If I was your wife, I'd be more concerned about you than the baby.

Cubby (09:49):

She said that actually, she said, "You're worrying more than me." And I even talked about this on the radio show and people said worry more when they're two or three years old because that's when it becomes are we there yet and you got to entertain them and all that. But she's six months old, she's probably just going to be chilling most of it, so I'm okay with it, but I don't know why, I'm just nervous about this whole weekend and everything.

Leslie (10:11):

I think you're going to be fine, I think you might need like a little DVD player for yourself.

Cubby (10:15):

As I'm driving?

Leslie (10:16):

Yeah.

Barnes (10:16):

You can sit in the back with the baby as you're driving. That would be fantastic.

Cubby (10:22):

So yeah, I'm looking forward to that, but guys, I mean I'm just excited that this show is really just moving along here. We are really getting some great numbers and some great feedback and I'm just very happy to be a part of this show, I'm really having a blast.

Barnes (10:35):

You're going to make me cry now, Cubby, gosh.

Cubby (10:37):

No, I really am having fun. I was very hesitant about doing this, but of course Barnes with that whole philosophy of scaring the shit of you, I'm like, "All right, all right, I guess I'll do it."

Barnes (10:47):

What the hell?

Cubby (10:50):

But I'm glad I said yes.

Barnes (10:51):

Okay, let's get into my week because it's about Leslie.

Cubby (10:55):

All right.

Barnes (10:56):

This week I got a gift. I got some new shoes and I love cool shoes. We talk about shoes sometimes a lot. I got what's called DropLabs and we're filming this segment also so we can put it on our social so you can see what's about to happen. These shoes are-

Leslie (11:17):

Big.

Barnes (11:18):

Well, these are mine, they're a size 12 and a half.

Leslie (11:20):

And I'm an 8.

Barnes (11:22):

And female which what about a 6 in male? They're going to look like clown shoes on Leslie, but the fashion statement is not what matters. They're black, black shoes, good looking shoes.

Leslie (11:31):

I like black shoes, yeah.

Barnes (11:33):

And what they have in them completely electronic soles that have technology that connect to your Bluetooth headphones and give you an entire body experience when you listen to music.

Cubby (11:48):

Oh my gosh.

Barnes (11:49):

And it's almost like wearing two subwoofers on your feet but more.

Cubby (11:55):

How long have these been available?

Barnes (11:56):

They just came out.

Cubby (11:58):

They just came out.

Barnes (11:58):

It's called DropLabs.

Cubby (12:00):

Never heard of it.

Leslie (12:00):

Have you done this?

Barnes (12:01):

It's the EP 01. Yeah, these are my shoes.

Leslie (12:03):

So what happened when you tried it?

Barnes (12:05):

I absolutely love it.

Leslie (12:07):

Okay, so here we go.

Barnes (12:09):

I purposefully have not done this, so I'm going to turn these on, look Cubby, you can describe what's happening.

Cubby (12:14):

Okay.

Barnes (12:14):

You see on the back?

Cubby (12:16):

Yeah, it's like a button, is that a button?

Barnes (12:18):

Yeah.

Cubby (12:19):

Yeah.

Barnes (12:19):

So I'm going to turn the shoe on.

Cubby (12:21):

On the heel of the shoe there's a button and now it's lighting up.

Barnes (12:23):

Yeah, so there's one shoe. Fram?

Cubby (12:25):

Is that the Bluetooth connecting or something?

Barnes (12:27):

I guess, yeah, everything's connected together.

Leslie (12:29):

Wow. This is really actually cool. So do you want me to.

Barnes (12:32):

Put on it on here, you don't have to tie, just put your feet in them.

Leslie (12:35):

That's the left? Okay.

Cubby (12:36):

If you wear them in the rain, will you die?

Barnes (12:39):

No.

Cubby (12:40):

Okay.

Leslie (12:40):

Thanks Cubby.

Barnes (12:41):

Yeah, you will survive.

Leslie (12:44):

All right, I have the left foot on.

Barnes (12:47):

All right, let me get the right one turned on. Put that on.

Leslie (12:50):

Okay.

Barnes (12:50):

I'm getting excited just thinking about what's ... okay, so-

Cubby (12:53):

So what is she going to experience again?

Leslie (12:54):

I have no idea.

Barnes (12:55):

Leslie, you're going to have to take those headphones off and you're not going to be able to hear Cubby.

Leslie (13:00):

All right.

Barnes (13:01):

But you're going to put these on. I just hope it doesn't start before.

Cubby (13:04):

Wait, are her feet, are they going to vibrate like she's at a concert? I don't understand.

Barnes (13:09):

So right now it looks like she's wearing clown shoes because she's got my size 12 and a halfs on.

Cubby (13:16):

Right, right.

Barnes (13:16):

And so you have the headphones on.

Leslie (13:18):

Are they on?

Barnes (13:19):

Yeah. So, we're filming this again so you can see the reaction. Now, I've got her headphones connected to my system, so let me just make sure. Yeah, it's on.

Leslie (13:32):

I just want to make sure.

Barnes (13:33):

Now, Leslie, I don't know if you're going to get the whole experience right out the gate, I think you might, so just tell us what happens. I don't know because you might just hear the headphones first, I have to make sure that I have it turned on correctly.

Cubby (13:46):

What kind of music you're playing?

Barnes (13:46):

I think I'm going to play Jack White.

Leslie (13:49):

Oh yes.

Barnes (13:50):

Let's do Seven Nation.

Leslie (13:52):

Yeah, Seven Nation Army.

Barnes (13:53):

Yeah.

Cubby (13:53):

Well here's my question real quick, does it matter if it ... will she get more of an effect if it's a bass-y song or does it really matter?

Barnes (13:58):

That's got a lot going on.

Cubby (14:00):

Okay.

Barnes (14:00):

Did you hear music right then?

Leslie (14:01):

Yeah, I heard the first and that was it.

Barnes (14:04):

Can I turn it up loud, you're good?

Leslie (14:06):

Yeah.

Barnes (14:06):

Okay, now watch her face, I'm about to turn the shoes on, hang tight.

Leslie (14:10):

It's happening.

Cubby (14:17):

Now Leslie can you hear me?

Barnes (14:18):

Do you feel it?

Cubby (14:19):

What's happening?

Leslie (14:19):

Yeah.

Barnes (14:20):

She can't hear you, hold on, let's let her-

Leslie (14:22):

This is amazing.

Barnes (14:23):

What's that? Tell people what's happening.

Leslie (14:26):

You can actually feel it through your entire body.

Cubby (14:30):

Oh my gosh.

Leslie (14:31):

I mean, this is amazing.

Barnes (14:34):

It sounds like Jack White is in the room underneath us and the whole band is playing.

Leslie (14:38):

You can feel the pulsation, it's almost like somebody's drumming on my feet and it's going through my whole body.

Barnes (14:47):

She's bouncing, you can see her bouncing in the chair.

Leslie (14:49):

This is really cool.

Barnes (14:50):

Now how insane is that?

Leslie (14:52):

I love it.

Barnes (14:53):

I knew you would love it. Here, let me give you another-

Leslie (14:57):

Okay.

Barnes (14:57):

... let me give you another song so you can feel some bass.

Leslie (15:01):

Cubby, you have to try this.

Barnes (15:02):

It's unbelievable.

Leslie (15:03):

It's incredible.

Barnes (15:04):

Here's some Dave Matthews, try this.

Leslie (15:05):

Okay, oh yeah.

Barnes (15:09):

Cubby, it's like wearing subwoofers as shoes.

Cubby (15:13):

Almost like the band, like you said, is rehearsing in a room next to you or below you. That's actually really cool.

Leslie (15:18):

Do you think that people are going to take this to like clubs and stuff?

Barnes (15:20):

Well, so think of it as concerts, think about it's called DropLabs, droplabs.com. And also gamers, so what was that game you played where you killed the people because you're violent? What's that game?

Leslie (15:34):

Mortal Kombat?

Cubby (15:35):

No, I got into Grand Theft Auto, yeah, Grand Theft Auto.

Barnes (15:38):

You'll be able to feel people walking up next to you in the shoes.

Cubby (15:42):

Can you ask the retail value?

Leslie (15:44):

This is amazing.

Barnes (15:45):

You have to go to the website, I don't know the exact cost.

Cubby (15:48):

Okay.

Barnes (15:49):

You can pull it up. Droplabs.com if you have a computer.

Cubby (15:53):

You're a great salesperson.

Leslie (15:54):

You feel it immediately.

Barnes (15:54):

No I'm saying you, I mean you can get your answer. I don't know, I don't have a computer in front of me, I have all hands in use right now.

Leslie (16:00):

This is really cool. I love it.

Barnes (16:03):

Fram, she's done, she's not going to be on the show anymore.

Leslie (16:06):

I'm still here.

Barnes (16:07):

It's all over.

Cubby (16:08):

I wasn't being sarcastic, I want to get a Tesla now and DropLabs all because of you. I'm serious.

Barnes (16:13):

But my problem now is what if I run out of juice in my Tesla and my shoes. I'm going to have no beat.

Cubby (16:19):

No beat all.

Barnes (16:21):

And I'm going to not be moving at all.

Leslie (16:22):

He's going to be stranded in my farm.

Barnes (16:24):

From here, Cubby, I'm sitting three feet from her and I can feel the floor shaking. She's tapping her feet now. Anyway.

Leslie (16:32):

It's really cool.

Cubby (16:32):

Can Leslie hear me?

Barnes (16:33):

No.

Leslie (16:33):

Especially the good drumming songs like Carter Beauford from Dave Matthews Band.

Barnes (16:38):

So come back to your regular headphones, party's over, all right, turn them off. Yeah, we have to do the show. How crazy is that?

Leslie (16:44):

It's amazing.

Cubby (16:45):

That is so cool and I have a question for her after she puts her headphones on.

Barnes (16:48):

She's going to put her headphones back, Cubby's got a question for you.

Leslie (16:50):

By the way, I'm still tingling.

Barnes (16:54):

It's unbelievable.

Leslie (16:55):

You finish and you're still tingling.

Cubby (16:57):

So, are you asking for a cigarette now? I mean. All right.

Barnes (17:03):

That's going to be the next thing, trying the shoes while you're having sex.

Leslie (17:08):

That is amazing.

Cubby (17:08):

Check this out, I'm on the website droplabs.com because I wanted to get a price.

Leslie (17:13):

That's incredible.

Cubby (17:15):

And I'm looking at-

Leslie (17:16):

That's incredible.

Cubby (17:16):

They're all sold out.

Leslie (17:18):

What?

Barnes (17:18):

They're about to get a new shipment.

Cubby (17:19):

Notify me when available, there's a button here for that, but there's no price and wow, compatible with all Bluetooth headphones.

Barnes (17:26):

It's unbelievable.

Cubby (17:27):

Compatible with iPhone, Android.

Leslie (17:28):

I'm surprised it took somebody this long to come up with this technology.

Barnes (17:31):

I'll let you know when ... and also artist mixing. So when you're mixing your record, you can feel the music. Or if you're a drummer, you can put the bass and whoever like your monitor. So you're feeling it in your feet and up through your body.

Leslie (17:49):

It's so cool.

Cubby (17:51):

That is so cool. I mean, just when you think they thought of everything, that is something that really gives you the feels and wow.

Barnes (17:56):

They're about to be in stock.

Cubby (17:57):

Yeah, it's got nothing but five stars, this is so cool.

Leslie (18:01):

By the way, it's great for the gift for someone who has everything.

Cubby (18:04):

Right.

Leslie (18:05):

This is the gift.

Cubby (18:06):

Yeah, because you know they don't have it.

Leslie (18:07):

You know what I'm saying?

Barnes (18:07):

Because no-one has it.

Cubby (18:08):

Right. And you know what, they look good.

Barnes (18:10):

What's weird though is people will look at you ... they're good looking. They're great looking shoes.

Cubby (18:14):

They really are.

Barnes (18:14):

I went into eat and the people were, I was like, "What are they looking at?" And I'm like, "Oh, because I sound like a car has come inside and you know when you pull up next to a car and it's like-

Cubby (18:26):

The annoying bass? Yeah, yeah.

Barnes (18:28):

Yeah, that's what you're noticed.

Leslie (18:31):

By the way they are actually good looking shoes though.

Barnes (18:33):

They are and they're comfortable.

Leslie (18:35):

Yeah.

Cubby (18:35):

Yeah.

Barnes (18:36):

So anyway, that was not a paid segment.

Cubby (18:38):

No.

Barnes (18:38):

That's just enthusiasm.

Cubby (18:39):

And you know what, we are called the Pop Culture Show so we're hip on new trends and stuff like that and there we go, that's a new one that I never even heard of.

Barnes (18:47):

Check them out.

Leslie (18:47):

Thanks Barnes.

Barnes (18:47):

Yup, droplabs.com.

Cubby (18:50):

I am reserving a pair right now.

Leslie (18:53):

Well let's dive into some Celebrity Sleaze. Poor Simon Cowell, did you hear about his six hour surgery about his back injury?

Barnes (19:00):

I've heard so many stories.

Cubby (19:01):

Yeah, I didn't know it was six hours though.

Leslie (19:04):

Bike crash, broke his back, six hour surgery. Had to put a metal rod in his back.

Cubby (19:10):

My buddy was on that show earlier this week. Micheal Yo, he was a comedian, he was on Monday night. Got voted off Tuesday night, but he was bummed out that he did the show and Simon wasn't there.

Barnes (19:20):

It's going to be weird because Simon was stiff already, now he's got a metal plate in his back.

Cubby (19:25):

Boom, Barnes with the jokes.

Leslie (19:27):

Hello.

Barnes (19:27):

I'm just saying.

Leslie (19:30):

Hello.

Cubby (19:30):

Yeah.

Leslie (19:31):

Well, Kelly Clarkson was filling in for him, so that's cool. So every week we talk about this about how Hollywood has lost ideas, here's another one. Jim Carrey reportedly returning for two more Mask movies.

Barnes (19:42):

Really?

Leslie (19:43):

Two more.

Cubby (19:44):

Is it because we're all wearing masks? Is that the main reason?

Barnes (19:48):

Hollywood's like, "Oh yeah, a movie about masks, yeah, do it."

Cubby (19:51):

Yeah, jump on it.

Leslie (19:52):

Here we go again, another reboot. Every week we talk about this, Saved By The Bell reboot.

Barnes (19:57):

I saw the trailer, much more dramatic.

Cubby (20:00):

Right, it's more like a Beverley Hills 90210.

Barnes (20:02):

Yeah.

Cubby (20:03):

Some serious moments, but I've always been a fan of Saved By The Bell, it's a great time, it's a great period.

Leslie (20:09):

So Barnes, our old buddy David Arquette, You Cannot Kill David Arquette has been released. I guess it's going to be video-on-demand with David Arquette?

Barnes (20:17):

It looks hysterical. I had no idea that the wrestling world was so freaked out about him.

Leslie (20:23):

Yeah, I had no idea either that he was in the wrestling world. Cubby, I don't know if you knew that or not.

Cubby (20:28):

Did not.

Leslie (20:28):

But we're old buddies with David Arquette, so we have to try to get him on this show.

Barnes (20:33):

Which I texted him and usually he texts right back which he must be just busy with promotion for the show, but he was apparently the WCW champ in 2000. It was a bit, but the wrestling world never accepted him.

Cubby (20:50):

Well, we keep bringing in these heavy hitters as far as guests go. You might want to work on that one.

Barnes (20:54):

I'm trying.

Leslie (20:55):

Here's something else that hit the internet that I absolutely loved and people are wondering what ever happened to Phil Collins. Well, In The Air Tonight has hit, again, after 39 years of being released, it's back on the chart because of these twins from Gary, Indiana and their spontaneous reaction to Phil Collins In The Air Tonight.

Barnes (21:15):

Oh, it's hysterical.

Leslie (21:16):

22-year-old twins Tim and Fred Williams and I guess when they get to the drum part, they just go crazy. I sent it to Barnes and he loved it.

Barnes (21:25):

Cubby, have you seen it?

Cubby (21:25):

Yeah, it's great. It reminds me kind of Hangover? Remember when Mike Tyson and the drums? Yeah.

Barnes (21:31):

And there's a bunch of people that do these type of videos, this one I would play a clip but it won't make sense because we're watching the screen and describing it. But to watch them and that big drum part that comes in five minutes in.

Cubby (21:44):

Right.

Barnes (21:44):

And they're just sitting there bobbing their head and then they both almost fall out of the chair and are like, "Who would drop a beat five minutes into a song?"

Cubby (21:53):

Which is a great point actually, but it's a classic.

Barnes (21:56):

They're like, Phil.

Cubby (21:57):

Have you seen the people doing the drums with the cupboards or in the kitchen and right when the beat kicks in, they close all the cupboard doors and they have to time it out perfectly?

Barnes (22:06):

Yup.

Cubby (22:07):

I love that on TikTok.

Barnes (22:07):

It's really good.

Cubby (22:08):

Yeah.

Leslie (22:09):

Now Cubby, you always do The Wayback Machine, do you remember who was in the original Three Men and a Baby? Because there's going to be a remake.

Barnes (22:15):

Tom Selleck.

Cubby (22:16):

John Travolta?

Barnes (22:18):

John Travolta and Martin Short.

Leslie (22:20):

Was Travolta in it? Was Tom Selleck?

Barnes (22:22):

I don't know.

Cubby (22:22):

Or am I wrong?

Leslie (22:23):

Ted Danson.

Barnes (22:24):

Ted Danson.

Cubby (22:25):

That's right, that's right.

Leslie (22:25):

And Steve Guttenberg.

Barnes (22:26):

Oh man, I was way off.

Leslie (22:27):

But anyway.

Cubby (22:28):

So there goes my cred.

Leslie (22:29):

Here we go, Three Men and a Baby, guess who's going to redo it? Zac Efron. Which I don't see that at all because he's a pretty boy.

Cubby (22:36):

Right, I don't see it either.

Leslie (22:37):

Which is nothing wrong with that.

Barnes (22:39):

Who are the other two? And does he play the baby?

Leslie (22:40):

It doesn't say.

Cubby (22:45):

Is there anything original anymore?

Leslie (22:46):

Maybe he should. No.

Cubby (22:47):

I'm pretty sad.

Barnes (22:47):

No.

Leslie (22:48):

Hey, by the way Barnes, you live in Atlanta, did you know that they're making Spider-Man 3 there?

Barnes (22:53):

They did not consult me on this one.

Leslie (22:56):

They need to, Spider-Man 3 apparently pre-production happening in the ATL again because Hollywood has no new ideas. Did you see the power list, the highest paid actor list from Forbes?

Barnes (23:08):

I did not.

Cubby (23:08):

I know, I know, I know, can I go?

Leslie (23:11):

Geez, yeah, go ahead.

Cubby (23:12):

No, I'm just excited because there's one thing you mentioned that I've actually read about and maybe I'm wrong, but I think it's The Rock.

Leslie (23:17):

Mm-hmm (affirmative) The Rock.

Cubby (23:19):

Which surprises me because I know he's done a lot, but what has he done lately? I don't know.

Barnes (23:24):

Well, a ton. He's always on something and they're usually hokey comedies and he's getting paid huge.

Cubby (23:30):

Maybe because I'm not a huge fan I don't even know, but yeah.

Leslie (23:33):

Maybe you're just not aware of his films, but apparently he made an estimated 87.5 million over the last year.

Cubby (23:40):

That's some good coin right there.

Leslie (23:41):

And there were some other people in there that I totally got like Mark Wahlberg, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Will Smith, Adam Sandler, Ben Affleck too by the way was in that list as well.

Cubby (23:51):

Right.

Leslie (23:52):

And I know he's been doing a bunch of stuff for Netflix. How about The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, a reboot there with Will Smith.

Barnes (23:59):

Come on, everything's a reboot.

Leslie (24:02):

Yeah, the show's based on, again, on Morgan Cooper's viral YouTube trailer with I guess Morgan Cooper also on board with Will Smith. Of course Will Smith has got to be involved, of course.

Barnes (24:13):

This looks more like Boyz n the Hood

Leslie (24:16):

Did it? I didn't see the trailer.

Barnes (24:16):

No seriously, it's very dramatic, very dramatic. It's not a comedy.

Leslie (24:21):

I thought this was very progressive for the Hallmark Channel. They will feature their first same-sex wedding.

Barnes (24:30):

That is a big deal for them and it's about time.

Leslie (24:31):

I thought so too. I mean, by the way, it's great, but I was really like wow.

Barnes (24:35):

Right, they're very conservative.

Leslie (24:38):

Now this was bizarre, David Blaine, you know David Blaine the magician?

Cubby (24:43):

Yeah.

Leslie (24:43):

To float through the air while holding balloons.

Barnes (24:46):

What the hell do balloons have to do with it?

Leslie (24:46):

His new special will stream on August 31st on his YouTube channel.

Barnes (24:53):

Seriously, am I missing something?

Leslie (24:56):

By the way Cubby, this is in your neck of the woods.

Cubby (24:58):

Yeah.

Leslie (24:58):

Follow Blaine as he attempts to float from New Jersey over the New York City skyline.

Cubby (25:03):

Yeah.

Barnes (25:04):

Come on.

Leslie (25:04):

What?

Cubby (25:04):

We talked about this on our show today and I think it's funny, it's only going to be on YouTube. David Blaine used to have specials on major networks, what does that say?

Barnes (25:15):

Well, I mean, YouTube's probably paying him a big nut.

Cubby (25:18):

Well yeah, you're right, I know YouTube's huge, but I used to remember David Blaine on NBC or ABC, it was a big deal. And he hasn't done anything in a while, so I guess I am curious.

Leslie (25:29):

Yeah, I'm curious about that and Barnes actually turned me on to this and it's quite funny, but another reason that 2020 continues to be weird, have you seen or heard Michael Jackson's Bad-

Barnes (25:43):

Oh, this is great.

Leslie (25:44):

... as a bluegrass song?

Barnes (25:45):

Have you seen it Cubby?

Cubby (25:46):

I have not and maybe I shouldn't be on this show because it's pop culture, I don't know about this one.

Barnes (25:51):

This one is good. I'm going to play part of it for you, I wish I could show you, but you can just Google it. Just Google Michael Jackson Bad bluegrass.

Cubby (26:00):

Okay.

Barnes (26:01):

Who did this, does it say who did it?

Leslie (26:02):

No, it doesn't.

Barnes (26:03):

It's unbelievable. Hearing it is pretty cool, but when you see that they've taken the original video and what I'm about to play for you, put it all together, it's insane (singing). Imagine the video, we all know the video. They're all running around, it's crazy.

Cubby (26:33):

I'm imagining Deliverance is what I'm imagining.

Barnes (26:35):

Yeah.

Leslie (26:38):

Good call on Deliverance.

Cubby (26:40):

Squeal like a pig.

Barnes (26:40):

It's really wild. Google that, you will love it.

Leslie (26:43):

So I'm sure the next time we talk, I'll talk more about more reboots coming out of Hollywood, that's your Celebrity Sleaze.

Cubby (26:49):

All right, I love it. Hey, I'm a little behind on my Netflix watching, I will admit. Are you guys watching anything on Netflix?

Barnes (26:56):

Let me get my app, standby, because I can't remember all of them. Hold on.

Leslie (26:59):

I told you I'm still watching Yellowstone on the Paramount network which is phenomenal. Kevin Costner.

Barnes (27:05):

Have you watched Dr. Foster yet?

Leslie (27:06):

No.

Barnes (27:07):

Damn it, Fram.

Leslie (27:07):

No, I'm sorry.

Barnes (27:08):

I give you recommendations because I care.

Cubby (27:11):

Well here's what I want to talk about.

Barnes (27:14):

Hold on, you asked me a question, let me answer.

Leslie (27:16):

He's actually looking up his Netflix app.

Barnes (27:17):

Well, because I'm trying to remember what I'm watching.

Cubby (27:19):

Yeah, chop the shit out.

Leslie (27:19):

You're not watching Selling Sunset are you?

Barnes (27:22):

No, it just came up with an ad, Fram.

Leslie (27:24):

Okay.

Barnes (27:24):

Slow your roll, I don't like doing this show with you in the same room.

Leslie (27:26):

Slow your roll.

Barnes (27:27):

I need my social distance.

Leslie (27:29):

Did he just say slow your roll?

Barnes (27:30):

You're looking over my shoulder like we're in an airplane seat and you're like, "Do you really watch Selling Sunset?" I have seen one episode. I'm watching Outer Banks.

Leslie (27:42):

Yeah, I have to watch that because everybody that I work with is like, "You got to watch Outer Banks."

Barnes (27:47):

And Charles Esten who's one of the stars is going to be on this show in I think three weeks right at the end of August?

Leslie (27:52):

Former start of Nashville, TV show Nashville.

Cubby (27:55):

Look at that.

Barnes (27:56):

Do you know a little bit about that do you?

Leslie (27:56):

Mm-hmm (affirmative)

Barnes (27:58):

Bloodline, there's another one.

Leslie (27:59):

I finished that a long time ago.

Barnes (28:02):

Oh well, why haven't you mentioned it?

Leslie (28:04):

I love Bloodline.

Barnes (28:05):

And Money Heist, I'm on the third section.

Cubby (28:08):

I have a fun Netflix fact for you. So, when you sign on to the streaming service, the logo appears and you hear that famous sound.

Barnes (28:16):

Love that sound.

Cubby (28:18):

So, the Netflix offices call that the Ta-Dum and it's very recognizable, but believe it or not, so Todd Yellin, Netflix's Vice President of Product, he recently revealed that one of the options considered for Netflix production logo was something else. And I got to tell you, I have three options here and I want you to see which one do you think they were considering. And this is no joke, by the way, they were considering one of these sounds and I want you to see if you know which one it is. Is it A?

Speaker 6 (28:49):

Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats. The show is about to begin.

Cubby (28:54):

All right or is it B? Or is it C?

Barnes (29:06):

Wow.

Leslie (29:06):

Okay.

Cubby (29:06):

Of the three you heard, which one do you think they were actually considering as the beginning of the logo on it?

Barnes (29:11):

This is for real, one of those three as going to be the Ta-Dum?

Cubby (29:15):

One hundred percent.

Leslie (29:15):

I'm going to say B.

Cubby (29:17):

You're going to say B and that was-

Barnes (29:19):

Which was the cartoon sounding thing?

Cubby (29:21):

Right, that was the cartoon sounding thing.

Barnes (29:23):

I would say the ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats like it's showtime.

Cubby (29:28):

That's what I thought, guys. But believe it or not.

Barnes (29:33):

No way.

Leslie (29:34):

There's no way.

Barnes (29:34):

A goat?

Cubby (29:35):

The sound of a goat was on the shortlist of possible sound options to go along with their logo and they said that it felt like a riff of another famous production logo. Todd says, Todd Yellin, the Netflix Vice President of Product, he said he liked the sound of the goat because it was funny, quirky and their version of MGM's Leo the Lion, end quote.

Leslie (29:57):

No way.

Barnes (29:58):

What?

Leslie (29:59):

A goat to a lion.

Barnes (30:00):

Can you imagine?

Cubby (30:00):

They actually consider doing the Netflix logo popping up on your screen and then hearing the bleating of a goat.

Barnes (30:09):

Can you imagine how that would have changed just the whole thing?

Cubby (30:14):

But when you were a kid, do you remember watching TV shows and they had like sit, Ubu, sit, good dog. That was random and then you had the cat the end of Mary Tyler Moore.

Leslie (30:26):

That's true, that's true.

Cubby (30:26):

I mean, the goat does sound like really-

Barnes (30:28):

Yeah, but those were production company little soundbites as opposed to almost like a network. Maybe they weren't thinking Netflix would be as big as it is?

Cubby (30:38):

Maybe, but I mean I love Ta-Dum, don't get me wrong, but yeah, the goat.

Leslie (30:43):

Are you yearning for the goat sound now?

Barnes (30:49):

What a trip.

Cubby (30:56):

I was really thinking that would be hilarious (singing).

Leslie (31:07):

We are so excited to have on the show with us Mr. Kristian Bush and Kristian, I don't even know where to begin with your credits because you are a singer, a songwriter, a multi-instrumentalist, a producer, a successful producer, one half of Sugarland who have sold millions of albums worldwide, multiple number ones. Where do we begin? We've known each other, you and Barnes and I go back 20 plus years.

Kristian Bush (31:33):

I'm telling you that when I listened to this podcast, even today, I'm so nostalgic. You guys could tell me things and I would believe you because I've been listening to you on the radio for so long. Like immediately I'm 22.

Barnes (31:50):

Same here and the more wine Fram drinks, she's getting down to about 18.

Leslie (31:54):

Yeah.

Cubby (31:55):

Yeah.

Leslie (31:56):

We decided to drink on the show tonight because we had you on and we're like we have so many stories to tell with Kristian.

Kristian Bush (32:03):

Oh my gosh, well you guys are constantly reinventing yourself and I feel like if you've know somebody this long, that's what you do.

Barnes (32:14):

Well, I want to take the next seven minutes to list the other 13,000 bands that you're in and projects, so come back in 10 minutes, no I'm just kidding. Honestly, I don't know how you keep up with what band you're in at what point. I mean, Sugarland who's just crushed it for years, you've got all the Billy Pilgrim stuff which is coming back full circle.

Leslie (32:36):

Yup.

Barnes (32:37):

I mean, you're just everywhere. I'm being honest, when you're on stage, do you ever forget which band you're in?

Kristian Bush (32:45):

It just started happening about three weeks ago that I started writing songs and not knowing which band it should go to. That was an odd moment and I had to start asking myself so what makes it one thing or another?

Barnes (32:57):

That was my question on the way driving to Nashville today. I was like at what point when you're writing a song do you designate this is a Sugarland song, this is a Kristian Bush song.

Kristian Bush (33:07):

Usually it's because I'm like a habitual collaborator. So, most of the Sugarland stuff Jennifer and I write together, but I start a lot of it alone. And the Dark Water stuff is very different, the new rock record that I've done. So my partners in that are my brother Brandon and Benji Shanks and they bring me the music, so it works like the old R.E.M. world where the music shows up and then I have the weird task of walking around and making up words in my head.

Cubby (33:40):

But you have a lot of folders, you have a lot of folders on your desktop of your computer don't you?

Barnes (33:44):

Yeah.

Kristian Bush (33:44):

Oh my gosh, it gives my kids anxiety when they look at all the folders. They're like, "Dad."

Barnes (33:53):

Well, we have a lot to cover with you. Let's start with Billy Pilgrim. You are coming back and I'm assuming it's Andrew also, I mean it wouldn't be Billy Pilgrim if it wasn't, Andrew Hyra. And you guys, this is an unbelievable story and I don't even quite understand it. This album that is coming out was the lost album?

Kristian Bush (34:16):

Yeah, so you guys might remember this, you might not, but it was after 9/11. There was a fire in downtown Avondale and it burned the Avondale town center.

Barnes (34:31):

This is near Atlanta for our listeners in Japan.

Kristian Bush (34:34):

Yeah, this is in Atlanta and Avondale, it's one of the four or five little cities that are literally inside the city. And this theater, it was like an old movie theater, had been converted. It used to be where like Elvis played there and stuff, but it had been converted from a movie theater into a recording studio. And Sister Hazel and Third Day and Billy Pilgrim, we all recorded there with Don McCollister and Don had a fire in the studio. And my brother and I had just had this really weird tragedy, our mother passed away suddenly within a day of being sick and that was two weeks prior to the fire.

Kristian Bush (35:20):

So this fire burned the entire thing down and my brother and I had all of our gear and all of our music and all of our recordings in the upstairs of that theater and we had it in the old projector room stored in the movie theater and that was the name of our little project studio.

Barnes (35:39):

And this is what year? This is like '99?

Kristian Bush (35:42):

This would be 2001.

Barnes (35:47):

Okay.

Cubby (35:47):

Well yeah, because 9/11 was 2001, so.

Barnes (35:49):

Oh, okay, yup.

Cubby (35:50):

Right.

Kristian Bush (35:51):

Yeah, so it would have been that winter. Two or three weeks, well actually it was about a month later is when the fire happened and in the fire was this Billy Pilgrim record we had really worked for four years to make.

Barnes (36:04):

So you put a ribbon on it, it was done, sitting there.

Kristian Bush (36:08):

It was done.

Barnes (36:08):

Yeah.

Kristian Bush (36:09):

And so when everything burned, all the master files and tapes burned with it. So we had one copy left.

Barnes (36:17):

Wow.

Kristian Bush (36:17):

And we were so heartbroken and of course I was screaming. I was like that 30-year-old kid grieving the loss of a parent which is so strange. And it took us, I don't know, maybe four, five months to get up enough let's go outside and try to release this because we made it and we have one copy. So, we were like, well, maybe we should play a show and so we played one show at Eddie's Attic and about that time, I had already starting writing songs for Sugarland.

Barnes (36:48):

So was the plan for people just to check it out one at a time? We could all just come and like I can take it for a week and then I bring it back and then Cubby can get it?

Cubby (36:57):

Yeah.

Kristian Bush (36:58):

Right, well we were a little scared and we weren't getting along, Andrew and I, and I knew he was commuting back and forth from LA back to Atlanta. We just played this one show and we made, I don't know, two or three hundred copies of it because we thought well ... and we did it by hand, we just had it manufactured. And then we sold them at that show and then that was it and it disappeared forever. And I found my one copy during the pandemic and you and I have been talking-

Leslie (37:29):

No way.

Kristian Bush (37:30):

... for the last couple of years. And I called him, I was like, "Hey man, so how about since it's upside down world, why don't we do this?"

Barnes (37:38):

You're like the networks who are just rehashing old stuff, come on Kristian, I'm kidding.

Kristian Bush (37:42):

I heard you laughing.

Leslie (37:44):

This is such a treat for the fans though.

Barnes (37:46):

Big time.

Leslie (37:47):

Especially in the ATL days.

Barnes (37:50):

And those that don't know the angle, Andrew Hyra has a very famous sister Meg Ryan.

Kristian Bush (37:58):

That's right.

Barnes (37:58):

And people always talked about that, the buzz was all there, but you guys were supported also big time by the Indigo Girls, right, early on?

Kristian Bush (38:03):

Right.

Barnes (38:04):

And you had all this buzz around you and then you lose this record and so now ironically this was not planned, the record's being released, what, Monday this week?

Kristian Bush (38:13):

Yeah, one of the songs, the second song from it comes out just this week. And then-

Barnes (38:20):

Tamburlaine?

Kristian Bush (38:21):

The record itself ... yeah, Tamburlaine comes out this week and then the whole record comes out on the 4th of September.

Barnes (38:27):

Here's a quick clip of Tamburlaine (singing). That was done 20 years ago almost, right? Wow.

Kristian Bush (38:47):

Yeah.

Barnes (38:47):

An important question for fans, why did you and Andrew not talk for over 15 years?

Kristian Bush (38:55):

We still haven't actually unearthed that part.

Barnes (38:58):

Really?

Kristian Bush (38:59):

We haven't and we've been talking maybe twice a week recently if not a little bit more and we're having really great conversation, but-

Barnes (39:08):

Therapy?

Kristian Bush (39:09):

... imagine a friend of yours ... well, kind of. I mean, we've covered a lot of ground. I just took my child, my oldest, to college on Monday, so I don't think he's ever saw Camille.

Barnes (39:24):

Wow, that is so strange. That many years and here we are putting a record out that was all but gone, COVID happens, you find it, unearth it in your house. It's weird how things happen.

Leslie (39:38):

But you know what's strange because the COVID and pandemic has brought a lot of people back together and maybe this was actually one of the silver linings of this pandemic. And because Kristian's such a creative person, I mean, again, he fluidly, he can go from producing someone to doing a Sugarland record to doing a solo album. But this really good news, the Billy Pilgrim record, for all those fans, Kristian, this is incredible.

Kristian Bush (40:03):

Oh yeah. It really is mind blowing. And Billy Pilgrim happened before the internet, so you can't really go find out who we were or what we did or what it sounded like. You can hear some of the things we did on Atlantic Records, but again, put Billy Pilgrim in time, we signed to Atlanta three months before Hootie & the Blowfish.

Barnes (40:23):

Wow.

Kristian Bush (40:24):

My peers were Rob Thomas and Jewel and those are the people who got signed the same month we did.

Cubby (40:31):

Well what's the deal with Sugarland music because I've heard September, I don't have a date though, of something and a song, can you tell me more about that?

Kristian Bush (40:40):

We recorded literally the day after the CMAs this past year. When we record, we like to record live, so when you're hearing them on the radio if it's exciting, it's because it was exciting for those three minutes, right? And it's an old habit I have and it's a luxury because the singers that I work with a lot are really fantastic, they don't need to try. And Jennifer's definitely that way and we finished it and we were ready to release it and we were about to talk about it in March and literally as we were about to send the first email to everyone, like here's when the first song comes out, everything shut down. So, it has been paused and put off and put off and put off and now I think it's time to start releasing it because fingers crossed we get back out on the road next summer.

Barnes (41:35):

Yeah, release it before that place burns down, we don't need this to happen again. Don't leave new music just sitting around Kristian Bush.

Kristian Bush (41:43):

Oh my gosh.

Leslie (41:44):

You guys are signed to one of my favorite labels in town, Big Machine Records and I love the fact that you guys are putting new music out. I just talked to Jennifer Nettles the other day and she's doing a lot of stuff with Equal Play at CMT. But Kristian, you guys have a played so many festivals, so many shows with so many artists worldwide, who's been the favorite for you? Because again, you've played with every artist.

Kristian Bush (42:12):

That's a good question. We were just talking about this the other day because it was so far back, but there was a, it is a festival, it's still there, I think, in Memphis called the Beale Street Festival and it's down next to the river and it was Billy Pilgrim and Beck and Bob Dylan. And besides the alliteration which is hilarious, I was shocked at being able to just sit on the side of that stage and I don't even know that was 1994 maybe at what that was.

Kristian Bush (42:47):

And then carry that forward to I guess the other super cool one, Jennifer and I did the Nobel Peace Prize concert and it was the year that the Arab Spring lady won it with two other women and we got to sit with those ladies during the days walking into the concert and have conversation. And watching them sing our songs back was just mind blowing. It was like who gets this life?

Barnes (43:23):

That's so funny.

Kristian Bush (43:24):

And the lady that started the Arab Spring, she's very young and she had just gotten out of jail to come get her award.

Leslie (43:31):

Wow.

Cubby (43:32):

So Kristian, I live in New Jersey, so New York obviously in the backyard here. Broadway, sadly as we all know, shut down but you're working on a musical I heard that are we ever going to see? What's the deal with this?

Leslie (43:46):

Oh, that musical was in Atlanta too.

Barnes (43:49):

What?

Leslie (43:49):

Yeah, he did a musical, he wrote a musical. Tell them about it Kristian.

Kristian Bush (43:54):

I got asked to do some ... because in Atlanta they now consider me a country singer, right, because Billy Pilgrim wasn't playing for a long time. So, I got asked to do some country songs for a play by a famous playwright in Atlanta named Janece Shaffer and she needed a song for a play and it turned into 16 songs, it turned into a musical. And the Alliance in Atlanta which is our big theater did the world premier of it and it has gone into the world called Troubadour and it's about a guy who's retiring in 1951 on the stage of the rhyme and is a country singer and it's whether his son will take over and his son's new friend is a Jewish tailor. It turns out all of the tailors that moved country music from church clothes into bedazzled clothes were Jewish tailors which I thought was a really interesting story.

Kristian Bush (44:47):

So that became in a musical called Troubadour. And the same playwright then reached out to me and said, "Hey, let's write something else, we were a good team." I said, "Okay, let's do it." And it happened to be the week of the Kavanaugh testimony.

Leslie (45:02):

Mm-hmm (affirmative)

Cubby (45:02):

Mm-hmm (affirmative) yup.

Kristian Bush (45:05):

And we went through lots of different ideas, like first of all isn't that strange that you have lunch somewhere and talk about ideas for a musical, right? And it got shot down, but we started that day and ran straight through for three months and wrote a musical about the Kavanaugh testimony.

Barnes (45:23):

You wrote a musical about the Kavanaugh testimony?

Kristian Bush (45:27):

Yeah.

Barnes (45:27):

Here's one, try something about I'm not going to give that girl a shot, see if that will work. Because on Broadway ... I'm sorry, that one fell flat. I'm sorry, I'm sorry everybody. That's crazy, you're writing for Broadway.

Cubby (45:42):

But this was a lot of work that we're never going to see or hear?

Kristian Bush (45:45):

Well, it's hard to tell. We thought that it got a director and it got a place and it was going to move running into the election because they thought it's a pretty topical thing. And there's a lot of conversation, I'm very vocal about my pro-women stance in all of the things that I do and this is definitely one of them. And it was a fascinating ... we will get to see it, but it was an exploration of what happens in a heterosexual couple when you are faced with the triggering of what happened in the Kavanaugh trial. Suddenly you look at your spouse and you're like, "Is there something you need to tell me?"

Leslie (46:39):

That's fascinating.

Kristian Bush (46:39):

Today's the day. And it happened all over the place, it happened to couples everywhere.

Barnes (46:46):

Wow, COVID killed your Kavanaugh trial, but brought back Billy Pilgrim.

Leslie (46:49):

Kind of, yeah.

Barnes (46:51):

This universe is just funky.

Cubby (46:53):

It really is.

Barnes (46:54):

It really is funky. Kristian, what is it like winning a Grammy?

Kristian Bush (46:59):

It's like a Superbowl thing and you know what's weird? It was mind blowing to have it happen, but it's even more mind blowing now. I really believe in the Grammys and the Recording Academy, is the organization MusiCares, a lot of the efforts that they have. And now that I'm in it, I can't believe how hard it was to actually win one.

Barnes (47:21):

I mean I can't imagine what that must have feel like being there. You know you're nominated, but as they're doing your category, does it become an out of body experience when you start, Sugarland and then they play a clip from the song on the big screen and then all of sudden they're saying the winner is Sugarland.

Kristian Bush (47:38):

Yeah, it's mind blowing.

Barnes (47:41):

And where's your Grammy now?

Kristian Bush (47:44):

It's sitting in the studio next to my Star Wars lunchbox on the shelf.

Barnes (47:53):

Nice. Nice.

Kristian Bush (47:56):

I work with a lot of artists and I don't want them to be out on the desk shined up or anything.

Barnes (48:03):

Only when you want to piss them off, right? You want to motivate them or piss them off.

Kristian Bush (48:06):

No, but I'd love to ... things of equal weight, when you put them on the same shelf they have anything in your life. And I think it's nice to be reminded that you can do something impossible and you love your Star Wars lunchbox.

Barnes (48:22):

That's funny, if I had it, I'd be like Cubby shine my Grammy.

Cubby (48:25):

Every day.

Barnes (48:25):

Shine my Grammy.

Cubby (48:26):

Every day.

Barnes (48:27):

There's a couple stories that I think are cool that I want to share. One of them, I don't know if you remember this, we were at lunch at Atlanta over off of Ponce and you got a call about something, about a gig, that when I went home and told my daughters and I'm sure when you told your daughters, it became all encompassing of the conversation. I want to play a quick clip of a song first, this is the artist that was reaching out to and then we'll say for what (singing).

Barnes (49:08):

That's Sugarland with Taylor Swift and you had just gotten the call to go be the surprise guest at the Dallas Cowboy Stadium on Taylor's tour. As a dad of a teenage daughter, you daughter's how old?

Kristian Bush (49:26):

Well, she turned 15.

Barnes (49:28):

Okay, in the sweet spot. How did that go over when you dropped that little nugget that oh, by the way, Taylor Swift just called me and wants me to come be the surprise guest at her show? I don't mean in attendance for people listening, she was doing every tour stop was a different artist that would come out and perform with her and Kristian Bush was it for Dallas.

Kristian Bush (49:50):

Yeah, I told them at dinner because I make them dinner no matter how grumpy teenager-y they are. And at dinner I make them do the same thing, I'm like tell the best thing that happened to you today, I just make them tell me. And they'll make up, "This dinner." Or, "I laughed with my friends." Or they would take it somewhat seriously and then I pregnant pause it and wait for them to ask me. And sometimes they just forget about me completely, but that day, they're like, "Oh, so dad, so I guess you want us to ask you what's the best thing that happened in your day." I was like, "Oh, nothing, I'm just going to play with Taylor."

Kristian Bush (50:30):

And we just left it at that and it didn't really land until we did it and then the next day her world is a very incredible functioning machine, right? And they immediately posted our appearance on the internet and the song itself. And my daughter, she was like, all I got was a text and I wish I saved it, but it read something like, "Who would have thought that my 40-something year old dad would be cooler than me for any moment of my life but it just happened."

Leslie (51:08):

That's awesome.

Barnes (51:09):

Did you get the all caps OMG? Because when I went home and told my daughters, "Hey, I was just at lunch with my friend Kristian." And they're like, "Yeah, yeah." Said, "Well, he's about to go play in Texas Stadium with Taylor Swift." And then there was a pause and they looked at me like, "Can he come over?" All of a sudden they're like, "We love Kristian." It's just funny, I mean what is it like getting in that machine of Taylor Swift's world? When I show up at that-

Kristian Bush (51:38):

Yeah, it's interesting for me, it's similar to the same stuff with Andrew. Taylor and I knew each other because she opened for Sugarland.

Leslie (51:48):

That's true, she opened for Sugarland, yeah.

Kristian Bush (51:50):

And we would take her out because nobody else would and ger parents became people who would ask me questions backstage like, "How do I do this?" I'm like, "Oh, interestingly I've done this like twice now and here's what you need to do and here's what you need to look out for." So we have a relationship that actually just exists back there in time. So, it was funny to be in a room where everybody's anxious of the superstar and she's really not changed that whole much or at least the way she talks to me hasn't. And she's like, "Oh, what do you think about this?" I'm like, "Oh, what do you think about this?" And suddenly we're back in 2000 and whatever 5.

Barnes (52:33):

But what's cool about that and says a lot about her is that she hasn't changed. Because there are some people that do like Leslie. I mean, the minute stuff started and Leslie's like-

Leslie (52:44):

I become such a diva, it's unbelievable Kristian, but anyway.

Kristian Bush (52:47):

It was so great, it's one of the things you wonder how people navigate this when it happens to them and weirdly I've seen them on the way up and the way back down like twice now. Different kinds of different people that you know well. And the grace of how you navigate it is your true character and she has character, she's like, "What do I do now? I really like my boyfriend. I've dated this guy longer than anybody else." And I was like, "You know what, let me tell you something, do you like board games? Start with Scrabble, start learning to drink wine. Figure out who these people are in your life, spend extra time with them." And then suddenly that's now what we talk about.

Barnes (53:37):

We've been telling Leslie every week get Taylor Swift on this show and she's like, "Barnes I'm not going to." Just come on.

Leslie (53:46):

Kristian might be able to do that for you.

Barnes (53:47):

Yeah, get Taylor Swift to come give us some love old school.

Cubby (53:51):

Did she ever try to make you adopt a cat?

Kristian Bush (53:55):

No, I'm not a cat person.

Cubby (53:58):

Oh, okay. I know she loves her cats.

Kristian Bush (54:00):

I fall completely on the dog side.

Barnes (54:01):

Maybe that's our angle, Cubby.

Cubby (54:03):

Yeah, because me and Barnes are cat people. I mean no offense to dogs, I like dogs.

Kristian Bush (54:06):

You all are cat people?

Cubby (54:07):

I like dogs, but cats are easier to take care of and I've just become a cat guy and Barnes and I both foster cats and yeah, I mean, that's our angle Barnes.

Barnes (54:17):

Well Kristian, this was such a treat.

Leslie (54:18):

Kristian, we need to see you in person next time.

Kristian Bush (54:21):

Yes, I want to do that actually and get near everybody again.

Cubby (54:26):

Also, all the money you've made, maybe better WiFi? I mean I love you dude, but.

Barnes (54:30):

Yeah, we had to go on the phone because Kristian's in a cabin in the woods somewhere and he was about on a five second delay so the stories would have been nowhere near as funny.

Kristian Bush (54:41):

Our comedic timing has to work on the phone or otherwise we're not really that great.

Barnes (54:45):

This looks like what they call hostage video. Right now it looks like you've got a wooden wall behind you, you're hunched down in a little shadowy corner.

Cubby (54:54):

Holding up a newspaper.

Leslie (54:56):

He's secluded somewhere.

Cubby (54:56):

Holding up a newspaper.

Kristian Bush (54:58):

Yeah, exactly.

Barnes (54:58):

So funny. Well, thank you for coming on, we'll look forward to talking to Taylor Swift once you set that up for us.

Kristian Bush (55:05):

I love it and I love you guys are doing this, keep doing it.

Barnes (55:07):

We'll do it.

Leslie (55:08):

We miss you, we miss you, we can't wait to see you again Kristian.

Cubby (55:10):

And keep up all the success man, we love you dude.

Barnes (55:13):

See you soon.

Kristian Bush (55:14):

Thank you, I love you too.

Barnes (55:15):

Bye-bye.

Leslie (55:15):

Bye.

Speaker 8 (55:20):

This is Cubby's Pop Culture Throwback, a rewind into the vault of music, movies and moments.

Cubby (55:27):

All right guys, this week we're going back to August 17th 1988, the week of August 17th 1988.

Leslie (55:33):

Whoa, '88.

Cubby (55:36):

The number one song on the Billboard Hot 100 this week on the pop charts in '88 was a song you know and love (singing).

Leslie (55:45):

Oh yeah.

Cubby (55:48):

A little Steve Winwood and Roll With It. This song, Leslie, Barnes, I'm sure you remember, I think it was number one for just forever on all the radio station playlists out there, it was huge.

Leslie (55:58):

I always loved his voice.

Cubby (55:59):

Me too.

Barnes (56:00):

My roommate smoked a bunch of pot to that.

Cubby (56:02):

Really?

Barnes (56:02):

Yeah.

Cubby (56:03):

I remember big Winwood fan.

Barnes (56:05):

I'm not a pot smoker, but he was, so everything I owned smelled like weed and all I know is he played Steve Winwood all the time.

Leslie (56:11):

That's such a weird recollection.

Barnes (56:13):

Because Steve Winwood makes me think of pot.

Leslie (56:14):

I guess.

Cubby (56:15):

Right. The number one song on the modern rock chart this week and this is a fun fact.

Leslie (56:20):

'88.

Cubby (56:21):

This was the first week of the modern rock chart, August 17th 1988, they said let's do a modern rock chart. It was Siouxsie And The Banshees with Peek-A-Boo (singing). Of course, I'm a fan, remember playing them, guys? Remember Kiss Them For Me from Siouxsie And The Banshees?

Leslie (56:42):

Yes.

Barnes (56:42):

Yes.

Cubby (56:42):

That was a great song. The number one song on the country charts this week in 1988 was Restless Heart and Bluest Eyes in Texas (singing).

Leslie (56:53):

Nice.

Cubby (57:09):

Now, do you know that song?

Barnes (57:10):

Never heard it.

Leslie (57:11):

I do.

Barnes (57:12):

And I'm from Texas.

Cubby (57:13):

I've never heard it either. You know one thing I noticed about the country charts and maybe you can let me know if this still happens, I don't follow it as closely, but in 1988 there was a new number one every week almost. It was very rarely would a song be number one for multiple weeks.

Leslie (57:27):

It's actually happening again this whole year, it's the same exact thing.

Cubby (57:31):

I love it. On the R&B charts, the number one song, believe it or not, was Rick James. I thought he was in the late '80s done, but he had a number one song called Loosey's Rap (singing).

Barnes (57:43):

What?

Cubby (57:54):

It's so '80s, right?

Barnes (57:55):

That was number one?

Cubby (57:58):

On the R&B charts.

Barnes (57:59):

Oh, okay.

Cubby (57:59):

Yeah, it never crossed over.

Barnes (58:01):

Fram, you know what R&B stands for?

Leslie (58:02):

Rhythm and blues.

Barnes (58:03):

All right, just checking.

Cubby (58:04):

Yeah, the number one movie this week in 1988, we talked about all the reboots going on, well, it was happening in '88 too. It was Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master. Here's a clip of the trailer.

Speaker 9 (58:18):

Get ready. This August, your wildest dreams will come true.

Speaker 10 (58:26):

How sweet, fresh meat.

Speaker 9 (58:29):

A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 4: The Dream Master.

Cubby (58:35):

They really milked that franchise.

Barnes (58:36):

They made a ton of money.

Leslie (58:37):

How many did they have? I'm looking it up.

Cubby (58:39):

I think it's five.

Barnes (58:41):

Five or six, five maybe?

Cubby (58:43):

And finally, the number one TV show this week in 1988, let me know if you know the theme, I think you'll get it. You don't know it?

Barnes (58:59):

Crickets. No.

Leslie (59:00):

I have no idea, seriously.

Cubby (59:01):

Roseanne.

Leslie (59:01):

That was Roseanne?

Cubby (59:04):

That was Roseanne theme, yeah. So there you go, This Week in Pop Culture 1988.

Barnes (59:10):

Thank you for listening to the Pop Culture Show, please rate, review and subscribe. Don't forget, next week, Dr. Oz. Not Ozzy.

Leslie (59:18):

Say that again.

Barnes (59:19):

Dr. Oz.

Leslie (59:21):

Wow.

Barnes (59:22):

No, I mean, I was just going to give them a little drama. We're going to get all coronavirus next week, I'm sure. I can't wait to get his takes on stuff, that'll be next week. Have a great week, we'll see you.