Latest / You Call That Radio? / 'Ask Me Anything' w/ Mark McG (reading out listeners questions)
Transcript
- 0:06Afternoon. That should call that radio Episode one of season five.
- 0:14Season five.
- 0:16I hope you're all doing well.
- 0:20Today's episode, I'll be answering questions from our Patreons and a few from Facebook and Twitter as well.
- 0:30I've just been waiting for the right time to do this. There's never a right time, is there?
- 0:36But today I heard the new Gyro Babies album, Dreams are mental for the first time, and it feels like the right time. I feel like I can take a big deep breath, have a coffee, decaf coffee, because I'm after coffee, after drink, going to the gym for the first time in my life.
- 0:59Although not that much because when I googled how much exercise I'm doing, it says it's the bare minimum. So I'm gonna step it up a bit. But anyway, I hope you're doing well.
- 1:11I've had the challenging couple of months and over the time I've done a lot. I've recorded interviews with the likes of Dan Connell, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Suzanne Alexander Canwell, and I've also recorded three episodes of a new podcast called beyond the Cringe with Jim Mornin. But it will appear on this channel.
- 1:39And so, you know, over January, we did a lot. We stacked a lot of interesting conversations into a big pile to kick off 2025.
- 1:50And last year we did over 100 YouTube videos and about 30 audio podcasts.
- 1:56I recorded and finished the Gyro Babies album and we hosted about 10 events and gave away about a thousand free tickets to our Patreons.
- 2:06So if you're new to the show.
- 2:10Normally I interview someday, so.
- 2:14But I like to start the season by just doing a kind of ask me anything thing.
- 2:20And yeah, thank you to all the. I think it's 160patrons at the minute and 12 YouTube members. Thank you for making this show possible. If it wasn't for you, there would be no recordings done, there'd be no audio podcast, there'd be no YouTube channel, there'd be no live music that we. That we put on. So thank you for making this show possible.
- 2:43And if you're not a patron, but you think that this is worth the price of one pint per month, then you can support YCT Radio and get free stuff discounts and unlock exclusive content. Plus you get your questions answered first because we're going to go to the patrons first for the ask me anything part of the show. So, yeah, go to patreon.com forward/, you call that radio if you want to support the show and if you can't afford that, then that's fine as well. Just sit back and enjoy the show. There will be no further adverts, sponsors or funding in the show. So let's go. The first question. James Solson, all the way from Bristol, who are you tipping for greatness in 2025?
- 3:39That's a good question. There's loads off the top of my head.
- 3:45I think dos are the next big thing in Glasgow, so I'm tipping them for greatness. I think they just sold at stereo, so I reckon you'll see them sell out a venue like St. Luke's or Sleigh or, you know, the sky's the limit for those guys. They'll be doing European tours and stuff, maybe even a bars gig this year, but that's the first one that comes to mind.
- 4:12Dr. Normal has recorded two albums worth of stuff at Sound Sound Studios with my famous. I've managed to hear a little bit of that because it's the same studio that I was recording the Gyros album, so. So she's got two amazing albums ready to go. So I think keep an eye out for Dr. Normal.
- 4:32Hold on, let me just cheat a little and refer to you call that radio Spotify playlist.
- 4:40It's called Current Signals and it's where I keep all the best new music I find.
- 4:48And I'm actually going to turn this into a radio show for those who don't do Spotify, because I think the general consensus is that we should maybe be moving away from Spotify. So why should I punish people who don't use Spotify? I'm going to make a radio show with all the best new music. Maybe. Let's keep it realistic. Maybe once a month.
- 5:10So expect a radio show soon called Current Signals.
- 5:16But in the meantime, you can go just. If you just search Current Signals in Spotify, you'll find a list of all the best new music I've been finding.
- 5:26So let me just have a look at this.
- 5:28Look. Camille Schmidt, who I just heard for the first time about two weeks ago. American Lass, just big first impression, just sounds really quite unique and has said she'll come on the show. So check out Camille Schmidt, another American, Sophie Hunter.
- 5:49Camille, kind of sort of poppy, underground, kind of somewhere between poppy and underground New York hip hop, really killer delivery and going very viral at the moment.
- 6:05Another band that I've really loved is Asbestos Salesman. I think I just found an Instagram.
- 6:14They're still quite new. I think they've got less than a thousand Instagram followers at the minute, so Somewhere in England. Don't know much about them apart from I just love the music. It's, it's, it's crazy and it's right up my street. I could be here all day long. I'm not going to just start listing bands.
- 6:30Maybe one more. Alexander Canwell English Tom Wait style Pagan hip hop. I just found his words and beats quite strange and captivating and a few of them last week in YouTube. So it'll probably be our next audio podcast on here. But there's. There's too many to list. Lots of good stuff being made. Check the current Signals playlist in Spotify for more tips. And Duchy. But she's just won a Grammy, so it's already greatness personified. And James also asked, will we see a return of the big mad raffle?
- 7:10Yes, we will bring it back. And in the meantime, I'm still giving out free stuff all the time on the Patreon community chat@patreon.com forward slash. You call that radio. If you're already a Patreon, then make sure you are part of that group chat. Mary asks, who would you like to interview?
- 7:35Do you know, this was a question that answered in episode one in season one and I might be wrong, but I feel like I've interviewed quite a lot of the people that I plan to interview, with the exception of Lemmy.
- 7:51He's. He doesn't really do podcasts. Not at the minute anyway. Hopefully that changes. I think I just got shout outs to whoever makes the limit Twitch + YouTube channel, which is kind of highlights all Lemmy's best moments from his daily Twitch stream.
- 8:11I don't have, I don't have time where I'm not online when that stream comes out.
- 8:16So it's. I'm glad somebody's just capturing the best moments and, you know, let me start. Absolutely hilarious. It doesn't need TV to be entertaining. He doesn't need a budget to be entertaining. An absolute national treasure. So I'd like to speak to Lemmy and. But I'm open to suggestions. Who would you like to see me interview on this season? Let me know.
- 8:42Next question is Ali Grant shows to Ali, who asks, looking back, when you first joined the band, did you ever consider the longevity of it or was it a live in the moment kind of thing? How do you feel about that now?
- 9:00So. Good question, Ali. There was definitely no plan for longevity and now I think we are.
- 9:08Sorry if you don't know. The banch is discussing is gyro babies, which is, I think going to be 15 years old by on March when we release Dreams Are Mental Now. There was no plans for longevity. I've just been kind of writing lyrics my whole. For as long as I could remember.
- 9:30And then I just had a lot of funerals that, that just kind of made me realize that life was short. So I kind of started with songs like Jeremy Kale and Bank Charge, stuff like that.
- 9:43Just so that I could say I was only joking if my mates tried to slag me. You know, I mean, I'm from a place where it'd be like, or you hang, you're a rock star. If you start a band, you think you're Liam Gallagher. That's the kind of reaction you get. So I kind of tried to keep it funny at the beginning, but then I think when we wrote Time Machine Prescription was a moment where I realized I wanted to take making music a bit more seriously.
- 10:18Also then, you know, I had a kind of bucket list I wanted making. I wanted to make a cd. So that's how long it was. I wanted to have a cd, I wanted to play a festival.
- 10:30And yeah, and my new bucket list is play Europe. I've not done that yet, but yeah, well, I have played Europe unofficially, like, you know, like commandeering open mics or karaoke or whatever.
- 10:47But yeah, once I made Time Machine Prescription, I thought, I want, I like this, I want to make real music. I still, I still like the, to keep comedy involved in it, but that's just because I think bands shouldn't take themselves too seriously, you know, don't take them, take the music seriously, but don't take yourself too seriously. And what's wrong with a little funny chorus every so often?
- 11:10So, you know, I'm just kind of inspired by bands like the Super Furry Animals, the Beat, a band and many others who can make spine tingling serious music, but they also can make something fun. So.
- 11:23And I suppose that when I played the first live gig, the first live gig, we sold the ivory blacks because lots, you know, we're young. So when you're young you've got lots of, you've got lots of friends usually, you know, people that you work with, you know, nobody's got responsibilities.
- 11:42And there was a lot of people as well. We just wanted to turn up to see a potential car crash and see how bad we would be.
- 11:51And you know, you'll find this happens quite a lot with new bands that start. You sell out initially and then the next gig you'll try and play a month later and then about a quarter of the People turn up.
- 12:04So that's kind of.
- 12:07That's the thing about playing live is if you have a really bad gig, you want to do another gig to redeem yourself.
- 12:23And if you want to, if you do a really good gig, then you want more of that fuel and that adrenaline, that validation that you have been seen and people are listening to you.
- 12:39And, yeah, I'm pretty sure this is the last ever Gyro Babies album. Dreams are mental. March 29. It's Slay, by the way. Tickets on sale. But I don't think it'll ever be my last album. I think it'll just be time to try something new. And I was also followed that way. In what way do you think being in a band has shaped and influenced who you are? And how different do you think your life would have looked if you hadn't gone down this route?
- 13:10A very good question.
- 13:12I don't know. I'm glad I started the band. That's opened so many doors for me and, you know, everything from running festivals, ruining festivals, running festivals, mostly this podcast wouldn't happen if I hadn't started the band and not even a professional level, just like all the lovely people I've met as a result, yourself included. Ali.
- 13:42I don't know what would have happened if I didn't do it.
- 13:46I mean, I don't like to think. But I like to say that I'd probably be dead, maybe in jail or something, because I. I don't think it.
- 13:57My life was particularly going anywhere before that. It sort of gave me the music, kind of gave me a purpose.
- 14:05Maybe I would have found the gym earlier. You know, I just started the gym in December, December 20th or something.
- 14:12Maybe I just found the gym, Ellen, and I'd be a healthy, normal human with a real job.
- 14:18But I doubt that.
- 14:21You know, I. I did office jobs, I did call center jobs, and I actually quite liked it when I was young. But they started automating things like, you know, if you'd be one minute late, you would have to go to a disciplinary hearing.
- 14:35And, you know, I was a good worker. I got on everybody, brought in good energy, hit my targets. So when somebody tries. When a robot tries to get you any trouble for being one minute late, that makes me miserable.
- 14:51So I'd rather work an extra hour than go a disciplinary hearing for something so minor. I'll just never understand why being one minute late is such a big deal.
- 15:05But, you know, I was quite good at sales or customer service or whatever it was. I don't know. So Maybe I could have.
- 15:15Would probably I would have maybe moved somewhere else maybe. Maybe I would have went to London, started buying property, became a, a slumlord landlord or whatever you call it.
- 15:30I would have became a millionaire and then died of cocaine after it shortly after.
- 15:37I don't know, I don't know. But I'm looking for some part time hours if anyone has any leads currently available for hire and also looking for a new place to stay in the spring so it doesn't need to be Glasgow. I'm open to suggestions. There's a lot of change going on at the minute.
- 15:55Cost of living is doubled for me. Mine comes about halfed.
- 16:00So Shouts to the patrons for single handedly helping me weather the storm once again. But the album's finished so I'm ready to get back in a bit.
- 16:10So I think, yeah, I think just to round that up, I think with it starting the band, I would have more money but my life would be far less richer.
- 16:23Liam Clark asks Tashken is which country's capital?
- 16:31I have no idea.
- 16:33I'll Google it.
- 16:37Uzbekistan.
- 16:40Actually have watched some travel vlogs about this country.
- 16:46Seems bizarre, seems like a strange place but. And I kind of, I want to go there kind of way.
- 16:53Shouts to Liam by the way, he's a fantastic beatboxer and also shout outs, travel blogs, travel vlogs. It's a good way to make my brain shut off. I quite like it.
- 17:08I can't remember off the top of my head the people that I watch, but it's a thing that I went through a phase last year of watching them a lot.
- 17:15In fact, speaking of that, I've actually got hundreds of Mexico footage still to make. But I don't think anyone really cares about my travel vlogs. They're not don't seem to do that well and they take a very long time to edit. But I do have lots of footage there so I will get there eventually. And if I could afford to, I would love to go to new countries and just check out all the various underground scenes and then introduce these scenes to the Scottish scenes and vice versa. But alas, we are certainly not there yet. We're not there yet, but maybe, maybe one day that, that would be nice.
- 17:50Gary asks, will you ever watch the Matrix?
- 17:56I've never seen the Matrix. Gary, is it any good?
- 17:59The Matrix just beat to me. I answered that.
- 18:02Look, I don't know why people are so obsessed about me not watching the Matrix.
- 18:10Is it because I always mention that I haven't seen the Matrix?
- 18:15I don't know, Gary. One day maybe we could hire a small cinema and have a movie night.
- 18:22Maybe we could live stream my reaction in real time.
- 18:27But yeah, I don't know. I've not seen the Matrix and maybe one day I will.
- 18:32Question from John Taylor is what positives, if any, do you see in Donald Trump's second term?
- 18:42I don't see any positive at all, to be honest.
- 18:48Also starting to look like it may be the presidency of Elon Musk instead.
- 18:55I suppose all we can hope for is infighting and incompetence destroying any agenda they have.
- 19:07I did do a wee rundown of what I thought about Trump inauguration on the Patreon. So if you're on the Patreon, if you want a longer, more detailed answer, then go into the Patreon page. But basically it confuses me why people believe the richest men in the world give a about the price of eggs. I don't think anything good will come of the next four years.
- 19:36And then people that like Trump. I mean, people don't just like Trump, they love them, they're obsessed with him. So when things go wrong, they'll just blame the, the deep state or something.
- 19:50I just can't see much positive about it.
- 19:54I mean, maybe it'll force the Democrats to elect someone a bit more left leaning, you know, like a Bernie Sanders type, rather than the shambles that is, you know, that Biden camel. Because when I slag Trump, people always go, oh, so you're a Biden guy? Of course I'm not a Biden guy.
- 20:16You know, I don't like any of these people.
- 20:19I don't like any.
- 20:22Suppose if I really squint, what could be positive? I suppose what could be positive is maybe comedy. There may be some good comedy moments to be, to be enjoyed and hopefully musicians rally against it as well.
- 20:41So you could get good comedy and good music as a backlash. But yeah, there's not really much positive that I can think of.
- 20:51Next qu. Oh, sorry, John. Still John Taylor. He says, what's the, your first impressions of this?
- 20:58And it's, I don't know what this is. I think I should know this. I feel like I'm maybe missing some context here. But to me, I am looking at a strange picture of Mary Poppins with bagpipes.
- 21:13That's what it looks to me. That's what it looks like to me. And I suppose, how would I feel about it? I feel a large dose of unease with, with a slither of civic pride.
- 21:32Next up, Mako.
- 21:35If the UK music industry created 4.6 billion in export revenues in 2023. Why doesn't the government invest in the industry at grassroots level? A grassroots level to promote growth seems like an economic no brainer. First of all, just want to thank Michael for all the, the hard work and he does in fiction all the pure audio that sometimes I record.
- 22:01He's the only other member if you call that radio. It helps me write with the audio podcast. So to answer your question, it does seem like a no brainer.
- 22:14This is quite a depressing island and you know, a bad weather, inept politicians, right wing media.
- 22:26It kind of makes for great art.
- 22:31Just, just following up on the point that I just said about the, about the Trump thing.
- 22:36It's all, it's only the really interesting thing about this island.
- 22:41I go back to what was talking earlier on about the travel vlogs is that when I have went in new countries, although I found good things, it always reminds me how good Glasgow is and how interesting the Glasgow scene is and how much stuff's going on.
- 23:00So yeah, it's probably one of the reasons I think I, I couldn't, I don't think I could live away from Glasgow forever. I think I'd always have to come back, at least regularly.
- 23:15So yeah, I agree as a no brainer support the grassroots but I think it's purely by design. I think, you know, if you, if you support angry working class people to make good music, they're going to make out the box music. They're gonna, they're gonna make people think critically and I think they fear an educated voter.
- 23:46If the only people that can afford to make music is the middle classes and the upper classes, then there will be no class consciousness in the lyrics. You know, I mean, no, if everybody's, if everybody's doing well financially then nobody's going to question the status quo because it's working for them.
- 24:10So yeah, I just think they fear the fear and educated war. They fear, you know, a really exciting working class ban, getting people angry about billionaires stealing everything.
- 24:26They just want people to argue the black and white culture wars things, you know, I mean they just want that conversation to go on forever. They want people argue about wokeness and gender and immigration. They're the only three things that you can really argue about these days on mainstream media and, and on all the social media platforms and I think the government in general, the music scene has been left high and dry ever since lockdown. And now we austerity 2.0 that the starmers bringing in People are choosing to go to less concerts, or they just simply can't afford to go anywhere.
- 25:13And then when you add the streaming issue, where, you know, Spotify's basically designed it so that every song's in the palm of your hand.
- 25:28And as a result, people are, you know, are less likely to pay for a download in Bandcamp because they want to save memory in the phone.
- 25:39And, yeah, it's been bad for physical sales. You know, it's been bad for. Because if you're not in the Bandcamp page, then you don't buy the T shirt either.
- 25:52You don't buy the vinyl, you don't buy the cd.
- 25:56And because less people are on the Bandcamp page, you've not got those options.
- 26:01Spotify just doesn't want to encourage people to do anything but stream the music.
- 26:09So, you know, I'm releasing an album in March, so I'm about to see how bad the landscape truly is.
- 26:17We had a fair bit of success with our last album, but a lot has changed since then, so it's going to be interesting to see how bad things really are. Or if we're, you know, it's not like I'm in music for the money. You should. You should. If you're trying to do music for the money, then don't become an accountant or something, because there's never really been much money in it unless you want to make really bland commercial music.
- 26:48But, yeah, it just. It takes a lot of time and money and energy to make an album, promote an album and tour an album. So after all that work, if it doesn't break even, then people like myself and anyone in a similar situation just can't afford to make and release music anymore. Well, not in any. Not in any meaningful level.
- 27:18So, yeah, buy. Buy T shirts, buy tickets, CDs, and vinyls from emerging artists. You know, the Beatles don't need your money. You know, when you get Record Store Day, people buy all the.
- 27:34The re releases, the remastered versions of classic albums.
- 27:38I would just encourage you to. To not do that anymore.
- 27:42Unless you're already supporting the merging artists. Because it's just. Look at all the headliners at festivals now that they're all from about a year ago. It's.
- 27:54It's. Yeah, it's quite depressing. But I'm gonna try and stay positive because I think that we should be talking up the prospects. You know, I mean, we're supposed to be promoters, so why. I don't want to keep talking about doom and gloom. I don't want to be the Doom and gloom guy and you know, just, just go and buy things from amazing artists. Go, go to the gigs.
- 28:22I just don't expect government's going to save the day.
- 28:26We've never had any funding and we've managed to make it work. But yeah, maybe we'll need to start filling out forms.
- 28:35But yeah, let's keep it positive. On the plus side, I think there's a general consensus that people are starting to figure out that social media deliberately dividing us all and streaming content, while convenient, is not as satisfying.
- 28:58So I've got a bit of faith that the trend could be changing and that people will go back to more real life interactions and there. And then buying a lovely piece of physical art.
- 29:14It's better than arguing about what is woken, what's not woke in Facebook.
- 29:22Also, I don't want to glamorize nostalgia.
- 29:25It's not like I want to go back to the good old days. It's more about moving forward to a new world where we are less addicted to arguing on social media and our new world has beautiful physical art.
- 29:44You know, I mean, that's what I want to see. Maybe. Yeah. I hope that answers your question about what I think. And shout outs to Michael. Thank you for all your help with the podcast.
- 29:57Okay, up next.
- 30:03Hello.
- 30:07Hello. Sorry, I just went for a. A drink of water.
- 30:13I just started coughing there.
- 30:16Anyway, back to the questions. Who we got?
- 30:20We've only got a couple questions left.
- 30:23How do you been? What's your favorite dinosaur?
- 30:28You know what, out the loop with dinosaurs, but thank you for asking.
- 30:38I forget the names, but I think mine is Long Neck. Diplosaurus.
- 30:46I think I just made that up. I didn't want to say Tyrannosaurus Rex because they're too commercial.
- 30:54So let me just Google it.
- 30:57Wait, chickens are dinosaurs?
- 31:02Really?
- 31:05Okay, then chicken is my favorite dinosaur.
- 31:12That makes me think, you know, like chicken dinosaurs. Yeah. Okay. All right. This is all new to me.
- 31:18But how they've been also asked them what's your favorite gyro song to perform?
- 31:22Well, I don't think there is one particular song, but something magical happens when you start to nail a new song when the muscle memory kicks in for the first time. So it feels like I'm not having to think about the words. They just exist. It feels like they're part of me and I can just go into a flow state and just perform.
- 31:48I mean, that wears off eventually. Eventually you get sick of performing any song too much.
- 31:56But probably by the time we play the main stage Eden Festival, all The new songs will be in that perfect balance of exciting to perform, but also really well prepared, so I look forward to that.
- 32:16The best set is usually a mixture of old songs and new songs because you've got the adrenaline rush of the new song and really having to focus and then you get to take a wee bit of a breather and do an old one that you know inside the note. But, yeah, I'm looking forward to playing all the new ones. I'm not allowed to say all the festivals we're playing this year, but we're definitely playing Eden Festival. And the album Launch is in March 29th at Slay, so please do get a ticket. If you're a Patreon, you get a 20 discount as well, so check. So, yeah, I just would. This might be our last Glasgow gig. I think it feels like that. It feels like this is the. It feels like the end of the band. So I would. I would really appreciate everybody to. To show out for it and. Yeah, just come and see what we've done with this album. It's been a lot of work to make this happen, so I really hope that you enjoy the album and you come to the live show.
- 33:28Jamie Boy has got a question. What's the best takeaway in Glasgow?
- 33:36Very good question.
- 33:40I don't know, Mother. There's lots of good Indian food and they're all kind of. I've got a few favorites. Mother India, Cafe India.
- 33:55There's. There's a lot of. There's too many mentioned. They're all in the same kind of space.
- 34:03My favorite regional. If I. If I've. If I've just been paid and. Or I want. It's my birthday and I want to treat myself. Then it's the beef four from Non Viet and there's. I think the beefos are quite good from the other Vietnamese places as well. But this is quite new to me. I think I got into this during lockdown or something.
- 34:29So I just love the before.
- 34:32I love it.
- 34:34And there's also a serene play. I don't know if it's still there because I. I live too far away to get it delivered now. But there's a. There was a Syrian place in Springbone that was incredible as well.
- 34:46And yeah, I think it's a really good question though. You know, I'll maybe do it. I'll maybe do a YouTube episode where I give my top 10 takeaways and.
- 35:02Yeah, but the before phenomenon Via is the answer, actually. It's just a bit expensive. I can't afford that. I'm gonna, I'm gonna actually get the ingredients to make my own before that's something that I could, I would like to learn to master.
- 35:19Next question.
- 35:22Janet, what do you think will happen to Luigi?
- 35:28Okay, I think Luigi's probably going to have a tragic accident.
- 35:36And I think that, remember everyone started talking about UFOs all of a sudden. I think the drones were a distraction to stop people talking about, to stop the rise of copycat CEO killers.
- 35:56I think they just, the government just sent a few drones in the sky and started rumors about aliens because it just, it just, it just went out the news cycle. The, the news tried to paint Luigi as a bad guy. Not saying he should have did what he did, but instead of, you know, it must be the only kill in the world. But about 90 from both left and right wanted to talk about how much of a rip off the insurance situation is in the United States.
- 36:31So no matter how much they tried to frame it, people were just letting all the insurance is.
- 36:38And that's why I think we got distracted by UFOs for a while.
- 36:45And yeah, this, it's, I think these are the kind of consequences you get as well when you undermine and minimize death.
- 36:55And that's exactly what's been happening for the last year or so in Palestine.
- 37:00So we're just kind of like people are just not, not to care too much. They're taught in the news not to care too much about death. It's not a big deal. So if you're not, if you're wanting to remove empathy and sympathy from the general public towards people dying, then you are going to struggle to make an insurance CEO fraudster as a, paint him as a martyr. It's not really, it's not really going to work.
- 37:37There was a few other questions, so. Yeah, sorry, sorry. The question was, Janet, what will happen to him? I, I do fear for his life. I think there'll be a tragic accident. I don't think they want him to go to court, especially since he's pleading not guilty. That trial will be the trial of the century. It'll be watched by everyone and it'll just get everybody talking about inequalities in the Western society. So I don't think that he's going to survive, sadly.
- 38:09How much does YouTube pay you? I've been asked.
- 38:14YouTube pays well. First of all, we've got about 12, 10 or 12 YouTube members who pay, I think £5 per month. And then YouTube takes their cut.
- 38:31We don't really do advertising. There's no sponsor Advertising on you call that radio, as you know.
- 38:38So could probably make more if we did that.
- 38:42What I have started doing is putting an advert at the start, just a random YouTube advert at the start because YouTube are doing it anyway.
- 38:54But what I make sure is that I make sure that I untick so that there's no adverts in the middle of our YouTube live streams or any of the content I put in YouTube. So if you start watching something on our YouTube channel, you will not get an advert after the, the program has begun.
- 39:12So if I put more adverts and I would make more money. But I think all together, including YouTube members and including the, the, the, the minimal adverts that we do, it's about £60 every two months. So about £30amonth, something like that. And I have to wait two months to hit the threshold, which is £60.
- 39:40So yeah, there's not really any money. And YouTube, it's not why we do it.
- 39:47So yeah, the, the, the main thing is Patreon.
- 39:54But whether you support the show on YouTube or Patreon, it makes no difference to me. But it just feels like Patreon seems to be a better community to, to reach people that are supporting the show.
- 40:12And what's your feelings on Dry January? Okay, we'll make this the last. On the second last one.
- 40:21My feelings in dry January was I really actually enjoyed doing was.
- 40:30Yeah, I just, I've just had, I've had too much going on, so I didn't want to deal with, with the hangovers anymore.
- 40:40So. And I think I'm just going to keep it going.
- 40:43I've had a drinks, I had a drink since and once again regretted it the next day.
- 40:49So, you know, touch with. I'm not making any big decisions, but I'm just definitely cutting right back and doing. Gonna do dry February and then maybe try and do dry March and just kind of sort of take, take it one month at a time. I think I'll give myself the occasional blowout and a special occasion, but I'm just getting too old for the hangovers.
- 41:13And the other thing that I noticed so the things I've done dry Januarys and I've done sober Octobers before.
- 41:20But what tended to happen to me was is I would just stay in like a hermit.
- 41:28And I don't feel the urge for alcohol when I'm in the house. I don't.
- 41:32If I'm in the house, I'd rather just do work or you know, spend time with someday or, or relax.
- 41:43I Don't feel the urge to, to get drunk. I don't, I don't get that.
- 41:48But this time actually was quite sociable. You know, I went to see Big Al's comedy gig. I went to. I played a show in Dumfries with no alcohol, which was quite mad. We played to.
- 42:05I don't know why we played the Burn Supper, but we played a Burn Supper and Dumfries and you know, Michelle McManus was hosting it. It was really good. Singers doing acapella burn songs. There was lots of fiddly D folk music.
- 42:23And then we came on and we scared the audience away. We were too loud. Maybe it was just too late at night for the audience.
- 42:31But that was quite, quite a lot going on that night in general in the background. And I'd kind of said to myself, you know what? I know it's the 26th of January, I'm going to have a drink for the gig. But, you know, shout outs to. I was with John McMustard, mellow party. And so that was John McM, mustard and gordy. I was in the car with them, driving, doing. And they were only drinking. And then Colin turned up as well. Colin Hunter, who. He stopped drinking as well, so. And I don't think anyone in my band was drinking either that night.
- 43:10So the reasons, I was weighing up, the reasons should I drink? Should or not? Just usually like having one pint before I go on stage and one pint while I'm performing and then I usually like to have many drinks when the gig's over.
- 43:25But also we were last on, so there was no, the gig was over. What am I going to do? Go to a Dumfries night club and listen to Rihanna remixes?
- 43:39So it just didn't feel.
- 43:43I just didn't. I just thought, nuts. There's no point.
- 43:47So. Because what does one pint do anyway? It doesn't, it doesn't get you drunk. So it's obviously a mental thing of just, I like to have my beer.
- 43:55But then I was like, well, there's fake Guinness now and I'm loving the fake Guinness. It feels like the fake Guinness and the, some of the, some of the fake non alcoholic beer. It's filling the void because I kind of keep drinking colas all night.
- 44:12So they did actually run out of fake Guinness. So I ended up having to drink a can of cola on stage, which I didn't like.
- 44:19So I think going at the album launch, I think I'll need to make sure I'm stocked up in Fake Guinness.
- 44:27Because to me, you know, I'm just. Last night I was working at a gig and normally I'd have a wee beer when I'm doing that.
- 44:36You know, just watch the band and stuff. But fake Guinness. I got fake Guinness again.
- 44:42And I've woke up today and done an audio podcast and it feels like, you know, I feel like I'm winning every time I don't have a drink.
- 44:53So, yeah, I think dry January is good. I think it made me realize that, you know, you don't have to live in where a perpetual hangover every week.
- 45:05So, yeah, I'm seriously rethinking everything. And going to the gym as well has been great. I didn't think I would like that. I've never been. I've never been at a gym in my life ever.
- 45:16I was always quite naturally thin and you know, when I was younger I was quite fat. But then lockdown, I just put on lots of weight and I started sort of not being as fit. So I've just went to the gym and I'm loving it. I'm loving it. I'm doing the weights, I'm doing the cardio and I'm not doing loads, but I'm doing more every week. Every day I get stronger and yeah, so I. I would wreck. It was just shout outs to also my brother John and my. And Hamish and Darren. Just seen a lot of people that have went to the gym and it's just changed them completely.
- 46:00And, yeah, I can see why now. I can see why they kept on trying to encourage me to do it. So obviously this is very early days. You know, I've only been doing. I've got to be going like two or three times a week since December, which isn't that much.
- 46:16But, yeah, I think I feel like I'm getting in the habit. And so I think between the gym and dry January, I'm feeling a lot better for it. Unfortunately, it's been such a horrible couple of months that my base level so low that I've not felt the full benefits of it all. But I think, yeah, if that answers your question, I think dry January is actually a good thing. Although what I would say about dry January is they should change the month. Why not do it a different month? Because January is bad enough. You know, it's bad enough.
- 46:50Everything else, your skin, your.
- 46:53It's cold, it's. It's a terrible, horrible month. So maybe I wouldn't judge anybody who treats himself to a wee can of beer or a wee glass of wine to make it easier for them. But I suppose from being in the music industry, January is probably a good month to try and change the habits because December's just got so much happening in it in January, very little happens, at least in Glasgow for live music. So it's quite a good month to test yourself and listen. There's one more question. The final question is podcasts you listen to. What's your favorite podcast?
- 47:36And, and that's, I think that was for Soapy, that question. So what podcast I listen to? Let's see, I'll just open up who I listen to.
- 47:55So yeah, right now I'm looking at the Pocket Cast app. I don't know how you guys listen to this audio podcast, but I used Pocket Cash. I recommend it. It's a free app and it works very well.
- 48:11So I'm just looking through. Here Comes the Guillotine has been brilliant. That's been, that's a year old. This week that features Christopher MacArthur Boyd, who was on this show recently, Frankie Boyle and Susie McCabe. And the three of them together are hilarious. I love that.
- 48:33I've also been listening to Bill Bar is the one I always listen to, maybe not every week, but he does two podcasts a week.
- 48:43I probably listen to about one of them a week.
- 48:46And I'm always impressed with the way Bill Burr can just talk for an hour non stop twice a week and it almost sounds like a full standup routine. So Bill Bar needs a shout out.
- 49:01The Tim Dillon show when I kind of watch that in YouTube from time to time when he's on form, he's hilarious. But yeah, I, I don't, I definitely don't agree with, he says. But he, he has, his writing is incredible when he's in form. There's not really a better comedian in the world right now. But he did kind of go, go along with the whole sort of Donald Trump Joe Rogan verse thing a little bit.
- 49:36And Theo Vaughn as well, who I don't really consider to be part of the Rogan verse Trump thing. He did interview Trump, but he also interviewed Benny Sanders. And I'm giving Theo Von the benefit of the doubt here. I think he's just a curious cat and he wants to talk to everybody and very funny, but time will tell.
- 50:00As for Joe Rogan, I used to enjoy that back in the day, but I mean, he's. The politics.
- 50:10It just keeps on repeating the same things over and over again all the time. And I don't agree with what he's saying and it feels like he's he's. He's just sort of changed a right wing grifter.
- 50:24I don't know if he's doing it for money or power or he's actually believes half the conspiracy theories that he says.
- 50:32I like to listen to blind boy, of course.
- 50:39The legend Blind boy not listening for a wee while to be honest. I need to catch up but I'm just looking through my list of podcasts. I subscribe to a lot of podcasts so I'm not trying to read them all. If you're a wrestling fan. I like. I like listening to. Sometimes I like to listen to a wrestling podcast just to stop my overthinking, you know or a wrestling documentary. These things are good ways to just not think about reality. And Jim Cornet and Jim Ross do the best podcast and Jim Cornet can be quite annoying sometimes but when he's. When he's p. He's a passionate guy.
- 51:21So when he's talking about something interesting then that's good. It shows to the. The David Decimal System podcast.
- 51:30That's my friend and producer, more famous who helped start you call that radio with me by get lending me some advice and lending me some microphones at the beginning. He does a podcast with David. It's called the David Decimal System and that can be good. I enjoy checking in on that from time to time.
- 51:54Let's just read a couple more. I feel like I'm missing something else. Stuff you should know is interesting.
- 52:02You know it's what they're talking about different.
- 52:06Sometimes it's political, sometimes it's historic.
- 52:10I like stuff you should know.
- 52:14I used to listen to Lex Friedman. I just.
- 52:18I'm not sure that I buy into him anymore. Same with Andrew Huberman. Him and Lex, I used to stick them on to sort in fact I mean I would still listen to them. I'm not. I'm not boy I'm not boycotting them.
- 52:32They talk about kind of things that you can put on the background and fall asleep to but I'm not sure how genuine either of them are now and yeah, I think that'll do just now that'll that hopefully that answers your question in our time's quite good about philosophy philosophize. This is great. I like to listen to that all the time. I wish they would make more of them. He's got a nice relaxing voice and I don't know anything about philosophy so I like to listen to podcasts about things I don't know about to switch off so things like and. And things about physics and space and stuff like that because I have no idea what they're talking about. So I find it relaxing when I don't have an opinion on something drunk. Duncan Trussell can be good. Or Darren Connell, of course. Darren Connell is excellent. The Check out the Darn Connell podcast as well.
- 53:30And yeah, I think that's enough for now.
- 53:36Check out those podcasts. Thank you for listening. We'll be back in in a couple of days. I've got. I've got the next couple episodes ready. I think we'll probably just do it in order that I did interviews.
- 53:49So we'll start with Alexander Canwell in episode two and then we'll do Darren Connell in episode three and we'll take it for there.
- 53:59Once again, thank you for tuning in and I hope you have a good year and I hope to see you at album launch in March and thank you for supporting the Patreon if you are. And if you're not, that's fine as well. Have a good day. Bye.