Mark Bryan: From College Friendship to Global Fame

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<v SPEAKER_00>My career in the entertainment industry has enabled me to work with a diverse range of talent.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Through my years of experience, I've recognized two essential aspects.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Industry professionals, whether famous stars or behind-the-scenes staff, have fascinating stories to tell.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Secondly, audiences are eager to listen to these stories, which offer a glimpse into their lives and the evolution of their life stories.

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<v SPEAKER_00>This podcast aims to share these narratives, providing information on how they evolved into their chosen career.

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<v SPEAKER_00>We will delve into their journey to stardom, discuss their struggles and successes, and hear from people who help them achieve their goals.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Get ready for intriguing behind-the-scenes stories and insights into the fascinating world of entertainment.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Hi, I'm Tony Mantor.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Welcome to Almost Live Nashville.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Mark Bryan, a founding member, songwriter, and guitarist of Hootie and the Blowfish, joins me today to recount his journey in the music industry.

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<v SPEAKER_00>He has captivating stories, and it's such a delight to have him on board.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Thanks for coming on.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Well, thanks for having me, and thanks for taking the time.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Oh, it's my pleasure.

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<v SPEAKER_00>So I understand you have a little bit of a unique story about how you learned how to play guitar.

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<v SPEAKER_01>I guess the story goes like this.

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<v SPEAKER_01>I was I'm a lefty.

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<v SPEAKER_01>I you know, I grew up writing left-handed and picked up the guitar, well, like a lefty, and I would I was 12 years old and I went to a a uh guitar lesson, a group guitar lesson at the community center in my neighborhood when I was 12.

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<v SPEAKER_01>I think my mom was like, Do you think you'd like that?

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<v SPEAKER_01>And I was like, sure.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And so they had these all these little nylon string guitars there, and I picked it up left-handed.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And the guy who was there was like, Oh man, I don't know how to teach you like that.

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<v SPEAKER_01>You need to flip it over.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And so I did.

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<v SPEAKER_01>I flipped it over and I learned how to play a C chord that day, right-handed, and that was it.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And I didn't do anything.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And then uh I would have been in elementary school, and I got to junior high, and there was this class called guitar, and I picked it up right-handed again because that's the only thing I knew from before.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And the guy started from the very beginning, you know, just like the E, F, G notes, and all that kind of stuff.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And uh there was but there was a kid in the class who was already really good.

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<v SPEAKER_01>We were like 14.

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<v SPEAKER_01>He taught me how to do the two-finger rock chord, you know, the fifths.

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<v SPEAKER_01>It's like a fifth.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, sure.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Two-fingered rock jam, that most, you know, it's like punky and metal and ching and king king.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And so he I learned how to play TNT the uh the that day, the day he taught me how to play the par chord thing.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And I could play TNT by ACDC, and that's it.

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<v SPEAKER_01>I think a lot of kids when they're learning an instrument, I've noticed their interest goes up when they learn a song they know.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, definitely.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Makes it more interesting.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Do lessons and everything.

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<v SPEAKER_01>But when you learn a song that you like and you go, oh my God, I can do that, you know, and then you're it it perks perks everybody up.

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<v SPEAKER_01>So that's how it was for me.

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<v SPEAKER_01>I started learning songs that I knew and I and it became a challenge.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And then that same kid in the class who was uh really good started teaching me how to do some lead stuff too, including at the time, you know, Eddie Van Halen had just come out, and so he knew how to do the taps and everything.

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<v SPEAKER_00>And yeah, yeah.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Learned that early on, you know, even though that's not the road I went down.

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<v SPEAKER_01>I kind of learned how to do all that early on and understood that world.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And I do a little bit of it every now and then, I'll do some pull-off stuff.

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<v SPEAKER_01>It's fun.

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<v SPEAKER_01>I I love Eddie Van Halen, which guitar players.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Oh, yeah, I loved him.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Great player.

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<v SPEAKER_00>So when did the music bug bite you?

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<v SPEAKER_00>And you said, you know, I want to give this a shot.

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<v SPEAKER_01>I think the perfect answer to that and segue is that is when I realized I could start writing songs on it, like the creative side of it.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Sure.

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<v SPEAKER_01>But Eddie already figured out how to do all this stuff.

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<v SPEAKER_01>You know, it's like, yeah, right.

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<v SPEAKER_01>How do I express myself throughout through this instrument?

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<v SPEAKER_01>And it wasn't from shredding, it was more like what Pete Townsend was able to do, where it's like you take the take great guitar playing but turned it into masterpiece songs.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Not to say that Eddie wasn't a great songwriter.

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<v SPEAKER_01>He was, I think he was actually one of the great riffmeisters of all time.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, absolutely.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Therefore, a great songwriter.

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<v SPEAKER_01>But Pete Townsend obviously took songwriting to a a level that all you know rock guitar players would dream of.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Yeah, he was great.

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<v SPEAKER_01>I started aspiring more to that.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And then Springsteen was a big influence as well, where it's just all about passion and love for music and expressing yourself and telling your story and telling other people's stories through music.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And um, that's always fascinated me more than anything, I think, the ability to express myself.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And therefore, I've let it's led me to write on piano and write with ukulele and other instruments and you know, sort of expand and stuff like that.

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<v SPEAKER_00>I always find it interesting to hear the different stories of songwriters.

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<v SPEAKER_00>What part of the song comes first for you?

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<v SPEAKER_00>Is it the music side or is it the lyric side?

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<v SPEAKER_01>I've noticed that there is not one approach.

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<v SPEAKER_01>There's not one single approach that I've ever taken.

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<v SPEAKER_01>It's more that they come to you.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And one way is through sitting around and playing your instrument.

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<v SPEAKER_01>In fact, I used to hear Eddie Van Halen talk about in interviews, he would get a six-pack and he'd get on one of those old tape recorders and just hit record and sit around and noodle for an hour.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Then he'd go back and listen and pull his favorite riffs from that.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And you know, I've never been done that, done it like that, but there is something to where you sit around and you noodle for a while and you kind of go into a zone where you're uh something starts to you uh come through you, it becomes creative.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And uh I've pulled a lot of song ideas and riffs and grooves out of that um place where I'm just jamming for a while and I I fall into something that is really appealing to me and I want to expand on.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And so that's one way, and sometimes it's on a keyboard or whatever, like I said, just with your instrument in hand.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And then another time, other another way of songs seem to come to me is like if I'm in the shower or driving down the road and like I'll turn the radio off, and then if I'm in the shower, just set calm or whatever, and and I and you zone out a little bit, right?

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<v SPEAKER_01>Melodies will come to me.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Yeah.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And then sometimes it's lyrics that'll come to me.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And so I'll I'm able to kind of expand on those if again, if it's something I really like.

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<v SPEAKER_01>It was cool with lyrics is every lyrical line has a rhythm to it if you pay attention to it.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Yeah, right.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Every sentence, you know, and has a rhythm to it, and you could turn it into a lyric if you so desire, which is how rapping formed, you know.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And like you can be as artistic as you want with the language, just depending on your uh desire.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And so I I stay very open-minded as a writer to that and to expressing myself through words.

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<v SPEAKER_01>I I just I find it like one of my favorite things to do.

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<v SPEAKER_01>It's like doing a puzzle or something.

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<v SPEAKER_01>It's just it's amazing.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, that's the beauty of writing songs.

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<v SPEAKER_00>There is no right or wrong way to do it, it's just the way you feel it.

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<v SPEAKER_00>So it's my understanding that after you got out of high school, you went into college for broadcast journalism.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Was that a plan B just in case your first love didn't come through, which was your music career?

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<v SPEAKER_01>Yeah.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Uh, yeah, I guess it was.

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<v SPEAKER_01>You know, like my father had always taught me you're you're gonna be better off if you're doing something that you love, doing something you're interested in doing, instead of just doing a job to do to make money, you know.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And so I found some interest in like sports casting and music DJing, you know, radio DJing, and the ability to use my voice.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And I I I was comfortable in front of a mic from high school on.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And my dad did some sports casting when I was growing up, so I got to watch him do it and listen to him on the radio.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Nice.

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<v SPEAKER_01>I was comfortable with all of that and started to pursue that a little bit in in high school.

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<v SPEAKER_01>We had some media classes that you could do that where we did like the morning announcements and stuff like that.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah.

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<v SPEAKER_01>PA for the football and basketball games, my senior year.

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<v SPEAKER_01>When I stopped playing, I actually just started speaking at the games and I was kind of headed down that path.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And then the University of South Carolina had a really good broadcast journalism school, which is what kind of led me there.

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<v SPEAKER_01>When I got there as a freshman, uh, Darius lived down the hall from me, same hall and the dorm.

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<v SPEAKER_01>He was also a broadcast journalism major and we had two of the same classes.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Okay.

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<v SPEAKER_01>So eight right away and start playing and then we started playing together within the first semester, you know.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Nice.

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<v SPEAKER_00>So you both met basically because of your journalism classes.

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<v SPEAKER_01>That and just coincidentally, living down the hall.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Yeah.

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<v SPEAKER_01>I mean, you know, we we had it, everybody on the hall had to take showers together.

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<v SPEAKER_01>So we we got to know each other pretty well right away.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah.

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<v SPEAKER_00>So after that, I think you and Darius started a duo, if I remember correctly.

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<v SPEAKER_00>It was named the uh Wolf Brothers.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Well, there was a guy on our hall, dick named Wolf.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Okay.

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<v SPEAKER_01>He introduced us the first time we played, and he's like, he named us after himself.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Like we didn't know his coming.

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<v SPEAKER_01>He's like, ladies and gentlemen, Mark and Darius, the Wolf Brothers.

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<v SPEAKER_00>That's interesting.

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<v SPEAKER_01>We were the Wolf brothers for about five shows and until uh we started doing the band.

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<v SPEAKER_01>You know, Dean and I actually played in a band together in high school.

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<v SPEAKER_01>So he joys on bass, and then we got we had a different drummer before Sony for a little while, and then Sony joined the band senior year.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Well, that's great.

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<v SPEAKER_00>So after you became a band, how did the name Hootie and the Blowfish come to happen?

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<v SPEAKER_01>Darius was in a vocal group called Carolina Alive at University of South Carolina.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And two guys that sung in the group with him, he had given them nicknames.

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<v SPEAKER_01>The Blowfish had puffy cheeks.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Okay.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And Hootie had glasses that made his eyes look like this, you know.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And he whatever said it was Hootie and the Blowfish.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And uh they walked into a party together one time, and Darius said that name, and he came back to me and he's like, That's what we should name our band.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And yeah, I didn't know what we if anything would ever come from our band.

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<v SPEAKER_01>We were just a college band.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Yeah.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Like, yeah, sure, that sounds great.

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<v SPEAKER_01>You know, either of us thinking, like, if something does come from our band, that everyone's gonna think you're hootie, you know.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Yeah, yeah, that's right.

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<v SPEAKER_01>That far ahead, you know, we didn't care.

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<v SPEAKER_01>That is just so hilarious.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Yeah, but anyway, he's not hootie.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And you know, he as as everybody that has paid a little bit of attention knows.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And so it's kind of fun, you know.

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<v SPEAKER_01>But this it's if people want to call him that he's he he has the best response.

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<v SPEAKER_01>He's like, I don't care if you want to call me, that's fine, just as long as you call me.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, that's so good.

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<v SPEAKER_00>What a great way to name a band.

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<v SPEAKER_00>I mean, you stop and think about it.

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<v SPEAKER_00>There are so many different ways you can come up with cool names, like Marshall Tucker.

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<v SPEAKER_00>I heard that they found their name because they went into this venue.

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<v SPEAKER_00>There was this old piano that had been tuned, the name of the piano tuner, Marshall Tucker.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Don't doubt that at all.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Yeah, I mean, it is great.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And and ours, it was, you know, it's very organic.

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<v SPEAKER_01>If if you you know, if we'd had if we had known our band was if you had said to us right at the beginning, your band's gonna be huge, we probably would have chosen a different name.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, I'm sure.

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<v SPEAKER_00>We just didn't care.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, I get that.

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<v SPEAKER_00>So once you got your first single, you got it recorded, and then you're out there and everything just starts blowing up on you.

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<v SPEAKER_00>I'm interested to know because I've been around people here in Nashville that just didn't expect what they got when it started blowing up.

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<v SPEAKER_00>They have all these people tugging at them from different directions so they don't know where they are, where they're going to be, what they're gonna do.

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<v SPEAKER_00>It's just overwhelming.

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<v SPEAKER_00>How did that affect you with your first hit?

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<v SPEAKER_01>Staying in South Carolina was pretty key, keeping our homes there where we already were grounded.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Sure.

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<v SPEAKER_01>You know, working from that.

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<v SPEAKER_01>We we had a central office there.

00:11:48.480 --> 00:11:58.159
<v SPEAKER_01>We would have meetings every now when we needed to, you know, so like we met every week or anything, but you know, we would we all were able to meet and make business decisions together.

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<v SPEAKER_01>We shared our publishing, which was a smart thing to do early on.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Yeah.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah.

00:12:03.600 --> 00:12:10.799
<v SPEAKER_01>Before our record deal and everything, we were touring from there, and there was a perfect sort of web to tour from, like a radius, you know, so to speak.

00:12:10.879 --> 00:12:15.679
<v SPEAKER_01>And uh, you know, we we we had our own business going even before we were signed.

00:12:15.840 --> 00:12:21.039
<v SPEAKER_01>Before we were touring nationally, we, you know, we had our own business going with our own CDs, to just touring regionally.

00:12:21.200 --> 00:12:21.519
<v SPEAKER_00>Right.

00:12:21.679 --> 00:12:26.320
<v SPEAKER_01>We were kind of able to uh establish that on our own before jumping to the next level.

00:12:26.399 --> 00:12:27.360
<v SPEAKER_01>And I think I helped a lot.

00:12:27.600 --> 00:12:28.159
<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, right.

00:12:28.320 --> 00:12:29.120
<v SPEAKER_00>Absolutely.

00:12:29.279 --> 00:12:33.519
<v SPEAKER_00>There are so many people out there that have had overnight success.

00:12:33.759 --> 00:12:37.519
<v SPEAKER_00>Well, it's not overnight success, but a lot of people call it that.

00:12:37.679 --> 00:12:43.120
<v SPEAKER_00>It's a perception, really, because a lot of people will call it an overnight success.

00:12:43.360 --> 00:12:52.480
<v SPEAKER_00>I mean, a lot of people here in Nashville that have worked in the business a long time still have not been elevated to that kind of success where everybody's tugging at them.

00:12:52.559 --> 00:12:58.240
<v SPEAKER_00>They have to do eight or ten radio interviews in a day and just keep it moving that way.

00:12:58.399 --> 00:13:00.960
<v SPEAKER_00>So I think you made a wise decision there.

00:13:01.279 --> 00:13:01.519
<v SPEAKER_01>Yeah.

00:13:01.759 --> 00:13:06.960
<v SPEAKER_01>All it was just gradual enough for us to uh make the jump, including doing the media and stuff like that.

00:13:07.120 --> 00:13:12.879
<v SPEAKER_01>I'll say the biggest jump for us was going from the club-sized stages to arena-sized stages.

00:13:13.120 --> 00:13:14.720
<v SPEAKER_01>Yeah, I mean, that's a big jump.

00:13:15.039 --> 00:13:16.639
<v SPEAKER_01>We were just this club band.

00:13:16.720 --> 00:13:19.360
<v SPEAKER_01>We didn't have any like light show or costume.

00:13:19.519 --> 00:13:21.039
<v SPEAKER_01>I mean, we you know, we were just ourselves.

00:13:21.200 --> 00:13:23.120
<v SPEAKER_01>Anyway, it was music, was the deal.

00:13:23.200 --> 00:13:27.840
<v SPEAKER_01>So the the best thing we could come up with was to put an actual bar on our stage.

00:13:28.080 --> 00:13:29.200
<v SPEAKER_01>That was a great idea.

00:13:29.519 --> 00:13:38.480
<v SPEAKER_01>VIPs and and contest winners and celebrities sit at the bar on the stage during that was the closest thing we could.

00:13:38.879 --> 00:13:40.399
<v SPEAKER_01>Yeah, but that was really cool.

00:13:40.720 --> 00:13:42.399
<v SPEAKER_01>How do we make what we did bigger?

00:13:42.480 --> 00:13:45.440
<v SPEAKER_01>And you know, we came out of bars, so we just brought the bar to the stage.

00:13:45.600 --> 00:13:46.240
<v SPEAKER_01>It was kind of fun.

00:13:46.399 --> 00:13:49.840
<v SPEAKER_01>A lot of people still talk about it, like that got the hang of that tour, you know.

00:13:49.919 --> 00:13:59.120
<v SPEAKER_01>And that was the biggest jump for us, I think, was like we were we were going from these, you know, 30-foot stages to these 90-foot just joint stages, you know.

00:13:59.519 --> 00:14:02.159
<v SPEAKER_00>So how did your perception change?

00:14:02.399 --> 00:14:13.759
<v SPEAKER_00>I mean, going from a bar scene to a concert level with 20,000, 25,000 people in front of you, that uh that's a huge change.

00:14:14.080 --> 00:14:14.399
<v SPEAKER_01>It is.

00:14:14.559 --> 00:14:24.799
<v SPEAKER_01>And I mean, we I think we were conscious about keeping the gear as close as we still could to each other without like spreading out too far to where we could still hear each other and talk to each other.

00:14:24.960 --> 00:14:31.279
<v SPEAKER_01>Like if I needed to walk over to Darius or Sony at the drum kit to discuss the next song, you know, proximity going and everything.

00:14:31.440 --> 00:14:35.840
<v SPEAKER_01>You know, we were very conscious of of like, and then there were no in-ears back then.

00:14:36.080 --> 00:14:36.399
<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah.

00:14:36.879 --> 00:14:38.720
<v SPEAKER_01>Wedges, you know, when we first happened.

00:14:38.879 --> 00:14:40.960
<v SPEAKER_01>So it was kind of important to us at first.

00:14:41.039 --> 00:14:43.279
<v SPEAKER_01>And then we got comfortable with it and spread it out more.

00:14:43.360 --> 00:14:45.039
<v SPEAKER_01>But, you know, that's that's all you can do.

00:14:45.120 --> 00:14:50.559
<v SPEAKER_01>I mean, you know, we were oh, and adding Peter Holzappel playing um keyboards.

00:14:50.720 --> 00:14:51.279
<v SPEAKER_00>Oh, yeah.

00:14:51.440 --> 00:14:58.320
<v SPEAKER_01>Then like and just accompaniment instruments, whatever they might have been on the record, like land or a second guitar keyboard.

00:14:58.480 --> 00:15:00.320
<v SPEAKER_01>It just that really helps.

00:15:00.559 --> 00:15:04.080
<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, and then you're duplicating exactly what you've recorded.

00:15:04.320 --> 00:15:08.960
<v SPEAKER_01>Oh, and it just and filling out the sound more, having that person playing fills things out.

00:15:09.120 --> 00:15:20.240
<v SPEAKER_01>And then we also added our drum tech, Ari Green, as a percussionist, that part of the sound a little bit, you know, just tambourines here and there go a long way, Shaker's a conga on the right song.

00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:21.519
<v SPEAKER_01>You know, you don't overdo it.

00:15:21.679 --> 00:15:22.000
<v SPEAKER_01>Right.

00:15:22.159 --> 00:15:22.879
<v SPEAKER_01>But he doesn't.

00:15:23.039 --> 00:15:30.000
<v SPEAKER_01>And then most importantly, he has a really nice background singing voice, and he can double Sony's high parts or go higher if need be.

00:15:30.080 --> 00:15:31.200
<v SPEAKER_00>And yeah, yeah.

00:15:31.440 --> 00:15:35.759
<v SPEAKER_01>So just little subtle things like that that we added over the years to fill out our sound.

00:15:35.919 --> 00:15:36.799
<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, that's great.

00:15:36.960 --> 00:15:38.639
<v SPEAKER_00>So you just brought up an interesting point.

00:15:38.720 --> 00:15:40.720
<v SPEAKER_00>There wasn't any in ears back then.

00:15:40.879 --> 00:15:45.600
<v SPEAKER_00>So I played with both wedges, of course, in those days and in ears.

00:15:45.840 --> 00:15:47.759
<v SPEAKER_00>There's pluses and minuses to both.

00:15:47.840 --> 00:15:50.240
<v SPEAKER_00>Some people like one, some people like the others.

00:15:50.399 --> 00:15:52.480
<v SPEAKER_00>Which ones do you like the best?

00:15:52.720 --> 00:16:02.399
<v SPEAKER_01>When I first made the switch, what I really missed was the live sound as far as like being able to hear the audience and being able to talk to my bandmates and everything, because you feel a little closed in, you know.

00:16:02.639 --> 00:16:03.360
<v SPEAKER_01>Right, sure.

00:16:03.600 --> 00:16:13.440
<v SPEAKER_01>But there was no mistaking that the sound was of the in-ears is better than wedges because in decide on the volume, which saves your hearing for the rest of your life.

00:16:13.519 --> 00:16:14.159
<v SPEAKER_01>I love that.

00:16:14.320 --> 00:16:14.639
<v SPEAKER_01>A.

00:16:14.879 --> 00:16:15.120
<v SPEAKER_01>Yeah.

00:16:15.440 --> 00:16:24.480
<v SPEAKER_01>B, what I've done is create an entire mix in my ears of the band, like just like I would if I was listening to like Hootie the Bloodfish Live record.

00:16:24.639 --> 00:16:30.080
<v SPEAKER_01>Like, I try to make other than I have to have my vocal a little louder, so you know, just so I can hear when I'm singing.

00:16:30.320 --> 00:16:30.720
<v SPEAKER_01>Right.

00:16:30.960 --> 00:16:34.480
<v SPEAKER_01>But I don't need to have my guitar extra loud because I can hear the amps.

00:16:34.720 --> 00:16:35.600
<v SPEAKER_01>They're behind me still.

00:16:35.759 --> 00:16:38.000
<v SPEAKER_01>So it's this really nice mix in my ears.

00:16:38.159 --> 00:16:38.879
<v SPEAKER_01>It's wonderful.

00:16:39.039 --> 00:16:45.440
<v SPEAKER_01>And then they have now these uh a model for in-ears that is somewhat ambient.

00:16:45.840 --> 00:16:50.159
<v SPEAKER_01>Ambiance helps you hear the audience and hear people talking around you a little bit.

00:16:50.240 --> 00:16:55.200
<v SPEAKER_01>You know, you it's it's not completely muffled now, like also the right frequencies in.

00:16:55.519 --> 00:16:56.559
<v SPEAKER_01>If that makes any sense.

00:16:56.879 --> 00:16:57.840
<v SPEAKER_00>Oh, absolutely.

00:16:58.000 --> 00:17:04.720
<v SPEAKER_00>I've used both, and because working here in Nashville and the production side of it, you get to see all the new techniques.

00:17:04.880 --> 00:17:06.559
<v SPEAKER_00>So, yeah, I agree 100%.

00:17:07.119 --> 00:17:13.279
<v SPEAKER_00>Okay, so here's a part that I love to have is you have been doing this for a long time.

00:17:13.359 --> 00:17:17.200
<v SPEAKER_00>You've had hit records, you've been all over the world doing concerts.

00:17:17.440 --> 00:17:24.079
<v SPEAKER_00>Out of all those years, what is something that just stands out to you that you'll never forget?

00:17:24.319 --> 00:17:25.279
<v SPEAKER_00>Can be anything.

00:17:25.519 --> 00:17:31.200
<v SPEAKER_00>Just what stands out if somebody asks you right now something that you'll always remember?

00:17:31.440 --> 00:17:33.680
<v SPEAKER_01>Oh God, there's so many good ones, dude.

00:17:33.839 --> 00:17:35.279
<v SPEAKER_01>Yeah, that's why I asked this question.

00:17:35.519 --> 00:17:51.680
<v SPEAKER_01>The first one that was uh the week you said it was uh David Crosby singing with us on Hold My Hand in the Nice because that was kind of one of the well, I mean, you know, probably one of the first really big celebrity interactions that we had, you know, yeah, on that level.

00:17:51.759 --> 00:17:52.960
<v SPEAKER_01>And that would have been one of them.

00:17:53.039 --> 00:17:54.480
<v SPEAKER_01>And he just was so cool.

00:17:54.559 --> 00:18:00.559
<v SPEAKER_01>And he did it as a he was friends with our producer Don Gaiman and actual friend of ours from our label and everything.

00:18:00.640 --> 00:18:06.960
<v SPEAKER_01>And so that he did it for for them because he didn't know us, but then he right away he came to like us and was glad he did it.

00:18:07.039 --> 00:18:09.039
<v SPEAKER_01>And it just was such a great experience.

00:18:09.119 --> 00:18:19.359
<v SPEAKER_01>And he gave us about 10 minutes of just talking to us about the music industry and what to expect and how to you know not take it too seriously and just all the things you'd hope he would say.

00:18:19.759 --> 00:18:26.079
<v SPEAKER_01>And I remember him saying the greatest line, he's like, he's like, just you can't trust, you can't trust him.

00:18:26.480 --> 00:18:27.759
<v SPEAKER_01>I swear to God.

00:18:28.640 --> 00:18:36.880
<v SPEAKER_01>Oh yeah, and then he played us his new song on a 12-string guitar that was tuned to like the wackiest tuning I've ever heard in my life.

00:18:37.039 --> 00:18:40.559
<v SPEAKER_01>He took him like 15 minutes to tune it, and he was telling us stories the whole time.

00:18:40.640 --> 00:18:43.519
<v SPEAKER_01>And then he played his new song, and it was beautiful.

00:18:43.680 --> 00:18:45.519
<v SPEAKER_01>What a voice, angelic voice.

00:18:45.599 --> 00:18:48.160
<v SPEAKER_01>And then and then he sung on Hold My Hand, you know.

00:18:48.240 --> 00:18:49.279
<v SPEAKER_01>I mean, what a day.

00:18:49.599 --> 00:18:52.079
<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, that's just so awesome.

00:18:52.319 --> 00:19:02.960
<v SPEAKER_00>I remember when I first moved here to Nashville, and all of a sudden I started getting calls from people that I had grown up listening to, and they said, Hey, we got to do work together.

00:19:03.119 --> 00:19:05.279
<v SPEAKER_00>We got to collaborate, we got to do some things.

00:19:05.599 --> 00:19:13.359
<v SPEAKER_00>Did you have that happen where people that you had listened to and just loved hearing all of a sudden was calling you and say, Hey, we got to work together?

00:19:13.599 --> 00:19:27.039
<v SPEAKER_01>Yeah, well, one of my faves uh uh was uh I got to um Cyril Neville wrote the song about Rosa Parks that is on the Yellow Moon, Neville Brothers record.

00:19:27.200 --> 00:19:27.759
<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, right.

00:19:28.000 --> 00:19:29.759
<v SPEAKER_01>Sister Rosa, it's called.

00:19:30.319 --> 00:19:45.440
<v SPEAKER_01>And some friends of mine that uh run the O Street Foundation in DC, where Rosa Parks stayed for a while back in the 90s, uh, were doing a tribute to her when the Library of Congress was doing a whole, you know, thing about it.

00:19:45.519 --> 00:19:46.640
<v SPEAKER_01>They had a whole room about her.

00:19:46.720 --> 00:19:46.880
<v SPEAKER_01>Yeah.

00:19:47.039 --> 00:19:54.559
<v SPEAKER_01>The O Street folks were doing this musical tribute, and they asked me and Cyril, they asked me to to be involved.

00:19:54.640 --> 00:20:02.000
<v SPEAKER_01>And I I asked Cyril Neville if he wanted to redo Sister Rosa, and he did, and he asked me to come play on it.

00:20:02.079 --> 00:20:10.240
<v SPEAKER_01>Um I went down to New Orleans and played with he and his band on the remake of of Sister Rosa, and that uh and they made a video of it and everything.

00:20:10.319 --> 00:20:12.000
<v SPEAKER_01>It's on YouTube if you want to check it out.

00:20:12.240 --> 00:20:13.680
<v SPEAKER_01>Yeah, that's cool.

00:20:13.920 --> 00:20:15.039
<v SPEAKER_01>Yeah, it's cool as hell.

00:20:15.119 --> 00:20:20.799
<v SPEAKER_01>And then he came up to the O Street and did a show with Darius and I, uh, which was also really cool.

00:20:20.960 --> 00:20:23.119
<v SPEAKER_01>And we did obviously a few other classics.

00:20:23.359 --> 00:20:24.640
<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, that was very cool.

00:20:24.960 --> 00:20:30.720
<v SPEAKER_00>So I see where you did something with summer camp for kids with Hootie and the Blowfish.

00:20:31.039 --> 00:20:32.000
<v SPEAKER_01>Oh, no, no.

00:20:32.240 --> 00:20:33.759
<v SPEAKER_01>That's just the name of the tour.

00:20:33.839 --> 00:20:34.480
<v SPEAKER_01>That's hilarious.

00:20:34.559 --> 00:20:35.200
<v SPEAKER_01>I love it.

00:20:35.359 --> 00:20:37.920
<v SPEAKER_01>Okay, but it read it does read that way.

00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:38.319
<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah.

00:20:38.720 --> 00:20:42.640
<v SPEAKER_01>Back in '95 when Edwin McCain was on tour with us.

00:20:42.880 --> 00:20:43.200
<v SPEAKER_00>Okay.

00:20:43.519 --> 00:20:45.839
<v SPEAKER_01>When he was getting signed for the first time.

00:20:46.079 --> 00:20:46.640
<v SPEAKER_01>Right.

00:20:46.880 --> 00:20:51.359
<v SPEAKER_01>He was like, Man, being on tour with Hootie is like summer camp with trucks.

00:20:52.240 --> 00:20:54.400
<v SPEAKER_01>So we just named the tour that thing.

00:20:54.559 --> 00:20:55.119
<v SPEAKER_01>All right.

00:20:59.839 --> 00:21:00.160
<v SPEAKER_00>Okay.

00:21:00.319 --> 00:21:03.599
<v SPEAKER_00>For some reason, I thought that was a charity event for kids.

00:21:03.920 --> 00:21:08.000
<v SPEAKER_01>It it could easily read that way, and I don't blame you for misreading that.

00:21:08.079 --> 00:21:10.400
<v SPEAKER_01>I mean, you know, it totally makes sense.

00:21:10.720 --> 00:21:10.960
<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah.

00:21:11.119 --> 00:21:11.359
<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah.

00:21:11.519 --> 00:21:14.559
<v SPEAKER_00>Now that you said the the explanation, it does.

00:21:14.799 --> 00:21:16.799
<v SPEAKER_00>But you know, perception is reality.

00:21:16.960 --> 00:21:18.559
<v SPEAKER_00>So someone's going to be reading that.

00:21:18.720 --> 00:21:21.839
<v SPEAKER_00>They're going to say, Oh, what a great thing they're doing, helping the kids out.

00:21:22.160 --> 00:21:22.799
<v SPEAKER_01>We do that as well.

00:21:22.880 --> 00:21:30.640
<v SPEAKER_01>And you know, we have our foundation, and and uh there's there are QR codes on the screen each night at the concerts where you can get to our foundation.

00:21:30.720 --> 00:21:35.680
<v SPEAKER_01>And then Edwin has his charitable foundations, and I'm sure Collective Soul does too.

00:21:35.759 --> 00:21:40.319
<v SPEAKER_01>So we're all still heavily involved in in all of that and have been for years.

00:21:40.480 --> 00:21:46.880
<v SPEAKER_01>And um you're good put in a position like we had that we have, have to give, and we always have.

00:21:47.119 --> 00:21:49.359
<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, that's a great thing to always give back.

00:21:49.599 --> 00:21:53.039
<v SPEAKER_00>So I understand you've been doing some solo work as well.

00:21:53.440 --> 00:21:57.359
<v SPEAKER_01>Yeah, well, so over the years as a songwriter, I just keep cranking them out.

00:21:57.519 --> 00:22:02.000
<v SPEAKER_01>And um, if we're not doing a hootie project at that Time, then I'll release a solo record.

00:22:02.079 --> 00:22:07.279
<v SPEAKER_01>Um, this will be my fifth one, and I by far best um because I'm just getting better with age.

00:22:07.519 --> 00:22:08.319
<v SPEAKER_01>Yeah, that's great.

00:22:08.480 --> 00:22:15.119
<v SPEAKER_01>I have more to say, more to sing about, and I'm better at at the craft and better playing the instruments.

00:22:15.200 --> 00:22:18.559
<v SPEAKER_01>And uh, I don't know, I'm really excited about the album's called Popped.

00:22:18.640 --> 00:22:25.279
<v SPEAKER_01>I'm down in October, but you can can start listening to singles now on uh buy an Apple and everywhere and YouTube.

00:22:25.359 --> 00:22:28.160
<v SPEAKER_01>And I have three videos out already for the album.

00:22:28.319 --> 00:22:29.680
<v SPEAKER_01>So uh four actually.

00:22:29.759 --> 00:22:31.759
<v SPEAKER_01>There's four videos for the album that are already out there.

00:22:31.839 --> 00:22:35.200
<v SPEAKER_01>So, you know, we're we're moving along and then the whole thing's out in October.

00:22:35.440 --> 00:22:36.000
<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, nice.

00:22:36.160 --> 00:22:36.880
<v SPEAKER_00>And you're right.

00:22:37.119 --> 00:22:46.799
<v SPEAKER_00>Songwriting is definitely a craft, and music and songwriting with the way that you do it, hopefully it's a craft that gets better as time goes on.

00:22:47.119 --> 00:22:47.759
<v SPEAKER_01>Yeah, man.

00:22:48.079 --> 00:22:50.640
<v SPEAKER_01>I definitely have felt that over the years.

00:22:50.880 --> 00:23:04.160
<v SPEAKER_01>And it's this constant, um, constant search of how I can uh relay a message that makes people feel something and or and hopefully and affects people the way my favorite music affects me.

00:23:04.319 --> 00:23:18.079
<v SPEAKER_01>And I hope as a writer, whether it's you know whether you're whether writing books or songs or whatever it is, and I hope that my experience uh and and and how I've dealt with things in in my life gives people hope.

00:23:18.240 --> 00:23:25.359
<v SPEAKER_01>It gives people uh something that they didn't have before, something you hope that you can convey that through your songs, and that's the best you can ever hope for.

00:23:25.839 --> 00:23:26.400
<v SPEAKER_00>Absolutely.

00:23:26.640 --> 00:23:31.599
<v SPEAKER_01>So I'm I'm constantly in search of that, constantly inspired by others who make me feel that.

00:23:31.839 --> 00:23:39.839
<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, and if your music can touch one person, it changed their attitude, changes the way they look at things, gets hope for life.

00:23:40.000 --> 00:23:40.799
<v SPEAKER_00>It's a win.

00:23:41.039 --> 00:23:41.519
<v SPEAKER_01>That's right.

00:23:41.759 --> 00:23:43.519
<v SPEAKER_00>Now, how do people find you?

00:23:43.759 --> 00:23:52.160
<v SPEAKER_01>Well, Mark Bryan Music is is kind of uh my uh my website and my Insta and uh Facebook and everything.

00:23:52.640 --> 00:23:54.240
<v SPEAKER_01>You know, that's the easiest way.

00:23:54.400 --> 00:23:57.039
<v SPEAKER_01>And A R K B R Y A N music.

00:23:57.119 --> 00:23:59.519
<v SPEAKER_01>And um, you know, that the new music is there.

00:23:59.599 --> 00:24:05.039
<v SPEAKER_01>So go to YouTube, you like I said, you know, there's already four videos out uh that are of the newer stuff.

00:24:05.200 --> 00:24:06.160
<v SPEAKER_00>So yeah, yeah.

00:24:06.319 --> 00:24:18.480
<v SPEAKER_01>And then obviously through Hootie as well, you know, we're the we're on tour all summer long, so uh our website is very active right now, all the hootie uh platforms.

00:24:18.720 --> 00:24:19.440
<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, good.

00:24:19.839 --> 00:24:23.599
<v SPEAKER_01>On social media, like we played Senway, so there's a whole piece about that.

00:24:23.920 --> 00:24:25.839
<v SPEAKER_00>One of my favorite parks to be in.

00:24:26.079 --> 00:24:27.039
<v SPEAKER_01>Yeah, it's just fun.

00:24:27.279 --> 00:24:28.400
<v SPEAKER_01>We're having a blast right now.

00:24:28.640 --> 00:24:37.839
<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, and I think that's great because the music business, unfortunately, it is a business, but we got into music to have fun, and that's what it's all about.

00:24:38.000 --> 00:24:41.200
<v SPEAKER_00>So it's great that you're enjoying it and having some fun with it.

00:24:41.599 --> 00:24:42.559
<v SPEAKER_01>Not a doubt, man.

00:24:42.640 --> 00:24:50.720
<v SPEAKER_01>I mean, it it's great that I got to make my new record and everything, but if I wasn't on tour this summer, I I don't know if I'd I'd feel as fulfilled as I do right now.

00:24:50.799 --> 00:24:57.920
<v SPEAKER_01>And so it's the full circle of creating and then going and playing it for people and having them sing it back to you and that whole full circle.

00:24:58.160 --> 00:24:59.920
<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, that is just so true.

00:25:00.079 --> 00:25:06.079
<v SPEAKER_00>And there is nothing better than getting on stage and everybody's just having a great night.

00:25:06.240 --> 00:25:11.839
<v SPEAKER_00>The band is tight, the rhythm section is tight, everything is just flowing, no problems.

00:25:12.000 --> 00:25:13.920
<v SPEAKER_00>There's just not a better feeling than that.

00:25:14.160 --> 00:25:14.960
<v SPEAKER_01>You said it, man.

00:25:15.039 --> 00:25:22.640
<v SPEAKER_01>And I'll tell you that that feeling that you're talking about right there, that's happening with Hootie and the Blowfish this summer as well, ever has.

00:25:22.720 --> 00:25:26.160
<v SPEAKER_01>And we're almost together for like 35 years now or something.

00:25:26.319 --> 00:25:26.640
<v SPEAKER_01>Wow.

00:25:26.880 --> 00:25:28.160
<v SPEAKER_01>We're as good as we've ever been.

00:25:28.799 --> 00:25:29.359
<v SPEAKER_01>It's crazy.

00:25:29.440 --> 00:25:33.039
<v SPEAKER_01>I don't I don't know if I would have been able to say that when we were in our 20s.

00:25:33.119 --> 00:25:35.279
<v SPEAKER_01>Like we when you're 57, you'll be as good as you've been.

00:25:35.440 --> 00:25:46.400
<v SPEAKER_01>But man, it's this, it's really, really tight, and it's really great that everybody's still playing on this level and enthusiastic about it on this level and about sounding this good.

00:25:46.640 --> 00:25:47.440
<v SPEAKER_01>So yeah.

00:25:47.680 --> 00:25:49.039
<v SPEAKER_01>I love being in a tight band.

00:25:49.119 --> 00:25:49.519
<v SPEAKER_01>It's great.

00:25:49.680 --> 00:25:51.680
<v SPEAKER_00>Oh, yeah, it's a great feeling.

00:25:51.920 --> 00:25:53.200
<v SPEAKER_00>It's nothing better.

00:25:53.359 --> 00:25:55.920
<v SPEAKER_00>I've been in some great ones and I've been in some loose ones.

00:25:56.000 --> 00:25:56.240
<v SPEAKER_00>Yep.

00:25:56.400 --> 00:25:58.160
<v SPEAKER_00>And everything in between.

00:25:58.960 --> 00:26:00.079
<v SPEAKER_00>Well, this is great.

00:26:00.240 --> 00:26:02.640
<v SPEAKER_00>I really appreciate you taking the time to be on.

00:26:02.880 --> 00:26:03.279
<v SPEAKER_01>Yeah, man.

00:26:03.359 --> 00:26:04.559
<v SPEAKER_01>Thanks so much for having me again.

00:26:04.640 --> 00:26:06.319
<v SPEAKER_01>Yeah, it's uh great conversation, man.

00:26:06.480 --> 00:26:09.440
<v SPEAKER_01>I mean, we're in a good place getting to play that be on tour right now.

00:26:09.680 --> 00:26:11.920
<v SPEAKER_01>I really appreciate the opportunity to talk about it.

00:26:12.079 --> 00:26:13.039
<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, absolutely.

00:26:13.279 --> 00:26:14.640
<v SPEAKER_00>Great conversation.

00:26:24.400 --> 00:26:26.240
<v SPEAKER_00>Thanks for joining us today.

00:26:26.400 --> 00:26:28.640
<v SPEAKER_00>We hope you enjoyed the show.

00:26:29.839 --> 00:26:32.480
<v SPEAKER_00>This has been a Tony Mantor Production.

00:26:32.640 --> 00:26:37.279
<v SPEAKER_00>For more information, contact media at plateau music.com.