Tales from the Green Room

Dennis: 00:01

Welcome to Tales from the Green Room. Backstage conversations from popular music venues around the country curated by Mount Tam Media. Listen in as host Dennis Trouszullo and Mount Tam Media founder Tammy Larson dig up conversations with artists before and after shows in the exclusive confines of the green room.

Dennis: 00:33

Tammy, how are you? We are jamming to get another episode out, and this one is with Chris Hollywood English.

tami: 00:42

And Max Flansberg.

Dennis: 00:44

Max Flansberg. And they are part of the project of the Sam Grisman project.

tami: 00:50

Yeah. Now we had seen them the night before as well.

Dennis: 00:53

Yeah. Well, listen. First of all, I'm so happy to, put something out for Sam's folks, right, for the people in his band because we've had Sam on here a couple of times.

tami: 01:03

I hope

Dennis: 01:04

people have listened. If not, please go back to listen to our Grateful Guitars episode and way back when with, Jay Lane. Right?

tami: 01:11

That was

Dennis: 01:11

one of That's a

tami: 01:12

good one.

Dennis: 01:12

One of our favorites. So I'm just happy that we can have our audience get to know these guys who are part of the Sam Brisbane project.

tami: 01:19

Very cool. Both of them. One Mass hadn't even been to, California.

Dennis: 01:25

Yeah. I I wasn't sure. I knew he had In Rochester. I wasn't even sure if, perhaps I think maybe Chris had, but, anyway, we'll have to listen to find out. But Yeah.

Dennis: 01:34

For sure, Max had not I remember he's a big fisherman. We talked about that. First time in California. And by the way, we should tell everybody where this was. This was at the Terrapin Sunday Daydream number four.

Dennis: 01:45

Yep. Do I have that right?

tami: 01:46

You have that right.

Dennis: 01:48

I'm doing this by memory.

tami: 01:50

I'm making Dennis do all the talking today. He just looks like he's in the mood. He's happy.

Dennis: 01:54

Yeah. Well, here's the deal. Sam himself that day had to stand in for one Phil Lesh to play bass.

tami: 02:02

Yeah. Phil wasn't doing well

Chris: 02:04

since he's

tami: 02:04

right right before he passed

Dennis: 02:05

away. Was. And so, you know, I think he had COVID at that point. And Sam sat in, and, of course, he did remarkably, but we got to talk to these guys. And, the the Sam Grisman project is if you haven't heard it, you got to.

tami: 02:20

They are so good.

Dennis: 02:21

They are so good.

tami: 02:22

Yeah. We saw them the night before. They and then Billy Strings was was the, surprise guest.

Dennis: 02:27

Well, you know, I saw Mac. I actually, I saw I'm trying to remember how this happened, but I think I saw Sam in between. And we were over at Perry's. Shout out to Perry's in Fairfax and Danny Luring and dead, right, live dead Wednesdays. And he he said, look.

Dennis: 02:42

I'm just I'm not gonna promise you anything, but I have it all set up for after the Billy String Show for Billy to show up. Yeah. And I'll be

tami: 02:50

So cool.

Dennis: 02:50

So, of course, we went, and he did. Max got to play the alligator. Right?

tami: 02:54

He did.

Dennis: 02:55

Yeah. Max played the alligator, and, so we talk about that.

tami: 03:00

Yeah. Let's not give any more away.

Dennis: 03:01

Alright. So, anyway, these got the Sam Grisman project, I don't know. I just really enjoyed them, and we're always trying to find the timing of when we send these out. Check out their website and go see these because they were awesome. Max Flansberg, welcome to Tales from the Green Room.

Dennis: 04:24

Oh, thanks for an out indeed. Yeah. We're we're just thrilled to have you, And I'll tell you why. For so many reasons. One, we saw you play last night.

Dennis: 04:32

Yeah. And, it was outstanding. We love the Sam Brisbane project. Yeah. Thought you were terrific.

Dennis: 04:39

And the other thing is your first time to California.

max: 04:42

That's true, man. Yeah.

Dennis: 04:44

And I I heard that last night when he was saying I didn't realize it was you. So Yeah. We're here to welcome you. Native of the the Bay Area here in San Francisco. So welcome.

Dennis: 04:53

And welcome.

tami: 04:53

Where are you from?

max: 04:55

I'm from Hamlive In, the Finger Lakes region of New York State.

Dennis: 04:59

Oh. Yeah.

max: 05:00

Oh. Which is not far from where Rochester. Yeah. Chris.

tami: 05:04

Which Chris

Dennis: 05:05

who we interviewed earlier.

tami: 05:06

Yeah. Oh, yeah. Exactly. Nice. Yes.

tami: 05:08

Did did you know each other?

max: 05:09

Yeah. For a long time. Okay. Okay. He was always he was just of a hero of mine, but then, you know, we became friends.

max: 05:16

And

Dennis: 05:17

Tell tell us about that, then we're gonna talk about you because he was very modest.

max: 05:21

Oh, yeah.

Dennis: 05:22

So so give him some accolades. Yeah.

max: 05:24

I mean, he's a killer musician, killer percussionist, drummer, singer. And he he's played with so many amazing people, and he he's had his own bands, like Audio and Flux and Bangless Project and Funk None. They were really popular bands that I would go watch when I was younger. I he's played with Buddy Guy.

tami: 05:45

Wow. Ma.

max: 05:47

Yeah. But, yes. I just we started playing together, you know, like, and then all of a sudden, he started doing the Sam Grisman gig. I was like, yeah. It looks pretty fun.

max: 05:56

He was like, yeah, bro. You gotta you gotta play. Like, come on in, Amy. He had me sit in with him last year for a couple songs at a show. That's kinda how I met Sam, and then that's how I got kinda into the

tami: 06:10

fold a bit. That's beautiful. So how many, gigs

Dennis: 06:10

have you done with those?

max: 06:12

This was my twenty fifth Wow. Or 24.

Dennis: 06:17

That is not insignificant. Yeah. I mean,

max: 06:20

I just started playing with them in the spring. So Yeah.

Dennis: 06:22

Pretty good. Well, how about what an experience,

max: 06:25

Oh, man. I'm I'm so lucky and I mean, look where we are right now.

tami: 06:31

I mean And if you look at the palms here, it looks like we're in Hawaii. Yeah. Yeah.

Dennis: 06:35

Pretty much everybody today that sat down with us said those exact words. Look where we are. Yeah. So, thank you. Yeah.

Dennis: 06:42

Whoever put us there.

tami: 06:43

It's in you know, every Terrapin Sunday, day, June, they got, it's been nice. Yeah. If it's not always.

max: 06:49

Okay. Interesting. I don't know anything about California, by the

tami: 06:52

way, the

Chris: 06:53

weather or

max: 06:54

Wow. Or

Dennis: 06:54

Terrapin even Is that the

max: 06:55

whole time? I know about Terrapin Crossroads. Yeah. I had never been.

tami: 06:58

But What about the Sweetwater Music Hall?

max: 07:00

I know about it. Yeah. Yeah. For sure know about it,

tami: 07:03

but Yeah. Okay.

Dennis: 07:04

Never Yeah. Yeah. What did you know about Terrapin, from afar before you Oh, I'm

Chris: 07:09

I'm a new

max: 07:09

Datad, so

tami: 07:10

I mean

Chris: 07:11

yeah. There you

max: 07:12

have it. I've seen a million YouTube videos and people playing it or whatever. You know?

Dennis: 07:17

Yeah. Well, this is kind of, because it's not there anymore, you're you're here today. It's probably the closest you'll get, but this is, I guess, it's not there. But Yeah.

max: 07:26

This is It's somewhere.

Dennis: 07:27

This is somewhere.

tami: 07:28

Yeah. And

Dennis: 07:28

I think it's here.

max: 07:29

You know? Alright.

tami: 07:30

It's actually not that far from the the Terrapins.

max: 07:32

Yeah.

tami: 07:32

It's just right down the road.

Chris: 07:34

Yeah. Right?

tami: 07:34

So So

Dennis: 07:35

So that's

tami: 07:35

not that far.

Dennis: 07:36

I think you got Graham and the rest of the Leshes and, of course, Phil have been trying to maintain the vibe and Yeah. Who they are. So you're Mission accomplished, I think. I mean,

max: 07:44

I wasn't there. Yeah.

Dennis: 07:45

You were right. Yeah.

Chris: 07:46

And,

Dennis: 07:47

now all of a sudden, you're instantly part of that. So right on.

tami: 07:50

So tell us a little bit about your, you know, your origins and and in music in general.

max: 07:56

Yeah. So I've been playing music my whole life, really. I have, an original band from back in New York called Dirty Blanket. We're a bluegrass band, and that's been my main gig forever. And then I kinda started playing with Sam, and Sam kinda would be like, hey.

max: 08:12

Can you do these shows? Can you do these shows? Can you do these shows? And then it's, like, started having a lot of fun. So it's it's been fun kinda, like, getting to do both, like, my original stuff and then also come do these Sam gigs.

max: 08:24

Sam is, such a great band leader. He's he's really selfless. You know? He he get he gives such a great platform for his friends to share their art. And, I mean, that's amazing.

max: 08:35

You know? I think that's kinda rare. So it's just

tami: 08:37

That's what we've been airing. Yeah. Perfect. Really important. I mean, then you can feel that.

tami: 08:42

It comes through the music. Yeah. You know,

Dennis: 08:44

when we're having fun

Chris: 08:45

for sure.

tami: 08:46

Yeah. That's that's awesome.

max: 08:47

Yeah.

tami: 08:48

And so are you getting so how is that this mixing with some of your other projects that we have going on?

max: 08:54

I think we all kinda play on the same team, you know? So Yeah. It's Yeah. It's great for me because I've gotten to have a lot of really cool experiences playing with the Sam And, you know, a lot of those experiences can carry over to other things that I'm doing back home and on the road with dirty blanket or whoever. But, so it's all been, you know, kind of a great situation all night.

max: 09:18

Complimentary. Yeah.

Dennis: 09:19

Yeah. What what is your instrument with, that's the project? Guitar. Guitar. Yep.

Dennis: 09:25

And on your own projects, guitar. You're a guitar guy. Yeah. Pretty much.

max: 09:28

You know, I try to play a lot of instruments, but

Chris: 09:31

I'm

max: 09:32

only kind of good at one of them.

Chris: 09:34

So

Dennis: 09:35

Did you get to, play Alligator last night?

max: 09:37

I did. Yeah.

tami: 09:38

You know, somebody was trying to tell me. They're like, that's not the that's a replica, and I'm like, I don't think so.

max: 09:44

A replica. And here's the yeah. I've it's actually the second time I've played that guitar. The first time was at, Dark Star Orchestras Festival in Ohio.

Dennis: 09:53

Yeah. The Jubilee? Yeah.

max: 09:55

Yeah. I was with Sam, and Sam was like, man, I want you to meet somebody. There's a guitar I want you to check out. And here's the crazy thing. It's about a a year ago, my dad had a really bad stroke, and so his memory and speech is affected.

max: 10:09

But that day, he called me and he said, hey. I had a dream last night that you were going to play in concert, and somebody wanted you to play their Stratocaster.

Dennis: 10:18

Are you kidding

max: 10:19

me? Swear to God.

tami: 10:20

Oh, but I have chills. Holy crap. And I

max: 10:23

was like, wow. That's weird. This is, you know, that he told me this before. I was like

tami: 10:26

Oh my God. I was

max: 10:27

like, okay. You know? And then Sam happened to be like, alright. I got you. Wash your hands.

max: 10:31

He's like, wash your hands first because I wanna show you a guitar. I was like, oh, that's weird. The skater, you know? Yeah. It's pretty heavy because, you know, that guitar created music that guided my life, really.

tami: 10:43

I mean,

max: 10:44

so yeah. It's, like, pretty intense.

Dennis: 10:46

So So Europe 70 2 being

tami: 10:49

Yeah. So Okay. I understand. Ask him the question?

Dennis: 10:52

Well, no. I guess I just wanna say for I just dropped the the that

tami: 10:56

was a drop the mic. That was a drop the mic, moment. Intense. We're not gonna drop it though. We're not

Dennis: 11:00

gonna drop

max: 11:00

it. Don't

Chris: 11:00

drop those.

tami: 11:01

They're expensive.

Chris: 11:01

We have

Dennis: 11:02

a lot of, I'll call, spiritual or mystical Yeah. Experiences reported to us, by people. And we're talking about Andy Logan, by the way. We should

max: 11:10

mention Andy. Did you met

Dennis: 11:11

Andy, who had the guitar or did you not?

tami: 11:14

Oh, yeah. Yeah.

max: 11:15

Yeah. I met Andy wasn't there last night.

Dennis: 11:17

No. He was not.

max: 11:18

But I met him in Ohio and he's what he's doing is amazing. Yeah. That's that's what those things are for. They're for people to play.

tami: 11:26

Yeah. When you get a chance next time, you're out here. You have you have to go to his house and check out that guitar collection because he has every guitar.

max: 11:34

He'd probably have to pull me out of there.

tami: 11:36

So you

max: 11:36

would have to do that.

tami: 11:37

I would love it. You got you have to do that. And I have a question for you. So is there ever a moment when you play that guitar? I think you played it twice.

tami: 11:45

Yeah. Where you maybe felt like the guitar was playing, you know, when you I like you were maybe all you put this coming through you a little bit.

max: 11:55

I've I I don't know if I'm there yet.

Dennis: 11:58

Ah, okay.

max: 11:59

Like, it was almost like I don't know. Almost like a first date or something.

tami: 12:04

Like, it's It's all good.

max: 12:06

But, also, it's like it's there's, like, this power that I feel like I'm not ready or worthy yet. So it's kinda like I played a few songs last night, and I was just like and it's just intense. And I was like Yeah.

Dennis: 12:20

I don't understand.

tami: 12:21

The way that the with the story Yeah. I don't wanna get up there

max: 12:24

and just I don't know. It's like Yeah. It's

Dennis: 12:27

it's a lot. Well, listen. You it happened before before you even played it, this whole bit with your dad.

tami: 12:32

I I just I'm still thinking about that. I still chill.

max: 12:34

Yeah. That was really, like, I don't I'm not a believer in, like

tami: 12:38

Now you are. Well, I'm clear.

max: 12:40

Yeah. Because

tami: 12:41

I am. And I've I've heard a lot of these stories, but now you are. Yeah. And you're

Dennis: 12:44

not That's weird. When Tammy was driving at it, some people have told us, or A lot of people have

tami: 12:49

told us.

Dennis: 12:50

Them have they played it. And maybe they're more for for the long I don't know. You know? Like, for example, David Hidalgo of Los Lobos. Okay.

Dennis: 12:58

He somebody we we went Andy Logan Heard this story. Did you?

max: 13:01

About the Los yeah. I was, like, just he was talking about how he the guitar was playing, Hank

tami: 13:07

Yes. Basically. Yeah. And Garrett Deloin and other we've had several people. Yes.

tami: 13:12

So that at some point, they're

Dennis: 13:13

like, no. Yeah. So it happens.

max: 13:16

I guess, like, during the moment, I'm not really, like, having thoughts about what's happening. So even if that did happen, I don't know if I would know no matter what when I'm on playing performing, I'm kinda just in a different place where I'm not really analyzing things like that. Yeah. So I don't know what happened.

Dennis: 13:33

It waits you have to wait for

tami: 13:35

us to do it. I think it's I think it's all about not analyzing it. I think Yeah. When you're not analyzing it, that's when that's when that happens. Yeah.

tami: 13:41

But anyway, it was just so cool to see you playing in.

max: 13:43

Yeah.

tami: 13:44

And and then the guy that said said it was a replica, came familiar. He talked to somebody else, he goes, okay. You're right. It's not a replica. I said,

Chris: 13:50

well, just listen to it. Was not.

Dennis: 13:52

You know when I knew it wasn't a replica is when the Martin came out as well. And I go, okay. Hang on a second. Yeah. You know?

Dennis: 13:57

Yeah. We had the privilege of holding those two guitars. Yeah. Which Yeah. Which and that was enough.

Chris: 14:02

I was like,

tami: 14:03

oh, that's too expensive. Yeah.

max: 14:04

It's pretty intense stuff.

tami: 14:06

Yeah. We're Yeah. That's great.

Dennis: 14:07

So but Andy I'm surprised Andy wasn't there because I didn't think he ever was at a place where the guitars were.

max: 14:13

Yeah. They were well taken care of. He had a crew there that Okay. That was definitely, like

tami: 14:18

Yeah.

max: 14:19

On guard Yeah. As they should be.

Chris: 14:21

As they

tami: 14:21

should be. Right. So Why don't tell him quickly the I think I'm gonna get back to you, but, this the 4 20 story.

Dennis: 14:27

Yeah. Well, he got that that, particular guitar, Andy Logan, you may know it, got it, won it at an auction. Right. So this the the the guitar was originally purchased at a pawnshop by Stephen Stills and gifted to Jerry Garcia for playing on teacher Jokin. Am I am I familiar with that?

Dennis: 14:44

Yeah. Okay. So that whole thing. So when he Jerry dies, the, the guitar is out in the public, and next thing you know, it's in an auction and Andy goes to the auction. Do you know

max: 14:54

the story?

Dennis: 14:55

I know. I know. Okay. So Andy goes to the auction and he says to himself, and and he's a man of means. Right?

Dennis: 15:01

So he has some money to spend on these guitars. And, he says to himself, I cannot spend more than $400,000 on this guitar knowing that Jerry's Tiger guitar went for, like, $3.04 I don't know what it is, in the millions. Yeah.

tami: 15:14

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Dennis: 15:15

And so he the auction proceeds and it gets up to 400,000 and he's like, okay, well, I'm out. And the auctioneer, turned to him, it's something like this, and said, okay, $4.20 to you, Andy Logan. Four twenty.

tami: 15:32

Yeah. I mean

Dennis: 15:33

And everybody laughed. The whole place laughed, and he said, fuck it.

max: 15:38

$4.20, of course. Sold. Yeah.

Dennis: 15:40

How can you not Yeah. Just say $4.20.

tami: 15:42

Yeah. But then but then the guitar went back.

Dennis: 15:44

So anyway, the book sold. You're right. He said $4.20 got silent. He got the guitar. He couldn't believe it.

Dennis: 15:50

And then he brought that guitar back to a show Stephen Stills was playing at a couple years ago. Nice. So this is Andy Logan.

tami: 15:56

Yeah. Full circle. Yeah. Full circle.

max: 15:58

That's a great story.

Chris: 15:59

Yeah.

tami: 16:00

It's a

Dennis: 16:00

great story. Nobody should be interviewing me here, though. Anyone.

tami: 16:02

Let's get No. No. I mean, that's my mean, it's a great story. It's a great story. He and he deserves to know that.

tami: 16:07

I have to play.

Dennis: 16:08

He deserves to know. And then so okay. Bluegrass is your jam. No pun intended.

max: 16:12

Yeah. Pretty much, man.

Dennis: 16:13

Yeah. Alright. So what the hell? Last night, I know you there was a inkling that Billy Strings might come, but Chris told us that no one knew for sure until you saw him right before that five minute break.

max: 16:26

Oh, definitely. I mean, I there was a lot going on. I mean, Jerry's guitar is up there. We're playing with Peter Rowan who's all living legends.

tami: 16:36

Yeah. I mean

Dennis: 16:37

He's playing in the background right now, by the

max: 16:38

way. Yeah. And,

Dennis: 16:41

But you've already played with him, so it's no big deal.

tami: 16:43

Yeah.

max: 16:43

No. That was my first time. Absolutely. No.

tami: 16:45

Last night. Last night.

max: 16:47

Wow. Yeah. I knew. But, yeah, so, like, Billy and his guys showed up and played a couple quite a few songs. They were super fun.

Dennis: 16:56

So when you saw that that was happening, what what came over you?

max: 17:01

I did. My dad called me and said, hey, buddy. There's gonna be no. Yeah. Yeah.

max: 17:08

No. I don't know. I mean, I feel just so lucky and, grateful for to have opportunities like that to, to be even be here talking to you guys Yeah.

Dennis: 17:19

Where we are.

tami: 17:19

We're we're in the forest. Are you any would you ever move out here? Do you have a do you have a family? Do you have children?

max: 17:27

No. Okay. Yeah. Okay. But I have my roots planted pretty deep off where I live.

tami: 17:32

Everybody seems to have that. My daughter's actually leaving tomorrow. She's going to Yukon. My son went to Boston, New York, so it's like Yeah. They're and they love it.

tami: 17:40

Yeah. And when, you know, these snow seems to be this we used to think it was California, but everyone we've talked to lately

Dennis: 17:46

Goes most

tami: 17:46

they grounded themselves.

max: 17:48

Well, it's cool because in this line of work, you can kinda live wherever you want. Sure. Go get to go see all these great places in the in Pomo. So Yeah. Yeah.

Dennis: 17:58

Alright. So Billy, back to that. So he comes, and now you're playing with him. Are you in the moment, just focusing on your own playing or what's going on in the back of your mind?

max: 18:07

Yeah. There's a lot going on now. I guess, like, first of all, just the nature of what we're doing, no matter if it's, someone very well known like Billy Strings or whatever, it's like nine dudes on stage.

tami: 18:20

Right. No

max: 18:20

matter who they are.

tami: 18:21

Yeah.

max: 18:21

Like, people are and we're all, like, great listeners and we're all super respectful. So it's like, people have to take charge, but people don't wanna, like

tami: 18:30

Yes.

max: 18:30

Like, hog

tami: 18:31

the stage.

max: 18:32

But people wanna, like, be respectful, but also, like, take someone else take charge.

Dennis: 18:35

Yeah. Communicate.

max: 18:36

Yeah. So there's a

tami: 18:37

lot of

max: 18:37

that going on. And then you added the fact that it's, like, you know, there's obviously, you know, these cats

tami: 18:42

Yeah.

max: 18:42

Like Billy and Alex that, I don't know. They're, you know, they they're playing a different league than me, you know. So it's like Yeah. Let's have it.

Dennis: 18:49

We got Alex Hargrave too. Yeah.

max: 18:51

I know, man. And that's the first time I got to meet Alex, and I I've just I've been a fan for so long.

tami: 18:55

It's Yeah.

max: 18:56

He's such a nice guy. I mean, he's amazing, you know.

Dennis: 18:59

But you can't get too caught up in those that thinking because you would have to play with the nine guys. Right?

max: 19:04

Yeah. So yeah. But no. It it worked out great. And,

Dennis: 19:08

yeah. Yeah. I I I And every Billy Strings was deferring and, you know, I could tell he was like, okay. This is your gig and let me know when I can step up. And, yeah, that was very cool.

tami: 19:19

Yeah. That was all very obvious and that's why the I think the audience

Chris: 19:22

is Down.

tami: 19:23

Too much. Too much. Too much. So where where next for you? What what's next for you?

max: 19:28

We're here tomorrow on a day off going fishing.

Dennis: 19:31

Yeah. Oh.

max: 19:32

And then, we're going to Colorado for four shows and then couple days off, and then we're going to North Carolina, South Carolina. And those are all with Peter.

tami: 19:42

Those are great plans. Have you been to Colorado?

max: 19:45

I've never been to West.

tami: 19:46

Oh, boy.

max: 19:46

Oh, man. I've never been nowhere.

tami: 19:48

Oh, man. Okay. Well, you're gonna enjoy yourself, man. This would be so much. Colorado's beautiful.

max: 19:53

Yeah. I'm hoping to do some fishing there too, Ken. Yeah.

tami: 19:55

You like to fish. Anything else? What are your other passions?

max: 19:58

Just fish, man.

Dennis: 19:59

Fish and maybe a little music. Maybe a little. Yeah. Oh.

Chris: 20:03

Love it. Right on, man.

tami: 20:04

Okay. God. Listen. Well, Max,

Dennis: 20:05

man, I wanna I don't want you to miss the rest of this. Thanks for sitting down with us for a few minutes. So we'll keep an eye out

tami: 20:10

for you.

max: 20:11

Very much.

Dennis: 20:11

And, well, we'll get your contact info and stay in touch.

tami: 20:14

We'll get we'll get the podcast out to you.

Dennis: 20:16

We'll see you on the road someday. If not, back here in California.

max: 20:18

Sounds good.

tami: 20:19

It was great to meet you. Alright. Thank you so much. You prosper. Call you now.

Chris: 20:26

That's awesome.

Dennis: 20:27

Well, put some kid eye headphones on just

Chris: 20:28

because I was acting in my voice today. Well,

Dennis: 20:31

a little

Chris: 20:31

bit of all because of me.

Dennis: 20:32

Oh, we love Oh.

tami: 20:34

What's up with the band of the surround?

Chris: 20:36

That is better than this one.

Dennis: 20:37

I know.

Chris: 20:37

And it's louder over the music.

Dennis: 20:39

That's right. So we're gonna do it with that.

tami: 20:41

Last the last show, we were interviewing Stanley Jordan got there in a weekend for, like, an hour, and they were breaking down. It was like, you know, the thing banging.

Chris: 20:50

Do you?

tami: 20:51

I'm like, okay.

Chris: 20:52

We gotta do.

tami: 20:53

Yeah. Yeah. Move.

Dennis: 20:56

Right on. I'm gonna turn off this one mic, which is this one, I think. Right? Modern.

tami: 21:00

I don't know.

Dennis: 21:00

Yeah. I think so. Talk to me, Chris. Alright. Hey.

Chris: 21:03

How you doing?

Dennis: 21:03

Alright. Good. Alright. And you're good?

tami: 21:05

I'm doing yeah. I've got it.

Dennis: 21:06

Okay. And does that make any difference if

tami: 21:08

No. I think you're good. Right? Okay. There we go.

tami: 21:10

Alright. The equipment. Right?

Dennis: 21:11

We got the equipment. We're also technicians. Hey.

Chris: 21:15

This is Chris

Dennis: 21:16

Chris English, welcome to Tales from the Green Room.

Chris: 21:19

Oh, thanks for having me. It's awesome.

Dennis: 21:20

Man, we're so happy to have you. I'll tell you why. First of all, I've seen we've interviewed Sam, a couple of times. I think right when the Sam Grisman project was getting off the ground over a year

tami: 21:32

Wow.

Dennis: 21:32

I forgot two year almost two years.

Chris: 21:33

Two years now.

Dennis: 21:34

Yeah. About two years, which was cool. And he sat in I mean, I sat in. He and Jay Lane, with the Dev and Company sat together for an interview, which you'll have to listen to us.

Chris: 21:44

Oh, yeah. I have to

tami: 21:44

say something. Yeah. It was great.

Dennis: 21:46

I love Jay. Yeah.

tami: 21:47

Jay, they'll take you down the road.

Dennis: 21:49

You can only imagine. Right?

tami: 21:50

Oh, that's

Dennis: 21:50

true. And those two and, immediately, Jay said this is my favorite bass player right here. My favorite bass player just from the sound check.

Chris: 21:57

Oh, I love it. Yeah.

Dennis: 21:59

So, so that was one reason. Then I went and saw you guys a couple of times. I thought, wow. Badass band, but more importantly, bad ass drummer.

Chris: 22:08

Oh, I'll tell you. Thank you

tami: 22:09

so much. Badass singer. So we've been talking off, you know, and we're talking about superstition last night. Tell us a little bit about last night and how that

Chris: 22:18

Oh, that was a blessing. It just happened pretty much, you know, other than me having Peter Rowan and, they joined us as well and,

tami: 22:26

Billy Strings?

Chris: 22:27

Billy Strings and Alice Haddes and yeah. It was a blessing

Dennis: 22:31

to to make to heaven. How much of that that and just for everybody background, last night, Billy Strings played at the Greek theater in San Fran and in Berkeley. And, just so happened that the Sam Grisman project had a show at the UC theater down the road Yeah. Piece. And

tami: 22:47

Just show up.

Dennis: 22:48

Peter Rowan was, part of that build

tami: 22:50

Yeah.

Dennis: 22:50

From the beginning. And so it just seemed natural. And it and what happened was the natural thing that did happen is, is that, Billy Strings did show up, and play with you guys at the end as did his, fiddle player, that his name escapes me. It's Alex. Alex.

Dennis: 23:09

Yes.

tami: 23:09

Yeah. Oh,

Dennis: 23:10

yeah. You just mentioned that. Mhmm. So,

tami: 23:12

I wanna hear about you. I wanna hear about your a little bit more about your background and how you got involved with this project.

Chris: 23:18

Well, with this project, I met Sam over a, Internet chat actually.

tami: 23:24

Really?

Chris: 23:24

Maybe, like, a little over three years ago.

tami: 23:27

It wasn't a dating app, wasn't it?

Chris: 23:29

Heck no. No. It it was it's through it's through a mutual friend of ours. And, and say I wanted to start the project and, I I came to Cali and, we just started in, like, October 2022.

tami: 23:44

Wow. What were you doing before?

Chris: 23:46

I was playing with a band called Down of the Buffalo.

tami: 23:48

Nice.

Chris: 23:49

And then before that, I was doing my own, projects and coming out with my own music and, you know, and That was established. And yeah. No. This is, you know, I've been doing this since I was five years old. And Okay.

Chris: 24:01

Yeah.

Dennis: 24:02

Where'd you grow up?

Chris: 24:03

I grew up in Rochester, New York. I had a musical family growing up. I just I pretty much watched them play, and and that's how I learned just by watching them and Yeah.

tami: 24:12

Know. Have you seen Holly's son walking around with a guitar and I have. Like

Chris: 24:16

a drummer. This is awesome. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, yeah.

Chris: 24:20

It's pretty cool to have to Yeah.

Dennis: 24:22

So you you and Sam have that in common, the musical families. Right?

Chris: 24:25

Amen. Yeah. Yeah. Pretty pretty strict families too to to get us where we at. You know?

Chris: 24:29

I know. It's a blessing. And and as we grow older, we realize how much that meant meant to us with the strictness of, you know, growing up and being

tami: 24:38

a lot a big family?

Chris: 24:39

Oh, I we yeah. We did. Family reunions and, you know, it was always music and

tami: 24:44

Yeah.

Dennis: 24:44

Was it strict that you had a had a play or just, once you started playing, they were very strict about what you did? Both. Both. You know?

tami: 24:51

But really, I

Chris: 24:52

It was pretty much both and that's what made us, you know, kinda, you know, accepted to, like, pretty much any genre of music. And

Dennis: 25:00

yeah. Well, you did, like, in the bluegrass into, you know, with the Superstition last night. Yeah. The bluegrass version of that Stevie Wonder song. Right?

Dennis: 25:09

That's awesome. With doing vocals was was resilient.

tami: 25:12

You guys didn't do more of that? Sort of, like, or do you

Chris: 25:14

Oh, yeah. We do a lot of that. We always, our our set list is always different. So you never would get the same set at a show. So it's

tami: 25:22

It's good.

Dennis: 25:23

It's it's

Chris: 25:23

pretty it's pretty cool. It's Grateful Dead. Yeah. That's how, you know, that's what they do.

Dennis: 25:28

Did did Sam, when he was, talking to you, was he looking for a drummer, with vocals as well? Or did he say did you guys talk about that?

Chris: 25:37

We talked about it, but he didn't really know know until he knew. Yeah. We started jamming stuff together. But I guess he watched a lot of I mean, we watched a lot of videos of each other to to to make sure it was the right decision and our vibe is just like no other, you know. We never argue, we never, you know.

Chris: 25:54

It's like Oh. It's a family. We brothers, you know.

tami: 25:56

Yeah. That's so cool.

Chris: 25:58

Yeah. Yeah.

Dennis: 25:59

That is.

Chris: 25:59

I'm trying to make make sure that's

Dennis: 26:01

Yeah. You know?

tami: 26:01

Well, I I would assume, like, and I could just tell this by your first time. Right? I mean, that's probably essential.

Chris: 26:06

Right? Very. Yeah.

tami: 26:07

Yeah. You can play with some people and even though you have, you know, your music is really good. Mhmm. You know, there's not that vibe.

Chris: 26:13

No. But people can feel vibes too, you know.

tami: 26:15

Oh, totally.

Chris: 26:16

You're on stage, you know, the the audience come to see you play, you know, the energy shows.

tami: 26:20

Yeah. So cool.

Dennis: 26:21

Yep. So when did you get out? So where do you live now?

Chris: 26:23

I live in Rochester, New York.

Dennis: 26:25

Still do?

tami: 26:25

Yeah. Still live.

Chris: 26:26

Still live there. Yeah. Nice. Yeah. Born and raised.

tami: 26:29

Wow. Nobody's convinced you to move.

Chris: 26:31

Nobody I I lived in so many different places, and I just

Dennis: 26:35

Is my back? Yeah.

tami: 26:36

Yeah.

Chris: 26:37

It's pretty cool.

Dennis: 26:37

Yeah. That's really cool.

tami: 26:38

Like your favorite place, home?

Chris: 26:40

Finger Lakes is great. Yes. Yeah. It's my favorite. Yeah.

Chris: 26:43

Beautiful.

Dennis: 26:44

Tell us about, some of the other guys in the band. How did, because we when we talked to Sam the first time, I think this was still in progress.

Chris: 26:52

Yeah.

Dennis: 26:52

Right? So it's

tami: 26:52

He was playing with Bob Wheeler and he hadn't ever met

Chris: 26:55

him. Right?

tami: 26:55

That's true.

Chris: 26:56

I think that was at the Sweetwater

tami: 26:57

Stadium. The fortieth anniversary. Anniversary.

Dennis: 26:59

I'm just wondering how, if you know it, we can ask him, but, you know, how he grabbed the the rest of the band members and what that process was.

Chris: 27:06

What I love about Sam is, we it's always a different lineup. So you never know what you're gonna get. So that's a blessing to have where that's why the show is always different because the everybody's, you know, rhythm's different, everybody's sounds different. Yeah. And, yeah.

Chris: 27:23

That's that's that's the blessing. I've been I've been with Sam since the beginning.

tami: 27:27

And Yeah.

Chris: 27:28

It's pretty cool to to to see that.

tami: 27:31

Did you know his father?

Chris: 27:33

I I definitely medicine. I, you know Yeah. Know his father and, we did a lot of, a couple, like, couple shows together. Yeah. And, yeah, talked to him online.

tami: 27:43

Yeah. You

Chris: 27:43

know, talked to him online.

Dennis: 27:44

And he showed up at Sweetwater, didn't he? You know? His dad?

Chris: 27:47

When when he was played? No. I don't know. He didn't show up in Sweetwater. He showed up in, in Seattle.

Dennis: 27:52

Okay.

Chris: 27:54

And he showed up a times in Seattle. We did, like, a couple of private shows together, and it's pretty cool to have that. The and and I grew up around it, and, like, the he's right there next to me playing. Yeah. Awesome.

Chris: 28:06

Yeah. That's true.

Dennis: 28:07

And what about your folks? Are they, your was there dad, mom, or who was, who were the musicians, if not both?

Chris: 28:13

My parents are pastors.

Dennis: 28:16

Okay.

Chris: 28:16

They've been pastors since I was, since I was born.

max: 28:19

Got it.

Chris: 28:20

So I came from we came from both sides, which is awesome. Oh, yeah. They've been they just had their anniversary 44 forty five forty six years now.

tami: 28:26

Oh, it's too bad.

Chris: 28:27

Beautiful. Beautiful. Beautiful. They're awesome. Yeah.

Chris: 28:30

So they came from my mom's side. Yeah. But my dad is is awesome. Oh, I'm

tami: 28:35

so sorry. Oh, don't don't worry. People have been tripping.

Dennis: 28:38

Oh, that's it. All been. Wow. Alright. So, so the gospel influence from the pastors or what?

Chris: 28:44

Yeah. Gospel, blues, Soul Larnaby, funk. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Dennis: 28:49

So cool. Because I I think of the the ladies, that that sang with Jerry Garcia band. Right? Yes. And they were both, from gospel backgrounds.

Dennis: 28:59

Yeah.

Chris: 28:59

Yeah. Jackie Labranos of Melbourne.

tami: 29:01

In Melbourne. Got all of them.

Dennis: 29:03

All from the gospel families. Yeah.

Chris: 29:05

But that's how I got started, like, knowing, you know, Jay Garcia's music was through, Jay Van. I didn't know who I didn't know who Gay for Dead was because I thought it was a, a metal band.

Dennis: 29:16

Sound right.

Chris: 29:16

Sounds like it.

tami: 29:17

So I yeah.

Chris: 29:18

I was in tenth grade when I was, you know

tami: 29:20

Really?

Chris: 29:20

I was like, found out about it. I I need to know something.

Dennis: 29:24

So so

Dennis: 29:24

what you're saying is you're listening to the Jerry Garcia band music.

Chris: 29:27

Oh, before. I was just for a day for dead. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Chris: 29:30

Because it was more soulful and gospel y because

tami: 29:33

Right. Those people love it. So we were talking about sorry about how because Dennis was a deadhead, you know

Dennis: 29:38

I grew up in San Francisco. I had no choice. Yeah.

tami: 29:40

But when Jerry stumbled upon it.

Chris: 29:42

I mean, you're yeah. You're lucky.

tami: 29:44

Yeah. But when Jerry started, you told me that everyone was like, the dead is out, Jerry. Right?

Dennis: 29:48

Not when he started, but at the end, so I stumbled into the dead at Golden Gate Park at a free show in 1975. My friends from high school said, hey, there's a free show Sunday. You wanna go? And it was the the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Stars. Pretty amazing.

Dennis: 30:01

And I had no idea what I was stepping into. But okay. So then we stick with the dead. Love the years, winterland, and and on and on. And then there was a time probably in the late eighties something we said, the it was a joke, but, we started seeing the Jerry Garcia band.

Dennis: 30:17

Somebody one of my friends says, the dad is out and Jerry is in. Because we were so enthralled by the Jerry Garcia band. Yes.

Chris: 30:24

I mean, you know, I I love the I love I love the Grateful Dead. I love them, you know, but I learned from them. I always do. But, the JB was this is my gospel. It's my church.

Chris: 30:37

Yeah. Which is the dead too. It's my church as well. Yeah.

Dennis: 30:40

That's right. So Yeah.

tami: 30:41

Do you have any other projects going on?

Chris: 30:44

Right now, I have my own stuff that's gonna come out pretty soon.

Dennis: 30:49

Now tell us about it as much as you can.

Chris: 30:51

I will. It's called this this Chris is under my name, Chris j English, and it's more like funk so with horns and Oregon. And I I wrote a lot of the tunes, and I play a lot of the instruments in the in the band, and this should be out in, like, two two months. And I'm really forward to it. And

Dennis: 31:10

Is that something you can perform live to to support?

Chris: 31:13

Amen. Yes. I love real music. I love routine music, and it's all real instruments. So, yes, it will be definitely, lively.

Dennis: 31:20

We're not

Chris: 31:20

very lively.

Dennis: 31:21

Oh, you will? Will that be on the East Coast or or wherever you can do it?

Chris: 31:24

Wherever I can do it, especially, like, when I have days off with Sam Grisman, I would make sure I, like, can play with, like, one show and have musicians in probably different states that can know my music or something. Yeah.

tami: 31:33

Yeah. And I

Chris: 31:33

can just keep the the music going. Yeah. You know?

tami: 31:36

Or if you I have a feeling you you played other instruments. What what can share a little bit about that.

Chris: 31:41

I play, like, guitar and bass and Oregon.

tami: 31:45

Wow.

Chris: 31:45

I used to play saxophone.

tami: 31:47

Oh. Oh.

Dennis: 31:48

That I wanna hear. Wow.

Chris: 31:49

Yeah. Yeah.

tami: 31:50

Wow. So that's awesome.

Dennis: 31:52

Yeah. I wanna ask one more question about last night. Tell the, you know, again, the true story from inside the band. And that is, at what point did you know that the Billy Strings would be joining you that last night?

Chris: 32:07

I didn't know. You did not? I just knew that Alex Hargrave was coming because we, like, we are close friends with Alex. Yeah. And Sam grew up with Alex Hargrave.

Chris: 32:16

So, like, we knew Alex was gonna be there that place with Billy. And, and then we saw Billy on the side stage doing, like, a couple of songs that we was playing and he and we took that five minute break.

Dennis: 32:29

And that's what that

tami: 32:30

song was. Wow. We was trying to I was like,

Dennis: 32:33

what are we doing?

tami: 32:34

You haven't asked anybody yet, but

Dennis: 32:35

Well, no. It's so cool. And that's so cool.

tami: 32:37

I mean, you know

Chris: 32:38

It's unexpected. I mean, I was like, I wasn't shocked or scared or anything. I was just like, ah, it's about to happen.

Dennis: 32:44

So let's do it. And the smile, like I said before we said, was interviewed, the smile on your face was

tami: 32:49

Oh, gosh. Yeah. But But,

Dennis: 32:51

so because Sam had told me a couple of nights earlier, he said, look, I got Alex coming. I got Peter Rowan Yeah. On the bill. Billy's playing up the street. I got it all set up.

Dennis: 33:02

And I thought he was

tami: 33:03

I was He thought he was hinting like that. I'm not sure

Dennis: 33:05

he was hinting. He better or or he that he really felt that he didn't know, and I don't think he knew either.

Chris: 33:10

Wait. I mean, I I don't think he knew either, but we we had, like, a we had, like, a, you know, a

Dennis: 33:15

Sneaky suspicion.

Chris: 33:15

A suspicious. Yeah. And it was awesome to have Dominic Leslie who plays a Miley Tuttle as well on the on the on the Mandolin, and those he's good friends of all of ours as well. So it was awesome. It's like a big family.

tami: 33:27

Yeah. You know,

Chris: 33:27

by Do

tami: 33:28

do you

Dennis: 33:28

have a Leslie that plays with the project, his brother?

tami: 33:30

Or is that

Chris: 33:31

Well, Sam Leslie is yep. He plays with us every once in a in a while, and, like, we switch it up, Max Max Franzberg and Mhmm. Victor and yeah.

Dennis: 33:39

And the Leslie's what? They're in North Carolina, South Carolina?

Chris: 33:42

The Leslie's are in Colorado. Oh, Colorado. Oh, man.

Dennis: 33:46

This is an eclectic abandoned mini walls.

tami: 33:48

Right? I know.

Chris: 33:49

So many ways we got we got people that's that's Yeah. Yeah. That's everywhere around the the the the the the country. So Yeah.

Dennis: 33:56

So you you have a pretty good tour coming up. I saw what any of the venues that you're gonna go to really excite you and say, wow, I gotta get to play there?

Chris: 34:05

I just love every everyone because everyone is different. I'm I'm looking forward to playing, Red Rocks whenever that happens. Yeah. Okay.

tami: 34:16

Yeah. Did you make it to the sphere?

Chris: 34:19

I did not make it to

tami: 34:20

the sphere,

Chris: 34:20

and it was, like, right before my birthday. And I I couldn't make it because we had a show. You're the same.

tami: 34:26

Yeah. It's just going on. That's okay.

Dennis: 34:28

Yeah. What about, the Brooklyn Bowl? Would that would that be a cool spot for you?

Chris: 34:31

Actually, I love the Brooklyn Bowl.

tami: 34:33

Yeah. I don't know.

Chris: 34:33

Think it's kinda We put the one in New York and the Brooklyn Bowl in New York. Yeah. Not the one here yet. Yeah.

Dennis: 34:40

Yeah. There's one I thought I saw one coming up, Brooklyn Bowl coming up for you guys.

Chris: 34:44

Actually, yes. We do

tami: 34:44

have a

Chris: 34:45

well, that's true. In New York? And in

tami: 34:47

New York

Dennis: 34:47

I did your website.

Chris: 34:48

And New York. Do you know the website better than that? My my show's better than that, which is great. That's right. Hey.

Dennis: 34:54

I have to know something. I

Chris: 34:55

love it. I mean, I try to.

Dennis: 34:58

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I can't play the drums, saxophone, or guitar.

tami: 35:01

I can't.

Dennis: 35:02

So she can play the drums a little bit. But yeah. So Oh.

tami: 35:04

Well, I play the jambe. I started doing COVID. You know? What else am I gonna do?

Chris: 35:09

I met so many great musicians during COVID.

tami: 35:12

Well

Chris: 35:12

And

Dennis: 35:13

Bella. Do

tami: 35:13

you know Bella what Bella's last

Dennis: 35:15

Bella Raine.

tami: 35:16

Bella Raine.

Chris: 35:16

Okay.

tami: 35:17

Yeah. She started doing COVID

Chris: 35:18

playing that

Dennis: 35:18

guitar. Bella Raine, seventeen year old, guitar player, and Sam played with her the other night.

tami: 35:24

I know. But she actually told us.

Chris: 35:26

That's so cool. What? A lot of people a lot of people came out from, you know, came came from out of, you know, the the COVID ass. Yeah. Yeah.

tami: 35:35

You know? Gives you some time to think.

Chris: 35:36

Yeah. Yeah.

tami: 35:37

And create.

Chris: 35:38

That's pretty cool. Yeah.

Dennis: 35:40

Are you gonna hang out the rest of the day here?

Chris: 35:42

Yeah. Sam Sam is playing bass.

Dennis: 35:44

Oh, that's right. Yeah.

Chris: 35:45

Of course you are.

tami: 35:46

Yes. So now it's that. We're stuck over here. What's

Dennis: 35:49

going on? No. We knew that. Sam and poor Phil has COVID.

Chris: 35:52

My little

tami: 35:52

You know, Elliot.

Dennis: 35:53

And Elliot has COVID. But but Graham did, assure us that, he's doing well.

Chris: 35:57

He's doing well. And I talked I talked to Graham and yeah. Yeah. He's doing good. He said his pops is doing a little bit better.

Chris: 36:04

Yeah. Yeah. So he's gonna keep up the

tami: 36:07

Well, I'll give you a little advice. So some advice given to me last night was zinc spray.

Chris: 36:11

Oh, I got some.

tami: 36:12

I have some. Okay. Well, you were the last to know about zinc spray. I'm like, I'm going to the store today.

Chris: 36:17

Yep. I have some. You do. It's pretty cool. Yeah.

tami: 36:19

Okay. I'm not.

Dennis: 36:20

Yeah. I would, I I think Sam and I asked him this. I said, I'm thinking you're probably excited as hell, but nervous as fuck. Yeah. Or or vice versa.

Chris: 36:30

Oh my god. Yeah. He was telling me he was nervous as hell. And I was like, dude, it's like Phil Phil Phil is, a nature of on the bass. So he's everywhere on the bass.

Chris: 36:41

He never plays the same he never plays the song. Yeah. You know, at the same. It's always the you know, it's always different whatever song it is. So I I said make it your own, dude.

Chris: 36:50

You know?

Dennis: 36:50

So you're making

tami: 36:51

it And he will.

Chris: 36:52

And he will.

Dennis: 36:53

Yeah. He will in about five minutes. Guess we're about to go see that.

tami: 36:56

Thank you so much. Oh, thanks so much. It was such a pleasure to meet you. Oh, I want

Dennis: 37:00

to keep you on. I wanna keep up with following you sweet trip too.

max: 37:03

Yeah. Maybe we'll

Dennis: 37:04

see on this.

tami: 37:05

We like to follow-up sometimes and, you know, when we see an ad

Chris: 37:07

I love that.

tami: 37:08

Archive as much as we can.

Chris: 37:11

Please do. Yeah. Yeah. Let's hang up. Yeah.

Chris: 37:12

We'll nice.

tami: 37:13

We'll have

Dennis: 37:14

a hang of this

tami: 37:15

after this.

Dennis: 37:16

Yeah. Absolutely. Very nice. Alright. Chris.

Dennis: 37:18

Right. Chris English, thanks again. Thank you

tami: 37:20

very much.

Dennis: 37:21

Cheers. Bye bye.

Dennis: 37:22

Thanks for listening to Tales from the Green Room, a presentation of Mount Tam Media. You can hear more spontaneous stories from the secluded confines of green rooms on our next episode. To experience all Mount Tam Media productions, including the Woman Are Smarter podcast, log on to mounttammedia.com. We'll see you at the next show.