Live from the Preston & Steve Studio - 9/12/14
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00:00your next guests who are in studio are having some great success there in town
00:11promoting their album going to hell and they're blowing up the charts right now
00:15it's a wonderful thing we're really happy for them
00:17show is sold out at the TLA tomorrow night
00:19they didn't have to come by here and we thank them for doing that
00:22please welcome from Pretty Reckless
00:24we have Taylor Memson and Ben Phillips who are here
00:27good morning guys
00:30welcome to Philadelphia and like I said thanks for coming in
00:34we know it's rock star time
00:36it's not rock star time it's early in the morning
00:38no it's rock star time
00:39you know what I wanted to bring up first of all Taylor was you know you guys are not a new band
00:48you've got a couple of albums out you're promoting this you're having the most success you've had so far
00:52which is great but I have a feeling maybe since you're hitting so well
00:57with this particular album that you're kind of being treated like a new band
01:01because there are a lot of people that are just finding out about you
01:04is that a little bit odd because you've already been doing it for X amount of years
01:09but you're getting questions with interviews like this that are like
01:11so tell us about you guys you know and stuff like that
01:14I wouldn't use the word odd but it's definitely
01:16there's a lot of reverb on this
01:18I love that reverb
01:21yeah it's cool
01:21but definitely in America
01:23we've definitely seen a growth as far as fans
01:27and the size of the shows and stuff
01:29so I mean that's amazing
01:30to be able to sell out
01:33you know to sell out Philly is an amazing feeling
01:36so it's great to know that there's people out there
01:38who are listening and connecting to the music
01:40so overseas things first kind of started to hit for you?
01:43yeah we did really well overseas with the first record
01:46and now America is kind of following suit
01:48is that in Europe?
01:49it's going to hell
01:49yeah
01:49pretty much everywhere
01:50pretty much everywhere but America
01:52well you know you're wearing a Hendrix on your shirt
01:55and he went through the same thing
01:56he had to go over to Europe
01:58and suddenly wow he was discovered here
02:01after he'd been working over there
02:02sometimes that's the genesis
02:04but you're in a cool place because
02:05you have a lot of material
02:08you know a lot of times
02:09a lot of artists
02:10if they do break right off the first album
02:12they're like falling all over themselves
02:14to get follow up stuff
02:16we had problems with that
02:17when we opened for Guns N' Roses and stuff
02:19they kept saying you have to play longer
02:20and we're like we're already playing everything off the record
02:22and three covers
02:23we're playing any more than that
02:24we're a cover band at that point
02:26so at least now we've got like a full show
02:29so we can switch it up every night
02:30which keeps it fun
02:31that's cool
02:32that's cool
02:32I read a quote from an interview with you a little while back
02:36and like I said being you know
02:37some people just discovering you guys
02:39I mean a lot of people want to focus on your acting career
02:41you know that's where you got started
02:42that's where people started to know you beforehand
02:44and then you segue into rock
02:46although it's been a part of your life
02:47music has always been
02:49that's
02:50and the quote that I read is
02:52you're done with that
02:53I mean not necessarily
02:54you want to erase it from your life
02:57but
02:57no it happened
02:58but I'm done with that
02:59it was my childhood
03:00yeah
03:01was it
03:02just wasn't fun anymore
03:04or you just
03:05it was a job
03:06okay
03:06it was a job
03:07and I finally could quit my job
03:08and go on the road
03:09and pay my rent making music
03:11and there's nothing better than that
03:13do you know what
03:13I would find frustrating though
03:15is because music has really been the focus
03:17it's something that you've always loved and embraced
03:18and then people say
03:20because everyone's going to think it
03:22they would think it with Jared Leto
03:23you know with
03:2430 Seconds to Mars
03:26he's always actor wants to sing
03:28but you were actually really a singer
03:29who just had
03:30a musician
03:32where acting was a means to an end
03:34and you also
03:34you started modeling
03:36I guess your parents had you modeling
03:37when you were like two
03:38yeah
03:38well I started at two
03:40so it wasn't exactly
03:40it wasn't a good choice
03:42this is my career at two
03:44yeah
03:44but
03:45so
03:46that's
03:46that's got to be extra frustrating
03:48because it was something that wasn't
03:50your
03:50of your design
03:51you know what I'm saying
03:52yeah
03:52no I mean
03:53it exists
03:53it doesn't really exist on a daily basis
03:56except for in interviews now though
03:57that's kind of the only time
03:59I get asked about it at this point
04:00at what age did you start making your own career decisions
04:03I quit the show
04:06I haven't acted in like six years
04:08so I
04:09and how old are you now?
04:1016
04:10I'm 21
04:11okay when I was 16
04:12I was not doing things like that
04:13no I turned 16
04:15and I went
04:16oh I
04:16I can
04:17I'm in control of my own life
04:18who knew?
04:20if I had to bend my life
04:21would have ended
04:21so yeah
04:22I was not smart enough to do that
04:24it's pretty wild about
04:25female singers in
04:26in the rock
04:27genre
04:28and I mean like a straight ahead rock
04:30not kind of a
04:31the lighter side of alternative rock
04:33and so forth
04:33you know
04:33it's hitting strong
04:34it's
04:35not a lot of people
04:36find success in that
04:37not a lot of women do
04:39and it's unfortunate
04:40I mean
04:40I love female rock singers
04:42and you guys have heard me
04:44talk about Taylor
04:45constantly telling Taylor
04:45he constantly
04:46and
04:47one of your songs will play
04:49and
04:50and I
04:50this is exactly what Preston does
04:51there's something
04:52I love her voice
04:53well I
04:54no this is what I say
04:55I'm like
04:55why do I
04:56what is it about this chick's voice
04:57that I like so much
04:59and
05:00I get analytical about it
05:01I don't know why
05:02I try to find out
05:03what that nuance is
05:04in your voice
05:05that is
05:05so appealing
05:06and that like from
05:07you know
05:07the first time I heard it
05:08I'm like
05:08is
05:09do you think it's the strength
05:10that cuts through
05:11of your own voice
05:12I know you probably
05:12don't want to talk about yourself
05:13and how
05:13what a great singer you are
05:14but
05:14I don't know
05:15I have the
05:16John Lennon complex
05:17of
05:17I hate my own voice
05:18oh do you
05:19of course
05:20I hate hearing myself talk
05:22well are you
05:22Ben
05:23what's it about her voice
05:25well charisma
05:26but I
05:26it's hard to describe
05:29what makes a voice charismatic
05:30but I had
05:31friends in the music industry
05:32who took John Lennon's voice
05:33and they did every kind of
05:35analytical thing you could
05:36to
05:36what is it about his voice
05:38that people like
05:39and trying to emulate it
05:40with other singers
05:41and all that kind of crap
05:42yeah
05:42the answer is
05:43they're better than
05:44other people
05:45I know
05:46I mean you know
05:47is it the vocal fry
05:49is it their phrasing
05:50sure
05:50it's the songs
05:51it's how much they mean
05:52it's just generally
05:52how good you are
05:53I think
05:53it comes through
05:56some female rock singers
05:57just want to
05:58blow it out
05:59whereas you can handle
06:00that and nuance as well
06:02so that's what I think
06:04works so well about your voice
06:05you guys write the songs together
06:07correct
06:07and is that a
06:10is that a 50-50 collaboration
06:12or is one
06:13one brings one
06:13a full song idea
06:14and asks for a little input
06:15how does that work
06:16it's different every time
06:17different every time
06:18yeah every time
06:19I mean some are
06:20it's different every time
06:22there's no formula
06:23which is what makes writing
06:24so torturous
06:26torturous yeah
06:27I hear that more often
06:28than not
06:29that it's
06:29it's it's
06:30it's like
06:30it's a giving birth process
06:31it is
06:32well if we can
06:34let's get one out of you guys
06:35right now
06:35and we'll talk a little bit more
06:36whatever you want to play
06:38and if you could
06:38give us a little bit
06:39since you talked about
06:40how these songs come
06:41how whatever it is
06:42you're going to play
06:42came to you
06:43of course
06:43do you want to start with
06:44going on
06:44yeah
06:44it's not in the morning
06:46this is the
06:50this is the title track
06:51going to hell
06:52and this is kind of how
06:52we originally
06:53we write everything
06:54on acoustic
06:54so this is how
06:55it originally started
06:56before we added
06:57all the riffs
06:57and okay
06:58the drums
06:59and by the way
06:59before I set you guys
07:00up here
07:01is do you prefer
07:02the pretty reckless
07:03the or just pretty reckless
07:05it's the pretty reckless
07:06technically but
07:07okay
07:08whatever you want
07:08some people get
07:09eagles beetles
07:10totally right
07:11you just shorten it
07:12it works
07:12I was hoping everyone
07:14would abbreviate
07:14to the reckless
07:15they didn't do that
07:17all right gang
07:17this is the pretty reckless
07:18on MMR
07:19here we go
07:20father did you miss me
07:37I've been locked up a while
07:39well I got cut for what I did
07:42but took it all in style
07:44later I stole my confessions
07:46I gave way back when
07:48now I'm first and so much worse
07:50so I'm back again
07:52he said
07:55for the lines that I take
08:03I'm going to hell
08:06for the love that I make
08:12I'm going to hell
08:15father did you miss me
08:21ask me where I've been
08:23no I know
08:24yes I've been told
08:25I'll redefine a sin
08:27and I don't know
08:28what's driving me
08:30don't put this in my head
08:31maybe I wish I could die
08:34maybe I could die
08:36he said
08:38for the lives that I take
08:47I'm going to hell
08:50for the vows that I break
08:56I'm going to hell
08:58for the way I condescend
09:04and never lend a hand
09:06my arrogance is making this head
09:09buried in the sand
09:11for the souls I forsake
09:13I'm going to hell
09:16married to the devil
09:22you can hear the wooden bells
09:25yeah
09:30that's pretty
09:32awesome
09:33pretty reckless
09:34if you're just tuning in
09:35and going to hell
09:36the title track
09:37from their
09:38second album
09:39and
09:41no stipulations
09:42but our bus broke down
09:43and so
09:44all my guitars
09:45are packed
09:45it's my writing
09:46it's my writing guild
09:47and it's really small
09:48and he doesn't like
09:49how tiny it is
09:50your itty bitty guitar
09:52it's my itty bitty
09:53it's my itty bitty guitar
09:54what happened in your bus
09:54yeah because you guys
09:55were going to come in yesterday
09:56and by the way
09:56we appreciate you
09:57you know
09:58postponing it
09:59and coming on in
10:00thank you
10:00no yeah
10:01it set on fire
10:02and broke down
10:03it just set on fire
10:05the way buses do
10:06on the side of the road
10:08for hours
10:08it's steamed
10:09it's
10:09steam and fire
10:11it wasn't
10:12it wasn't a good enough
10:13photograph
10:13to take a picture
10:14of the fire
10:14technically
10:16it was not working
10:17do you want to run out
10:18and actually just set it on fire
10:19to get a better picture
10:20yeah right
10:21yeah
10:21yeah I'll push it off a cliff
10:23I'm so pissed at this
10:24yeah no
10:24we're done
10:25we still haven't
10:26we're still not on the road
10:27we're not on the road
10:27no we still have
10:28we've got like six cars
10:29everyone's driving
10:30we leave here to get on it
10:31wow
10:32has that happened before
10:33have you ever had the bus
10:34break down on you before
10:34we've had a breakdown
10:35we haven't had it
10:36as serious as this one
10:37so we've kind of
10:38stayed on tour all week
10:39start a tour
10:40woo
10:41still on hell
10:41it's a big through
10:42and it's a whole
10:42yeah still on hell
10:43is there any sort of rock legend
10:45associated with a bad incident
10:47at the beginning of the tour
10:48does it end in glorious success
10:49or is it just bad
10:51all the way through
10:53it's just a pain
10:54just a pain
10:55just a pain in general
10:56yeah
10:56there's worse
10:57there's worse
10:57it's way worse
10:58it's just
10:58right right
10:59it's the beginning of the tour
11:01it's hard to like
11:01kick it off
11:02yeah yeah
11:03weird things always happen
11:05on the road
11:05don't they
11:05oh yeah
11:06oh yeah
11:07oh man
11:07do you simultaneously dig it
11:09and load it at the
11:10yeah
11:11yeah
11:11pretty much
11:12he pretty much just summed it up
11:14there we go
11:14yeah
11:15Taylor I wanted to ask you
11:16about producing a record
11:17because you mentioned earlier
11:17that you're pretty critical
11:18of your own voice
11:19and don't necessarily
11:20like hearing it
11:21when you go into the studio
11:22after you've recorded a song
11:23is it difficult for you
11:24to listen to yourself back
11:25how much critique
11:26do you bring to
11:27what you've actually
11:28contributed to
11:28to each track
11:29all of it
11:30all of it
11:31so how do you
11:31muster through that
11:32painfully
11:34yeah painfully
11:35do you trust others opinions
11:36yeah no of course
11:38I mean we have
11:39musical camaraderie
11:40and that's why
11:41it's why you want
11:42to be in a band
11:43you want to be Elvis
11:44you want to be the Beatles
11:44you want to have
11:45partners in this
11:46because who wants
11:47to do this by themselves
11:48yeah
11:48but no
11:51I mean in the studio
11:52when you're creating
11:53something it's new
11:54so it's inspired
11:55and so regardless
11:56of how critical
11:58you are of yourself
11:58you can kind of
11:59hopefully step outside
12:00of yourself
12:01and see
12:01see the bigger picture
12:03because you're seeing
12:04a song that you spent
12:05however long writing
12:06in your bedroom
12:06come to life
12:07and that's
12:08that's my favorite part
12:09yeah
12:09you know what
12:10I have a question
12:10about Taylor
12:11since you're
12:11you know
12:12younger in the industry
12:13and the way things
12:15the way music
12:16is shared
12:16and distributed
12:18as opposed to
12:20back in the stone age
12:21back in our age
12:22an important moment
12:24for an artist
12:24was when they hear
12:26their song on the radio
12:27you know
12:27for the first time
12:28or something like that
12:29is there an equivalent
12:30to that now
12:31does hearing it
12:31on the radio
12:32I mean yeah
12:33okay
12:33it's still it
12:35radio is still it
12:36it's just at the tail end
12:37but when you first hear it
12:38actually when I first heard
12:39Heaven Knows on the radio
12:40I called and yelled at everybody
12:41and told them it wasn't a hit
12:42this is no way it was a hit
12:43for putting out a one chord song
12:45we were wrong
12:48we were wrong
12:49yeah I think you were wrong
12:49about that
12:50I think it goes back
12:51to number one this week
12:51I think it does
12:52yes
12:53wow
12:53it was great to hear that
12:55by the way
12:55especially with the
12:56the condition that
12:57you know
12:57Gene Simmons
12:58for whatever
12:59the influence behind it
13:01it's declared rock dead
13:02but
13:03it's not dead
13:03it's just resting
13:04it's just resting
13:05but it's cool to see
13:06there was an article
13:06like I forget
13:07was it Rolling Stone
13:07talking about how
13:08the women are leading
13:09the charge with
13:09pop music
13:10it'd be cool to see
13:11that happen with rock
13:12because you know
13:14there's
13:14as with you
13:16I love a good
13:17female driven
13:18rock sound
13:19you'll take groups
13:20you know
13:20other strong lead singers
13:22like Lizzie Hale
13:23who's had great success
13:24in the past few years
13:25as well
13:25and then before that
13:26you know
13:26Amy Lee of Evanescence
13:28and you remember
13:29these people
13:29they're great
13:30they're standouts
13:30like your voice
13:31it's just got a
13:32it's got a balls to it
13:34you know
13:35whatever that is
13:35yeah I think just
13:36rock needs a resurgence
13:37in general
13:38agreed
13:38it just needs a breath
13:40of fresh air
13:40whether that's women
13:41or men
13:42you know
13:42it always comes back
13:45though
13:45it's never dead
13:46it's cyclical
13:47so where are the rest
13:49of the band members
13:50are they in the bus
13:50right now
13:51or give them the morning off
13:52they're sleeping
13:53we couldn't get the drums
13:55we couldn't get anything
13:56out of the trailer
13:57everything's a mess
13:58right now
13:59so
13:59that makes it extra
14:01we can't thank you enough
14:02for taking the time
14:03to come in and do this
14:03no thank you for having us
14:04I mentioned you guys
14:05you're playing the TLA
14:06it's a sold out show
14:07tomorrow night
14:07do you have a favorite
14:08kind of venue
14:09that you like to play
14:10is it outdoor
14:11indoor
14:11smaller
14:11bigger
14:12anything in particular
14:13I wouldn't say
14:14a favorite venue
14:15we just played a lot
14:16of summer festivals
14:17so I'm pretty psyched
14:18to be back indoors
14:19with lights
14:20in the day
14:2180,000 people is cool
14:23but it's kind of cool
14:24but when they're singing
14:26Go to Hell in the Sunlight
14:27it's a little
14:27it's hard to fully rock out
14:29right
14:30when you're shading your eyes
14:32it's near impossible
14:33exactly
14:33it's difficult
14:34so we're definitely excited
14:36to be back
14:36headlining
14:37full production
14:39it's our show
14:40it's our stuff
14:42that's cool
14:42and in the TLA
14:43the crowd's right on you
14:46it's a sweaty room
14:47it's going to be
14:48yeah it's going to be awesome
14:49alright well let's
14:50let's get one more
14:51out of you guys
14:51if you don't mind
14:52alright
14:52this is Heaven Knows
14:54excellent
14:55it's a pretty reckless
14:55on MMR
14:56Jimmy's in the back
15:18with a pocket of high
15:19if you listen close
15:21you can hear him cry
15:22oh lord heaven knows
15:25we belong
15:26way down below
15:27sing it
15:28Judy's in the front seat
15:34picking up trash
15:36living on the door
15:37that'll make that cash
15:39won't be pretty
15:40won't be sweet
15:41she's just sitting here
15:43on her feet
15:44singing
15:44oh lord heaven knows
15:46we belong
15:48we belong
15:48way down below
15:49go
15:50sing
15:55oh lord tell us
15:57so
15:58we belong
15:59way down below
16:00way down below
16:02way down below
16:03down below
16:04way down below
16:06I've seen better ways
16:09man
16:09I've seen better ways
16:13I've seen better days
16:20man
16:20I've seen better days
16:231-2-3-4
16:31the devil's knocking
16:32at your door
16:34caught in the eye
16:35of a dead man's light
16:37start your life
16:38with your head
16:39held high
16:39now you're on your knees
16:41with your head
16:41on low
16:42big man tells you
16:44where to go
16:45tell them it's good
16:46tell them okay
16:47don't do a goddamn thing
16:50they say
16:51oh lord heaven knows
16:54we belong
16:54way down below
16:56oh lord tell us
16:58so
16:59we belong
17:00way down below
17:01oh lord heaven knows
17:05we belong
17:06way down below
17:07oh lord tell us
17:09so
17:10we belong
17:11way down below
17:12way down below
17:14way down below
17:15down below
17:17You're worried about your voice.
17:30Yeah, that's not, I wouldn't be worried.
17:32No.
17:32It's friggin' awesome.
17:34The Pretty Reckless on 93.3 WMMR.
17:38So things are just getting started with the tour you mentioned?
17:42Barely started.
17:43But yeah, we've had like six false starts to this tour now.
17:47We keep trying to leave.
17:48There's still more buses to burn.
17:50Still more buses to burn.
17:52Yeah, no, we're playing in Maryland tonight and obviously Philly tomorrow.
17:56It's very cool.
17:57And it's very exciting, especially with the format of this station,
18:02just to see this and see the success you guys are having.
18:04And there's a general, very positive feeling about the band.
18:08And we look forward to big things for you guys.
18:10Hey, how many nights can you do in a row without roaching that voice of yours?
18:14Because you really go for it.
18:15Really?
18:16Yeah.
18:16You've never had a problem with that?
18:17I've never lost my voice singing.
18:19I lose it drinking and yelling at bars.
18:23You lose it talking.
18:25That's how you lose it.
18:26But singing is no problem.
18:28Outstanding.
18:29Well, you guys got a day to kind of chill out and take in the city if you want?
18:32No, they're going to Maryland.
18:33No, we're driving.
18:35Maryland tonight and coming back up to Philly tomorrow.
18:37Are you driving now to Maryland?
18:39We're going right to the bus.
18:40We are, yes.
18:40Because you don't want anything to do with Friday rush hour traffic.
18:43Nope.
18:43Go now.
18:44No, we don't want a repeat of Boston where we barely made the show.
18:47I'm surprised we actually were on the stage.
18:50Oh, my God.
18:50By the way, it's a huge weekend in Baltimore.
18:53So good luck with that because it's like the 200th anniversary of the signing of the
18:56or the writing of the Star Spangled Banner.
18:58So the Blue Angels are in town.
19:01The tall ships are coming into the harbor.
19:03Don't tell them that.
19:03I'm not kidding.
19:04All of these people are coming into Baltimore this weekend.
19:07But you'll come back up to Philly tomorrow.
19:09Yeah.
19:09We've got no way.
19:09Yeah, there's nothing going on here.
19:10If we make it.
19:12Well, listen, we have some homemade tater tots in the green room.
19:15Fantastic.
19:16If you guys are interested.
19:17Hey, Taylor and Ben, thank you guys.
19:20Once again, we appreciate it.
19:21And the music's great.
19:23And keep doing what you're doing, Artie.
19:24Thanks so much for the support, man.
19:25You bet.
19:26It's a pretty reckless on 93.3 WMMR.
19:28Everything that rocks.