November 1, 2024 • 7 mins
Great name, fine band with consistently engaging guitar riffs and introspective lyrics. Frontman Ben Bridwell called Bret to talk about Band Of Horses' upcoming NYE show in Denver and delivering pizzas.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
It's podcast time, right before the big election. I'm Brett Sonders.
Welcome my guest this week, Ben Bridwell, the frontman for
the band Band of Horses. They started in Seattle then
moved to South Carolina. Their music is a compelling mixture
of southern rock and power pop and alternative rock. It's
(00:22):
just good stuff. Here's Ben Bridwell from Band of Horses
on the Brett Sonders podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Hey, Brett, this has Ben Bridwell from Band of Horse's call.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
It's really nice to meet you. I was listening to
your music yesterday. I had a Band of Horses playlist
in the car. Your music is perfect for automotive listening.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Oh that's nice to hear. I do most of my
listening in the car too, so I'm glad to be
uh that I've been sorted into that. That that ilk
for for you all.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
So, Ben, do you listen to your own music in
the car?
Speaker 2 (00:55):
I do not unless I have to, you know, I
have to like check a mix or something like that
because the all important car test sometimes. But no, no,
I usually have a stress free environment there.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
I would love to know what is on your playlist
when you're driving around.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Well, it depends on who's with me? Because I have
four daughters and they rule the roost as it were,
so I do get a lot of the pop stuff nowadays,
and even some cool like underground stuff that they're into.
But lately this week I've been getting into this band,
the Royal Headache from Australia, and I'm listening to some
(01:38):
Cosmic Comb stuff. He had some reissues that have come out.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
Sure, he's great, and I've never heard of this other
band from Australia. I have to listen to that. They're
sick New Year's Eve, Fillmore Auditorium with Band of Horses.
This band, You've been doing this for twenty years now,
so I mean, you guys really know what you're doing.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
You'd think so, yeah, yeah, maybe Masket well, but it's
always it's always been a series of shattered expectations and
you know, trying to live up to those records, you know,
in person with folks and hopefully given them a transcendent
experience with those songs.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
I find this so interesting. I know that you grew
up in Tucson, you moved to Seattle, started the band
in Seattle, then moved the project to South Carolina. I
bring this up because I'm curious, from your point of view,
is there a regional sound in America anymore? In other words,
do things sound differently in terms of the collective scene
in Seattle as opposed to South Carolina.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Well, you know, I think sometimes the environment does lead
to different forms of expression, right, I mean Seattle, we
we're kind of forced indoors a lot of the years,
so we're just trying to get into some practice space
just to gather ring. Now, if that led to more
gloomier moods, I would I think it I did for
(03:00):
me now down here. You got to play a lot
of guitar solos in South Carolina, so I would say
there definitely is there. There are little little elements that
that creeps in, for sure.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
I've always found that fascinating how there was a Philadelphia
sound in a Detroit sound, the Chicago sound, et cetera.
And I was wondering if that still existed today, But
it sounds like it does according to Ben Bridwell, Well,
I think so.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
I mean you can even find just you know, little
even I mean, not the grunge stuff. But like when
we were when we were really living in Seattle, it
was a lot of the rock stuff like the you know,
built bill and modest mouse and desk cap. Those kind
of bands were zooming off about that time.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
Sure, hey, I also read that you were a pizza
man for quite a while.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Oh yeah, yeah, I've been. I've delivered pizzas and made
them and plenty of states in this greater United States.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
Who was the worst tipper in the Mireora? Out of
everyone you encounter?
Speaker 2 (04:01):
Oh the worst tippers? Oh my god? Well frat boys.
Frat boys were the worst. Oh my god. I delivered
pizzas in Tucson, Arizona. Man, I would I hate to
say this publicly, but I would like deliberately steal their
eight ball, like from their pool tables in every frat
house I could find. I had a collection, you know,
(04:23):
by the end of my career there.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
I have a brother and he delivered pizzas for a
while when we were college age. And he would have
given and he did give the exact same answer. It's like, oh,
I gotta go to a fraternity or a sorority.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Oh the worst. And I looked like a freak too.
I was like like punk rock kid with like you know,
like triple mohawks, liberty spikes and stuff. So they got
a good load of me. When I'd come in, they
had a good laugh at me. So I got my revenge.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
So New Year's Eve in Denver, I know Band of
Horses has played in Denver multiple times. What do you
have planned for the New Year's Eve show? And I'm
hoping that we're all going to be in a pretty
good mood post election for New Year's Eve?
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Well, yes, and you know, uh with with the uh
with our main support being the Nude Party. Uh, I
think that's kind of awesome with uh in our in
our election days here, I'm I'm I'm I'm going to
be officially affiliated with the Nude Party just coming election. Uh,
it's gonna be really fun. Those guys seem awesome. And
(05:24):
also with the Mile High Social Club getting like just
just a nice vibe set with like some deeper soul
kind of stuff and just a party vibe honestly.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
And when's the new album coming out?
Speaker 2 (05:36):
It's been a couple of years, right, it has been
a couple of years, and you know, I guess we'll
have to see when the world's begging for like a
tent Band of Horses record or whatever we're at now.
But you know, I can just say that. I hope
that it's deep to say something and to express something
instead of just trying to keep up with the machine.
(05:58):
So uh, I I hope the patient wait is for
the best.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
I like the way you put it, keeping up with
the machine. It seems like all of us, at some
phase of our lives we have to keep up with
the machine. And you follow your own path, and that's admirable, Benll.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Maybe that's just a poor excuse for laziness. We'll see.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
We're going to see band Horses at the film or
Auditorium on New Year's Eve. Stellar live band. Incredible music,
and there's so much energy and power, and there's a
there's a sense of a permeating sense of truth in
what you do. You're speaking your truth. And you know
you can't hear that in every artist, but I certainly
hear it in your music.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Well, yeah, I tend to I tend to complain loudly,
and those complaints are come from a very real place.
Maybe have just a bit of a malcontent in my
writing life, I promise in my personal life I'm much
more joyful. But yeah, I do feel like, especially with
(06:57):
those songs, some of them be in a couple of
decades old now, I still find new life in them
every day, and it's an absolute gift that we get
to express ourselves through those songs.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Still well, we'll see Band of Horses at the fillmore
on New Year's Eve. Bennett's great to meet you.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
Thanks for your time, oh man, thank you for your time,
and we're really looking forward to it. So y'all come
and see us.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
I'm Brett Sanders. I hope you'll subscribe. That's what they
call it, right to the Brett Sonders Podcast. I'll see
you next time.
It's podcast time, right before the big election. I'm Brett Sonders.
Welcome my guest this week, Ben Bridwell, the frontman for
the band Band of Horses. They started in Seattle then
moved to South Carolina. Their music is a compelling mixture
of southern rock and power pop and alternative rock. It's
(00:22):
just good stuff. Here's Ben Bridwell from Band of Horses
on the Brett Sonders podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Hey, Brett, this has Ben Bridwell from Band of Horse's call.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
It's really nice to meet you. I was listening to
your music yesterday. I had a Band of Horses playlist
in the car. Your music is perfect for automotive listening.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Oh that's nice to hear. I do most of my
listening in the car too, so I'm glad to be
uh that I've been sorted into that. That that ilk
for for you all.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
So, Ben, do you listen to your own music in
the car?
Speaker 2 (00:55):
I do not unless I have to, you know, I
have to like check a mix or something like that
because the all important car test sometimes. But no, no,
I usually have a stress free environment there.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
I would love to know what is on your playlist
when you're driving around.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Well, it depends on who's with me? Because I have
four daughters and they rule the roost as it were,
so I do get a lot of the pop stuff nowadays,
and even some cool like underground stuff that they're into.
But lately this week I've been getting into this band,
the Royal Headache from Australia, and I'm listening to some
(01:38):
Cosmic Comb stuff. He had some reissues that have come out.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
Sure, he's great, and I've never heard of this other
band from Australia. I have to listen to that. They're
sick New Year's Eve, Fillmore Auditorium with Band of Horses.
This band, You've been doing this for twenty years now,
so I mean, you guys really know what you're doing.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
You'd think so, yeah, yeah, maybe Masket well, but it's
always it's always been a series of shattered expectations and
you know, trying to live up to those records, you know,
in person with folks and hopefully given them a transcendent
experience with those songs.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
I find this so interesting. I know that you grew
up in Tucson, you moved to Seattle, started the band
in Seattle, then moved the project to South Carolina. I
bring this up because I'm curious, from your point of view,
is there a regional sound in America anymore? In other words,
do things sound differently in terms of the collective scene
in Seattle as opposed to South Carolina.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Well, you know, I think sometimes the environment does lead
to different forms of expression, right, I mean Seattle, we
we're kind of forced indoors a lot of the years,
so we're just trying to get into some practice space
just to gather ring. Now, if that led to more
gloomier moods, I would I think it I did for
(03:00):
me now down here. You got to play a lot
of guitar solos in South Carolina, so I would say
there definitely is there. There are little little elements that
that creeps in, for sure.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
I've always found that fascinating how there was a Philadelphia
sound in a Detroit sound, the Chicago sound, et cetera.
And I was wondering if that still existed today, But
it sounds like it does according to Ben Bridwell, Well,
I think so.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
I mean you can even find just you know, little
even I mean, not the grunge stuff. But like when
we were when we were really living in Seattle, it
was a lot of the rock stuff like the you know,
built bill and modest mouse and desk cap. Those kind
of bands were zooming off about that time.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
Sure, hey, I also read that you were a pizza
man for quite a while.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Oh yeah, yeah, I've been. I've delivered pizzas and made
them and plenty of states in this greater United States.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
Who was the worst tipper in the Mireora? Out of
everyone you encounter?
Speaker 2 (04:01):
Oh the worst tippers? Oh my god? Well frat boys.
Frat boys were the worst. Oh my god. I delivered
pizzas in Tucson, Arizona. Man, I would I hate to
say this publicly, but I would like deliberately steal their
eight ball, like from their pool tables in every frat
house I could find. I had a collection, you know,
(04:23):
by the end of my career there.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
I have a brother and he delivered pizzas for a
while when we were college age. And he would have
given and he did give the exact same answer. It's like, oh,
I gotta go to a fraternity or a sorority.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Oh the worst. And I looked like a freak too.
I was like like punk rock kid with like you know,
like triple mohawks, liberty spikes and stuff. So they got
a good load of me. When I'd come in, they
had a good laugh at me. So I got my revenge.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
So New Year's Eve in Denver, I know Band of
Horses has played in Denver multiple times. What do you
have planned for the New Year's Eve show? And I'm
hoping that we're all going to be in a pretty
good mood post election for New Year's Eve?
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Well, yes, and you know, uh with with the uh
with our main support being the Nude Party. Uh, I
think that's kind of awesome with uh in our in
our election days here, I'm I'm I'm I'm going to
be officially affiliated with the Nude Party just coming election. Uh,
it's gonna be really fun. Those guys seem awesome. And
(05:24):
also with the Mile High Social Club getting like just
just a nice vibe set with like some deeper soul
kind of stuff and just a party vibe honestly.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
And when's the new album coming out?
Speaker 2 (05:36):
It's been a couple of years, right, it has been
a couple of years, and you know, I guess we'll
have to see when the world's begging for like a
tent Band of Horses record or whatever we're at now.
But you know, I can just say that. I hope
that it's deep to say something and to express something
instead of just trying to keep up with the machine.
(05:58):
So uh, I I hope the patient wait is for
the best.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
I like the way you put it, keeping up with
the machine. It seems like all of us, at some
phase of our lives we have to keep up with
the machine. And you follow your own path, and that's admirable, Benll.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Maybe that's just a poor excuse for laziness. We'll see.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
We're going to see band Horses at the film or
Auditorium on New Year's Eve. Stellar live band. Incredible music,
and there's so much energy and power, and there's a
there's a sense of a permeating sense of truth in
what you do. You're speaking your truth. And you know
you can't hear that in every artist, but I certainly
hear it in your music.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Well, yeah, I tend to I tend to complain loudly,
and those complaints are come from a very real place.
Maybe have just a bit of a malcontent in my
writing life, I promise in my personal life I'm much
more joyful. But yeah, I do feel like, especially with
(06:57):
those songs, some of them be in a couple of
decades old now, I still find new life in them
every day, and it's an absolute gift that we get
to express ourselves through those songs.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Still well, we'll see Band of Horses at the fillmore
on New Year's Eve. Bennett's great to meet you.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
Thanks for your time, oh man, thank you for your time,
and we're really looking forward to it. So y'all come
and see us.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
I'm Brett Sanders. I hope you'll subscribe. That's what they
call it, right to the Brett Sonders Podcast. I'll see
you next time.
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