Wheeler Walker Jr.: Pullin' Out

[00:00:08] [SPEAKER_02] I think I saw the Jamie Johnson one. She's one of my favorite artists.

[00:00:15] [SPEAKER_05] Whoa. Okay.

[00:00:16] [SPEAKER_02] What the fuck was that?

[00:00:17] [SPEAKER_05] I don't know.

[00:00:20] [SPEAKER_02] Oh. That'll be fun for the interview.

[00:00:22] [SPEAKER_05] Yeah, yeah. Perfect for audio. Awesome. Well, let's just dive right in.

[00:00:27] [SPEAKER_02] Cool.

[00:00:27] [SPEAKER_05] Wheeler Walker Jr., welcome to Whiskey Riff Raff.

[00:00:29] [SPEAKER_02] Thanks for having me. Give me the names again. I'm Quinn.

[00:00:31] [SPEAKER_05] And I'm Shelby.

[00:00:32] [SPEAKER_02] Quinn and Shelby. I got you.

[00:00:34] [SPEAKER_05] I'm excited to chat. I mean, there's a lot to talk about, but I wrote down the exact email that I got because I thought it was worded perfectly. Country music's last outlaw, Wheeler Walker Jr., has officially announced his retirement. After topping Billboard's charts five times, Wheeler is resigning his post as Nashville's last true and most authentic artist, leaving the cult following of over a million Instagram

[00:00:59] [SPEAKER_05] followers, a billion streams behind. He'll release one final album on September 25th and accompanying Farewell Tour this fall before Pullin' Out Forever.

[00:01:08] [SPEAKER_02] Who wrote that? That's really fucking good. Was that my people? Yes, it was definitely your people. Okay, cool. Someone from your team, yeah. Well, I must have proved it. That sounds beautiful. Are we good?

[00:01:16] [SPEAKER_05] Yeah. We're done? We're done. We're done, yes.

[00:01:20] [SPEAKER_00] We have some more questions for you, but obviously naming your, basically your swan song album, Pullin' Out, is very on brand for you. Thank you. There's all kinds of things that are on brand for Wheeler Walker Jr., but...

[00:01:34] [SPEAKER_02] I like that you put in as a brand. Why don't you tell someone on Broadway that it's a brand? I get my own fucking bar.

[00:01:40] [SPEAKER_00] Hey, is that something that you'd sign off on and be interested in?

[00:01:43] [SPEAKER_02] I think I want to do it just because it would piss people off, but I don't actually want a fucking bar next to fucking jelly rolls, you know? That's lame. But if they gave it to me, I'd probably take it. Right.

[00:01:52] [SPEAKER_05] Well, people who have bars don't even ever go in the bar or do anything.

[00:01:55] [SPEAKER_02] I'd go in my fucking bar. If anyone wants to give me a fucking bar, if you're watching and you own a bar, just fucking give it to me.

[00:02:02] [SPEAKER_05] You know on Broadway how there's like every floor has like a different theme? What would your different themes of the levels be?

[00:02:08] [SPEAKER_02] Dicks, pussies, anal.

[00:02:11] [SPEAKER_05] Sex shop on top.

[00:02:12] [SPEAKER_02] Yeah. Rooftop sex shop. Then at the top you go to beer, cocaine, weed. It's just, it'd be, it would be the only bar on Broadway at that point.

[00:02:21] [SPEAKER_00] That'd be a popular spot.

[00:02:22] [SPEAKER_02] Everyone would go there, yeah. Yes. Good luck getting in. I'll let you guys in.

[00:02:26] [SPEAKER_00] And it's, it's, uh, going back to the album, you know, you're- Did you guys get to hear it? We have listened to- Parts of it, yes. Parts of it, yes. Oh, cool. And so we're excited to hear everything just as much as all your fans are very excited to hear it. What is it, what is about, you know, the name of the album that felt right to you?

[00:02:43] [SPEAKER_02] Well, I was writing that song, pulling out, I was kind of always in the back of my mind, I was like, here's the thing about me. I don't have a corporate label. I'm independent. I got nobody telling me what to do. I've never had a corporate label. I've had offers, and I've sat in big fucking record company offices with guys with checks, and I've turned them all fucking down. And I was like, man, my fans have been with me through a lot of shit. This is a 10-year anniversary of me doing what I fucking want to do. And it felt like,

[00:03:12] [SPEAKER_02] kind of like, the end. I was kind of like, I felt like I told a buddy I was pulling out. I thought, I said, I was thinking about pulling out. They thought I was talking about fucking. Sure. I was like, no, but that's a good song. So I wrote the song. That's the song. That's the album. It all kind of came together. Get out while the getting's good before the algorithms and the AI take over. Right. It's kind of where I am right now. And celebrate all the fucking shit I've done.

[00:03:35] [SPEAKER_00] And I would argue that you're going out on top. You're going out on your terms.

[00:03:40] [SPEAKER_02] I usually have to say that during the interview, but you said it yourself. I think I'm going out on top.

[00:03:44] [SPEAKER_05] Now, is it harder to write funny music than you think, like any other kind of country song?

[00:03:53] [SPEAKER_02] Honestly, if you just, if you, well, first of all, ain't nobody funnier than Luke Bryan. And that's fucking easy. But I don't consider my music funny. I think it's just, I think when you tell the truth, people get a giggle and they think it's funny. Yeah. Like every song's about sex and love and I'm just not censoring myself. So my, it comes, they, people giggle. But when you're talking to your friends like that, it's, you don't fucking laugh.

[00:04:20] [SPEAKER_00] That's true. I mean, you can make an argument that everybody else is, is kind of putting out, you know, these softer versions of songs and you're just doing the real raw, hardcore version.

[00:04:30] [SPEAKER_02] Well, when I, I've been to those writers rooms because I get invited because people are fans and I sit there and I go, why are you talking like this? Two, like there's three guys there and they're, it's like, this is such fucking pussy shit to sit here with two dudes singing love songs. Why don't we write about fucking or write about how you like it to take the fucking out. How about you? I like this girl. I want to fuck her. Nothing wrong with that. No, it's consensual. Why don't you talk like that? You know, nobody talks, sits around

[00:04:59] [SPEAKER_02] with their buddies. This country, this new country music is, it's pussy shit, man. It's just, no one sits around talking to their buddies about their being in love or climbing trees or whatever this new bullshit is. It's just write a real fucking song. That's all I'm doing is writing real shit. It is. Yeah.

[00:05:14] [SPEAKER_05] Are there any new country artists that you actually enjoy and like their music?

[00:05:19] [SPEAKER_02] Um, I like the guys who are doing real country, you know, like I love Nicholas Jamerson. Zach Topp is cool. And even the pop guys who know their pop, like you can't deny Luke Combs and Morgan Wallen. They're just playing country music. That's a little pop isn't popular. They're playing country music. That's a little more with some more, what would you, what's the word I'm looking for? Um, I would just say like contemporary elements, nothing wrong with that. I don't sit around.

[00:05:48] [SPEAKER_02] I'm not going to say I like him more than Waylon Jennings, but he doesn't think, I doubt they think they're better than Waylon either. So I, that doesn't make, I get much more sickened by the Florida Georgia line, the older pop country that I think aren't those fuckers coming back? They are.

[00:06:02] [SPEAKER_00] What are your thoughts on that?

[00:06:05] [SPEAKER_02] Well, they're lucky I'm getting out because I'll fucking, they ain't come back on my watch. I'll tell you that.

[00:06:11] [SPEAKER_00] So the timing is a little suspicious, right? Cause as you're going out, they're coming back. I think they knew. Did they wait for you to get out?

[00:06:18] [SPEAKER_02] I think they knew, yeah. Okay. I think they knew because they knew I'd fucking tear them a new one. Right.

[00:06:23] [SPEAKER_05] Are there any other, you know, people you're looking to protest at the Country Music Hall of Fame before you go out?

[00:06:30] [SPEAKER_02] I'd have to know, I don't pay attention to that anymore. Who's in now? I'd have to protest.

[00:06:33] [SPEAKER_05] I mean, they always switch people in and out all the time. They always do like a, like whatever's now.

[00:06:37] [SPEAKER_02] Tell me who's in, I'll protest.

[00:06:40] [SPEAKER_05] Probably like Luke Bryan and Morgan Wallen.

[00:06:42] [SPEAKER_02] If Luke Bryan's in the Country Music Hall of Fame, I'll have to talk with him.

[00:06:47] [SPEAKER_05] What's it like recording with Dave Cobb? Because he comes up in so many of our conversations, like every other podcast, he comes up as just being the guy for everyone.

[00:06:57] [SPEAKER_02] He's just the best. I mean, what he does, it takes a lot of work to be, to do things that simply. He just knows what he wants. It's like, I have friends, I got buddies here who take six months to make an album. Every one of my albums take in five days. And that's with all the overdubs and everything. We have a finished album in five days. We record three songs a day. We do it. And here's where I'm telling you, the music industry is changing for the worse. And this is what Cobb's great at. You know how we make

[00:07:27] [SPEAKER_02] our albums? Cobb goes one, two, three, four, and the band plays and we take the best take. That's what they used to do. It's a band. This is a band. You can't fake that with AI. I'm counting them. Four guys, maybe sometimes five in a room playing live.

[00:07:46] [SPEAKER_00] Plus, you can hear that difference too.

[00:07:48] [SPEAKER_02] Yeah. I feel like you can hear it.

[00:07:49] [SPEAKER_05] There's like certain bands or artists who like sound so different in the studio than they do at their live show.

[00:07:54] [SPEAKER_02] Well, that's because they're building tracks. They're putting drums, electronic drums, electronic guitar. They're making beats and nothing against the hip hop guys, but they're making country like hip hop on a laptop. I don't make laptop music. I make country music.

[00:08:10] [SPEAKER_00] Right. That's a good way of putting it in five days for all of your albums. That's, that's pretty impressive because like you said, most of the time, well, we, well, the first

[00:08:19] [SPEAKER_02] album, he said, let's, he said, I do all my albums in five days. And I said, that's fucking bullshit. I'm paying for studio time. I want to make, I don't know where we're getting it done in five days. Day four of my first record, he's like, want to go to the record store? It's like, yeah. And then day five, we went to the guitar store. We were done in three days. Three days. Yeah. Okay. We did four tracks a day and we were done because I do my, I do my harmony overdubs, do a little pedal steel overdub, maybe, um, maybe some, maybe occasionally like a tambourine

[00:08:49] [SPEAKER_02] or some harmonica, but we just, then we're done. We don't do it. He's the king of not overthinking it. Yeah. It's, it's, it's a very simple thing. I mean, I can't speak for other people's experiences, but mine is get the best players you can go in a room, record

[00:09:04] [SPEAKER_00] the best songs you can take the best take. Right. And you've got, uh, no problem. And you've got redneck shit. The 10th, 10 year anniversary was, was last year, correct? Or is it this year? It's this year. It's this year. Yeah. And then you've got Pullin' Out coming out later this year.

[00:09:20] [SPEAKER_02] So it's all my, it's all wrapped up in a 10 years.

[00:09:23] [SPEAKER_00] Yeah. It's kind of crazy to think that you've been putting music out for 10 years.

[00:09:26] [SPEAKER_02] It is. And it's crazy how big the first, how much the industry's changed as I put out that first, because that first record, I remember the success of that first record and it's going to make me sound old, but the first, the first record, I remember like having to churn out, we didn't have enough CDs and vinyl cause it was flying off the shelves so fast. We actually had shelves back then. Yeah. And now we're like, here's the fucking digital file. Right. Let's see if they stream

[00:09:50] [SPEAKER_05] it. I don't know. Yeah. Are you going to put the new one out on vinyl too? Of course.

[00:09:54] [SPEAKER_02] Yes. Final. I'm sure CD too, but I just, this new world is, and I had a talk the other day with some people who helped me release the album. And if I hear the word algorithm one more time, I'm going to fucking blow my brains out. That's the new world. I don't want any part of it. And it's, I mean, we've talked to plenty of artists. And you probably have to deal with it too. All the time. Every day.

[00:10:12] [SPEAKER_00] Yeah. And we've talked to, uh, to plenty of artists and guess what? That's why people don't

[00:10:16] [SPEAKER_02] like having me on their podcast. Cause I get you out of that fucking algorithm real fast.

[00:10:21] [SPEAKER_00] Well, I, I, I think that you fit in well with Whiskey Rips brand and we're, we're super excited to talk to you. And we've got plenty of other questions. And, uh, one that I was going to ask is, is a lot of artists have sat here and said that the algorithm social media aspect of it all has, has taken away from the music creation process of, of, of it all. Do you feel as though like you don't have to do much because you just put out the music that you like and that you want to put out. And then your fans are, are very loyal to you.

[00:10:49] [SPEAKER_02] They're very loyal. And I appreciate, and that's been the key is that, so my stuff is not pushed out algorithm, algorithmically, whatever that fucking word is. So my fans have to type in Wheeler Walker. They have to want to listen to it, which makes a big difference because you need fans who want to listen to you other than being pushed in their face. Cause I got, there's bands and country artists who the label can pay Spotify to push it out and they go to the show and there's fucking two people

[00:11:18] [SPEAKER_02] there. Right. Because they're like, but we got a billion streams. Yeah. But they were, they were hoisted upon people. They didn't want that fucking shit. Yeah. So they just, they're sitting in an empty arena. So my fans, it helps me gauge all the, all the negatives I turn into positives. Like the fact that the, I can't be on playlists. I turn into a positive. It makes my, it makes my fans have to work harder, which means they're more loyal to me. And I appreciate my fans. I'm looking at the

[00:11:44] [SPEAKER_05] cameras to say it. And you travel, yes, this one's your camera. You travel everywhere and the people come out and for your last tour, I expect even more than usual. And you're ending your pulling out tour at the Ryman. Yeah. Which the church, the mother church. I'm excited to play there. I think

[00:12:01] [SPEAKER_02] it's going to be my third time. Is this, I think it's sold. If it's not sold out, it's definitely closed. It will be. I would imagine. Yeah, I imagine it will be. So yeah, that'll be my final show. We want to film it and I got to figure out the details, but like everything, I'm gonna have to pay for it myself. So I got to figure out if I can afford that. You guys got cameras? Can I borrow these cameras for the final show? We could work something out. Okay. What's it like playing the church though? Because. Oh, it's crazy. Cause I, I'm my family.

[00:12:27] [SPEAKER_02] I have a lot of family from here. So I got, I look out in the crowd and I see my parents went on one of their early dates to the Ryman back when fucking God, I don't even fucking know. Hank Snow was probably playing or something. So I'm looking out in the crowd. I'm thinking about all the people that sat on that stage and that Hank senior was kicked out of there. And there's that picture of him backstage, him getting kicked out and all the people that have been on that fucking stage, good and bad. It's a cool place to play. You know, that

[00:12:56] [SPEAKER_02] Nashville's losing that charm, you know, everything's turning into fucking, you know, I don't want, I'm not gonna do my last show at jelly rolls, you know, I want to do it at the fucking mother

[00:13:05] [SPEAKER_05] church. Do you think they warn the staff before you play? I don't know, but I've never, I've

[00:13:11] [SPEAKER_02] never had any issues. So I gotta, I gotta give it up to them. Yeah. Cause the first time I played, I was like, Oh shit, this is kind of, you know, with the word church and I might get in trouble, but they've been cool. It is weird playing a place that's got, that's got fans stand up, but it's kind of weird. It's like, am I supposed to be singing my new song, Pussy and Pills? Is that going to work at the Rhine? I don't give a fuck. I play it. It'll probably rattle right off the church pews. Yeah, exactly. I think it'll sound good on that

[00:13:37] [SPEAKER_05] wood. For people who haven't, or maybe they have seen you in the last 10 years, what can they

[00:13:42] [SPEAKER_02] expect different from this last tour? That's a good question. I think what they're going to see is a guy who I've had ups and downs in my, like everyone, I got ups and downs. I'm just really excited for this last tour. And I'm really, I think it's, I've, I've met my bands never sounded better and we're in rehearsals right now. And I got all, I got the best players and I think

[00:14:08] [SPEAKER_02] what they're going to see is country as fuck. It's kind of how I put it. It's just like, it's going to, it's going to sound, you want to hear real country, your chances of seeing that are kind of, they're kind of running slim now. I got a pedal steel player, which is crazy. It shouldn't be crazy, but it's, they may have many play people who tour with the pedal steel player and we play real country and we play it live. We got no backing tracks. It's just going to sound like a real band. And those opportunities are coming less and less because

[00:14:37] [SPEAKER_02] everybody's playing to a click track. They got backing tracks and they got, I like seeing live music and it's getting harder and harder nowadays. I'm trying to think like who, there's not many people who play without a click track nowadays. So you're not really seeing live music. Like I was just, the Black Keys are playing. I was like, well, I wouldn't want to go see that. They just play live music. That's what I like to see. They play.

[00:15:04] [SPEAKER_05] He's going too. I'll be going as well.

[00:15:05] [SPEAKER_02] Okay. Well, can you give me a ride?

[00:15:08] [SPEAKER_00] I can, I can do that for sure. And part of me is worried because I feel like you've always been, or since, since you, you, uh, I don't want to worry you, man. Well, you, you worry me because you're leaving and now it feels like that, that anti-hero of country music space is going to be unfilled. Are you worried personally about that? Or do you feel like someone else will step in to take on that?

[00:15:30] [SPEAKER_02] No one will step in. I mean, my, my shoes are too big to fill, but I think that put it this way. I'll be watching.

[00:15:37] [SPEAKER_00] Okay.

[00:15:38] [SPEAKER_02] Florida Georgia line. Don't, don't get, don't get too comfy. You know, I'll be watching you.

[00:15:43] [SPEAKER_05] Okay. Maybe you're retiring from making music and touring, but your opinions will still be.

[00:15:49] [SPEAKER_02] I think if you, if you make some shitty country music and it becomes big, I can't just sit back and say nothing. I will be retired. Maybe I'll, maybe I'll say it from a fucking beach or something.

[00:15:59] [SPEAKER_00] Sure. So you'll be kind of set back, relaxed, but still be able to kind of defend the post.

[00:16:04] [SPEAKER_02] But there ain't no relaxing with me. I'm always angry.

[00:16:06] [SPEAKER_00] Yeah.

[00:16:06] [SPEAKER_02] And I always point out bullshit when I see it.

[00:16:09] [SPEAKER_00] And I mean, I feel like that's worked out really well for you. And, and I, I love all the songs that you basically, while everybody else is kind of sugarcoating and tiptoeing around stuff, you just, you just pick something out and you say, fuck this bar or fuck whatever. Like insert.

[00:16:24] [SPEAKER_02] Yeah. I got a lot of, we have a playlist now of all my songs that have the word fuck in it. I didn't realize it was that many. I think, can I be honest with you? It upsets me that what I'm doing is that groundbreaking. It shouldn't be not censoring yourself and calling out bullshit when you see it should be everybody. Why am I, why do I have that? I'm happy to have that lane by myself. Why am I the only one? It doesn't make any sense. Why, you know, when other artists sit here in this chair and you tell them like, are they saying like that that climb tree song is good?

[00:16:53] [SPEAKER_05] I don't think anyone is saying it's good, but they're biting their tongues because they

[00:16:57] [SPEAKER_02] don't want to piss off their, because they're on the same label. They don't want to piss off their tongue. It's like, I don't give a fuck. What can you do to me?

[00:17:03] [SPEAKER_00] What's your favorite song that includes the F word? I know you have a lot of them, but do you have a favorite? Of mine? Yeah.

[00:17:10] [SPEAKER_02] Well, I always have a soft spot for fuck you bitch because it kind of started everything. And when I have a fuck you bitch gold record, which is really cool because the record, what's it called? The recording industry of America. They got to send me a gold record and they call my people and they're like, this doesn't look right. It's a guy with a cowboy hat. And it says, fuck you bitch. There's a must be a mistake here when they're making the gold record. So having a gold record that says fuck you bitch on it. That's nice. Is a cool thing to know.

[00:17:40] [SPEAKER_05] Definitely. Now with that kind of attitude and the popularity of Yellowstone in the last several years as well, do people compare you to Rip Wheeler ever?

[00:17:49] [SPEAKER_02] I heard that. And what's weird is I came first.

[00:17:51] [SPEAKER_05] Yeah, I know.

[00:17:52] [SPEAKER_02] So why did he look like me?

[00:17:54] [SPEAKER_05] Well, he's not real. So.

[00:17:55] [SPEAKER_02] I know, but why? You feel like maybe they. They made him a good character. Yeah, they made him a good character. The writers owe me a few bucks, I'm trying to say. You need some royalties from Yellowstone. But am I wrong? That's kind of weird. I mean. That after my album came out, this guy named Wheeler comes out wearing exactly my clothes and my beard. And you haven't ever tried to, you know, do any sort of cease and desist.

[00:18:17] [SPEAKER_05] Talk to Taylor Sheridan.

[00:18:18] [SPEAKER_00] Yeah, I think they got better lawyers than me. And whenever you go through your albums, I was looking, you're not one for collabs for the most part. And country music now, it feels like if someone puts out an album that doesn't have any collaborations on it, people are shocked.

[00:18:36] [SPEAKER_02] No, fuck that. This is my time. Right. I don't want to share the stage with anybody.

[00:18:40] [SPEAKER_00] Exactly.

[00:18:41] [SPEAKER_02] That's what being an artist is, is being fucking greedy. This is my time. You know, I don't like, I don't need to share your fans. I got my own fans. I don't want to share your I don't need to collab with someone. There's a, I did one duet years ago, which was fun, but it was, it turned out to be a fucking headache. So I don't want to do it. I don't need, I don't want to try to break into, I don't need your fan base.

[00:19:06] [SPEAKER_00] And it was a headache, right? Because wasn't it supposed to be Maren Morris?

[00:19:10] [SPEAKER_02] Maren Morris sang on it.

[00:19:11] [SPEAKER_00] Right.

[00:19:11] [SPEAKER_02] And then we were, we were, the album was in print and she fucking pulled out. Speaking of pulling out.

[00:19:17] [SPEAKER_05] Yeah, not the same way.

[00:19:17] [SPEAKER_02] Yeah. And she, and it, and it cost me a lot of money and I know Sony was going to pay me back and they never fucking did, which fucking still pisses me off. Yeah. Maybe that song will come out. I thought it was a good duet, but after that, I'm like, these people are too fucking, they're such pussies. I don't want to deal with this.

[00:19:32] [SPEAKER_00] And that was your first attempt at a collaboration.

[00:19:35] [SPEAKER_02] And it's just, it's just, I became too much shit with like Sony's what doesn't want their hot new artists on your fucking filth. Then fucking get off of it. I don't give a fuck.

[00:19:46] [SPEAKER_05] Yeah. And what are the, who are the kind of artists that you have opening up for you on tour?

[00:19:51] [SPEAKER_02] Oh, we had some great guys. I don't think it's all locked in yet, but there's a, have you had, have you had Channing Wilson on here before? Yes. Oh yeah. Channing's great. He's going to open up some shows. I think Dylan Carmichael's going to open up some shows. You know, Dylan? Okay. Yep. And there's this new guy, Colton Bolin. He's from Kentucky too. That's where I'm from. Love him. Open up some shows and I don't know who's filling in the rest of them because the tour is pretty long, but that's the three I know of right now. There could be more by the time

[00:20:18] [SPEAKER_02] you see this show, we could have announced new openers. But yeah, yeah. I like, I like strong voices and I love guys from Kentucky just cause I think, cause I'm from there and I recognize. Are you from there?

[00:20:28] [SPEAKER_00] I am. Yeah. Where are you from? Far Western part of the state, Benton, Benton, Kentucky.

[00:20:32] [SPEAKER_02] Don't know it.

[00:20:32] [SPEAKER_00] Near Paducah. But I believe you. Near Paducah. I know Paducah. That's what I usually have to say near Paducah. What part are you from?

[00:20:38] [SPEAKER_02] I'm from central Kentucky, Lexington. Around Lexington. Gotcha.

[00:20:41] [SPEAKER_05] Love Lexington. I love the castle out there.

[00:20:44] [SPEAKER_02] You live in the castle?

[00:20:45] [SPEAKER_05] No, I love the castle.

[00:20:46] [SPEAKER_02] I've never been there.

[00:20:47] [SPEAKER_05] It's really cool.

[00:20:47] [SPEAKER_02] Okay, cool.

[00:20:48] [SPEAKER_05] Very nice.

[00:20:49] [SPEAKER_02] It's like a hotel now or something?

[00:20:50] [SPEAKER_05] Yeah. Something like that. Yeah, B&B.

[00:20:52] [SPEAKER_00] And for anyone that's listening and is a big fan of you, they probably know a little bit about your story. But if someone just stumbled upon it, what would you say is the beginnings of Wheeler Walker Jr.'s country music career? What would you say is your story? Maybe you could do a short version.

[00:21:07] [SPEAKER_02] Well, you were talking before about Dave Cobb. I think that was the beginning. I think I'd always been trying to bust into country by, hey guys, I want to play country with bad work, you know, without censoring myself. And I just kept butting heads with everyone in town. I don't want to play. I love country music. I love it to death. I understand why my heroes didn't sing the way I did. But I grew up with Willie in one room and NWA in the other room. I kind of heard both.

[00:21:37] [SPEAKER_02] I was like, and I would hear NWA, Ice Cube, and Dr. Dre. I'm like, why do I have to censor? Why are they getting to talk like this? And George Jones can't. Why can't I do both? And then I met Dave Cobb, and he's like, let's fucking do it. I don't give a fuck what you say. It's your money, your time. We did it. And the album came out, and we were just like, man, the goal was to make my money back. Because I spent a lot of money on the record.

[00:22:05] [SPEAKER_02] And then it debuted in the top 10 of the fucking Billboard country charts and pissed the whole fucking town off. And I was like, okay, maybe I can keep... Every goal of every album was to make enough money to make the next album. Every tour was enough money to do another tour. And now I'm just kind of like...

[00:22:24] [SPEAKER_05] You did it.

[00:22:24] [SPEAKER_02] All right, we did it. Yeah. We proved that it can be done. I don't need to prove anything else.

[00:22:28] [SPEAKER_00] You were the first ever artist to chart on the Billboard country and the country albums chart. And I know you said earlier, like, you don't consider your own music funny, but that is a cool title to be able to say.

[00:22:38] [SPEAKER_02] Well, what happened was they put me on the comedy charts because of all the bad words. And I fucking screamed. I go, I don't want to be on the fucking comedy charts. And they go, well, you're on your number one. I go, well, then don't argue. A number one Billboard album on any chart. I'll just fucking take it. Put me on the comedy charts. I don't give a fuck. Yeah. Call it what the fuck you want. Mm-hmm.

[00:22:56] [SPEAKER_05] In the time where everyone's offended by everything, I feel like you're uncancellable too because, like, you just don't care.

[00:23:02] [SPEAKER_02] I don't care, but does it feel like things are getting... I'm worried things are getting cancelable again. I'm worried that people are watching what they say again.

[00:23:11] [SPEAKER_00] I feel like it's gone more so away from it. I feel like it was like that. There was a peak of it, and now we're kind of...

[00:23:17] [SPEAKER_02] We're definitely on the other side, but I'm worried there's a little dip here. Yeah.

[00:23:19] [SPEAKER_00] There's a dip again.

[00:23:21] [SPEAKER_02] Maybe. But, again, like you said, I'm uncancellable, so I don't give a fuck. They can cancel all the people you want.

[00:23:27] [SPEAKER_05] Are your DMs filled with, like, Karen's being like, you can't say this, you can't do this?

[00:23:32] [SPEAKER_02] Well, here's a secret I'll give to Whiskey Riff Raff, is what you call it? Yes. Yep. I don't run my socials. I decided I don't want to deal with it anymore. I just don't want to... There's too much bullshit, you know. Someone sends you a naughty pic and you get in trouble. So I just said, someone else, run my DMs. You run my social media. I'll tell you what... I mean, they don't post what they want, but I tell them what to post. So I don't even have the password. So I don't know. Probably is the best answer I can give you. Yeah, let artists do that.

[00:23:58] [SPEAKER_02] But staying off of social media is probably about the smartest thing you can do in the year 2026.

[00:24:03] [SPEAKER_00] Yeah, and I feel like, I mean, you're saying that you can still put out whatever messages you want, but I feel like Wheeler Walker Jr. having the phone in the holster, being able to fire off whatever thoughts that you have... That can get me in trouble.

[00:24:15] [SPEAKER_02] But that's not why I do it, because I know how these companies work, is they're trying to get me addicted. Don't work. I want to get to the people that are addicted and listen to my music.

[00:24:26] [SPEAKER_00] Well, going back to the album, this retirement album that you're putting out, Pullin' Out, what song off of this project are you most excited for people to hear, if they haven't heard it already? Because I know you've released a couple of them.

[00:24:41] [SPEAKER_02] Well, there's one song on it. Well, there's a bunch of songs on it. I think Pullin' Out is a great one for people to hear. But there's a song on it that really explains what I like to do. The second track is called Pussy and Pills. And people will dismiss it, because they'll just go, that's funny, it's Pussy and Pills. But it's actually, then you listen to it, and it's a song about a guy who's in love with a pharmacist.

[00:25:06] [SPEAKER_02] And he's falling in love with a pharmacist, and, you know, I'm trying to think of the lyrics. I don't want to sing it for you right now. I kind of want to sing it for you, but... So it's a very country-ish song. So don't get distracted by the pussy. What he's calling old Rita at the pharmacy store is to give me some more. Again, I'm rhyming it for you right now. He wants to pussy... So people... I like those kind of songs where people just... The dipshits just throw it away like this is garbage.

[00:25:33] [SPEAKER_02] But to me, it's a real tender love song about a man who falls in love with a pharmacist. Which is, to me, I haven't heard that country song yet. I'm always looking for... People look at me and they think that what I'm trying to do is put the word pussy in. And what I'm trying to do is, I've never heard of countries... With all the pill taken in country, I've never heard a song about a man who falls in love with his pharmacist. Yeah. And I wanted to write it. So again, I don't know if it's the best song, but it's the best example of what I do.

[00:25:59] [SPEAKER_02] Which is, I'm trying to write serious love songs about a man and the woman at Walgreens. And they're calling me filth. Right. But to me, it's real shit.

[00:26:09] [SPEAKER_00] Has there been a trend in your career where you feel misunderstood or not able to be taken seriously because of...

[00:26:17] [SPEAKER_02] Let me rephrase the question. Has there been a time that I've not? Probably not.

[00:26:21] [SPEAKER_00] And is that a frustrating experience for you as an artist? Because like you just said, you're trying to just put forth country.

[00:26:24] [SPEAKER_02] Within the first couple years, I got frustrated that no one was taking me seriously. But that's kind of like... I do my own self-therapy. I just let them do what they fucking want. The music's out there. They can listen if they want to. I think the music will live on. I think I got a strong catalog of songs. I stand behind what I do. I don't give a shit how people judge it. I think people get... Again, back to social media, just being obsessed with what people think about you. That's loser shit, you know?

[00:26:52] [SPEAKER_05] Now retiring, I'm sure there's a ton of song ideas that you actually didn't have the chance to write or record. Are there any ones that come to mind of like, I really wanted to make this work, but we just couldn't?

[00:27:02] [SPEAKER_02] The reason I retired is because I really do feel like I said everything I wanted to say. That's kind of why... If there was more I wanted to say, I wouldn't retire. But again, I complain about the algorithm. I complain about the business and the corporations and the billionaires taking over country music and turning into corporate country and fucking what Broadway has become. I complain about all that shit. But at the end of the day, I'm retiring. It's a celebration of all I've done. And I feel like I've... I feel like I said what I wanted to say.

[00:27:31] [SPEAKER_02] And that's kind of where I am right now. So if I had more to say, I'd do more. I'd do more. Yeah. If that makes sense.

[00:27:39] [SPEAKER_05] Definitely.

[00:27:40] [SPEAKER_00] What about a lot of what you've talked about today?

[00:27:46] [SPEAKER_02] Hold on. So far, on the level of interviews you've had, where would I rank so far? I think you're doing a great job. But like in the top 5'10"? Yeah.

[00:27:55] [SPEAKER_05] I think like down the middle.

[00:27:56] [SPEAKER_02] What's the most views you've ever had on an interview? That's a good question. Which artist?

[00:28:02] [SPEAKER_05] Probably Jamie Johnson. Over a million.

[00:28:04] [SPEAKER_02] Over a million? Yeah. So I probably don't know if I can beat that.

[00:28:07] [SPEAKER_00] But we'll try. Well, a good way to do that is maybe say some things that could really pique some interest.

[00:28:15] [SPEAKER_02] Well, I never said that Marin thing before.

[00:28:16] [SPEAKER_00] Right. Yeah. I didn't know that. But I wanted to say a lot of what you said today and in the past throughout your entire career is just anti-establishment, anti-Broadway, anti-Nashville.

[00:28:27] [SPEAKER_02] I think that's a good point. People miss what I'm trying to do. People don't think I'm just trying to talk dirty. Wheeler's always been my agent who books my shows. He always called Wheeler punk rock. And I kind of agree with that. It's anti-authority, anti-establishment, anti-fucking-everybody. That's kind of who my fans are.

[00:28:47] [SPEAKER_00] I think it's easy to look at the state of Nashville. And I feel like you are a great spokesperson for why is Nashville going in this direction? And kind of playing off what I said earlier, I fear that now that you're going to be retired even though your music will live on.

[00:29:05] [SPEAKER_02] Well, my music will live on. But give me a fucking bar. That can live on too.

[00:29:10] [SPEAKER_00] So you think the way to beat Broadway is to put your own bar on Broadway?

[00:29:14] [SPEAKER_02] No, I'm just saying that I'm done wanting to have a bar. I'd love to have it, but I don't want to play this corporate game. I don't want to... The people whose dick you need to suck to get the bar, I'm done sucking dick. I stopped that 10 years ago. Yeah.

[00:29:31] [SPEAKER_05] Well, I have a list of... Of dicks I need to suck? I could make that list as well. Questions that I would like your opinion on to really amp up those views.

[00:29:42] [SPEAKER_02] Okay, cool. Yeah, let's get those views up.

[00:29:44] [SPEAKER_05] If you were running Nashville for a day, what would you change?

[00:29:49] [SPEAKER_02] You know how they have those tax-free days? I'd do a tourist-free day. No tourists allowed. Yeah. And literally, you'd be arrested if you were a tourist. Like, maybe twice a month, there's a tourist-free day where we can drive without the fucking tourist traffic where I don't have to see these fucking skanks and there's stupid fucking bachelorette cowboy boots. I don't want to see that shit anymore. Get the fuck out of my city. Get the fuck out of here. And that's why I'm leaving the fuck, pulling out too. Because I can't deal with this bullshit. So you're leaving Nashville too. Yeah, I'm getting the fuck out. Who the fuck?

[00:30:19] [SPEAKER_02] What kind of normal person would live in this city? It's turning into fucking just a fucking...

[00:30:25] [SPEAKER_05] Big city.

[00:30:26] [SPEAKER_02] It's turning into Applebee's. An Applebee's. A country music Applebee's. Yeah. Redneck Vegas, really.

[00:30:33] [SPEAKER_05] Yeah, they call it NashVegas.

[00:30:35] [SPEAKER_02] Yeah, but it's Vegas for fucking skanks. It's stupid.

[00:30:41] [SPEAKER_05] Who gets way too much hate in country music? Do you think anyone does?

[00:30:45] [SPEAKER_02] Me.

[00:30:46] [SPEAKER_05] You?

[00:30:47] [SPEAKER_02] Chill out. It's not the... You all say bad words. I've met all you fucks. And you all say fucking shit and pussy. And you all call your wives bitches. So don't yell at me. Man, I'm just singing the truth.

[00:31:03] [SPEAKER_05] And who deserves more attention in country music?

[00:31:06] [SPEAKER_02] Same answer.

[00:31:07] [SPEAKER_05] Me. What's the biggest thing country music has lost?

[00:31:15] [SPEAKER_02] Authenticity.

[00:31:17] [SPEAKER_00] You think you can get it back?

[00:31:18] [SPEAKER_02] I can't get it back. I mean, if I could, I've done all I can. That's all I can say. But you listen to George Jones. You listen to Hank. You listen to Willie. You can hear the hand on the guitar. You can hear the voice. It's no longer there. But those albums... But in fairness of why I don't get so mad anymore. With streaming, those albums are still there. I can go listen to Waylon. Yeah. And listen to it.

[00:31:46] [SPEAKER_02] And it's as easy... It's as accessible as Luke Combs. Again, nothing against Luke Combs, but it's just different. It's just changing. And I just... Call me an old man, but I like the old stuff. That's what I dig. And I love hearing authentic music where these people... They weren't thinking about getting their own bar. Again, I'm joking about the bar. They weren't thinking about getting a bar or making a brand. They were thinking about what's the best song I could make. Because the best song I make is going to get the most fans. And that's not what's going to do it nowadays.

[00:32:16] [SPEAKER_02] It bums me out when I see Mick Jagger or Paul McCartney making TikTok videos. Dude, you don't need to be doing this, man.

[00:32:26] [SPEAKER_05] We just had this conversation with Ben Chapman the other day about what older country artists would make the TikTok videos and which ones would not. Merle, no way in hell.

[00:32:36] [SPEAKER_02] None of them would. But that's what I'm saying is maybe they would. So I don't want to see it. I don't need to see Keith Richards making TikToks. I love the Stones. I don't need to be seeing... It's like... It's kind of like... The way I look at it is like I did everything I could. I said everything I needed to say. Hey, kids. It's your time. Make your TikToks. My music's still there if you want to listen to it. But I'm out.

[00:32:59] [SPEAKER_05] So I imagine you like Roberts on Broadway if you are down there.

[00:33:03] [SPEAKER_02] If I'm down there. But god damn. It's even getting close to Broadway is fucking impossible.

[00:33:07] [SPEAKER_05] Well, they're putting a Roberts into the new Nissan Stadium, which I think is pretty crazy. They announced that yesterday.

[00:33:14] [SPEAKER_02] I didn't know that.

[00:33:14] [SPEAKER_05] Yeah. Crazy.

[00:33:16] [SPEAKER_02] Well, maybe that'll get the Titans up to, what, three wins?

[00:33:19] Hopefully.

[00:33:21] [SPEAKER_00] Is that... I mean, you've been in Nashville for a while. Are you a fan of any of the teams in the city?

[00:33:26] [SPEAKER_02] Well, a couple Predators players have been kind to me and listened to this stuff in the locker room. I would like the Titans to be good. But I don't see... You know, you're not going to go from two... Is that why they had two wins last year? Two or three. Yeah, it was close. It's like... I grew up in Kentucky where basketball was king and football always sucked. So I thought I was going to move somewhere with some good fucking football. Nope. No. I'm not going to support a team that sucks that bad.

[00:33:55] [SPEAKER_02] But if you got good, I'd probably... I'd be a Fairweather fan.

[00:33:59] [SPEAKER_00] And it's cool to hear that some of your songs have made it into the Nashville Predators locker room. Where are some other places where you've heard that your song has been played?

[00:34:08] [SPEAKER_02] See, I hear stories about so-and-so's... I don't want to say their names because I don't want to repeat rumors. But like so-and-so country artist listens to it on the bus. This athlete listens to it in the locker room to get themselves pumped up. And such and such quarterback. I just don't... But I don't have proof of this shit. This country legend loves you. Well, what does that get me? Do I have his number? Does he want to come over for dinner? I don't know these things. I hear it's everywhere, but again, I don't know. You can't call Spotify and say like...

[00:34:39] [SPEAKER_05] Who's listening?

[00:34:40] [SPEAKER_02] Yeah. Did Peyton Manning listen to it? I don't fucking know. But it's cool that it's getting around.

[00:34:45] [SPEAKER_00] I'll tell you, I've heard your music at karaoke bars from time to time.

[00:34:49] [SPEAKER_02] That I do know happens. Yes. Because I do see those... People send me those videos.

[00:34:53] [SPEAKER_00] What do you think is your best karaoke song for people to sing?

[00:34:57] [SPEAKER_02] I think Fuck This Job's a good one on a Friday night. I think Fuck You Bitch is always a good karaoke song. So a lot of my songs are pretty... It's the same calculus. It's not hard to sing along to them.

[00:35:12] [SPEAKER_05] One of our own, Aaron. He loves going to Alan Jackson's bar and singing your songs and throwing everyone off.

[00:35:18] [SPEAKER_02] Does it throw Alan... I guess Alan Jackson's not there.

[00:35:20] [SPEAKER_05] Alan Jackson's not there.

[00:35:22] [SPEAKER_02] Do you think he would... I don't think he would approve. I love Alan Jackson, but I don't know if he'd be a fan.

[00:35:26] [SPEAKER_05] I don't know. I kind of think he might get a good chuckle out of it.

[00:35:30] [SPEAKER_02] He just retired, right? Yes. At a little bigger place, right? Yeah, just a little bit.

[00:35:36] [SPEAKER_00] I think that with him, too, it makes people sad to see him go off into the sunset. But at the same time, people are happy that that was a big celebration. And I know that your show at the Ryman... That's what I'm trying to do.

[00:35:48] [SPEAKER_02] That's my version. I mean, I'd play Nissan Stadium if I could. But my version of the big blowout, let's celebrate all we've done, is going to be Ryman. Because Ryman, all the bullshit I talk about Nashville and country music and this new corporate country bullshit, Ryman does still mean something to me, so it's going to be fun.

[00:36:04] [SPEAKER_00] Well, and I wrote not too long ago about... I can't remember. It was probably in the 70s.

[00:36:09] [SPEAKER_02] You wrote?

[00:36:10] [SPEAKER_00] Yes. He's a writer from West Europe. People still do that?

[00:36:13] [SPEAKER_02] Yes.

[00:36:14] [SPEAKER_00] Believe it or not. And I wrote a story. There was an old video that went viral of the Ryman kind of standing by itself in downtown Nashville. And now, I mean, you can't even see it because it's covered up by all these big tall buildings and bars and stuff like that. Yeah, all that fucking bullshit. By fucking jelly rolls. But once you step into the Ryman, it feels like you're stepping back into a time.

[00:36:31] [SPEAKER_02] So why does fucking Post Malone have a bar?

[00:36:34] [SPEAKER_05] It's a great question.

[00:36:36] [SPEAKER_02] Of all the contributions that all these great country artists have made, me included, I don't see no Waylon bar. I don't see a Willie bar. And they got a Post Malone bar?

[00:36:47] [SPEAKER_00] It's just because he stepped into the country music space.

[00:36:50] [SPEAKER_02] But you don't think that was a kind of a plant? I think... Somebody had a bar ready and they needed a fucking face for it, and the face needed to have some tattoos on it. I thought it would be fucking rebellious for these tourists to go into. It's all... This is all planned. This is all a fucking part of this. Cat Williams on that podcast talking about industry plans. That's an industry plan. Mm-hmm. He steps in, puts on the cowboy boots, plays the song, gets the bar. All happens within a week. That's not normal.

[00:37:19] Mm-hmm.

[00:37:20] [SPEAKER_05] Yeah, I'm interested to see if the new album is going to be country again or if he's going to go back to...

[00:37:24] [SPEAKER_02] Yeah, you're not a country artist if you don't know if the new album is going to be country or not. Right. That's not country music.

[00:37:29] [SPEAKER_00] Yeah. And it sounds like, you know, there's still, you know, despite you putting out this last album and retiring, there's still a lot of fire in you whenever you talk about it. Oh, there's a lot of... Too much fire, but yeah. So what are you going to do after your music career to kind of... Are you going to have...

[00:37:44] [SPEAKER_02] I'll just go down to Broadway and just start starting fights. Beat people up.

[00:37:48] [SPEAKER_05] Fist fights.

[00:37:49] [SPEAKER_00] That would be an interesting way to handle it. And what are you going to do outside of music? Like, I know Wheeler Walker Jr., he's been engrossed by his music career the last 10 years. What are you going to do now that it's over?

[00:37:59] [SPEAKER_02] The question I get all the time, I had an interview this morning with Hustler Magazine. They're asking me the same question. I won't give you the answer I gave them because they want to know. They were talking about fucking, so I'm not going to dirty up your podcast, fuck up your algorithm. I don't know. I think I've just been so... It's been such an intense 10 years. I need some chill time. Then I'm going to figure out what the fuck I'm going to do. And then when the checks run out, I'll figure out something. But I'm not doing a comeback tour, I'll tell you that. Right. The last chance.

[00:38:26] [SPEAKER_05] Although that would be a good name.

[00:38:28] [SPEAKER_02] I haven't heard that before.

[00:38:30] [SPEAKER_00] That would be pretty good.

[00:38:31] [SPEAKER_02] The second I announced my retirement, I got about 100 texts of like, your comeback tour should be called the comeback tour.

[00:38:36] [SPEAKER_05] Yes.

[00:38:37] [SPEAKER_02] I'm not coming back. This is it. Stop texting me that.

[00:38:40] [SPEAKER_05] Do you have children or any young family members that will be attending your farewells?

[00:38:45] [SPEAKER_02] My son will be there. Might have earmuffs on. We're still deciding that. Yeah. That would probably... He's getting... You heard my song, All the Pussy You Will Slay, which is about him. So we'll play that one for him when the time is right.

[00:39:00] [SPEAKER_00] Right. But not now. Now is not the time. Still a little young. Yeah. You said wind down. Is there anything that you like to do? Are you a hunter? Do you like fishing?

[00:39:10] [SPEAKER_02] Can I be completely honest with you?

[00:39:11] [SPEAKER_00] Sure.

[00:39:12] [SPEAKER_02] My new favorite hobby. You've never been on tour before, probably. No. Once you've been on tour, which is just go, go. My favorite hobby is fucking doing nothing. And I'm not arguing that within a week I might get sick of it. But I love just fucking chilling.

[00:39:27] [SPEAKER_05] Do you watch TV?

[00:39:29] [SPEAKER_02] I watch TV. I watch movies. I like old movies. You know, John Wayne movies. I watch all the Westerns. Old movies. But I need new TV shows to watch. Anything good?

[00:39:40] [SPEAKER_00] Well, we mentioned Taylor Sheridan shows earlier. He's got the show. Those are all the rage.

[00:39:45] [SPEAKER_02] I like that. I love the Billy. What's the Billy Bob Thorne one? Landman. The Landman's good.

[00:39:49] [SPEAKER_01] Yeah, Landman's good.

[00:39:49] [SPEAKER_02] I like that kind of shit, you know. That would be the old school version of the old school TV version of the kind of music I like. Right. Yeah. And Billy Heppi plays music too. Yeah. Why don't you get him in here?

[00:40:02] [SPEAKER_05] I feel like you guys would get along pretty well.

[00:40:04] [SPEAKER_02] I would think so. We'd have a lot to... We'd have... I think we could complain a lot together.

[00:40:09] [SPEAKER_00] Who are some other people that you feel like you're kind of in the same... On the same wavelength with... Hmm. Besides Billy Bob Thornton.

[00:40:15] [SPEAKER_02] I feel like a lot... I've met a lot of hip hop artists who kind of are like... Like Killer Mike, for example. I'll never forget. He's like, I never liked Country until I heard you. Because I don't think he heard... He's heard people... And we got along really well and he actually helped me out on a tune to speak in collaboration. So people like... I like people... I like introducing new fans. I know Snoop sang Fuck You Bitch on an Instagram post once. Like I like meeting people who are outside of my world.

[00:40:45] [SPEAKER_02] It's kind of fun to see that... See my music crossing over.

[00:40:48] [SPEAKER_00] And you said he helped you out with the new...

[00:40:50] [SPEAKER_02] Yeah, we did... On my last album, on the deluxe edition, he rapped... I rapped over one of the verses. Gotcha. Killer Mike did. It was really cool.

[00:40:59] [SPEAKER_00] And have you ever helped out anyone else? Has a country music artist ever said, hey, Wheeler, do you mind coming down to the...

[00:41:05] [SPEAKER_02] No, but it's weird you ask me that because it's weird no one has. No one wants me... They think I'm fucking poison.

[00:41:11] [SPEAKER_00] I think that you could bring a different perspective, which I think can be very valuable in a version.

[00:41:15] [SPEAKER_02] They don't want me. They want the box.

[00:41:18] [SPEAKER_00] They need to fit in the box.

[00:41:19] [SPEAKER_02] They want a picture of me to show that they're cool with me. Out of the algorithm if they put me on their song.

[00:41:27] [SPEAKER_05] I also want one of those. Yeah. We can get that. That you can get.

[00:41:31] [SPEAKER_00] And is... You know, I already asked you a little bit about, you know, if that hurts, you know, through your 10 years of your country music career.

[00:41:37] [SPEAKER_02] Now I take it as a badge of honor. You don't want me on your album? Fucking good. It sucks.

[00:41:41] [SPEAKER_00] If you were in a writer's room, would you... I mean, there's no...

[00:41:46] [SPEAKER_02] Well, I'm not going to name the artist, but a couple artists, big country artists have invited me in the writer's room. And I just sit there. I'm just like, why are you singing about this? Just singing about pussy. Right. Why are you singing about a fucking lame love song? Because they think they're getting that Wheeler sound when I come in. I don't... I can't help you make fucking pop country dog shit. So I just... I just kind of sit there for an hour that I like... I pretend I got somewhere to be and I leave.

[00:42:12] [SPEAKER_05] Does alcohol influence your music at all?

[00:42:18] [SPEAKER_02] I mean, I get drunk a lot, so I guess it does. Yeah, but I try not to record or play live while I'm drinking.

[00:42:26] [SPEAKER_05] Any good songs while drinking? Any writing songs while drinking?

[00:42:31] [SPEAKER_02] I've written a few songs. In the early days, I would write more while I was drinking, but I've tried to drink less while I'm writing. As you get older, it becomes too... You don't want to go on this... The studio is expensive. You don't want to go in there with a bunch of fucking drunken songs, you know? Yeah. Yeah.

[00:42:45] [SPEAKER_00] And you mentioned you don't play live and drink at the same time? Is that true?

[00:42:51] [SPEAKER_02] Less nowadays, yeah, because I want to give the fans a good show. And I used to... I've been to shows where the guys are drinking too much. You can tell. Economy's tough right now. Buying a ticket, my tickets... We try to keep the tickets cheap, but even when you come... I want to put on a good show, and I can't put on a good show if I'm fucking plastered.

[00:43:08] [SPEAKER_05] Been plenty of those.

[00:43:09] [SPEAKER_00] And what's the energy like at a Wheeler Walker Jr.

[00:43:12] [SPEAKER_02] It's fucking crazy.

[00:43:13] [SPEAKER_05] Everyone else is drunk.

[00:43:14] [SPEAKER_02] Because they're drinking, which I enjoy, and we're all having... It's just fun. That's kind of what this last tour is going to be. It's just a party. It's a traveling party.

[00:43:23] [SPEAKER_00] Are you going to miss that?

[00:43:27] [SPEAKER_02] I don't know if I have one more in me. That's kind of why I'm calling... I've seen people, and you have too, I'm sure. Both of you. Have seen concerts where you can tell this guy has played one too many shows. And I know the next... Not this tour, but the next tour I'd be... Get me off the stage. But this last one, I still got the energy. I'm ready. I'm psyched to do it. But I don't want... I want to end before I'm the dude on the stage who played one too many shows. Yeah.

[00:43:55] [SPEAKER_05] Do you think Willie's ever going to retire? Do you think he...

[00:43:57] [SPEAKER_02] I think he's kind of like the old blues man who just like... They just want to die on the road. Like, yeah. Blues guys don't retire. They just pull... That's their job. It's kind of like... It's just a way of life. I don't think... I wonder if a guy like Willie... I wonder if he's like... If he can't sleep, if his room is not moving. Moving, yeah. Probably just how he's learned to live. Because if he's... Well, he's in his 90s now, right? Yes. Yeah. So, if you're not retiring in your 90s, you ain't retiring. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:44:27] [SPEAKER_00] And that's something that you can respect, right?

[00:44:29] [SPEAKER_02] I respect it. I just don't want to do it.

[00:44:31] [SPEAKER_05] Yeah. Now, I know we're coming close on time. Is there anything else you really want to share with the fans that you might not have shared yet? Or anything you want to say about the new album and tour that fans should know?

[00:44:43] [SPEAKER_02] Well, I want to tell them to check out the new album and tour. And also, stop being cheap, man. Stop listening to what that algorithm's fucking pointing at you. You're allowed to look at other music. And I would encourage them, not even for me. Go listen to... If you came into country through Morgan Wallen or Luke Combs, nothing wrong with that. But go back a little bit. Be interested in music, period. Which, you know, people are not into it as much nowadays. Go listen to Waylon. Go listen to Willie. Go listen to Merle. Go listen to George Jones.

[00:45:13] [SPEAKER_02] Listen to Buck Owens. Listen to Dwight Yoakam. Listen to Marty Stewart. There's a lot of good country that you would fucking love that's got... If you like this new shit, be interested. Just don't come here for the fucking bachelorette parties. Get interested in, you know, all the great country music that's been out there.

[00:45:32] [SPEAKER_00] And I'm glad that you said that because sometimes, to me, I can get to thinking, like, right now, it feels like those artists that you just named are maybe just a generation or two away. And as we continue to progress into the future, it's going to be harder and harder, I feel like, for people to go back and listen.

[00:45:47] [SPEAKER_02] And I don't know why that is to me because Waylon sounds like he could have been made yesterday. But maybe it don't sell beer ads. I don't know.

[00:45:55] [SPEAKER_05] And now he still has music that just came out last year.

[00:45:57] [SPEAKER_02] He's got a new ad. And they found some old... Shooter found some old tracks, I think. Yeah.

[00:46:02] So...

[00:46:03] [SPEAKER_02] And they're putting that... But anyway, my point is, you come here as a tourist to go to Posties or fucking... Is Jelly Roll's place called Jellies? I don't know. But you come to Jellies and Posties. If you're here and you're drinking our beer and eating our fucking sloppy food, go a little bit deep. Even go to the Country Music Hall of Fame. Look at what built this fucking industry. And stop acting like fucking sheep.

[00:46:31] [SPEAKER_00] And what about maybe a parting message to other country artists that are out there? Do you have anything to say? Yeah, I do.

[00:46:36] [SPEAKER_02] I'm going to listen around the camera. Fuck all of you. Okay.

[00:46:40] [SPEAKER_05] On that note...

[00:46:41] [SPEAKER_02] Fuck every one of you.

[00:46:42] [SPEAKER_05] On that note, I think that's a perfect way to end it. It's a good way to end. Thanks for having me on, man. Thank you for being here.

[00:46:57] [SPEAKER_02] That was good, right? Yeah. Top five? Great. I think so. Without a doubt.

[00:47:01] [SPEAKER_05] Number two, just to Jamie Johnson. Yeah.

[00:47:04] [SPEAKER_02] I'll go. I'll do number two. Yeah. Cool. Well, that was cool. That was fun.

[00:47:09] [SPEAKER_05] Thank you.

[00:47:10] [SPEAKER_02] Thanks for having me.

[00:47:12] [SPEAKER_05] Of course.