Joey: Welcome to the Open Road. The Country Music Podcast with Joey and Cy. Let's hit the road and enjoy today's episode. Good I was gonna say good evening. Good evening, yeah, let's say good evening. Good evening and welcome to episode two of The Open Road with Joey and Cy. Yeah, thank you to everyone who tuned into episode. I forgot what I was gonna say, everyone. Thank you everyone who tuned into episode. We'll we'll cut this bit out. We'll cut this bit out. Thank you to everyone who tuned into episode one and gave us a listen. I know there's been clips circulating. Appreciate everyone ⁓ giving us a follow on The old social media. We're back for another episode. after quite an eventful week. ⁓ lots to dilute and talk about this week. I'm sure everybody's not been living in a cave and has seen the news across social media with certain festivals and certain dropouts, and we'll come to that a little bit later on, anyway. But before we get there, ⁓ let what have we been doing this week? I know what I've been doing. What have you been doing this week, Joe? Yeah. We've got a fair bit to to get through for for episode two. Last week, ⁓ last weekend from this is going out on the tenth, I think. Monday the tenth. Kashiman's back ⁓ about a weekend or so ago, ⁓ to the start of August. ⁓ Mr Luke Combs doing his UK Legviz tour. ⁓ quite a niche artist, I don't know whether many people have heard of him. Well I hope so, 'cause he's now got a Guinness World Record for three consecutive sold out shows ⁓ at Wembley Stadium which apparently it's the most that anyone's done it's the record so you know it's quite nice to be being part of the record. ⁓ but yeah so yeah we had we had a good time. We had a good time. There's a bit of there was a few of us who came down there. Me and my partner Ashley, some friends of ours, upset Mr Stephen Ramshaw last time who you are very familiar with Sai. ⁓ being a fellow Fellow Geordie, I know. I know you don't really like him that much, but P people were no He is. ⁓ but yeah, he was he was a little bit upset and didn't give him a shout out last episode 'cause I thought that I did. So I told him that I did. Well the the funny thing is is actually thinking back, we did talk about him but n not by name 'cause we were on about when we met at the Cowetzel Gig was. He was. ⁓ He he's the reason that we met and I thought I'd mention that, but I hadn't, so yeah, sorry mate. No ⁓ anyway, Luke Combs. Back to Luke Combs. ⁓ Wembley, first of August. And my top highlight from that gig, believe it or not, wasn't actually any of the songs. ⁓ you not yeah, I know what you're gonna say now. So, on Friday night we had basically when Luke was singing one too many ⁓ you are he would bring out a guest for to basically shotgunning beer with him. And Friday night it was John Terry, captain, leader, legend, big Chelsea fan over here. Questionable legend and leader. He was a captain, let's call it. Mate, he shagged Wayne Bridge's wife, like what what more about a leader can you ask for? I saw the video on social and no one was enjoying that except for John Terry. Well, imagine Wayne Bridge wasn't. ⁓ But yeah, no, we we don't condone that sort of behaviour on this podcast. But anyway, so I thought Saturday night, who's he gonna be able to get out? Caleb Friggin Cooper came out on stage from Clarkton's farm. Mate, I looked at Ashley and I just screamed like a little girl. Honestly, I was so so happy. I love Caleb to bit. you know, I think he's a top bloke and the fact that he completed like a harvest the day before and then was travelling to London. To be at that gig, it was it was brilliant. No, I I do enjoy Clarkson Farm and I do like Caleb Cook, so I'll give you that one. Yeah, it is brilliant. Did you actually enjoy any of the songs you want to share, or was it just him beer in with Caleb? Yeah, so ⁓ obviously we'd have to talk about the songs because we we paid a lot of money for tickets and that'd be a little bit bad if I didn't actually go and enjoy the songs. But my favourite song of that night though. Now, don't get me wrong, Ain't no love in Oklahoma. Top song. Absolutely top song. Loved it to bits. Love watching him perform it. I thought it was brilliant. you know, the pyrotechnics, fireworks, all this sort of stuff, made it just hit. But my wild card a little bit, because I don't actually like this song very much. I don't hate it, I'm not hating on on Luke Combs or anything like that. It's just not one of my personal favourites. But the way that he performed it at Wembley, it hit and it hit hard. And I was like, this is awesome. And that was actually ordinary. Now I don't think he did it on the Friday night. But yeah, I'd I'm with you on it. I don't think it would be my my favourite. Yeah. Yeah. I mean he's got so many top songs, you know, Out Where the Wild things are, ⁓ one number away. When it rains it pours. But he didn't actually do ordinary on Friday. And I d I don't know if he did it on the Sunday. ⁓ so it might have been one of the uni 'cause I know they sometimes do that, don't they would do a few nights and mix up the song selection. Yeah, so he definitely didn't mix up the set list every night, I I believe. ⁓ from what I've seen on social media as well, ⁓ it did look like that. So yeah, that was basically our our Saturday. Really enjoyed it, you know, proper. The only downside I had about the gig though And this isn't a Luke Combs thing, I think this is a Wembley thing because we went to see My Chemical Romance ⁓ last month. and there was a bit of a similar sort of thing with it. But when an artist is talking at Wembley, you can't really hear them. There's so much echo and it's so difficult, you know. It's a shame 'cause country artists do a lot of that storytelling and you know, I wrote this song when XYZ and so it it it maybe has more of an impact at a country gig when you can't hear them. Yeah it does. And you know that that's such a downside because like you said, country music is so much about storytelling. And also I know we're country podcast, but even when we saw My Chemical Romance, their whole first sort of like half was going through the Black Parade album. And they were making a story of it. So they were telling actual parts of stories and Yeah. There lot of vocal stuff in there. When you can't hear what they're saying, it's yeah. It makes it ten times harder. So but no, overall, absolutely loved it. you know, I've I saw people go in three three nights in a row. I'm I'm thinking fair play. Like it was definitely one of those which I think, you know, you you could go three nights in a row and not get bored of it, but Man, I I want that sort of bike balance so I can afford to go to three days in a road to Luke Combs on Wednesday. Like, wow. But so tell us ⁓ what have you been up to? ⁓ well my week was a bit less grandeur than yours. No Wembley Stadium, ⁓ no Luke Combs. However, ⁓ I had a trip what day are we on today? Saturday Thursday night into Manchester to a lovely little venue called Band on the Wall. ⁓ I'm sure many people will have been there for gigs to see Personally for me, I enjoyed this more than I would have enjoyed Luke Combs. Love Luke Combs, but Everett for me is up there was one of my faves. ⁓ and it was incredible. very he's got that sort of swampy, gritty southern energy about him. and it was it was it was such a good show. ⁓ a good friend of ours, Mr. Gary Quinn in support as well. And you know, I've shared this with you before. I I've never been to a Gary Quinn gig and just went, Yeah. It's just one of those I can listen to his songs again and again because he's just got that presence and they just there's so much meaning behind them. He was a great support, obviously a massive staple of the UK country scene, but then ⁓ Everett was just was phenomenal. Yeah he he literally just him and a guitarist, that was it, and he just filled the room with it. ⁓ highlight for me was halfway through he got down into the crowd, unplugged and got everyone to circle round him like a campfire and just played a couple of the songs totally unplugged. And it was I got the camera and I was literally like here to here. ⁓ like just stood there and he was like kept turning round and really like playing into the camera so I got some great footage. Amazing, yeah. I mean I I I love all of his songs, but it was it was just a great night. And one shout out to stand out for you? Well, the shout out to me was because he's just released this last week a new single ⁓ called Settling Down. And the whole single is focused around how he's given up this wild, you know, youth lifestyle and he's now settling down. You know, he's got kids, he's he's he's settled down, let's call it. And that was kind of quite ⁓ an emotional song. You can see as he was singing it how much he'd put into it. Whereas like some of his other ones are about. you know, drinking whiskey and getting arrested and stuff. So it had like a very like ⁓ sliding doors type of ⁓ feel when he did songs like that. But amazing, the nicest guy. He came down at the end and he was, you know, getting pictures, meeting everybody, and I know that s one of our mutual friends went out till three AM drinking with him and Gary as well. Yes, ⁓ yeah the next day. Yeah that's that that was just the kind of guy he was. He was really down to earth. Really, really nice guy. ⁓ but yeah that was that was my week and ⁓ that's brilliant. I think to be fair jump on I've gotta say, like just before we move on to the next bit, the obviously after your one for the road last week, I I wasn't the hugest I hadn't really heard a lot of Everett before, but I thought, you know, after last week's pod, ⁓ I like, Yeah, I'll give ⁓ a listen, Kings and Dairy Queen Park and I I know you played that played it for me when we edited the last ⁓ episode, but Mate, honestly, I was chucking it on in the van on the way to work and wow. You know, I think I've actually ⁓ I've I've I've turned You a convert. Yeah, I've I've converted Everett fantastic. That's gonna be, you know, for when my Apple Music comes up with the your top artist this month for August, it's gonna be Everett. But if people might see it on socials I've seen you put a few bits out on our stories as well and you know, thanks for doing that and Gary as well, the videos you took of Gary, wow. It's amazing. You know, it looks incredible. And well I ⁓ my my my takeaway was the ⁓ the old G Quinn hat. Love it ⁓ that that we'll be getting wrecked now at the gigs as well. So keep an eye out and and the pod as well. Yeah that's little bit of one on the horizon isn't it what we got in the in the pipeline so but yeah I think before we move on did you have a bit of a I do. I do and it I feel very surprised to you Because the the problem is obviously I've got a bit of a a different setup around me for for today's episode. For the audio listeners, ⁓ basically I've moved my setup downstairs for for this episode because of some technical problems. But I was watching the podcast last time and I realised, do you know what? I've got a very, very bland background. Okay. Now I've got a lovely white envelope here. And I I have opened it 'cause I saw it come through the door, I was like, what the fuck is that? ⁓ so I'm gonna show you though what I've what I've gone and and got for the for the background. But we've got an open road little ⁓ plaque sort of thing. Yeah. So see if I can There's just gonna be so much rustle in now, I just know. So ⁓ Yeah, we can just turn it into a ESMR video here. Yeah, here it is. ⁓ no, that is cool man. Little ⁓ little photo tile for ⁓ for the long road, so for the open road, not the long road. Do you know what? I just know what the next section is, I'm just desperate to get there, so ⁓ yeah. Got one of those. It's gonna be up on the wall behind. Yes. So ⁓ get that up. There we go, yeah. I can't really I haven't got anywhere to really stand it up against. So we'll ⁓ Yeah, will it sit there? Yeah, there we go. There we go. There we are, look at that. Well, you watch me and I'll just start all all I have to say and I'm I'm just gonna move over and cover it, but ⁓ so yeah that's my little surprise. The little photo sighting for one of the many walls ⁓ around here. Maybe up on this shelf here after just Yeah? Yeah. We'll see. Anyway, moving on. Moving on. long road. So ⁓ long road bit of a slip of the tongue there. Yeah. I mean where to start. Yeah. I think the the biggest talking point we need to address first of all is obviously we put the clip out about it but ⁓ and a lot of stuff on social, but Bailey Zimmerman, unfortunately, due to some family ⁓ problems has dropped out of Long Road. ⁓ everything is okay. ⁓ I think he just needs some time with family, so hopefully, you know, he's okay. I think that was I On that straight away, the thing that got me on a lot of social was the hate going out. Yeah. And I I was speaking to somebody today about it and I just said the thing is you don't know what's going on in people's lives. And for people to be really calling him out ⁓ shocking he did this, like give the guy a break. Like I I just think, you know, all of us, can you imagine if we had to go over to America for like a few months, not see children family, especially if you know things were not Perfect at home so I no I've got a lot of sympathy. You know, it it's I d I don't like seeing hate when artists get it, you know, because they do so much for us, okay? But the other thing is Bailey wasn't you know, it wasn't that long ago since he was here. You said it on the on the last episode that, you know, you you went to see him. I met him actually outside. We I've got a selfie with him, yeah. ⁓ I can't remember I've ever sent you that. I might have to find that, yeah. No, no, I don't think you did. ⁓ but the thing is as well, you know, you don't want to see artists getting that sort of hate and he's only he's only young. He's twenty six, you know, he's practically the same age as me. ⁓ you know, there's a few months between us, about six months between us, but very lifestyles. I know, I know. But you never know, maybe if ⁓ if this pod takes off I might we might do a travelling pod, you know. How cool would that be if we went over to Nashville and recorded a live pod, man? That that would be awesome. ⁓ but yeah, so he's only young, he's 26. And he and he's got this stuff going on, so hopefully he's fine. I will clear it up. ⁓ we did not do any sort of like voodoo magic or anything like that after we spoke about that. We didn't have any sort of dolls ⁓ so You know, don't don't. Well I mean we've we've spoke about Bailey, I suppose the obvious next thing is ⁓ we're replacement. Sight, site, I I'll let you have this one, mate. his replacement Hollywood As ⁓ from a country music perspective, yes, it's not a country music artist. But from a fan of music, this guy is a fucking legend. Like he's spent decades with the faces, with the rolling stones. He's a massive massive influence with blues, with roots music, with Americana. Like the guy fits the bill. And I I'm sick of seeing all this ⁓ yeah, Ronnie Wood, what a shit replacement. It's not at all. I think it's a strong, strong replacement. And personally as a music fan, Saturday night at the Long Road Festival, him belting out I can't get no satisfaction or ⁓ y you know, some of the classic that's gonna be a mega atmosphere like that is gonna be great. I think I think for me, don't get me wrong, I'm I am on that bandwagon of the people who are slightly disappointed. Okay, I'm not going out there and say it's the worst thing in the world. Okay. I I am disappointed. I am you know I think there were other artists. I know for a fact that you know Breland was commenting on those posts saying hey look I'm available ⁓ when it was announced Ronnie Wood You know, there's a lot of people saying, Well, what about Breland? Even he commented back saying, Look, I tried, ⁓ just wasn't gonna be this time. So you know, it'd be interesting, obviously, we'll never see, but what happened behind those scenes. Well, this is it, you don't know. I mean Breland might have come in with I want this much money and they went, Yeah, to have that much money and so it was never gonna happen. ⁓ no, I I I think as a country fan, yes, it's not a big country. You Billy Zimmerman is his current pop country. It is not that. But as a music fan at a music festival, I think it is a super strong replacement. And I, for one, will be there with bells on. like enjoying Saturday night. If those people who think it's a shit replacement bugger off, go and watch something else then. ⁓ like in my opinion. ⁓ that's that's where I'm at on it. I just think it's a festival. You pay for entry to the festival, you don't pay for artists. And people drop out. Things change, you know. Don't get me wrong, we could be on the way there. One of the acts could get it by a bus. Like they're not gonna be playing at the festival, are they? ⁓ no, I just mean there's there's I yeah, to start to start making a big thing of I want a refund because one act cancelled is is nonsense. Yeah. And our next talking point, I'm not gonna unfortunately I'm not gonna be able to lift up the mood much. Well, I was gonna say you can have this one because I know you've got some strong opinions on it. Yeah, we there there's been a lot of ⁓ issues surrounding Long Road this year, as we know, ⁓ with the artists and whatnot, but also with the vendors. So one of the biggest things Vera Black have come out and said that they're not gonna be at Long Road this year, and they've they've been there since day one, you know, so I think from what I can gather with the social media posts, I think it is to do with finances ⁓ of I think Long Road are gonna be charging too much and they're a bit like We've need to make that business decision of is this worth it? Yeah. ⁓ that's what I've gathered from it. I could be completely. ⁓ But I think the one sponsor in particular or one vendor that you are not ⁓ so jazzed about. Yeah, so obviously we were recording this Saturday. Yesterday on Friday, the announcement did come out that RISLA is going to be at Long Road. Well and if people aren't aware of Rizzler they're They do all like the smoking, ⁓ sort of like I don't know, how d how would you describe them? Like, you know, the smoking brand in the Brand, yeah. Because they do like the Rizzler papers, isn't it? That's the Yeah the big for Don't get me wrong, I used to smoke ⁓ a few years ago and I used to use Rizzlers, you know, so but now I I don't and Family friendly festival I don't think should be promoting a smoking brand. I know you've got your own opinions of you know, smoking brands what was it you said? Smoking brands give you the best free merch, wasn't it? I will put it out there and I'll just say I I worked abroad for a lot of years and we had a lot of sponsors that were smoking brands, you know, ⁓ B and H, you know, various others, but that was the one that comes to mind. They give away pretty cool merch. Like t shirts, you know, flags. ⁓ there's all kinds of like really just cool shit they come out with and and I know it's a bit of a silly thing, but that's not my only opinion. But carry on. You know, tell me why it's why why is it gonna make you lose sleep at night? I mean, ⁓ I wouldn't go that far of of lose sleep. I think the the losing sleep would probably just come from depends how hot it is in that tent, to be honest. But yeah, no, I think A family friendly festival, they're trying to promote this as a family friendly festival. I think there's ⁓ a lot of people where in twenty twenty six that we shouldn't I think times have changed now, we shouldn't really be promoting smoking. You know, the the government that they are trying to do a lot with stopping kids from smoking and vaping and stuff like that. Whereas without trying to get too political because on this podcast we we don't want to be political. No, I g I get where you're coming from and that's I'm I feel like it Wasn't the most sensible decision if that makes sense. I mean, my view on it is festivals cost money, money has to come from somewhere. Spawn can bring in money. like I just think if we go there and we go, what a great festival it was really well won run, that money could have been coming from Risla. ⁓ I'm I'm sure they're not gonna be promoting smoking, 'cause I'm pretty sure you can't do that. But it's more brand, I suppose. If you think about the very traditional, like country feel, whiskey, cigarettes, that kind of thing. People will be smoking like roll ups and that that's probably it's within that vibe. ⁓ yeah, I'm not a smoker. Yeah, if people are smoking around me, I'm not a fan, but sponsors are sponsors. Like you know, we could go back and say we're both big football fans. Do we agree with beers and energy drinks and gambling companies? But They've got to give our football teams the money to spend. My thought on this whole thing is I know there's another country festival this weekend that you're very much looking forward to. Yes. Yeah. And with Risler, with Ronnie Wood, with all this, I'ma just put it out there and go, which festival have people been talking about this week? They say no press is ⁓ no no press is bad press. People have been talking about Long Road, and is it a work of genius from their PR team? Possibly. I don't know. Yeah. You know, I don't think you would need to announce RISL as a as a sponsor. I think it could have just been there. Have they done it so people will talk about it 'cause it's controversial? Maybe, maybe not. you know, either way, that's you know, that's taken up ten, fifteen minutes of our podcast because they've put some controversial shit out this week. Absolutely. I I do recommend a note. Yeah, I do I do recommend though, if anyone's got to spare five minutes, go find that Risla post on Facebook 'cause it's been taken down from Instagram. and Just read the comments. Go read the comments. Read the comments. Honestly, I've like it I've never seen it that bad before. Yeah. It was like, ⁓ no, this is just getting worse and worse now. Yeah. But yeah, so no, but ⁓ moving on, let's talk about some news this week. ⁓ that's not long road news. ⁓ long road news, yes. Country country news. I mean, do you wanna maybe kick things off with this? What what have we been looking at in the news this week? Well Honestly my my bit that I won't talk about but we're going across the pond now with ⁓ 'cause there there's not been loads and loads of UK news but we've we've kinda covered it to be honest as well. So we'll we'll take a trip over the pond. ⁓ my big one that I want to talk about is Wyatt Flores' new album. Yeah. Scared of Heights is out, dropped last week. Wow, wow, wow. It's it's incredible. Like I've I've not stopped listening to it. I'm probably on sort of like my twentieth playthrough of it. ⁓ I love it. I really love it. I I was really wanting to warm up to Wyatt Flores. I didn't rate him when I first started listening to him a few years ago. then he came over and did Long Road. Yeah. I didn't think he had much of a stage presence. I didn't particularly enjoy it as much. Now, you know, a few years later, I'm probably one of his biggest fans. yeah, I'm I'm loving I'm loving the Scared of Heights album. ⁓ I think he's done a really, really good job in what he's come up with. ⁓ writing some of those songs. I know ⁓ listening to some of like the interviews with him. He's in one day he wrote about f ⁓ five five and a half songs, he said. I think that's that's some some shift that. Yeah. Like he wrote wrote one, ⁓ I can't remember which one it was off the top of my head, but then he went on to write Running on E And then it kinda just snowboarded all from there and do you know what? Have you got have you got any faves on the album? Anything I do. I do definitely have some favourites. ⁓ one of my favourites off the album's ⁓ song called South Dakota. And the reason why I like South Dakota is the album itself is a bit of a it goes through all those feels. It's a bit of a heartbreak album, he's right at the time where he's going through a bit of heartbreak and you know, anxiety, mental health issues, that sort of thing. And what South Dakota really is about is when you go through all these breakups and and you're in those sort of dark times and you feel, you know, quite shitty, you've got a lot of anxiety and stuff around things. But then you kind of like meet somebody and there's almost that light at the end of the tunnel sort of vibe. Yeah. ⁓ so it's a really sort of like upbeat, positive song. I really like it. It's quite catchy as well. Yeah. ⁓ and it it it resonates with me a little bit. ⁓ I kind of went through a bit of a Crappy period of my life, bad relationships, breakups, what's whatnot. ⁓ I then found my light at the end of the tunnel with Ashley and you know celebrating three years this year and and that solid. You're trying to get me in trouble here. Yeah, she I did say to you when I moved that before we started recording, she's she's gonna see that I've moved this orchid from the centre, and I'll move it back. I will move it back. That's why I brought it up. But she will know that it's been moved before this pod goes out, I guarantee you. But ⁓ I suppose speaking of the mental health, 'cause I know Wyatt Flores cancelled C to C, was it the year before last? Yes. And then he we obviously saw him at Long Road. I think the other the I suppose the next topic to go onto with that is ⁓ Jelly Roll taking a break. From touring. I mean, I I suppose to take lead on this one, I He's been touring relentlessly. Like since he had all this big success in the crossover. ⁓ and I think taking this step back kind of shows that he's taking like physical mental health seriously. Yeah. I know he's had ⁓ is he s he's split from his partner as well, hasn't he? Yes. Yeah, so anyone who's has lived under a rock the past month or so. I think it's it might come out in June, to be honest. but Jelly and Bunny XO have so Jelly filed for divorce against Bunny XO. They had a big argument back here in May, I think. ⁓ and he he essentially walked out the next day, had divorce papers through so I'd I think I'd let the guy take a rest. Like he was I mean I saw him with Paul Smallone when he toured the UK and I mean he was great but yeah I think you you need to think about yourself a little bit and you know sometimes you've been through divorce, you've been touring relentlessly. Tech take some time off. Yeah. You know, rest, heal up a little bit, get your you know, probably write some new material, you know, heartbreak. I'm sure there's there's some some zingers in there for him to ⁓ to come out with some new stuff and then you know get back on the road after that if you want to still keep doing doing that. Yeah, so I think I think he said that he's gonna have maybe one or two years off just to heal ⁓ he needs it. It is as a musician, touring is so difficult. You're away from home a lot. You're out on the road, you're not kind of like living that proper lifestyle and you're not at home. You're on a bus, you know, or if you're sort of in your really early days you might not even have a bus, you might just be crashing in hotel rooms or in the back of a van. Hopefully, you know, he'll come out of this stronger. I know I know they're still quite you know, they're they're okay with each other. I don't think it's been a horrible yeah divorce. I think there is a lot of love between them still, but ⁓ well yeah, hopefully we'll hear hear from him soon and I suppose in the meantime he's he's put out some bangers over the past couple of years so yeah there's plenty to keep us keep us on the ⁓ the jelly roll front. ⁓ and I think the the final bit is ⁓ obviously we spoke about Luke Combs earlier on, ⁓ but there was one of his support acts, Thomas Rhett, who we spoke about on the pod last episode as that was my first ever gig in twenty sixteen going up to Manchester. ⁓ eleven years later he's back. He's coming back April twenty twenty seven. Yeah. doing Glasgow, London and Manchester, I think. Three shows this time. I mean that's I think that's a normal tour really for some of the bigger artists. Yeah. Now you know, they're not gonna do a lot of the a couple of dates in the UK. I think the only topic that I'm sorta like mm is the price now. Like I d I mean I I did you did you get tickets, you and Ash or No, no. I ⁓ I want to, but I think we're just gonna leave it to closeness of time. I mean I saw him last weekend, I'm content with that, I'm happy with that. You know, I don't but I mean the the price of pound is the cheapest tickets and I again, you know, it might be different now north to south, but I know up in Manchester. Yeah. I mean that is a lot. Yeah, fif fifty quid is I mean I know it's the norm nowadays, but When you think about it, it's it's a lot of money, you know. it's do do you reckon that the price of tickets are just gonna keep sort of like escalating or do you reckon they'll start coming down or the only thing that I I suppose to throw this in is I know there was a lot of debate with the owner of Live Nation not that long ago where he put a statement out that was a bit controversial where he said gigs should be like experiences like the Super Bowl, you pay a fortune to go to the Super Bowl in America. But it's an experience and he he reckon gigs should be in the same thing as that, so that prices going up was justified. I don't agree. No. I think there's a price, yes. If fifty two pounds is the going rate now, so be it. But I think if they continue going up, I think it prices real fans out of going. Yeah, I'm a massive F one fan, I'm a massive NFL fan. I can't afford to go to Wembley now for the NFL games because it's silly price. I can't afford to go to Silverstone, my home race, because I haven't won the lottery this last week. and it it's it's obscene like the price, if that is the direction that gigs are going, ⁓ I worry for the attendance and and what that looks like going forwards. I suppose only time will tell. We'll have to sort of probably revisit this as more ⁓ to us start getting announced for for next year and ⁓ and try and put up but I suppose moving on to our main segment ⁓ dirt road debate well I suppose this is an interesting one that you've sent me this week. Now you sent me this literally an hour and a half ago. I did. So I've had very little time to prepare for this. So you can introduce the segment and you can go first. So this this week's dirt row debate that I've got for you sorry. I've I've I've kind of purposefully done done this so You know, you didn't have much time to think about it. Not not just to catch up, but also to like 'cause I want your thoughts on it. Yeah. it came out, so I've got Taste the Country, Russell Dickerson. We love M.D. in Northern. I know you're a big fan, Ashley's a big fan. I'm getting there now. I think if if she had the opportunity, Ashley would leave me for for ID. I'm pretty sure she would, yeah. ⁓ but yeah, I I get that. Get it. But he named his most controversial Let's not call it controversial, let's say his his own. Because controversial makes it sound like it's it's it's an issue like everyone's entitled to an opinion and absolutely I for one will listen to R D's opinion all day long. 'Cause I think he's just he's a cracking guy. Yeah. So anyone who's not familiar with Mount Rushmore, it's a mountain somewhere in the States. I don't know where, I don't know much about it. But it's got the head of four presidents on it that they've had. Again, don't really know who's on it, you know. I I don't pay much attention to that. But it's quite an iconic thing anyway. People know what Matt Roshmore is. So this is what Russell Dixon came up with as his. Number one, Garth Brooks. Okay? I don't think anyone can argue with that as ⁓ as an inclusion. Number two, George Strait. Same again, king of country and for good reason. Yeah. then he said this next one's a little bit controversial. Shania Twain. I d I mean when you sent me this, I I I can see where he's coming from. ⁓ 'cause I think Shania Twain was big on like getting it into the mainstream. Yeah. Yeah. ⁓ the final one was the one where there had to have a bit of a brief moment of thought from RD because he was trying to juggle up between Tim McGraw and Keith Urban. I mean they're both both good choices. Both good choices. He did settle though on Tim McGraw, so that ended up being his Mount Rushmore of Garth Brooks, George Strait, Shania Twain and Tim McGraw. So What I would like to go in with this one then is we've obviously both now got our own. Shall we eliminate any that sit with R D? Is there any of his four that you agree with and also sit on yours? Do know what? There is. There is crazy. I would definitely say obviously George Strait has to be on there. Well, I I'm with you on that one, so we can just cross that out straight away. George Strait, and anything except for including George Strait is is blasphemy in my mind. I recognize. On ours, we cannot have the same as ⁓ I can tell you I haven't got the same as him. That's the only similarity I've got. Give give me your four. So mine Sits like George Stripp, you know, king of country for a reason. Most number one songs in the ⁓ charts of any artist within that genre. ⁓ like it's impossible to leave him off. Yeah. Number two for me. Now I've got seven. Alright, I'm gonna I'm gonna stick with four. So my second one, which I don't think ⁓ I this is where I'll maybe disagree with with RD on this. I'm putting Dolly on there. Right, okay, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. I think what she's done transcends country music a little bit. She's kind of a bit of a pop culture icon. I think she like heavily people will like country because of nine to five, because of Dolly Parton. Yeah. Yeah. What about your second one? So obviously we're gonna go with with George Strait. I we've kind of agreed. I know so we'll choose different ones, but y you can't over. I'm happy that we've agreed on that, otherwise we'd have been having a proper debate here if you'd not put straight on that. Well, my second one again is a little bit not as out there as modern, but ⁓ Mr. Johnny Cash, the man in black himself. and and the reason being I mean he's he's an icon. He's an icon. lot of sort of like you know, I've got a lot of time for his music. he was friends with believe it or not, with my granddad. because he was big into his country music, he used go touring round America with bands and everything and ⁓ he actually knew both Dolly and Johnny Cash and spent a lot of time with them and and was friends with him. So he's my second one is it's it's Johnny Cash. Unfortunately that's my third one. Right, okay. I'm a massive Johnny Cash fan. I've got on my tattoo here, I've got Johnny Cash lyrics on my my country tattoo. the guy's a legend. Like I I just I just think w again what he did for just music in general was just game changing. The background he sort of grew up in to even be able to get into music was was wild. And no, I d I this is again that's where I sort of was like with R D I don't think you can leave Leave the man in black off. Yeah. ⁓ I think he's give me your fourth as well. No, because that that means I I want your third now and I'm hoping it's not gonna be my fourth. Alan Jackson is my third. He was in my seven, but he's not my fourth. Fuck off. And when I say my fourth. When I say my fourth, you're gonna go, shit, yeah. I forgot about it. One of the most influential country artists. How have you How do you not even consider No, it was he was in my seven that I pulled out and to be honest this last one was between the guy I picked and Alan Jackson. So is he like fifth on the list then? I would ⁓ yeah, a hundred percent I would put him fifth. ⁓ I I agree with you because like you look at nineties sort of neo traditional, he was he was top tier. I just think for me, he didn't his f cultural footprint, as we'll call it, doesn't hit the same level as my four. Right, okay. He's he's big. And as I say he would be fifth. I think as a songwriter he's elite as well. ⁓ yeah. ⁓ you know I I but yeah, I I get that. I'll I'll give you the your your fourth. But for me, I think my fourth is one of the sort of undisputed pioneers, not specifically of country as an overall genre, but of more the outlaw country side of things. unfortunately I'm gutted I wasn't around to be when he was at his biggest. It's tough, but my fourth is Mr Willie Nelson. Brilliant. Love that choice. ⁓ and I mean the guy's a the guy's an icon. Like you can't go anywhere without h every country artist has got some influence of Willie in there. and I I mean I went to go and see ⁓ I went to Country by the Coast a couple of years ago and there was a couple of the American artists over there from Texas and one of them had his own merch and it had Having a Willy Good Time and it was like the Willie Nelson silhouette on it. And again, he's I just think the guy is ⁓ is is at the heart of what we call country music and particularly outlaw country, which was like a massive movement back in the sort of ⁓ you know, seventies or so. Absolutely, yeah. ⁓ I mean I guess that brings me to my fourth. I and you know, I do love the Willie Nelson choice. ⁓ I can't believe you've not chosen my fourth in your lineup. And if he's not even in your seven, I will kick off. It was a legend who unfortunately lost recent Toby Keith. How is Toby Keith not in your seven? Or in your four. Well, I didn't say he wasn't in my seven, but he isn't in my seven. I'll be honest, that one I overlooked. I'll give you that. That would have maybe made an eight. But I mean Toby Keith is is is top tier. I think I think the thing for me is I d ⁓ you know, I I I'm a big fan of Toby Keith, but I don't think for my personal love of country, I don't think he's had the same impact that my four have had there. ⁓ as far as like the stuff I've listened to. I mean you know, he he's top tier. But ⁓ for me personally I don't think maybe as as influential as others. Okay, that's interesting. Interesting. 'Cause my other ones of my seven, I had Garth Brooks on there. Right, yeah. Okay, yeah, yeah. So you you went quite old school with with yours. I I like I love my old school country. I I that's that's me. Yeah. I mean I I like it. I I I know Mine were a little bit better. I mean Toby Keith came round debut single should have been a cowboy was ninety three, I believe. Yeah. But the man had nineteen number one hits. Like Yeah. Incredible. I mean that's I mean I think ⁓ going back to R D's one, I think Shania's only had like seven or something. Yeah. I can see why he why he picked Shania though, 'cause I think commercially, I think what she's done for the industry. Yeah Yeah, I mean I think if you go in classic country but we don't know what what R D's early influences looked like. You know, he's yeah. He's very much a performer, isn't he? And you know, that's probably Shania as well. It it might have been where where he got some of his some of his moves from. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, fair, fair. Yeah. ⁓ but ⁓ that's good it's good debate and I suppose as this pod goes out, we'd love to hear in your comments who your Mount Rushmore would be. Absolutely. We'll please try and keep it down to four. ⁓ 'cause not seven. Not seven. If if anyone posts a seven in the comments, it will not be appreciated. Yeah. But yeah, yeah, we'll something we'll ⁓ we'll draft the piles properly and we'll we'll we'll ask your opinions. But ⁓ yeah, let us know. Fi follow us on Instagram, ⁓ OpenRoad Pod and TikTok, same. ⁓ or just drop it in the comments of ⁓ YouTube. Well social links would be in the bios anyway for the show notes. Yeah. Yeah. So well to close out today, then I had the the joys of giving my two for the road, because why fishing? However, I'm pretty sure you've got one for the road this week, have you done? I do. Yes. ⁓ so yeah, this out is the one for the road. ⁓ sticking with one moving forward, ⁓ 'cause I cannot count. ⁓ but anyway, we spoke a little bit earlier about ⁓ why Florence is a new album. And surprise, surprise, my one for the road is off of that album. ⁓ this was the second single ⁓ which came off that record. ⁓ it's called Drive All Night. It's a really, really great song. it came to Wyatt when he was at writing camp and he basically he said to to some at Campis, just like, look, is it alright if I leave early on our last day? Are we gonna be busy? 'Cause there's this girl that I really like, she's all the way in South Dakota, so basically I'm gonna guess like I'm gonna drive fourteen hours through the night ⁓ to go and see her. And they were like, You're doing what? No no, we have to write a song about that. Yeah. ⁓ and I think it's just mad. But it it kinda takes me back. I mean when me and Ash got together, she was living up in Manchester and I was down in Buckinghamshire just outside Milton Keynes and you know, it it wasn't quite fourteen hours. ⁓ but I was literally driving like home from hers at two, three o'clock in the morning to get back home and then to be on shift by like seven o'clock in the morning and you're like Yeah. Hey, I'd drive all night, you know. I suppose it resonates quite well with you then that that sort of song because you know you've been through it yourself. Well not to that level but the same idea. Yeah, so go and have a listen to Drive All Night, check out Wyatt's new album. ⁓ but yeah, if you're enjoying the pod You know, follow us on Instagram, TikTok, OpenRope Pod, ⁓ or just have a little look in the show notes. Got YouTube, so if you prefer to watch this rather than listen, go over to our YouTube channel again. You can just find us open road pod on there. It's ⁓ we're all on there. Yeah. ⁓ but yeah, like, subscribe, ⁓ leave comments, just engage with us and hopefully ⁓ you won't say but see people at ⁓ Country Call in next weekend. But no I will ⁓ well see you. Yeah, we'll I'm sure we'll have discussion. And ⁓ well, do you wanna close us out today then Joe seems eye opened. Yeah, so ⁓ yeah, we will be back in two weeks. I think we've decided each new episode will be two weeks time. And yeah, if you see us at Cunch Call in, you know, come say hello. We'll try and get your some opinions and your your thoughts about Cunch Calling, Long Road maybe as well. You know, but just come and say hi. We're friendly bunch and yeah, we will be back for a brand new episode just before Long Road I think. Yeah. Well we have been the open road podcast for Joy and Sai. ⁓ Mr Joy Reimer, thank you very much. Cheers Cy, thank you very much for ⁓ joining me today, Mr Sivens. ⁓ hopefully we'll see all your Everett content and Gary content come out very soon. Yeah. No sounds good. Right, thank you very much. Goodbye.