68. The Courage To Choose Joy with Garett Gunderson

SPEAKER_01 0:03

Hello, and welcome to the FM Podcast. I'm Jen Fritz and I run Fritz Media, a music publicity and digital marketing firm located in Vancouver, Canada. And this is episode number 68 of the podcast. So the topic of this week's show is the courage to choose joy. And joining me on the show is Edmonton singer, songwriter, and visual artist Garrett Gunderson. Now, Garrett and I had a great conversation about processing grief and about choosing joy, resilience, and connection in the face of adversity. And we also discuss his forthcoming album, Anywhere Anytime, which is coming out on August 21st. An album that began with grief when he lost a good friend of his to cancer, but somehow is still rooted in joy, gratitude, and love. This was a really great talk. In fact, uh, it marks a first on the FM podcast because I almost cried at one point. So I really hope you enjoy it. Here's my conversation with Garrett Gunderson. Well, hello, Garrett. How are you doing today? Hey, Jen Fritz, how are you? I'm doing great. I'm doing fabulous. Thanks for asking. We had a bit of some troubleshooting off the top here to uh some technical problems, but you know what? We're doing it now, and I feel I feel really good to finally see you. Yes. Thankfully.

SPEAKER_02 1:44

This is part of the theme of the show today, isn't it? Yes. When you have problems, but you work your way through them. And look, here we are together and we're we're laughing together.

SPEAKER_01 1:53

Incredible. Incredible segue. Oh my gosh. You should host the show. Garrett.

SPEAKER_02 2:00

Oh no, that's okay. You're doing great.

SPEAKER_01 2:02

The last time I saw you was on a Zoom call, I think, right? Because, you know, um, we do we're working on a project together right now. So just full disclosure, that's just uh the opportunity for me to tell everybody that you're a Fritz Media client. We are working on your album release together. Not that I don't even like I say it all the time, but it I don't know why. It doesn't really matter, but I think I just like to let people know who's a client and who isn't. Or or maybe I'm just so proud of my clients, I like to let them know like, by the way, this cool artist is also a client FYI.

SPEAKER_02 2:35

That makes sense. And you're doing a great job too.

SPEAKER_01 2:38

Yes. Well, thanks. You know what? I love the positivity we're starting off with.

SPEAKER_02 2:42

Yes, of course. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:44

So to get things started here, I'm gonna begin with a question that I like to ask all of my guests. And that is how did you get your start in music?

SPEAKER_02 2:54

Wow. I mean, how far back do you want to go? Is this like a little bit? Yeah, I mean, that's it.

SPEAKER_01 2:58

That's up to you, but don't make it a long, long answer.

SPEAKER_02 3:02

Settle in. Uh no. Um, you know, my family, both my I have two older sisters, yeah, and they both took piano lessons when I was a kid. And going back even further, my mamer, she played the piano and she played in a band way back when. And so she would play piano when there were parties at my grandparents' house. People would be smoking and drinking and dancing, and right in the center of it was my mamer playing the piano. And so piano is really big in my family history. So my my sisters both took piano. They went really high, much higher than me in piano, but that's how I started too. I took a couple years of piano when I was a little kid. And that kind of gave me my basis for learning scales, learning chords, learning about music. Yeah. And uh from there, I actually in high school, I played trombone in the high school band.

SPEAKER_05 3:52

Oh, wow.

SPEAKER_02 3:53

So yeah, yeah, we had uh we had a swing band. We used to go out and play weddings and that kind of thing when I was in high school. It was a lot of fun, like old music, like 1940s music. And then after that, after high school, all of us just I dropped my trombone and picked up guitar. And another guy in the band picked up sack uh picked up bass guitar, and we just turned into a rock band overnight. So that's how I got into more pop and rock music.

SPEAKER_01 4:18

That's amazing. I love that. All right, so the title of this week's show is The Courage to Choose Joy, which you kind of alluded to off the top there. And uh I wanted to talk with you because it seems like that's the approach you've taken with creating your music, especially with your new album, Anywhere Anytime, which is coming out at the end of the month, which you know seems rooted in gratitude, love, and resilience, all of those things. Did you set out to write an optimistic record or did those themes kind of just come naturally to you?

SPEAKER_02 4:53

I think I've always been a fairly optimistic person. I tend to look on the positive side with things. And with this album, though, it was almost a necessity in my life. It was bigger than just an album. I had some difficulties in my life in the last few years that I really had to struggle with, and I had to work through them and find my way back to a positive state of mind again. So it was more than just making an album. It was my whole mindset about life. And uh and the album was a byproduct of that. And once I found my way back to a positive state, the the songs, the songwriting just came flowing out of me. And I was it's such a good feeling. But it was tough. It was tough to get into that state.

SPEAKER_05 5:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 5:40

I had some difficulties before that. A friend of mine, a good friend of mine who was uh a drummer in my band, yeah, he passed away. And uh it was very difficult um going through that because he was such a good friend, such a good bandmate, and I just I loved playing with him. Yeah, such good chemistry, you know?

SPEAKER_04 5:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 5:59

And you know, in terms of our friendship and in terms of music, we just instantly had a chemistry. And uh it didn't matter if we were playing a gig for thousands of people or if we were playing down in a basement and practicing, he always he always brought passion to what he was doing and an integrity. And he loved playing music. He played guitar, he played piano, he played drums, but in the band he played drums. But unfortunately, he got cancer and it was a difficult time. It was so hard to to see him. But, you know, I visited him all the time. My wife and I, uh Ashley, we visited him uh in the hospital and we would go for walks with him and try to cheer him up. And uh, you know, I'd bring music for him, I'd bring magazines for him about music. He just loved music, he thrived on music. And even when he was sick, he loved hearing about music and talking about music.

SPEAKER_01 6:50

And that's what was your friend's name? Aaron.

unknown 6:53

Aaron.

SPEAKER_02 6:54

Aaron Flays, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 6:55

And great musician, you've mentioned this before, but um, the first single that came out from your new album is the title track Anywhere Anytime. And you wrote that song just, you know, as a result of of what happened to to Aaron.

SPEAKER_02 7:11

Yeah. Well, I I actually started writing it when he was in the hospital. It was about, you know, I I tend to write happy songs, you know. That's just how I am. Songs about joy. But it's hard to write a completely happy song when when somebody is in that state, you know, somebody you love. And so this song is about acknowledging the hard feelings, you know?

SPEAKER_05 7:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 7:33

The sadness, the grief, but then trying to find happiness and joy, even in the middle of that grief.

SPEAKER_05 7:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 7:43

You know, like when I visited him, I wanted to, I didn't want to be, you know, making him feel worse. Yeah. So talk about music and we would we would always debate, you know, who's a better songwriter. We would talk about songwriting all the time. He was a great songwriter. And so we would debate, you know, is Taylor Swift or Beck a better songwriter? You know?

SPEAKER_01 8:02

I love I love debates like that.

SPEAKER_02 8:04

Yeah, you know. So that's how it was. So then I I ended up starting the song at that time. And then it took me a long time to finish the song, though. I I got it partly finished, and I couldn't come up with a second verse. I didn't know where to go with it. You know, the first verse is a bit about acknowledging the difficulty and the sadness and the grief. But then the second verse, I didn't know where to go. And it took me a long time, and it was actually my wife that I wrote the second verse about her, and it's about her sewing of all things. Yeah. Like how many, how many rock songs do you hear about sewing?

SPEAKER_01 8:35

Nothing.

SPEAKER_02 8:36

Not too many. I don't know. Maybe you've heard one. I don't know. Have you?

SPEAKER_01 8:39

You know, none not off the top of my head, Garrett. No.

SPEAKER_02 8:42

No. So this is a a lesson for me in songwriting because my wife started picked up sewing. She sews clothes and she clothes sews clothes for herself, she sews clothes for other people, dresses. She sewed this t-shirt I'm wearing right now. She made this t-shirt for me. And she just loves doing it, and she picked it up. And I I just thought, you know, this is wonderful. And I I just put that into the lyric because I just thought this is something what what the song needs is the positive side. And she was good friends with Aaron too. We actually met each other through Aaron. She was friends with him before, and and she came to see him play in the band. And that's how we met. So we we owe our whole relationship to to Aaron, my friend.

SPEAKER_01 9:20

Well, I think that adding that part to it is um the song, even though it's about a sad subject, it isn't weighed down by sadness. Do you know what I mean? Like it actually feels incredibly hopeful.

SPEAKER_02 9:33

Good. Good. That's exactly. That's what I wanted. I think Aaron would have uh enjoyed playing that type of song too, you know. He had he had such a positive energy when he was playing. And I think this is a song he would have enjoyed playing. So I I wanted to I wanted to make it something he would uh he would approve of, you know, and uh that he would he would rock out to.

SPEAKER_01 9:51

And it's kind of like just looking towards the light instead of the darkness, too, right?

SPEAKER_02 9:57

Yes, for sure. I think you have to, don't you?

SPEAKER_01 10:00

Well, that's that's the whole thing. This is the courage to choose joy, Gary Nicolas. You tell me, man.

SPEAKER_02 10:08

I mean, what's what's the alternative? I mean, you can become cynical about life, but I don't think that's any solution. I think you always have to try towards the light. And and hopefully I've I've heard so many people talk when they when they've heard this song that they feel just the positive vibes from it. It's not a sad song at all. It references a sad thing, but it I think, you know, I'm happy to hear that it makes people feel good when they listen to it. It's it rocks and it's it's also it's got a lot of positivity to it.

SPEAKER_01 10:34

It does, yeah. And it's like I was gonna save this big question for the end, but I'm just gonna ask it now because I think it because I think it just com it works better here. But um, you know, people often think of joy as something that happens to you, but your music I think suggests that it's something we can actively choose. Would you agree with that?

SPEAKER_02 10:55

Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. I think you choose it every day.

SPEAKER_01 10:58

Yeah. You know? I agree with that too. I totally do.

SPEAKER_02 11:02

I'm just gonna go to a I I just ran into a friend, an old friend of mine, just yesterday. I hadn't seen him for years. And this is kind of a side note. That's all right.

SPEAKER_01 11:12

We love we love no no, we love side stories here. Let's go.

SPEAKER_02 11:15

And he told me that he has epilepsy. And I he didn't have that when I met him when I knew him before. And so it's affected his life a lot since I saw him. But we talked and he's very intelligent, very, very exciting guy to talk to. And at the end he said, you know what, uh, Garrett, I'm I'm the luckiest man alive. And he said and he said, and you're the second luckiest man. And I was like, okay. But you know, I he just he had such a positive attitude, even though he had this this thing happen to him in his life. And stuff like that inspires me. You know, he's chosen to be positive, despite this, this thing that's happened to him.

SPEAKER_05 11:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 11:53

And somebody else wouldn't choose that. They would become cynical, negative. But that's that's everybody's choice.

SPEAKER_01 11:59

I I a hundred percent agree with that. And I mean, I do try to live my life in that way. And I mean, it's taken me many years to to learn that. You know, when you're younger, you kind of don't know that and you can wallow in things a little bit longer and until you just are like, okay, we gotta really gotta pull ourselves up by the bootstraps here. And, you know, you know, there is a positive side to everything. Um, and if you look at things, you know, if you if you are cynical, it's just it's not a great way to go through life. It doesn't, I mean, you can be cynical about some things, but it's better to just try to try to be positive.

SPEAKER_02 12:36

I think so. You know, and in the music industry, being cynical is kind of cool, isn't it? Totally, it's it's sort of more cool to be it's that aura of, hey, you know, I nothing affects me. I don't even care. Yeah. But you know, so I've I've actually had some criticism from me as a musician because I'm I'm I'm positive. People think it's too nicey nice, but I don't I don't think I'm nice. I I think you know what inspires me? Two things kindness and passion. I think that's that's the way I like to live my life. So kindness is it's like being nice, but it's more true. It's it has grounding to it. If you can be kind to people, that's that me that's meaningful. Yeah. And then if you have passion, that rises above just the nice factor. It's it's having real passion in your life. And I I try to put both those things in my songs too. Yeah. And in my art, you know, kindness and passion.

SPEAKER_01 13:24

I think that's how those are two great things. I would add, like for me, the the thing I mine is um kindness and curiosity, which are yeah, which is kind of similar. I I think you need both of those things to really truly know somebody and you know, to to just to like interact with humans in general, I think.

SPEAKER_02 13:44

Um Yes. That's I like that curiosity.

unknown 13:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 13:47

You always want to be learning new things, right?

SPEAKER_01 13:49

So I've I mean, I live my whole life that way. And I don't think you can have a real authentic um relationship with another human being without that curiosity. You know, if you're not interested in the other person, then you know, what's the what's the point?

SPEAKER_02 14:07

Well, let me ask you this. You you said I at the top I should be the interviewer, so maybe I'll interview you a little bit.

SPEAKER_04 14:13

All right. What do we got?

SPEAKER_02 14:15

What have you had to? I was talking about my friend Aaron.

SPEAKER_04 14:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 14:19

Have you had, you know, dark times in your life or you know, negativity that you've had to overcome to to be out because you seem like a very positive person. You've got I love your voice. You've got this great bubbly voice.

SPEAKER_01 14:31

And you I used to I used to work in Radio Garrett, so it's a very practiced radio voice. Um but I can hear it though. Yeah. Well, I mean, I can give you a very recent example. Um, I, as you know, I was just um in the UK. I went, I was in London for like three weeks, and while I was there, I got my heart broken really, really hard. Um and lost also a good friend of mine at the same time because it was one of those, like we were one of my best friends, fell in love, didn't work out. You know what I mean? So so but at the same time, you know, anyone else, or you know, even me, I could have been like, oh fuck this. This sucks. I'm not gonna enjoy the rest of my holiday. But I decided, you know what, I'm in London, one of my favorite cities in the world, and I'm gonna have the best time, uh, regardless of this. And I did. And it was a really good lesson for me. Just, you know, again, it's what you're saying. What is I am lucky? I am in a city I love right now. I enjoy this city so much. Um, I'm somebody that enjoys my own company, so fuck it. I have to do these things by myself. Who cares? There's a lot of things you can do by yourself, it's okay. You know?

SPEAKER_05 15:53

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 15:54

Maybe you're not doing them with the person you wanted, but you know, still good. You're gonna make me scared.

SPEAKER_02 16:04

Oh, I'm sorry. Yeah, sorry.

SPEAKER_01 16:06

Okay, but but that is like that is an act of like time. I did choose it.

SPEAKER_02 16:11

You you chose it, yeah. That's excellent because that you got to at least you got to enjoy your trip, right?

SPEAKER_01 16:17

I did. And I I still like a bad thing happened, but it was I will always remember that trip as an an incredible trip. And it won't stop me from going to London again, a a city that I very much enjoy.

SPEAKER_02 16:30

So that's good. Well, I'm sorry to hear of what what happened, but um, that's that's that's life.

SPEAKER_01 16:35

You know what? It doesn't always work out the way you want.

SPEAKER_02 16:37

That's right. And it, you know, it's yeah, I think it's really true too that things can hurt in the moment, but then when you look back at it so many times, it turns out to be a good thing in your life. Yeah, that's true. Something bad happens and then something good happens that you go, oh wow, this second thing was so much better than what the first thing that I thought was.

SPEAKER_01 16:56

No, that's that's true. And like the other thing I think of too is like I've gone through so many breakups in my life that I know I'll be fine. D do you know what I mean? Like I I've been through this before. Like, heartbreak is the absolute worst, but I know that you get through it. Like because I have before. So I think that that helps too. That's like something that being older really helps with.

unknown 17:24

I think.

SPEAKER_02 17:24

It it does. Yeah. I mean, I'm I went through I I I went through a number of relationships before I found Ashley, my wife. And by the time I was just before meeting her, I think I I was at the state where I was like, okay, I don't think I need anybody in my life. You know, I'm I'm happy just living by myself because I'd been through so many breakups like you. And, you know, good and bad. Like there were a lot of good relationships, but they just didn't work out in the end. You know, we weren't quite right for each other. And so by the time I thought by that time I was like, okay, I think I think I'm good. I'm just I'm good to just live my life, be h, you know, I'll just do my thing, have friends, and I'll do my music. And then boom, Ashley came along. And sometimes life sends you what you need when you need it.

SPEAKER_01 18:07

That's true. That is very true. I mean, I do believe in that. I uh I 100% do. So I mean, I am trying to be positive about it. I'm just still a little sad.

SPEAKER_02 18:16

Oh, you know, you know, I don't, I don't, you don't want to deny the sad, right?

SPEAKER_01 18:21

No, and I I don't like if I want to cry, I'll cry. You know what I mean? Like sometimes you're gonna cry. That's what happens.

SPEAKER_02 18:28

So you know, you have to go through uh sadness and in the case of my friend Aaron, grief. You know, uh I've had people die in my life. Uh when I was 19, my best friend died too. And it was you have to go through that grief, but then there's an end to it too. You it there it does come to an end and positivity comes back again. But you don't want to deny those feelings because that'll just make things worse, right?

SPEAKER_01 18:52

No, it's true. You have to feel them when they're happening. Like I I truly believe that, especially with grief. And you don't know when it's gonna happen. Like you could be in the middle of a grocery store and you hear a song and it'll happen. And you kind of just have to let it happen at that time, you know.

SPEAKER_02 19:08

For sure. Yeah. So many times exactly like that. I I hear songs that Aaron used to sing in the band in the grocery store, uh on the radio, in the car. And I but at this point, there's enough time has passed that I just I have a good feeling about it. It's like it's happy.

SPEAKER_01 19:23

It's happy then. Like it's like happy tears a little bit, kind of. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 19:27

He's it's him saying hi.

SPEAKER_01 19:28

Yes, you know? And that's the best way to look at it, I think. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 19:32

It is, yeah. Oh, that's that's it.

SPEAKER_01 19:35

Well, you know, we're talking about um my heartbreak. So let's talk about love. Let's let's talk about your love story and and your wife. I I really love the story that um you said that every song you write has to pass the pass the Ashley test before it made it to the album. Can you tell me a little bit about that?

SPEAKER_02 19:58

Uh yeah, this this album, because I wanted to make it not just positive, but about love. And I feel so much love for my wife. And we we hit it off so well right off the bat. But, you know, we also had a little bit of uh up and down too, but we worked our way through it and we came out stronger. And at that point, that's when I started writing or finishing off all these songs. And so what I would do is I would go down into the basement where I am now, grab my guitar and start strumming, and I would write a song. And when I thought it was ready, I'd bring my guitar upstairs and I'd say, Hey, Ash, you want to listen to something? And she'd sit down and I'd play a song for her. And if she liked it, if it made her smile, if it made her tap her toes, and if she said yes, then she'd give me a kiss. And that made it onto the album.

SPEAKER_05 20:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 20:46

And that was the poll procedure for the whole album. So every song, all the nine songs on this album are Ashley approved. I got nine kisses for nine songs.

SPEAKER_01 20:56

So I love that. I think it's so good to have someone that you trust as your first audience. That can be incredibly valuable, you know, to have that.

SPEAKER_02 21:08

Oh, for sure. I think you always need some kind of response from an audience, you know? Yeah. Like I'm not so arrogant to think that everything I write is a masterpiece. It's you know this is not everyone, you know. So she didn't say she I didn't get a kiss for every single song. So some of the songs got left off. Sometimes because they weren't that great, but also because sometimes they were on the negative side. There were a couple songs like that, but overall, you know, very positive, very much about love. And I'm really proud of this album. And I'm so happy that Ashley is in every song, you know, when one way or another, she's in there. And I guess I want to share that with people. And people who who don't have somebody in their life, like I like I feel so lucky because I I went through so many years where I didn't have somebody like this, and I do now. And I want to share that with people so they can feel that love too.

SPEAKER_01 21:57

Well, that's like I think gratitude is a really A recurring theme throughout the new album. Would would you say like being grateful has changed how you create art in general?

SPEAKER_02 22:09

Yes. And I think that you know I think maybe you were talking about relationships and how as you have more experience and age you get more wisdom. You know you're gonna get through things. And I think gratitude comes maybe from experience and age too. You know, when you're younger you're kind of a hot shot and you think you're the you know Invincible.

SPEAKER_05 22:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 22:32

Yeah. And it's I mean, you that's not to put down a young person. I'm just saying for myself, you know, you have a bit more attitude when you're young, and that's good. Young people should.

SPEAKER_01 22:41

They should get out there and just Oh, geez, I I acted like I knew everything when I was young. And you know, so I always when I meet somebody like a young person who's like that, I just I I love it because I'm like, oh, I remember when I was like Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 22:55

And I mean, what that's what you do, that's what you should do when you're young, you know? Just take on the world, you know. That's that's your that's your time. But all of your ambitions and your ideas don't always work out, right? As you get as you get through life, there's ups and downs, and all of the things you thought you knew, maybe half of them you did know right, and half of them you had to learn learn about, learn some wisdom through life, you know. Yeah, so I think uh gratitude comes from that. And you know, what is the saying um about gratitude? Uh count your blessings, you know. That's an old time saying. That's I think that's a good saying, count your blessings, you know. Like there's so much to feel grateful for, just every day, your health. If you have your wake up in the morning, you have your health, you should be grateful for that. Grateful for that, yeah. And so much of our society, especially today, I think, is negative. It's it's a lot of people throwing negativity back and forth in our politics and and just all over the place on social media. When you scroll all the time through social media, there's so much negativity you pick up. I think we need more positivity to balance all that out. Yeah. And part of it, the start of it is gratitude. You know, I'm grateful for my wife, I'm grateful for my health, I'm grateful for music, for art. I do art as well. I'm grateful to be here talking to you right now. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I love no, and I mean that really, like I not just because you're interviewing me and that I'm hot stuff or whatever. That's not it. I enjoy just talking to people. And if even if nobody out there was listening to us, I enjoy just talking to you.

SPEAKER_01 24:23

That's I'm I mean, I'm the same way. That's why I have a podcast, Garrett. So I just loved I do I love talking to people. I chat people up wherever I go. That's just the way I am. Uh, I like to just see what's going on. Everybody's got a story, you know. So I just like to know what's happening.

SPEAKER_02 24:41

Yes, I love to hear what makes people tick, what what they're really passionate about. And everybody has some kind of passion. And usually they're you just have to dig a little bit and then boom, they're they want to talk about their passion, whatever it is. If they do art, if they do music, if they have a a garden, if they love cooking or whatever it is. And I love to hear people talking about their passions.

SPEAKER_01 25:02

Absolutely. Um, so we talked a little bit about you how you your new album is coming out. It's called Anywhere, Anytime. What remind us again what the release date on that album is?

SPEAKER_02 25:13

It's coming up in uh August 21st. That is that'll be the release. I was like, you better get it right. I have a a show coming up, the release show, and it's the next day, so I have to make sure I get my dates right. But uh yeah.

SPEAKER_01 25:29

The release show is in Edmonton, is that right?

SPEAKER_02 25:31

It's in Edmonton, yeah. And we have a uh incredible group of musicians that are gonna be playing with me. Uh Stu Kirkwood, who was my producer, he's it he's kind of a a gem in Edmonton that I'm I'm not sure in Vancouver, you're in Vancouver, and people outside, I don't know if you even want to tell you about him because I don't want to I don't want to share him because he's like he's mine. You know, I don't want to he's so talented, such a great producer, such a great musician, and he's just he's amazing.

SPEAKER_01 25:58

And where where is your release show at in Edmonton?

SPEAKER_02 26:01

It's at a place called the Rooster. Um it it's on our White Ave, which is kind of the place. Yep. And but you know, it's I decided to do an afternoon show instead of a nighttime show.

SPEAKER_01 26:12

Oh my god, you're speaking to the middle-aged lady right now. Tell tell me more.

SPEAKER_02 26:20

Well, you know, I wanted people who are who don't want to go out late at night, like the older folks to be well, whatever, you know, but I wanted them to be able to come out to a show. And also, it's it's called the Rooster Kitchen and Bar. So, but at this time, kids can come too. Oh nice. People can bring their families along, the sun's gonna be shining, and people are gonna be singing along, and uh that's that's the vibe I want.

SPEAKER_01 26:45

I like that. If you were describing your new album to somebody who hasn't heard your music before, and you're how would you sell it to them?

SPEAKER_02 26:56

Well, I would say talk to my promotion person, Jen Fritz, and she'll check it out.

SPEAKER_01 27:00

No, that's not what I asked you, though. Did I? How would you be the artist? How would you like if someone was like someone met you on the street and they're they're like, oh, I heard you got a new album out. What's it sound like?

SPEAKER_02 27:11

What like I would say, first of all, it's it's pop rock and uh I would say it's uh upbeat.

SPEAKER_01 27:17

It's I feel like it's very nostalgic. It has a very like almost 90s feel to it too. I don't like I mean it it just does. It f it feels very throwbacky in that way, like very like gin blossoms-y and and that sort of thing.

unknown 27:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 27:33

Yeah, people have said that it's like gin blossoms, the 90s kind of sound. And I like that. You know, I and it's not a it's I wouldn't really call it nostalgic, but it's it has a bit of that sound, but I I try to make it something that is alive today, too.

SPEAKER_01 27:47

Yeah, I mean that's it's not a dig that it's nostalgic. I just feel that way because it makes me feel a certain 90s way, probably, but it does still feel current. So I don't, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 27:58

That's that's what I'm trying. Yeah, it's not a sort of yeah, that kind of, you know, looking. I I think it's it's it draws from that era, you know. My song Anywhere Anytime, I think it draws a bit on the 1980s, like the big rock songs.

SPEAKER_01 28:13

Yeah, that one feels very yeah, 80s, definitely. That type of thing.

SPEAKER_02 28:17

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 28:18

And then other songs, uh Gravity's a little nineties, I think.

SPEAKER_02 28:22

Gravity, yep, and in the sunlight is a song that it's got a well, maybe a bit of a wheezer sound to the guitar, you know, so that's this type of sound.

SPEAKER_01 28:30

Yeah, definitely. Yeah. All right, so wrapping things up here, um, just a little bit. Looking back on everything that inspired the album, you know, the loss of your friend, your your family, this whole new chapter, what would you say choosing joy has has taught you overall? What has it taught me overall? Just how to be happy, I guess. It's kind of a dumb question, but I was like, what do you mean by that?

SPEAKER_02 28:57

What has it taught me? I mean, it's just its own reward, you know? We didn't even actually talk about I was in a car accident too. I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 29:04

No, it's funny. I when I was I I just realized that because uh I I had part of that in this question. I was like, it's like the loss of your friend, your recovery. I was like, you didn't talk about the recovery, so just let's just skip over the skip that part, yeah. Yes, but yes, you were in an accident and you have had to conquer a lot of things in your life, basically.

SPEAKER_02 29:28

Yeah, a number of things, yeah. So and actually that, you know, that was difficult because I had to physically recover, physiotherapy, that type of thing. It totally derailed all the momentum I had in my music career, that car accident, because I couldn't even hold a guitar. And this is just a couple of years ago. So um, but I got a lot of help getting back, a lot of therapy getting back. And um, you know, one other thing I'll mention too, this is kind of going off track again because I'm I'm not quite sure how to answer your question. But it's all right. Another thing that helped me that might uh is meditation. Have you ever tried meditating?

SPEAKER_01 30:00

I yeah, I I do, I'm not like hardcore, I don't do transcendental or anything like that, but I do every morning I do like it's more breathing exercises, but it is a form of meditation. But I do them because I have a lot of anxiety, and so that it really helps to just ground me. Yes to to start my day.

SPEAKER_02 30:20

So I me too. Yeah. Yeah. I just started doing it really, and um it's it's really helpful, I find. Yeah, breathing exercises when your mind is running wild.

SPEAKER_01 30:30

Which mine often is because I have anxiety, so I can get stuck in my head a lot of the time. And yeah, I've done I mean I've had a lot of of therapy and done a lot of work to to you know pull myself out of it. But you know, it is constant work to do that.

SPEAKER_02 30:46

So Yes, yes. But uh it's it's worth it.

SPEAKER_01 30:50

It is. I agree. I agree.

SPEAKER_02 30:52

And I think if you can meditation helps you to calm your body, and if your body becomes calm, I think it helps it goes over into your mind. Your mind can calm down.

SPEAKER_01 31:01

No, it's true, but that's that's why I do it. Because I just I do it like in the morning just to like start my day out. Like that's a good way to start you. I have to start it grounded. How regardless of how it's gonna go, we have to like start that way.

SPEAKER_02 31:16

It's I I do the exact same thing. It each morning now, I or every morning or every couple mornings, I'll do it. And it's it's really short. It's like 15 minutes, 10 minutes.

SPEAKER_01 31:25

Uh yeah, mine is mine's like uh 10 minutes, basically. And it's all you need. It's just like that's all you're doing for 10 minutes. And it's just uh another thing that I find really helpful too, just on that note, is um just being in nature as well.

SPEAKER_02 31:41

Yes. Yep, going for walks, um yeah, breathing in being outside. The trees and yes, for sure. Where my wife and I are at right now, we're right by a ravine. So our backyard looks onto a ravine. Oh we get animals coming up, like rabbits and uh coyotes sometimes, owls, even a deer came out of there one time. So we're in the city, but we're in c in the nature too. So it's it's so good. Yeah, gotta get in nature, definitely.

SPEAKER_01 32:13

Yeah, definitely. All right. So now is time to head on over to our fresh content segment. Every week on the show, we discuss our favorite piece of music content for the week. And we always like to start with the guest. So, Garrett, what have you got for us?

SPEAKER_00 32:32

You never told me about this. I don't. Yeah, I know you, I know you know. Oh, okay. Oh, yeah. I'll I'll just come up with something I'll show you.

SPEAKER_02 32:41

I try. Well, okay. Well, uh, I was thinking the latest thing I saw with music that inspired me was uh have you seen the um there's a documentary that just came out about Carol Pope.

SPEAKER_01 32:52

Oh, I've heard about it, but I haven't seen it.

SPEAKER_02 32:55

Yeah, it's excellent. You should watch it. It's called Carol Pope. Sorry, it's called Anti Diva, the Carol Pope Confessions. And it's about Carol Pope. If people don't know, she was in a band called Rough Trade back in the 1980s or 70s even, I think.

SPEAKER_01 33:09

Yeah, 70s, 80s for sure.

SPEAKER_02 33:11

And she's still around and she's still writing music. And um, it's it's a great interview with her, and they s show her old performances and uh just a really powerful singer and um great songs. And you know, to be honest, I wasn't a huge fan of their music or anything like that, but it this was a wonderful documentary, and it made me made me into a fan. So I would totally it's on uh CBC Gem.

SPEAKER_01 33:35

Yeah, I I uh have seen some clips on on social about it, and I definitely have it on my list. I'll watch a music documentary about absolutely anybody. I I love a music documentary.

SPEAKER_02 33:45

So yes, for sure. Yeah. I was surprised how funky her stuff was was in the 70s. Like in the 80s, she was more new wave, that type of thing. Yeah. But the 70s stuff had a lot of funky.

SPEAKER_01 33:59

There was a lot of funk going on in the 70s, I think. Yeah, you know. Everybody had a little funk. That disco brought the funk too, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_02 34:06

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 34:07

Yeah. Um, okay, so my choice. Yeah, see your hosting again. Tell me about your choice, Jen. So, Jen, what would you what do you have? So, my first content for the week um is uh the new do you know the band Houndmouth? Do you know them at all? I don't think I don't think so. Yeah, it's their new album. Um, it's called Lordy, and the lead singer whose name I can't remember uh right now, but uh it's basically a breakup album, so it's perfect for me right now. Um and it's incredible, he's an incredible songwriter, incredible musician, incredible singer. Um, and there's one song in particular, which is called Tiger's Blood, which is like a very sad song for somebody going through like if you've had your heart broken, it's a really good song for that. But musically, I just find it hopeful it in a w in in all of the ways that we've kind of discussed. Like there is something about the way it's delivered and the way the mu like the music in general, I'm all like I'm a lyrics person, but for some reason it's the music really speaks to me in it, and it and it it's in a very hopeful way. It's hopeful in the way that, you know, you know, it's better to have loved and lost than ever to have loved, like just in that, you know, like heartbreak, something that happens in life. And isn't it great that you know you experienced it like the love in the first place? Like kind of deal. That's what I take from the song, and I think that's kind of a better way, obviously, when you're going through a breakup, to look at things, even though it's hard to sometimes, but yes, for sure.

SPEAKER_02 35:37

Do you know was was the song written from a real experience? Do you know?

SPEAKER_01 35:42

Yeah, I mean the whole album's a breakup album, so I am uh I have to uh it it it is about a breakup. Um the lyrics are kind of it's hard to put piece it to do you know what I mean? You're like, I'm guessing this is about a breakup, it sounds very sad. But but it's also sounds hopeful at the same time. Um and just about like how that's just life, my friend. Like so that's just it's it's just what happens, it's what we do as humans. So yeah, anyway, so uh I'll link to the album and to that that song in the show notes as well as to um Garrett's fresh content I picked as well.

SPEAKER_02 36:20

And so wait a minute, tell me the band's name again. Hound's mouth, was it?

SPEAKER_01 36:24

It's Hound Mouth. No.

SPEAKER_02 36:26

Hound Mouth.

SPEAKER_01 36:26

Hound Mouth. Okay, yeah. And the album's Lordy. Like Lord Lordy!

SPEAKER_02 36:32

Lordy, Lordy. Yeah. Okay. I want to check that out. I like the sound.

SPEAKER_01 36:36

You'll really like, yeah, you'll love the album. It's really good. Um, probably my favorite album of the year so far. So it's not good. Okay, so thank you so much for for joining me. Uh yes, thank you, Jen. Where can people find you if they want to find out more about you?

SPEAKER_02 36:50

Uh, they can first stop would be my website. It's Garrett Gunderson.com. Now, that might be a little difficult to spell. So it's G-A-R, one R One R E T T. Because there's actually another Garrett Gunderson with two R's. Don't go to his site, go to my site.

SPEAKER_00 37:07

One R.

SPEAKER_02 37:08

Yeah, one R. One R Garrett Gunderson. Yeah. And you can find me on other streaming services and all that too.

SPEAKER_01 37:14

He's on all the streaming services. He's on the socials, he's everywhere. But yeah, the the website is the place to find all of us. So, okay. Have a good rest of your day. Thanks again for joining me. Bye.

SPEAKER_02 37:25

Yes, you too, Jen. Great talking to you.

SPEAKER_01 37:31

That was such a great talk. I really hope you liked it. And uh want to say thanks again to Garrett for coming on the show. Thanks so much for listening to the FM Podcast. If you like the show, please tell your friends and give us a five-star rating and review in Apple Podcasts. And you can also help us out by telling a friend about the podcast or just posting about how you liked it on your social media. You know, whatever you can do. We'd really appreciate it. The FM Podcast is produced by me, Jen Fritz for Fritz Media. If you want to learn more about Fritz Media, check out our website at Fritzmedia.ca. And if you want to learn more about the podcast, go to the fmpodcast.com. A big thank you to said the whale for providing the theme music for the show. Okay, so we're gonna go over their song of the week this week, which is of course gonna be from Garrett Gunderson. This is a song that we were talking about that he wrote for his friend Aaron. This is anywhere, anytime.

SPEAKER_03 38:29

When you're all used up, and down in your mind. When you're feeling done, nothing ain't right. You can see what baby things don't, you can drop for it. When baby for you, that's the same.