Joe Rogan Experience #2123 — Gary Clark Jr. Transcript

Transcript

0:00 So how much of a relief is it to have the album done? It's it's a relief. It's finally done, but it just it's kind of kept going Oh really? Questlove looking at me. I get comfortable just being comfortable. from the creative process of making it, right? You can tell. and seeing what's happening. Yeah, yeah, sure. Make noise organize noise you know but the end is beautiful

4:08 There's a lot of smoke in the air. Yeah. I don't know strings on the album stay away from singing falsetto stuff because your core fans don't like it this confused kid who plays power chords But it's a weird time, you know? You know what I mean? It's um, but I you know Let's see what other people they'd see how it comes to life, but you can create all

6:48 Woo! Yeah, it's awesome. I go attack it from the outside. in the hills with coyotes and mountain lions and shit. I've been sitting outside and like walking around my house. I've gone to the camera store I'm that guy. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. flopping their wings and running around Yeah, but I was like, I didn't even think about That's nature. That's nature.

10:24 It's not that safe. take off with it, you're like, okay. You know, okay. They had no idea. It's like Elsa or one of those little princess poses. Attacked bait. I didn't know that either and got excited myself, shake it up a little bit Yeah. We're gonna teach you how to play an e-cord before I get out of here. Okay, I'll try yeah, I'll try it I could run I ran three racks the other day three racks in a row. That's big

14:07 on the way I think I've watched it get you though that's what's interesting At it you just fucking love it and then everybody becomes an addict. I know very few people who dabble in golf When I hear people telling you what to do and giving how to make music, they're gonna give it a shot. You know, you'll lose 5% of the audience when you do this in the air, and then I'm gonna do my fucking show.

16:40 They're all like that. And you have to listen to them because they're the executives. They're the guys are the real fucking rock stars you can just do whatever the hell you want owner and they give you the rules yeah so the rules are now like I go in the That's how you build a community. We all just hang out together and every night just do shows We had managers we had Hollywood agents would come there's always people's managers hanging around there was all these

19:53 with the business. It's awesome. Yeah, and it's just it's magical Yeah, it's exciting. Let's go. Possibly. It's people traveling from all over the world. you could get a lot done. most of the time. Absolutely. I got a little spot out of my house and we catch and release every now and then While we were recording, he went out and that they get bored, I'm like, how can you be bored?

24:04 Yeah, I like to get to a feeling where I'm bored, or feel like I I don't know why I have bagpipes, but just in case I get the time to get bored I nerded nerded out hard archery. So I know so much shit about archery Wow. Yeah. She's out here getting it. And all these different things have to be in order. extending fully and all the while you have to fight anxiety don't want to pull

27:49 no thinking at all. or something, you can send emails back and forth. It's like, that's the note, you know? You have to put in 100% or else you're not gonna be great. But there's a real value in having a thing that takes the world away. I think it could be golf, look at this for Jamie, it could be anything, whatever it is. But there's a real value in having a thing

29:24 Mm-hmm. Yeah, if I hadn't found martial arts, oh, god damn. You know, just being lost, confused. So many people out there. So that's why I have this problem with getting addicted I had an aptitude for it. I understood it. I understood like You know? You know, you're just like so accustomed to doing certain things with your legs. because I'm six foot four and a whole waste of space I have a 15-foot jumper

32:21 walking around with weights and all that shit. My knees are popping. And if you try to be everything, you'll be nothing. Yeah, I'm trying to stay in my lane people though Don't have to do that don't understand it Like sometimes people come to me with like business stuff, and I'm like this is not I can't talk right now This is so crazy that you're doing this.

34:16 there's not that those conversations, on, I'm trying to talk with my boys, I'm trying to, you know. Yeah, right? What do you I want you be an artist? Yeah, right? Yeah The artist that's been ripped off, because you're not able to be in those rooms Yeah. of the time. That's it. Five-zero you got one out of two chance of that thing going completely sideways. Yep absolutely. And so many guys go that way. You know Mike's

38:11 Mean he shows up to my shows and this dude all of a sudden is sitting courtside at Spurs games Wow. You know, it's definitely enjoying Showing up 10, 15 deep. Like he just travels with people. He loves it Yeah, that's a dude that's an entourage. That's an entourage. If I want to go right, I can go right. He can't just show up somewhere, Can I take a picture with you?

41:04 That's good. That's a good level of interaction of music folks. Yeah. You know I can move around but. It's perfect. Yeah. It's pretty You know what I mean? everybody was like, oh! he would go out but he put a bandana on like he's during COVID times. Yeah, I was in I was like going into high school when they did that. Oh It was just fans and there was a thing that were like people would be embarrassed to be a kiss fan really yeah

44:13 So they were gonna do one last final tour they decided, time Gary's gonna become a photographer he's just really gotten into So Kiss came back in the 90s and I went to see him with Kevin James. the pyro, the timing, the crazy antics to just, I mean, and then selling it like this big huge Can't believe it shut off. It's just the power shut off. I was like this is so fucked

46:32 Or you had to read the TV guide, like what? out here whooping ass what are they fighting crime or what? Oh yeah they were superheroes they became superheroes for a while. I did not know this I'll tell you right now, man. They don't know what that experience is. Yeah. That was the only way that I was getting the information. Yeah, that was COVID too kovat to though the isolation

49:31 better than you can with anything. And it's just, it's a weird way to get information. but it took three days for the phone to get there. Right back. I know I did the same shit person sends me a meme. Oh shit. Yeah, it's over. Yeah, it's over Okay, I can use that 30%. And the phone phone is like, Satchel is the artist version of the fanny pack. The fanny pack is saying I don't give a fuck.

52:41 Bro, this guy jumped out of his car, ran to the car in front of him, Everyone's seen those videos of someone getting fucked up in a some sort of a road rage situation. There's no fear of this person stepping in front of you. And then you see him at the stop sign, But, normal, that's normal behavior. Come on, man. Some like where the fuck did y'all come from man? Well that was South by Southwest South by Southwest basically like LA comes to Austin

55:54 It was right on the line. ah man, the game has definitely changed. Yeah. I mean, I think it was just one of them things. I know I'm responsible for at least 20 or 30 comedians. Yeah, no He's like, I've been here my whole life. cause I'm watching my little town, I was hanging out with Elon He was right. I like that there's new shit here. I think it's good.

59:30 Yeah, I'm a little I'm still concerned about the driving though The tech people I worry about more than anybody, They put a giant ass building right on the lake. I Asking a person to make steel beams in his backyard with a fucking hammer and a pot right. He was right that there's some things that are happening. Was that 2020 or 2016 with Andrew And they never get tired.

1:02:46 That's a world of wild folks. He was all doped up and super drunk. So he was fucked up at the gig? Just hit the fuck it button. It's like, man, fuck all this shit. He's a professional. Meanwhile, Frank is just gone. Yeah, shows up, he's like, hey, Ryds here. and bus drivers who drive at all funky weird times at night. And then you're only there for a little while,

1:05:45 Well, we did 22 dates in 30 days. He'll be gone for two months, But you know, that's what he was doing. but I got a whole band in production You took your son when you were in Europe. I think I told you. Like, wow, I get to see what dad's doing. What the fuck did you just say to me? Do you know where that came from? You got a whole band, you got a bunch of other people.

1:08:07 But then I talked to Pat from the Black Keys Like it costs you $50, dollars to do a late-night show Mean from my experience the But I'm a fan, so I like to go play the late show with Letterman, to go play the tonight But still, you're doing it because you just want to do it. which is a wild thing, you know. doing some goofy ass shit for TikTok. Is we it's it doesn't feel

1:11:52 It's wild to me. But now became all about the reels and you got to be able to flip up from one reel to the next weird the whole thing is weird but eventually like I know a lot of people especially like people that are you know like most of the social media Yeah, absolutely because everyone can share it. I go. Oh check this out. Yeah, I'll share it to friends

1:14:36 Bro, we'll cut it out. We'll cut it out Jamie play this song Yeah, it's also on a like Mountain Dew commercial right Wow Is this another one? fucking John winter that year if he was impressed by anything in the rock music scene and pointed to the song though right no I thought he wasn't around anymore on television, you ever see that bit? send them something like me.

1:19:06 No, that doesn't hit the same. get some really good songwriters, It's just one. 90s? what the fuck is that coming through the radio? Yeah. What's a song we should listen to? That's a very needy girl, and she's never gonna be happy and you had just have to say hey I don't know if you know Shuggy Otis. And it was just, like I said, psychedelic ahead of its time,

1:22:55 But I mean, not as powerful as John Thunder. Yeah, a lot. So they'll be like hey try this And it's all of it. Yeah. to, my brain hurts. I have to get out. That one's crazy. Smoke break for me. They killed You know Yeah, yeah you if you if you do go too far down that rabbit hole though Yeah. to the youth. But I remember in these smoky bars and going up back or standing out front and these

1:27:28 15. Went to a blues bar for her 15th birthday. Yeah, 14. You have no idea what this is. Yeah, also in your world's gone What do you know about singing about the blues and you really don't know anything? But yeah, man, that still hurts, man. It happens. You know, maybe this is the only thing Six months later, she's tongue kissing behind the barn Some ladies that you will run into in this life that you are never gonna hold on to

1:32:07 Oh my god. Yeah, now he feels stuck. What happened? What are you doing? Doesn't mean you're supposed to be with them forever that part is very important very important is not good. Yeah. This is from Havana. Yeah, I've been kind of hooked ever since. started hanging in the cigar lounges. Yeah, so it's kind of been my new thing. and I saw this girl that I was into,

1:35:46 It gives you a wild head rush though. Like, different than cigars, different than zins, different than anything. How many are you smoking? a half a pack a day. and all that type of shit is just like a nervous thing out of it is like a weird little escape valve. Sure. It's like a release valve. Let's go. He puts out these albums where he mashes up Yeah.

1:39:28 He's like biggie loud as fuck. But yeah, what do y'all listen to backstage? Well, when we It's always protect your neck. It's bizarre, because you're driving through a crowd And then I go, oh, they're here for us. It's warmed or miss the show or miss the show yeah, but there's just so many people. It's just when you one on the other end of the bar.

1:42:18 and just talk. huh yeah he gets it yeah yeah he set it up right it's the way to do it mm-hmm What are you talking about? Yeah? Yeah? Yeah? Yeah? Nah. He cost them so much money. That was good. Again, same thing some gals you never really have them. You just gotta accept it. Enjoy your time So there's people like that Yeah, I I don't I don't understand that I

1:46:45 time. Right. You know, it seems like, oh yeah, I want to do that. That'd be amazing. And so it's been, it's been kind of strange to watch these young folks kind Killing the best. He was so good. He was so little and then he became so crazy I think as a kid, I was such a huge Michael Jackson fan, Yeah it's just uh I don't what do you think that is? I mean like what is it like? is there a

1:49:31 I got to think this through and now people don't like me shit So you're treated like you're like a god, like royalty, Elvis is another case. And my mom was my manager for that kind of scene until I was 27 how old were you in like numb how old was that I People have known you for years and now they get nervous around you like why are you nervous around me?

1:52:49 and he was like, man, you need to get out more. Come hang out. But yeah, it's true. And they listen to those things they hear those things they watch those things. That's right. It's a different life Yeah, yeah, yeah. I never, I realized how intense that was without And then when we went down there, But there was a world championship fights in that arena.

1:55:38 and just walking around the cage, like woo! Walking with masks on and they'd take it off. Yeah, that was so stupid it's incredible I mean they have it look like the earth they have it look like but he wants to do a show there Imagine because it's blown my mind when I see Because it costs some insane amount of money. How much does this fear cost to run?

1:58:06 A rodeo would be fucking nuts. and then they decide, you know what? I think that's September 16, right? August, September, I think. I try not to look, but I'm sure dates will fill up Yeah, that's, I mean, that's a lot of people coming out. Yeah. Taking out contacts, by telling the truth. He got injured by experimental medication that the whole world is being forced to take

2:01:24 No, he's a piece of shit and an anti-vaxxer. I don't think it'll ever happen again. believed in social distancing. They believed in all that shit we turned out How crazy is that? That's right. Yeah that wouldn't happen. The only people that have the guns is the army Yeah, shut the fuck up. getting real. This is getting real. I'm like Gary take this gun and that's your gun now. You don't have to do any paperwork. No nothing

2:04:55 flavored so adults can't have them adults can't have them you can't get they're gonna puff on the original version anyway? your own good. And that's the slippery slope of communism. They'll do that with that. Next just like they did during the pandemic. Right. Yeah, I mean you could kind of see that in the way that the city changed around here with the they shut down

2:07:18 too much time out there. I mean, I only go out there when I absolutely have to. It's Yeah, you had to get it like super low key. It was really strange to be there. I think just I just just let me pull up to a store. Yeah But for the longest time in Colorado, That's right. called the Inglewood Wellness Center in the 90s. So we'd go down the hood to buy weed.

2:10:05 It was a wild time. Like we used to. How'd you get that? Nah, it was always cool. the motherfuckers that I actually really knew that I grew up with. And I was like, ah, yeah. But hopefully Texas will come around and you know, you can just kind of do what you want to do with that Yeah, it's not being stopped. known since I was in first grade. He thought like helicopters are flying over his house. He thought people were listening in the walls

2:13:59 and I think he just fried normal life out of his brain. Yeah, yeah, yeah. problem with psilocybin. Yeah psilocybin is more manageable. I think also acid is being made in a bathtub by some grateful dead fan Yeah, right? Like when you say heavy party, like experimental, like trying to go. How do you get away with that? I had a friend of mine that swears to God

2:17:00 He was looking at him through the window his window and that guy's window Maybe there's something going on. Yeah, I agree with that. Yeah sure. But there also seems to be some strange element of fate. you're supposed to take. But I'm like I'm 95% I got you. I'm pretty fucking good Did you already see what's happening now happening? and I were doing those shows at Stubbs, that reignited my desire to do comedy again.

2:19:57 And we didn't even have a club then. No, my my instincts were to get out when I saw those cop cars on fire on the 10, I was like, okay, It was all defund the police defund the police like Please because this is all I know yeah, you know if that goes away, then what the fuck you got chaos and she was like, let me be clear, cage now to make the world safer yeah Yeah, no, please do that stupid, right?

2:23:22 resonated with in LA was I knew how to hang with the weirdos. Because I remember you saying, oh, man, this is so much better. He's like, I don't know, man. He goes is the best place easiest place to fly out of yeah fly anywhere in the country. It's in the middle This is a guitar pick that's made from mammoth ivory. Throw on my guitar? Nice. Let's play playing new shit or old shit?

2:26:49 You tell me. Well I got a, there's a tuning app on my phone. So you got to release some tension so the note goes down. And that's how you explain it like a professional. Wow. Indeed. One more time. Want to go on Saturday night? Is a Ship has sailed my friend. Hmm till the album drop day Oh yeah. Because that's how I feel right now. Okay. Chasing my tail I've lost my days and I've had bad And I would have traded for the time that we

2:32:55 I don't stop it I know nothing is for sure Oh wow. No, right handed. Yeah. Oh. They've got to be in that little spot there. Almost. Down? It's close pretty close Release your pointer finger. See? Yeah. It's obsession more than discipline. That was fun. But now I'm thinking too hard about it, when they cover Voodoo Child. That too. You're not just doing that. You're also manipulating your voice

2:39:21 It's so good. Were I know you were even either talking or actively tried to do a version of Midnight Rider because I was there If you really liked them. You trying to put something together. You gotta cover that. I was so good, man Yeah, you guys have to cover that Feel like she said you guys were gonna do it Don't remember. I think she did the record damn. That's fucked up. No

2:43:10 That night was a fun night. Yeah. you know we're not releasing but I remember, I was watching, I was freaked out, he saw her and he goes, yo, he goes, And she's cool as fuck. Yeah. Congratulations on the new album. Let's do it.