♪ You play this on your Walkman, baby ♪ Davis: Coming up on "Studio 3 Live"... ♪ Sleep, baby ♪ ♪ There are some things that you do not see ♪ ♪ My love is a place ♪ I think a lot of people say that we hide sort of like sad lyrics underneath happy-sounding songs.

I don't think about that when I'm writing the songs, but they might be right.

That is kind of a little bit of the vibe.

I did notice that.

You did notice that?

Okay.

Confirmed.

A bit of a tension there, right?

Exactly.

♪ Heavy metal ♪ ♪ Rock 'n' roll ♪ Funding for this program was provided by Friends, the Iowa PBS Foundation, as well as generations of families and friends who feel passionate about the programs they watch on Iowa PBS.

Good evening, and welcome to "Studio 3 Live."

I'm your host, Mickey Davis.

Tonight we're joined by Minneapolis trio Bad Bad Hats.

Having formed in college in 2012, the band has spent the past decade plus bringing their joyful, exuberant stage presence to stages across the country.

The band has toured with artists including Third Eye Blind, the Beths, Hippo Campus, Michelle Branch and more and have found a home onstage in Iowa at various venues, including xBk in Des Moines and the M-Shop in Ames, along with Mission Creek and 80/35 music festivals.

Please help me welcome to the stage Bad Bad Hats.

[ "Gloria Love" plays ] ♪ I go out walking on a day less bleak ♪ ♪ Money in my pocket and salt on the street ♪ ♪ 'Cause I wanna see myself the way the windows do ♪ ♪ Like someone in a movie, soft yellow and blue ♪ ♪ I got a new way of walking ♪ ♪ But you're not chasing me ♪ ♪ Why is everybody sitting on the fence ♪ ♪ When they could fall for me?

♪ ♪ I want a name like Gloria Love ♪ ♪ All the boys ask me to ride in their cars ♪ ♪ And I wish I could run when the going gets tough ♪ ♪ But I never get that, I never get that far ♪ ♪ I throw a party for nobody but me ♪ ♪ Just me ♪ ♪ My face in the carpet and the sound of the TV ♪ ♪ Ahhhhh ♪ ♪ 'Cause I want to see myself the way the ceilings do ♪ ♪ Like a drop in the ocean, soft yellow and blue ♪ ♪ Ahhhhh ♪ ♪ I got a new way of talking ♪ ♪ Na na na ♪ ♪ But you're not calling me ♪ ♪ Na na na ♪ ♪ Why is everybody sitting on the fence ♪ ♪ When they could fall for me?

♪ ♪ I want a name like Gloria Love ♪ ♪ I want the boys ask me to ride in their cars ♪ ♪ And I wish I could run when the going gets tough ♪ ♪ But I never get that, I never get that ♪ ♪ I never get that, ooh, I never get that ♪ ♪ I never get that, ooh, I never get that far ♪ ♪ Ye-e-e-ah ♪ ♪ Ye-e-e-ah ♪ ♪ Ye-e-e-ah ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you.

Uh, Bad Bad Hats.

Thanks so much for being here today.

Can you tell me a little bit about how the band came together and kind of your evolution over time?

So I'm Kerry, and this is Chris, and this is Joey.

Um, and the band started at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, um, where Chris and I were attending school, and we both had a shared interest in music and writing songs, and we discovered each other's songs on myspace.com, as you did in 2009.

And we were, um, inspired by each other, intrigued by each other, um, and started writing together, and, like, sharing, like, mix CDs and then started dating.

Um, and then our senior year, we were like, we have a vision, we need to put it all together, and so we got a band together to play the Macalester Battle of the Bands, which we did not win, um, sadly.

But we persevered, and here we are.

So yeah, we've been playing around town for, you know -- and around the country -- for like a decade now.

We met Joey.

Actually, we saw Joey play at a bowling alley one time.

Memory Lanes.

Uh, and we were like, "This guy's amazing."

And we hoped one day we'd get to play together.

And so we're happy to be playing together now.

Same.

On a personal note, I was also in a band that played that battle of the band.

So it's cool to continue to see you and grow in your career over the past 10 years.

And so happy to have you here tonight.

Um, some of those watching tonight, this will be their first time kind of learning about your band and seeing your band.

How would you describe your music to someone who's never seen you perform before?

Basically, it is like indie -- kind of classic indie rock.

Um, we like, uh, pop melodies, but we really love guitar music.

We like to rock out a little bit.

But there is a tenderness to it underneath.

I think a lot of people say that we hide sort of like sad lyrics underneath happy-sounding songs.

I don't think about that when I'm writing the songs, but they might be right.

That is kind of a little bit of the vibe.

I did notice that.

You did notice that?

Okay.

Confirmed, yeah.

A bit of tension there, right...

Exactly.

...of danceable, fun music that is maybe a vehicle for introspection and things you want to talk about.

Yes.

[ "Always on Time" plays ] ♪ What do you see when you're looking at me ♪ ♪ Am I a leaf on the tree or a song on repeat?

♪ ♪ 'Cause when I look at you I could cry at my luck ♪ ♪ But you look like the future and I cannot keep up ♪ ♪ I'm sorry that my heart keeps running ♪ ♪ Like a train rolling on down that line ♪ ♪ I'm sorry that my heart keeps running behind ♪ ♪ 'Cause you are always on time ♪ ♪ Always on time ♪ ♪ I need a second to see who I'm gonna be ♪ ♪ But you are always on, always on time ♪ ♪ Sometimes I think I'd be better without ♪ ♪ Just the wind at my back and your tears in my mouth ♪ ♪ And I'd make some new plans in a place of my own ♪ ♪ But it wouldn't be fair ♪ ♪ And it wouldn't be home without you ♪ ♪ I'm sorry that my heart keeps running ♪ ♪ Like a train rolling on down that line ♪ ♪ I'm sorry that my heart keeps running behind ♪ ♪ 'Cause you are always on time ♪ ♪ Always on time ♪ ♪ I need a second to see who I'm gonna be ♪ ♪ But you are always on ♪ ♪ Always on ti-i-i-me ♪ ♪ Always on ti-i-i-me ♪ ♪ Always on ti-i-i-me ♪ ♪ Always on ti-i-i-i-ime ♪ ♪ I'm sorry that my heart keeps running ♪ ♪ Always on time ♪ ♪ Always on time ♪ ♪ Always on time ♪ ♪ Always on time ♪ ♪ I need a second to see who I'm gonna be ♪ ♪ But you are always on time ♪ ♪ Always on ti-i-me ♪ ♪ Yea-ea-ea-eah ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you.

Who would you say, as individuals and maybe as a band, are some of your biggest musical influences?

Well, it's cool because I think all three of us probably have different ones.

But for me, like really early on, um, I love, like, Alanis Morissette and, like, Michelle Branch.

And then, uh, I really got into Feist, like, in high school.

Um, and then also like a lot of, like, '90s rock.

Garbage and the Breeders.

Yeah.

I guess, for me, Death Cab for Cutie, Weezer, Blink-182.

Uh, yeah, anything I could play guitar along with when I was a kid just was so cool.

Oh, yeah.

Death Cab, Weezer.

Listened to a lot of, like, Stevie Wonder when I was a kid.

Aretha Franklin.

My mom loved Tower of Power, so a lot of that in the house.

And then studied jazz for a while.

So put on that hat for a while, the jazz hat, so to speak.

Um...

Yes, it is us.

Bad Bad Hats from Minneapolis, Minnesota.

That is two "bad"s plural "hats," um, for the visual learners, We have a great show for you.

We will be playing all the hits, old songs, new songs, never-before-heard songs.

Oh, my gosh.

Um, but first, uh, we'd like to play a song from our debut full-length record.

And this is a song that we call "Joseph" because that's the title of the song.

Um, and when we play the song, we do like to dedicate it to all the Josephs out there.

[ "Joseph" plays ] ♪ Joseph, you didn't say half the things you wanted to ♪ ♪ But I knew I'd leave you ♪ ♪ You held tight, I walked on ♪ ♪ It felt right, but I thought wrong ♪ ♪ I thought wrong ♪ ♪ Give me back that night ♪ ♪ Give me back that night ♪ ♪ Give me back that night ♪ [ Vocalizing ] ♪ I want you to remember ♪ ♪ I want you to forget about me ♪ ♪ I want you to remember ♪ ♪ I want you to forget about me ♪ ♪ Joseph, please ♪ ♪ It's late and I don't know what's good for me ♪ ♪ So let me in ♪ ♪ I came by, your light's on ♪ ♪ Don't say that I thought wrong ♪ ♪ Give me back that night ♪ ♪ Give me back that night ♪ ♪ Give me back that night ♪ [ Vocalizing ] ♪ I want you to remember ♪ ♪ I want you to forget about me ♪ ♪ I want you to remember ♪ ♪ I want you to forget about me ♪ ♪ I want you ♪ ♪ I want you ♪ ♪ I want you ♪ ♪ I want you ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you.

Where did the name Bad Bad Hats come from?

Um, a great question that everyone wants to know.

And I will tell you.

Uh, are you familiar, Mickey, with the "Madeline" children's books?

Yes.

Okay.

So it's from that.

There's a "Madeline" called, uh, "Madeline and the Bad Hat," one of the stories.

And it's basically about, like, her neighbor is like the Spanish ambassador.

And his son Pepito is, like, a little bit of a troublemaker.

I think it's because his ambassador dad is, like, really busy.

So he just feels a little, like, lonely, I think, deep down.

But he just, you know, acts out because of that.

I see.

But I read these books when I was young and there was like, um, like a video series, like, cartoon with it where they sang little songs.

And I always say I never remember why we chose it when we were choosing a band name, I think it was just like in my head, um, but that's where it's from.

I appreciate the extra superlative -- the Bad Bad Hats.

Yes, the Bad Bad.

Yes.

Very much so.

You know, I was young once -- um, and some would say continue to be -- um, but I grew up in the '90s, early 2000s.

Really fun time.

Lots of cool stuff going on.

In some ways I think my fashion was the best then.

Um, I like -- you know, I like to take risks.

Um, like, today I was picking out what to wear, and I was like, "It's television, so you never know if there's gonna be a green screen."

So I thought, you know, there's a chance... [ Laughter ] ...I may just be a torso at this thing.

But you got to take risks.

And then I could be, you know, the floating-torso variety band.

And maybe that would be our thing.

That could have been cool.

That could have been cool.

[ Laughs ] But I also loved the time I grew up in because it was a great time for CDs.

I had a very large CD collection and a Walkman CD player, um, that meant everything to me.

And, you know, like before a trip, it was very important to decide what CDs you're gonna bring because you can't bring all of them.

Um, so you have to think about, what am I gonna want to listen to five days into a family road trip as a 12-year-old who's real surly and has had nothing to eat but Caesar salad?

And the answer is always "Jagged Little Pill."

Every time.

That's just the answer.

Um, now I know.

But also I had a lot of mix CDs.

You know, suitors would give them to me to try to lure me in.

Um, sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't.

But, you know, it cuts -- it cuts both ways.

Because I also was given a mix CD -- I was broken up with via mix CD one time too.

It only had one song on it, and I listened, and I knew it was over.

Um, so, you know, highs and lows of the mix CD era.

Um, but there is nothing really quite like, you know, your first crush.

You're falling in love for the first time.

You're 14 and you're sitting on your bed surrounded by your NSYNC posters, and you're listening to that mix CD that your crush gave to you, which has nothing but Modest Mouse on it.

And you're thinking, "Love is a mystery I will never solve."

Um, and I wanted to write a song about that.

Um, and it's this song right here.

It's called "Nothing Gets Me High."

[ "Nothing Gets Me High" plays ] ♪ I look for you at the basement show ♪ ♪ Only face in a faceless glow ♪ ♪ Push my way through the indigo ♪ ♪ Time is slow and I'm back in love again ♪ ♪ Tell me something I don't want to hear ♪ ♪ Any excuse to disappear ♪ ♪ Survived without you all these years ♪ ♪ But now you're here and I'm back in love again ♪ ♪ And I would love if you loved me ♪ ♪ I wish I was 17 again ♪ ♪ Back when love really moved me ♪ ♪ But that was then, yeah ♪ ♪ I don't want you to wonder why ♪ ♪ Nothing gets me high ♪ ♪ Falling for you, but I'm not satisfied ♪ ♪ Nothing gets me high, no ♪ ♪ And on those days when I think we're through ♪ ♪ Something stupid Makes me think of you ♪ ♪ My heart is racing down First Avenue ♪ ♪ Sky is blue and I'm back in love again ♪ ♪ And I would love if you loved me ♪ ♪ I wish I was 17 again ♪ ♪ Before love really hurt me ♪ ♪ But that was then, yeah ♪ ♪ I don't want you to wonder why ♪ ♪ Nothing gets me high ♪ ♪ Falling for you, but I'm not satisfied ♪ ♪ Nothing gets me high ♪ ♪ I wanna be the best thing ♪ ♪ I wanna be the best thing ♪ ♪ I wanna be the best thing ♪ ♪ That ever happened to you ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ I don't want you to wonder why ♪ ♪ Nothing gets me high ♪ ♪ Falling for you, but I'm not satisfied ♪ ♪ Nothing gets me high ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ Nothing gets me hi-i-i-gh ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you.

And now a song from our debut full-length record, "Psychic Reader."

And this song is called "Psychic Reader."

Easy to remember that way.

[ "Psychic Reader" plays ] ♪ When I look at you, I get a good idea ♪ ♪ Stay on the line until your voice feels nearer ♪ ♪ I was meant for you said the psychic reader ♪ ♪ Oh, yeah ♪ ♪ When I look at you, I get a good vibration ♪ ♪ Stay on the line until I hit your station ♪ ♪ I was meant for you so I can be patient ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ Am I hitting a wall?

♪ ♪ Is it nothing at all?

♪ ♪ Am I hitting a wall?

♪ ♪ Is it nothing?

♪ ♪ 'Cause I was in the room when you were leaving ♪ ♪ It ended too soon when you fought the feeling ♪ ♪ I was in the room when you were leaving ♪ ♪ It ended too soon when you fought the feeling ♪ ♪ When I look at you, I get, I get a rush ♪ ♪ Stay on the line until I catch the right bus ♪ ♪ I was meant for you, isn't it obvious?

♪ ♪ Am I hitting a wall?

♪ ♪ Is it nothing at all?

♪ ♪ Am I hitting a wall?

♪ ♪ Is it nothing?

♪ ♪ 'Cause I was in the room when you were leaving ♪ ♪ It ended too soon when you fought the feeling ♪ ♪ I was in the room when you were leaving ♪ ♪ It ended too soon when you fought the feeling ♪ ♪ Am I hitting a wall?

♪ ♪ Is there nothing at all?

♪ ♪ Am I hitting a wall?

♪ ♪ Is there nothing at all?

♪ ♪ Am I hitting a wall?

♪ ♪ Is it nothing?

♪ ♪ 'Cause I was in the room when you were leaving ♪ ♪ It ended too soon when you fought the feeling ♪ ♪ I was in the room when you were leaving ♪ ♪ It ended too soon when you fought the feeling ♪ ♪ I was in the room when you were leaving ♪ ♪ It ended too soon when you fought the feeling ♪ ♪ I was in the room when you were leaving ♪ ♪ It ended too soon when you fought the feeling ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you.

In 2023, you celebrated the 10th anniversary of your debut EP, rereleased it on vinyl for the first time, remastered the songs.

Can you talk a little bit about, in that process, revisiting those songs and kind of your relationship, whether it was with the lyrics or the music, how you've kind of evolved as a band and what your inspiration was 10 years ago when you were writing those songs?

It has been really fun to, like, look back and think about all the places we've been, all the people we've met and just, like, so grateful for the -- like the journey we've been on.

Because when we wrote those songs, we had like one microphone and an acoustic guitar and a dream.

[ Laughter ] So my memories of that time were just really like happy and excited and just sort of like bursting at the seams with, like, I can't wait for this music to be out in the world and, um, to have people listen to it.

And I just think that, like, that sort of energy, like, has carried the band of just like I like to think that we -- we get so much joy out of it, and we like to make the experience a joyful experience in general.

And I think that's sort of been like the hallmark of the Bad Bad Hats experience.

So I like to think that kind of like set the tone for, like, the rest of the band's career.

Yeah, it's amazing that people are still interested in that first release and were excited about us putting it out again.

And, yeah, it's just been awesome to play those songs around the country, and people are still engaging with it and still finding it.

When we travel around, we stop at a lot of gas stations, and also the region's very touchy about their gas stations.

There's a lot of gas station pride, so you got to be kind of careful, um, when you talk about gas stations around people.

But our gas station near and dear to our hearts is a place called SuperAmerica.

Um, a gas station that was near our college when we were in college.

A place where I would go in college if ever I needed a snack or sweetened beverage.

Um, they had it all.

Um, but, sadly, SuperAmerica doesn't exist anymore.

It's really -- It's really a shame.

I never thought that there would come a day when they didn't exist.

Not great for my branding.

Um, but they got bought by Speedway, and now they're all Speedways, and I'm happy that this, uh -- I'm happy that SuperAmerica can live on in this next song that we'd like to play for you, which is titled "Super America."

Um, but I do think it's a lesson for all of us, you know, hold the things you love closely because you never know when they might become a Speedway.

And that's what grandma used to say, and I did not -- I did not heed that -- that lesson.

So she knew, um, and that's the wisdom of old age.

Um, but we would like to play you our little song, "Super America," about our old favorite gas station.

[ "Super America" plays ] ♪ I want a sweet tea and a heart that won't break ♪ ♪ If you leave me or pretend I'm not there ♪ ♪ I wish you'd let me lose you ♪ ♪ I wish you'd cut your hair ♪ ♪ Oh, I'm a long way ♪ ♪ From turning around on the highway ♪ ♪ Or calling your phone ♪ ♪ 'Cause it's not my fault that you can't sleep alone ♪ ♪ Honey, do ♪ ♪ What I don't have to tell you to ♪ ♪ Me and you ♪ ♪ Are acting Super America blue ♪ ♪ Honey, do ♪ ♪ What I don't have to tell you to ♪ ♪ Me and you ♪ ♪ Are acting Super America blue ♪ ♪ Say you won't bite ♪ ♪ And I'll file my nails and wear my jeans tight ♪ ♪ Someday I'll call you back ♪ ♪ 'Cause I want you more than I want the things you lack ♪ ♪ Honey, do ♪ ♪ What I don't have to tell you to ♪ ♪ Me and you ♪ ♪ Are acting Super America blue ♪ ♪ Honey, be ♪ ♪ The better part of me ♪ ♪ You could hold me tight ♪ ♪ In the Super America light ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Okay, I'll tell you what I want... what I really, really want.

♪ I want a sweet tea and a heart that won't break ♪ ♪ I want an Icee and a nice boy to date ♪ ♪ I want a Pepsi and a heart that won't break ♪ ♪ I want a Reese's and a nice boy to date ♪ ♪ I want a sweet tea and a heart that won't break ♪ ♪ I want an Icee and a nice boy to date ♪ ♪ I want a Pepsi and a heart that won't break ♪ ♪ I want a Reese's and a nice boy to date ♪ ♪ I want a sweet tea and a heart that won't break ♪ ♪ I want a heart that won't break ♪ ♪ I want a heart that won't break ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you.

So tonight one of the songs you're playing is currently unreleased, called "My Heart, Your Heart."

Can you talk a little bit about that song?

Yes.

Yeah, that's song kind of came together pretty quickly.

It's always a good sign.

Like, I often write songs on my couch while watching reality television.

Um, and Chris will walk by while I'm strumming on something, and I always know it's a good sign when he, like, stops, you know, pokes his head from around, like, the cabinets, is like, "What's that you're playing?"

I'm like, "Oh, yeah, I got a good one.

I got a live one."

Um, so that was one of those.

He was like, "Oh, that's cool."

And then I think, um, pretty quickly sometimes I sort of like pass the baton, uh, to Chris.

And Chris went to our, like, little music room and put together, like, an arrangement with drums and bass and stuff.

And I was basically like, "Well, you did it, Chris.

It's done."

And yeah, it's just like a really, uh, really fun song.

It's, like, become one of our favorites to play live.

Um, and there's a line in the song, "When I die, I want you to have my CDs," which I think is one of the highest honors that could be bestowed on me.

Um, so I hope -- We were just talking about that.

We were just talking about this, so, yeah.

The song is called "My Heart, Your Heart."

[ "My Heart, Your Heart" plays ] ♪ I'm greeted by the hand that feeds me ♪ ♪ When I die, I want you to have my CDs ♪ ♪ You're an old soul like a payphone ♪ ♪ Everywhere I go I think I hear you ringing ♪ ♪ God, it's always something with you ♪ ♪ My heart ♪ ♪ Your heart ♪ ♪ Where does it end, baby, where does it start?

♪ ♪ My heart ♪ ♪ Your heart ♪ ♪ Where does it end, baby, where does it start?

♪ ♪ I'm choosy ♪ ♪ Yeah, you could choose me ♪ ♪ I'm alive sleeping at the movies ♪ ♪ You're a throwback like the Amtrak ♪ ♪ Anywhere I'm at I know the trains are running ♪ ♪ Industry is humming ♪ ♪ God, it's always something with you ♪ ♪ My heart ♪ ♪ Your heart ♪ ♪ Where does it end, baby, where does it start?

♪ ♪ My heart ♪ ♪ Your heart ♪ ♪ Where does it end, baby, where does it start?

♪ ♪ My heart ♪ ♪ Your heart ♪ ♪ Where does it end, baby, where does it start?

♪ ♪ My heart ♪ ♪ Your heart ♪ ♪ Where does it end, baby, where does it start?

♪ ♪ My heart ♪ ♪ Your heart ♪ ♪ Where does it end, baby, where does it start?

♪ ♪ My heart ♪ ♪ Your heart ♪ ♪ Where does it end, baby, where does it start?

♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you.

Davis: Of the songs you're playing at tonight's set, which one is your favorite to play?

"Milky Way."

Oh!

And why?

It's fun to play on the drums.

Yeah, the drums are going crazy.

I'm a simple man.

Okay, now we'd like to play a song, um, somewhat inspired by the fact that I can no longer, um, finish a full-size candy bar.

[ "Milky Way" plays ] ♪ Whoa, I've had one too many ♪ ♪ My mouth feels heavy ♪ ♪ But the night feels new ♪ ♪ Whoa, the band starts playing ♪ ♪ Do you feel like staying?

♪ ♪ Can I go with you?

♪ ♪ It's just you and me spinning in the turnstile ♪ ♪ 3:00 a.m. in the candy aisle ♪ ♪ You throw out half a Milky Way ♪ ♪ 'Cause everything's too sweet to you these days ♪ ♪ Hey, can I keep this memory?

♪ ♪ Burn it to a CD ♪ ♪ Play it in your dad's old car ♪ ♪ Hey, the train starts rocking ♪ ♪ Do you feel like walking?

♪ ♪ Can I be where you are?

♪ ♪ It's just you and me spinning in the turnstile ♪ ♪ 3:00 a.m. in the candy aisle ♪ ♪ And you throw out half a Milky Way ♪ ♪ 'Cause everything's too sweet to you these days ♪ ♪ It's just you and me spinning in the turnstile ♪ ♪ 3:00 a.m. in the candy aisle ♪ ♪ And you throw out half a Milky Way ♪ ♪ 'Cause everything's too sweet to you these days ♪ ♪ And you're stealing what I'd give away ♪ ♪ 'Cause everything's too sweet to you these days ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you.

What is on the horizon for your band?

Well, we are excited because we have finished our fourth record, so that's coming out in April.

Um, and when that comes out, we're gonna hit the... Hit the road.

Hit the road.

We're gonna hit it hard and hopefully just play like a bajillion shows around it, um, and promote it, so that will be fun.

But we're already working on our fifth record too 'cause we just -- we never stop never stopping.

[ Laughter ] [ "Walkman" plays ] ♪ Heavy metal ♪ ♪ Rock 'n' roll ♪ ♪ It makes sense when you lose control ♪ ♪ When I met you, well, it felt like that ♪ ♪ Heart of gold and a heart attack ♪ ♪ You know I want to know you inside out ♪ ♪ I think you think of me, but I got doubts ♪ ♪ You're the only sound I can't tune out ♪ ♪ So I give in ♪ ♪ And we dance this dance again ♪ ♪ I hope you play this on your Walkman, baby ♪ ♪ Sun in your eyes and your hair long, baby ♪ ♪ There are some things that you do not see ♪ ♪ My love is a place when you're next to me ♪ ♪ New York City ♪ ♪ Hollywood ♪ ♪ It made sense when the pay was good ♪ ♪ I get rich and I get poor ♪ ♪ But loving you feels like the penthouse floor, yeah ♪ ♪ You know I want to know you inside out ♪ ♪ I think you think of me, but I got doubts ♪ ♪ You're the only sound I can't tune out ♪ ♪ And the room spins ♪ ♪ And my head swims ♪ ♪ So I give in ♪ ♪ And we dance this dance again ♪ ♪ Yeah, I hope you play this on your Walkman, baby ♪ ♪ Sun in your eyes and your hair long, baby ♪ ♪ There are some things that you do not see ♪ ♪ My love is a place when you're next to me ♪ ♪ I hope you play this on your Walkman, baby ♪ ♪ Moon on the rise and you can't sleep, baby ♪ ♪ There are some things that you do not see ♪ ♪ My love is a place ♪ ♪ When you're next to, next to me ♪ ♪ I think you think of me, but ♪ ♪ You know I want to know you ♪ ♪ I think you think of me, but ♪ ♪ Heavy metal ♪ ♪ Rock 'n' roll ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you.

Tell me a little bit about the inspiration behind your song "Detroit Basketball."

Alexander: Oh, sure.

Uh, basically, I think the first line I wrote of that song is, "Got a good job in a senior position, then I threw a party and cried in the kitchen," and I thought that was pretty good.

Um, and I had it written down and I was kind of like, "Okay, what rhymes with 'kitchen'?"

And I just made like a really long list of, like, words that rhymed.

And one of them was, uh, "piston."

And I was like, "Well, I don't know how I'm gonna use that in a song."

But then I was like, "Oh, like the Detroit Pistons.

Like, that could be funny."

Um, so then that just, like, inspired me.

Like all the couplets, um, based on, like, all the rhyming words that I'd come up with.

But it was also funny to me because we had been on tour with a band called the Front Bottoms, um, and we played a show in Detroit, and they had gone to a Pistons game the night before.

And there is something -- we have not been to a Pistons game, so I have not witnessed this myself, but there's some sort of like -- A call and response thing.

Call and response, like, chant portion that everyone knows, where they go, "De-troit!

Basket-ball!"

like back and forth.

Um, and the Front Bottoms thought this was amazing.

And they did it between like every one of their songs, But we didn't know what they were doing 'cause we, like, had not been at the game.

So like, "Why do they keep doing that?"

It's like so funny that they keep doing this between every single song.

So also I was like, "Oh, like the Detroit Pistons," in my head I heard, "De-troit!

Basket-ball!"

which is why it got that title.

But it's ultimately a song about learning to love yourself.

And not necessarily about basketball.

Not necessarily about basketball.

I have noticed on the YouTube video there are some Detroit Pistons fans who have found their way to that song and commented about it.

So you're casting a wide net, I think, with the basketball reference.

Yeah, we just got a Google alert actually last night that someone made a karaoke video on YouTube that's amazing, and it is just some old Pistons game, like, in the background with like the lyrics, like scrolling.

That's great.

It's really great.

Some Detroit bar somewhere is playing that on their aging karaoke machine.

Chris, Kerry, Joey, thank you so much for being here.

Thank you.

We're so happy to have you.

And, um, thanks again for being part of "Studio 3 Live."

This next song is, um, kind of inspired by teen magazines.

Um, when I was a teen, I used to love picking up a copy of, like, J-14 from, like, the Walgreens down the street.

Um, because they had all kinds of great tips for a young fashionista like myself.

Um, what shirt to wear with that skort.

Um, which lip gloss is the wettest?

Um, but actually my favorite part of teen magazines were the quizzes.

The quizzes were so fun.

Um, their purpose is mostly to tell you who your celebrity husband will be, which I guess is something we all need to be preparing for.

Um, you never know.

And if you've ever done one of these quizzes, you know that what you do is you find the one you think you're supposed to be with.

So, like the sporty cutie.

And then you work your way backwards and change your entire personality, um, so that you end up with that cutie.

So the quiz will be like, "Would you rather read a book or go to the mall?"

And you're like, "Go to the mall."

"Would you rather have lunch with your mom or go to a rave?"

And you're like, "Oh.

Me?

Rave 24/7."

Anyway, so on and so forth until you get to the sporty cutie.

But I think this is kind of a bad lesson.

We should not be changing who we are to end up with a person we think we're supposed to be with.

We should be honoring our interests, our talents, our hobbies, and maybe true love will find us in the end.

Um, and it's like one day you wake up and you're like, "Wait a minute.

I was the sporty cutie all along."

[ Sustained electronic note plays ] [ Note stops ] Thank you, Joey.

[ Laughs ] Anyway, that's kind of what this song's about.

And it's weirdly titled "Detroit Basketball."

[ "Detroit Basketball" plays ] ♪ Got to find a man who deserves my kissin' ♪ ♪ And doesn't blow my money on the Detroit Pistons ♪ ♪ Stop and start over again ♪ ♪ Stop and start over again ♪ ♪ He says he doesn't love me, that's his final decision ♪ ♪ Guess I'll move out and start feeding the pigeons ♪ ♪ Stop and start over again ♪ ♪ Stop and start over again ♪ ♪ 'Cause I-I been over it, been over it, yeah ♪ ♪ And I-I don't know what you see in me ♪ ♪ But I-I got over it, got over it, yeah ♪ ♪ Baby, now I'm free ♪ ♪ Got a good job in a senior position ♪ ♪ Then I threw a party and cried in the kitchen ♪ ♪ Stop and start over again ♪ ♪ Stop and start over again ♪ ♪ The way you looked at me outside the Catholic mission ♪ ♪ I knew I was in heaven, but I didn't listen ♪ ♪ Stop and start over again ♪ ♪ Stop and start over again ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ 'Cause I-I been over it, been over it, yeah ♪ ♪ And I-I don't know what you see in me ♪ ♪ But I-I got over it, got over it, yeah ♪ ♪ Baby, now I'm free ♪ ♪ Na-na na-na-na na na na ♪ ♪ Na-na na-na-na na na na ♪ ♪ Na-na na-na-na na na na naaa ♪ ♪ 'Cause I-I ♪ ♪ Na-na na-na-na na na na ♪ ♪ I got over him ♪ ♪ I got over him ♪ ♪ Na-na na-na-na na na na ♪ ♪ Baby, now I'm free ♪ ♪ Baby, now I'm free ♪ ♪ Baby, now I'm free, yeah ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you.

[ "Shame" plays ] ♪ Loved you once, shame on me ♪ ♪ Loved you twice, count to three ♪ ♪ Loved you once, shame on me ♪ ♪ Loved you twice, count to three ♪ ♪ I don't wanna be afraid of you ♪ ♪ I'm always running away ♪ ♪ I don't wanna get used to you ♪ ♪ Never coming my way ♪ ♪ Huh ♪ ♪ Rotten heart, eats at me ♪ ♪ Bites the bullet, swallows the key ♪ ♪ Rotten heart, eats at me ♪ ♪ Bites the bullet, swallows the key ♪ ♪ I don't wanna be afraid of you ♪ ♪ I'm always running away ♪ ♪ I don't wanna get used to you ♪ ♪ Never coming my way ♪ ♪ Huh ♪ ♪ I don't wanna be afraid of you ♪ ♪ I'm always running away ♪ ♪ I don't wanna get used to you ♪ ♪ Never coming my way, my way ♪ ♪ My way ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you so much, everyone.

We're Bad Bad Hats.

We have one more song for you.

It's from our very first release, which just celebrated its 10th birthday, um, this year.

Very exciting, um, stuff.

Um, that EP is called "It Hurts," and this is the title track.

Thank you so much.

[ "It Hurts" plays ] ♪ So you want to know just how I feel about you ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ I could live without you, just don't want to ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ I cross my heart and hope to die ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ But my heart says you're dying to cross my mind ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ Oh, the night is so young ♪ ♪ It hurts ♪ ♪ Pluck a heartstring, duck for cover ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ Hear the phone ring, s-start to stutter-er-er ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ He wants to know why I sit and sigh so ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ I yelled your name like a secret out the window ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ Oh, the night is so young ♪ ♪ It hurts ♪ ♪ Ah ba-ba bah, ba ba ba ♪ ♪ Ah ba-ba bah, ba ba ba ♪ ♪ Ah ba-ba bah, ba ba ba ♪ ♪ Ah ba-ba bah, ba ba ba ♪ ♪ Ah ba-ba bah, ba ba ba ba ♪ ♪ Ooooh ♪ ♪ Grow up, grow up, my baby ♪ ♪ Grow up, grow up, my sweetheart ♪ ♪ Grow up, grow up, my baby ♪ ♪ Grow up, grow up, my sweetheart ♪ [ Applause ] Thank you so much, everyone.

We're a Bad Bad Hats.

Thank you to Iowa PBS.

Thank you, everyone.

Thanks, Mickey.

Um, it's great to be here.

I hope we're back soon.

Thank you, everyone.

One, two, three, four!

♪♪ ♪♪ Funding for this program was provided by Friends, the Iowa PBS Foundation, as well as generations of families and friends who feel passionate about the programs they watch on Iowa PBS.