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- Everyone in Gas Pops is a huge, huge jazzhead.

- Not everyone.

- Not him.

[Laughs] We can get back to that later.

- That conversion is slow.

- That conversion is slow, exactly, yeah.

[Music] - Welcome, welcome to Washington's and Foco MX.

We are filming Sounds on 29th, and we will be introducing one of Colorado's best bands.

[Cheering] So, will you please make some noise for Gasoline Lollipops?

[Cheering] [Music] ♪ There's a stranger inside my clothes ♪ ♪ Who's scared to speak his mind ♪ ♪ He's been living with his eyes closed ♪ ♪ Thinking that he is blind.

♪ ♪ I've been living with his rage ♪ ♪ His son never to deliver ♪ ♪ I've been bleeding on the page, babe ♪ ♪ I've bled enough, dear.

♪ ♪ Well, watch me leave the river ♪ ♪ Tuck your bills and sharpen up your knife ♪ ♪ I'm serving rare rib on the bone tonight ♪ ♪ Taking requests, so get in line ♪ ♪ I'm offering my body, spirit, soul, and mind ♪ ♪ Help me find my way and tell me what to say ♪ ♪ Show me how to play ♪ ♪ Tell me what I gotta do to make you go away ♪ ♪ There's a monster beneath my bed ♪ ♪ Been sleeping there for years.

♪ ♪ I've been working hard to keep him fed on all my fears ♪ ♪ But tonight, I'm drowning in my sleep ♪ ♪ I can feel the bed shaking.

♪ ♪ There's a killer stuck way down in the deep ♪ ♪ And things are gonna change when that beast awakens ♪ ♪ Jesus said there's nothing that nobody shouldn't heal ♪ ♪ But selfless isn't helpful if it costs a life to live ♪ ♪ If everyone keeps drinking from the same well, it goes dry ♪ ♪ If everyone keeps drinking from the well, I will die ♪ ♪ Grow your arms and kill them all ♪ ♪ You and their dogs don't help elect their critics ♪ ♪ Throw your heart right through the wall ♪ ♪ And watch it fall on its architect, baby ♪ [Cheering] - Thank you all.

- What led to the musical awakenings in both of you?

When was the point in time when you started saying, "Oh, I want to do this?” What were you listening to?

What was happening?

- For me it was-- I first started writing songs when my dad taught me three chords on his acoustic guitar up in his cabin in Nova Scotia where he lives.

It's on like 350 acres.

There's no electricity or gravity fed spring water.

And so, at night when the sun gets dark, there's nothing to do.

You're just sitting in the cabin, no lights, no nothing.

There's just this one guitar.

So, I started playing songs on the three chords he taught me.

And at that time, I was listening to a lot of my dad's music, really.

And so, it was like Bob Dylan, and Jimi Hendrix, and Janis Joplin, and Arlo Guthrie, and Towns Van Zandt.

And the list goes on and on.

He's got good taste in music.

And so, that's what I was listening to.

Leonard Cohen has always been my main man.

Yeah, I've been writing poetry for years before that.

But that was the first time I put it to music.

And when I did, it was an electric feeling.

And I never thought about doing it for a living.

I never thought about performing.

I just wrote like Matt for like five years, six years, just writing songs like crazy and not ever thinking about playing them for any.

You know, sometimes at an open mic, somebody would be like, "You should get up there and play a few,” so I would.

And that was more terrifying than inspiring.

Like, I wasn't really like, "Oh, yeah.

I want to do more of that.” I wanted to write more.

And then, over the years, I got more used to performing.

♪ When you sent me packing down that Green River Valley ♪ ♪ I knew that if you couldn't then ♪ ♪ no one would have me ♪ ♪ I lost myself drinkin' with th ose stray dogs in the alleys ♪ ♪ 'til the whiskey soaked my bones ♪ ♪ The night it came on cold ♪ ♪ blowing off that muddy river ♪ ♪ I felt so goddamned old I didn't have the strength to ♪ ♪ shiver ♪ ♪ The moon was swallowed whole and when the sky spit back that ♪ ♪ sliver ♪ ♪ I knew I had to go it alone ♪ ♪ Love is free ♪ ♪ so take all you can ♪ ♪ Just don't ask me ♪ ♪ to be the bigger man ♪ ♪ ‘cause I'm all spent ♪ ♪ Well I gave all I had ♪ ♪ But living the good life brotha' made me bad ♪ ♪ Go on, chase that girl ♪ ♪ go on, get that money ♪ ♪ Go on, break the world I know you think it's full of honey ♪ ♪ Maybe someday I'll look back and think it's funny ♪ ♪ how you always had to burn it down ♪ ♪ But right now in the ashes ♪ ♪ choking on the smoke ♪ ♪ I find it hard to grasp this great big cosmic joke ♪ ♪ I'm squinting through the tears ♪ ♪ and years of lies and hope ♪ ♪ But I know you ain't comin' back around ♪ ♪ Love is free ♪ ♪ so take all you can ♪ ♪ I won't ask you ♪ ♪ to be the bigger man ♪ ♪ ‘cause you're all spent ♪ ♪ well you gave all you had ♪ ♪ But living the good life brotha' made you bad ♪ ♪ Devil below and God above ♪ ♪ take all your armies from my blood ♪ ♪ Show me what I'm really made of ♪ ♪ More than fear ♪ ♪ More than love ♪ ♪ And set me free ♪ ♪ I've done all I can ♪ ♪ Just don't ask me to be the bigger man ♪ ♪ ‘cause we're all spent ♪ ♪ We gave all we could ♪ ♪ I guess living the bad life, brother ♪ ♪ feels too good ♪ [Cheering] - Thanks, y'all.

- How about for you, Brad, what was your musical awakening?

- For my awakening, it wasn't like a particular moment or anything, but I started-- My first instrument was the oboe.

I started that mainly 'cause my brother.

When it came time to pick electives in sixth grade, I was gonna do another gym class, and he was like, "You should do music.

And so, I did music, thinking I was gonna do drums or something, but I was one of the only kids who could make a sound on a double reed.

So, I did that, learned to read.

I picked up electric bass, and that was the first time I did something for myself because before, I was just kinda curious about it, wanted to learn the elements.

But then eventually found the upright.

And I heard Edgar Meyer play Bach cello suites, and I was like, "I wanna do that.” And that segued me into my love of classical music as well.

- And you can do that.

You can play Bach cello suites on the upright.

I've heard you do it, Brad.

- Movements, yes.

Yeah, well, I sought out to do that, and then, you know, started doing other stuff.

But when I joined the Gas Pops much later, after I went to school for jazz, and classical, and stuff, I came here and was like going to school again after I met them in 2014 'cause I became exposed to all these American songwriters, like people he was just talking about, and I was opened up to this breadth of American music.

You know, I'd already been studying jazz and like amazing American music.

There's this quote that Yo-Yo Ma said.

He was like, early in his career.

He was seeking a perfect performance.

And he eventually attained it.

Everything was exactly how he wanted, and he said he felt completely empty.

He was like-- Yeah, and from that moment on, he strove for an emotional performance, connecting with audience, you know, really the reason why we do art.

I love striving, getting as close as we can, but that's one thing I love about our music is that we just kind of-- Whatever happens on stage happens, and it's fine.

- And that's an interesting point is that like all the guys in the band went to music school, right?

And so, they've been practicing to metronomes and scales.

No, I'm not passing judgment.

I'm saying this is how it is, right?

If you go to school, you gotta study and you gotta do things by the book.

And that's how they all did it for a long time.

And I was self-taught, so I was always trying to just on my own figure out what it takes in order to get better, right?

And obviously, taking a lot longer than it would if you went to school.

So, I'm going this way and they're going this way, and then at some point, when we all got together as a band, they started leaning more towards this philosophy, right, that Yo-Yo Ma was talking about.

It needs some humanity, it needs some rough edges, it needs some mistakes in order to be interesting, right?

Like perfection's just not interesting.

And they started leaning more into the heart of it as I was leaning more into the technical end of it, and I think we settled in some pretty cool common ground.

[Music] ♪ When I was just a little boy ♪ ♪ The devil came for me ♪ ♪ He pressed my chest A little curse ♪ ♪ He blessed a prophecy ♪ ♪ Said I'd never hold a pot of gold ♪ ♪ Barely spend a dime ♪ ♪ But I'd be rich as a devil in my mind ♪ ♪ So, I picked up some pen that I found laying in the thorns ♪ ♪ When moon rose that night ♪ ♪ My shadow had two horns ♪ ♪ But I was tearing through pages ♪ ♪ Burning through the verse ♪ ♪ And I knew that I'd be happy with my curse ♪ ♪ And I traded wings for freedom ♪ ♪ To be down here saving ♪ ♪ In the dress and demon choir ♪ ♪ Come on!

♪ ♪ Now if I could choose a struggle to extract from my brain ♪ ♪I guess it'd be the one that's here now driving me insane♪ ♪ About hope and high glory Never-lasting lies ♪ ♪ Because though it's short and dull, it cuts like a knife ♪ ♪ Well, hell yes, I'm dissatisfied With all these ♪ ♪ muted hues ♪ ♪ I'd prefer the world was burning ♪ ♪ They gave me reds and blues ♪ ♪ But I couldn't build a rainbow ♪ ♪ One black thorn to bend ♪ ♪ So, I'll be working for the devil till the end ♪ ♪ And I traded my wings for freedom ♪ ♪ to be down here singing in the dress and demon choir ♪ ♪ And when the angels cry for me, it's just pure jealousy ♪ ♪ They can't be down here by the fire ♪ ♪ Let's go!

♪ ♪ And I traded my wings for freedom ♪ ♪ To be down here singing in the dress and demon choir ♪ ♪ And when the angels cry for me, it's just pure jealousy ♪ ♪ They can't be down here by the fire ♪ [Cheering] - Thank you all.

- Who are like some of your other peers within music that you feel like you're looking to and being inspired by?

- I mean, for me, a big one is Robert Louis Cole.

And he retired from music.

I mean, Yo-Yo Ma said took him that long to figure out if he wanted to be one.

I guess Robert figured it out pretty quick, but in that short amount of time, just as like from the angle I'm coming from writing songs and my sensibility in songwriting, his is similar, and I just admire how deeply he can occupy an imagined space and describe it in such a way that I feel like I'm in the middle of it, you know?

There's not many writers that can like transport me like that to another time and location, some places I've never been, and feel them so intensely.

I just think he was an amazing songwriter.

- Awesome.

How about for you, Brad?

- I mean, again, people that I know, like other bass players.

Bass players have a really kind of unique bond because we play with so many different people.

We've all been in four or five bands at one time.

And there's just this great well of bass players in the local community here and also people that have lived here before or from here.

Like this guy, Andrew Ryan, who was childhood friends with our drummer, Kevin.

But when he lived here-- He's from here, but he moved back here after college, and now he lives in New York.

But him and so many other people, too.

I mean, I could be here all night, actually, listening to all these bands.

- Yeah, totally.

Tore a hole through Memphis Cut ribbons on the magistrates Knocked ourselves out in Nashville Onto Elliston place There's a whole other ghost song music row most folks can't seem to see Guess I might have missed myself if they hadn't taken notice of me So, I'm singing to the devil I guess I'm on my way.

But before they close that curtain, baby, I've got one last song to play It goes oh, oh, oh, that road will tear you up and leave you alone If you haven't found what you're looking for yet Friend, you better head back home Crash landed on New Orleans dirtier than the street.

Everything's off We only passed on sleep It's a long walk of shame Punch train back to the great divide Your only comfort, a pack of palm balls of the devil right by your side So, you're singing to the devil Your name is on his ring.

But before he hits that exit ramp, he's got one last song to sing.

It goes oh, oh, oh, that road will tear you up and leave you alone If you haven't found your friends by now My friend, you better get back home Come on.

Swam a flood through Houston Got jailed in Abilene.

By the time I laid eyes on the great divide It was the best thing I'd ever seen But wherever you go, there you are So, I'm right back here again The devil dropped me at this dirty old bar and said I need to make new friends So, I'm singing to myself I guess I've come a long, long way But if I ever found what I was looking for, I'd probably lose it anyway Singing oh, oh, oh, that road will tear you up and leave you alone If you haven't found what you're looking for yet My friend, you better get back home Singing oh, oh, oh, that road will tear you up and leave you alone If you haven't found your friends by now My friend, you better get back home [Cheering] - Thank you all.

- Is there anybody you all want to shout out at this point?

You're like, "Hey, I want to give somebody their flowers right now.

I want to talk about this band, or this venue, or this manager."

- Yeah.

Venue, Gold Hill Inn.

- Oh, the Gold Hill Inn, for sure.

- Hands Down.

Brian Finn, Chris Finn.

That's our slice of heaven on earth.

- Where is that?

- It's Gold Hill.

It's like if you take Mapleton and Boulder, and just like 15 minutes up into the mountain, you come to Gold Hill.

- It's enchanted.

- Yeah.

- And as far as artists go, my buddy Ben Hanna.

I'm producing his new record right now.

It's the first time I've ever produced a record, and it's killer.

Ben Hanna is like a completely different animal.

- Gas Pops at Washington's, at Foco MX.

How has that been for you?

What does this festival mean to you?

- This festival is awesome.

I don't know how many times I've played it, like 12-something, 10?

I don't know.

A lot of years.

And it's kind of the coolest festival in Colorado for musicians.

I don't know what it is for concertgoers.

It seems like they're having a great time.

The line is around the block for all the venues.

But for musicians, we hardly ever get to see each other.

It's like only if we're sharing a bill usually.

And there's so much great music in this state.

I can't think of a band that I don't like in this state.

And I don't like most music.

So, that says something for Colorado.

We got it going on.

Yeah, it's good to be here.

- Clay, Brad, thank you so much.

- Yeah, thanks for having us.

[Music] Caroline was a friend of mine Boyfriend Travis was outta his mind but knew how to turn a dime Ran a little operation on the O line walked in tracks into Monday night The risk was high, but the price was right Pushing in books and moonshine.

Across the Alabama line Highline LSD.

Cicada whiff of real symphony On the firefly lights Fashion like heartbeats on a Tennessee night Travis, he was a goddamn fool Tattooed his eyelids Drank from a kitty pool Full of Mad Dog and Hennessy.

Poster child for the backwoods of Tennessee.

Drove all night A mad pick on this.

Never saw the fuzz till it was on.

So, I swallowed all those pills Lost all minds in that county jail Highline PCP CB radio symphony On the fluorescent lights Fashion like heartbeats on a Tennessee night I guess that we just never knew better.

Being raised on beans and federal cheddar It comes as no surprise That we would fade out on the Tennessee sky We rose up from that jailhouse floor Left the flesh we didn't need no more We fell like drops of rain Into that cosmic plane.

Highline eternity Angel after life symphony.

Chasing all those lights Flashing like heartbeats on a Tennessee night Highline LSD Cicada whiff of a symphony All the firefly lights flashing like heartbeats on a Tennessee night Highline LSD Cicada whiff of a symphony All the firefly lights flashing like heartbeats on a Tennessee night [Cheering] - Thank you all.

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