Studio 49
Pete Sands
8/9/2022 | 26m 47sVideo has Closed Captions
Pete Sands is a Navajo musician, filmmaker.
Pete Sands is a Navajo musician, filmmaker. You've seen him on Paramount's Yellowstone, and he's a long time contributor to FNX programming.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Studio 49 is a local public television program presented by KVCR
Studio 49
Pete Sands
8/9/2022 | 26m 47sVideo has Closed Captions
Pete Sands is a Navajo musician, filmmaker. You've seen him on Paramount's Yellowstone, and he's a long time contributor to FNX programming.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship♪ [acoustic guitar] ♪ (OC): Roll cameras, please.
♪ [electricity buzzing] ♪ ♪ There ain't no ♪ ♪ good I've done in life.
♪ ♪ I ain't no angel.
♪ ♪ ♪ All I can do is pray ♪ ♪ that time will fade away ♪ ♪ all my memories.
♪ ♪ ♪ They say the road to hell ♪ ♪ is paved with the souls ♪ ♪ of the good and the bad.
♪ ♪ So that means that I ♪ ♪ don't stand a chance.
♪ ♪ ♪ I've been down this road ♪ ♪ living without a home ♪ ♪ on the run.
♪ ♪ ♪ Back in old Utah ♪ ♪ I left a broken heart ♪ ♪ to die alone.
♪ ♪ ♪ I ride with my hat down low ♪ ♪ careful not to let the crows know ♪ ♪ that I'm around.
♪ ♪ ♪ They say the road to hell ♪ ♪ is paved with the souls ♪ ♪ of the good and the bad.
♪ ♪ So that means that I ♪ ♪ don't stand a chance.
♪ ♪ (Pete speaks Navajo) Pete: My name is Pete Sands.
I'm from the Navajo nation but I'm really from a small town in southern Utah called Montezuma Creek, Utah.
That's where I come from.
I'm a musician, screenwriter, and artist.
I believe it's a lifelong journey for any artist to find what they do.
My quest on the storytelling, it really started when I was younger, going to ceremonies on the reservation, Navajo reservation.
Living with my grandmother, she had LPs and vinyl records of Johnny Cash, and Sinatra, and different types of stuff.
And I listened to that, and go to ceremonies.
One thing I realized, they both tell stories.
So when I saw the cover of "Johnny Cash, live at San Quentin" and he's standing against the spotlight and he's holding his guitar, that did it for me!
I didn't know how to play guitar.
I didn't know how to write anything, but there's something there that I had to get out.
And once I got it out, it felt like- it was like a moment of clarity.
A battle with an artist is who they are and who they're meant to be.
In that way, I can really be honest with what I believe in, is through my music.
It's what I use to fight my demons.
It's what I use to exorcise what's- take the demons out of me and (guitar) it's the best way for me to talk to people.
♪ (guitar) ♪ ♪ Well, I hurt myself today ♪ ♪ to see if I still feel.
♪ ♪ I focus on the pain ♪ ♪ the only thing that's real.
♪ ♪ The needle tears a hole, ♪ ♪ the old familiar sting.
♪ ♪ Try to kill it all away, ♪ ♪ but I remember everything.
♪ ♪ ♪ What have I become ♪ ♪ my sweetest friend?
♪ ♪ Everyone I know ♪ ♪ goes away in the end.
♪ ♪ ♪ And you could have it all ♪ ♪ my empire of dirt.
♪ ♪ ♪ I will let you down, ♪ ♪ I will make you hurt.
♪ ♪ ♪ I wear this crown of thorns ♪ ♪ upon my liar's chair ♪ ♪ Full of broken thoughts ♪ ♪ that I cannot repair.
♪ ♪ Beneath the stains of time ♪ ♪ the feelings disappear.
♪ ♪ You are someone else, ♪ ♪ but I am still right here.
♪ ♪ ♪ What have I become ♪ ♪ my sweetest friend?
♪ ♪ Everyone I know ♪ ♪ goes away in the end.
♪ ♪ ♪ And you could have it all ♪ ♪ my empire of dirt.
♪ ♪ ♪ I will let you down, ♪ ♪ I will make you hurt.
♪ ♪ If I could start again ♪ ♪ a million miles away, ♪ ♪ I will keep myself, ♪ ♪ and I would find a way.
♪ ♪ Pete: Anytime you live in poverty, whether it's a ghetto or reservation or barrio, you find ways to escape.
That's what music is for me, and in film.
You know, film showed me a world beyond what I knew.
And so, I went on and I got a camera and started making short films.
You know, with your friends is how you start!
Musicians started reaching out to me asking me to make music videos for them.
So, I started doing that.
Fate, as it were, landed me on "Yellowstone" with Taylor Sheridan at Paramount.
You know, as an indie filmmaker, you don't see these big budget productions.
But when I went on to Yellowstone, I was like 'ho, man!
This is huge.
They got lighting balloons in the air!'
Just the size and scale of it blew me away, and I was fortunate enough or very, very thankful to my friend Taylor Sheridan for opening those doors and showing me what it takes to make a film.
It evolved from me making a cheap, little 5-minute short story, (chuckles) short film!
People always say 'I don't have lots of equipment'.
You don't need all that equipment.
You gotta use what you got and make the most of it.
If you keep working hard at something, people will eventually recognize what you're doing and what you can bring to the table.
"Tornadoes & Hurricanes" is a song I wrote while I came out of doing some time in jail.
And, everybody gets very philosophical in jail because there's nothing else to do.
And, they're really reading.
And, they really reflect upon who you are.
And, this guy was talking about love.
He says 'me and my old lady been together'- it was 50?
40 years.
An old guy, and he's like 'you know, our love 'is like a tornado and a hurricane.
'We mirror each other but we both are also each other's destruction'.
♪ (guitar) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ It's another long drive ♪ ♪ on the highway tonight.
♪ ♪ I'm headed down to Texas ♪ ♪ for one last load.
♪ ♪ My baby calls me and ♪ ♪ says "when are you coming home?"
♪ ♪ I'll be there in the morning, ♪ ♪ I'm driving all night long.
♪ ♪ Talk to me ♪ ♪ until I fall asleep.
♪ ♪ I tell her about the days ♪ ♪ before I met her.
♪ ♪ 'Cause I was a tornado ♪ ♪ and you were a hurricane.
♪ ♪ And, we met in the middle ♪ ♪ and drove ourselves insane.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I was a long lonesome stranger ♪ ♪ on a dark and curved road.
♪ ♪ Living a life ♪ ♪ that left me with no hope.
♪ ♪ And then you came along ♪ ♪ with a life I've never known ♪ ♪ and all I had to do ♪ ♪ was give in to you.
♪ ♪ Then I had to figure ♪ ♪ what you were all about.
♪ ♪ One of God's angels ♪ ♪ or a devil in disguise.
♪ ♪ 'Cause I was a tornado ♪ ♪ and you were a hurricane.
♪ ♪ And, we met in the middle ♪ ♪ and drove ourselves insane.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Now I'm sitting here ♪ ♪ watching you get ready.
♪ ♪ You're tying back your hair ♪ ♪ and I smell your sweet perfume.
♪ ♪ And you see me in the mirror ♪ ♪ and you give me a little smile.
♪ ♪ I still can't believe ♪ ♪ that you're all of mine.
♪ ♪ I can't wait to grow ♪ ♪ gray and old.
♪ ♪ And we'll take our time, ♪ ♪ walking that old line.
♪ ♪ 'Cause I was a tornado ♪ ♪ and you were a hurricane.
♪ ♪ And, we met in the middle ♪ ♪ and drove ourselves insane.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Pete: So, I grew up with a single mother who raised us, my brothers and I.
And unfortunately, there's a lot of single parent mothers on the reservation.
The more shows I played and people would come to me, they would always tell me their stories.
Like, I can't- "I'm a mom and I can't- "I don't have time to go and do what I want to do 'cause there's nobody else to take care of the kids.
All they have is me".
So, every line I sing in that song is something they told me.
When it came down to just sitting and plucking the strings on the guitar, you gotta be honest and use what you've heard, because I'm not a mother!
So, I've got to take it from that crew and try to put their voices (guitar) on this song, and hopefully, I did that.
♪ ♪ ♪ She wakes up ♪ ♪ before the dawn sets in.
♪ ♪ She whispers a prayer ♪ ♪ before the day begins.
♪ ♪ She makes that coffee ♪ ♪ to help her find her way ♪ ♪ when she hears ♪ ♪ her children awake.
♪ ♪ Make your beds, ♪ ♪ find your bags, ♪ ♪ put on a jacket ♪ ♪ before you run out fast.
♪ ♪ She kisses them ♪ ♪ as they run out the door, ♪ ♪ there's never enough time.
♪ ♪ She wishes for more.
♪ ♪ But this is how ♪ ♪ it has to be ♪ ♪ to fight it alone ♪ ♪ for now.
♪ ♪ 'Cause she's a working mom ♪ ♪ just trying to make it work.
♪ ♪ ♪ Whenever she feels ♪ ♪ ahead of the curve ♪ ♪ a little thing called life ♪ ♪ takes another bite.
♪ ♪ But she won't go down ♪ ♪ without a fight.
♪ ♪ ♪ No, she won't go down without a fight.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ She works all day.
♪ ♪ She tries to find a way ♪ ♪ to get it all done.
♪ ♪ She can't stay late.
♪ ♪ There's nobody else ♪ ♪ to cook for the kids.
♪ ♪ There's nobody else ♪ ♪ to be with them.
♪ ♪ Their daddy walked out.
♪ ♪ Well, good riddance.
♪ ♪ But she can't ever ♪ ♪ give in.
♪ ♪ So sometimes she ♪ ♪ sits in her car ♪ ♪ she lets it all out ♪ ♪ and cries.
♪ ♪ What happened to the promise ♪ ♪ she was told?
♪ ♪ I'll never leave you, ♪ ♪ you won't be alone.
♪ ♪ But she's a working mom ♪ ♪ just trying to make it work.
♪ ♪ ♪ Whenever she feels ♪ ♪ ahead of the curve ♪ ♪ a little thing called life ♪ ♪ takes another bite.
♪ ♪ But she won't go down ♪ ♪ without a fight.
♪ ♪ ♪ No, she won't go down without a fight.
♪ ♪ ♪ Sometimes it feels ♪ ♪ so damn hard.
♪ ♪ Sometimes it feels like ♪ ♪ she's falling apart.
♪ ♪ There's no time at all ♪ ♪ to find another man.
♪ ♪ There's no time at all ♪ ♪ to stray from the plans.
♪ ♪ It's her and her kids ♪ ♪ 'til the end of time.
♪ ♪ It's her and her kids ♪ ♪ with all else aside.
♪ ♪ She's a working mom ♪ ♪ just trying to make it work.
♪ ♪ ♪ Whenever she feels ♪ ♪ ahead of the curve ♪ ♪ a little thing called life ♪ ♪ takes another bite.
♪ ♪ But she won't go down ♪ ♪ without a fight.
♪ ♪ ♪ No, she won't go down without a fight.
♪ Pete: To the people who now get a sneak peek of these songs off the new album and just the scope of it, it's very cinematic.
It has this big, huge story.
The whole scope of the album, I kind of viewed it like a film.
Like a soundtrack, like what Rob Zombie would do with his albums.
Just really trying to capture a moment in my life where I thought to myself, 'this is where the spark happened'.
And, the most specific time was when I was a kid and I would just dial a radio, and I wanted to give that experience to the listener.
Being in the film world, it kind of made me plan things.
Made me more strategic in what I do.
You can't just use one of your senses.
You gotta use all of them no matter what arts you do, you know?
You gotta be able to- I love visualizing things!
You hear something but it's even better when you visualize things.
You take the audience along to ride with you rather than leading them and holding their hand to it.
And, I like that type of movie experience.
I like that type of music experience.
Any type of art where you kind of had to figure it out your way.
Figure it out your own way, and make it your own.
♪ ♪ Well, I can hear what you're thinking ♪ ♪ all your doubts and fears.
♪ ♪ ♪ And if you look in my eyes in time you'll find ♪ ♪ the reason I'm here.
♪ ♪ And in time all things shall pass away.
In time ♪ ♪ you may come back some say ♪ (tap) ♪ to live once more, ♪ ♪ ♪ or die once more ♪ ♪ ♪ But in time, your time will ♪ ♪ be no more.
♪ ♪ You know your days are numbered, ♪ ♪ count them one by one ♪ ♪ ♪ like notches in the handle of an outlaw's gun.
♪ ♪ ♪ You can outrun the devil if you try, ♪ ♪ ♪ but you'll never outrun the hands of time.
♪ ♪ In time, there'll surely ♪ ♪ come a day.
In time ♪ ♪ you may come back.
Some say ♪ (tap) ♪ to live once more, ♪ ♪ ♪ or die once more.
♪ ♪ ♪ But in time, your time will ♪ ♪ be no more.
♪ Pete: People always ask 'if you could sum up your band 'in a song and say this is what represents Pete Sands & the Drifters', that's the song I'd give.
"Helldorado" is a pure product of going through the hardest point in my life.
It's basically a song about a man who finds love after he gets married.
And so when his true love dies, he can't accept it.
So, he goes and tries to find her.
You know, that self-destructive mode and thinking you know what's best for you, and trying to self-medicate.
And, trying to find your way back into the light.
Be able to look at yourself in the mirror and not judge yourself.
Every chance I get to perform it, anywhere, I always play that song.
[guitar] And, because it was the first song I ever wrote!
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ On a long lonesome road ♪ ♪ from Boulder to Tucson ♪ ♪ I find myself ♪ ♪ dragging my feet.
♪ ♪ Even with the sun ♪ ♪ pushing me away ♪ ♪ there's still a hundred highways ♪ ♪ and a few more to go.
♪ ♪ ♪ Five years ago ♪ ♪ I met beautiful September ♪ ♪ ♪ Dawn.
♪ ♪ ♪ She whispered lust ♪ ♪ into my ears but we hid ourselves ♪ ♪ from my old wife.
♪ ♪ And, the feeling of love was nowhere near.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ The old preacher of town ♪ ♪ was her own devilish father, ♪ ♪ and he was the one who shot her down.
♪ ♪ ♪ I went as the lover ♪ ♪ of the best whore in town ♪ ♪ and I cried for her soul ♪ ♪ as she was lowered in the ground.
♪ ♪ ♪ My dear old wife ♪ ♪ said I was gonna die, ♪ ♪ and spend eternity ♪ ♪ polishing His crown.
♪ ♪ So many miles ♪ ♪ making my boots become ♪ ♪ one with the road.
♪ ♪ But there's still one more place I have to go ♪ ♪ to find my love.
♪ ♪ ♪ I must go to Helldorado, ♪ ♪ ♪ a sinner's town.
♪ ♪ Pete: Indigenous arts is underrated and underrepresented.
There's so many talented musicians, painters, filmmakers, photographers, fashion designers.
We have to find a way to lift each other up.
We have the potential to be huge, and we should be.
♪ ♪ [acoustic guitar] ♪ ♪


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