♪ 'Cause I'm just a teenage dirtbag, baby ♪ ♪ Yeah, I'm just a teenage...♪ Davis: Coming up on "Studio 3 Live," it's Wheatus.

♪ Listen to Iron Maiden ♪ I wanted this hybrid of sort of James Taylor and Paul Simon meets LL Cool J and Metallica and Rush and AC/DC.

So I had to, like, figure out how to engineer that hybrid myself.

♪ Oh, yeah, dirtbag ♪ Woman: Musco Lighting is honored to support Iowa PBS.

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

I'm your host, Mickey Davis.

Tonight's guests need little introduction.

From the elder millennials who heard their music on the radio to teenage Gen Z-ers who may have discovered them on TikTok, Wheatus and their ubiquitous hit "Teenage Dirtbag" have continued to find fans across the world since their inception in 1995.

Joining us tonight are lead singer and songwriter Brendan Brown and vocalist Gabrielle Sterbenz for a very special acoustic set.

Please help me welcome to the stage Wheatus.

[ "Pretty Girl" playing on guitar ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ She's a pretty girl ♪ ♪ She doesn't know it's over ♪ ♪ She doesn't know that my plane leaves tomorrow ♪ ♪ She's ringing in my ear ♪ ♪ She redefines the night call ♪ ♪ Hang up the phone again ♪ ♪ Turn off the ringer ♪ ♪ Heaven only knows what she wants from me ♪ ♪ But I won't wait around enough to see ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm running away from your arms tonight ♪ ♪ And you won't let me go without a fight ♪ ♪ And I can honestly say right now you don't understand me ♪ ♪ You don't understand me ♪ ♪ No, no, no, no ♪ ♪♪ ♪ So we fight again ♪ ♪ And the night turns into sunrise ♪ ♪ I know getting up for work ♪ ♪ Will be a hellhole ♪ ♪ She's like the mission man ♪ ♪ She's screaming about Jesus ♪ ♪ Maybe when I'm deaf ♪ ♪ Then she can save me ♪ ♪ Heaven only knows what she wants from me ♪ ♪ But I won't wait around enough to see ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm running away from your arms tonight ♪ ♪ And you won't let me go without a fight ♪ ♪ And I can honestly say right now you don't understand me ♪ ♪ And don't call me Stanley ♪ ♪ Oh, no, no, no, no ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Gabrielle Sterbenz, are you here in the building?

Look at that.

[ Cheers and applause ] Want to help me land this plane?

I do.

♪ People say I'm crazy ♪ ♪ I got diamonds on the soles of my shoes ♪ ♪ Well, that's one way to lose these walking blues ♪ ♪ With diamonds on the soles of our shoes ♪ ♪ She said, "Honey, take me dancing" ♪ ♪ But they ended up sleeping in a doorway ♪ ♪ By the bodegas and the lights of Upper Broadway ♪ ♪ Wearing diamonds on the soles of their shoes ♪ ♪ And I can say ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ And everybody here would know what I was talking about ♪ ♪ I mean, everybody here would know exactly ♪ ♪ What I was talking about ♪ ♪ I'm talking about diamonds on the soles ♪ ♪ Diamonds on the so-o-ole ♪ ♪ Diamonds on the so-ole ♪ ♪ Diamonds on the so-o-o-o-o-o-le ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Now she wants to know ♪ ♪ If I ever really loved her ♪ [ Deep voice ] ♪ If I ♪ [ Normal voice ] ♪ Ever meant that about a wedding ♪ ♪ I said that months ago ♪ ♪ I can't believe that she remembers ♪ ♪ And now the secret's out ♪ ♪ That I am an...hole ♪ ♪ And now the secret's out ♪ ♪ Now the secret's out ♪ ♪ Now the secret's out ♪ ♪ Now the secret's out ♪ ♪ Now the secret's out ♪ ♪ And now the secret's out ♪ ♪ Now the secret's out ♪ ♪ Now the secret's out ♪ ♪ Oooh, mm, mm ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh, oooh, ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooooh ♪ ♪ Aaaaaaaaaaah, ah-ah-ah-aaaah ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ My city wakes up in the afternoon ♪ ♪ Like the rain came down in the month of June ♪ ♪ Kings of murmuring atmosphere ♪ ♪ Building bombshell towers with glass and fear ♪ ♪ Yeah, here ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ My city wakes up to a poison moon ♪ ♪ Like the radio never played a tune ♪ ♪ Gathered dust and scattered crazy glue ♪ ♪ Will I build a house big enough for two?

♪ ♪ Yeah, you ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ From the outside lookin' in ♪ ♪ Sometimes I worry I've waited too long ♪ ♪ Sunshine ♪ ♪ Won't you please be my Valentine?

♪ ♪ Come and give me your peace of mind ♪ ♪ When will I ♪ ♪ Be love?

♪ ♪ We learn to hunt in the canyon shade ♪ ♪ Underneath skyscrapers and cars they made ♪ ♪ Cars they made ♪ ♪ And if our plan doesn't go just right ♪ ♪ We will hatch another one that night, alright ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ We'll book vacations and holidays ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ Then we'll act them out in the woods for days ♪ ♪ Woods for days ♪ ♪ And if some god ever finds me here ♪ ♪ I believe only in you, my dear ♪ ♪ Yeah, you ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ ♪ From the outside lookin' in ♪ ♪ Sometimes I worry we've waited too long ♪ ♪ Sunshine ♪ ♪ Won't you please be my Valentine?

♪ ♪ Come and give me your peace of mind ♪ ♪ Peace of mind ♪ ♪ When will I ♪ ♪ Be love?

♪ ♪ You, in this dark tower ♪ ♪ You, up ahead of me ♪ ♪ Yeah, you, in darkest hour ♪ ♪ You will be the light of me ♪ ♪ Yeah, you, in planting flowers ♪ ♪ You, in passing showers ♪ ♪ You, up on the roof again ♪ ♪ They don't know where we've been ♪ ♪ Baby, all they need is sunshine ♪ ♪ Sunshine ♪ ♪ Won't you please ♪ ♪ Sunshine ♪ ♪ Won't you please ♪ ♪ Sunshine ♪ ♪ Won't you please ♪ ♪ Sunshine ♪ ♪ Won't you please ♪ ♪ Won't you please, please, please ♪ ♪ Won't you please be ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] Davis: Brendan, Gabrielle, thanks so much for being here.

Can you tell us a little bit about Wheatus, how you all got your start and kind of the journey to now?

Oh, wow.

That's a hell of a question.

Big question.

I started the band alone in about '95.

I had written some songs in college that wound up being Wheatus songs, but -- And I had the "Teenage Dirtbag" riff from high school, but I started writing and preparing to be the lead singer in a band around 1995, and it was just me and a drum machine and a bass and my guitar and, uh, Really the problem was that I wanted this hybrid of sort of James Taylor and Paul Simon meets LL Cool J and Metallica and Rush and AC/DC and Fugazi and a lot of other influences, but the heavier stuff and the sort of folky stuff.

And in the '90s, if you'd have walked that idea into a demo studio, they'd have sent you home.

Yeah.

So I had to, like, figure out how to engineer that hybrid myself.

The first record was made three separate times, so there were three trips to the woodshed on that record.

And then we finally finished it in my mother's basement in March of 2000.

As the years went by, rotating members, we're all still friends.

Really, from the first incarnation until the most recent, it's been a homemade sort of project and very self-contained and independent.

Even though we did sign a major label deal, it didn't work out so well for us because we were of that sort of like -- actually did make the record in my mom's house.

Yeah, yeah.

So I think there are a lot of stories like that, but there's very -- not so many examples that actually -- where it's true and where the people are as green and naive as somebody who made their record in their mom's house would be.

So we didn't really fit into the major label system as a result.

Got out of there, got very lucky, started releasing independent around 2003, 2004, and, mind you, there was no YouTube, there was no anything.

There was no sort of independent distribution system for artists at that point.

There was streaming and Internet stuff, but it wasn't really like it is now.

It wasn't -- You couldn't just go get a TuneCore account and put your stuff on Apple Music, you know?

Yeah, yeah.

So, it was a bit of fits and starts and we were in the desert for a while in the sort of mid 2000s, not really knowing where we fit, touring the UK and Europe once a year and making new records, but not really understanding how to put them out or what to do with them, or how to promote or anything.

And then around 2009, things began to change.

There was a television show on HBO called "Generation Kill" that used "Teenage Dirtbag" in one of their episodes.

A bunch of other artists have put their spin on it, and I think that eventually it just met the Internet at the right time, 20 years later.

Yeah.

[ Both laugh ] Then the TikTok thing happened.

Yeah, So, you know, we've always been here for it because I've just always kind of wanted to be in a good band, you know, and keep working on that.

We're gonna play you a song called "Sunshine" from our first record.

This is one of those angry songs.

And it's occurred to me on this acoustics tour that we've been doing that this is actually about "Teenage Dirtbag".

This song.

It goes like this.

♪♪ ♪ When I look at your face I see dirt ♪ ♪ All the sunshine you blow up my...starts to hurt ♪ ♪ And I don't really mind if I'm nothin' ♪ ♪ In your eyes ♪ ♪ It's no surprise to me ♪ ♪ There's a rocket I built ♪ [ Vocalizing ] ♪ It's under my kilt ♪ ♪ It's coming to blow you away ♪ ♪ Ahhhh ♪ ♪ I was a jerk ♪ ♪ I did the work for somebody else's dream ♪ ♪ I took the chance ♪ ♪ And I lost my pants ♪ ♪ In somebody else's dream tonight ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Now you're calling me up to get paid ♪ ♪ And if you don't get paid, then you'll never get laid ♪ ♪ But I really don't have any money ♪ ♪ I say goodbye ♪ ♪ And you'll have to depend on your size ♪ ♪ 'Cause the thing that I built ♪ [ Vocalizing ] ♪ It's ripping my kilt ♪ ♪ It's coming to blow you away ♪ ♪ Ahhhh ♪ ♪ I was a jerk ♪ ♪ I did the work for somebody else's dream ♪ ♪ I took the chance ♪ ♪ I lost my pants ♪ ♪ In somebody else's dream tonight ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Now I think that I'm going to bed ♪ ♪ As the image of you and your...leaves my head ♪ ♪ 'Cause at T-minus 20 tomorrow ♪ ♪ Rocket flies ♪ ♪ And it does not depend on the size ♪ ♪ 'Cause the thing that I built ♪ [ Vocalizing ] ♪ It's ripping my kilt ♪ ♪ It's coming to blow you away ♪ Everybody sing whoo-ah!

♪ I was a jerk ♪ ♪ I did the work for somebody else's dream ♪ ♪ I took the chance ♪ ♪ I lost my pants ♪ ♪ In somebody else's dream tonight ♪ ♪ Whoa-oh, oh-oh ♪ ♪ Whoa-oh, oh-oh, ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ahh ♪ ♪ Whoa-oh, oh-oh ♪ ♪ Whoa-oh, oh-oh, ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ahh ♪ ♪ And on and on ♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] This next song is from our third album.

Um, it's about how art can be intimidating if you make something.

You can really just decide not to put it out and sit on it for the rest of your life.

And, you know, it's difficult to put something out there and have it be judged.

That's part of the deal.

It's like, okay, you made your movie, now see what people think.

And, um, a lot of people never get past that, I think.

And I understand why, because it's, you know, people can be mean.

But, um, I wrote a song about that phenomenon on our third album.

It's called "I Am What I Is."

It's called "I Am What I Is."

Ready?

♪ Christopher calls me ♪ ♪ He calls me complaining ♪ ♪ He's already waited ♪ ♪ Too long to begin ♪ ♪ The world is on one side ♪ ♪ And I'm on the other ♪ ♪ And I read in a magazine ♪ ♪ I am what I am ♪ ♪ I am ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Brian, the actor ♪ ♪ He caters on Saturdays ♪ ♪ With cuff link and bow tie ♪ ♪ He can bring me a drink ♪ ♪ He tells me he sweats it ♪ ♪ Like pig in a blanket ♪ ♪ And I ran out of toothpicks ♪ ♪ But I don't have to think and I am ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Mmmmmmm ♪ ♪ But autumn will come ♪ ♪ And everyone loves you ♪ ♪ When you've already won ♪ ♪ And I'm here to tell you ♪ ♪ That I don't care if up turns you down ♪ ♪ I will hear you say, "I am what I am, when I am what I is ♪ ♪ When I am what I am, when I am what I is" ♪ ♪ Oooh, ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Katie is lonely ♪ ♪ She lives with her parents ♪ ♪ She saves all her money ♪ ♪ So she can spend it in Spain ♪ ♪ Her mom doesn't get it ♪ ♪ She says to forget it ♪ ♪ And I told her we're different ♪ ♪ But she knows we're the same and I am ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Mmmmmmm ♪ ♪ But autumn will come ♪ ♪ And everyone loves you ♪ ♪ When you've already won ♪ ♪ And I'm here to tell you ♪ ♪ That I don't care if up turns you down ♪ ♪ I will hear you say, "I am what I am, when I am what I is ♪ ♪ When I am what I am, when I am what I is" ♪ ♪ Oooh, ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Oh, Christopher calls me ♪ ♪ He calls me complaining ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ You guys want to sing?

Yeah?

Okay.

Let's do it.

Here's your part.

Ready?

♪ Christopher calls me ♪ Do it.

♪ Christopher calls me ♪ ♪ Christopher calls me ♪ Rock and roll loud.

♪ Christopher calls me ♪ Okay, keep doing that.

♪ Christopher calls me ♪ ♪ When I am what I am, when I am what I is ♪ ♪ When I am what I am when I am what I is ♪ ♪ Christopher calls me ♪ ♪ When I am what I am when I am what I is ♪ ♪ Christopher calls me ♪ ♪ When I am what I am when I am what I is ♪ ♪ Christopher calls me ♪ ♪ When I am what I am when I am what I is ♪ ♪ Christopher calls me ♪ ♪ When I am what I am when I am what I is ♪ ♪ Christopher calls me ♪ ♪ When I am what I am when I am what I is ♪ ♪ Christopher calls me ♪ ♪ When I am what I am when I am what I is ♪ ♪ Christopher calls me ♪ ♪ When I am ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] You guys are great.

That was your audition.

Get in the van.

Davis: Gabrielle, when did you join the band?

Davis: Gabrielle, when did you join the band?

I joined in 2011.

Okay.

Both of the backing vocalists that were in the band at the time, I think, like, both left that year.

Yeah.

And so I became one of them.

Yeah.

You were the sole backing vocalist for one year.

Is that true?

2011.

And we played that show in Hungary.

Oh, that is true.

I forgot.

Yeah.

That was your first show with us, was the show in Hungary.

That's true.

That's true.

I was doing a play, and I had to fly separately.

And I arrived in Hungary for my first show.

Yeah.

Forgot about that.

So that was right before the sixth Wheatus album, which is "The Valentine LP."

And so that was the first record that I was on.

We're a very like working-class band and we all, like, lift all the gear and we all, you know, tech and everything.

And I think -- I had never really toured before.

So, like, I remember that first tour being really difficult, and somehow I stuck it out.

I mean, it's still hard, you know.

We still sometimes don't get enough sleep We still sometimes don't get enough sleep and are always lugging all the gear and driving far.

But yeah, so 2011.

So I can't do math on the spot.

So I can't do math on the spot.

13 years.

13 years.

Something like that, yeah.

This next one is a bit of a...improv.

It's two songs that we know how to play, that we've been playing for 25 years.

Longer than that even.

But we mish mash them up so we don't know what chorus is coming when.

[ Laughter ] They might have to cut this from the broadcast.

[ Laughter ] So if you want to get involved, do it.

One of the songs is "Leroy" from our first album, and the other is "Jessie's Girl" by Rick Springfield.

[ Laughter ] Gabrielle does not know what's coming, so it's not going to be her fault.

It's a real roller coaster ride.

Mm-hmm.

[ Playing intro to "Jessie's Girl" ] ♪♪ ♪ He's got the dirtiest shoes that I ever seen ♪ ♪ Chew on a blunt, wipe his butt with a magazine ♪ ♪ Jessie is a friend ♪ [ Laughter ] ♪ Yeah, I know he's been a good friend of mine ♪ ♪ Yeah, and lately something's changing ♪ ♪ It ain't hard to define ♪ ♪ Jessie's got himself a girl ♪ ♪ And I wanna make her mine ♪ ♪ Smokin' his crack, wash it down with some gasoline ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Still he push the button ♪ ♪ E.F. Hutton when he speaks to me ♪ ♪ Oh, you know, he told me "Shake it ♪ ♪ Don't break it ♪ ♪ It took too damn long to make it" ♪ ♪ Leroy is my mojo man ♪ ♪ Leroy is my mojo man ♪ ♪ He come, he take me by the hand ♪ ♪ 'Cause Leroy is my mojo man tonight ♪ Alright!

♪♪ ♪ I'll play along with the charade ♪ ♪ There doesn't seem to be a reason to change ♪ ♪ You know I feel so dirty when they start talking cute ♪ ♪ I want to tell her that I love her ♪ ♪ But the point is probably moot ♪ And if it's moot, Rick, why do you keep singing in the song that's about stealing your friend's girl?

[ Laughter ] You could have stopped right there.

You could have been the Thomas Aquinas of 1982.

[ Laughter ] But you chose violence.

♪ And she's watching him with those eyes ♪ ♪ Yes, she's loving him with that body ♪ ♪ I just know it ♪ ♪ Yes, she's holding him in those arms late at night ♪ ♪ You know, I wish I had Jessie's girl ♪ ♪ I wish that I had Jessie's girl ♪ ♪ Where can I find a woman like that?

♪ ♪♪ ♪ And I look in the mirror all the time ♪ ♪ Wondering what she don't see in me ♪ ♪ I've been funny, I've been cool with the lines ♪ ♪ Ain't that the way love's supposed to be?

♪ ♪ No ♪ Key change.

♪♪ It's a cheap trick.

To distract you from content.

♪ Where can I find a woman like that?

♪ ♪ Leroy is my mojo man ♪ ♪ Leroy is my mojo man ♪ ♪ He come, he take me by the hand ♪ ♪ 'Cause Leroy is my mojo man ♪ ♪ Leroy is my mojo man ♪ ♪ Leroy is my mojo man ♪ ♪ He come, he take me by the hand ♪ ♪ 'Cause Leroy is my mojo man tonight ♪ Alright!

♪♪ [ Laughter, cheers, applause ] There's a lot of threads in there that I think are exciting to follow and talk about, and one that -- I don't know.

I keep coming back to this -- when Napster first came around, and I think you had your ear to the ground a little bit, maybe in a way that the major labels did not.

Right?

And a lot of what you're talking about, of recording a demo and putting it online, like, these are things that maybe not just in how we consume music, but how you make music are coming to fruition.

Right?

Like what?

You can -- many people can make a demo in their mom's basement with the equipment and the access to the Internet now.

What -- If you were to talk to a younger musician who is making music now, what advice would you give them?

That better content is better than more content.

[ Chuckling ] Okay.

That's good.

Very good.

And excellent content bests everything, in my opinion.

This is just -- You know, I'm X generation.

You know, I can still survive in the woods if I need to, but I would say that I've seen a lot of young artists, in particular on TikTok, sort of getting burnt out because they're expected by their label or by their management or by just by what they interpret as the system to deliver daily or sometimes multi-daily content.

I don't think good art works that way.

It requires thought and introspection and, like, sort of processing of reality.

And it just doesn't work on like, "Okay, I'm going to wake up this morning and make the best TikTok video better than the one I did yesterday."

You know?

Like what sticking power does that have?

It doesn't.

Right.

Yeah.

Yeah, totally.

And I think the labels have adapted to the new sort of permanent online distribution model by asking artists, particularly young artists, to be everywhere all the time with new stuff.

[ Clicks tongue ] Ah.

I don't -- I don't think that's healthy.

I think that's another way for -- it's like when they, back in the day, when they used to send us on radio tours where you couldn't get any sleep and you had to wake up at 6:00 -- for a 6:00 radio show at 4:00 a.m. and then go and play a show until midnight, and then get on the tour bus and do it again seven days a week.

And then they were like, "Why does he have to go to the hospital?"

Because he has, you know, pneumonia.

[ Laughter ] It's the modern version of that.

For this next song, I got to tell you a story.

So I'm taking you back, like I said, back to August of 2001.

We've had two top 5 hits, we live in London.

We've had two top 5 hits, we live in London.

We have completely fooled everybody.

[ Laughter ] We're getting invited to, like, play shows for the Prince of England.

He was a prince back then.

Sandwiched in between Meatloaf and Beyonce.

Meatloaf shoved me to the ground one time.

True story.

He thought he was being funny.

Anyway, there were 2 A&R guys at the record label in London.

And they got into a fight over what our third single should be.

[ Laughter ] One of the guys really like Limp Bizkit.

So he thought out third single should sound like Limp Bizkit!

Limp Bizkit!

And the guy really like the Gorillaz.

So he thought our first single should sound like the Gorillaz.

And we were like, "Hey, guys, stop fighting.

And we were like, "Hey, guys, stop fighting.

Um, we made the first two.

What if we did the third?"

[ Laughter ] They were like, "Shut up!

Get back under the table, band!

The adults are arguing over your future."

So we thought, "Let's stage a coup."

Let's secretly rent a studio and re-record the song "Wannabe Gangster" for our third single.

I mean, that was the one they were fighting about.

Wasn't our first choice, but we went for it.

Turned out the only studio available that week, August of 2001, was Abbey Road Studios.

And there was only one room available.

And it was room 2, where they made "Sgt.

Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band."

So we got in there, and I immediately took a nap where Paul played "Blackbird" on the acoustic guitar.

'Cause vibes.

Suddenly, I was awakened about 20 minutes into my nap.

Our co-producer Phil was shaking me.

He said, "You have a phone call, get upstairs."

I said, "Okay."

It's Iron Maiden's manager.

Bruce Dickinson is on his way down to Abbey Road to sing on your new single.

He heard you were there.

Half hour later, a very sweaty Bruce Dickinson comes through the door with a road bike and a helmet in his hand, he says, "Right, what you want me to do?"

I said, "Get in that vocal booth and sing like you did I said, "Get in that vocal booth and sing like you did on 'Run to the Hills', man.

What do you think I want you to do?"

[ Laughter ] And we nailed it.

I mean, we really did it.

And we nailed it.

I mean, we really did it.

We were producing a song in Abbey Road, the holiest of holies, that I wrote about Commack, Long Island.

And Bruce was singing the word "Commack", and he didn't know what it was.

[ Laughter ] But we really fooled them this time.

They're never gonna find out' who we really are.

So when we finished, we were super proud of it.

So when we finished, we were super proud of it.

And we called up the guy who directed the "Teenage Dirtbag" video, and we said, "Jeff" -- his name was Jeff.

We said, "Jeff, can you do it again?

Can you hit it out of the park again?"

And he goes, "Yeah, but this time, I want to do it like if 'Brother From Another Planet' was directed by Stanley Kubrick."

[ Laughter ] [ Laughter ] I said, "Sign me up for that, man!"

Yes, Jeff.

Has anyone ever seen the video for "Wannabe Gangster"?

Our song, our third single.

No?

It's 'cause it's the worst video ever made.

[ Laughter ] Skip it.

Anyway, that kind of settled the argument over our third single.

♪♪ ♪ I am a wannabe ♪ ♪ You'd better be careful around me ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I come from far away ♪ ♪ Where Mustang dreams are made ♪ ♪♪ ♪ And we are fashioned in the image ♪ ♪ Of the dons who have come before us ♪ ♪ We all kiss the rings of sand ♪ ♪ Like our fathers told us ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm a wannabe gangster ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm a wannabe gangster ♪ ♪ Better go back to Commack ♪ ♪ Better go back to Commack ♪ ♪ I'm a wannabe gangster ♪ ♪ I'm a wannabe gangster ♪ ♪ You better go back to Commack ♪ ♪ You better go back to Commack ♪ ♪ I'm a wannabe gangster ♪ ♪ You better go back to Commack ♪ ♪ Better go back to far away ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Like a lemon pie a-la-mode, my nine is easy to load ♪ ♪ Or hold ♪ ♪ All hail Jericho, Turnpike Tech ♪ ♪ That's where I go ♪ ♪ To learn the things about the universe ♪ ♪ I'll need so I can build a stampede ♪ ♪ And I'll be all up in your face again ♪ ♪ I'm all up in your face ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm a wannabe gangster ♪ ♪ Better go back to Commack ♪ ♪ I'm a wannabe gangster ♪ ♪ You better go back to Commack ♪ ♪ I'm a wannabe gangster ♪ ♪ You better go back to Commack ♪ ♪ Better go back to far away ♪ ♪ A wannabe gangster ♪ ♪ A victim of the chromosome prankster ♪ ♪ I thanks ya ♪ ♪ I sits back in my chair to contemplate my hair ♪ Oh, damn, I wreak of cologne.

Oh, damn, I wreak of cologne.

♪ Yeah, but yo, I'm looking snappy ♪ ♪ I'm nappy ♪ ♪ Got jimmy hats from Pappy ♪ ♪ So now I'm trigger-happy ♪ Girl, did he just rhyme "nappy" with "crappy"?

♪ Yeah, so ♪ ♪ You girlies wanna get with this nit-wit ♪ ♪ Got Cheez Whiz or not?

♪ ♪ Then I might have to blow up your mailbox ♪ ♪ Or toilet-paper your front yard ♪ ♪ Or toilet-paper your front yard ♪ ♪ Show the cops my suburbs card ♪ ♪ They got to let me go 'cause they know that I'm hard ♪ ♪ It's the deal, it's for real ♪ ♪ You better listen what I'm tellin' you ♪ ♪ You better listen what I'm tellin' you ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm a wannabe gangster ♪ ♪ A wannabe gangster ♪ ♪ Better go back to Commack ♪ ♪ I'm a wannabe gangster ♪ ♪ You better go back to Commack ♪ ♪ I'm a wannabe gangster ♪ ♪ You better go back to Commack ♪ ♪♪ ♪ I'm a wannabe gangster ♪ ♪ You better go back to Commack ♪ ♪ I'm a wannabe gangster ♪ ♪ You better go back to Commack ♪ ♪ I'm a wannabe gangster ♪ ♪ You better go back to Commack ♪ ♪ Better go back to far ♪ ♪ Better go back to far away ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thanks.

Alright.

So, um... My dad used to play Willie Nelson in the car all the time, and really, really fell in love with Willie Nelson and really, really fell in love with Willie Nelson on family car trips.

It got him in me from an early age, and I memorized it all, and it was just wonderful.

Anybody like Willie in the audience?

[ Scattered cheers, applause ] And my dad passed away in August of last year.

And my dad passed away in August of last year.

Willie Nelson and fly fishing was about the only thing we agreed on.

[ Laughter ] So I'm going to play him a Willie Nelson song.

So I'm going to play him a Willie Nelson song.

This is from a record that Willie did called "Greatest Hits (& Some that Should Be.)"

"Greatest Hits (& Some that Should Be.)"

It was written by a guy named Steven Fromholz, this track.

It's called "I'd Have to Be Crazy to Fall Out of Love with You."

And I thought, "That's a good one.

That's going to be a good one to learn.

I'll learn that one."

And I didn't know that it's all jazzed out on the record.

I went to find these chords and I just -- I couldn't find them.

We were on the Internet for hours trying to find them.

Nothing, you know?

So I took about a month and figured out what to do on guitar for it.

I don't know what any of these chords are called, so if anybody does, let's talk later.

[ Laughter ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I'd have to be crazy ♪ ♪ To stop all my singing ♪ ♪ And never play music again ♪ ♪ You'd call me a fool ♪ ♪ You'd call me a fool ♪ ♪ If I grabbed up a top hat ♪ ♪ And ran out to flag down the wind ♪ ♪ I'd have to be weird ♪ ♪ To grow me a beard ♪ ♪ To grow me a beard ♪ ♪ Just to see what the rednecks would do ♪ ♪ But I'd have to be crazy ♪ ♪ Plumb out of my mind ♪ ♪ To fall out of love with you ♪ ♪♪ ♪ I know I've done weird things ♪ ♪ I know I've done weird things ♪ ♪ Told people I heard things ♪ ♪ When silence was all abounds ♪ ♪ Been days when it's pleased me ♪ ♪ To be on my knees ♪ ♪ Following ants as they crawled across the ground ♪ ♪ I've been insane on a train ♪ ♪ I've been insane on a train ♪ ♪ But I'm still me again ♪ ♪ And the place where I hold you is true ♪ ♪ So I know I'm alright ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'd have to be crazy to fall out of love with you ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ You know I ♪ ♪ I don't intend to ♪ ♪ But should there come a day ♪ ♪ When I say that I don't love you ♪ ♪ You can lock me awa-a-a-ay ♪ ♪ I sure would be dingy ♪ ♪ To live in an envelope ♪ ♪ Waiting alone for a stamp ♪ ♪ You'd swear I was loco ♪ ♪ To rub for a genie ♪ ♪ Whilst burning my hand on the lamp ♪ ♪ And I may not be normal ♪ ♪ But nobody is ♪ ♪ So I'd like to say before I'm through ♪ ♪ So I'd like to say before I'm through ♪ ♪ I'd have to be crazy ♪ ♪ Plumb out of my mind ♪ ♪ To fall out of love with you ♪ ♪♪ ♪ I'd have to be crazy ♪ ♪ Plumb out of my mind ♪ ♪ To fall out of love with you ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] You know, you talked a little bit about it earlier, but "Teenage Dirtbag" was certainly kind of the kind of seminal moment for you as a band and I think opened a lot of doors to the audience that you see now.

When you were writing that song, you said you started it in high school, kind of worked through a couple iterations of it.

Do you feel like, when you were writing it and when you put it out, you kind of had a sense that like, "this is something I'm saying that's going to resonate with people," or has the staying power kind of surprised you?

[ Clears throat ] It's funny.

I don't -- I don't feel like it's ever stayed.

I feel like it's more like it's just returned.

Yeah, got it.

[ Laughs ] We had that, too.

We had that feeling when we first started touring and when we first started going to, in particular in Europe, when we were successful over there and we were at awards shows and things.

We'd have conversations with each other like, "Wait till they find out that we're just a bunch of idiots from Long Island and they kick us out of here."

You know, we never felt like we belonged in those places.

And I guess it did have something to do with the fact that when it came out in the States, to do with the fact that when it came out in the States, it didn't do anything, or it kind of, you know, just made a blip.

Sure.

But I was a fan of bands that had made a blip.

Lots of bands, you know?

I think what's interesting to me is kind of the inspiration for the song.

Can you talk a little bit about that story and kind of what inspired you to write it?

So it's a musical identity moment song, right?

So it's a musical identity moment song, right?

And my musical identity moment was the summer of 1984.

I was 10 years old.

What wound up happening was I was really into AC/DC and also Prince and Huey Lewis and the News.

Predominantly AC/DC.

And that matters because there was sort of my town And that matters because there was sort of my town was sort of ground zero for the Satanic panic because there was a Satanic murder amongst a bunch of teenagers in the woods, sort of close, two blocks behind my house.

You know?

And the primary perpetrator, or the one they sort of pinned it all on was arrested wearing an AC/DC T-shirt.

And so there was a curfew in the town, and it was parents and teachers and cops and priests and nuns, and people really became focused on what music had done in this situation, what role it had played.

As a sort of burgeoning non-believer or skeptic, couldn't have put the term "adult hypocrisy" out of my own mouth, right?

But I began to sense that something was, like, off about this clamp down.

And it was a little too early for me to have to stand up for my musical tastes or identify as an AC/DC fan, and that was something that other kids' parents would send you home for, you know?

Sure.

Yeah.

you home for, you know?

Sure.

Yeah.

So, that was the moment for me where it was like, well, you can either conform to whatever this peculiar hypocrisy that's happening here, or you can tell them hypocrisy that's happening here, or you can tell them to get stuffed, you know?

to get stuffed, you know?

And it became like -- it's a little punk rock And it became like -- it's a little punk rock even though it wasn't about punk rock music for me even though it wasn't about punk rock music for me at the time necessarily.

It was this sort of like, no, no, no, I really -- I'm sticking with Angus Young.

He's teaching me how to play guitar.

I'm working on something here, and I'm not gonna, like, you know, stop, I'm not gonna throw my AC/DC tapes on the bonfire because some people think that this has something to do with what happened in the woods, you know?

So writing "Teenage Dirtbag" for me, was sort of, I wanted to really sort of get the DNA of that feeling, of that summer.

That sort of undeveloped sense of self, insisting on itself, into the song.

Like, that was the subtext.

And that's what the setting is.

The setting for me is the summer of 1984 on Long Island in the big Satanic panic episode.

In the end, it doesn't really matter what it was about for me.

Right, because the important thing is that other people can find themselves in the song.

So like, I don't care how that happens.

And I learned new things about identity and about people through meeting people who are drawn to the song.

So it's always like an update.

It's like a software up.

[ Laughs ] Yeah.

You know?

And it's become something that I don't seek to control or much care about even, how people identify with it or see themselves in it or what gender it is.

None of that matters to me at all if it's something you can plug yourself into, however that needs to happen.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Her name is Noelle ♪ ♪ I have a dream about her ♪ ♪ She rings my bell ♪ ♪ I got gym class in half an hour ♪ ♪ Oh, how she rocks ♪ ♪ In Keds and tube socks ♪ ♪ But she doesn't know who I am ♪ ♪ And she doesn't give a damn about me ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm just a teenage dirtbag, baby ♪ ♪ Yeah, I'm just a teenage dirtbag, baby ♪ ♪ Listen to Iron Maiden, baby, with me ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Her boyfriend's a... ♪ ♪ And he brings a gun to school ♪ ♪ And he'd simply kick ♪ ♪ My...if he knew the truth ♪ ♪ He lives on my block ♪ ♪ And he drives an IROC ♪ ♪ But he doesn't know who I am ♪ ♪ And he doesn't give a damn about me ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm just a teenage dirtbag, baby ♪ ♪ Yeah, I'm just a teenage dirtbag, baby ♪ ♪ Listen to Iron Maiden, baby, with me ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Oh, yeah, dirtbag ♪ ♪ No, she doesn't know what she's missin' ♪ ♪ Oh, yeah, dirtbag ♪ ♪ No, she doesn't know what she's missin' ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Man, I feel like mold ♪ ♪ It's prom night and I am lonely ♪ ♪ Lo and behold ♪ ♪ She's walkin' over to me ♪ ♪ This must be fake ♪ ♪ My lip starts to shake ♪ ♪ How does she know who I am?

♪ ♪ And why does she give a damn about me-e-e-e-e?

♪ So, I know you guys can sing already.

Do you want to try something?

You guys are gonna sing my old regular girl part.

I'm going to sing a higher harmony.

[ Light laughter ] We good?

You know what to do?

Okay.

We're going to rehearse it once.

Alright?

So your part is this one.

[ Higher pitch ] ♪ I've got two tickets to Iron Maiden, baby ♪ ♪ Come with me Friday ♪ Crowd: [ Softly ] ♪ Don't say maybe ♪ ♪ I'm just a teenage dirtbag, baby, like you ♪ [ Normal voice ] Pretty good.

You can do it louder, though, I think, because... [ Laughter ] ...the microphones won't Pick you up.

And then I'll just be singing this funny high harmony and people will be like, "Why is he doing that?"

[ Laughter continues ] So let's try it.

Are you ready?

Louder now.

Get it going.

You know how it goes.

[ Higher pitch ] ♪ I've got two tickets ♪ ♪ To Iron Maiden, baby ♪ [ Normal voice ] Oh, yeah, they got it.

Yeah.

They're good.

Iowa's got this.

We don't have to rehearse it anymore.

Alright.

This is my part.

Don't sing my part.

It's tempting.

Don't do it.

Okay?

I have a new part.

You have the old one.

[ Laughter ] Don't worry.

Just own it.

♪ I've got two tickets to Iron Maiden, baby ♪ ♪ Come with me Friday, don't say maybe ♪ ♪ I'm just a teenage dirtbag, baby, like you ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh ♪ Iowa PBS!

♪ Oh, yeah, dirtbag ♪ ♪ No, she doesn't know what she's missin' ♪ ♪ Oh, yeah, dirtbag ♪ ♪ No, she doesn't know what she's missi-i-i-i-n' ♪ ♪ Oh-oh, whoa, whoa ♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ Thank you, Iowa PBS.

You are wonderful, great singers.

We'll come back anytime.

Thank you so much.

We love you.

♪♪ Let's dance.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Iowa PBS, Iowa PBS ♪ ♪ Iowa PBS, Iowa PBS ♪ That's the hardest thing to sing over this melody I've ever... [ Laughter ] Davis: "Studio 3 Live" is also available as a podcast.

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