Bishop Briggs

Published Apr 2, 2024, 10:00 AM

Meet Bishop Briggs, a British-American singer and songwriter. Her single "River" peaked at number 3 on the US Alternative Chart and has been streamed more than 485 million times on Spotify. Listen to Bishop Briggs and Craig discuss her musical career, having kids and their special Scottish connection. This one is not to be missed. EnJOY and go listen her music now! 

The Craig Ferguson Fancy Rascal Stand Up to Her continues throughout twenty twenty four. For a full list of dates and tickets, go to the Craig Ferguson show dot com slash tour. See you out there, the Greig Ferguson show dot com slash Tour.

My name is Craig Ferguson. The name of this podcast is Joy. I talk to interest in people about what brings them happiness.

Please welcome today an artist who is emerging as one of the most important, powerful young voices in her field.

She's also well she's not Scottish, but she's Scottish.

You'll see Bishop Breaks.

What I'm fascinated by because you work under the name Bishop Breaks.

Yeah right, and of course what many people.

Outside of Scotland may not know as Bishop Brigs a little town school. It's very very close to where I grew up and I think I'm probably at the same age as your parents, right because I'm sixty one?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, Do I know them? Well?

They said the name of when when I this is so like having parents that don't live in the US. But I sent them a message through WhatsApp, right about this, and they're like, oh, he lives in starts with a P.

He's from prison to prison, He's from prison.

He's from Pleasant. No, no, I must stay away from him because he's he's telling you. I'm telling you, No, I was from I was from Springburn. Okay, so springs a P in there. There is second second letter.

If you didn't get that from what I said.

I did. Kind I knew where I was from even before you started talking, so it wasn't a big deal for me. Smart did you? You didn't grow up in Scotland. It's a shame because I think you've got a very Scottish accent. Do you go there a lot? Do your parents still take you there? Yeah?

That's like where I grew up going and our whole my whole family still lives in Scotland and Meshop Briggs. Yeah, but my mom and dad actually live in Hong Kong currently. Just to make things a little.

Spicy, confusing, your parents sound very international? Yes, well I grew up very internationally. Is that what happened?

Okay?

So my I was born it's just going to get very confusing. But I was born in London and I when I was four moved to Japan, not my own that would be a too.

It's strange.

Well have you ever seen that thing in Japanese? Steve? Even they let four year old kids walk around? I know, is that beautiful?

That is a great way to describe growing up there, I will say, really yeah, just so safe and like just amazing culture.

And I didn't go to Japan until I was god, I don't know, like fifty years old or something, but trying to go into Japan when I was young, I wouldn't have come back. I had to go, and that stayed.

It's a dream.

It's a wonderful place.

Yeah, so live there for six years and then Hong Kong eight years. So my mom and dad are still there.

All right, what is it the why are they?

What are they up to?

Yeah? What are they spies?

Well my dad is very charming and he does have a gold chain that he wears every day.

Right, Okay, but no, it was just your dad, your dad.

It's so weird because you do look like everyone in my family.

Yes, and that's why. And I think you'll understand this too.

I think sometimes people are like, oh my gosh, you'll get along so well, like what a great connection, which is true. But you put them in this category of family very quickly. Yeah, so you overshare, which is perfect for today.

Well, it's I'm not going to make you overshare. I don't. I don't want you to feed. Don't you don't feel guarded.

You're not making me overshare. Your freckles are oh yeah, you know what I mean, Like the features are.

Yeah.

I think when you get into your sexties, they're not freckles anymore. I think they're just like there's age, it's not freckle as a young person's game.

And I think now it's just like liver spots and stuff. Oh my god, it's bad. But listen, so you go by, you go to Scotland a lot. Then, yes, did you listen to Scottish artists? You have a very dramatic and big sound. As an artist, you're very intensely emotional. Your your music is very emotional and very powerful, and I wondered if there was any influence from Scotland in there.

Well, I will say growing up in Japan, I mean there's influence from Scotland in the sense that my mum and dad were obsessed with music, right, and so we would go to karaoke bars, which at the time wasn't weird being in a bar at that age, But.

No, I still think karaoke is okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And so that's where really where like I became obsessed with music and got really into motown music and yeah, and there was like this gospel choir teacher that appeared at my school.

That makes sense with how you how you ended up as an artist or where you are right now is an urbist anyway, because you are very It's it's big.

It's like it's almost religious the stuff you do, isn't it.

So I played a show in Scotland. I want to remember the place, really small place, but it's so iconic, like every.

There you go, yeah, yeah, yeah, that's the place.

Every like famous comedian has played there, yeah, everybody. But what I didn't know and my dad told me after because of course, you know, he came to the show, which I'm so glad for, was it's quite an infamous place where they will tell.

You if they don't like you.

At Glasgow, they will tell you sure.

And just when you were asking if there was any influence from Scotland, I was performing this is like the first song and there's a little bit of a build up. I hear the crowd saying something, but I don't recognize what they're saying. It's not a lyric. It's sort of like in between each lyric and they're going.

Here, we here, we here, we fucking.

Gold obsessed and anyways, I will say that energy of like we're going to give our all, We're going to put it all on the table.

We are super present that I really relate to in terms of music.

I feel that that entry very a great description of the Scottish audience as well. I started out when I was doing stand up with Scottish audiences. And the thing is about it what you describe is perfectly accurate that it is. It's about how present they are. So it's not that they're tough, it's just that they won't let you get away with it. They're there, yes, and they will be participating in the show, so you better be as well. Yes, And I think that it's it's a fascinating place.

I don't live there anymore. I live in Hong Kong. Where do you live now?

I live in la.

In Los Angeles?

Yeah, what about you?

I lived in Los ange Liz for twenty three years. Okay, have you had a place called New York.

No, it's a little time in the East Coast. It's kind of a fishing village. It sounds interesting if you like the smell of weed and peepee when you walk around weed and peepee and peepee.

Yeah, that's actually what I felt when I hugged you. I said, oh, weed and peepee.

Woh no, way, come on, I'm no longer your father. I don't. I don't have a daughter anymore. Peepe peep. First of all, I don't I smoked weed in years.

Do you smoke weeds?

I don't.

Oh no, I've done it. Okay, I'll tell you something quick. Okay, you went to the dentist. It's a first mistake.

Why don't go?

Don't go? Law?

Well yeah, same now Scottish.

It's the kind of thing.

Well, so I go to the dentist and they're like, okay, amazing. So how long have you been chained smoking?

For yes?

And I'm a vocalist, not that that excuses anything, but so I was never into cigarettes, never smoked weed. Like I was like, this is my thing, right, I need to protect my vocals. But it really is like British teeth. Scottish you know, it's a thing.

You have a baby?

Yeah?

Was it? Actually you're pregnant, Yes, yeah, it's a pregnancy.

You're kidding.

No, it happened to my wife too, really yeah, yeah yeah yeah? When what was it? I don't know. There's something affects your teeth.

I think sometimes some women and my wife she's not Scottish, but our background is Scottish.

Like, yes, And when our youngest was born, she.

Because she's got like American teeth, like you know, and she had to get like she had cavities for the first time and I had to get her wizen teeth out and.

All that stuff. Okay, so it's the baby. It's nothing. It's not Scottish teeth. Okay, yeah, how about your baby?

Needless, he's a year and a half.

Oh my god, are you getting any sleep? No?

No, Well, honestly, right at this exact moment, I'm not because do you know about this thing? Well, it's it's way too boring. I definitely don't want to talk about it. But it's the twenty month sleep regression. It's like this infamous thing.

Is this anything sounds familiar? I didn't know there was a name for it. But I had two children that growing growing up. Well, the youngest one's thirteen, but they're still they're growing up.

There was a reason I was going to bring up the teeth though it was related to something.

Because your baby's teething, maybe is that what's happening. No, it was before for the child is chain smoking and weed, and yeah, I was so went there you go, father, But I still listened to you.

But when he asked that, I instead of being like, oh no, like I don't do those things, I was like, I've smoked the weed three times in my life and so unnecessary. And you could see he was just like, I'm going to vomit, Like this is way too much information. But so I have done it three times in my life and I like three times. I cleaned my apartment during it, and it was very, very positive experience.

I did no care for weed at all. I mean I took all the drugs, yeah, and the drink. I took it all. And I hated weed the most. Weed and speed were the two that I hated.

Oh my god, I want to know all. I want to know all your stories.

I've never done drugs, you know what I think now, I think that is by far. Like when I was doing drugs, I haven't done drugs now going thirty two years.

Wow.

Right, yeah, so I was younger than you are now when I quit, right, And there was no phananel when I was a kid, That's what I was going to say, right, so there wasn't like that so scary now, oh my god, like just you take it and you're dad, right. I think I would a I don't know if i'd have made it through that, right, because you can just you just take crap that's lying around.

Terrifying.

Yeah, it's awful.

So I'm glad to hear you don't do drugs, me and your father and your mother because we've all been talking on.

What's that exactly, know WhatsApp group you say that's coming in to find that they don't call you beshop?

Do they know they call me Sarah because so my full name is Sara I McLaughlin.

I knew that, which I can't use of course because.

The beautiful there.

Yeah, it was just like it wasn't really you are fucking Scottish girl. You've got a fucking attitude of a Scottish girl. You got way with nothing. I got away with nothing going home.

Oh my god.

Right, So so you don't do the drugs and you.

Don't do the drag because you said my mom and daughter are listening right, So yeah, never done.

No, but I actually have. I haven't I had.

I don't get that vibe from you would were you're drawing into music right away with you because you said like your parents were obsessed with music. Yes, people of especially Glaswegian specially Briggs of our generation me and your parents' generation.

The music was everything, yes, everything. Yeah, it was all music all the time, and American music mostly.

And the shows that my dad went to, like it was like, oh led Zeppelin came through. I'm like what, You're just incredible everybody right, yes, yes, that's where he went.

Yeah.

I saw Queen there like three times on the Sheer Heart Tack album, and I mean it's like it's like right at the beginning slash there, So I mean.

It's there, you know, I mean it's I mean, if you that'd be crazy.

I love to meet. We probably have, especially if he's charming with a gold chain. I bet you.

I know.

Well, his nickname is Cheeky Charlie.

Wait, Cheeky Charlie for Bishops. I'm pretty sure. I know, I might even know money.

I know you're joking, but there's a part of it that feels real.

It doesn't feel real. This is what's freaking me the I think.

But look, I bet ask your dad, like as your mom and dad did they go to Maestros. Maestross is another club they would have gone.

Oh my god, I bet you are saying things that are really ringing a bell because that's one of the places that they went to together.

I performed there with an actor from Bishop Briggs. What, Yeah, you know the actor of Peter Capaldi. Yes, Peters from Bishop Briggs.

Oh, I didn't know that.

And I were in a band together when we were eighteen nineteen years old as a drummer. Peter was a singer Peers from Bishop Briggs and I'm from how I grew up in Common All but I'm from Springbourne and my mom used to work for his dad at the ice cream pa.

Oh my god, I know.

Anyway, so we used to perform there. So I bet cheeky Charlie Bishop Briggs so has performing Oh yeah, that's crazy.

Wow, it's really interesting too. Like I I was just listening to something on the way over. I don't know, I don't know why I can't revew am I not going to? What was it?

That's cuzy, You've got it base.

It's this very provocative, sort of fun podcast called the Canceled Podcast.

All right.

They were talking about really finding their way with being on stage and and these two people, you know, they've kind of turned into moguls, but they really at their core are entertainers. You know, even if it's just them talking on a stage, you know, people are there, they're drawn in, right, And they were talking about different things that they did growing up, you know, even like eighteen onwards whatever, Right, different things they did to find what they liked to do. But it actually was all under the umbrella of entertaining, and some of it fell. Oh, I don't know why. I don't really like this feeling. And it's just interesting where your life took you and what you you know, you're on stage playing drums, right, but you do comedy, But do you do a talk show? You know?

It's like, but you find your thing as you go.

You do.

I think though that I I was talking to someone with this recent actually because I've never been able to find what I do. I don't really do I do. I do whatever I do, But basically I guess it goes back to stand up and really stand up. I think stand up is a musician's discipline. True stand ups.

I'm not talking about. There's a different type of stand up now. There's those short form like forty five second stuff or social media, and it's not any less valid.

It's just a different thing, different thing. Yeah, But what I do is a kind of long form, live thing. That's what I do. Yes, and it has a I do it like a show and a lot of stand ups, you know, old timey stand ups that I'm friends with, Jay Leno or you know people who who do it like that. They think like musicians. Robin Williams always say that as well. It's like jazz.

So it's just you know, it's just you got your improvis Did you watch his documentary?

I did not, but oh it's so good. But we were we were friends.

Okay, Well it's very inspiring.

Yeah, but he was very inspiring. Man. Were you interested in comedy at all?

Comedy?

No?

No, well I didn't even think too.

Well, it's I don't know if you grew up in Japan, it's not. Is it culturally a thing in Japan? Would you see it? You speak Japanese?

Okay, So in Japan I just relied on cuteness, you know. That's how I got around. Cute, cute, so I didn't have to do anything. In Hong Kong, I learned Mandarin and Cantonese and studied French, so a bit all over the place. Oh, I think it's good what I was going to say though, And I wonder if you feel this too. It's very humbling when your whole family's from Scotland, because there's you don't actually think you're funny.

Because everyone is.

Everyone's funny.

Everyone is funny and also like at times ten times funnier, and they're like, no, I work at the bakery.

Yeah, you know what I mean.

So I'm impressed that you you I know exactly the area that you're from, right, and I'm impressed that you've still you know, went forward.

You know, well, I just ran away. That's what it was a fuck because everything else was funnier but smart. Yeah, I mean yeah, Lewis Capaldi, who's Peter's nephew. Everybody's related, like you're my daughter. I mean well my brother. Yeah, yeah, it's all. It's all. It's all part of the same five millions Scottish people, right, and that's enough though you don't want any more than that.

That's not true.

Oh, that's way more than enough. The Craig Ferguson Fancy Rascals Stand Up Tour continues throughout the United States in twenty twenty four. For a full list of dates and tickets, go to the Craig Ferguson show dot com slash tour. So you are there, listen. I want to talk to you about the music though, because your music is singular in the sense that it has a well I was talking about earlier. But the drama and the and the kind of the.

Bigness of you as an artist that at thirty is quite that's where you are right at the thirty years old.

It's huge. So what were you listening to when you were a teenager when you were coming through.

I was listening to Aretha Franklin.

Okay, edit, James, Yeah, it makes sense.

Oh it is reading.

Yes, But then there was the whole angle of like Queen Janis Joplin, so McJagger, you know, it's there was still that performative aspect.

I've never seen you live. Are you very well?

Did you have to come to a show?

Yeah, I would love to come to Well.

I go crazy on stage, really, Oh yeah, I'm running non stop, jumping up and down like laying on the ground.

I love it crazy.

You know.

I worked with Mike Jagger for a while.

What.

Yeah, we were writing now this. Yeah, well, I've got to tell you this story because it's about performance. So we were writing a screenplay together for a movie that was never made. But during the Bridges to Babylon tour, I was on tour with Meg and we were writing during the day.

Stop that's true. Stop. Yeah.

So the first time I met him, I was in Istanbul and he said, well, come to the Shadow and you can say the because I'm going it's just a shoow.

But you get an idea for it down the front. And I was like all right.

So I went to the show and I was down the front and jeez, I mean, what a performer. He really threw down and it was unbelievable. And then after I was talking to him, we went out for dinner stuff and I said, wow, you really threw down tonight. It was just a midweek show. Yes, and he said, it's always stayed with me, and I want you to always remember this. He always said, Now I never pied money. Is see someone who was shy. That is so good, that fucking great, And he's like because he's not, he's running around like crazy.

When he's not on stage, he's an intelligent, thoughtful, clever human being. But when he's out there, oh my god. Yes.

I don't know if this is a Scottish thing or if this is just a human thing, but I definitely or maybe just being creative, but I definitely always have that urgency to prove, you know, and even if like the proving it's not necessarily validation, it's like proving that like we are in sync, you know, like that we're having we're sharing a human experience, or like I'm I don't know something.

No, I think you're right.

I think it's an emotional desperation, right, I think it's an existential crisis.

Actually it is. Well I don't get I mean.

No, I'm laughing because I'm like, yeah, I think so. I think I think that describes it perfectly.

Like the most alive I ever feel is like when you're on a stage doesn't matter. It can be a huge stage or it can be a tiny stage. But when when I'm in tune with the audience and when it's working, oh my god, and they're laughing, Oh I'm laughing, and it's and it's like and it's to say, I've talked to musicians about it. It's the same thing.

You get into that area where information is coming in from not you, yes, yes, yes, something else is happening.

I always feel that.

Isn't that strange? Like I think athletes call it the zone and all that stuff. There's something weird about it.

It's funny because I love a good athlete documentary. Yeah, because I really feel like and which is crazy, but I do feel as though I can relate to that headspace of like, no matter what your day has been, right, you have to mentally put that to the side and you know, finally step into joy, especially with like you know, with what we're describing and.

That shift you know, that focus, you know, and it has.

Something beautiful because it because it's it's where you can be okay, yes, yes, you know when people say, how could he go on stage?

When that terrible thing happens, you go I totally understand. Where else you going to fucking go right?

You know?

And it's like if you feel so bad, yes, uh, you know you have to do something. You've a tragedy in your life. I have a dragon, and it's like you do it with that. Yeah, and it's it's like you have to. It's relief.

Yes.

And the people that have gone to the show, not the people that are talking about it. The people that have gone to the show are like, oh, I'm so glad you did that. Like, I'm so glad we got to just have a moment take away there and like actually be better in society now. You know.

Are you familiar with a comedian called Take nataro?

Oh?

It rings A.

Bella is a great comedian.

She's a really really proper, real stand up I've seen some little I may have probably online and stuff.

She's very famous. Yeah, but take cancer diagnosis during the day one day and she went up. She's famous for this. She went up and did a show that night and talked about it that night. I mean, she's on the other side of it and stuff. She came very fair. It was a big moment for her in her career talking. But I totally understand why she did it. I totally get it. People, how could she do that? Like, I get why she did go forbid? I should ever have to do it like that, but right, but I get why she did.

It and who was interesting. My husband is in music as well, and so we have these you know, certain days we both have writing sessions separately, and you know, where you work with a producer you work with, And there was one particular artist that he was supposed to write with for her project, right, and she canceled because of mental health that she was having tough mental health day, right, And we were talking about how if we like we're doing this because our mental.

Health is so poor, right, every day is a total.

Exactly, and so you know, I really felt for that artist just I want to say that straight away, but it was really interesting just the discussion that we both had after of like, like, it's actually as much as it's difficult to get up and go to said session, it's so healing once you're there.

And I feel that way with stage as well.

Yes, the build up to doing that is so difficult, and then when you're there, I feel such a sense of feeling understood.

Yeah, or I am where I'm meant to be in the universe. Yes. Are you a religious person?

I would say I'm more spiritual, right yeah, okay, so you're not churchy, but you're God conscious in some way right. Well, you know, like it's very Scottish Irish Catholicism and it is the thing, you know, But I definitely have learned of other people's experiences and I'm like, okay, I did not experience that, you know where it it sort of there's a lot of guilt, like deep seated guilty.

You probably escaped cheeky pusher breaks.

And funny you say that because it really was all cheeky Charlie yeah, him.

Yeah.

Are you still close to your parents?

Yeah, of course. I mean I thought them every day. I'm obsessed with them.

Yeah, that's fantastic. Yeah, they did tell me that. By the way, WhatsApp I do?

I do?

And by the way, my child, I'll show you a picture after but bright blue eyes, the rosiest, rosiest cheeks, and the palest.

Skin, and I'm like, that's my uncle.

Jah, both my boys. Really.

Yeah, So it brings me so much joy because it's just like it just looks like you know who you grew up with you know.

Here's the thing about about your music. Then, did change when you became a parent?

You know?

Honestly, I think, hm hmm, I'm not sure.

There was so much that happened before I became a mom that almost like becoming a mom was like I can finally breathe, right, So I don't know, you know, I don't know if that was the thing that changed it.

Yeah, I mean, and also it's it's also your kid is for a year and a half, year and a half. It's airly to know. I mean, these are big life shifts.

I mean, I'm curious your answer. First of all, okay, what's your answer to that?

Well, what I became a parent. Yeah, it was a complete story for me. I became a different person. It was as significant in my life, but not in the first day. It wasn't like that day.

Yeah.

But the two biggest shifts in my life were getting sober when I was twenty nine, and then when my first son was born when I was thirty eight, and I was like, I within about six months or something, I was like, oh, it's different.

It helps you prioritize.

Yeah, well, you go from being the star in the movie of your own life to being an extra in a movie of somebody else's life. Yes, you're a supporting player, right, You're no longer cheeky Charlie. I know you know your bishop breaks is mom yead mom and dad.

And there was something I was going to tell you there about what you're describing with Oh you know. I mean, I'm curious if you feel this way too. But I found it affected my tolerance for any negative relationships in my life because now I felt like I was an example, you know, to to this little person where it was like, you're not. I also think I saw like a different softness in myself. Now I had a little bit more like kindness for myself. So when someone you know wasn't super kind to me, I'd be like, hey, like I'm a kind person. Like I now see myself as a mom. So I now have like a deeper understanding of what that all means, you know, I think.

So I think it gets Look, it's not for everybody, you know, people that don't have kids and do fine. But I I don't know who I would be without I haven't experienced that. I don't know what it would be. Maybe i'd be something I didn't know. Here's my theory. Most great philosophers, yes, don't have kids.

I know it's well that they know of.

Well no, well I think they didn't. They weren't present. Yeah, because they're because they always thinking about themselves. Okay, fuck yourself anything. Here's the thing.

Have you ever been in a conversation with someone and they're like, I don't want to have kids and there's someone in the group that's like, oh my god, you would love it.

And I'm like, they know themselves better than we do.

Yeah, they really do.

I think it's so it's one thing if someone's like, there's there's a room in the conversation depending on what it is. Sure, but when someone tells me I don't want to have kids, I never saw that for myself. I'm like, absolutely, you do your thing. Yeah, it's not for everyone, no, but yeah, I definitely sense to shift with becoming.

Yeah, did it priority?

I mean, if it didn't have any effect on your creative or you're not aware of it having an effect on your creatively, maybe yet.

Well, because I feel that thing that you described of like it's an outer body experience. So it's hard for me to say, you know, in that realm what it affects. But I know that in the business side it affects priorities.

Yeah, my god, Well that's why I ended up doing a fucking late night show because I was getting divorced from my son's mom and I.

Was like, I can't be out of town. I need a gig, which is in la I didn't know that.

I love that.

That's why I ended up doing the Fly. I never want to be a late What do I know about late night television? Fucking classicow? But I was here and I'm like, I need a gig.

But it's interesting what your perspective is on that of like what am I doing here? It's funny because that's what connects it because then everyone can see a little bit of themselves in you.

You know, Yeah, it's interesting.

It is.

So here's my prediction for you. By the way, if it hasn't already.

I didn't know you were.

Oh yeah, have you have you been asked to do a song for a James Bond movie?

My god, that is my goal.

Oh my god, it's so obvious that you have to do it.

Thank you so much. That is that is one hundred percent my goal.

Really, yes, of course, of course I love that. I love that for you because it feels like like the big kind of Shirley Bassy. Yes, but my dad you still say chilly Bassie. Oh, it's the old woman. He loved Chili Bassie. I love Chili bass Oh my god, Goldfinger, Oh yeah, we did me a favorite. You covered that song?

Yes, Oh my gosh.

Maybe that's the start of everything. Well, if you are psychic, I should start with that.

Yeah. Maybe.

I mean, I don't know what they're going to do with Bond because they killed them in the last one, so they're gonna.

Have to see I have Well, I'm psychic as well.

You were going to say that.

I also have a prediction, which is I think that they should make a Bond movie that's just about the women, like they're the Obviously it's all about the women, you know, of course you see the movies. But I'm just saying they are really like leading the way. I could just see that happening.

I don't know, I can see it happening too.

I've been trying to write a song with that in mind, right, a song for.

A Bond movie that hasn't yet been made. I fucking love that. Trying yeah, yeah, you'll do it.

It's fine. Clearly you're qualified, it's fine. Are you very instrumental?

Do you?

What do you work on? What do you write?

I play piano, right, yeah, but it's very sad charts. There isn't a lot of happy court.

The black Keys. Oh yeah, you got to use the black keys because the way keys of the black Ones are. Yeah.

Yeah, I do a little minor, yeah, a little minor walk down.

You ever aware of a Glaswegian artist called Alex Harvey?

Yes, right, oh my god, yes, wow. You're saying so many.

People that I tell you of Alex Harvey. I don't know if it's true, but I heard this from somebody that worked with the band. Alex died years and years ago. He was a drinker and stuff. But the Sensational Alex Harvey band wanted to do an album without him. So his band wanted to do an album without him and call it sab Cessational Alex Harvey Band without Alex. And and they went to him and they said can we do that?

And he said, I you can on one condition And they said, they said, you don't use the chord e. And I don't know if that's true, but that is great.

Wow, But the legacy of musicians from that part of the world's fascinated by musicians like bands like Mogai. I mean, it's crazy the influence of you familiar with Roddy Frame.

Oh my god, this is so crazy.

I mean, you're just you're naming all the people that you know, I grew up in my like were in my home, you know, because of my.

Dad, right, because your dad and I have the same agent, right.

And weirdly went to the same shows. Well, that's that's crazy, right, It's still well, okay, here's the thing. Part of my freak out, just for anyone that's listening, also is like the craziness.

Of being in l a right, you know.

And and also you know, Okay, here's the thing. There's this do you know what my gym is? It's like little toddler classes. I've spent so much, so many, so long, so long. Anyways, there is this woman in there and she has a thick Irish accent.

Yeah, I know, I know the gym you're talking about.

Really.

Yeah, I've been there when my youngest was young.

Oh my god, Okay, Yeah, She's never going to come up to me and say I think you're from Donegal. I think some of your family's from Donegal, and so it can be. And by the way, I insert myself in those situations, you know, if it's you know, the right timing or whatever, where I'll be like, whereabouts are you from? And I try and find that connection, you know, elsewhere. But it's such a holding card to have an accent which I don't have, right, you know, to feel connected to others and for them to hear your voice across the room and be like, hey are you from? Like when my mom, My mom is literally a celebrity when she's when she's in La.

Right oh at the Ralphs. Yeah, we love Moira, Oh we love My.

Parents used to come in there going now. But when they were here, oh, it was all like that, like La became a different place. Yes, you know Wu Tang clan. Yeah, all right, snow. Rizza from Wutan. So we did this bit on the Late Night show years and years ago. My mom to visit and Rizza was on the show and I said to Rizza, we this comedy, but like, just take my mom out shore La film in the car and He's like sure. So Rizza went out and he took my mom to Roscoe's Chicken and waffles. It's like this real scene, right, it's a scene and uh.

But the thing is risen and my mom got on really well, and so they kind of kept in touch. And my mom my mom. My mom said to me a couple of years later, she said, hey, son, tea in the park is happening. I was like, uh huh, he says a big it's a big rock festival. Mom. She went, yeah, well, I've just noticed on the listings that Wu Tang are coming. I went, yeah, Wood Tang. I probably went well. I was thinking I might get in touch with Rizza because I was going to take I was going to take the ladies from my fright, it's care to see Wu Tang. I was like, I'm not sure, Mom, I'm.

Not yeah, and we say I'm not sure, and then they write directly and then yeah, we got.

I think if it would happen now that she would have gone, but social media wasn't quite where it was then, or she would have just they would have gone touch and done it.

Because he's a great guy. He's a lovely man. So I love the idea of my mom.

And do you have that other band?

Yeah, he said a lot of different projects.

Okay, because I think I performed with him at Coachella. I came out as a guest and I sang the Florence and the Machine part. Oh my god, if this is ringing a bell for me?

Yeah, yeah, I'm with that musically literate enough to.

But and he was the nicest person in the entire world.

Well that sounds like, yeah, so much charisma, very charismatic. It doesn't shy away from marijuana as much as you and I do.

Marijuana pep.

I don't know about the pepe, but you can't sell the pep over the under the marijuana. But I think that it's fascinating to me because you have a very odd story. So you grew up in Hong Kong, yes, and then how do you end up here? Well?

I just thought, la is you know where I thought I was going to come down the escalator at LAX. Yeah, I would say, who is that amazing vocalist over there?

Right that?

And and if you could see what I looked like a you know, not that it matters, but if you could have seen what that person looked like, yeah, twenty ten me, Yeah, it was, it was.

It was a look. It was definitely a look.

And yeah, but so that's why I came here as it should be, as it should be. I mean, you're trying to make an impression.

You were what twenty No.

I was seventeen and a half.

Seventeen and a half. Yeah, Charlie must have been his fucking skin.

Oh he was. And but my sister was going to school here, so she was two years older than me, right, so that I had someone.

Here right now? Okay, yeah, oh okay, that's that's a story then.

Yeah, so that made a big difference. Economics major, just like me. No, I'm joking. No, I went to school in Hollywood Boulevard.

Did you. Yes, musicians Institute really.

Yes, we're all acclaimed.

So you're right on the piano. Yes, do you play only the piano? Yeah, you play the guitar?

No, Well, I took classic guitar, but it was it was not for me really, yes.

Why now, why would an instrument not be for you?

Well, this, in particular was because I was socializing too much in the class. Unfortunately, it was unfortunate.

And that that has nothing to do with the guitar.

That's I'm saying.

That's why I said it very softly, like, oh, it wasn't for me, you know, like nothing to the guitar, but also there is it is a totally different thing to learn.

Oh sure, yeah, what do you play everything?

Drums?

I play a little guitar, but I'm bad at it. I'm so bad at it. I don't I Don'm not good enough at it to allow myself to let anyone hear at it.

But I can. I can drum a bit. I'm all right. I love that. Yeah, and that's okay. Do you know Katie Tunstall? Oh, my god, of course, just like my like one of my bad friends. You know her?

Know her?

Yeah, Oh my god, you never met her. No, she's the greatest.

She started, she started the entire movement of of everything I know, truly, even doing the loop pedal. Yeah.

She's amazing. Yeah, I know. I mean she's like it's like it's like one old one man band with the guy with the symbols on his knees and it's like the bass drum on his back, and she's unbelievable. Yeah, that is.

By the way, do you feel that you attract musicians in your life, because like, at your core you are a musician.

I think like a musician, and I toured like a musician, and you know, and you met Tomas who works Tomass Like when he's not working with me, he works with Dinosaur Junr. You know what I mean, He's Yeah, I my world. I'm more comfortable like that, right because as corporate as the world is, yes, and particularly in music, has.

A terrible corporation kind of infestation at the music business. But it's core the actual performers are still many of them are still pure in the sense of that they have the kind of that I want to say, rock and roll because but you know what I mean, that kind of like iconoclastic kind of fuck you attitude. Yes, that I think is that's a clutch mechanism that exists between us and them, right, And because I think the corporation, like what I was doing late night, I love to do the show, yeah, but dealing with fucking television executives, you know, I mean, yes.

It gets old. And in your business.

I think it might be changing about though, with social media, is it where you guys can get directly to your audience again or not?

Right?

Well, I mean I kind of wonder. Yeah, I'm interested to know how much late Night.

I mean, it feels like late night isn't evolving at the same pace as other things, because I just think if you did a little you know, selfie video to TikTok saying like an example of what one of your jokes was going to be for you know, the opening monologue or something, and it did really well, this is the equivalent of with music, that little clip did really well. Right, then you just show it to the TV execs, right, and they say, oh, of course you can use that joke. Look how well it did. There's like proof of concept. But I just wonder what it would be now.

I don't know.

I don't know what it would be.

I mean with with executives, it wasn't so much the joke by joke thing or note by note thing. It was more it was more about the general kind of vibe, like, you know, don't be too much like this, don't be too much like that, don't say too much like this, don't don't go there.

You know, And I think I could imagine it to be very isolating.

It's the worst you gotta be careful of that.

The more successfully become because you got some big fucking shit in front of you. You should be very careful because success is I've looked, I've had some myself, and I've seen others get it, and it's extremely dangerous.

Yeah. I mean, this is sort of a very specific story, but I had I tried this this new therapist, and I had sort of taken a break from therapy being pregnanty, you know, all this stuff. And so I tried this new therapist and I'm sharing, you know, the worst periods of life, you know, and that's what I'm sharing. She goes, you just seem very comfortable, and I was like, oh, good, you know, wait whatever. Then she goes, oh, you know, there's just you just yeah, you're quite charming something like that. Okay, And I realized as the conversation is going, and I've by the way, and I feel like I can imagine you doing this too. I have worked really hard to, especially if I'm in a therapy situation or something where I'm seeking help, to really undo any performative things. I'm not there to be funny, I'm not there.

Yeah.

And so I was really, you know, not not in that space. But I realized as it was progressing, and that was really what she was taking out. She couldn't stop that, you know, like that commentary, and I realized that's why so many comedians, that's why so many people that are in entertainment. They start to feel so isolated because now I'm in a situation where I'm letting her down. You know, I'm being a bummer. Now, you know, if I really lean it, she she's really being entertained. And now I'm gonna I'm gonna, you know, be such a bummer. So now I feel like I can't share. And then there's something with you know, maybe they find out what you do and they don't have a full awareness or scope of what that means, so then it seems very glittery. Then it's very exciting. Yeah, and so now okay, I'll tell you something. Halfway through, she goes.

Does that?

She goes, is it a guy that you worked with? And I was like, no, she goes, I was just wondering if it was another one of my clients. Then you're but I left feeling so isolated because it was like the pain isn't a loud And then also by the way, when they are like, wow, that's so cool that you did X, Y, and Z, then you're like absolutely like, I'm so grateful for that.

That's you know, it's not that I'm not you know, And then you're does that make any sense?

Of course it does. Okay, I'll shoot I'll tell you an exact example. When I knew that I was going to leave late night television in my heart, here's what it was.

Tell me.

I was walking in the building. I was about halfway through the run. I was about five years in, and I you know, I walk by, as I did every day. You get your parking space, and you walk in. There's my name's and big layers there, and I walk in, and my pictures everywhere, my picture everywhere with really famous people in the world. Yeah, my pictures everywhere, and my name's on all the stationary and and everybody I meet, some people are actually wearing jackets and stuff with my name on their jackets. And yeah, and everybody I meet, about one hundred and fifty people that work there. Everybody I run into, all they want to do is make sure I'm okay mmm. And that's not right, right, that's not fucking right. I Mean, it sounds like it'd be fun, but it's.

Weird because and if you're not, then you've now ruined their day. They're very stressed trying to sort it.

They're trying to figure it out. Of course, it may not be any to do with them. Like you come in like you you get indigestion, and they're like, God, he's on the war path, you know, and I'm like, not in the war. I have to go to the bathroom, you know.

I mean it's like, well, because you're you're always on, which I think is what messes with your brain.

That's why I think you have to That's why I'm very grateful to my children because all the ways through late night, my children were young, and so they just they.

Balanced all of that right right anywhere. Yes, it was like sho Showbaz.

And then we finished filming at six o'clock and I was home changing diapers by half past six.

Do you when you speak to other people that were also late night hosts, don't really.

It's not a community.

It's not like a you know, there's only like a handful.

I know.

Jamie Kimmel said that to me once, he said we should get together. There's so few of us.

Yeah, I'm like, but do they share the same experience that you?

I don't know.

I think I've talked to I remember when Seth Myers was starting, he said he called me because it's kind of the thing you do as you call around and I was congratulating them and stuff, and I said, you'll go crazy and he said, no, I won't go crazy. And then I did his show a few years later and I said, have you gone crazy yet? And he hadn't and I don't And I don't think he has gone crazy yet, So maybe maybe it was me.

No. I think it also depends on how much is being micromanaged too. Yeah, you know, when they're like, you have to ask this specific question this, I don't know, just it takes out any the formality of it takes turns into like a robot.

Yeah, I guess. I mean Lenno and I have friends and he's, uh, but what's his history Scottish mother?

Really?

Oh my god, dam up?

Yeah. In the stand up mother, oh my god, you said you're you do you have relations in Donegall?

Yeah, so that's my dad's side of the family.

Like Grannie MacGuire was from Donegal. I bet we really, we really bet you we are McGuire maguire maguire from from Donegall.

Macy.

Yeah, by McGuire from Donegall, she married my grandfather.

Yeah wow, that's okay, we'll have to do something.

Yeah. And then the north end of Glasgow with all that Irish Donegall yeah probably yeah, wow, Yeah that's weird.

That is weird.

Yeah, but Beesy McGuire married a Protestant so they stopped. Oh yeah, which was a big deal.

That's a very big deal.

Yeah.

Yeah, and I was raised I mean yeah, but I was yeah.

Yeah, And what's your connection to faith? Just because you asked me, I'm just curious.

I feel like it's uh, I'm very are you familiar with Saint Augustine, you know when he said trying to understand the mind of God is like trying to pour the ocean into a cup. Wow. I was like, okay, that I really connect to that.

Yes, I think it's such a loaded question.

Yeah.

Yeah.

It's when I meet atheists and very intelligent people, some of them many, and they have this kind of unshakable I know thing, and I'm like, it seems very fundamental a stance for such an intelligent questioning person, right. I remember having a conversation with Stephen Fry about it, and Stephen said, because Stephen's an atheist, and I said.

Do you see casual you having a conversation with him?

But will be and Stephen and Jicky Charlie Briggs were all at the same age. I haven't known Stein for a long time. And he said, when people say do you believe in God, it's really you've got to define the word God before you start, yes, asking that question. I mean, is it's such a big giant thing. Yes.

Also, I mean.

No, I don't buy that.

Yeah, but I don't. I don't know.

I don't know how far into this we go, but I will say so I've I've been an alan on you know for many many years, and my partner is openly sober and and so like that community is very and I'm not a drinker, right, So that is all at the forefront. I wouldn't say sober just because I know what he does and it feels different from what I'm doing. But regardless, and one of the biggest first things they say is like, have the idea of God be whatever?

What does you understand it?

There we go, Yeah, absolutely, And that was really freeing for him with his history with religion, and you know, and I think it was.

Really hear.

It was all that goddam God thing. But I get sober. I get sober in London, but very early on I went to Glasgow because I had to kind of repair myself. And I'm in meetings with people who were members of the Coenist Party. There's they're atheists, right, you know, but they're but they're sober. So there is a there.

I mean, I don't it doesn't frighten me away all that the idea of God.

But I also think that's something that the program helps with.

Is like it it's an undoing and like it's it's a very I will say for like our relationship and our lives, Like our life is the definition of like the gift that sobriety can give you.

And so with that mine too. Yeah, nothing in my life before sobriety. So yeah, nothing, Yes, there's nothing before. It's nothing. It's like it's like the world before Little Richard. There's nothing. Yes, you know.

Did you watch the podcast about Little Richard?

No?

Okay, you need to fucking love a little Richard.

Okay, Well there's a lot going on.

Really was he a bad boy?

No?

He was missing and some people you did.

He was on the old late night show.

Oh you know what, they used clips from your show.

I look forward to the check. Yeah, it was amazing.

Yes, well yeah they show you saying that oh really yeah, as in showing his brightness and incredible you know, energy, and yeah, just making sure he's okay. It was like the summary of the podcast. But it's very very good.

Yeah, it's so good.

I don't know the name, it's just oh, it's so good. Yeah, look it up, I can talk.

Will you come back and do another episode because I feel like we've only scratched the surface.

I would love that.

And we've been talking for by an hour. They're waving at me from the booth.

Oh my god, literally it's felt like ten minutes.

Yeah I know. Yeah, but so let's do it again and give your mom and dad my best Moira and Chazz and Chazz fucking bad. I know them. We'll definitely know, we'll definitely know.

Every time you say I bet I know them, your accent gets thicker.

Well, yeah, because I'm excited about it. Did you did your parents accents changed when they moved? Because that gets such a fucking hard time from people in Scotland about my accent.

Yeah, they would they had to slow down the way they were talking, right, Yeah, especially if they were excited.

Oh my god, if my dad's telling you a joke, Oh it's over.

Which for me that's difficult in my line of work. But all right, look we'll do this again.

We will you in the meantime, will write the Bond thing, right, write the Bond song, because you're clearly.

Destined to do that. Thank you. I would love that, and it's it's been an absolute joy of me.

Thank you too.

No

Joy, a Podcast. Hosted by Craig Ferguson

Storied late-night talk host Craig Ferguson brings his interview talents and singular world view to  
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