Chuck Shute Podcast

Michael Monroe (Hanoi Rocks)

July 11, 2022 Michael Monroe Season 4 Episode 260
Chuck Shute Podcast
Michael Monroe (Hanoi Rocks)
Show Notes Transcript

Michael Monroe is a multi-talented musician who plays a variety of instruments and sings.  He is best known for being the front man of the influential glam rock band Hanoi Rocks.  The band influenced not only a lot of glam rock bands but also bands such as Foo Fighters, Alice In Chains and Slipknot.  He also has guested on Guns 'N Roses albums and recently performed with them in Europe.  He has a new solo record out called "I Live Too Fast to Die Young.'  We discuss all this plus an upcoming documentary, asking Prince to produced Hanoi Rocks, Steve Stevens stealing his song and more! 

00:00 - Intro
00:47 - Title Track & Slash 
02:15 - Can't Stop Falling Apart 
03:20 - Song Similarities 
05:47 - Antisocialite 
08:20 - Everybody's a Nobody 
11:33 - Partying & Sobriety 
14:25 - Hanoi Rocks Influence & Slipknot 
15:42 - Prince Producing Hanoi Rocks 
16:26 - Ain't It Fun & GnR Shows 
19:00 - Until The Music Ends & Biography 
20:15 - Old Album Re-Releases 
21:20 - Jerusalem Slim & Steve Stevens 
25:25 - Music in Movies & TV 
26:30 - Helping Animals 
27:23 - Outro 

Michael Monroe website:
http://michaelmonroe.com/web/

Animal Charity:
https://www.internationalanimalrescue.org

Chuck Shute website:
https://chuckshute.com

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Thanks for Listening & Shute for the Moon!

Chuck Shute:

Greetings listeners. We got a big one today. glam rock legend Michael Monroe, formerly of Hanoi rocks is here. And he's got a new solo album right out right now that's called I live too fast to die young, and it features his All Star band including Sammy ahfa Steve Conte, Rick Jones and Carl Rockfest. And we're gonna discuss the new album, plus all the shows he did with GNR, the popstar, who wanted to produce Hanoi rocks, albums, or who they wanted to produce the albums, and also the song that Steve Stevens stole from him. All this and more coming right up. So let's just dive right in the new album. It's exciting. It's called I live too fast. To die. Yeah. And I love that title. And it's so the title track is such a catchy sing along chorus and you got slash to play on it. That's pretty cool.

Michael Monroe:

Yeah, yeah, he's such a cool guy. I mean, a great, great player. And yeah, I realized that he hasn't played on the past five albums, all four albums before, and I thought it would be cool to have him play on that song. And I sent it to him pretty close to the finishing of the recording session. And we were already at mixing and I thought, you know, are close to mixing. And I said, you know, would you like to play solo on this track? It's gonna be the title track of my new album. And just Well, I was really busy doing promotional stuff, because he had his own album coming out. So he said, When do you need it by and I was like, well, like, like now. But if he asked if he's too busy understand, of course. So. Two days, within two days, we have the solos. Thank you. God bless you. And a great solo it is too. Yeah. And it's like, you can always tell when it's it sounds like a slash solar. It's amazing. Yeah. Do you that's your sound. Yes, totally. It can't be anybody else you can tell right away that it's him. And it's great. Because it's so. So off the cuff is not like every note in place. It's just like, it lives and it's like human touch. So yeah, he just like has that feel. It's like the soul. I don't know. I think that's what makes them so great. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Yeah. So then the other song that I there's so many good songs can't stop falling apart. Tell me about that one, because it's got a really catchy sing along and almost sounds like a happy song. But if you listen to the lyrics, it's like, it's kind of dark. It's like yeah, you know, can't stop falling apart. We all end up as dust. I mean, that's kind of like dark lyrics. Well, that's, that's one well, that line is dark, but it's pretty much about it's an ode to our wives and our loved ones who kind of stuck by our sides through the years of playing music and touring and being away for a long time and found, but but musically, it sounds like to me sounds like reminds me of like the Top of the Pops, or, you know, the stomp, glam stamper kind of thing. So it's it's a different type of song for this band. Also different from anything we've done before, like many of the songs are new styles. But you know, we all thought that was a cool one too, to have on the record, set catchy. And yeah, so it's I don't think it's that dark. But yeah, cast.

Chuck Shute:

Maybe it's just that line. You're right. You're right. What about the song peg in prayer? Now the opening to that, tell me if you notice this, I don't know if that was on purpose or just coincidental. But it kind of sounds like that song. Got the time by Joe Jackson that anthrax covered the bass part. I was like, when I listened. I thought I thought I was listening to that song. At first I was like, and then it goes into a totally different sound. But

Michael Monroe:

what is that anthrax? And what was that song? Joe Jackson.

Chuck Shute:

It's the Joe Jackson song got the time. Oh, I

Michael Monroe:

never heard that. But Steve content. That's the one the only song written by Steve content that's on this album. Steve wrote that song. But I mean, I'm curious to hear that. Joe Jackson. Yeah.

Chuck Shute:

Well, listen to that intro. It's just the intro parts of baseline. And I it's really it's close. I mean, sometimes that happens.

Michael Monroe:

Okay, cool. Yeah. Anthrax, I've

Chuck Shute:

covered it too. Yeah, maybe. And that's what I don't know. The Joe Jackson version might be sound different. But it sounded like the anthrax cover at first and I was like, I had to like do a double take. And I was like, Wait, is it and then it totally went into a totally different sound. So then I was like, Okay, that makes sense. But

Michael Monroe:

I don't think Steve has listened to anthrax as much but probably a coincidence. But no,

Chuck Shute:

I know that there's only so many notes right? Some of these like things where people say like you stole our song and you're like, you listen and you go and I don't think that I mean, that doesn't sound anything like the original so there's a lot of weird coincidences like that. I think

Michael Monroe:

it was somebody was telling me something interviewer in Germany was saying that the mercy of the Summer of Love that middle section as that the middle section with the guitar part, this just reminds him him of Bryan Adams summer of 69. And I was like Really, and then I kind of, I kind of know what it means, but it's um, it's not the same melody at all. But then again, if it was, that's a cool connotation. I mean, it's a cool connection because it's was 1969. It's the lyrics. So that's only cool if that's like a sub subliminal sub subconscious, subconscious thing or whatever. But, yeah, again, I mean, I know what he's saying, but I don't really write things in different ways.

Chuck Shute:

You know, so that song is about getting off your ass and living life to the fullest. That's, that's a great, great advice for people.

Michael Monroe:

Uh huh. That's right. This moment determines your future. You're past the present. So make the best out of it.

Chuck Shute:

Yeah. What about the song anti socialite that I love the piano on that it's it's really it's kind of like, Would you say it's like a ballad, but I love the lyric. Stop the universe. We're headed nowhere. What what inspired that?

Michael Monroe:

That is? That's one of my favorite lyrics. And I was we were talking about how to do it because there's a danger of someone like that becoming to like a corny power ballad. You know, we didn't want to do that. And, and Rachel Zane was wondering whether we should do it at all. And I love the Lyrica, definitely, we want to do that we use like John Lennon's Imagine was like the blueprint for the how we're going to do the production and the arrangement, keep it simple and small and very intimate, kind of, you know, and not not be this big drums or anything like that. Keep it very, very personal. And I had actually, we got it to work and we keep kept it simple. And there's hardly any drum fills. When whenever is reached as a fill. It's also it's, it's shuffles that critical video. It's really cool. And I had some, that's one of the most demanding songs to me. So I did the vocal that was the first vocal like I did. And I had done a piano like a demo piano on myself, but we knew we were gonna have this guy, Lenny colectiva, was a finished, fantastic piano player. Incredibly talented. I knew what I was gonna have him to the piano. So after he did, he did a piano over and I had my first vocal there. I had a gig one night in a couple of hours from Helsinki. And, you know, we were staying in Helsinki in the studio. So I got back and I went home pretty late. So I only slept two and a half hours the night before. And in the morning, I got to the studio says I want to try the vocal again, because I know I can do it better and rich. And Aaron or the engineer were like, Oh, it's great. The vocals great. But you have there as already says, yeah, no, but I know I can do better. Let me just give it a shot. And with that tired voice, I was just perfect for that song. So I did one take it. Oh, that's great, man. So I re sang the whole song in that moment with that tired voice. And that's the vocal that's on the record is one of my favorite vocals on the record actually turned out really good. It was just perfectly not too raspy. But you know, it just felt right for that song as well.

Chuck Shute:

Interesting. That's a cool strategy. So you kind of make it your voice a little tired to fit the song. I like that.

Michael Monroe:

Yeah, but it was just turned out that way. I didn't plan it. on that. It's kind of like, you just had this. It just happened that way. And sometimes sleep deprivation works for the best. Right? So

Chuck Shute:

the song everybody's nobody, that's, that's another cool one. And that one is kind of about a lot of these bands that didn't they're like might be big locally, but maybe they never made it. But is there, you can't you don't want to say which bands these are specifically

Michael Monroe:

names. And then they say we never really wanted to be big, you know, we're too big, you know, and they're kind of stuck in a certain time period that I'm not it's a little bit sad to and that song i i sang it at first a bit sarcastically and I realized that that's that's not the right right approach. Because it's also a little sad. So I resigned it. Not so not with not such as night attitude. And it was better that way. And yeah, it was. It came up from my Yeah, it was an email between me arranged that's, you know, got us to write the song. I was I was talking about some band, there was one band that we were supposed to do a double headline with in London, and I were wondering, I was wondering, do they really pull a crowd? I mean, you know, I remember them from the 80s. And they were like, just these local heroes and, and so rich said, oh, yeah, it'll be good to play with them. So I said, okay, so everyone who's ever been nobody, all the London Leaguers and all the hangers only going to be there that night, everyone who's ever been nobody's going to be there that night reached a man that sounds like a song. Yeah, that's right. So we wrote that song. That was even before the pandemic. We wrote that in 2019 In summer, and yeah, it's like, kind of about letting go the old good old days or the good old bad days. But artists are in opposition to that they seem to be content to bask in the glow of nostalgia instead of moving forward. And, and, and then there's references to leaving London and leaving New York and you know, pick it up goodbye Piccadilly and Leicester Square. And it was all on to the Bowery in Times Square. But yeah, it's also a new point of view who came to me about that? Like, it can also be about your self esteem, because everybody has at least been no, nobody. If nothing else, that's an accomplishment in itself in life. So at least if nothing else, you everybody's been a nobody. So that's one way to look at it too.

Chuck Shute:

Right? That's true. Yeah. And then the song.

Michael Monroe:

Yeah, I'm one of my favorite songs on the record. Also, the middle section is unpredictable. I had that middle section of this will be a good like a solo musical section. And then rich had an idea. He actually made the unexpected changes when it goes to a half step down for the guitar after the harp thing. And then there's two more surprises in the middle section. I love that because rich, rich had an idea because we've been talking about doing like stuff trying not like the old Alice Cooper record. So really, like so unpredictable, so unique. And, you know, not not for the sake of being weird. Not to be weird to be different, but just something very unique and different. So that middle section is has was inspired by the old Alice Cooper records to to be as it is now. But yeah, go ahead. You're gonna say another song? No, no,

Chuck Shute:

that's really cool. I love the variety with all the songs you have, like, ballad, you have like punky of catchy kind of poppy and admit that I was gonna say the song young drunks and old alcoholic. I feel like that's kind of related to that song. Kind of a how these young bands were encouraged to party hard. But like, eventually, like you say, you gotta get your shit together. Because I noticed that I want to interview a lot of these bands. It's like a lot of the same story where, oh, yeah, we partied too hard. And now, you know, now they go, they go the other way. They're like, dead sober.

Michael Monroe:

Right? Yeah, that's boring, too.

Chuck Shute:

So you want to be somewhere in the middle? Is that the ideal? Then do your

Michael Monroe:

own thing and find your own? Do your own thing. And it's, what if you're going to start, you know, based on being getting out of it, and partying and all that superficial stuff, and some, but you know, a lot of people think that's rock and rollers about a year, dude, we were so out of it. That's ridiculous. And then it catches up with you. And then you end up you know, hopeless junkie, or alcoholic and all by yourself. And, you know, but nowadays, everyone's I mean, no one wants to, no one wants to put up with that anymore. And that's why, you know, you better be, there's too much competition, I think, also, so people are keeping their shit together. And of course, it's better that way, than getting out of it all the time. And so, but then, if it's like, one extreme to the other is like, Oh, well, so you know, it gets wet, and everything is predictable, gets boring after a while, but you know, different different strokes for different folks, before going, as long as everybody has their own thing. And musically, I think people are making more bands had more personality, before like in the 60s 70s. And even in the early 80s Because music was made for music sake and not not for not not because the business, there was no categories. There were like, No, you know, genres like heavy metal or grunge, or whatever, you know, and music. The industry of course, loves to put labels on things so they can market this, this market is the latest, the newest thing, you know, grunge or heavy metal, whatever. But I think there are genres are unnecessary. In the past, nobody thought about that wouldn't think how are we going to market this, we just thought it was gonna sound cool. It's going to be a good song or you know, so that's why people have more personality is not really nostalgia, looking back and saying, oh, things were better before they were because they were music was made for the right reasons. And then later on, it became more about the business. And you know, here comes grunge I mean Nirvana, great band, then then there's like 200,000 bands trying to sound like them thinking that they're gonna get successful because they were and then I've got to sound as good as the original. They're still gonna sound the same. And that's kind of boring. So that's why the industry has the marketing and all the music. That's why I will say the music has no business in the music business and almost, you know, it's become so much about the business and you can tell in the music, it hasn't gotten much better over the years, right?

Chuck Shute:

Yeah, well, that's interesting. You bring up Nirvana and because obviously your influence on Guns and Roses, but I didn't know that you were an influence on like Dave Grohl in the Foo Fighters and Allison chains and all these Seattle bands too. We're really big fans of you guys as well. I didn't either.

Michael Monroe:

Yeah, it was a surprise. And even, you know, I was 2010 I went to me and Richard. There's just finished festival we played in Slipknot was the head headline playing later that night and we went to see the show and I was interested in seeing a curious and then the guy with a long nose he comes up to me is like oh, you Whew, it's your fault. I'm doing this. Why it looks so dangerous. It's like, it's your fault. I'm doing this man because I was gonna do a first level but my God was back to Mr. CD in Hanoi rocks. And then he fooled Corey Taylor says, Hey, look who's here. No, oh, wow. They're like really answered, you know, they're like fans, I was like, wow. And the music that they play is so different. That's always the greatest when you see bands like that, and they and it turns out, they were one of the influences that it's like, fantastic, because they totally have their own thing. That from based on the music, that would be you know, one of the influences would be handled. Wow, that's great.

Chuck Shute:

Well, yeah, I'm for you, too, because you really loved I thought this was interesting. You guys love prints. And you actually asked him to produce the Hanoi rocks album.

Michael Monroe:

Yeah, I liked it in 1999 album I really loved when it came out in bourbon ranch. It was cool. But yeah, 99 was out. And we were doing we were recording back to Mr. City. We were starting to record it. And so I said, Wouldn't it be cool to have friends producers and see what happened? What came out of that could have been great. So our management Yeah, they asked him famous in prints. His answer was I don't produce no white boys. Love white girls, it was okay then I guess later.

Chuck Shute:

So you just recently did some shows with Guns and Roses. And I was looking at the setlist and I was like, Oh, they had to do ain't it fun with Axl? And you guys didn't do that, right?

Michael Monroe:

Oh, no, no, we we had. I mean, we did our own half an hour set. But we didn't end up jamming with the Gaza roses. They were we didn't have a chance to even see before. I mean, I saw slash after the second night. You know, I'll be them when they have a chance to get together. And, and the first night was canceled. I mean, it wasn't canceled. But the first night, our show they played we went on Friday and Saturday. So Friday, we were ready to start 430 was our slot half an hour slot and then they the doors were closed. Until like 515 For some reason, and we missed our slot. So we only play that one show.

Chuck Shute:

Oh, shit. And then Axl canceled some shows problems with his voice or something is everything okay?

Michael Monroe:

Because that's probably the reason because maybe they weren't, they weren't sure that the show was going to be going on. So they didn't want to open the doors until they knew that cancer was gonna play. I think that might have been, we never got a clear explanation why but I think that must have been a reason. Because then Saturday, we played you know, as planned, we opened for them. And then the next day in Glasgow, I heard that the show was canceled. So I'm glad we got to play The One Show anyway. At least. So so there was no time to see or plan any any any guests. That would have been a cool thing, though. Yeah, any fun.

Chuck Shute:

Yeah, cuz I've never heard them do that song live. And you're there you can they just bring you up on stage. Like you're already there. It would have been amazing. Well, hopefully

Michael Monroe:

next time, maybe you never know. Yeah, yeah. It'll be great. Yeah, those guys will be fantastic.

Chuck Shute:

Yeah, do you like a fool? You should come on the US tour. That'd be amazing. Because I'm in the US over here. So it'd be fun. I know, you say that it's too expensive tour of the US. But if you're opening for Guns and Roses, I think take it put the power.

Michael Monroe:

Yeah, unless you're hoping for a big man like that, then it would make sense. So I wouldn't I mean, that's worth even investing in. Because playing an opening for getting the visibility, the exposure, opening for a big man like that, that would make sense to tour in the States. I'm saying that going into little clubs, for me to, for us to start playing little clubs in America, you know, it will be you're just losing money, and you don't get anywhere so years, and nobody will notice, you know, such a big, big area. So to get to open for a stadium size band, that would be the only way to go if that would happen, you know, so let's hope that hopefully that'll happen someday.

Chuck Shute:

That'd be amazing. Yeah, so you've got you've also got besides the student loan that's out now, you've got a documentary coming out about you called until the

Michael Monroe:

year? Yeah. 2023 There'll be a documentary movie about Michael Monroe. Yes, about me. And it's, it's, it's going to be a in depth look at who and what I am and not just the listing of my achievements and stuff you know, it's it's big and a bit deeper into my personality and from where I came from, and where we started with handling and everything. It's going to be a special ones. So it's going to be like a movie is going to go on in movie theaters at first and, and kind of the guy who's making it nice. It's got a good vision, really good vision. And I think it'd be more like a movie that will be interesting to anybody who's even if you're not into me or rock and roll it's still be an interesting story because it is very different. So that's coming out next year. And biography to your autobiography, The book also. Yeah, that's now it looks like we're finally going to get into the time isolated so he that. I don't know if it's next year as soon as it's done, hopefully next year, probably probably next year too. Yeah, it looks like it now. And the demolition 23 album is going to be coming out on, we're going to be released finally, it's been out of print for so long and for the first time ever on vinyl and CD CD came out on CD before but it's never been out on vinyl. There's little Stevens putting it on and we could call it label. And it's got three bonus tracks V demo songs of dysfunctional Scott moves on and Hamilton's play that we've recorded in. Before this, we went to the studio. And artwork done by rich Jones and Doug got some more photos and everything is a nice package. So it's remastered is sounding sounding better than before. It's got more jobs and more beef and really cool. Plus, we have re remixed the Hello rocks, oriental beat album, the second album that was a horrible mix originally, and it was and then the tapes were thought to have been lost for all these years. But I've relocated them a couple of years ago and so that has been renamed remixed and is coming out in November this year too. So let a quote

Chuck Shute:

and the Jerusalem slam is that his album coming out back to the Remastered?

Michael Monroe:

No, I never heard of that. Hopefully not because it's the worst thing that ever came out where that I was involved in. So wait,

Chuck Shute:

is it true? Real quick? I know you gotta get going here. But So Vince Neil stole the song can't have your cake that was your song originally?

Michael Monroe:

No way, way way. No, Vince Neil didn't steal the song. Or Steve Stevens

Chuck Shute:

took it to Vince Neil is that what happened?

Michael Monroe:

The song that I wrote with Steve Stevens and he took the song to Vince Neil and, and used as part of the lyrics. I mean, the title of it had the title can't have your cake and eat it too was the was the lyrics in the course. But it was called originally it was called downwardly mobile. And the lyrics were much cooler and smarter. They made it they made a verse Then when Steve left me with a big huge bag of shit and then bailed on the project that ended up being Jerusalem Sleeman. And of course, unfortunately, the record label released the album, which was a long story, but in any way any case, Steve disappeared in saying anything, it just vanished. And then the next thing I knew was I saw him on playing with Vince Neil on some MTV awards, and he was playing this is Neil solo album. And then I found out that the song can have you it was called can have your cake. And it's on the on there. And the same chorus, you know. So he took the song and eliminated me from the writing credits, and put it written by Steve Stevens and Ms. Neil. But he'd done the same thing. It's the same thing to feel Suzanne, who was playing the bass, apparently, in a project he was trying to put his songs in, in his own name, too. So apparently, it's been known to happen with him. But you know, via the bar mitzvah, you may have not even known about that song being brought up. Steve never probably even told him that we'd wrote that. First. It was written with, written by me and him. So it's just a coincidence. But yeah, can't blame his name for doing that. Steve Stevens will be there. But yeah, that's a that's another thing that was ages ago. So

Chuck Shute:

yeah, you don't seem to be worried about you didn't try to sue them or anything like that. You didn't care? No, but

Michael Monroe:

what the thing was the my label, I mean, both sides are Polygram Records. And I, my publishing, as well as merchandising is everything. And they didn't do anything for my, you know, what's the point of being signed to them? If you don't, I mean, sure, they can give you an advance. But that's then you have to earn that back and everything. So I wasn't really, they were supposed to get your music, to movies and stuff. And they never did that such as like, and they took 50% of everything when my publishing 50%. And when I was working with Steve, Steve Stevens, as well, he used to have this 55th thing would really I don't, it's no matter what he has to have 50% of all the songs I was already talking about, you know, if I write with someone else, you can, you know, go three ways. So it's like, well, you know, that's the way I used to have all these songs like, this is ridiculous. Record Label takes 50%. And this DSD is 50% of a song and then I get left with nothing. I mean, you can't I didn't know how you're going to write a song if you write it with someone else, like what the hell? So in any case, so I said, I told the label, I said, Well, now, if you want to make some money, he has a case, I had the original demo, and here's a song that they did and they ripped off and now that you own my half of my publishing, why don't you go after this? They did nothing. So typically, it's no point getting signed to a major label and also putting your bid all eggs in one basket, meaning they get to buy the most thing and have my merchandise and so on. I know that that was when I was recording not faking this. I needed more money in the budget and they said, Okay, well he'll sign the merchandise do okay, sign the petition. So while finally they got me by the balls, so it wasn't it wasn't a good thing. So after that album, I had to get rid of the get had to get dropped off the labels took about a year and so they set me free. Luckily, they dropped me and I could get on get on with my life again. My career. Yeah,

Chuck Shute:

yeah, that's good. Well, can you try to get these songs into movies and music because I know like, I just saw the master puppets by Metallica got 17 million downloads because it was in Stranger Things. So it's like I've seen that. That seems like that's the way to get your music out there.

Michael Monroe:

Yeah. And James Gunn is a big fan. He's handling rocks thing on the peacemaker. You hear about that? Yeah, that's right. Yeah, that's one of the biggest series in the world. So Vanna gets nice recognition that way, and I sent him my new album too. And I hope we take some of that from the next season or something. I don't know. But in any case, it's a great way to get get attention to Hanoi. Yeah, absolutely. And we never wore spandex. That's minor details on the copycat bands that were spandex we never wore spandex. Vinyl, leather and you know, PVC, whatever, but never wore spandex.

Chuck Shute:

Spandex sounds. seems uncomfortable to wear that on stage. I don't know.

Michael Monroe:

It looks funny. Yeah.

Chuck Shute:

Well, thank you so much for doing this. You got a great new album out everyone should get it? Is there a charity that you'd like to work with? Or you want to promote here at the end?

Michael Monroe:

Oh, animals. I always want to help animals if anything. So there's nothing going on right now that I'm involved with but I have been involved in helping animals and all the needy anybody who needs help all the underdogs. Okay,

Chuck Shute:

cool. I'll put something in the notes. Thanks so much for doing this. I appreciate it. I hope to see see you guys on tour if not in the US. I guess I gotta fly over to Europe.

Michael Monroe:

Yeah, yeah. Well, I got a 60th birthday celebration concert is on September 23 in Helsinki icefall come to Finland and come to see a memorable show. It's going to be something special.

Chuck Shute:

Okay, that sounds fun. I got to save up. All right. Thanks so much, Michael. Thank you. Take care. Bye. Bye. Wow, lots of great stuff from Michael Monroe. Make sure to check out the new album I live too fast to die young and watch for his upcoming projects. Please support our guests by following them on social media buying their merch and or going to see a show. If you enjoyed this interview, check out some of my other episodes. Tons of musicians of this type of debt on the show. Too many to list but make sure to subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen, or watch and follow the show on social media so you don't miss any future episodes. Thanks for listening. Have a great day and shoot for the moon.