Chuck Shute Podcast

Rob Benedict & Stephen Norton (Louden Swain)

November 07, 2022 Rob Benedict & Stephen Norton Season 4 Episode 293
Chuck Shute Podcast
Rob Benedict & Stephen Norton (Louden Swain)
Show Notes Transcript

Rob Benedict is an actor/musician and Stephen Norton is a drummer. Together they make up half of the indie rock band Louden Swain.  The band has new album out on November 11th called “Feelings & Such” that they are here to discuss. Plus playing the Supernatural conventions, music videos, songwriting and Rob’s role in “Waiting.”

00:41 - Stephen's Background & Meeting Rob
02:46 - Rob's Path to Music
05:40 - Louden Swain's Influences
07:27 - "Guilty One" & Work Permits
10:02 - Arrests & D.U.I.'s
13:15 - Lyrics, Oasis & Band Fights
15:40 - Personal Struggles & Supporting Each Other
18:15 - "Sleepyhead" & Song Collaborations
19:27 - "Wine & Roses" Song
20:11 - "That's the Rub" Song & Music Video
23:14 - "Gamma Ray" Music Video & Margot Robbie
24:28 - Actors & Directors Helping with Music Videos
25:46 - Song in Jenna Fischer Movie & Other Movies
27:06 - Band Names & Origin
28:50 - Covers Vs Originals & Signing Actors
30:55 - Upcoming Shows, Viper Room & Mini Tours
32:55 - Waiting Movie
35:30 - American Stroke Association
37:33 - Outro

Louden Swain website:
https://www.loudenswain.com/

American Stroke Association  website:
https://www.stroke.org/

Chuck Shute website:
http://chuckshute.com/

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Thanks for Listening & Shute for the Moon!

Chuck Shute:

Hey, coming up today we have two members of the band Louden Swain. The band is an indie rock band from Los Angeles fronted by actor musician Rob Benedict, who you may know from the show Supernatural or Felicity, or the movie waiting back here, one of my personal favorites. He's here with drummer Steven Norton, who is literally down the road for me here in Arizona. And we're going to talk about the band's new album shows music videos, lyrics and songwriting and so much more. Stay right there. Okay, we're obviously I know Rob's background like, but I don't know your Steven. So I mean, other than you just told me that you're from LA for the last 20 years. So what were you in? I know Louden Swain was since what 9897.

Stephen Norton:

Actually, so we just celebrated 25 years. In fact, on Halloween, that was our 25th anniversary of our first gig ever. So yeah, so I grew up in Illinois, went to school at University of North Texas, which has this amazing music, amazing music program down there. And, and I moved out to LA in 9094 95, somewhere around there, and met Rob and Mike about about a year and a half later. And so Robin I, one of my high school buddies, went to college with Rob. And so that's how I got introduced. So we we were all in the same circle of friends and Rob. Rob was having a party I think, I think his wife had just gotten her bar, pass the bar or something. I can't remember what exactly it was more, but it's something like that. Yeah. And so. So we, they were having a party, and they were like, he and a couple other guys were playing some music. And I remember saying to my buddy, who introduced us, I was like, man, they're really good band, like I liked. I liked the songs like, like, I just remember liking the songs. It was like, you know, it was it was a bunch of people hanging around, you know, just getting drunk and having fun and playing music. So it wasn't anything. You know, it wasn't like a serious gig. It was just guys hanging out having fun. And I remember saying to my buddy, like, I love the songs, man. And, and then, you know, a couple of weeks later, he was like, Hey, would you want to play with those guys? And I was like, yeah, man, that'd be great. So we got together and, and 25 years later, here we are.

Chuck Shute:

Dang. So what do you do do other bands too, though, because like what Rob's doing acting stuff, then you have like, time to work on other things or so this

Stephen Norton:

is my full time. So like, I run a lot of the merch stuff out of my house. And, you know, and I take care of a lot of the just behind the scenes stuff for the band. And so yeah, so it's, it's a full time thing for me.

Chuck Shute:

Okay, so Rob, were you, musician first or actor at the same time, or how did your path go,

Rob Benedict:

um, I was always acting was always my focus and music was sort of my extracurricular activity. But, you know, I always had the intention of, you know, I went to theater school. And then I graduated, I came right out to LA that was I was really just very focused on having an acting career and trying to make that happen. But, you know, when, with my free time, I'd get together and play with with buddies, you know, I had a band in high school, you know, I'm gonna think extremely serious. But then, you know, we started writing the songs together. And it became, we felt like they were really good songs. And then when Norton joined the group, it was like, well, then it was like a band, you know, and then I always kind of my mind, I always kind of put it sort of to the side because to me, like the band was something where we're creating something and it didn't matter to me if we got radio play, or people liked it or not, it was gratifying just to do it. And acting was I took that so seriously, it is a lot of rejection in acting, and you know, it matters making it or not making it because it's my bread and butter ultimately. So I just didn't want to have that pressure for the music and I didn't want to spoil the my love of music with putting that pressure on. Like, we got it, we got it, we got it. But you know, then everything evolved and slowly one started feeding into the other that you know, people who maybe followed shows I was on or movies I was in, found out about the band and then started following the band and yeah, and one kind of fit into the other and you know, now we we play a lot at the supernatural conventions, which is pretty amazing. And it really is like bringing the two my two worlds together. And I don't think music is extracurricular anymore. I'm really proud of what we do and, and yeah, it's it's it's part of my, I guess it all kind of goes into the same pot. You know, for me, just sort of my creative self.

Chuck Shute:

Okay, yeah, cuz I know like, Billy Bob Thornton. I had him on and I was he has a band. He was like a musician first. Same with like Johnny Depp, which I don't think I even knew that. He was a musician first. And then he became an S. So it's interesting. You are so you're more of an Actor first and then the music was kind of a side fun thing. And now it's becoming more.

Rob Benedict:

Yeah, I mean, I, you know, I never I mean, I always I've always loved music and musicians and kind of worshipped musicians and in a way that I didn't think was worthy enough to be in that group and even call myself a musician, you know, and the acting was really like, I really put pressure on to do that. Just as a young young person. I wanted to be an actor. And I just never Yeah, I never consider myself worthy enough as a musician, but obviously, you know, now I do. But yeah, when I first started, I didn't consider myself a musician.

Chuck Shute:

What musicians did you look up to? I was trying to figure out your because your guyses sound is it's kind of a eclectic, I would say. I mean, it's got definitely a sound to it. But I'm trying to feel like I'm getting I'm hearing like maybe a little Tom Petty, maybe some like rockabilly kind of stuff. Maybe like, some indie rock like Death Cab for Cutie Er, yeah, for

Rob Benedict:

sure. Yeah, there's that's all in there. It's definitely Tom Petty. I mean, Norton, and in our lead guitar player, Billy Moran came from more of like, the hard rock world. And, you know, the hair metal, but also, you know, Metallica and like, you know, and even before that AC DC, like, Led Zeppelin. Yeah, yeah. And, and the bass player, Mike Bora and myself came from more of an indie rock background, like we love the Smiths and, you know, Rem and, you know, I loved you, too. And so, yeah, so it really sort of the those those parts came together. And, and that's what our sound is. So it's a little bit of both of that, which I think Tom Petty is a good sort of, in between those two things. Yeah, so it's, you know, now we kind of we've all kind of listened to the same thing, but I've always been drawn. I've been drawn to indie music and eclectic music. That's how I always get inspired.

Chuck Shute:

Yeah, I heard like, even like maybe a little bit of the shins. Is that as a Yeah,

Rob Benedict:

for sure. Yeah. I love the shins. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. What I like about the shins to is that, like, he's really good lyricist. And you may not know what he's saying. And then you read the lyrics later. And you're like, oh, that's, you know, that's actually quite witty. You know, he's like, he's really funny. So, yeah, and I, I sort of pride myself on trying to write you know, lyrics that have a sense of humor, but are also very raw and emotional.

Chuck Shute:

So give me an example that, like, what's your what's one that you're really proud of with? Because that is something that I had never really pay attention to is the lyrics. But if then if you look, you're like, Oh, that's really cool.

Rob Benedict:

Yeah, you know, we have a song on the new the new record called guilty one that I'm kind of proud of it really kind of, it's a it's it pieces together sort of different things that we experiences we actually did have and, and there are all kinds of things that that wind up with me being the one who was guilty of the wrongdoing or whatever it was, and, but in the crafting of the song, I kind of created this character, that's not necessarily me, but he's sort of a character that by the end of the song, he's kind of like, you know, you know, like, you know, over alarm other efforts, like at the end of it, I like say that, like, he's, he's sort of like, Yeah, I'm guilty when he's gonna go out shooting, you know what I mean? He's like, that kind of guy. Okay. It's funny

Chuck Shute:

that you say that, because I listened to the new album, and and that one in particular, it sounded kind of had a little bit of that rockabilly vibe. Sort of like some honestly, it sounded like it would have really well with a Tarantino film. I thought,

Rob Benedict:

for sure, for sure. It's that kind of characters, like, ah, you know, you're gonna have to, you know, kill me if you want to catch me, you know? But yeah, I kind of like the main story that that came out of was that the that I got deported from England, because we were touring and we went into London, and they busted us for not having a work permit. Oh, to play a gig there, which we played London so many times, we'd never got past. And so we weren't ready for the question. And you know, and so we like me and a couple of the dudes spent the 24 hours in a cell, and then they deported us back to back to LA. Wow, yeah, that's interesting.

Chuck Shute:

Yeah, cuz I've heard different things from bands about that. That sounds like such a nightmare doing like I heard it's harder for people from Europe to come to America. America is like super strict with with stuff like that. They charge don't they? I think they charge fees or something where you have to pay when you go to Europe and stuff or now

Stephen Norton:

if you want a permanent Yeah, yeah, there's there's all kinds of stuff that you have to fill out and, and so yeah, so the some people that we had done shows with over there throughout the years, like Yeah, it was always just sort of like yeah, we're just gonna go over and play and yeah, and you know, like, it was always it was always the there was always the unspoken conversation or mostly spoken conversation of like, if they asked, just tell them you're here, we're here for vacation. You brought your guitar to play, play music with your friends. You know, this This,

Chuck Shute:

like handcuff you and like a rescue like,

Rob Benedict:

they didn't hand covers. They're just like, kind of like, you know, come with me. And then they Yeah, they put us in a cell with like without any of our belongings and pull us out one by one and questioned us about our story to get our story straight. And so we're seeing when you're in that position, you're like, Oh, am I? Am I a criminal like

Chuck Shute:

me been in jail? What's that? Is that the only time you've ever been in jail? That's the second time. Right, so what was the first time was that in America? Or

Rob Benedict:

was it America? That was about 15 years ago,

Stephen Norton:

I had a full indiscretion. Yeah, it was.

Rob Benedict:

Yeah, it was just Yeah, exactly. You know, it has to do with drinking and then driving an automobile.

Stephen Norton:

No one got hurt. Yeah.

Chuck Shute:

Are so judgmental, but I feel like everybody's probably driven under the inequity when they shouldn't have maybe they just didn't get a DUI, but I'm sure everybody's had maybe, maybe just maybe there's even one extra glass of wine that's over the legal. And then they got away with it.

Rob Benedict:

Yeah,

Stephen Norton:

that was before. That was pre Uber days, right? I mean, yeah.

Rob Benedict:

Yeah. And I actually blew the exact limit. I was like, just drunk. I blew a point. 08 which is like, that's, that, that that's the legal level.

Stephen Norton:

Like, if you woulda waited five minutes, you would have been fine.

Chuck Shute:

Yeah, that's what my friend told me you're supposed to do is you're supposed to say, Look, I'll answer any of your questions. But if you want me to, I won't take there's not supposed to do any of the tests. And you're not supposed to take the breathalyzer you make them arrest you and take you down to the station. Because time is your friend. And by the time you get down there, you might be not.

Stephen Norton:

Yeah, especially good clubs. Yeah,

Rob Benedict:

I would have known if I could go back. And nowadays, just

Stephen Norton:

Uber.

Chuck Shute:

Well, that's probably the better thing. Yeah,

Stephen Norton:

we always tell it like yeah, we just did a show last weekend. And we were like, if you can over to the show over to the show. Like

Chuck Shute:

yeah, so does that affect that doesn't affect your acting gigs. People are like, like, I don't look at your resume and do background checks for acting and stuff are well actually

Rob Benedict:

they do when you go and you work in Canada. You have to have the work permit and yeah, they do a full check on you and you can't have it's if you've been arrested it does work against you. But for me, ultimately, it got I got the charge. They they what was it called? What's it called? Like? downgraded the charge.

Stephen Norton:

expired. They take it off your record. Well, ultimately,

Rob Benedict:

they took it off my record because after like eight years, it goes off your record. But also it doesn't say D why it's it was like reckless driving. Yeah. Alcohol related. So that was on my, my my you know, on my record for a little bit but but now it's gone now. It's

Chuck Shute:

good. That says I mean, because I'm like I feel you have your band like Motley Crue then you walk with the rest you're like the more chaos and crazy you're an indie rock. I don't I mean, I guess predators really work against you that much either, but I don't you know pro doesn't work for him.

Rob Benedict:

Yeah, but it makes good it's good for song lyrics.

Stephen Norton:

Yeah, or he's bad for touring. Yeah, yeah, exactly.

Chuck Shute:

What was the song? I don't think it was on the new record might have been an older song. There was actually one that I was paying attention to the lyrics because it had it was like something about Oasis and you were talking about the band Oasis and you're talking about that but I can't remember what song it was. I thought I wrote it down. Oh, man.

Rob Benedict:

I think it foolish romance. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Even even know if the game or even Liam left the game. Don't make me your normal anyway. Yeah, I've noticed Oasis reference. Yeah. Just to 90 talking about 90s Rock and yeah, I mean, I like to do that kind of thing. Like have just sort of released specific references. I just think that's kind of fun or funny in a song. So yeah, I mentioned Knoll and Liam Gallagher and my song talking about you know, someone who who rocks out to 90s You know, to 90s Rock 90s Pop Rock.

Chuck Shute:

Yeah, those guys don't get along very well. They are right. This is so broken up. They've been broken up for a long time right

Stephen Norton:

we saw them open for the who we saw them open for the who like three years ago. Really? Yeah they did like they did like a few shows together yeah Boerhaave our bass player and I and I think maybe our guitar player was with us as well but yeah, we went and saw the who and yeah those guys were Oasis was opening and like the worst part was we only got like one song

Rob Benedict:

Wow

Chuck Shute:

man last long because I heard they just hate each other it's just like they do spite between the rough if you're in a band have I obviously you guys don't have that in Louden Swain, right.

Stephen Norton:

I mean, we know we've had our shares of arguments over the years but it's like your brother's at this point. You know, it's like 25 years in you just go like if you get in an argument with someone you go like ah F That guy for the day. And then you know, you might

Rob Benedict:

share we yeah, we have our share of fights, but nothing like you hear about the Gallagher's, or the black crow brothers.

Stephen Norton:

Yeah, we've never thrown punches. And now yeah, we've never thrown punches at each other. And it's never gotten worse than like, just some heated yelling. Yeah.

Rob Benedict:

And in fact, you know, when when shit goes down with one of us. The other the other three are always there for that person. That's what's always been great about our band, like we've gone through a lot of personal struggles. And the other three are like, we'll drop anything to to help you out. And, you know, we really have a bond that way.

Chuck Shute:

Yeah, talk about that, because that's what some of that was in the press release. How like you went through a divorce. The who somebody lost their father was a guitar player,

Stephen Norton:

it was the bass player. Sorry. And then right in the middle of that was right in the middle of COVID. Yeah. And then you,

Chuck Shute:

Steven, were battling colon cancer. I mean, how do you how are you even there for each other when you gotta be there for yourselves?

Stephen Norton:

Yeah, man. I mean, it's, it's, you know, it's one of those things, it's like, right, life's gonna throw some shit at you. And at some point, you just go, you know, you go like, Okay, this is my support group. And this is who this is, who matters in my life. And, you know, and we've, we've been really good about, like, you know, taking somebody aside and just saying, like, hey, look, like, do this, or don't do this, or like, Hey, man, if you need us, like, we're here. And so, you know, for me, it was like, you know, I did, I played a show, two weeks after I had surgery. And luckily for me, like mine, you know, mine turned out fine. And like, you know, I'm healthy, and I'm in a good place. But like, you know, it was it was that thing on the Sunday, on the third day of our show that weekend, it was like, I couldn't go and these guys just went, they just they they took over and like, you know, let me rest. And you know, so it was, and it's great to have that kind of support, where you go, like, look, if I can't do something, I know, these guys are gonna have my back. And I know that, like, they're just gonna be there for me. And we've all done that for everybody. It's like, when, when anybody's had problems, man, it's like, we're like, Look, man, if you need to talk, if you need anything you let us know. And that's just, that's just, I think that's, it says a lot about, I think, who we are as people and just sort of like, the amount that we've invested in each other, you know?

Chuck Shute:

Yeah, sounds like a family. It's more than just the band. For sure. You guys are like, you know, these big bands that are touring separate buses. Exactly. Actually having fun together, and they're for each other. And

Stephen Norton:

yeah, we, we just did a thing where we showed up to get picked up for a thing that I don't think we can talk about yet. But, but they sent four different cars for different sedans to pick up the band. And we all and we ended up there were small cars. So we ended up two and two, but it was like, We got phone calls from the people that were arranging and they're like, Hey, how come you weren't in your car? And we're like, we went together? We didn't think we went together? Like, why would you send four cars for four guys that have just spent the entire weekend together? And you're gonna spend the whole next five days? Yeah. You know, so that stuff never makes sense to us. And we're all just like, Oh, you mean people get individual cars and do their own?

Chuck Shute:

Drama? Yeah. So yeah, with all the stuff you guys are have been through that some of that must be reflected in the songwriting. Right, so tell me about the song Sleepyhead that sounded like that came from a place of emotion. dark place, possibly.

Rob Benedict:

Yeah, that's a good example of like, you know, how we were always co writing and that is, Norton wrote the music for that. And, and sent it to me, and, you know, a lot of my lyrics are very emotional. And for that, when I don't write the music, it's, it's just like, where it takes me and, and, you know, that was sort of the origin of that. That song? Yeah, just, you know, just feeling a certain way and just wanting to go to sleep, just wanting to sleep it off and not have to tackle your issues. But yeah, that just came to this very emotional music that that that Norton had written. Which is, which has been great. What's great about this new album, too, there was I think, more even more collaboration. Norton wrote a couple of the songs and Billy wrote a couple of the songs and Mike the bass player wrote one but yeah, so it was it was very collaborative that way.

Chuck Shute:

Yeah, that's cool. That's like the last song but the first song is such a different it's a contrast I love that one it's a kind of a rock and it's kind of like white stripes vibe I really liked did he write that the bass player write that because it's got such a really cool baseline at the beginning.

Rob Benedict:

I actually wrote that song. Again, that's when one of the things Wine and Roses is the song that's one of the things that I love about this band is like I mean, I write the song but like we always say like music by Louden Swain because I hand it to them and and then they do their thing with it. So yeah, Mike, whatever my explain on that that's, you know that Mic being at his best. But uh, yeah. So yeah, we really I really liked the way that kit went on when came out too. And it's a great rocker.

Chuck Shute:

Yeah. And then the first the song that's out now that people can check out there's the rub. There's a song, and a video great song. Well written good chorus, good, like build up with the piano and stuff. But the video tell me about that. Because there's like, I was confused. I'm like, I don't. This is like some sort of artistic thing I don't get there's like, it's like a girl singing but this is clearly not the singer of the song. So what's going on with the video?

Stephen Norton:

Steve, you want to take that? Yeah, sure. So that was our friend, Kim Rhodes, who was in supernatural with Rob, she was also in this she played the mom in The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, and she's been a dear friend of ours for years and years. And we were in Washington, DC at that we were staying at the at, yeah, the Watergate Hotel. And we were there for a show. And we were like, we've been talking amongst ourselves. We're like, man, we got to get a video done. Because we got to get something and we were like, I don't know when we're gonna have time to do it. And so our bass player, Mike sat down with Kim, who had heard the song, he played the song for Kim. And Kim was like, I love this song. It speaks to me, I want to do the video. She's like, she's like, tell me what you want. And we'll do it. And so we just started, Mike just started filming stuff in the lobby. And then we had a show at a little club that weekend that we filmed the live stuff for. And, and so we just sort of pieced it together. And I think that, you know, then rob can probably speak better about the lyrics and sort of, you know, I think you mentioned that earlier about where the lyrics are coming from. But I think Kim sort of took that chorus of you know, you're scared, you're impaired, and sort of just jumped on that and then use her range as an actress to just really like, kill it, man. I mean, everything that you see in that video, like, that's her crying on command. And like, I mean, she's, she's amazing. Like, she was great. So yeah, she,

Rob Benedict:

she Yeah, you know, the song is, you know, it's, I'm kind of talking to myself really, sort of reaching out, and looking at myself in a very vulnerable moment where I'd sort of been over imbibing and, you know, kind of reaching for something else. Via, you know, alcohol and partying and I'm reaching out to myself going, I see you basically, I see you and I know, you know, you're impaired, you're scared. You know, these are the lyrics of the song and can't that really spoke to Kim because of things that she's been through. And so yeah, so she, so the video winds up, it's kind of it's me watching these, these, her singing the lyrics to me. And then he kind of winds up with us playing the song live. But yeah, that's kind of where that came from his arm. She's almost this voice that's reaching out and saying to me, Hey, I see you. And then in the video, I'm watching her on the screens.

Stephen Norton:

Yeah, it's like it's almost like she's she's his inner monologue. Yeah. Oh, okay.

Chuck Shute:

Oh, that makes sense. I'm so bad, like deciphering those kinds of things. I'm like videos. It's a cool song. I was like, I'm confused. Like, it was interesting. I liked it. But then you have another I was going through your YouTube and there was another song that you guys did a video for gamma ray. Yeah. Yeah. So I just had a question though. Because I the cute blonde in the video is that I swear that look like Margot Robbie. My girlfriend's like, No, her eyebrows are different. Is that her? Or is it just a lookalike? Because she looks like Margot Robbie. Does

Stephen Norton:

she not? It is not Margot Robbie. But yeah, and to be the producer the video right or the director the video. Oh, God, I'm drawing a blank on his name. Your wasn't that wasn't that your.

Rob Benedict:

So you worked with me on? He dragged me in a short film. Gosh, I

Stephen Norton:

can't remember his name either. That was literally like nine years ago now. So yeah, those are his people. Right? Yeah. So he filmed that stuff separately from the band. So we didn't even we never met those people. We didn't. Or maybe they were, if we did with Eric, they were there. They were there at the end. They were there. For one short scene. But I think we met him for maybe 510 minutes. And it was it was it was a quick video shoot. We did it in a single day. And he did some stuff separately. Yeah, or that. And so So yeah, so but that that is not Margot Robbie. Yeah,

Chuck Shute:

it does kind of look like her though, right? Am

Stephen Norton:

I crazy? Yeah, does it No, it does look like you're definitely yeah, must be cool

Chuck Shute:

to have access to all these actresses and actors and directors and things that really is a big help with music videos, especially. We've been super

Stephen Norton:

fortunate. You know, like a couple of Rob's friends that he's worked with on other projects have like reached out to us at various times and said like, hey, I want to do this with you guys like our online video, which was like the first real music video that we made. You know, a buddy of Rob's from St. Louis reached out to us and was like, hey, I want to do this and he sent us a whole bunch of ideas and we got together one A in LA and so yeah, it's been super amazing to have those. I mean, quite honestly, like, half of the things that this band does is because of the opportunities that we've gotten from our friends, you know, it's like, you know, we've been very lucky in that in that, like, you know, people ask us all the time, like, Hey, will you come do this show? Will you come work on this when you come? You know what, you write a song for this? And it's like, yeah, it's been we've been super fortunate for that, you know, and that's

Rob Benedict:

where the both of my worlds kind of play into each other and kind of, you know, the guy that directed all I need video here. We just done he directed me in a movie in St. Louis. And he was became a fan of the band and wanted to you know, do a video for the band. You know, it's fun when those two worlds can kind of interact that way. Yeah. Yeah. What

Chuck Shute:

What was the one? I can't find it? I thought I wrote it down. There was one song that you guys put it's in a movie, right? There's no more like an early

Stephen Norton:

one. No. Or

Rob Benedict:

a little help. Okay. Be with Jenna Fisher. Yes. That's what it was a little help. Yeah. And we wrote a song for that movie called help you.

Chuck Shute:

Yeah. So will you do more of that to putting your the songs off the new album into movies? Is that process to?

Rob Benedict:

Not really I mean, if it's a you know, if it's a big studio movie, that's harder, or more hoops to jump through, but if it's more of an indie movie, with the Jennifer Fisher movie, I just become close with the director just in the process of doing the movie and and then I can we kind of wrote the song. Like, on spec, like I didn't, you know, he didn't say in commission, the song we Billy had this guitar part. And I wrote lyrics that had to do with this movie. So I played it for the director. And he's like, Oh, my God, this is this is going to the movie, you know. But then there are other things like I did this indie movie last summer this summer. And they just called and wanted to use a loud Swain song and that one of our newer songs, so yeah, it's great. When that that happens, we'll do as much as possible. We had a couple we'd like three songs that were in supernatural. But yeah, as much as possible, I love being able to do that.

Chuck Shute:

That is really cool. So you because the band is named after the character from the movie vision quest, whatever. But explaining like the the other names that you guys had, he had some funny ones, like the A lot was this one. The elastic waistband is not what this band was originally called. And then it was

Rob Benedict:

a joke. But that was like a joke. We, when we started doing the conventions, and they they approached us about playing at the conventions. In the convention, we would do concerts as ourselves. They wanted us to sort of be the house band during the day. And at that time, we were like, Oh, we don't really want to be known as a house band or like a cover band, because that's just not us. So we created these alter egos and call ourselves the elastic waistband.

Chuck Shute:

Hank plank and the two by fours. Exactly. On the pickles. Like, it sounds kind of funny. Do you have like wigs and costumes?

Stephen Norton:

Yeah, we did. We had a whole thing we had. We all had wigs and polyester jumpsuits. And we all had nicknames. Like our bass player was Sir Richard Furlong. And you know, it was what Johnny Hi, pocket I pockets. Your hot Carl. Carl, Google

Chuck Shute:

that folks.

Rob Benedict:

What was what was yours? Yours was tango. Tango? Yeah. No last name. Yeah. And it was you know, it was just the joke was, you know, we'd obviously we like, voted the

Stephen Norton:

third, third best band. And third, no fifth fifth best band and in Las Vegas in 20. You know, fifth best cover band in Las Vegas. One out of three bands out of three bands. Yeah, we're the third best.

Rob Benedict:

But that was kind of a joke. And then we shed that eventually. Because then, you know, we kind of just want to be ourselves again. But yeah.

Chuck Shute:

And so now you play Do you play mostly originals, but you throw in some covers when you do live shows?

Rob Benedict:

Yeah, we you know, we're if you see us at a club, we're all originals. But when we play the conventions, we do this thing called the Saturday Night Special, which kind of modeled after like The Last Waltz where it's like us playing our music. But then actors from the show will come on maybe two or three actors during an 90 minute show will come on and they'll sing covers with us. Oh, yeah. Yeah, it's fun. It's fun. It's fun fun for the fans of the show to see because we have a lot of very talented actors who are singers from Supernatural so yeah, it's it's fun for the for the fans.

Stephen Norton:

Yeah, like lead gen. Our buddy Jensen Ackles really kind of kicked it off and he always takes it to another level because his you know, his his status is such that when he does something a lot of people pay attention but it's been great for us because it's like, you know, he recorded a song with us cover song with us and it was one that he had done it a whole bunch of you know that we you know when we did our live record and and yeah, it's just amazing man. Like there's so many talented people on that circuit and you know, you you don't know I don't know Everybody always realizes that a lot of actors started out doing musical theater or doing other types of stuff. And so they're pretty comfortable behind the microphone. And you know, and if nothing else, they can act like singers and, you know, and and they can pull it off. And man, we've, we've had some people who aren't, you know, who aren't the most comfortable singers go out and just kill it, man, and they're just great. And you know, so we're really fortunate that we've got friends who are willing to put themselves out there and go do that stuff. Because it really it excites, especially at those conventions, it excites the fans and, and really helped us build a you know, build a fan base through that kind of stuff. You know,

Chuck Shute:

so a lot of the fans are fans of the supernatural show, for sure.

Rob Benedict:

Yeah. Yeah.

Stephen Norton:

Yeah, there's definitely there's definitely a crossover. It's like, you know, we've got a we've got a fan base. And you know, a lot of them have come to us from that, you know, from that, you know, that area.

Chuck Shute:

Yeah. And you're opening for that the actor Jensen, his band radio company, you have a show lined up with him

Stephen Norton:

in Nashville, in Nashville, at a club called analog, which I think only seats about 300 people, and I think it's sold out in about five minutes. So Wow. Yeah. So it was it was, uh, it was, you know, it's gonna be a super fun night. And it'll be you know, it'll be just before Christmas, and it'll be a great time. So

Chuck Shute:

yeah. And you guys have done shows at the Viper Room before too. I wanted to get your take on that, because I heard they're tearing that place down. That's kind of sad.

Stephen Norton:

Really? Yeah, that that doesn't surprise me. It's like with all the construction that goes on on Hollywood Boulevard these days. On sunset. Yeah. Yeah, we

Rob Benedict:

used to play there a lot. That was that was my favorite place to play on the Sunset Strip for sure. We liked that spot. It was just the sound was always really good. And,

Stephen Norton:

and the rooms are nice size. Right? Like, it's like I think it seats just over 200 people or something. And it's, it's awesome. And the energy in there is great when you pack them in.

Chuck Shute:

So yeah, can you can you guys do like a full tour? Or is that too hard with Rob's acting schedule to plan that?

Rob Benedict:

We do like many tours, we'll do like, Do you know what we'll do like Boston, New York? Or, you know, we've even like gone down the coast and just done New York, Boston, you know, Virginia? Atlanta.

Stephen Norton:

Yeah. Yeah, it's like, a lot of times we try to book that stuff, where we're flying in for a weekend doing a couple of shows, and then find out and then that way it gives, you know, that way, it gives Robbie time to, to, you know, do his acting stuff when that you know, when that's on the schedule as well. And it, you know, yeah, it allows us to edit it allows the guys to have still have a family life. And you know, and we're fortunately at this point where we can afford to do that and, you know, and make it work. So,

Chuck Shute:

It's Supernatural. Is that the show that you're most recognized for?

Rob Benedict:

It depends. I mean, I get a lot from the poster right behind you.

Chuck Shute:

I love that. I love that's why I said yes, I confession like I was like I saw your name. And I was like looking at apples like he's Calvin from way I was like, I love that movie. I love your character in that. I think it's brilliant. Like do you still like that movie? Or is it like canceled now? I don't know. Because I think it's funny.

Rob Benedict:

I haven't seen it in a while but I love that people love it. You know I I had such a great I have a such a great memory of filming it because we all were kind of living that life off camera. We were really like partying a lot and really got a lot well. Justin Long became a good friend as did on a Ferris and Ryan was great. We just all really got along with each other. So we're in New Orleans. So it was it was you know, and were a whole lot younger, pre kids. So it was it was fun. It was a really, really fun time. So I love that people love it.

Chuck Shute:

I do think when you made it like the like Anna Faris and Ryan Reynolds are gonna be huge stars. And this movie is gonna be like a cult classic, or

Rob Benedict:

that's what we kind of hoped to. I remember making it and telling people it's kind of like an office space for restaurants. You know, and and we're hoping that it would be that but but at the same time. Yeah, we're all like, this could be something that no one ever sees. We really just didn't really know. Yeah.

Stephen Norton:

So how many waiters you know how many people working in restaurants say come up to rob and at the end of the meal they're like love you and waiting man.

Chuck Shute:

Right? Yes, yes. If you work in a restaurant you haven't seen that movie like you're missing out just like work in an office and you haven't seen office space I mean Yeah, exactly. Yeah,

Rob Benedict:

no, I love it and I love it seems to be in it seems to still be kind of a cult favorite of waiters. So yeah, it's great

Chuck Shute:

that one and then you're on Felicity for a while and

Rob Benedict:

Felicity and yeah, that that gets the older crowd will remember me from Felicity and supernatural supernatural has such a big fan base and really kept that show on the air for 15 seasons. And so yeah, that that that's a big one too.

Chuck Shute:

Yeah, I haven't even seen it off to check it off to watch an episode. Love the new album. Love it. Now a fan of the band. So I hope I can see you guys lie. I know you're coming to Phoenix, but it's at that convention, right?

Stephen Norton:

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, you can come out to that concert on Sunday on Saturday night and starts it starts at nine 915 I think is usually when we go on stage and like, it'll be a 90 minute show. And yeah, you can just come out to that man we'd be we'd be happy to have you and be great to see you.

Chuck Shute:

Okay, yeah. Now you guys have a heart out soon. So just want to always end with a charity. And I think you guys there was one now your publicist Senate now I forgot what it was. But you want to promote I was promoted charity at the end? Is there something I think was the Stroke Association

Rob Benedict:

and the American Stroke Association? Yeah, I had a, I had a stroke at a convention actually in 2013. And so that's, you know, it's a cause it's near and dear to my heart. And so fortunately, I've got recovered. And one of the reasons I've recovered so quickly is that I got to the hospital fast. And so you know, it's very important to recognize the causes of a stroke and to get to the hospital as soon as you can

Chuck Shute:

see, what is that there's like an acronym or something. I forget what? Fast Nast was the same for

Rob Benedict:

f as face, arms. So if you can't move your face or your arms, like there's drooping in your face, yeah, you want arms if you can't, like move your arm when your arms up. As his speech, like slurring talk, yeah, talk I had that was me. I had aphasia. I couldn't speak at all. And then T is time or it's also tongue. Because if you stick your tongue out and it kind of goes to one side, that's a that's a sign of a stroke.

Chuck Shute:

Yes, that's what it is. That's a big if you stick the tongue out, okay. For people to know I will put that link in the show notes along with the band website. And people can check there's some shows lined up besides Phoenix or some like the Nashville one we mentioned some other ones and who knows when people will listen to this could be five years from now so check the website. All you guys on social media, anything else from promote?

Rob Benedict:

No, man, we got gigs all next year and

Stephen Norton:

got a full slate and and the new couple of about Friday?

Chuck Shute:

Yeah. This Friday. Okay. Yeah, cuz I think it looks like it kind of changed a little bit right or No,

Stephen Norton:

November, November 11. has been the day. Yeah. There was like a preorder date. And there were some other stuff. So but yeah,

Chuck Shute:

healings and such as the new one. That's right. And the because there's another one that's that's already out. I think that was called foolish. That one's already out right now. And feelings in such comes out. Perfect. All right. Well, let you guys get to your next interview. Thanks so much for doing this. Hey, thanks. All right. Again, thank you to rob and Steven, check out this band. If you like melodic indie rock. They are doing shows throughout the country and the new album is called feelings and such. Check out their music videos on YouTube. And you can subscribe to their YouTube channel and also my channel. We recently hit 1500 subscribers. And I know that's not a lot compared to other channels. But I am very grateful as I work really hard to get here and I hope I can keep it going. So I appreciate your support. If you want to support the show again, please subscribe to the channel. And of course your likes, comments and shares on social media and YouTube. They help the show and they help the guests so more people will learn of both of those things. Thank you again, have a great day and shoot for the moon.