Jack Underkofler (Dead Poet Society)

Jack Underkofler is the lead singer for the rock band Dead Poet Society. The band has played some huge festivals and also toured with Badflower, Sevendust & Highly Suspect. They embark on a solo tour across the U.S. and Europe beginning on May 12th in Phoenix. We discuss the new tour, new music, the creative process, cover songs and more!

00:00 - Intro
00:47 - Booze, Water & Voice
03:50 - New Tour, Buses & Vans
07:36 - Opening Vs. Headlining
10:50 - Creative Process
19:20 - The Song "Haunted" & Emotions in Songs
26:00 - Cover Songs
28:35 - New Songs
33:30 - Playing Big Festivals & Watching Bands
36:42 - Advice from Musicians & "Making It"
46:02 - Future Tour Plans
47:34 - Charity - St. Jude's Children Hospital
48:55 - Outro

Dead Poet Society website:
https://www.wearedps.com/

St. Jude's Children's Hospital website:
https://www.stjude.org/

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

Transcript

Chuck Shute: 0:00

All right jack under Koffler is the singer and frontman for the band Dead Poets Society. And of course, the band name has nothing to do with the movie. And in fact, Jack hated the name and originally the band and until the bases showed up at his doorstep one day, and they started making music together and the rest is history. They've now toured with bad flower seven dust highly suspect. And apparently another big tour is on the horizon. So they do have some US and European shows on the books. And we're going to discuss that as well as upcoming new music, the creative process and so much more stay right there like I was gonna ask you about tax that's one thing I listened to some interviews, I didn't hear you talk either, like about drinking and drugs and stuff like that, or against drinking and drugs. So you guys are still young. So I'm assuming that's still a part of like, being in a band and touring and stuff?

Jack Underkofler: 1:02

Oh, 100%. Yeah. They are basis. Deal. And he, he doesn't drink. He doesn't drink anymore. He stopped when we were in college. And, but the rest of us drink, you know, not and say, I mean, occasionally, I'll go fucking, you know, wild if I have like a night off or something. But because of the music that we sing, or that I sing. I can't really go crazy. Most nights, because then the next day, I'm just hurting. And it's just making the show worse. So I just, you know, I just avoid it. But if we have a night off, then I'm like, I'm gonna save it all up.

Chuck Shute: 1:44

Okay, yeah, that makes sense. Because I've heard singers say that, too, that alcohol can really affect, especially as you get older, you're still pretty young. But as some of these older guys interview, they have to stop drinking when they get you know, 40s 50s 60s can't do it anymore.

Jack Underkofler: 1:59

Yeah, yeah. I mean, like, you could definitely tell it's, it's like somebody took like sandpaper to your vocal cords the next day, they just, everything just works a little worse. And everything's sore because you know, you haven't like reflux while you're sleeping. You just got all this alcohol and acid sitting on your throat and night. Yeah.

Chuck Shute: 2:18

Is there other tricks you have to do like things you have to be aware of, like, certain things you eat or drink or like talking too loud, all those kinds of things like,

Jack Underkofler: 2:27

yeah, on show days, I tend to not talk too much. Which, you know, we're on tours most days. So I've kind of found this nice balance, because I tried not talking at all for a while. And that fucking sucks. And that just you know, is boring and makes it really hard to communicate. And then this isn't radio is it? Is it radio? Can I swear? Yeah. You

Chuck Shute: 2:49

know, you can source podcast, the fox show. Anything, whatever you want.

Jack Underkofler: 2:54

Yeah, so. Yeah. So I turned out to talk too much on show days, especially if we're doing like headline sets. And I drink a lot of water. Like I try to drink about a gallon of water a day.

Chuck Shute: 3:13

Do you carry around on those big jugs? Like the guys at the gym? Yeah,

Jack Underkofler: 3:16

like the douche bags? I like quite a bit is Yeah.

Chuck Shute: 3:20

I never understood that. I was like, you really need that much water for one workout. I mean, I get maybe you're if you're carrying around for the whole day, then okay, but I never understood that. Well, I've looked

Jack Underkofler: 3:30

it up. And they were saying like 3.5 liters, which was like, basically a gallon a day. I'm like, Nobody drinks a gallon of water a day. Like that's what you're supposed to drink, apparently. Huh. And you know,

Chuck Shute: 3:45

now, maybe that's why they have a gallon just to remind them. I got to finish this thing. Yeah. So new US tour, or US tour and European. This is first right. So how does that work? Are you guys do you have a van or a tour bus? Are you doing hotels? Or because it's kind of a smaller club tour?

Jack Underkofler: 4:03

Yeah, so we just actually bought a van for touring and for the US run. And that's good for like cutting back on like hotels and shit like that. But like, you still in the US, we still do hotels. And last December, we were lucky we were fortunate enough to have like our friends in this band, bad flower. You know, split their tour bus with us, which was sick because that was our first tour bus experience. But it was I think I had hyped it up too much in my own head. You know, when I got when we had the tour bus, because I was just like, This is gonna be insane like I've ever had to drive again. And we ended up having 14 people on a 14 person tour bus and it's like, it's like having a full bus at all at all times. So the only privacy you get is like your like little tiny Cubby. And I'm not complaining, you know, like I got to fucking go on a tour bus, which is like more Then 99% of bands ever get to experience so it was it was an awesome experience but touring in a van there's something nice about it like being able to stop whenever you want at gas stations and like it's kind of like not now. No, it's about it's now more control. Yeah, exactly.

Chuck Shute: 5:18

For people I didn't know those buses held 14 People like 14 bunks or something. How's that

Jack Underkofler: 5:23

work? Yeah, it was like a double decker tour bus. So upstairs was all bunks downstairs was like a little living room. Hmm. Yeah, pretty

Chuck Shute: 5:33

cool. Then what about you did a tour with highly suspect was that similar? You have a tour of us for that one?

Jack Underkofler: 5:39

No, we follow it in our van most all the US tours we follow in our we follow in our own van which is actually pretty fucking sweet. I bought it in January. And like the family that had it before us didn't put any miles on it only had 9000 miles. And they like converted the whole inside. So it's got like this bed like this fold out bed. And like, I put a trailer hitch on it. And it's just fucking good to go. So that thing is what we tore in when we're over in the US and we just swap out driving.

Chuck Shute: 6:14

Okay, so then but you still have Oh, tell you there's not enough room for all of you to sleep in the van.

Jack Underkofler: 6:19

No, no, I mean, we could but like No, no, definitely not gonna do that.

Chuck Shute: 6:24

Is that's gonna be a lot of big concern. Just like Trent the logistics of touring. I've heard because obviously with gas prices and stuff, it's like everything's changing, it's hard to make some of these tours got cancelled, because they're, you can't make money off of it, right?

Jack Underkofler: 6:39

Um, no, I mean, you can make money. It's like, ya know, it's, it's just a matter of budgeting, sometimes you got to get back on shows and shit like that. And the thing is, is like with most bands that get to that level, you've, you've had so much experience, hopefully, by that point by playing shitty shows and building your like showmanship that you you know, a live show and everything, as long as you got good sound. And if you can afford it, good lights, then everything's good. But like, just be entertaining. You know, like, at the foundation of it. If you are in an entertaining band, you like, know how to have fun with an audience. If you have all that experience with, at bare minimum, you can make a fun show, then everything's exhilarating. You just gotta learn to like cut back and you know, don't cancel, but you know, do what you can

Chuck Shute: 7:35

afford. When you guys play like a club show. Like obviously, when you're opening for bad far, most of the people are going to see but bad far. So you're hoping to make new fans. Now when it's a club tour, you guys are kind of the headliner. So are you expecting it mostly to be fans of your band? Or is there a lot of like, I know, the first gig you guys are doing is here in Phoenix at Valley bar, is there some people that just go to valley bar, like I'll just go to valley bar and see whatever bands playing and hope that you could turn those people into Dead Poets, society fans.

Jack Underkofler: 8:03

I mean, I'm sure it's a little bit of that we're kind of past the stage of work. Thankfully, we're past the stage of like, bar band, like show up. And everybody's like, Oh, like, I gotta yell over this band. Now, we're past that pitch. Yeah, we're on to the stage where it's like, people are actually buying tickets, not a lot of people, but people are actually buying tickets. And those shows are just, you know, like, when you're opening up for, you know, bad flower and stuff like that you want to, there's like a certain level of pressure to like, go above and beyond. And then at your own shows, there's a different kind of pressure to go above and beyond, but it's so much more relaxed and fun. Because everybody's there to see you. So then you have that and so you have this confidence of like, of like, I know, if I have a good time, everybody's gonna have a good time. So I'm just gonna go out there and just fuck around and do whatever I want. And they'll connect, because they understand our band. And it'll just be an awesome time. And so, yeah, there's just kind of like a difference between the two. There's a lot more pressure with an opening slot.

Chuck Shute: 9:13

Yeah, much more freedom with these and also you're closer to these fans like literally like your venue so you can like really, like connect with the crowd more because I would think sometimes those bad flower shows you like they're a lot of the people haven't gotten there yet. That's where I see with those opening slots sometimes a lot of like, not so much with that one, but like some where there's like four or five bands, you know, it's like if you're the first one that's like you might be playing to like a 10% full stadium like, classless act, perfect example opened up for the stadium, or like all those bands and I mean, I think I don't even think you could get into the venue by the time they started. Like before people even got into the venue. It was very strange.

Jack Underkofler: 9:54

Yeah, so much and I feel like I mean, who are they opening for? Classes act

Chuck Shute: 10:00

There was the stadium tour. It was like Motley Crue and Def Leppard Joan Jett and poison it was like, a huge stadium tour

Jack Underkofler: 10:07

of like, whoever planned the tour because that's, you know, like you bring these opening bands along to like, help build them. Right and you liked them and you think they're gonna put on a good show and get everybody ready for you. But if you just kind of like throwing them in as this like passing like, you know, like, lobby act ban, it's kind of that's kind of chatty, you know? Yeah. Yeah.

Chuck Shute: 10:29

We, by the time we got there, we miss Joan Jett, and in class A sack where I went to that, but then I saw classes like the pit played at Valley bar, the same place you're playing, and I was like, Oh, these guys are awesome. That's it's kind of a fun venue. Have you ever played Valley bar before? No. Okay.

Jack Underkofler: 10:44

I have it. Yeah. It'll be cool.

Chuck Shute: 10:47

Yeah, so are you gonna be? Are you guys promoting an upcoming album and playing new songs? Or is this all gonna be old stuff?

Jack Underkofler: 10:53

So we are gonna play some new songs that aren't out yet? And we're actually you know, because we've done we've toured through these places, like multiple times now, in the past like year, they're like, how can we make this show more interesting. So we're, we're going back to like, some of our really old stuff to know some of that out and some of the really new stuff and see how we can like kind of change up the set a little bit and make it interesting for people who have been to our shows before. And hopefully, you know, also on top of that, for anybody who hasn't been to our shows, kind of introduce them to the like the chaos of our headlining shows.

Chuck Shute: 11:32

Oh, yeah, I haven't seen you guys live. So I'm hoping to make Valley bar show. Yeah,

Jack Underkofler: 11:37

it isn't good fucking time. Yeah,

Chuck Shute: 11:39

it was only a kind of a casual fan. And then I saw the press release, and I saw was Phoenix. And I was like, huh, and then I was like, I shouldn't have him on the show. And I started listening more. I was like, Oh, I I really liked this. Like, you guys are one of those bands that like, every song is good. I mean, there are many songs are very different. But it's kind of like, like a Dream Theater, or kind of those things where it's like, you could tell it, you didn't just phone it in like, Okay, we need some songs to fill out the album. Like every song is kind of complex. And, and different. I heard you talking about that. Like, that's on purpose. There's no rules, you're not trying to find a certain sound, it's just, let's see where it goes.

Jack Underkofler: 12:13

Yeah, yeah, that's kind of like how we've always written because, like, everybody in the band is so ADHD, like, they focused on one song in particular. And then once we're done writing that song, we go on to the next one, we're so tired of that sound, because writing our music takes a long time, you know, because we, you know, try to get like a map. But sometimes the map doesn't, doesn't like, come out some years. Sometimes you're like, microscopic, you know, like, writing a riff, note by note kind of thing. And, and so yeah, you just end up with these, like, these songs that take a long time, but we're really proud of them at the end of the day, because, you know, I, I can't do that, like, let's just fill out the album, like, this song is okay. And nobody else in the band can do that. You know, it's like, we got to like, the songs. Otherwise, we never play him again.

Chuck Shute: 13:05

You know, it sounds like it's a lot of the songs are very collaborative, like your people are writing different parts. It's not just like you came in with a song? Or maybe you did, I don't know, is it how does it usually work?

Jack Underkofler: 13:16

It's extremely collaborative. I mean, usually, there's a Genesis from somebody in the band, somebody will bring in a song, or a riff, or even, you know, just like one melody line. And it's always varied on how much the person brings in I, I and Jack have brought in like full songs before. And then we just figure him out and then change the parts we don't like. But then it's also been like, oh, that roof is act like, let's just jam on that. And then you kind of build a song around that. So it's, it's an extremely collaborative process, which some people, you know, don't like doing that they just been, they just like, you know, like this song for me, the rest of the band learns, and they like, tweak little things, but, but I find that it's like, it's like, somebody that writes a book has an editor. And, and, you know, you're not just gonna write something down and then shoot it out, it's gonna have all these mistakes, it's gonna have these slow points, so you get bored and shit like that. And so having four people who are all very, very opinionated, and very short attention spans, being like, that part sucks. And then having the like, maturity of RIT have been having written long enough to be like, Oh, that really hurts. But let's examine it again. And see, I think it's just for us it works really well to have that sort of like, how do we make this song interesting from like, beginning to end?

Chuck Shute: 14:46

Okay, now that's it so it sounds like there's some trust there between the band members like I had this band on from LA violent Saturn and their brother sister and I was like, how do you guys not kill each other and they said, Well, that's actually better for the songwriting because you know, the They have such a long relationship, they can tell each other Oh, this sucks. You know, it says it sounds like the same with your band, you're able to kind of be more honest with each other.

Jack Underkofler: 15:07

Yeah, you can and like, and, you know, we've been doing this band for like, almost like a little over a decade now. I think when we started our freshman year of college, like, a while, and, and one thing Dylan is newer to the band, he's, you know, he's a few years in now, but you know, he's newer to the band. So the beginning of the writing process of this, it was like, we were talking and stuff, and I was like, dude, like, when somebody doesn't like your idea. It hurts just as much as the first day you fucking somebody told you that in like your idea. Like, it never gets any better. Like, you'll have this thing you like, isn't that sick? And everybody's like, No, you're just like, Ah, you just get better at reacting to it. Hmm. Okay.

Chuck Shute: 15:51

So what do you do? If somebody doesn't like it? Do you rewrite it? That part? Or would you say that part and go, you know, I do. I still think this is good. Maybe I'll save this for another project or a solo thing? Or

Jack Underkofler: 16:01

possibly, sometimes you give it a little bit, you know, even an hour or two. And you're like, Yeah, you're right, that does suck, or like, you'll come up with something else. I find that like, the best method is to try every idea, no matter how much you like that part. Like always, like, never say, Never say like, no or put up and don't even like start an argument. Don't even put up an argument for why you like that part. If somebody says they don't like it, then just go Okay, so like, let me try. Let's try some other ideas. Let's try some others. And and nothing better comes up and fuck yeah, your part was the best. But like, you just, you know, if somebody goes, what if you did this, instead? You go, Okay, you just do it. And no matter how much you want to not, you know, just, it keeps the flow going. Like, the objective is to never stop the flow of ideas. Because once you stopped the flow ideas, it's just it's over. It sucks. You know, like, nobody wants to be there.

Chuck Shute: 16:57

Yeah, it was interesting. I heard you say, I mean, obviously, for people who don't know, you went to Berkeley, which is a prestigious music school, but you that you learned, you learned some musical things, you have great professors, but the creativity is something they can't teach you. So how do you? How do you learn to be creative? Like, I mean, maybe some people don't have the music in them. But how can you open the doors to receive the creative voices?

Jack Underkofler: 17:20

That's the kind of paradox almost don't say scan. Yeah, it's a scam. I mean, it's just like, that's what it is. It's like, if you're an artist, and you want to be an artist, like, don't go to music school, or go there to meet other musicians that like the same music, but then get the fuck out of there and start touring and making content. Because it's like, yeah, you can't teach creativity. And you there's are useful skills that you can learn at colleges like that, that, you know, apply to different realms of music. But like that creativity has got to come from you. And exploring it yourself. And if you if you're in a band pushing each other to explore and get better, you know?

Chuck Shute: 18:03

Yeah, so is that, is it coming from each other that because your sound is very unique? I mean, there's so many like, I thought that was more technically musical things that you learned at Berkeley, like the odd. I mean, I don't even know I'm not a musician, but like, maybe is it like what do you say like odd time signatures and things like stopping and starting and those kinds of things that makes her sound unique? Is that just something that you've kind of evolved over time? With the band? Yeah,

Jack Underkofler: 18:27

it was just something that, you know, just we wrote, because that felt right. We just did it? And we were like, that sounds cool. We like that. Let's do that. I think that writing from a, a perspective, that is not just purely based around what feels good, you're going to end up with something that doesn't feel like anything. And the different time signatures were never because like, we wanted to do something cool. It was just that felt right. And so that's why we did it. And yeah, it should always just, everything should just be based on whether or not it feels right. And that's like, it can be simple or complex. It doesn't really matter. That's up to whoever is finding it. Pulling it out of whatever wherever songs come from, you know.

Chuck Shute: 19:19

Yeah, cuz you do have that song which I think you you said was one of your favorites. Haunted was that the one that and that's kind of more just a simple stripped down acoustic song. Why is that one of your favorite is Do you like do you prefer that? Because it's easier?

Jack Underkofler: 19:33

No, it's actually way harder to play. Really? Yeah, because it's the only song where we don't have drums. And so will our drummer plays bass on that song. So there's nobody there's nothing like you know, because for me, like whenever we're playing live, like I have a kick blaring through my monitor so I can feel it in my chest and always keep time with that one. It's like you just have to you have to listen to everybody in the song is not easy to say. So it's like you got to stay lined up. And so we did it one tour. And it worked really well. But that was only because we had like, rehearsed it every day for like a week. And then the next time we went out on tour, we only had one day to rehearse it. And then we're going through the tour, and it was fucking like, it was not fucking working. And I got sick. At one point, I was like, okay, like, I just got to sing this by myself, because not only is it even harder to sing now. Like, it's not sounding right, we have no time to rehearse it. But the reason I liked that song is because it was I wrote the majority of that one, lyric, a melody wise. And it was just really reflective of a period in my life that I look back on and, and see how I was doing and feeling at that time. And it's just interesting for me to go back and recall those feelings

Chuck Shute: 21:02

in a positive way, or the look back at it and say,

Jack Underkofler: 21:06

more than an observed observation just kind of way. I don't know if that's a word. Yeah, it's just you. The songs are kind of like timestamps of who everybody in the band was at that time period, whoever song from that and, and being able to go back and recall those emotions, when you perform it is kind of a unique not a gift in the sense of like, being gifted, but like a gift to yourself. To have be able to like, see and feel who you were in that moment. Yeah.

Chuck Shute: 21:47

Is that hard too, though, because like, I know, I think was Allison chains, that song rooster was about his friend that died. And I mean, there's a lot of songs like that, that are about people that their friends have died in the middle, a lot of times those ones will become the biggest hits. Now you got to play this song about your friend that died every night. And then it's got to bring those feelings back up. I mean, those are songs like that, that are painful to sing. Because of the memories.

Jack Underkofler: 22:10

Yeah, yeah, I think it all depends on it all depends on like, like, the mood of the night and where you are. And sometimes it is harder to sing those songs. Sometimes it isn't. But I think that the times where it is easy to access, that tends to be the best, you know, like, if, if everything's going wrong that night, and the show's not flowing for you very well, then it can be harder to kind of like, relax enough to get into that. But it's like the nicer yards. It's difficult, but it's just I mean, it's very gratifying, at the same time, it's very rewarding to be able to pull that up. And it's not like any of us force it because then you put it on, you're putting on like a performance of your own emotion. That's just, it's so whenever I see that in like live performances, or the person's like, being extra dramatic and shit, like that makes me cringe so hard. So none of us try to ever get into that too performative sort of thing where it's like, you're trying to force somebody feels it, it's like, just always stay present in the moment. And if the songs feeling that way that night, then you'll know, you know,

Chuck Shute: 23:27

huh, that's interesting. So you're not you're not really acting when you're on stage with in terms of bringing up those emotions, you're actually feeling it in the moment.

Jack Underkofler: 23:37

Yeah, cuz I mean, it's, it's such an opportunity to just have, you're creating this, this realm in, you know, the 200 Cat venue that you're in with all these people to just like, really experience these, like, these, these sensations. And the reason why the people are there, it's just like, it's like this, like, for me, I'm taking this out. This, I don't know, it's just such a fun thing. Not fun in the sense of fun, but just like a really satisfying moment that it's like you, you found all these people, and they found you, because you share some sort of emotion that hits somewhere deep. And like, you get this opportunity to just nobody's judging anybody. You just play the songs and you get to all feel the same exact thing. And if you're forcing that people know, I mean, we're like, creatures completely based on community and the subtleties of expression. And some people are really good at faking and fooling and we're not so so you have to you have to just every single night, just get up there and and get into that mindset. And if and that's I mean, I think That's why our shows are just so, you know, obviously biased but just there's so much like electricity in the room like why they're just so chaotic and fun and, and whatnot is because we get up there and it's like, you lean into whatever insecurity or emotion that you're feeling. And because you're doing that, people feel a freedom to lean back and give you what they have to and, and it's magical. And that's, that's like the, that's the performance. It's not like, it's not like a, I'm gonna put on a show. It's like, I'm going to come here and I'm going to, I'm going to show you what I have to give, and you show me what you have to give. And at the end of the night, we'll have you know, everybody will feel great.

Chuck Shute: 25:45

That sounds so it sounds like it's cathartic for you and for the audience.

Jack Underkofler: 25:49

Yeah, it really is. Really

Chuck Shute: 25:52

well, there'll be so you'll play some some old stuff. You're gonna play some new stuff. Will there be another surprises? Will you throw in some cover songs, maybe some special guests will get up and sing with you while you switch instruments anything crazy like that?

Jack Underkofler: 26:10

I would say like, I would say like, one we've never been good at covers. We played one cover gig, our entire Okay, so we played one cover gig our entire career as like we were trying to find other ways to make money. It was like right when we moved out to California dirt poor, we're all all four of us are living in this tiny two bedroom apartment. Three. We're like, Fuck it like cover. Good. Yeah, let's do it. 500 bucks, like, so we went down to San Diego and we learned like 16 songs. But we had to do a four hour set. So this was about an hour's worth two songs that we had to play four times in a row. Like, standing there like read off a piece of paper like tried to play the songs Will's got like, Will has just like a floor time. Snare like a broken floor toms snare and, and this like tiny little kick. And like, we just had these tiny little amps and we're just like, fuck it. And so what we learned that night is that we're horrible. It covers really horrible it covers we I mean, it's just something that's just not interesting to us. So we've never done a cover and who's not to say like, eventually, one day we do. It was still a hilarious night because people could tell that we didn't prep at all for this. And so there was some fun in that.

Chuck Shute: 27:27

What kind of did you do?

Jack Underkofler: 27:29

Oh, geez, I can't remember. I think we did a black key song. Okay, we did some jet. We did a royal blood song.

Chuck Shute: 27:39

Sounds fun, though. I don't know. Like, I think there's two kinds of cover songs. There's the ones that like, your band sounds like that. And then you play it like true to the original. And then there's ones where it's like, you take something totally different and you make it your own like when Metallica did Whiskey in the Jar like that. Original original I mean before before Thin Lizzy covered it was like an Irish folk drinking song and they turn into a heavy metal say

Jack Underkofler: 28:01

how I know it. I didn't know Metallica did a cover of that. Yeah,

Chuck Shute: 28:05

well, you've never heard the Metallica Whiskey in the Jar. Now we're gonna meet Yeah, listen, I mean, obviously if you know the original, listen to Metallica, because we're just fucking badass. Metallica was the king of that they would take these I thought they take these old punk songs. And like, they'd make them heavy metal. And then you go back and listen to the original. And it's like, it's not as cool. Like the way Metallica did. It was cool. They played a heavier, you know, so I don't know, something to think about. But I'm excited for this new stuff. Can you tell us anything about the new songs that you do have?

Jack Underkofler: 28:35

Ah, yeah, yeah, I can't tell you some stuff. I mean, we don't have any release dates. And we're still getting the mixes back. But we're done tracking it. And we're trying to get it out the doors, you know, as soon as possible now that it's done. And with our last album, there was a, there's a diversity in the way that we write music, you know, we had like really heavy stuff, more old stuff, more soft acoustic II stuff. And so we just kind of more subconsciously go deeper into all those caveats. And it's like, some of the stuff is really heavy, some of the stuff is really weird. Some of the stuff is very poppy. It's like, it's like we just, you know, tried to just level it up, you know, like, how can we take this last album, what we learned from it and and just really dive into how expansive we can be within our own genre, and maybe even outside of our genre and just follow that. That one rule that we have that you just feel it and whatever comes out comes out. And so I'm hyped on it. I'm very excited for it. What's that? Said? I'm nervous as shit. Nervous? Yeah, yeah, cuz it's Like, some of it sounds like the old, like a few songs off of there have this like dark, old blues kind of feel. But some of it's just, I mean, like, I'm very proud of all the songs. They're really well written songs. And so I think it's just because I've been, we've been sitting on these for so long. And I've heard them eat, like, 1000 times at this point, that I don't even know how to fucking judge it anymore. I'm just like, let's just get these out the fucking door and see how see how it how it does. And I'm just like, ready to go?

Chuck Shute: 30:37

Well, have you played it for other people like family members or record? Exactly, yeah. And they love it.

Jack Underkofler: 30:42

Oh, yeah. Yeah. But it's funny because it's, I get like a different. This is my favorite. Like, I've shown it to a lot of my friends and family and stuff. And I get and this is the same for the rest of the guys in the band is that I've shown it to so many people. And each one of them gives me a different like, this is my favorite one. This is my favorite one. And then other ones that people absolutely love. I'll show it to another person they like fucking hate it. Really? Yeah. Which is great. Which is great, actually, because the I think the worst reaction you can have from any song is indifference. True. So if somebody hates it, that's actually, it's actually not like you're on the wrong track. It's like,

Chuck Shute: 31:28

especially if somebody else love that, then that means there's something there.

Jack Underkofler: 31:32

Maybe it's creating some sort of emotion. Yeah. Wow.

Chuck Shute: 31:36

How the hell do you pick the first single though? Good

Jack Underkofler: 31:38

question. That that is a that is a debate that is quite heated at the moment. And now you know, we're getting the label involved too. And they're super stoked on the songs they've heard that are mixed, they're, like really stoked on them. And so it's gonna be a very difficult position to be in to pick one, which is a great position to be in, you know, in my opinion that you have all these people fighting for dancing.

Chuck Shute: 32:05

But then again, it's like, once you release the album, then the audience can decide like Spotify will the highest, the best, most popular song will be the most streams, like that's what's kind of cool about Spotify and stuff like that is that people get to decide what the best songs are.

Jack Underkofler: 32:21

Yeah, yeah. So we'll know. We'll know. In a few months, probably.

Chuck Shute: 32:25

I was out, this is going to be a few months. And so

Jack Underkofler: 32:29

let's say Well, I'd probably say like, end of summer will probably be the full thing. And then we're going to drop some singles before

Chuck Shute: 32:39

so then people definitely need to go and catch you on tour to hear the new songs. Get a sneak preview right. Now, will you have merch? At the shows? Because I want your website today? And it's like the merch the shipping was disabled or something. There's something going on with that.

Jack Underkofler: 32:54

Yeah. So we we usually sell our merch, whatever we had leftover and tore on our website. But it's, we sold out of all of it on this last tour with highly suspect. So we're working on we're working on getting our own, like online store, like official online store going. And we're gonna have a ton of merch, especially at the first show. So yeah, we're working on designs, which should be done sometime today. So

Chuck Shute: 33:23

okay, cool. Well, I hope I can make that one. And then you guys also have some the Europe shows. And then you have some festivals tell me about playing the festivals because I think you're playing the aftershock with. I mean, it's like every band Guns and Roses and then louder than life, the Foo Fighters, like, when you have those big festivals. I've heard kind of like, conflicting stories on like, how much contact you actually have with the other bands? Like, is it because everyone kind of has their own dressing room? Right? So do you actually get to network with some of the other bands? Or is it you more? Keep yourself smaller ones?

Jack Underkofler: 33:52

Yeah, the bigger bands, those guys have been doing it for so long that, you know, they're just off doing their own thing. So maybe you'll run into a method like catering or whatnot. But like, they're usually you know, pretty in and out of there. Which is fine. I totally get it. You know, like, you've been fucking massive for 20 years. And you're like, Okay, I'm done talking, I'm done networking, I don't need to do that. People come to me, you know, and but you, I mean, the nice thing is you get to stand backstage and watch some of these fucking bands that you love. And from a really unique perspective, that you know, you're not out in the audience, you're like off to the side. And you're like looking at all the subtleties of like, how they run their show and what they do on stage. It's a really interesting perspective.

Chuck Shute: 34:36

Yeah, give me an example. Who's a band a big band that you learned from watching that

Jack Underkofler: 34:43

learn from? I don't know about learn from but just it's more of like an intriguing intriguing thing for me, because we all love performing so much that you know, I saw I saw Dermot Kennedy side stage in you know, Dermot Kennedy is No, he's like a, he's like this Irish electro pop, kind of folk stuff, amazing performer, mazing songwriter, and will saw or was friends with dermis drummer in college. And so we played a pink pop in the Netherlands. And he let us stand side stage and just watch the show and just see, like, how it's just so hard to see such different music being performed, and how that's done. Like he was so stoic on stage. And there was just like, moving around the stage. And like, the set design was really interesting, because they have the drummer life on this massive fucking, like 15 foot platform, and, and seeing the subtleties in interactions between each other because the music is so like, beautiful and soft. And it was, it was like, it was like the same interactions that we have on stage, but like, dial back, like 95%, but it was still very genuine and interesting to see. Because with us on stage, it's like, we're all just going fucking apeshit the entire time. Like, as hard as we can. And I had never experienced seeing from the performers perspective, music, that it's just so much different, you know? Hmm. I'll have to check it out. Yeah, yeah.

Chuck Shute: 36:40

So then tell me about, I haven't heard you ever talk about this, you toured with Sevendust? What did you learn from them? Or what was that? Like? I mean, because they're huge bands. And you gotta open for them.

Jack Underkofler: 36:51

Yeah, we got to open from them. Clint, who was he was the guitarist found us and he loved their music. And so that was, that was kind of a wild experience, just like, being able to sit side stage and then and then him come over to us and like, you know, like, give us a thumbs up or something like that. You're like, well, he's he's stoked, that we're watching him play. Like, that's pretty fucking cool. And you just get this like, really, like, I don't know, it's just like a very personal experience watching from the side and like, seeing how somebody has been doing it for 20 years, like how the calmness and the confidence kind of comes through from somebody that's just like, you know, basically lives up there. Yeah.

Chuck Shute: 37:38

Did they give you any? Or do you get any other advice from them or anything? Or do they tell you guys any, any sort of pointers or anything like that?

Jack Underkofler: 37:46

It's a lot of keep going. You get that a lot. Yeah. Okay. And I found that is the biggest thing is, you know, it's like, I don't think you know, none of us came from really musical backgrounds or, or, you know, musical families. It was all just kind of like, figure it out yourself. Whereas in you know, in LA you meet somebody and you find out their dad's like, back in the top plastic surgeon in the area and has been doing all the famous musicians for like years and stuff. And so they are just like money backing and like, we didn't have that we all just, you know, it was all from our own money, or from our own thing. So the one thing that kind of seemed true was like, just stick with it, and keep trying to get better. And that seems to be advice that holds true because that's what all the all the bands that we've ever toured with that have that are super successful says just keep going. So we just keep going.

Chuck Shute: 38:44

You think Is there a goal like a point where you go, okay, like, we've made it because I feel like are you've already there? Because I mean, your frickin touring was seven dusts and highly suspect you're doing the aftershock louder than life? I mean, your professional musicians, right? I mean, you've made it in a way are you still trying to get better?

Jack Underkofler: 39:02

Um, that's an interesting question. Because I used to think like, Okay, if I could get to here, then I feel like I've made it or I can get here. And we toured with this band, kind of early on down in Mexico, called beta. And they're a great, great Mexican band. And the guitarist said, like, hey, like, what you're doing right now as you're playing for people, and like you're getting to experience this life that not a lot of people get to experience no matter what the scale that's making it is like, don't try to think about it like I gotta reach this sort of goal I gotta reach this sort of goal is like, you're living this really sick unique life, no matter how fucking dirt poor you are, or like what position you are you getting to experience something. And that's always kind of stuck with me. When I Ever I thought about like, what the fuck am I doing? Like, there's no, I'm not making money, I'm not fucking filling these venues, and now we're starting to fill smaller venues. But you know, for the longest time, nobody gave a shit. But there was still this just like, didn't matter how many people were in the audience, it was just, I loved it. And that's what's important is just like, you're gonna die, everyone's gonna die. You know, you can reach these goals. And then once you get to those goals, it's like, Did I enjoy all these steps along the way? Like, did I enjoy what I present in those moments? Or did I just hit this goal, and now what? So making it has kind of evolved? I think for everybody in the band, I think I think the the objective idea of making it would be like, you know, like, I can buy a house with this money, bla, bla, bla, bla, bla kind of thing. And, but the making, it is just kind of like you when you're playing these shows, and everybody in the audience is smiling and marching and fucking going wild. And you're joking around with them. And it's like, it's like, that's something that's going to be locked in my head for the rest of my life. And I just get to do that over and over and over, like, Whoa, what a unique perspective on life.

Chuck Shute: 41:20

That's fucking awesome. And just listening to him. Talk about that. It's like, because it's funny, like, you're here like, I don't know, if you read the rock news or whatever. But like, yeah, they just had Kirk Hammett from Metallica was just talking about the song master puppets and how he's bored playing that solo, because he's done it so many fucking times. And it's like, you're, you're at the beginning, you're at the fun stage, you're getting to create, you're getting to make all this new music and you don't have to play. You don't have some, like, huge hit that you have to play. I mean, you have some obviously some popular songs with millions of streams, but you're not having to play this song you've had to play for 40 years or 40

Jack Underkofler: 41:55

years. Yeah, maybe ask me again in 40 years if we have.

Chuck Shute: 42:00

I mean, it wouldn't be the worst thing also, because they probably made a lot of money off that album and those songs, but Oh, yeah. Yeah. But I mean, it's like, the happiness to me, that is success, like the way you talk about it. And that connection, and the feeling that I mean, because there's a lot of people that have a lot of money that are miserable. And so I'd rather be happy and, you know, poor or middle class than be rich and miserable.

Jack Underkofler: 42:24

Yeah, yeah. And that's how I kind of feel about it too. Because, you know, after doing it for so long, and you're just like, you're waiting for just like paychecks to come in, and you have like, all these different jobs that you're, you know, having to get and then quit and then tell your employer, like, I'm not showing up. And, and I, you know, I've worked every app job under the sun. And you get to this point where it's just like, you really stop giving a shit, you're like, Okay, when I'm off the road, it's just gonna be a grind. And it's just what it is, you know, like, the money the money will find its way to me eventually. Because we I can see we're growing. But if I just focus on that the entire time, then I'm not going to enjoy it. And that's the whole reason I play music is because I enjoy it. And

Chuck Shute: 43:16

so when you're off the road, you have to do what you have to do like side gigs, side jobs and things like that.

Jack Underkofler: 43:21

It's gotten a lot less, I think we're starting to make some money off the road or on the road that sustains us off the road. But, but, so it's not as stressful as it used to be. But you, which is really nice. But yeah, you occasionally have to take upside jobs. Just do what you can. And stuff like that. But it's getting better. Every single every single tour, we go out. We're growing. And the side jobs are less than less.

Chuck Shute: 43:55

And no cover no cover band by job.

Jack Underkofler: 43:57

No cover band gigs. Outstanding there. Yeah, cuz

Chuck Shute: 44:01

you could sing some of those old 90s rock songs. Like, I think a lot of those 90s rock bands can't sing the songs very like I feel like there's an eight an age limit on some of the those like screaming songs. So that's interesting that like, you're like, Yeah, we can't do it. Like, it seems like more like you could do it. Just don't feel you're not feeling it with the cover stuff.

Jack Underkofler: 44:19

Yeah, yeah, that's usually what it is. I you know, I'm so protect me in particular, I think I'm more so particular than everybody else in the band, about cover songs. And it's like, even if it's not as good or better than the original, like, What's the fucking point of doing it? You know, you're just kind of doing a disservice to the song at that point. And so I'm not against covers. I just think that I don't want to do one until I until we play one. It's like, Whoa, I think we found something different here. You know?

Chuck Shute: 44:47

Yeah, if you make a twist on it, I think that's what if you guys ever did do a cover that's what how you would do it is making a twist. I'm excited to hear this new stuff. So yeah, the first the the tour kicks off may 12 in Arizona hoping to make that first show and then would you be adding more dates? Would you come back for the US after you go through Europe? Or

Jack Underkofler: 45:06

Yeah, so the plan is the plan is get this get this album out over the summer and then just the fall we're just going to hit it hard will be everywhere, like everywhere. So

Chuck Shute: 45:16

as a club headline or would you do a package thing like with highly suspect and bad flower or something like that or

Jack Underkofler: 45:22

Oh, so we're gonna be on tour with a different band. I can't say who yet but they're, they're they're pretty big up and comers. Okay, yeah, and so we're gonna be opening for them and then we'll probably do some headline shows.

Chuck Shute: 45:35

Okay, sounds exciting. Cool. I will like I said I'll try to hit that Arizona show their shows in Texas and Florida is all over so people can or just wait until this other one that probably more dates for the the other shows

Jack Underkofler: 45:49

now if I could come to both did come to

Chuck Shute: 45:51

both Yeah, for sure. If they live in like Washington or so are you going to Washington No, not going we're not

Jack Underkofler: 45:56

going to Washington on this tour. And we do have fans that keep asking us to come up there and so we will be up there soon.

Chuck Shute: 46:02

I was gonna say that's I'm that's why I'm originally from Seattle and I feel like there's there's a lot of people that would love this style of music up there for sure.

Jack Underkofler: 46:09

Yeah, well we'd like playing Seattle it's a cool you play up there oh shit what's the name of it? I can I can always remember the layout of venues I can never remember the names you kind of like it's it's like a 500 cap room standing on stage and then the bar you kind of like go up the stairs in the back to the right and there's like a overlook on the right that's like a whole bar area.

Chuck Shute: 46:30

Is that the so Soto to shoebox or there's the crocodile cafe? Oh, Paramount that's kind of big more theater. I don't even know if the more still there have been two shots removed.

Jack Underkofler: 46:44

Yeah, I don't know. I can't done I don't know the name of it. It's kind of like on a the kind of looks like it's on like a shitty back alley Street.

Chuck Shute: 46:52

If you ever get like a really a big headline or opening America, what's up? If you get an opening gig and you get to play the gorge, like definitely take that. Take advantage of that. That's a great venue. It's huge. Gorgeous. Okay. Yeah, that's what that's one I'd like that one. And red rocks are supposedly to the best venues in the country. I've never played I've never been to a show at Red Rocks. But it looks cool.

Jack Underkofler: 47:14

Yeah, it does. We in the fall, we're opening up for highly suspect. Our last show with them was the show before they played red rocks. And we're so

Chuck Shute: 47:26

yeah, cool. All right. Well, thanks so much for doing this. I always end up promote a charity. Is there a charity or cause or something that you want to promote here at the end?

Jack Underkofler: 47:36

What do you have?

Chuck Shute: 47:38

What what do I have? You got? Well, we I've had over 300 episodes and I mean, we've promoted mental health animals, veterans. I mean, those are orther some sort of like you know disease or something that you want to bring awareness to that people might not know about that can donate money to something like that like something that's affected a family member you know, something like that. I don't know. There's Oh, geez.

Jack Underkofler: 47:59

I don't have one often off the back off the back of my hand. Okay, well, that was I supposed to know about this?

Chuck Shute: 48:06

i Yeah, I thought I told you but it's, it's fine. The default one that I always say is like St. Jude's Children's Hospital. Like everybody can get behind that I just sort of try to do something at the end to kind of bring people there's so much divisive thing. Oh, I love that. Yeah, like we can all get together and say, you know, after people of course, buy your new album when it comes out after the merch webs the websites gets a loaded back up and get the merch on there and people buy some merch. They have a few dollars extra that can throw it to St. Jude's. That's always a good thing. So yeah, cool. All right. Well, I'll see you on tour and I'm excited to see a show. It's sounds like it's like the shows are going to be really high energy, which I

Jack Underkofler: 48:46

like. Yeah. And they are they always are.

Chuck Shute: 48:48

Okay. Very cool. Thanks so much for doing this. I appreciate it.

Jack Underkofler: 48:52

Yeah, thank you very much, man.

Chuck Shute: 48:53

All right. See you later. Peace. All right, jack under Koffler is the man Dead Poets Society is the band of shows lined up. Now. New Music is on the way. So make sure to follow them on social media to keep up with what they're doing and help support them. And you can support the show and the same way. Also on Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok, all that good stuff and make sure you're subscribed to the show on YouTube. Because we're gonna be posting some exclusive content on there. That will only be on YouTube and nowhere else. I appreciate all your help in growing the show and making it bigger so that we can get great guests like Jack. Have a great rest of your day and shoot for the moon.