Rockstar Secrets To Discipline & Success with Derek Day

[00:00:13] Derek: Whatever it is you're going to say on your instrument or on your voice, really just make sure you mean it. And Scott Page would always say that walk in and own the place. If you even have a 10-second solo, just say everything you can in it. I've played for nobody literally, and I can't believe I get a chance to just play this thing or sing this thing. Because it's a spiritual experience.

[00:00:38] Get to go that extra 10 miles to just be the best you can be, not in the world, but for you. And to make it. Because it's hard to make it, man. They don't tell you that, but you got to be real, really into it. You got to be like a pro.

[00:00:58] Kate: Hey, there. Welcome back to Rawish with Kate Eckman. We've got a really fun episode for you today because I need some fun. You need some fun. We all need some fun, and we're going to get in touch with our inner artist and our own creativity. And here to do that with us is musician Derek Day. He is the front man for Classless act.

[00:01:16] I want to call him a Class act, but he wants to be a Classless act, so we'll go with it. He is open for just some iconic bands like Def Leppard, Motley Crue, Poison Joan Jett, and he's also one of the front people for Think: X, which is a Pink Floyd tribute band. And the Saxophonist Scott Page, of course, is a Rawish favorite. So Derek Day, welcome to Rawish. Thank you so much for being here.

[00:01:43] Derek: Thank you so much. I am so excited. This is really fun. I'm a little surprised you had me because a lot of your guests, they're so freaking amazing, and I'm working to that level, so I'm honored, really.

[00:01:58] Kate: You are so amazing, and thank you for your humility. I have to share with my audience, when I saw you, I just thought, who is this guy? I saw you perform at The Mint in Los Angeles with Think: X, and you just have such a star quality and such a stage presence and just the singing and the showmanship and your electric guitar playing.

[00:02:22] You really are such a rock star, and I'm so excited to have you be a household name where everybody knows your name. And you're right there. So congratulations on all your success and your humility.

[00:02:34] Derek: Thank you, Kate. Hey, I'll take it. I'll take what I can get.

[00:02:38] Kate: I appreciate the humility. The music industry is a lot to navigate, and we can get into the state of the music industry later. And sadly now when I think of the music industry, I think of just a lot of ickiness, abuse, especially because so many kids are getting into the industry at a young age like you did. So you, I know, were born and raised in Los Angeles, got into music practically in your diapers. How did your musical journey begin?

[00:03:11] Derek: Oh my gosh. So you're right, it was definitely diapery. And I don't know when I started playing, but very young. Picked up an instrument and started singing as an infant too. But I really started making it a serious endeavor when I started busking on the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica.

[00:03:28] I was 13 years old, and I would walk there as a kid with my parents and I'd be like, whoa, they're just jamming, and they're making money. That's great. And so I put two and two together. You could have fun and make money. And ever since then, I never looked back.

[00:03:45] So yeah, I street performed for many years, even in Venice Beach and a little bit in Hollywood and here and there, Burbank and different places. And through that I made some contacts. You do meet a lot of sleazeballs. But then when I started to get into the Sunset Strip scene, there's this thing, the ultimate jam night.

[00:04:09] Every Tuesday, you could jam there, and you start meeting these guys from Quiet Riot or W.A.S.P. or some cool, awesome bands. And you get little session gig and a little thing over there. And that's when it started to take off. And then I think Steve Vai saw a video of mine and he asked me to do a little tour with him.

[00:04:26] And then Ted Nugent saw that, and then it just snowballs a little bit. The music business is all connection. Oh, Living Colour, a lot of that stuff. Steel Panther. It's a lot of lovely helping out of friends and musicians and stuff. They just like giving a kid a chance. So that's it. I was raised on these streets.

[00:04:52] Kate: You were raised on these streets. Where does the confidence come from to be that young and just put yourself out there in public to be criticized or celebrated, but to just go out there and really not give a damn?

[00:05:08] Derek: That's a great question. I think that's the age old question. Who knows how it started? I think my mom-- she's a Honduran woman, and she's just feisty and loud. And I think something about that boldness came-- the first time I went out there I, was like, "All right, let's just do it." And it is a lot of people like, this guy, whatever. It was a lot of shedding too. I wasn't great for a long time, so yeah. I think, instinctively, a little Latin blood. I don't know.

[00:05:43] Kate: And maybe if you don't-- because I feel like you've been great since birth, but when you don't feel great and you still decide to go out there, not hiding at home, but be out there in public in a city like Los Angeles where people are used to the best of the best in so many different creatives, but to not feel the best but just continue to go out there, is it just such a love for the music and singing and performing that keeps you going?

[00:06:11] Derek: Yeah, absolutely. I've played the worst gigs ever, and I'm just so happy to be there. I've played gigs where it's just, again on the street or in the venue, which is even more lonely if there's no one there. I've played for nobody literally, and I can't believe I get a chance to just play this thing or sing this thing. Because it's a spiritual experience. I'm never under any influence when I do it either. I'm always just searching for it as I play. So yeah, it's like a religion.

[00:06:42] Kate: Yeah, what are you feeling or downloading? Describe those feelings that are in your body. And I always think of what you all are thinking about. Because as the audience, and I take it in, and one of my favorite things to do is go and see live music, whether it's a Taylor Swift, who's in another stratosphere, or it's some unknown that I've never heard before, that I think-- even you, I didn't know you and I'm like, "Who is this guy?"

[00:07:08] Just the second you came out, I felt it. And Scott Page, who performed with David Gilmore, arguably the best guitar player of all time, I saw him at Hollywood Bowl on Halloween last year, and it was a spiritual experience. I felt the first few notes of his guitar in my bones.

[00:07:28] And that's what you're able to do for us. And so I'm just curious from your perspective, because I suck at music. No one wants to hear me play or sing anything. So what is it on your end? Because we're feeling it. So what are you feeling when you're performing, whether it's in front of nobody or thousands of people at SoFi Stadium?

[00:07:49] Derek: You don't suck at music. I want to hear you try something. I have a theory that I feel like everyone's very musical. We're just waiting to do it, I feel like. I don't know. But the feelings, oh my gosh. I don't even know. It feels like it's always a dream. This is insane because I talk to my friends that aren't musicians. I'm like, "What are you experiencing?"

[00:08:12] Because I'm like, "When I'm up there, I can't imagine we are feeling the same thing." But the goal is to connect. So it's always some weird paradox to me. I'm just like, I'm tripping out. Number one, for me, I'm really, really present. I'm cognizant of every little detail in the room, and it's like an acid trip.

[00:08:36] Nothing's protruding or anything, but I just notice what is on the lapel of that guy's shirt or what this expression is, some of micro expressions and everything. And that's the first thing I noticed. And then once I step away from that because you shouldn't focus on that, you should just acknowledge it and let it be a part of what you're about to do, what you're doing, it just becomes total, I don't know if autopilot is the right word. I'm not there anymore. I'm just like, let whatever's going on around me just happen. I don't know. Yeah.

[00:09:11] Kate: Interesting. Do you then cater what you're doing to someone's micro expression or someone's joy or someone just looking at you like, "I'm not into this?" Or do you just stay so present in the moment and not really give too much attention to what we're all doing?

[00:09:30] Derek: That's the struggle. So if I see someone not enjoying or enjoying too much, I could be like-- it's like on social media. If someone comments something negative, it's hard not to feel that. You're like, "Ah, man. Or someone's really digging it and my head's getting big and then I start sucking. Like, ah, man, there's no winning.

[00:09:51] So that's the struggle I've learned to really just acknowledge and push it away and then just go right back to the music. Sometimes that's what's great to have about having a drummer and a bass too, is like, you know what, maybe let me go over to this guy and maybe talk to this guy with this and see what that feels like. Yeah.

[00:10:13] Kate: So there's that energy with the crowd, but then with the band, you guys are always vibing off of each other. Talk to me about the importance of not just you being present within you and letting your talent shine, but also the energy and chemistry between everybody up on stage.

[00:10:31] Because even sometimes tension can be good. Nirvana just came to mind where sometimes I'm like, "Do these guys even like each other?" But that worked. And I think they were all in some substances too. And with you when you're playing with different bands, sometimes you're the front man of your band, Classless act, and then other times you're playing this Pink Floyd tribute band, Think: X, and then other times you're opening for some other acts. So how do you manage it on stage?

[00:10:58] Derek: The changing it around a lot and playing with different players for me has been so exhilarating. It's a nice way to learn a new culture in a way, even if we're all from the same place. I feel like I'm learning a whole new person, a whole new style. I'm in a lot of bands around town.

[00:11:16] I'm in this Polish band, and we play Polish songs for weddings and stuff, and that's literally a whole different culture. They're different kinds of players and stuff, but it doesn't matter who it is. Connection is so important. If you're not vibing with someone, even in the way Nirvana does it, or like Stevie Nixon and Lindsey Buckingham, there were darts at each other towards the end of their career, but that worked.

[00:11:42] There needs to be some sort of deep love in there for each other, or deep understanding like, this is what we're here to do. There's been a lot of times where I've hired someone to play a gig or something as a trio, somewhere off in the desert somewhere, super polite to each other, but we're not in the right head space with each other or have the same goal or something.

[00:12:10] Maybe they're just trying to leave and I'm trying to perform or whatever. I don't know. It's hard to miss with music connection. If you love music and I love music, we're going to be best friends. If you're phoning it in, which is case a lot, that's when it's like, oh, yikes. And then the show's bad. But that's why when those bands that do clash with each other, everyone's so passionate about it. It still works.

[00:12:39] Kate: Yeah, I want to think about Think: X. If you could even just share the absolute rock stars who are in this band, because I'll let you say it, but it's like someone from Jane's Addiction and Fishbone and Kid Rock and Pink Floyd and One Direction. But if you could just walk us through some of these members and what it's like.

[00:12:59] I know you guys don't even rehearse that much, but you come together and it's just out-of-body experience that I had watching. So I guess what that's like coming from all these different bands and what you learn as a front man from the drummer from Jane's Addiction, for instance?

[00:13:15] Derek: Oh my God. Yeah, yeah. Steve Perkins from Jane's Addiction, Norwood Fisher from Fishbone, Kenny Olson from Kid Rock, and the Hendricks experience with some of those Jimi Hendrix members. And Will Champlin, he worked with One Direction, and he's done a lot of great things on TV. Roberta Freeman, who was also in Pink Floyd, and she was the first lead female vocalist in Guns N' Roses for the Use Your Illusion Tour, which I would watch her on a DVD before 10 years-- no, 20 years before I ever met her.

[00:13:48] So it's crazy. And fricking Scott Page, Toto, Supertramp, Pink Floyd, David Gilmore, everybody, man, they are in love with music. Something I would learn from any one of these guys are like, if you're going to say it, it doesn't have to be super technically amazing. It just really better take hold of the room.

[00:14:11] Whatever it is you're going to say on your instrument or on your voice, really just make sure you mean it. And Scott Page would always say that, walk in and own the place. If you even have a 10-second solo, just say everything you can in it.

[00:14:25] And it made me realize the importance of impact. Don't just play looking at your shoes. There's a lot of that going on. Don't half-ass anything. And that's with life too. If you're going to do it, go all the way or don't do it at all.

[00:14:39] Kate: Play it like you mean it. And that's what I felt. Thank you. I wanted you to put words to it from your perspective because that's what I felt. And that's why I like being at that venue too. I was just mesmerized. I just sat there and I was like-- even with you, because you're the singer, I'm just staring. And not in a creepy way, but I think just taking it all in.

[00:15:00] And as a performer myself in a much different way, I like to learn from all of you too. And one thing, and I talk about it in my speaking, is the importance of presence. Not just being present, but showing up like you mean it, like you just said, giving it your all for yourself, for the audience, whether it's one person or millions.

[00:15:19] Because we feel that, and I think right now we all need to feel something, more alive, certainly, more connected to self and others, more expressive in our art, in our talent, and whatever your gift is to literally play it for the world.

[00:15:37] Derek: Yeah, absolutely. And there's subtlety too. You can be subtle but also really mean it too. Yeah.

[00:15:45] Kate: Say more about that.

[00:15:47] Derek: It's weird because you don't want to be too-- as a younger guy, a musician, I want to be like, look what I can do, everyone. And I'm running around, and it gets a little-- but playing with Steve Perkins and stuff, who can do all of that, but says, "I'm going to do something real, more to the core and simpler." It's weird.

[00:16:14] You could be really impactful with just a few words. In fact, sometimes that's the case. A simple phrase or-- right now I'm the king of overexplaining. But it's a thing I'm still trying to hone in. It's like with your playing, with your talking, with your speeches, with everything, if you can boil it down to something really simple, it could hit harder. Yeah, that's something I've been learning.

[00:16:41] Kate: So that really is an art. Something I say, a spiritual principle of mine, is to really fine tune our instrument before we play it for the world. So in other words, for me that means to do our inner work, whether it's coaching, therapy, meditation, reflection, listening to music, walking in nature, to fine tune our instruments. Our body is the instrument, our mind, our spirit.

[00:17:05] So you're literally doing that fine tuning your instrument before you can play it for the world. How have you though personally, guitar and microphone aside, really fine tuned yourself, Derek, the instrument, to go from singing in diapers with your spicy mother, being on 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica to now opening for some of the most iconic bands in the world?

[00:17:29] Derek: Oh man. Some interpersonal things. It's so wishy-washy being a musician. Sometimes you miss auditions and stuff, stuff like that. I had to fix that first. I had to fix my relationships. Let's make sure I'm on top of myself. And as a musician, you have to manage yourself no matter how many managers you have. And that just means like being healthy, of course. And I actually took the last year or so being completely sober of everything, except coffee.

[00:18:07] Kate: I am not giving up my coffee, either.

[00:18:10] Derek: Oh God, yeah. Yeah, that's the lifesaver. No, but even then, I'm taking even less of that too. And just to understand myself more and listen to my brain more, listen to what my body wants, and being completely just sober of a lot of things. It's been very lovely to hone in on me, working on myself.

[00:18:34] I journal every single day, at least two or three pages, first thing in the morning. And I never look at my phone at least until 30, 40 minutes after I wake up to give my brain a little break, and I make sure I'm creative every day. And that way I'm fulfilled. And when I'm fulfilled, I'm not hurting anybody kind of a thing.

[00:18:56] Kate: And then less likely to reach for the substances. I know it's part of the music culture. I feel like substances and music go hand in hand.

[00:19:06] Derek: Mm-hmm.

[00:19:06] Kate: How do you avoid that trap? Some people can do large amounts of drugs and still perform at a high level. Rolling Stones just came to mind, for decades. I'm like, "How?" I would be not alive by now. But how do you avoid those temptations when it's in your face and sometimes you need to stay awake and play really long nights and on tour.

[00:19:29] But I think that is something, this is when I feel old, where I'm just-- and I don't have kids, but adults feel like my kids, where I just want to take everyone aside, like, honey, please take care of yourself. And you see a lot of addiction or overdose or even death. So how do you manage that, especially where there is pressure to party or stay awake or maybe some people tap into their creativity that way?

[00:19:55] Derek: Right, right, exactly. You're totally right. People can really do it. They can do it all. And I'm at a loss as well. I don't know how you can hold tune with being a little skewed. But I think it all starts with individuality because once you start to separate yourself, like, "Okay, Keith Richards could definitely do that. I can't." Or maybe I can to an extent, but it's not how I want it to sound even.

[00:20:19] And if you start with like, "This is me." And we're all literal stardust and we're all very special and we're so individualistic each and every one of us, and we should take pride in that. So when I start to look more at that, I have more respect for myself and more pride.

[00:20:37] Not that I have anything against anyone doing their thing. A lot of my band members do a little bit of this and that, and they're awesome and they're really good at what they do, and they're lovely human beings. Just for me, I realize it is still hard to stay away from-- it's always free and it's always around.

[00:20:57] And as Whitney Houston would say, it's like being on stage is the greatest feeling ever. So when you're off, you're like, "How do I have that greatest feeling ever again?" And so it can be really tricky. But yeah, there's so many ways to do it, but I think it starts with individuality.

[00:21:17] Kate: Thank you for sharing that. What is a natural high that you get? Because I imagine it is like chasing the dragon when you're out there performing and living your dream and expressing yourself. And I think also, you're feeling yourself. You have to be in touch with your feelings when you're performing.

[00:21:32] You have to be present when you're performing. Or, yeah, you can fall out of tune. Or for me, I could forget my words or not even know what I'm talking about while giving a speech. But what is that high that you can really tap into off stage?

[00:21:49] Derek: Yeah. I think for me, following my greatest excitement kind of a thing of the day, of course, we all have to work and we have to make money, so we all have jobs. But if I could do one thing a day that makes me extremely excited, it'll keep me going for the whole a week sometimes. It could even just be working on my own brand online or tweaking my website to find new, fun, little areas to build my brand as I'm still up and coming, or just sitting down and writing a song in a funny way because there's no one way to write a song.

[00:22:29] Or if I'm really feeling like I want to go just do this, I want to go on a hike, or I really want to go do this thing right now, I follow it and I just don't let anything else bother me. And that sort of thing keeps me in a state of just like, I don't know, positive gratitude and just happy and in awe.

[00:22:54] It keeps me in a state of awe because when you start doing that, you start to look at your hands and you're like, "Dude, I'm a thing right now. How am I a thing right now? So you do get high from your own brain.

[00:23:11] Kate: Yeah. What I'm hearing from you is, again, presence. I'm hearing flow, I'm hearing appreciation. And interesting from a musician, but almost slowing down to just notice. Then you even bring that on stage where you're noticing things about the audience and the venue and the environment and in a way, like you said, to tune in and connect.

[00:23:33] So I think these are just important themes that a lot of us forget about in the day to day when it's all the responsibilities and things that we have to do. But even the art of noticing and the art of slowing down and the art of deep appreciation, even for your-- you think of your hands, like your hands are able to do such incredible things with an instrument to entertain us.

[00:23:55] And I want to get to that too, just how music can really help all of us and connect all of us. And even these things we talked about and this political climate and everything going on in our country, in the world. But I first have to ask what you learned from the Def Leppard guys and Poison and Joan Jett and Motley Crue, people who, again, have been entertaining us for decades and are still doing it somehow.

[00:24:22] What you can learn as a, I don't even say a younger person, but as someone I think with their talent, that just is not the household name yet, but you will be-- mark my words-- you even have the household name Derek Day, what do you learn from folks that you can, not copy, but embody something and make it your own from their genius?

[00:24:45] Derek: Oh wow. You're good at speaking.

[00:24:50] Kate: Well, this is my art. My artist is conversations. I'm very passionate.

[00:24:55] Derek: You really are. And it shines through the video. Yeah, you articulate things so well. Because it's hard to articulate things these days. It's refreshing. It really is.

[00:25:07] Kate: Oh, thank you. This is my singing and guitar playing. No, I'm going to make your ears bleed if I sing on stage. So hopefully this is more gentle.

[00:25:24] Derek: Oh God. Hey, look, I love it. I love it all. Oh, okay. All right. So going back to the question, those cats, man-- okay, the first thing I learned from that stadium tour we did with Motley Death, they've been in the business for, I don't know, maybe 40 years or something now.

[00:25:46] Kate: Crazy.

[00:25:48] Derek: And just pros. They're so professional, and you would think there's a little bit of jadedness or like a little-- but no, I just see them. They're on time, soundcheck, and every single one of them, especially Def Leppard too, because they're like-- I think they have more members, and they have very intricate harmony parts, singing parts, so they're just freaking like a train. And so that was so cool to see.

[00:26:15] I'm like, this is where it's at. They have a movie called The Dirt, where they're like, crazy party, but still they're showing up perfectly on time, and they're making it work. And they're super well-rehearsed, super talented people. And it was so inspiring. I'm like, you know what, this isn't a look thing.

[00:26:34] This isn't a "fake it till you make it" thing. You got to be in love with the art enough to pay the art the respect of discipline. So there's a lot of discipline, a lot of well-oiled machines within the band. That was the first thing I learned. Just be a pro. Whatever you're going to do, just be a pro at it.

[00:26:53] Even if that means getting up an hour earlier than you're used to or showing up 30 minutes earlier than you're supposed to. Because that's what they did. I'm still weirded out by that. Nikki Sixx is on time. And so that doesn't make sense. Tommy Lee is like a T and right behind his drum set ready to go, like, what's going on?

[00:27:17] Kate: I love that you're saying this. Thank you so much for sharing this because these are even-- I'm feeling less neurotic right now. Thank you. Because these are things that I picked up being a competitive swimmer for 17 years and having military father. But I had a swim coach. If you were five minutes late for practice, the door was locked.

[00:27:36] You weren't coming in. And it sounds harsh, but that has served me my whole life, and I'm hardcore about showing up on time or even early. And sometimes you hear with people this famous and that successful that they don't take it seriously. They're rude. They show up whenever. And so I love what you said.

[00:27:54] Tommy Lee, Nikki, Sixx, they're on time. They're well rehearsed. These are things that I preach to my clients. I had a client even wanted to be this big speaker, and so I'm like, "Okay, it's all about rehearsal." And they're like, "Rehearsal?" And I'm like, "Do you think Tom Brady just shows up at the Super Bowl unpracticed? Do you think Tommy Lee shows up without rehearsing with his band?"

[00:28:19] And so it sounds so obvious, but I appreciate you saying that, and that what stuck out the most. Yes, they're talent, but talent can only take you so far. If you don't show up, if you're not rehearsed, you're going to get booed off stage and not going to have a career longer than a couple of years.

[00:28:37] And discipline. Again, they sound like professional athletes, and I appreciate you saying that too, because sometimes people just think like, oh, well, they're talented. I don't have it. But I really think that if you are disciplined enough, if you try hard enough, if you put in the work, provided you have some talent, that's really the difference between a little career and someone we don't really know and then some of the biggest names that ever played.

[00:29:01] Derek: Yeah. It's a hard truth to learn too. If you're in it, you realize like, dang, I don't want to work that much. But it really is like, God, I got to get up early. I got to go to bed early. I got to hone in on my craft this X amount of hours a day. I got to stay on top of my contacts.

[00:29:21] You have to go that extra 10 miles to just be the best you can be. Not in the world, but for you and to make it. Because it's hard to make it, man. They don't tell you that, but you got to be real, really into it. You got to be like a pro.

[00:29:39] Kate: I think it's important that we speak so openly about this too. Because even in my career, and I'm not Tommy Lee or Nikki Sixx or David Gilmour, but a lot of times people just look at me too and even people be like, "Oh, you're lucky." And I think luck has nothing to do with this.

[00:29:55] You don't see me getting up at 5:00 AM. You don't see me recording episode. You don't see me working with my speaking coach. You don't see me on Zoom with my trauma therapist, sobbing my eyes out, working through some heavy stuff. And so I like to say this out loud because even the music industry in particular, it's all these overnight successes that meanwhile have been broke and working their butts off for sometimes decades for their big break.

[00:30:23] And you don't want to discourage people, but I think it's also important to be so realistic. Is there some other misconception about the music industry that you'd love to speak on right now? Because it is really also a template for the rest of the world that there are no shortcuts.

[00:30:41] The music industry, there's a lot to overcome, there's a lot of shady business going on. The P Diddy case is even showing what happens to a lot of young artists, which is so heartbreaking. And Lady Gaga, many have spoken out about assault and things that they endured when they had just signed a deal or were trying to sign a deal. They didn't need to experience that. They're talented enough.

[00:31:04] But anything else you want to speak on in this? Not to scare people or shock people, but there is a lot to navigate, and even if it maybe doesn't directly impact or happen to you, you see it or you hear it.

[00:31:17] Derek: Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah, that one misconception you say, it's like, no artist made it overnight. I remember when I found out about Rihanna for the first time, I was like, "Wow, that was quick. That was literally overnight." But then you learn more like, no, that was in progress for years and years and years.

[00:31:36] And yeah, there's a lot of that going on. The music industry's really weird. They say it's completely not thriving right now. And it sort of isn't because a lot of musicians are not making money. A lot of clubs aren't paying that well. And it's not even the club's fault. It's just the economy kind of a thing.

[00:31:57] I've been signed to maybe, I think, three labels-- four labels. I've been signed to four labels in my life, and I'm 31. And there's a lot of trial and error. The labels maybe push a certain, not agenda, but they want you to act a certain way.

[00:32:18] If it's not authentic, which it never really is, you end up feeling. Some labels are quite nice. Sorry, I'm making sure I know what I'm saying here, because there's so much. As an artist in the modern world trying to release his own original music, feel like I'm in the thick of it. Everything is so congested and there's so much of everything. So it gets a little blurry. It's hard to, again, articulate this sort of thing.

[00:32:49] Kate: It's so funny. I'm just getting, the band name is escaping me, but that song, a puddle of mud. Everything's so blurry and everyone's so fake, and he is talking about Los Angeles. He is probably calling out his record label, but blaming it on Los Angeles.

[00:33:08] Derek: That is brilliant. Kate, I think you hit the nail on the head. I didn't want to say it, but it is like that. It's hard to manage art people, and that's what labels have to do. So God bless them because they're in a weird position themselves. But if people would just let artists be as authentic as they can be, I think everyone could have a slice of the pie, and we could all just share and be lovely and be living in our truth and be weird.

[00:33:38] It doesn't have to be this crazy-- every song on the radio sounds the same now. It's weird. Social media is the new platform, all sorts, and even that is broken. I noticed in the last three years it cracked. You can't really promote a show. Those usually get swept under the rug with the algorithm. If you pay for it even, it doesn't really get real likes. It gets these weird bots, these robot likes.

[00:34:06] It had a short circuit, Instagram specifically. And I'm trying to explain this to my management, and I was trying to explain this to my label when I was assigned to them because they're saying, "Post every single day. Make sure it's this and that. And make sure it's this kind of post too."

[00:34:22] It's like it has to be you playing a thing in a room with the lights dimmed a certain way, and it's like they're building this thing. And guess what? We did that. And nothing happens from it. And from that experience, I try to tell them like, "Okay, we're trying to curate something too much. We're not letting it happen naturally."

[00:34:42] And also, the system's a little tweaked at the moment. We need to reexamine what's going on with social media. Too much is happening, and I think the more people step away from it and go to live shows and just kind of connect more, I think the better it'll all be.

[00:35:03] Kate: I think that your record label will like this interview and these clips because it is. It's just so raw and so real, and for me, I'm just enjoying the conversation so much because it's just so cool to see the person behind your favorite performer or any person and just ask them these questions.

[00:35:20] So much is surface level superficial, and I think when you can really get to know someone, you like them more. You trust them. You want to support them. You want to hear their music. And I think that's why some artists have been so successful, because they put themselves out there vulnerably.

[00:35:35] And it's not just the paparazzi and tabloids getting in their business, but when they sit down and talk about their struggles or talk about behind the scenes, I think it humanizes our favorite performers because sometimes musicians, movie stars, professional athletes, y'all get put in this box where people can't relate.

[00:35:54] It's like they love you, but they take away your humanity almost. So I just think it's so important. I wish that there was more of this and not just like, tell me about your album, which we are going to talk about. But just before the album, before we can all go listen to it, before you're on stage performing with all these legends and becoming one yourself, who were you, and what are you doing, and what really matters to you?

[00:36:19] Derek: Yeah, absolutely. And yeah, a lot of social things matter to me. That's a lot of things I talk about in my music and with my friends and stuff like that. And you don't get to post about that. Or if you do, you get chastised for it and you lose a lot of friends, and things get lost in translation, in posts, in text, and things. Yeah, it's a weird thing.

[00:36:40] A lot of people too-- I feel like a lot of the new music too, we hear, I don't know if it's on the radio-- I don't know if radio is even a thing, but a lot of things we hear on Spotify playlists and the big, big hits, to me, a lot of it sounds similar to each other. A lot of the same beats and a lot of the same sounds that are being sampled and stuff, and the same vocal deliveries on certain aspects.

[00:37:05] And it feels like it's just hypnotic. Let's turn it on for background so I could not think about the stresses of life or my job and stuff. And I feel like that speaks something pretty intimate or important to what's going on now. Everyone's trying to maybe escape as opposed to feel a little bit.

[00:37:26] Kate: Ooh, amen. You're speaking my language now. That's why I created this show. I was feeling such a disconnect, even with my own family or friends and people, grown adults, not knowing how to connect and people doing everything and anything to avoid feeling. And so even my tagline for this show is feel the real, and feel it. And how healthy that is.

[00:37:47] And it's like everyone wants to make more money or have better relationships, or buy this, or do that, or experience that. And the gateway to that is feeling our feelings, which people are like, "Huh?" And as an artist, there is no good art devoid of feeling. You have to get in there. So you have this brand new solo album out called I Can't Imagine. Congratulations. What can you not imagine, Derek Day?

[00:38:19] Derek: Oh my gosh, so many things, I guess. But what can I not imagine? I have to imagine not imagining that in order to answer the question. I have to imagine the unimaginable, which is crazy. No, but I think that what I'm trying to say there, that song, it's very positive. I Can't Imagine. this thing is so good. I couldn't even imagine it. It's beyond my wildest expectations. I can't imagine that it came true. And that's my perspective on life and existence.

[00:39:08] Kate: Ooh, I can't imagine. So I like this and I like where we're going here because I think everyone's, I feel like, right now especially, imagining, can imagine all these worst case scenarios, and those are the messages that we're being bombarded with. And so what I love what you're doing here, which is the magic of you and your music is, let's start imagining how great this love can be, this relationship, this song, this feeling.

[00:39:39] And I want people to just give themselves permission to feel that good and feel that deeply. And, oh my gosh, I can have a relationship like this. I can have a career like this. I can have a conversation like this, and start changing the narrative in our minds. Is that what you're doing here? I'm tuned in, and I haven't even heard the song yet?

[00:40:01] Derek: Thank you. That's exactly it. I'm going to jump out of my seat. I couldn't have said it better myself. That's literally it. And you've added another aspect to it. There's a lot of imagining bad scenarios. So it's like, you know what? You don't even know what's going to happen. So don't start manifesting the terrible. Just live your life and do the best you can, and next thing you know, it'll be amazing. It'll be wonderful.

[00:40:28] Kate: Yeah. And the journalist in me is always getting downloads and sound bites and quotes. And recently I got one that said something like, just start over. Start over instead. Don't settle. Refuse to live a life you don't like. And I think that's the energy of this too, is just begin again or try something else.

[00:40:48] And I think that's what happens. Romantic relationships keep coming to mind because I think a lot of people are in a, well, I guess this is as good as it gets situationship or relationship. Or, well, I know this isn't right, but I don't want to have to start over, or I don't want to have to meet someone else.

[00:41:05] And then you do meet someone and you just connect and it's like, whoa. But then maybe you need to explore that instead of being like, I've been with this person two years, or we're married, or whatever, and I'm not supporting divorce, although I do. But even with a job or a career, or even a song, you're like, "This is really good."

[00:41:26] And that voice in you says, "No, this can be better. It's going to cost another two days in studio time. I don't really have that money. Or we need to bring in a saxophonist to tweak this thing here." And so I think that's what I'm hearing too, is that it gets to be this good. You get to find a way to come up with the money to make the song that much better.

[00:41:47] Derek: Absolutely. Yeah. It's like, go ahead and take it. You could have your cake and eat it too. You can do it. You can. It's possible. If you think that way, if you feel that way, and if it's like, why not? It's already a miracle that we're talking to each other and existing right now.

[00:42:07] How did we even get here to begin with? So coming up with a little more cash or turning a situation around, a lot of us are on $0 at the moment, but we'll get out of it. Don't stress over it. Just look towards the yes of it and the awesome of it.

[00:42:28] Kate: Yeah, I'm feeling that too. And I'm curious how much you want to talk about maybe other themes or some ideas or concepts or feelings that are heavy on your heart right now. There's a lot of tension right now, with strangers, with family, with lifelong friends.

[00:42:45] What do you feel like your role is as a musician and in I Can't Imagine, this album right now as the songs continue to come out? What is your role or responsibility in helping the upliftment of the world or bringing people together?

[00:43:01] Derek: I feel like whatever it is I have to do with anything that's going on is really helping people be as much themselves they can be and so secure in themselves that they're so in love with themself that they don't have to share hate of any kind to anything, to anyone.

[00:43:21] So when someone's not their vibe or someone's doing something wrong, instead of being angry, they'll look at it with more compassion and understanding. Because in the music I'm putting out, every song-- it's a six-song EP, and every song is a little different.

[00:43:39] And they're weird. They're not industry-standard pop songs. They're just like a little Frank Zappa, a little weird, a funny stop and a blah, blah. One's six minutes long. One's three minutes long one's. You don't really get those anymore.

[00:43:58] There's like funny, little, quirky, random punches, and I think that is speaking to I just want to say what's in my heart right now. And I know it may not fit in, but it's just something really weird and cool. And it's how I am. It's who I am. It's me. And I love myself for doing that and taking the risk for doing that. So whatever my role is, it's just trying to communicate. Take the risk in being yourself. And that way you'll love yourself and you'll emit more love.

[00:44:30] Kate: I think you're saying so many important things. A few things here; one is really the privilege and honor of being ourselves, and I think a lot of people struggle with that because they have no idea who they are independent of labels, what family says, what society says, what some jerk says, what someone they used to be in love with says. And so really spending the time to do that. And then maybe you're there.

[00:44:56] And then the second step is, and it's something that I hire-- I'm a coach myself. I hire coaches. I believe in working with professionals. For me, it's not because there's something wrong with me. It's because there's a lot right with me, and I want to be the absolute best version of myself.

[00:45:09] And not just for me, but really for the world. And everyone that I come in contact with, I want our interaction, Derek, something that we talk about or a way I made you feel, that you're going to be that much better on stage. Because then you're going to inspire these people. And it creates this beautiful ripple effect.

[00:45:26] The opposite is also true as you just spoke to. And so for me it's being that best. And with that is, even if we are so justified in our feelings, we can be right to not like that person. We can be right that person's a jerk. We can be right that person is whatever. We can't be happy.

[00:45:44] It's like you can be right or you can be happy, and you can be angry or you can be at peace. And I think it's that notion of, for me, this last piece of evolving into this best version, is the forgiveness, is letting go of resentment. And again, if you're listening right now, if you're watching, or even if it's you, Derek, it's kind of like, no, I've earned that resentment.

[00:46:07] And it's like, okay. But again, it's literally taking all of your joy. It's taking your creativity. It's taking your gusto to make the world better. So I think I just offer that, and you're speaking to it, that if you really know yourself and have that love for yourself, you don't have time. Even think of you. You're putting together an album. You don't have time or the desire to dislike somebody, to hate somebody, to have resentment towards someone who did you wrong? You're too busy creating art.

[00:46:34] Derek: Yeah, yeah. That's a good worker mentality way to look at it. Like, you know what? I don't hate you. I'm too busy having fun or making my dreams come true. I just can't have the energy to put out there towards anything right now.

[00:46:51] Kate: Yeah. Or even something too, or even the people that are blocking people. And what my therapist has said to me too is how much energy it takes to block someone. And you block, hate, have resentment toward. It's so much energy. And rather you can just be like, it's just like going out to eat.

[00:47:06] You and I can go out to eat and you're going off about this chicken sandwich and how good it is, and I'm like, "You enjoy it. I'm going to sit and watch you eat it and be happy and enjoy it and get nourished. And I'm like, "I don't like chicken sandwiches. I'm going to have the pasta." Which you're like, "Oh, it's so bloated. I'm not into that."

[00:47:22] And I'm using a silly example, but it's like there's not all this hate when we go out to eat. It's like, you want the chicken. I want the pasta. Who cares? And I think letting people be who they are too, and then just maybe choosing to not interact with them every day. But it's too much energy to hate people.

[00:47:39] It's too much energy to block people and tell everyone not to follow that person on Instagram. I'm even getting my own therapy as I'm talking. The download is just to be so immersed in our art, whatever that art is, that it's like you can't even think about that other stuff. I actually did a video on this about a year ago. It's so interesting we're talking about it now because it really holds true. And I think sometimes we just need that friendly reminder.

[00:48:08] Derek: Oh wow. Fantastic. Yeah, that's great. And again, I think it all stems from individualism. Is that the word? Individualism. Yeah. If you love yourself first, then make sure you're taken care of, do your art, do your thing, you'll hate less. You'll be more of a lover, not a fighter kind of a thing.

[00:48:29] Kate: Yeah. You're still so quite young for your musical journey, have this whole career ahead of you. What are you most proud about this album? Was it the creative process? Was it that final product? Was it some lyrics that you thought, oh my gosh, that's the best lyric I ever wrote? What was your creative process in putting this out there, and what makes you so proud to have it out in the world now?

[00:48:52] Derek: I think the final product. When you said that, I was like, yes, that. Because creating it was super fun in my garage. Writing the lyric, crossing it out, rewriting, that's always super fun. But I think the final product itself and listening to it, that's where you feel like, wow, I really did that. Because it's so easy to say, "I'll get to it. I'll do it eventually. Oh, maybe next month. I could start-- yeah, or whatever."

[00:49:18] That's the story of my life and maybe many people's lives, to actually just freaking do it and have it mastered and mixed and done, like there it is. And now the next step is to get it more out into the world and heard. Yeah, it's just like, it's cool. It's cool to hear the amalgamation of everything. And there's so much uncertainty when you're making it.

[00:49:42] Because sometimes you feel like, oh, maybe that's not the right part, but let's just do. I'm running out of time. Let's just lay that down. That's it. And there's only this amount of hours I have in the studio today. It has to be done by next-- but then you hear it all. It's like, none of that matters.

[00:49:57] You're like, "No, this is it. This is all of its guts and glory, blood, sweat, tears. It's ugly. It's beautiful. It's pretty, and it's me." My new motto now is like, as long as it's doing the thing that it's supposed to, then it's perfect. And nothing's perfect, but it will be perfect if it's doing the thing it was supposed to do.

[00:50:19] It's delivering the message. It's getting it across. It doesn't have to be that little corner has to be squeaky clean. It could be a little dirty as long as the big picture is there. And that's that. And so that's what I'm hearing from the final product.

[00:50:35] Kate: Mm. I love that because I wanted to ask, how do you know when it's like, all right, this track is done. Is there that moment? Is it, I ran out of time and money? Is it, I got nothing else here? Maybe in 10 years I listened to it and been like, "Oh, I should have done that?" But again, it's like, in this moment, this is what I created. Is there that moment, or do you have to have some surrender and let it be?

[00:50:57] Derek: You have to have a little surrender and a lot of patience, I think. That's brilliant you bring that up because musicians are so meticulous. We'll be like, "No, it's not that shaker. It's not that tambourine. It's this tambourine. It's the wooden one. Okay, now let's try a metallic tambourine." And it'll be days and days and days until you're done.

[00:51:20] You're so focusing on the wrong thing. And some people are geniuses for that, but taking a second to be like, "All right, we're done today. Let me sleep. I'll come back in a week. Let me not think about this." And that's where the patience comes in. You're like, "You know what? I'm just going to, let's push release date another a month or so. Let's make sure I'm okay with this, what we did today."

[00:51:46] That's another thing about subtlety with being a musician too. It's like you have to be okay with a lot of flaws or understand that flaws are actually what makes it good and real. And that's something you don't learn in school. You learn how to be perfect in school, but then in life you learn how to be flaw in a good way. So yeah, there's no real super way of knowing, but that's what I guess maturity is, at least in yourself. If you trust yourself, you trust the process. You trust it being good.

[00:52:19] Kate: Hmm. And that our imperfections can be the coolest, most beautiful part or unexpected, or relatable. Again, it is that feeling. So you know the song is done or it's like this is it. And then what is the goal? Do you want me to feel a certain way? For instance, when I speak, if I want my audience to feel provoked, I'm going to speak in a certain way.

[00:52:46] If I want you to feel cared for, I'm going to speak to you in another way, even if it's the same word. Or do you just create, and it's like Kate may feel lust and Scott may feel angry and Sally might feel hope. You leave it to us and our interpretation, or you're like, "No, this is a song about heartbreak, and I want you to remember and feel and think of that person who broke your heart, but have this message of hope too." I don't know. I'm just so curious your take on that because we're both artists in different ways. What do you want us to experience when you release your first single.

[00:53:20] Derek: Oh, wow. Yeah. Every song has its own little intention, I guess. A lot of the times it is like, I want you to feel whatever you feel with this. You take it. And I think you'll find that from most artists. Like, here it is, and you tell me what you think. And then I'll never even say if you're right or wrong. It's for you.

[00:53:41] As long as it made you feel, then it's good. And sometimes that's the intention. But with this first single and the next five songs of it, my intention is to help people feel like they can do anything in a way. There's songs in there about love and heartbreak and a little bit of politics, and I think that's it. Yeah, love, heartbreak, and politics.

[00:54:08] So as far as what the song means, they could just interpret that. But as far as a feeling or the objective for this album, I wanted musically to take some risks. So I want people to feel like they can take risks and feel okay with that kind of a things. So now hearing the final product, I'm like, "Yeah, that sounds really weird. Cool. Great."

[00:54:33] Kate: Okay, I love that. And are you of the mindset too, where if some people don't like it or some people feel really pissed off by a song that's really about hope, do you feel like that's also a win, that not everybody has to like it or get it or feel what you intended?

[00:54:53] Derek: Yes, absolutely. That's a recent thing too. I started getting dislikes and bad comments in the last two years out of my whole career, 20 years I've been playing. But I look at it, I'm like, "Oh, cool. There's a balance. There's dark and light. I like that." And I don't read into it.

[00:55:12] I try not to read them, but I notice them. I'm like, "Okay, great, great, great. Cool, cool." It means something's working. Because every single artist we love individually or as a collective, there's always someone that hates it, and that makes them an artist. Because art isn't supposed to be adored by all, so it should be controversial.

[00:55:32] Kate: Yeah. And if you've elicited a response that they want to say something negative or dislike, that's been a recent thing for me too, where it's like, oh, this is really good. Or I'm really onto something here because they're provoked. They're uncomfortable. They're making it about, they don't like me, but really they don't like themselves.

[00:55:49] I think that's it too, is sometimes it's people project their hatred outward or project their lack of courage to do the courageous thing that you did. So they want to comment on that. Or you remind them of someone who was mean to them in high school or whatever it is. And so it's such a good thing for all of us creatives and everyone to remember, maybe someone was having a bad day.

[00:56:09] But I'm learning that if not everybody gets it, then you're really onto something. Because that's the art. Not everybody likes it or really understands it. And then you're really onto something because I think you're being really honest and authentic and there's an attack on that. There's an attack on people's truth even. And I feel like, bravo. If you've provoked that beast, if you will, you know that you've created art.

[00:56:37] Derek: Gosh, Kate, that was beautifully said. That's real. That's real, real talk. I've got freaking goosebumps because that's also maybe a lot of why a lot of us can't communicate right now. It's like, I don't even want to hear what you got to say, because something in me needs to be worked on kind of a thing.

[00:56:55] That's good. That's art. Life is art. We're all living. I don't know if life imitates art or art imitates life anymore. I see it all the time. I get these weird little winks from the universe. I'm thinking about a song all day, and then I hear it in a bus, things like that. It happens to me every day. And it's just a beautiful, little happening.

[00:57:19] Kate: As you're talking, what I'm getting, because you are very authentic, and I've learned too that people think love is the highest frequency and vibration, but it's actually authenticity. And I think, again, it is a rare thing because people, not only are they scared to be themselves, they don't even know who they are.

[00:57:35] So you can't be yourself and be authentic and be true to you when you don't know who you are and you haven't spent the time energy doing that. I'm getting some downloads, but it's just like the more authentic you are-- and listen, there is a political figure who is, whether you like this person or not, arguably one of the most authentic people of all time.

[00:57:57] Derek: Yeah, yeah.

[00:57:59] Kate: Very provoking. Very provoking. And so again, I'm like, what did you learn from Def Leppard and Motley Crue? But for me, when I look at a very polarizing figure, I like to study them too, and thinking, what is it that people hate so much? And then I get into human psychology, and it is so fascinating.

[00:58:19] And again, I think the more we can understand, that person becomes way less triggering, where you just see the person for almost the character or role they're playing in the world based on everybody else's projections. And so for me, that's been very helpful.

[00:58:35] If I find myself really triggered by someone or really buying into the rhetoric, if you will, if I can really step back and say, "What does this mean for me? Or what is it in me that I don't like or maybe I even hate?" Because I think often people model the behaviors of people they say they hate, and nobody's seeing that they're doing this.

[00:58:56] And this is, again, getting into a deeper conversation that we can even have off camera, but I'm just inviting everybody to really explore what's going on within them, so that they can more clearly see what's going on around them and really asking ourselves, what role do I play in not just the world, but the betterment of the world? And start telling the truth a bit more.

[00:59:17] And that's what you've done here. And I appreciate anyone that can then put it in a song for us to feel and us to explore our truth based on you being brave enough to sing and write the truth.

[00:59:29] Derek: Oh, thank you. Oh gosh. I love that. The raw-ish is so freaking cool. I need more things like this. I'm listening to it on my way to work. I just heard the whole episode with Kevin Carroll, I think.

[00:59:44] Kate: Isn't he amazing?

[00:59:45] Derek: He's cool, man. Gosh. I feel like I'm in a life class. I'm leaning how to conduct myself and how to handle things and stuff. This platform you've created here is just a great way to observe and report and take care and heal, and let's just keep it real and feel.

[01:00:10] Kate: Yeah. And thing and create and start talking about these things and coming together and learning from one another. Even if it's someone you think, I have nothing in common with this person, or we come from completely different backgrounds, which is how much we can all learn from each other.

[01:00:25] And that's why I love talking to musicians. Even right now I was saying to my friend, I'm like, "I need a live concert." Because, again, as someone who I'm all about-- I'm Miss Feelings. I'm like, "I just want to go feel." I want to experience your true feelings. I want to experience your passion and your presence and see what I can learn from it or what it does for me. Or even maybe if I'm not feeling a certain musician for whatever reason.

[01:00:48] Or sometimes I look and I'm like, "Wow, that person's really going through something." And even I do this as a performer myself. When you guys are on stage, I'm giving you-- I remember even seeing you perform for the first time and I'm like, "Wow, this guy is so incredible." And giving you my energy because I know what it takes to be up there and everyone's staring at you. It can be awkward, and I applaud you because it isn't easy what you do, but I imagine quite liberating and freeing.

[01:01:14] Derek: Yeah, I guess so. Thank you. And yeah, actually the weirder, the more awkward, maybe the more liberating.

[01:01:20] Kate: Yeah. Yeah, exactly. So where could people find more of you? We'll have you in our show notes, but to listen to your music, to find you and upcoming shows and where are you going to be performing, what can you share with us?

[01:01:31] Derek: Yeah. It's super easy. Just go to derekday.com. I have all of my bands shows in there, like Think X, Classless act, me. I'm in a Tina Turner thing. I'm in all sorts of cool, fun, little things playing all over town. And yeah, just go there. You'll see that. You'll read my bio and look at weird-- I put weird things up there, but good things.

[01:01:55] Kate: So one final question for you. I'm so curious what three-year-old little  Derek and his diapers would think of Derek today and this album.

[01:02:06] Derek: Oh my gosh, I wonder. He would be really wide-eyed. I think he'd be quite proud, but also shocked. Like whoa. Like, I didn't know we could be that. Because every year of my life I feel like I've changed, from four to five, from five to six years old. I feel like I've just turned into this other, not version of a different person, I guess a different version of me. Just because life is so intense, and I like to really take it in.

[01:02:46] Kate: Mm. Thank you for doing that, so that we can all feel it. And it is real, and we are feeling the real. So thank you for being on Rawish, Derek Day, the future household name and the music industry. You're doing it. You're doing it, and I think so much of it is because you're willing to just show up and do the work and then other icons are seeing it.

[01:03:06] So do you feel like you're ready to step into that household name, where then another musician is going to be on a show talking about what it was like opening for  Derek Day and what he learned from you? Are you ready to step into that role?

[01:03:21] Derek: Yes. And I know it's a yes because a year ago I would've said maybe not. And now I feel more than ever, like, absolutely, yes.

[01:03:34] Kate: Yeah. I'm going to remember this conversation because we'll be speaking on, my show in the near future and we're going to be like, "Remember this?" And we're going to be in a whole different stratosphere in place, and it's going to be a really beautiful moment. And you'll be like, "I remember when you said that." And I'm like, "I know." And I said it for a reason, so let's go.

[01:03:53] Derek: Let's go. Let's go, Kate. Let's go.

[01:03:56] Kate: Let's go. That's everybody's sign to let's go and find your inner artist, find your version of  Derek Day who inspires you and uplifts you that you can have this kind of conversation with. It's so important that we have people who challenge us and inspire us. So thank you so much for being here on Rawish today.

[01:04:13] Derek: Thanks, Kate. Thanks.

[01:04:14] Kate: You have to come back. I'm going to see you at The Mint soon here in Los Angeles. And thanks to you for watching. I know it was such a fun conversation with Derek. We needed this today, right? So we'll see you next week, same time, same place. Bye, everybody.