David: Troy, cannot thank you enough for joining us and have you recovered? You've essentially just come off tour, haven't you? Troye Kinnett: Yeah, we've been back a couple weeks now. So yeah, I'm getting back to my earlier schedule. I came right back. I mean, the day I got off the bus Wednesday morning and had a corporate thing to do at five o'clock Wednesday, it was a retirement party for a COO and I had to do it. But it was just funny. I didn't even get a day off. I just got right David: stroke. Troye Kinnett: back into it. But then had some, did a couple of gigs and then had a little recovery time. So, David: Yeah, good Troye Kinnett: yeah. David: stuff. And so because the tour was fairly extensive too, wasn't it, with John this time? Troye Kinnett: Yeah, we were doing five shows a week, sometimes six. So it was a busy schedule. The good thing about it is that some of the shows were two and three nights at the same venue. So the travel was not as bad as it's been in the past. So that helped, but yeah, we were, it was a tough schedule compared to some that we've done. David: Yeah. Now we'll definitely talk more about that as well, that's for sure. So, but I thought we would, I mentioned in the introduction to the show that you've obviously had three sort of parallel careers, which is not unusual for great musicians. So you've done some TV work, a little bit of film work, then you've done, you've got your production career, and then you've obviously got your live career. So I thought we'd start off with the live career first. So, and let's cast way back, if you can remember that far back, I know I struggle. Troye Kinnett: Hehehe David: As far as high school, and I know you started playing about age eight, but what, Troye Kinnett: Yeah. David: at high school, was that when you discovered a real passion for music or it sort of happened for you before then? Troye Kinnett: Yeah, I guess about junior high school, I got involved in a church youth group where the youth group leader liked rock music. So I was kind of opened up to, you know, I had played in church just because I was taking piano lessons and they wanted me to play here and there. But that's when I realized that, you know, he was really into like Chicago, Michael McDonald, or Doobie Brothers at that point. It was late 70s. Um, so I got into that and then it was fun, played in a band, you know, put a little band together, but definitely in high school is when it took off a little bit more. Um, luckily I was at, I went to this, uh, school way out in the county with 500 kids in the whole school. Didn't even have a football team, but we had a great marching band. Um, we marched at the Macy's parade in New York city. We won state fair three out of the four years that I was there. We don't talk about that one year. It was a long ride home when you get second in a bit, you know, when your expectations are that good, but, uh, so anyway, I was lucky, uh, to be there at that time and, um, uh, so yeah, that's when it really took off and I David: Yeh... Troye Kinnett: got David: Yeh! Troye Kinnett: into playing at the basketball games, you know, doing like a ride in the storm out siren and, uh, Tom Sawyer on. you know, time outbreaks and stuff like that. So kind of started into the, you know, pretending to be in a rock band at that David: That's Troye Kinnett: point. David: right. And was it was this the state fairs and the worship stuff? Was that Indiana based at the time? Troye Kinnett: Yeah. David: Yeah. So I'm thinking late 70s, even early 80s was a rock band approach to worship. Obviously, that's extremely common now and drives a lot of innovation in regards to keyboard playing and music now. But back then, was that relatively unusual? Troye Kinnett: Um, it, that's, I mean, the worship band, it's totally different than what, what you would call that like a worship band. Now it was more like we would do a get together with a few people and we would do a concert. But, um, I was also involved in doing sessions at Gaither studios, which was a, um, in Alexandria, not too far from where I grew up. And that became, I realized later on that this was a whole hub for gospel music. Um. I did sessions for artists that would come from all over the country to record there because of Bill Gaither and Sandy Patty recorded there. That was a little bit after high school though, I guess, that I started that. David: Yeah, and that's obviously a critical juncture for you, the production stuff. So how did you first get into the production side? Troye Kinnett: Um, so I started, uh, I, uh, I went to Ball State to major in music, got a minor in jazz, and I was learning so much about technique and, you know, it was pretty legit. Um, I liked it, but I had a, you know, rock, I had a rock band I was playing on weekends and that's really what I wanted to do. And I got an opportunity to play with this band before my junior year in that summer. And uh, I was living with my mom. I was commuting, going to Ball State, getting there at eight in the morning for music theory class and jazz band rehearsal was at seven at night. When I got this opportunity, this band had a crew that set up the gear and we made $200 a week. I'd left. I just did that. So that was in my little... kind of naive world that I lived in, the band that was really going places and had a big following and had some originals. It was great for a while, but through that, as soon as we started recording, I talked to the engineer about wanting to do studio work. And then I met people that would come in, like an engineer that was doing studio work, and right away I thought, I've got to meet him. I've got to talk to him about that. That's where I saw my career going, really, not just, you know, in a van, driving around the Midwest playing clubs. So luckily I was able to meet some people in the business. And after a few years got a job at TRC studios, which was it's now a static shack. It's owned by Tom Griswold at the Bob and Tom show and, um, done a lot of work there over the years, but I got a, just an entry level staff writer position there. Producer. and actually was there at a time when John Casella was there, which was Mellon Camp's keyboard player, on all those big hits in the 80s. So it was a great time to kind of get my foot in the door and kind of get out of the touring, out of the playing clubs, and to start doing studio work. David: That's great. And so we're definitely gonna talk about Melachem for sure. So in that prior to meeting, I mean, obviously, as you said, you met John. So some of the other artists you worked with, what was some of the, if not notable by name, even just from experience where you really learned a lot and really built your confidence as a musician. So, I think that's a great question. Troye Kinnett: Yeah, Jimmy Riser's one. He had an album on Arista Records, very talented guitar and violinist and songwriter. I played with him. Sandy Patty, though, I can tell you, she's the most talented musician I've ever worked with. Just all the way around. What she can do with her voice is incredible. She's a Grammy Award winning artist. But the styles that she can cover, you know, with R&B, with opera, and she can play piano and talk about what she wants and make it very clear what her ideas are. So that was, I've done a couple of different tours with her at different times and just can't say enough about how great that was. And of course for a keyboard player, it's at one point it was all auxiliary kind of orchestral parts. So I was doing anything from harp glisses to oboe lines and even maybe a guitar, a power guitar here and there. So yeah, it was just all over the place. David: What was the sort of keyboard gear you were using back then, tried to do that sort of stuff, particularly the guitar stuff? Troye Kinnett: Right, it was trying to think of what I, at that point, I know I had a Roland XB5080 fully David: It's bad Troye Kinnett: blown David: to say, Troye Kinnett: with, David: yeah. Okay. Troye Kinnett: yeah, with all of the, you know, expansion cards. I might have, I think I was using a Chord Trinity and maybe an S, a Yamaha S90. I don't know, it might have been before that. That one goes back to 99. I would, yeah, I think it was a S90. David: Yeah. Troye Kinnett: And then another module, yeah, there was another tour where I had a Hammond XM1 and it was, so after, I think that was the, that was a little bit later. But I'm sure a lot of it was from the Roland David: Yeah, Troye Kinnett: at the David: so Troye Kinnett: time. David: it's an interesting period that time Troy said, where you, I mean, we talked to a lot of studio musicians who are playing Rhodes and B3s and stuff Troye Kinnett: Mm-hmm. David: like that. Were you doing a lot of that? It was more that more Troye Kinnett: No, David: contemporary Troye Kinnett: actually, David: stuff. Troye Kinnett: yeah, the first tour that I did with her, I was the third keyboard player. There was a piano player that played grand. There was a keyboard player that had been with her for years and then I came in on that second chair and did. So he covered a lot of strings and organ and I was there to do whatever else. It was, you know, French horn. It was actually a Christmas concert. So there was all kinds of, you know, bells and there was a percussionist doing timpani and tubular bells, but the tracks were just huge. The second time I went out with her, we had some tracks that were played off of Ableton and it was actually the London Philharmonic tracks. David: Oh well. Troye Kinnett: At that point it was a little bit more like electric piano and organ, but it was a smaller band. There was a piano player, then I played keys. David: Gotcha. Yeah, yeah. Now that's great. So, and so you're doing both studio and live work with Sandean. And so how did it progress from there for you? Troye Kinnett: At that point I was working at Caboose Productions doing a lot of TV, a lot of scores for TV spots. And from there I moved into, I played for a dinner theater for a couple of years. When my son was young, they did Broadway musicals and they did that schedule. So it was eight shows a week. I was there six nights a week. David: Eh... Troye Kinnett: uh... sunday mornings i did a church kid that was held at that dinner theater songs here David: Wow. Troye Kinnett: sunday morning doing church take a little starbucks break going to a matinee come home any dinner for three hours ago back into a sunday night show but at that point you know my son was young my wife was home with him uh... i was home with him in the morning and she was home with him at night and we made it work outside without a lot of uh... child care David: And so I'm going to do a sidestep. The musical stuff, as most of our listeners and viewers will know, is very different to both live sort of rock or pop or blues stuff. Troye Kinnett: Yeah. David: And it's certainly different to session work because you've got usually fairly strict scores. You've got, as you said, a lot of gigs, seven, eight gigs a week. How did your college work and your work to date prepare you well for that? Or was there still a bit of a learning curve for you there? Troye Kinnett: Oh, absolutely, because everything was written out. And I had to condense a chart to, my job was actually to play key, bass, and strings for a lot of it, not all the time. Sometimes we had a bass player and it was more of a, freed up to do organ and other synth things, but there was a piano player and I was playing keys. So just being able to read, you know, that was the big thing for that. And I actually had a little time where I didn't read a lot and then I went to that and had to read, you know, some of the string scores. So I had to spend a lot of time with those books. David: Yeah. And so question without notice, favourite musical, if you can remember back to all the different ones you played, what one did you like the most? Troye Kinnett: Um, yeah, Peter Pan, I would David: Okay, Troye Kinnett: say David: yep. Troye Kinnett: that was really interesting. Some of the, uh, underscoring some of the, you know, that was a lot of fun. Um, Will Rogers Follies was the most challenging, I would say. Um, or cats. Yeah. Well, that was pretty challenging. David: Yeah, yeah. Troye Kinnett: But David: Yes. Troye Kinnett: what I remember about Will Rogers Follies is so many things in B. And David: Okay. Troye Kinnett: I was just going, all of this five sharp stuff, really. I don't know David: Yeah, Troye Kinnett: why David: that's Troye Kinnett: that sticks David: cruel. Troye Kinnett: out in my mind, but. David: Yeah, that's, that's cruel. And have you ever been tempted to do a musical yourself? And we've got to talk about, um, the Melanchame King musical, but just yourself, have you ever been Troye Kinnett: Right. David: tempted to do a musical yourself? Troye Kinnett: No, that hasn't been. Yeah, it's not one of those things David: No. Troye Kinnett: that I've had a burning desire to do, but I definitely like playing. You know, it's something I'd like to do again. David: Yeah, they're good fun. So, I mean, that's great. It's like your different aspects of your career have interweaved, which makes sense. So how did you get back into the more session recording stuff and eventually meeting Mellencamp and studying on that part of your career? Troye Kinnett: Right. So throughout that whole time that I was working at, you know, staff writing and producing, I did sessions with Dane Clark, the drummer that's played with John's 96. He was the drummer that I would bring in to play on my projects. I did everything that we did at Gaither Studios. He was probably on 95% of that. If he wasn't on tour, he was playing on that. So it was I had played with everybody in John's band, well, just about everyone, either in a studio project or in a band at some time or session work. So when there was an opportunity to do some recording for Ghost Brothers in Darkland County, I got the recommendation to come in and do that. David: Ciao. Troye Kinnett: And as far as that was, that was a crazy time because right after Hurricane Katrina, It hit not long after that my grandparents Were living in New Orleans. I've got some family down there Quite a few cousins and aunt uncle and they were living down there and they needed to move back to Muncie Close to Muncie, Indiana and my brother and I had planned a long weekend to go down and move them back up here Well, I got the call on Thursday afternoon to record with John on Monday morning so David: Well... Troye Kinnett: And it was four days of sessions with John to work on that musical. So I, uh, I literally rode in the back of my brother's truck. He had a back seat of his truck and I practiced my accordion as David: Oh Troye Kinnett: he drove David: well, Troye Kinnett: down to New Orleans. Um, David: that's incredible. Troye Kinnett: yeah. And well, at the time, the way they had the instrumentation on that, it was two guitars, violin and accordion is the way they were arranging the musical at that point. And so most of the songs were on accordion, one was on piano. So I wasn't playing that much accordion at the time, and it was just something that had to happen. So he drove, I practiced, we did the move, we got back on Sunday, and David: Well... Troye Kinnett: it went really well with John. Luckily, the one song that was on piano was when I got to really show him, this is my instrument. But it went really well, and then... six months later, got asked to do the tour. David: And so just briefly on the accordion, so had you played a lot of accordion before that? Troye Kinnett: I played with Larry Crane, who worked with John years ago. But it was mainly just something on a session here and there. I didn't grow up playing accordion at all. I was close to 30 years old before I ever started playing accordion. So no, not a lot. It was something that I had to just kind of dig in and figure it out. David: Yes, that's amazing. And obviously the sessions did go well. And so you said six months later, was it like a lot of Sidemen working with artists, you were just invited to, hey, we need someone for the next tour, or did you actually have to have a formal audition? Troye Kinnett: No, actually, at the point when I went down to record with him, it was, that was kind of, and looking back, kind of my audition. And I knew that if I really, you know, nailed it, it would put me in a good position to get that call. So luckily, I didn't have to go through that, you know, audition and wait in line. And it was, that was kind of my audition. And But he also made it clear on that first tour, it doesn't mean you're in the band. Just because I got called to do a tour. So that David: I'm sleeping. Troye Kinnett: was kind of, you know, later on, it was just kind of, I was the de facto keyword player. I figured it out, you know, but David: Yeah. Troye Kinnett: not as soon as the tour started, for sure. David: No, that sort of doesn't surprise me. And so for the sake of our, oh, look, I'm doubtful there are many of our listeners or viewers that don't understand how iconic a musician John Mellencamp is in the context of the US, but also the world. But it is probably just worth you explaining, having worked with him for nearly 20 years, what he means to Americans. Troye Kinnett: Oh my gosh. Yeah, I mean, with songs like, Pink Houses, Ain't That America, that people, they just got their hands in the air and it's kind of ironic when he's talking, what he's really talking about is, but people still feel that. It feels patriotic, but it's actually looking at, kind of a sad situation, but we make the best of it. So, yeah, that's funny. And what he means, I mean, I grew up in, not far from Muncie, Indiana. So it's just, it was somebody that I had heard. I was familiar with a lot of hits that probably weren't as big across the country. But I didn't know that at the time. He was just, he was just. I mean, obviously you can't argue with the amount of record sales David: Mmm. Troye Kinnett: that he's had, but it was obviously, it just bumped up a notch around here. And being from Indiana, it was just David: Yeah. Troye Kinnett: something that I grew up with. David: And because Australia plays an interesting role too there. And I know... John himself Troye Kinnett: Right. David: has an interesting relationship with some of his earlier stuff for very legitimate reasons. And I know that's been covered extensively in interviews with him. But I mean, obviously Australia has a huge relationship with him. I believe we're one of the first territories to break him big outside of the US with one Troye Kinnett: I David: of Troye Kinnett: need David: those Troye Kinnett: a David: songs. Troye Kinnett: lover, right? David: Yeah, which I know he's not a fan of. I totally get he's not a fan of that song. But it's certainly, you know, so he's an iconic Troye Kinnett: Mm-hmm. David: in the US and it's obviously lovely to see them working together recently as well. Troye Kinnett: Yeah, I need a lover. I guess it broke there before it was big here and it was covered and you know, that was so, we actually did a tour of Australia in 2008. David: And I was there. Yeah, great, Troye Kinnett: You were there. David: great. Troye Kinnett: What's. David: Yeah, I was there. And I remember John saying something along the lines of, I usually hate playing this song. I avoid it like the plague, but because you guys helped break it, I'm gonna play it for you tonight. Troye Kinnett: Right, and he did it acoustically, he did a little David: Yeah. Troye Kinnett: bit, yeah. That's right. Yeah, that was one of those tours that really sticks out as a lot of fun because we made the best of, for one thing, we were in a far off land. And they were fly dates too. So I think that helped. And Sheryl Crowe was opening, and we David: Yep. Troye Kinnett: really got to know her band and crew really well, which that... We've done tours before where we've never really hung out with the other band that much or got to know them other than just passing, semen catering here and there. But ironically, her guitar tech, I just ran into him at, we played the Beacon Theater about a month ago and we got to New York. I immediately went to, I had a Sunday afternoon off, went to the Met Museum and walked around there for a while. came back to the hotel and saw her guitar tech, well, he had just been at the Met setting up for a corporate that they were doing the next day. David: Wow. Troye Kinnett: And we got to talking about how, you know, that was just so much fun hanging out. And he also said that was one of those tours that sticks out in his mind that, you know, we made the best of it, we had a lot of fun, and hung out a lot. And David: Yeah, it Troye Kinnett: it David: was Troye Kinnett: was, David: a great show. And so Troye Kinnett: yeah, David: this Troye Kinnett: great to reconnect. David: is it. Cheryl's Guitar Tech. This is going to sound quite bizarre and I may even edit this out for our listeners and viewers depending on where it goes. But her Guitar Tech's first name? Yeah, Troye Kinnett: Andy. Andy David: different Troye Kinnett: Harrison. David: one. So just, yeah, long, boring story. But back in the days of Compuserve, which I'm sure you remember Troy, I'm talking mid-90s, when musicians first got online, I remember having extensive chats with Cheryl's Guitar Tech prior to an Australian tour, but it wasn't Andy. So she's unsurprisingly had more than one Guitar Troye Kinnett: Right, David: Tech over her career, Troye Kinnett: right, David: yeah. Troye Kinnett: and he wasn't there. Let's see, I remember the drum tech too. We talked to him, but the other, if I would have seen it then it would all come back to me. David: Yeah, Troye Kinnett: Yeah. David: that's okay. Yeah. And so I'll probably edit that bit out, but the next thing is, so I've got a memory test for you, Troy. That Sydney gig, it wasn't just you and Cheryl playing on the same piece of land that night. And you were in a big stadium of about 15, 20,000 people, but there were 60,000 people about 500 meters away. Do you remember who the artist was? Troye Kinnett: Oh gosh, yeah. David: I wouldn't expect it. It's an Andre Ryu. Troye Kinnett: Oh, right, okay, and our violinist was talking about that. Yeah, now that I'm glad you reminded me about that. David: It was traffic chaos. Just Troye Kinnett: Wow, David: as a fan, it was traffic Troye Kinnett: nice. David: chaos. Anyway, sorry, I do diverge. So yeah, so I mean the relationships with those songs across the years and you've just been touring. It's really amazing to see some of the live videos of the last couple of tours that I know you've been interviewed before and saying that John obviously chooses very carefully what he plays. He's got such a back catalogue now, but he seems Troye Kinnett: Mm-hmm. David: to have mastered the technique of, yeah, there's some great songs everyone knows, but there's also a lot of newer stuff. Is that what keeps it really fresh for you as a touring musician? Troye Kinnett: Yeah, we did. We always like playing some new material, but I think it's pretty obvious why people are there. So you have to kind of tread lightly with that. So we work with the... John works with the list to make sure that it's right and he can feel when it's going like this. And once he gets it, you know, that he feels like it's a good flow, we don't change it. You David: Yeah. Troye Kinnett: know, that's in and that's what we kind of got into a, um, a groove on it in this tour and, and found the, the list that worked. David: Which is great, yeah. Troye Kinnett: Mm-hmm. David: And I know in previous interviews you have, and this is an absolute compliment, not a criticism, that John's a very exacting band leader. He knows what he wants. Tell us about how he works with the band. I know you've said before, he absolutely gives freedom where there is freedom, but he also knows what he wants. Tell us about how that dynamic works within the band when you're preparing for a tour. Troye Kinnett: Yeah, so everybody is, I mean, he relies on them heavily to come up with a part that's going to work. But he'll if you're not doing it, he'll have an idea, you know, and it's usually a reference. It's a, you know, we'll get that organ sound that he's using on this song or whatever. And so that was part of my thing. Early stages was just. just understanding how he communicates and, you know, and how to work. But there's no question, he knows every note that everybody's playing on every song, you know, because it's like that's how intended he's listening in rehearsals. And it's going to be the same every night, although, you know, we sound like a rock band. But those parts are worked out. You know, it's nothing. If it sounds like Rolling Stones, that kind of has a loose sound or whatever, it's intentional. It sounds like that. David: That's right. And over your nearly 20 years, Troy with John, has the approach changed or that's been fairly consistent? And I'm sure none of you take anything for granted, but has it got easier at all over the 20 years? Troye Kinnett: Yeah, it has because I just know what I just know where to go, I think. We're in the early stages. I think I was maybe a little bit all over the map trying this and trying that. Now I know, you know, it's like pretty much what's going to be what's going to work. But I also if I've got an idea for something, I'm going to put it out there if it's a little different, you know. So it's nice to be to get some piano into the, you know, more of the. The newer music, the last couple of records, there's been more piano. I mean, there was some, but definitely more of that, which is I like. David: Well, let's cover that briefly Troy. So some of your, so you've been involved in the recording of how many Melanchem albums now. Troye Kinnett: Oh, I should have that number right in front of me, but David: It'd Troye Kinnett: I can David: be a Troye Kinnett: say... David: few though, wouldn't it? It'd be, I'm guessing, Troye Kinnett: Yeah, quite David: what, Troye Kinnett: a few. David: six or eight? Troye Kinnett: Freedom's David: Yeah. Troye Kinnett: Road, Life, Death, Love and Freedom. There was a live record for that. Other people's stuff. Plain Spoken, Sad Clowns and Hillbillies, Strictly One-Eyed Jack, David: the new one? Troye Kinnett: Orpheus David: Yeah. Troye Kinnett: Descending. There might be one more. David: Yeah, but say... Troye Kinnett: But there's some Ghost Brothers recordings in there too that I'm probably thinking about. David: Yes, I mean, that's an impressive output from yourself as well. So any favourite sort of recording experiences for you, just from a pure creative viewpoint where you thought I've done a great job there or I'm really proud of that. Troye Kinnett: Yeah, I would have to say Gone So Soon from the last, the strictly one I jacked, one for Springsteen's on three of those. That one David: Yeah. Troye Kinnett: for sure got to do some piano that, you know, that I'd never heard on a Mellencamp record, which was, that turned out, and David Leonard, I just can't say enough about our engineer working with him. I mean, that guy, wow, he's done it all. And started when he was... you know, 18 on the road with Chick Corea. So David: Well. Troye Kinnett: it's great hearing his stories too, but just the way he can make the piano sound. I mean, my accordion, the way he makes that sound on the recordings, that waste days with Bruce's on that song. It's also David: Hmm. Troye Kinnett: strictly one I jack. I love that accordion solo and how it goes into the guitar solo and the video is just beautiful. So that one stands out, but it's a little more top of mind, I think. David: And it certainly, this will be the last couple of Mellencamp questions, but I mean, John's output over the last 15 years has just been as prolific, if not more prolific than the previous part of his career. And there's certainly been some stylistic changes. You could argue it's Troye Kinnett: Mm-hmm. David: got slightly more mellow musically, although the fire is very much still there in the lyrics and all of his dissentings. Troye Kinnett: Right. David: It certainly, I'd argue, is rocked up again, even. So, yeah, what- What is your experience been over those nearly 20 years of just how things have evolved with music? Troye Kinnett: Yeah, I think he's embracing his voice, you know, for one thing, and then his voice that he uses and what he sings about, what he writes about. But even, you know, just what he, in the studio, just, you know, make it sound like Louis Armstrong, that kind of thing. If he's going for the, you know, that's kind of a dark... you know, rough kind of sounding song and his voice is right there with it. Um, David: Yeah. Troye Kinnett: but it's yeah, I think it's like he, he wants to act his age, you know, he doesn't want to, um, try to do, uh, and even live, I mean, he's still, it's amazing what he can do and putting David: Hmm. Troye Kinnett: on a show and delivering those songs, you know, that were there in the eighties. Um, but he's still got to, you know, we've rearranged some to make them a little more groovy and maybe not as poppy. But definitely David: Yeah. Troye Kinnett: in the recording, it's a different vibe and it's appropriate, I'd say, for at this point. David: Yeah, absolutely. And still lots of fire in the belly there, that's for sure. Troye Kinnett: Right. David: And so we always ask every guest, Troy, about a train wreck. And I'm thinking in Melencant Land, this might be the best way to get an anecdote out of you. So has it been an onstage train wreck that's been memorable that you can look back and laugh about now? Troye Kinnett: I can, yeah, I've got a better train wreck, not with Mellencamp, but I'll David: Oh, that's Troye Kinnett: start David: okay. Troye Kinnett: with the Mellencamp train wreck. We were starting a tour a few years ago and the violinist and I were, we weren't even playing on the first three songs. So on the third song, it was an unveiling of this section. We come out and here we are, you know, it's like, oh, there they are because that's just, we're our own section in the band. So I think people were, you know, waiting on this. Well, I came out and here's, you know, the spotlight hit the first show of the tour. You know, we've been at this venue doing production rehearsals and everything for a few days, and I came out there to play and there was no. David: Oh Troye Kinnett: So it was there all week. It was there a few hours before in soundcheck, and it wasn't there. And John just looks over and he gives me one of these. He's just like. David: Hahahaha Troye Kinnett: So that was great. Where's your well as it turns out and I of course I was just going. It was David: Yes, dude! Troye Kinnett: so our guitar tech at the time it changed my battery between soundcheck and the show and the little lead wires on the you know on the 9 volt battery got pulled and that's David: Okay. Troye Kinnett: what we found out later on well of course you know what I had to do after that was get a system that didn't use the battery. David: Yes, that's right. Troye Kinnett: So it was one that was from the cable, gets phantom power. I had to buy a different power supply system, but yeah. David: That's funny. Troye Kinnett: That was the Mellencamp train wreck that sticks out in my mind on a live situation. David: That's great, and then so hit us with your other non-melanchic one. Troye Kinnett: The other one, okay. So I used to play Eruption on my D50, way back that dates this one. And it's huge. I'm a huge Eddie Van Halen fan, always David: Yes. Troye Kinnett: had been. And so I was playing it and I had it, the pitch bender set the joystick set to an octave for all those dive bombs. And I was just giving it hell in the middle of it. And the pitch bender broke somewhere in that octave. And there was just no digging it out after that. It was like trying to bring it back. And the thing was just David: Oh... Ho ho Troye Kinnett: and the two David: ho! Troye Kinnett: I had no idea what key, you know, where to get back out of it. But there's nothing worse than failing, you know, when you're really trying to do something cool and saying, David: Solo. Troye Kinnett: look at this. David: Yes. And see all guitar players around the world will say that's karma for trying to pull off guitar stuff on a Troye Kinnett: Right, David: keyboard. Troye Kinnett: exactly. Yeah, that's what I get. David: That's a great story. That's brilliant, Troy. That's a two for one deal. That's brilliant. So let's talk a little bit about your other touring work. So I have to ask as an Australian, I know in your bio, you mentioned Keith Urban in passing. What was the involvement there? Troye Kinnett: Uh, Red Nose Day. So that's a, yeah, it was, I think the second year that there was a Red Nose Day, he performed with us. He did, um, pink houses with it. He got on stage and, and uh, it was a surprise. Um, so that was fun. It was great. And, and meeting him was great and, and he, um, he was a huge Melloncamp fan David: Mm. Troye Kinnett: from when he was you know, growing up in Australia and got to see Mellencamp and he talked about how it changed his life. He was kind of, you know, not sure where to go and, you know, country or rock and he saw this and he realized that's the vibe that he needed David: Yeah. Troye Kinnett: to go for. So it was great to hear him talk about that and, you know, we've got a lot of, you know, a lot of people around where I'm from mentioned Mellencamp being an influence, but David: Yeah. Troye Kinnett: hearing that. you know, was great. David: Yeah, that's great. And I think you've already caught, I was going to ask about Sheryl Crow, but I'm assuming that relationship is to do with that touring together. Troye Kinnett: Yeah, just that. She had just, you know, got on stage and sang with us a couple times, but I didn't really get to know her that much. One thing that sticks out in my mind is that we spent Thanksgiving, yeah, that was at the, together, the whole, you know, it was a big tour, David: Yeah. Troye Kinnett: you know, party for Thanksgiving. And she was there with her very, very young son was there on tour. David: Yeah, no, great pick of support acts. Yeah, she's just amazing. Troye Kinnett: Yeah. David: And then I'm gonna ask you two ones that again are mentioned in your bio, but they fascinate people all the way down here. And that's as far as your band leadership yourself, a 500 piece rock band for the Indianapolis Troye Kinnett: Gosh. David: 500. Tell us about that scenario. Troye Kinnett: Yeah, Rock and Roll 500. So there was not long before that there was the this Foo Fighters song that was recorded with a thousand, David: Yes. Troye Kinnett: you know, David: Yep. Troye Kinnett: performers. So that was kind of the idea that the video producer had for that. And so it was the hundredth running of the 500. So they were going all out for, you know, the promotion for this. And also the producer knew had Terry Langer produced NBC Sports, all the IRL races, and knew Will Power and knew that he played drums. So he had this idea to do this and have Will Power play. So we had 10 drum sets. We had a drum line of four toms. My son was actually in that drum line. He played drums. And we got... you know, that all assembled. Um, I met with these choirs like Eastern Star Church Choir, Ash Rock, this group of, uh, students from Sam Ash and their music program. We, we started the meetings for this in February David: Yeah. Troye Kinnett: for the big video that took place in May, so it was quite, you know, a lot of planning, just assembling the performers. Um. My niece was in a dance troupe and they were involved in it. I mean, it was all hands on deck. David: Yeah. Troye Kinnett: But it was fun when Will Power came over, and my son was playing drums and had a drum set in the basement. And he came over to practice the song we did, Love Runs Out. And he really, I mean, he worked his butt off down there for at least a couple hours. I mean, he already knew the song. But it was fun talking to him and he talked about that, how playing a song is a lot like working on a lap. David: Yeah. Troye Kinnett: And I never really thought about that. It's like, he said there's turns in it and he really, he did a great job. But so that's, what we did is we assembled 500 performers to perform this song and record a video and the weather. Oh my gosh, we were sweating it out at the end. It was like, I think we were supposed to shoot at six o'clock, but then there were some unknowns, you know, like the weather. There was a couple of days or a few days before we were on Pan Am Plaza, there was a concern now about the weight with all the performance, David: Uh-huh. Troye Kinnett: you know, it's like, oh, this because there's like a parking garage underneath it. So we had to make sure that there was no PA at a certain place. And all of these things started coming up. And then promo. Oh, yeah, can you do a promo? Can you go on the news at 6.30 this morning and talk about it? David: Wow. Troye Kinnett: Stuff like that just came up. But the weather held out, and we pulled it off. And it was just one of those things that sticks out in my mind is just a highlight. I'm a Westsider too, my wife grew up in Speedway and we're, you know, so we've got an Airbnb and property in Speedway and all that. So it's just great to kind of, you know, do something that hits home, that's that close to home and it was huge. David: Yeah, that's amazing. And logistically, I'm fascinated right back to even the Foo Fighters one that you mentioned. Logistically, I assume you're not recording every participant. I assume you've got a subset of musicians you're actually running through to record. Troye Kinnett: Yes, you're right. So we had, we, uh, Dane Clark from John's band was the, his drums were mic'd up. And then we had all of the other drums and we've had just some, uh, like, uh, you know, distant mics. We had, I did have guide tracks that I, with the vocals. Um, and then we had a couple of singers that were close mic'd and then we had, uh, mics on the, the quiet, the different sections of the audience that we're seeing. So I was amazed at how great that turned out and how little we had to use the guide tracks on the, I mean, they were barely there to thicken that big drum sound, you know, with the toms that it was a big tribal, you know, sound. But I really thought we were going to need more of that in the end. But I'm thrilled with the way that the mix turned out and how huge it sounded. And yeah, David: Yeah, just amazing. And we'll definitely Troye Kinnett: yeah. David: be linking to it. I'm pretty sure that's Troye Kinnett: Right. David: up on YouTube, Troy, isn't Troye Kinnett: Yeah, David: it? Troye Kinnett: that's David: I'm sure Troye Kinnett: what I mean David: it's, Troye Kinnett: too. David: yeah, Troye Kinnett: Yeah. David: yeah. So we'll be linking that. And the other one I was going to ask you about was one that you've sort of covered, which is the Ghost Brothers of Darkland County. I mean, it's an amazing collaboration, obviously, between Mel and Camp and Stephen King. The obvious question is, I assume you never got to lay eyes on Stephen King? Troye Kinnett: Oh, yeah, quite a few times. Yeah, yeah, he was in there, you know, in the workshops. He was there quite a bit. I'm David: Did he get Troye Kinnett: trying David: up and Troye Kinnett: to. David: play Troy? Cause he was always, cause I've forgotten the name of his band, but he had a band for Troye Kinnett: He David: many, Troye Kinnett: did, David: many Troye Kinnett: you David: years. Troye Kinnett: know, that David: Yeah. Troye Kinnett: was before I was in the band, not long before I got in the band, he did get up on stage with John and played on a song, you know, played guitar. I remember, you know, seeing a video clip of that. But with, when we were working on that, I mean we did a the Alliance Theater, we did a six-week run at the Alliance Theater in Atlanta. We did two different tours. There were at least six week tours and then several workshops in between. So he was around quite a bit and there were so many rewrites and you know, that, uh, yeah, I did get to, you know, uh, see him several times and, you know, at dinners or at rehearsals. David: Yeah. Troye Kinnett: Yeah. David: Seems like a down to earth guy and sorry that's just my fanboy moment. Troye Kinnett: Absolutely. David: Troy, mate, yeah, Troye Kinnett: And when, David: major Stephen King Troye Kinnett: yeah, David: fan. Troye Kinnett: but it's just great to when, you know, that when he has a thought and wants to talk about something, you can hear a pin drop, then David: Yeah. Troye Kinnett: everybody, you know, it's just, he's speaking. David: Yeah, Troye Kinnett: What does David: that's Troye Kinnett: he have David: right. Troye Kinnett: to say? It's just, you know. David: Now, great stylistic musical and the soundtrack is a slightly different beast again, but I mean, some of the amazing artists working on that, you know, Troye Kinnett: Yes. David: from Elvis Costello and I was just, yeah, for those that haven't heard it, it's well worth a listen. I don't know where there's any plans. There are plans for further rejuvenations of that, like most musicals. Is it likely to come back at some stage? Troye Kinnett: I don't think that at this point, it was one of those things that it was on and off, on and off for quite a while. And then the last I remember before COVID, there was something that I had heard that it was going to do a run somewhere closer to Stephen King's stomping grounds in Maine or New England area. And then I haven't heard since then what happened, but I'm sure that was, you know. Yeah, David: Yeah, as you know with musicals, they always usually come back around, so he's hoping. Troye Kinnett: well, possibly. David: And let's talk about, probably cast back a bit. You mentioned about TV and advertising work. So composing, so composing your own stuff, that's obviously something that you still do and how's that developed for you over time? Troye Kinnett: Yeah, not as much. I mean, the production music world, that's changed a lot since I was doing it. That was my full-time job through the 90s and actually until I got in John's band. That was it. And I kind of could see right around that time. I mean, since then, it's just harder to get budgets to do original music for advertising because there's just so much library material that's accessible David: Yeah. Troye Kinnett: on websites. and it's so much easier to edit your music. Anybody can do it on a laptop. So that's part of it. But it's not something that I... I would come back and do it again at some point. If I wasn't busy with John, I would probably be inspired to do that more. But it was definitely something I love to do. And especially when it's, you know, you had some of the projects were, you know, that kind of went up and down, but you were, but just to get paid to write music is great. David: Hmm, yeah. That's right. And in the live, live setting, Troy, do you tend to do your own stuff, whether you pull a band together and play the odd gig if you've got an extended break from touring with other artists or is that Troye Kinnett: Oh, David: something Troye Kinnett: yeah. David: that... Troye Kinnett: Yeah. There's a you know, tribute bands are big. So I'm in a yacht rock tribute band, the Naughty David: Cool. Troye Kinnett: Yachties. I've done a Led Zeppelin tribute with a power trio. I add with them. But with the yacht rock band, Josh Kaufman's our singer. He won the voice a few years ago. David: Wow. Troye Kinnett: Just got a great voice for like the David Pack and Kenny Loggins, Michael McDonald. It's just excellent. So. Yeah, that's a lot of fun when I've got a break from John. We're out playing concerts around indie, outdoor. Usually it's a summertime thing, outdoor concerts. And that's a lot of fun because it's a totally different vibe from the keyboard standpoint. David: Yeah. Troye Kinnett: That's more of a Rhodes, synthy string kind of vibe, which is a lot of fun. It's all about the Rhodes and the stereo. Is it a... phaser chorus what kind of roads is David: That's Troye Kinnett: it you David: right. Troye Kinnett: know it's i can dig into that kind of thing where you know with john it's more of a accordion and be three David: That's right, yeah. And so let's briefly talk about your keyboards that you just have there at home. And obviously some of them are within visual there. What are some of your faves Troye Kinnett: There's a, David: that you actually own yourself? Troye Kinnett: yeah, well, the Whirlitzer and the Rhodes, I don't use very often anymore, but occasionally they're there for like, I shot a couple videos during COVID. It was fun to have, you know, have them sitting there. I still have my JX-8P and D-50, I think, cause David: Yeah. Troye Kinnett: I remember making all those payments to the credit union and it's like, I just assume, just keep them, if they can remind me of that. David: Oh, and Troye Kinnett: But David: D50 Troye Kinnett: it's not a lot of... David: still a beaut- D50 still got some beautiful Troye Kinnett: Yes David: sounds on it. It really does. Troye Kinnett: Yeah, but with my main live rig around here is using a Roland FA-07 and a Chord Chrome and then I've got a Mo XF8 that I use a lot too, yamamam. And then I'm really getting into this my iPad rig now. David: Yeah. Troye Kinnett: I'm trying to When I was doing the Sandy Patty tour, we did a show in Puerto Rico and I couldn't get those keyboards that I was using and I had to get rental gear and I couldn't transfer my sounds from the Yamaha to a stock motif or whatever. So I just thought I need to get an iPad rig down so I can see, you know, or a laptop, but I really like what, you know, like that, the Hammond X. the B3X. David: Yes. Troye Kinnett: Oh my gosh, I love that app and thanks Tom Brizland. David: Yes. Troye Kinnett: He had a hand in that, right? So David: I believe Troye Kinnett: I remember David: so, Troye Kinnett: watching David: yeah. Troye Kinnett: his videos about that. So I'm really getting into that and maybe that'll be, you know, it's gonna, maybe next year I'll be using that more for gigs around here but more of the iPad. But I use it, I still use the, like I'll play tomorrow night with Doug Henthorne. a guy that's a singer-songwriter from Indy that's worked with Joe Bonamassa and Jason Bonham, great guitar player, David: Mmm. Troye Kinnett: got a lot of originals and it's more of a ham and B3 gig so I want to have something where I can do draw bar moves and you know so that I like that app. David: Yeah, that's great. Yeah, that sounds like you've got a diverse rig there. And we will move on to some of our standard questions, Troy, that we ask every guest, but hopefully you'll find some of them interesting. Although there's one new one. What's the biggest misconception out there about you, if that's possible to answer? Troye Kinnett: misconception that I only play with Mellon Camp. David: Yeah, there you go. Troye Kinnett: Maybe David: Yep. Troye Kinnett: people would think that this is a full-time job for six months and then it's just, we've got some corporates, we've got David: That's a bad say, because you're essentially, I know you've got farm aid in September, but I Troye Kinnett: Right. David: assume there's not a lot else going on there for you for the rest of the year as far as Mellon Camp goes. Troye Kinnett: a couple of corporate shows, maybe one a month and that's it. So yeah, there's quite a bit of downtime. David: And I don't expect you to confirm or deny this, but I'm hoping in the next couple of years, we get you down under again. That would be a highlight, but Troye Kinnett: Oh, I David: yeah. Troye Kinnett: know it would not be with David: Okay. I'd love Troye Kinnett: believe David: to. Troye Kinnett: me. We would all love to do that. David: Yeah. And so the next 12 months, you've mentioned sort of the rest of the year, what else are you hoping to achieve over the next year? Troye Kinnett: Well, the rest of this year, I've got quite a few shows, the Naughty Yachties, that yacht rock tribute band. I've got some fun things coming up, which are like house band gigs, where there's a corporate meeting at a hotel downtown, and it's an all-day thing where I'll be the MD for the house band that's playing people on and off, and they have like a tonight David: Oh Troye Kinnett: show David: that's Troye Kinnett: kind David: cool. Troye Kinnett: of vibe. So I get to do, you know, there would be comedy bits. They're playing Jeopardy and I'm cueing samples off my keyboard for that, you know, the Jeopardy sound effects. And there's another kind of variety show I'll be playing for that might be more of like a Sonny and Cher vibe, but it's, you know, variety show. So it's fun to do. I really like doing those kinds of things where there's different singers involved. David: Yeah. Troye Kinnett: But yeah, I'm looking forward to that. And just being the... the music directors that adds a whole other level of time, you know, and prep to put into it. And then just it's the unknowns, you know, we're going to be reading off of script, but there's not a lot of, you know, we don't know exactly how this is going to work when until people are on stage doing an interview and, you know, they might, you know, look to the band for, you know, David: That's Troye Kinnett: to David: right. Troye Kinnett: fill something if they need time. So we just got to be ready. ready for anything. David: And I just want to work for whatever company is doing that for their employees. That sounds brilliant. Troye Kinnett: Yeah, I know it. It'll be fun for sure. David: And another standard question we asked Troy is tag a keyboard player. So we obviously have the honor of talking to people like yourself. Is there someone out there that you've admired from a distance as a keyboard player that you'd love either us or someone else to interview to find out more about their career? Troye Kinnett: You know who it would be right now is Bobby Sparks. Do you David: It's, Troye Kinnett: know from David: yes, Troye Kinnett: snarky David: it's, Troye Kinnett: puppy? Yeah. David: yes. That, yeah, definitely on the bucket list. Great pick, thank Troye Kinnett: Not David: you. Troye Kinnett: just that band, but I mean just his solo stuff. I mean, he's just one of those guys that I found on YouTube a few years ago. And I it's crazy how many times I've watched him play that the solo with his clav, you know, Bender. Oh my gosh. It's like Jimi Hendrix with jazz passing tones. It's just amazing. And David: Yeah. Troye Kinnett: the, um, there's a video with him playing with Marcus Miller. He's doing a Hammond solo. He's just, just lays his elbow on the. keyboard, you know, I mean, that's you got to be comfortable with your, you know, with yourself to do that in front of thousands of people. And it was just incredible. David: That's right. Troye Kinnett: So David: No. Troye Kinnett: yeah, I just am so inspired by this guy now. David: No, great pick, great, superb pick. And then the dreaded Desert Island discs question, Troye Kinnett: Ha ha! David: Troy, five albums that if you had to take them to a desert island, what would they be? Troye Kinnett: It's dreaded, isn't it? Because, yeah. So, Van Halen, 1984 is the first one that comes to mind. And it's because I didn't, it wasn't like I started listening to Van Halen in the early stages, but wow, once that came out, I found myself alone with a Walkman and that cassette walking all night. And so that just, it was a time when it was like right before I graduated high school. And I wasn't sure, am I gonna work at a bank? Am I gonna be a musician? So there you go. That's why just being alone with that wasn't a desert island, but that's more. David: And Troy, as us keyboard players know, playing jump is considered incredibly cliche, but by God, it's a lot of fun. Have you ever had the opportunity to play jump live? Troye Kinnett: just once. It's funny, that's the Desert Island diss, but not because of that song. Leftover Chur is another one, but not necessarily because of Carry On Wayward Son. But yeah, there was a band that I played just once, though, and it wasn't even on the list. It was like a last second thing, so it's like, there it is. It's just one of those things. Yeah, you got to know it, but it was not like I had worked it out to go play it in a you know, in a band, but wow. David: Great stuff, yeah. Troye Kinnett: But his guitar playing has just inspired me as a musician so much. David: Yeah. Troye Kinnett: And so Leftover Chairs, the other one, David: Kansas, Troye Kinnett: that one David: yep. Troye Kinnett: for sure. Yeah, The Wall is a masterpiece, beautiful. Honky Chateau, there's got to be an Elton John David: Yeah. Troye Kinnett: one in there. That one. Big Generator, yes. David: Yep. Troye Kinnett: And that one because I, similar kind of thing to 1984, I was just, I just spent a lot of time with it and it kind of got me through. Cause it's like, you know, sometimes you, you know, you've just got one cassette and you're driving or whatever. So, so, and then I'm going to cop out and say a decade of Steely Dan. So. David: Yeah, that's okay. That's valid. Troye Kinnett: I mean, I thought about that, what about compilations? What about greatest hits? And that one, I was going through looking at, is it the Royal Scam or Asia? But that one's got it all. It's, David: That's valid. Troye Kinnett: I have to David: It's an Troye Kinnett: be David: ongoing... Troye Kinnett: truthful, that's what I would grab. David: It's a running joke on the show, Troy, that a number of people have picked the Beatles box set. So it's totally Troye Kinnett: Right, David: legitimate Troye Kinnett: yeah, David: to do a decade of Steely Troye Kinnett: because David: Dan. That's Troye Kinnett: you can get more bang. David: right. Troye Kinnett: Or David: No, Troye Kinnett: one David: Grape... Troye Kinnett: disk, that be a hard disk with my iTunes on it. David: Right. And you just prompted me on something Troy, you mentioning Elton John. Obviously Elton John just wrapped up his major multi-year tour. And I've seen video of his last speech in Stockholm, I think it was. Troye Kinnett: Mm. David: What does it mean to you as a musician? You know, people like Elton John and Springsteen Troye Kinnett: Oh my. David: Mallicamp, you know, there's 20 of these iconic guys. They're all coming up to an age where eventually they're going to need to stop. It's a real epoch for music, isn't it? Troye Kinnett: Mm-hmm. Yeah, I know it. It's there's definitely like just doing farm aid. We're gonna see Willie Nelson and Neil David: Yeah. Troye Kinnett: Young and you know, it's Yeah It feels like there was so many in the 60s and 70s that we're you know rock music was just It's just expanding by leaps and bounds and Just getting a chance to see Elton John was Incredible. I'm glad David: Yeah, Troye Kinnett: I got to do that. David: yeah, no, absolutely. And long may the rest of them keep continuing. Troye Kinnett: Right. David: And then the very last question Troy is a quick fire 10. So 10 short and sharp answers to 10 very quick questions. So first keyboard you ever owned? Troye Kinnett: Moog satellite synthesizer and I refinished it in shop class. David: Wow, that's Troye Kinnett: The David: cool. Troye Kinnett: wood panel. David: Have you still got Troye Kinnett: Or David: it? Troye Kinnett: the fender roads I guess. That would be, but the first sense was that Moog. Yeah. David: You still got the moog? Troye Kinnett: No. I David: Nah. Troye Kinnett: got the roads. No, I don't want that. I wish David: Yeah. Troye Kinnett: I had it. David: That's great. Most important pre-gig ritual. Troye Kinnett: Stop drinking water and go to the bathroom over and over. David: Sorry, the reason I laugh so much is the bathroom has come up, I think, with our last five guests. I think we're all getting older and it's an important issue. It's Troye Kinnett: It's David: absolutely Troye Kinnett: very important. David: an important issue. Troye Kinnett: It's very important. You know, it's like, yeah, I mean, you can, it's just one less thing to worry about while you're out there. David: That's right. Now, if any, the next keyboard you plan on buying. Troye Kinnett: Oh, wow. You know, I've been thinking so much about this, you know, iPad. Probably a controller for that. Something that's, you know, that I can do all the drawbar changes. And I've, you know, I haven't decided on that, but David: Some Troye Kinnett: dang David: good ones Troye Kinnett: it. Yeah, David: out Troye Kinnett: I David: there. Troye Kinnett: wish I would have... Considering the maybe the Nautilus 88 key too David: Yeah. Troye Kinnett: as a bass, you know. But I really like the YC. It might be the David: Yeah. Troye Kinnett: Yamaha. I like that. I mean, there's, wow, sorry. David: Yeah, well Troye Kinnett: It David: I Troye Kinnett: was David: see. No, Troye Kinnett: quick, David: they're all Troye Kinnett: but David: great. Troye Kinnett: I couldn't name one. David: No, no, that's great. I think I know the answer is based on your skill set. Transpose button or adjust on the fly? Troye Kinnett: Yeah, I don't like that transpose button, but I've used it. But, you know, it's just, it's remembering to put it back after you do, if, you know, somebody David: That's Troye Kinnett: calls David: right. Troye Kinnett: an audible, but it's one thing. It's good if the whole band tunes down all night. That's one thing, but, but no, you got to David: Done. Troye Kinnett: look over and, you know, the guitar player's playing a G chord. I want to be playing a G chord, you know, David: Yeah, Troye Kinnett: be able David: that's Troye Kinnett: to see David: right. Troye Kinnett: that. David: No, absolutely. And unless it's a musical where everything's in B. So. Troye Kinnett: Right. David: So, favourite gig you've ever done, if that's possible to list. Troye Kinnett: Yeah, there was a NCAA Final Four was here in Indianapolis. And right when I got in John's band and there were 80,000 people downtown on Monument Circle and we did a concert there. And I mean, that was part of it because it was this huge crowd. It was in, you know, it was here. My family was there and friends, but also some straight line winds came in and blew out the glass out of a high rise. out of a bank building downtown. David: Oh wow. Troye Kinnett: And we had to cut the set short by one song, but everybody got out of there. There were no problems. David: Wow. Troye Kinnett: There were, you know, my family, they were hunkered down at the hotel union station. Everybody had to get into the central, center level. We were on the bus just, you know, holding on as it was, you know, almost a blow over. So luckily that worked out. Everybody got out of there, but that one sticks out. David: Yes, Troye Kinnett: Yeah. David: that's gonna be a hard one to forget. Yeah. Troye Kinnett: Right. David: Um, favourite city you've ever played if that's possible. Troye Kinnett: I guess it'd probably have to be New York David: Yeah. Troye Kinnett: because that was a place that I went with marching band when I was really young in high school and just remembering that the smell of it, the sound of it, everything, just wanting to get back there. And so I remember it was just great going back there. But Sydney and Perth, that was incredible because Perth was the first place we landed. after spending 24 hours to get David: Yes. Troye Kinnett: there. But then we had to go clear to Perth. So I remember David: Another five Troye Kinnett: that David: hours, Troye Kinnett: one sticks David: yeah. Troye Kinnett: out for sure is because of the, you know, just going, where are we? And just being in, you know, it's just kind of a blur, but when I David: Yeah, Troye Kinnett: thought we're here, we're David: that's Troye Kinnett: here. David: brilliant. And just as a supplementary, Troy, favourite venue in New York that you've played. Troye Kinnett: It would be Radio City Musical. Yeah. David: Yeah. Yep. Troye Kinnett: I would say you had Sullivan Theater, but it's too cold. If it wasn't David: It is. Troye Kinnett: so cold. David: I've only seen, I've been to a couple of Colbert recordings at Ed Troye Kinnett: Yeah. David: Sullivan Theatre and you're right, it's not warm. Troye Kinnett: Letterman did that and he's just kept that he's just David: Yeah. Troye Kinnett: kept that tradition going there. I guess David: Yeah, Troye Kinnett: It's David: absolutely. Troye Kinnett: just way too cold David: No, great picks. Name an artist you've not worked with that you'd love to work with one day. Troye Kinnett: Donald Fagan. David: Oh, wow, great Troye Kinnett: Yeah, David: pick, Troye Kinnett: I'm David: yeah. Troye Kinnett: the biggest Donald Fagan fan for sure. And yeah, they're gonna be here this winter or this fall. And I think they're opening for the Eagles and I'm gonna try to get there. David: Yes, absolutely. Favorite music documentary or movie, doesn't matter how old or new, is there a particular music focused movie or doc that you've Troye Kinnett: Oh boy. David: loved? Troye Kinnett: Yeah, the Eagles hell freezes over, David: Yeah. Troye Kinnett: that sticks out. I remember when that came on and not I wasn't planning on sitting down for three hours to watch it, but it was just hard to stop. Yeah, David: Yeah, no Troye Kinnett: that's a David: rightly Troye Kinnett: good one. David: so. Yeah, amazing. Name one thing you'd like to see invented that would make your life as a keyboard player easier. Troye Kinnett: I thought about this one as I'm thinking about an AI bot that's like a music manager, booking agent, accountant that's going to tell me you don't have to take this gig in nine months because something better is going to come David: That's Troye Kinnett: along, David: right. Troye Kinnett: make this date. Yeah, David: Love Troye Kinnett: sometimes David: it. Troye Kinnett: I just get so busy and I just go, how did this happen? It's like, oh, because David: Yeah. Troye Kinnett: I booked these things, you know, months ago. No, really, but seriously, the, just the, it's the iPad app, I guess. David: Yeah. Troye Kinnett: That's what I'm, I think that's the next thing that's going to make our lives easier. It's just the a la carte, being able, it's there now, but I'm just not, I just don't know enough about it to really make it work. David: Yeah, Troye Kinnett: Well, David: no. Troye Kinnett: but I know it's coming. David: Exactly. And last but not least, your favorite non-musical activity or hobby, what keeps you sane outside of music, Troy? Troye Kinnett: Yeah, so I mentioned earlier, my wife and I own an Airbnb property in Speedway. It's about a mile and a half west of the Indianapolis 500. And it's great to go over there and do, you know, just, I like working in the lawn and just do general, you know, cleanup and maintenance just to whatever it takes to maintain my wife's super host status is, you know, it's David: That Troye Kinnett: great. David: is. Troye Kinnett: It gets us away from here. And, and, um, You know, it's just a lot of times it's just busy work. I don't have to be creative. It's nice. David: That's right, great stuff. Look, Troye Kinnett: And I David: Troy. Troye Kinnett: get to, I communicate with the, our guests a lot. You know, I'm up at all hours of the night. So they, I know what it's like to, uh, check into a hotel when things aren't, it's 80 degrees or the key card doesn't work. So I, you know, I try to take care of those details and make sure it's smooth. David: That's brilliant. Yeah, I love it. So Troy, we cannot thank you enough. We say this very often that we barely scratch the surface and that's definitely the case with yourself. I mean, you've had an amazing career to date and still many, many more years to run. So we can't wait to see what comes next for you. And as we said before, hopefully we see you down under in the near future. Troye Kinnett: I would love that. Thank you, David.