Episodes
Wednesday Jun 05, 2019
Ep. 29: Tim Trudeau of Syntax Creative
Wednesday Jun 05, 2019
Wednesday Jun 05, 2019
Tim Trudeau talks about the music business, anticipating growth and change in business, and the importance of great Mexican food, with Chunjay
Tim is a GRAMMY-nominated producer and CEO of @SyntaxCreative.
[UPDATE: What’s up with Royal Ruckus?]
Catching up
Featuring songs from Tim’s long history of music production.
“Is that guy even real? I was wondering if it was your alter-ego, and you were both people.” - Tim Trudeau on Flatline/Mike and Chunjay/Jamey of Royal Ruckus ;)
Talk about cold brew coffee and on dark roasts
On how we met. And Chunjay dressing like an eighties b-boy.
A fun petty argument about what constitutes southern California
On the music business. On making deals and looking for what’s coming next.
On creating music in today’s landscape.
Chunjay uses an analogy about tacos and Taco Bell to explain why today’s rap is not good. Because of course he does.
Book recommendation: Al Mohler The Conviction to Lead: 25 Principles for Leadership That Matters
The Poverty of Nations: A Sustainable Solution by Asmus and Grudem
When Helping Hurts
Poverty Cure https://www.povertycure.org/
Poverty, Inc. https://www.povertyinc.org/
On eating Mexican food. What good Mexican food is.
Social media: Rocdomz
Final song by Royal Ruckus and DJ Sean P, "Back N Effect" from the Royalty Check EP, streaming everywhere. http://song.link/RoyaltyCheck
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Check out what's up at http://royalruckus.com
Royalty Check EP out now! Videos available at http://bit.ly/RuckusVideo
Saturday Apr 06, 2019
Saturday Apr 06, 2019
Brews, Beards, and Shipwrecks Episode 28! Explore Weezer's career and their 2019 self-titled record, otherwise known as The Teal Album, with Chunjay (Jamey) and Flatline (Mike) of positive rap duo, Royal Ruckus. Jamey is the usual host of Brews, Beards, and Shipwrecks.
Check out the new Royal Ruckus record, Royalty Check, available everywhere and at http://song.link/RoyaltyCheck
- Catching up!
- Exploration of Weezer's career and impact
- Review of Teal
- Check out Mike's Weezer tribute song recording: https://soundcloud.com/mpwalker/turn-me-around-a-weezer-tribute
Socials:
instagram @mpwalker @royalruckusofficial @justjamey
twitter @royalruckus @jameybennett
facebook @royalruckusofficial
More goodies
Podcast site: http://brewsbeards.com
Our group: http://royalruckus.com
Our album from 2019: http://song.link/RoyaltyCheck
Our album from 2018: http://worldsokayestrapper.com
Our album from 2017: http://summerofthecicadas.com
Our merch page: http://royalruckus.bandcamp.com/merch
http://facebook.com/royalruckusofficial
http://instagram.com/royalruckusofficial
#coversongs #weezer #rockmusic #musicreview
Monday Feb 04, 2019
Monday Feb 04, 2019
Gospel Music, Touring with Pigeon John, being a missionary kid, losing your father, recovering from an accident, depression...
Who is Peter? And how do we know each other?
Gospel Music. On being sheltered and Christian. On Bible bookstores.
Brian Earhart, the blind pianist who taught playing piano by ear.
On touring. France.
“There’s just something cool about smoking a cigarette, drinking some coffee, and listening to some rock n roll in France.” - Peter Daily
“When I’m on tour, I’m dying to get home. When I’m at home, I’m dying to get on the road.” - Peter Daily
“I love and hate L.A. equally.” - Peter Daily
On Chunjay’s recent tour to Montana.
Peter explains his music.
“Dead Man” by Peter Daily
On being heartbroken and connecting with songs. Peter tells a story about his father on his deathbed.
“Without You” by Peter Daily
On being a minister’s kid. On being bitter at God and church.
“How long is this podcast? And can we call a minister, and the Pope?” - Peter Daily on being raised in a ministry family
“My family business was church. My grandfather was a minister; my father was a minister. So there was an automatic, you’re gonna be a minister kind of thing. But I didn’t want to be.” - Peter Daily
“It was easier to say ‘it is wrong to drink and smoke’ than to say ‘have some discipline.’” - Peter Daily
On bitterness toward church. On his father’s death.
“When you’ve been burned by the people that also profess that same belief, it’s very difficult to separate those two.” - Chunjay
On the Catholic Church sex scandal.
“Don’t get in the way.” - Peter Daily’s Dad’s message
On his accident and rehab. On the heaviness of life.
On the collaboration between Chunjay and Peter Daily.
Fun stuff! Tacos, beer, Pina Colada...
“I think there’s a place for all tacos, honestly.” - Chunjay
Chunjay’s dad rides Harleys, and drinks out of red Solo cups.
Peter Daily: Instagram @peterdaily, peter-daily.com, on Spotify and Apple
Royal Ruckus: @royalruckus @royalruckusofficial
Olivia the Chug: Instagram @olivia.chug
A Tribe Called Quest - "Award Tour"
Shoutouts: Dallas, Los Angeles, Bozeman, Missoula, Pigeon John, Ill Harmonics, Kill Bill, Nas, Sanctifunkdafied, Rootbeer, Flynn Adam, Orlando, Tom Hanks, The Burbs, DC Talk, Kevin Max, Starbucks, Tait, Rick’s Tacos and Tito’s Tacos in Los Angeles, Oliva Chug, CookBook the Puerto Rican rapper, A Tribe Called Quest, Gang Starr, and more.
Monday Dec 31, 2018
Monday Dec 31, 2018
Chunjay sits down with his cousin Doug, and Doug's wife, Angie, to talk about the holidays, the immigration situation on the southern US border, and offer some tips on dealing with depression, especially around the holidays.
Opening
Catching up with Doug
"Back N Effect" (song from Royalty Check EP, produced by DJ Sean P)
The 10 Tips
- Drink (or don’t drink)
- Meditate or pray
- Go for a walk
- Pet your cat, walk your dog, walk the old lady's dog down the street
- Check in with a friend who truly knows you
- Spend your time with people who build you up, and be the kind of person who builds people up
- Get off Facebook, or at least hide negative posts
- Go to a concert, a play, or church service
- Read a book, watch a comedy on Netflix, go to the movies (even alone)
- Give back (serve food, go to shut-ins, etc.)
Still need help?
National Suicide Prevention Helpline: 800-273-8255
Mental Health Crisis Intervention: 800-991-5272
Doug Bennett's personal line: 661-202-HOPE
Chunjay's personal line: 615-336-1807
Closing thoughts
Closing song by Poor Righteous Teachers
Monday Dec 31, 2018
Monday Dec 31, 2018
In this special episode, Chunjay streams live on 12/27/2018 with special guests DJ Sean P, Flatline, and Keelia Paulsen of Khenri Designs to talk about the new #RoyaltyCheckEP.
The album drops 1/21/2019, when Royal Ruckus turns 21.
This is the audio from the recording, with the music portions of the episode cleaned up a bit.
Pre-order the album here: https://royalruckus.bandcamp.com/album/royalty-check-ep-produced-by-dj-sean-p
PODCAST NOTES EXCLUSIVE: Stream the whole album right now at RoyalRuckus.com!
Monday Nov 05, 2018
Monday Nov 05, 2018
DJ Sean P with Chunjay and Flatline of Royal Ruckus
Sean gives us the rundown on his background
Turntables from the thrift shop, figuring out how to make money deejaying,
“How do you be a dad? How do you have a house? And how do you be a creative, and in everything be honest and true?” - DJ Sean P
“Balance is in the back and forth, but it’s never center.” - Flatline
“Priorities are never balanced either. Right? So… You have a few, very important priorities, and everything else is not a priority.” - DJ Sean P
“It was never really an option for me to not have a creative space.” - DJ Sean P
“I feel like I never work, but I always work.” - Chunjay
Flatline on the Songs in an Hour project he did under the name MPWalker
Flatline: On taking time off work, doing small jobs, and working on music creatively
Snippet from “Flowers on Good Friday” by Royal Ruckus, Rumors of Our Demise Have Been Greatly Exaggerated
“Summer’s Last Call” by Royal Ruckus, The Summer of the Cicadas
“Kinda like too much freedom, gives you too much choice, therefore you can never make a choice.”
“I have a priority of life. For me it’s God, my wife, my family, my church….everything else is not on that priority.” - DJ Sean P
Sean keeps a journal and a weekly appointment with a friend for mental health
“Either I’m full of life or full of death. It’s like I need to guide this, I need to focus this thing.” - DJ Sean P
On goal setting
The Goal100 call (23 minutes)
Sean hustling those beats for cash, beat battles, and so on
BIG HIGHS, BIG LOWS
“I ended up just being in and out of these huge states of depression, and immobility. There’s a point where I didn’t leave my bed. I was frozen with fear…. I didn’t know what was going. I knew I needed help.” - DJ Sean P
Sean opens up about his suicidal thoughts.
On romanticizing dying
Flatline shares his own thoughts on the subject, along with raising kids
“It was more like stop chasing money, and start chasing mental health necessities. There’s always times you can slip in dark places. And I feel like acknowledging that is great. Also, like, talking about, so other people know that it’s okay they feel the same way.” - Flatline
“You shouldn’t keep it to yourself, you should get help.” - DJ Sean P
“I think sometimes the greatest gift you can give somebody is just listening. Or saying, ‘I get it, me too.’” - Chunjay
“This has not been a short road. I started having these ideations at 13,” said DJ Sean P. “I know what you mean, absolutely,” replied Flatline.
DJ Sean P on God’s work in your life in the midst of brokenness
“People are always going to disappoint you, and you are always going to disappoint people. It’s inevitable. We try not to, but it’s going to happen from time to time.” - Chunjay
“Weight in Gold” by Playdough (Krum) and Sean Patrick, We Buy Gold
On coffee, on technology
On types of tacos, extended discussion of tacos.
“U Know Who I Am” by Royal Ruckus with DJ Sean P from Royalty Check
On Podcasts, on mixing, and so on
“We all have insecurities. But we have to know what’s insecurity and what is poor planning.” - DJ Sean P
On his current endeavors with video and audio
“They Reminisce Over You” by Pete Rock and CL Smooth
"Phony Rappers" by A Tribe Called Quest
Shoutouts: CookBook, ManChild of Mars ILL, Playdough/KRUM, Theory Hazit, Oakcliff Coffee Roasters, The Bible Project, Stretch & Bobbito’s What’s Good, The Liturgist Podcast, The 9 Club, Just Thinking,
Friday Sep 07, 2018
Friday Sep 07, 2018
Renata Zarro and Chunjay discuss teaching writing, spoken word poetry, and “home” as a dirty word
Intro—Who is Renata?
On teaching in general, Language Arts in particular.
How did she decide to become a teacher?
“As stressful as it may be at times, I love it.” - Renata
George Grant: “Love what you love in front of your students.”
Echinachea tea. Coffee.
On beards.
Sponsor spot: DrSquatch.com soaps and natural cologne
Two guys quit their jobs and started a soap company
Marvel and DC Movies. Batman. DC Comics. Marvel.
The Chrises and the Toms.
Chris Pratt. Chris Evans. Chris Hemsworth.
Tom Holland. Tom Hiddleston.
Spoken word poetry. Jeanette Hickman.
“I perform better when the audience is bought in.”
“Shipwreck Me”
“The Waitress Song”
On family difficulties and on real life situations put into poetry or song.
“I think as artists, even things are now scars, and are no longer open wounds, we can still feel those scars. We can still remember that pain, remember those emotions. And we can use those scars, those ghosts of our pasts, to help others in their present.”
“That’s the healing process of art. It’s healing for me to write it, and it’s healing for me to perform it. And when I do perform it, it’s healing to others.”
On surrounding yourself with others who can critique what you do.
Shout out to kidDEAD.
She likes a grammarian edit, and a stylistic edit.
“I joke that I’m like a closet romantic. I never share it.”
“Home is a Dirty Word”
“We share our scars so others can heal.”
On dealing with chronic illness.
“Dragon Slayer”
On being single and navigating the casual meetings.
Renata shares a story about telling a guy when she was uncomfortable. Practical tips for women to assert no and deter harassment.
Shoutout to Subculture Coffee.
“Hey, it makes me uncomfortable. I need my space. Give me a little space.”
Acknowledge what he said, but restate. Use body language.
Don’t be flirty with your friend.
“If we all just started respecting each other, none of those issues would happen.” - Chunjay
Renata loves tacos! Mixed chicken and beef. “At-home Chipotle.”
On Puerto Rican and Italian food at home. On Renata’s mother. On Puerto Rico. On coqui frogs.
Snippet from “Closer Than You Think” from the Rumors of Our Demise Have Been Greatly Exaggerated.
Reading young adult stories. “Locomotion” poetry book.
Shout out to Lecrae. Song: “Gotta Know”
#renataspeaks @renataspeaks
@RoyalRuckus @RoyalRuckusOfficial
Monday May 28, 2018
Monday May 28, 2018
Doug Bennett and Chunjay discuss human trafficking, getting clean and sober, and the many uses of avocado (with Chunjay's mom, Kathy)
The many uses of avocado.
17 year meth addiction.
On how adultery led Doug to Jesus.
On drunkenness.
“Wine is from God, but the drunkard is from the devil.” - Increase Mather
On heroin.
“Using with a prostitute in a hotel in the red light district That’s something I don’t want to ever forget. (14:30)
On Mormonism. On being molested.
"I Love You (and You and You and You and You)"
"Ghosts of Women Past" is somewhere in here, too.
“I carried that shame and that guilt and that condemnation for 25 years or so.” - Doug
“Unforgiveness is like you drinking poison and expecting the other person to get sick. So when I was able to forgive that person...I got free, myself, which was wonderful.” - Doug
Call or text Doug at 661-808-HOPE (4673) if you need to talk.
Episode 20 with David Bunker.
Chunjay on virtue.
“I think the best investment we can make on this earth is in other people. I don’t think it’s in stocks and bonds or property.” - Doug
The lava flows in Hawaii.
Bennett family history.
Magdalene Hope. Rescue mission.
Oildale (a section of Bakersfield) is the meth capitol of the world.
A story about rescuing a woman and her kid.
How does a person become a trafficker? How does a person become trafficked?
Guerrilla trafficking, Romeo pimps/lover boy trafficking
"Multi-Purpose Room 2"
Rescue Grounds Coffee
Restoration Ranch Women’s Shelter
"Postcards from the Road"
Coffee talk.
Fasting talk.
MagdaleneHope.org, RescueGrounds.com
Tacos!
On Beers.
Royal Ruckus Presents... series of EPs.
“I paid for that album with my inheritance from Grandpa.” “I spent mine on methamphetamine!”
Chunjay’s mom joins the podcast. She used to live in Compton.
“World’s Okayest Rapper”
Magdalene Hope on Facebook
@MHDoug on insta and Twitter
Chunjay’s recommendation on making amends for sexual brokenness.
Snippet from: “Samson (You Are Not)” Rumors of Our Demise Have Been Greatly Exaggerated album
Editing goof-up! Back on how to make amends.
Closing thoughts, Ruckus socials.
@royalruckus @royalruckusofficial
“Take the Leap”
Anyone want to buy EnjoyingBeer.com?
On beards! Santa Claus with neck tattoos!
Pomade to hair, shampoo, no conditioner, have the barber trim the facial hair.
“This White Life”
Chunjay continues hair car tips. The #nopoo method.
On Beastie Boys.
Closing song: “Rhymin’ and Stealin’”
Shouts: Cleansing Streams ministry, St. Mark Greek Orthodox Church (Boca Raton, FL) Sunday School, Bethel & The River Network, Breaking Bad, Beastie Boys, The Daniel Fast, Taco Nazo in Tijuana, Wolf Among Weeds IPA from Golden Road Brewery, Tosh.0, Samson Society, Treasures with Harmony, Pigeon John, NWA, House of Pain, Everlast, Lengthwise, Jesus Shack, Ben Folds.
All music from World's Okayest Rapper EP.
http://worldsokayestrapper.com
Tuesday May 08, 2018
Tuesday May 08, 2018
Pennsylvania. Colorado. Teaching preschool. On being 4’ 8”.
Food. Health. GAPS Diet. Healing from arthritis. Journey through veganism. Sauerkraut. Probiotics. “A good sauerkraut should take three months.”
Mara’s music. Her siblings. Singing in church.
Orthodox Christian Chants (facebook page).
“Take the Leap” by Royal Ruckus from World’s Okayest Rapper EP.
Nerddom. On drifting away from her dad. On reconnecting with her parents. Hagia Sophia Coffee.
“Lost Boys” by Royal Ruckus from The Summer of the Cicadas double LP.
Chunjay on his step-father.
On conversion to Orthodoxy.
“Bizarre, exotic, ancient faith.” - Chunjay
On unschooling. On anabaptism. On being an awkward teenager. On Messianic Judaism.
Fr. James Bernstein and Jews for Jesus. Ancient Faith Radio. On experiencing God vs. listing beliefs about God.
Jerusalem. How we got the Bible. On being a musician and searching for a church. On leaving evangelicalism. On Anglicanism. On hiking and bonfires.
Becoming Orthodox by Fr. Peter Gillquist
The Orthodox Church and The Orthodox Way by Metropolitan Kallistos Ware
On beards and manly men. On mani-pedis.
On reading and listening. The Pearl that Broke Its Shell novel.
@theveggal
@royalruckus
@royalruckusofficial
Shout out to NoiseTrade and Bandcamp.
GAPS, Arthritis, Theology, Dads, Healthy Food, Orthodoxy and Cults, Performing for God,
#gaps #gapsdiet #arthritis #paleo #health #ancestralhealth #theology #dads #daddyissues #healthyfood #orthodoxy #cults #performingforgod #evangelicalism #kallistosware #orthodoxchurch #worldsokayestrapper #sauerkraut #probiotics #coffee
Wednesday Mar 28, 2018
Wednesday Mar 28, 2018
David and Chunjay discuss where they are and what they are doing for the weekend. David discusses the ups and downs of therapy. On the collapse of silence. What is lacking? Sometimes it’s not stuff. On living within the evangelical subculture. Discussing whiskey.
On Jamey and David’s friendship, and the wisdom David imparted to him. On sharing stories. David is working on a project called Postmodern Hymns. On Christianity and Art. On the narrative of faith giving way to the narrative of consumption. On how Christian music has become a safe soccer mom thing. On John Reuben saying “shit” on his new record. Lots of other stuff. :)
Kenosis - about emptying, not acquiring knowledge. On success vs. vulnerability. On being helpful to friends.
Great lines from David:
“Sex is a gift or a curse, depending on how you handle it.”
“Maybe postmodernity and consumption are not the best thing for the soul.”
“I’m an older guy trying to figure out, ‘What is my legacy?’”
“I get to be around children a lot. I find that the older I get, the more and more children make. They’re still vibrant about life.”
“In ancient cultures, there was a lot more storytelling, and people had those stories inform them.”
“As the consumption became more important than the proclamation, the proclamation got dumbed down, and the consumption went up, and so now it’s bad art, and it’s trying to talk about God simultaneously. It’s like, oh, crap, we don’t need more of this.”
“Any guy who wants to walk in integrity with his sexuality knows that he needs assistance.”
“I think self is much more communal. It’s not just communal in the sense of you’re meant to be a part of something bigger than yourself. You don’t become yourself until you understand you’re a part of something bigger than yourself. There’s a mutuality to it.”
“What part of my life am I in denial about? Because I think somehow what has happened to me in the past when I did those things, it wouldn’t happen again. What would lead me to believe that I could somehow bypass that? And when somebody tells you the story of where they’re at, it’s a reminder of their mutual vulnerability.”
“Our culture doesn’t teach us to wait for the good stuff.”
“I was trying to act like I was angry, because that was what I was told to do. The truth is, I had to get in touch with how pervasive those acts had…affected me, made me afraid of people, made me stand-offish, made me fearful of intimacy, made me distrustful of EVERYBODY. I’m talking at a deep level. Physically distrustful.”
“And of course it fed into some of my weaknesses, like rather than be in a healthy sexual relationship, I would be more of a voyeur. I would stand apart. I didn’t know how to be in my body, because I left my body as a 6 year old kid.”
“I’ve had to realize that not going to that place and processing that was very dangerous for my soul. I didn’t know it, but it was forming in me this sense that I was what happened to me.”
“And we often tend to think like we are what happened to us. So if somebody divorces me unfairly, if someone abuses me unfairly, fires us unfairly, says something to us that’s unfair, there’s this part of us, the little kid inside, ‘Well, I guess that’s who I am.’ And then we start making decisions that affirm that. And then one day we wake up and find that we’re the perpetrator that hurt us.”
“Now, it’s more of a protecting myself by believing what’s beautiful about me, what’s beautiful and true. And not what’s dark and hidden.”
“Before I was trying to be angry because people would say, ‘Oh, he’s working on it.’”
“Do you like tacos?” “Look at me, sure.”
Lines from Chunjay:
“The intent and context. I played a couple of ‘Christian’ shows this summer, and I really am trying to avoid doing that. The must that I am writing now belongs in bars and breweries, and coffee shops where adults are. And I remember playing my first youth group in more than a decade. And I cut two songs out. It’s not that I said anything that was technically wrong, but gosh, our lead song is ‘The Waitress Song,’ and we talk about drinking rum and Coke, and asking the waitress for her phone number, and that is not what I’m trying to put in front of 14 years old.”
What are we drinking:
David Bunker: Riesling Wine
Jamey Bennett: 1816 Chattanooga Whiskey, a Yuengling
David Bunker’s info:
Find him on Facebook, and look up the notes if you friend him.
Chunjay’s info:
@royalruckus, @royalruckusofficial, @justjamey, @jameybennett, http://pledgemusic.com/projects/worldsokayestrapper
Others:
Featured songs:
“Never…” by Royal Ruckus (featuring Jeremiah Dirt and Manchild of Mars Ill and Deepspace5) from The Summer of the Cicadas
“The Waitress Song” by Royal Ruckus from The Summer of the Cicadas
“Shipwreck” by CookBook and Uno.Mas from the Robertson Bullies EP
“How Does It Feel?” by Royal Ruckus (featuring Shedlyn) from The Summer of the Cicadas
“The Chicken-Filled Donut Caper” by Royal Ruckus
Closing song: “Doin’ It My Way” by Buckshot LeFonque
Shout outs: Mary Oliver, The Waste Makers book, a men’s social group Whiskey & Iron, Randy Newman, Sixpence None the Richer, Argyle Park, Cornerstone, Burning Man, Pedro the Lion, Neal Morse, John Reuben, AudioFeed Festival, Samson Society, New Adam, Nate Larkin, Metanoia, The Samson House, Orthodoxy, Richard Rohr, Sam Kem.