Horseshoes and Hand Grenades lead man Adam Greuel and Brett Newski chat creepiest road moments, conversations with meth heads, using energy wisely, isolating in Alaska, and why the lows are only temporary.
More on Adam: https://www.hhgmusic.com/
Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/BrettNewski1
EXCERPT:
Adam: I’ve found that some of those late night hangs, and getting out and asking, “What’s the cool bar,” sometimes can get you into trouble, but a lot of time it leads you to cool opportunities.
Brett: Yeah.
Adam: I was thinking about this time in Alaska. We had done this tour in Alaska, and ended up in Denali, by the 49th State Brewing Company. And the band was supposed to go back to Anchorage and fly out the morning after. But I was having so much damn fun that night I knew I wasn’t going to get up in the morning.
So it was time to leave, and our band is saying, “We have to go, we have to get our flight.” And I said, “No.” And they said, “What do you mean by no?” And I said, “I’ll just meet you at the next gig.”
They were like, “Okay are you sure?” And I said yes. So they leave. And I’m up there by myself, by Denali, went back to sleep, woke up and realized....Oh my God. I’m alone now.
Brett: *laughs* yeah!
Adam: I’m just in a hotel by myself in Denali. Long story short, I decided I’d better go back towards Anchorage, where I knew some people. So I call my buddy, he says, “Great, let’s go to this local bar.”
Well, one thing leads to another, next thing I know I’m talking tot he conductor of the Alaskan railroad.
Brett: Wow!
Adam: And he’s like, “You gotta ride the Alaskan railroad, you’d love it.” And night goes on, one thing leads to another, and he says, “You know what? Tomorrow, you gotta be at the train station, seven A.M.”
Brett: No shit.
Adam: What had happened was he basically put me on the “guest list” for the train. I thought that was so funny, after all the guest listing we’ve done throughout hte years. And I get guest listed for the train!
Brett: What’s the train like? Is it the Alaskan version of Dajeering Limited? What’s the vibe?
Adam: Well it’s cool. These days it’s partly for business folk, but also for viewing pleasure. The section I went on went south from Anchorage to Seward. And you go up and over these glaciers, it was a total trip. I loved it. As we get into Seward, I get cell reception, and realize I know someone in Seward.
She was actually the niece of the guy who used to run Larry Fest, this cool festival, he was a good friend of mine. He’d say for years, “If you get to Alaska you gotta meet this niece of mine. You and her would get along really well.” So I called the niece. She’s like, “Oh my God, that’s so cool you’re here, I’ll pick you up from the station.” So she picks me up, and she’s like, “I got something really cool for you.”
Brett: Was it Meth?
Adam: *laughs* No crank, no ice this time. But she takes me to their tiny airport, and goes, you're gonna get on that chopper and go THERE. And I’m like, a chopper? This NEVER ends well for musicians! John Denver, the day the music died, you know. I immediately am like, I can’t go. But she eventually convinced me, and I got on this chopper, and it flies way the hell up to the top of this glacier, lands on this glacier, and I’m so freaked out, slash, super excited. And suddenly I hear this swooshing, and there’s a dogsled team coming.
Turns out this dude, who is into bluegrass music, and is into Horseshoes, is up there training his dog sled team for months on end.
Brett: And he recognized you?
Adam: Well she (the niece) knew that he knew Horseshoes. So he hands me a Busch light, and we rode around on his damn dogsled thing. It was so mind blowing. You wake up the next day, and just go, “What the hell happened yesterday?”
*hear full audio above
