JRE #1087 – Sturgill Simpson

This podcast features an insightful conversation between Joe Rogan and Grammy Award-winning musician Sturgill Simpson. It delves into a wide range of topics, including Simpson’s music, personal experiences, and his views on various societal issues. The conversation touches upon provocative and controversial themes, exploring the nature of creativity, the complexities of fame, and the importance of individual freedom.

1. The Allure and Challenges of Music as a Career Path:
   1. Simpson discusses the obsessive nature of music, comparing it to an OCD-like dedication. He shares how his love for guitar started in his youth and how it became a refuge from social pressures.
   2. He emphasizes the importance of finding bandmates who are great friends, highlighting the difficulty of maintaining a band’s unity and camaraderie on the road.
   3. Simpson advocates for a more balanced approach to touring, prioritizing family and well-being over constant travel, which he believes can take a toll on both physical and mental health.
   4. The conversation touches upon the complexities of fame, with Simpson acknowledging the pressure to constantly produce new material and maintain cultural relevance while navigating the demands of a large fan base.
2. The Controversial Debate Surrounding Marijuana Legalization:
   1. Simpson shares his frustration with the ongoing debate around marijuana legalization, particularly in his home state of Kentucky, where the hemp industry is being held back by outdated laws.
   2. He highlights the hypocrisy of making hemp illegal while allowing it to be used for various purposes, from clothing to building materials, emphasizing the plant’s versatility and potential.
   3. Simpson expresses his belief that marijuana is one of the most amazing plants discovered, pointing to its medicinal properties and its ability to provide comfort and relief to those suffering from various ailments.
   4. He challenges the effectiveness of propaganda surrounding marijuana’s supposed dangers, arguing that the lack of deaths from marijuana use should lead to a re-evaluation of its legal status.
3. The Risks of Over-Reliance on Technology and Digital Systems:
   1. Simpson expresses his unease about the increasing reliance on technology, particularly with devices like Alexa that constantly listen and collect personal data. He highlights the potential for hacking and abuse, warning of a future where individuals become increasingly entangled in a web of electronic surveillance.
   2. He points to the vulnerability of modern automobiles to hacking, raising concerns about the potential for remote control and manipulation, drawing parallels to the controversial death of a journalist who was critical of a high-ranking military official.
   3. Simpson touches upon the growing use of performance-enhancing drugs like Adderall, suggesting that it has become more prevalent in various professions, particularly journalism, and raising questions about its ethical implications.
   4. The conversation explores the impact of technology on creative expression, with Simpson arguing that the shift towards digital media has led to a loss of a certain magic and authenticity, particularly in movies and music.
4. The Role of Creativity in Personal Fulfillment and Society:
   1. Simpson emphasizes the importance of encouraging creativity in children, advocating for a system of education that allows them to explore their passions without being restricted by rigid structures.
   2. He draws parallels between creative expression and physical activity, suggesting that both can be seen as forms of flexing mental and physical muscles, leading to personal growth and satisfaction.
   3. Simpson highlights the inherent creativity present in various professions, from carpentry and mechanics to music and writing, arguing that the ability to solve problems and create something new is a fundamental human drive.
   4. He believes that society often stifles creativity by emphasizing conformity and efficiency over personal expression, leading individuals to settle for unfulfilling careers and lives.
5. The Evolution of Music and the Importance of Individuality:
   1. Simpson discusses the transformative period in music during the 1960s, highlighting the influence of experimentation and the pursuit of new sonic boundaries, exemplified by artists like Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd.
   2. He expresses his preference for artists who develop their own unique sound, recognizing that true individuality is often more valuable than perfect technical mastery.
   3. Simpson acknowledges the influence of earlier artists on his own musical journey, drawing parallels to the way film directors often borrow and reinterpret elements from previous films.
   4. He believes that the internet has created a more democratic landscape for music, allowing artists to connect directly with their fans and bypass traditional gatekeepers, while simultaneously creating a challenge in filtering through vast amounts of mediocre content.
6. The Impact of Financial Influences on the Music Industry:
   1. Simpson discusses the pros and cons of signing with a record label, acknowledging that they can provide larger budgets and resources for recording and marketing but also highlighting the potential for financial exploitation and creative limitations.
   2. He advocates for artists to prioritize their creative freedom and artistic integrity over commercial success, pointing to examples of artists like the Beastie Boys and David Bowie who defied expectations and pushed boundaries.
   3. Simpson expresses skepticism about the current model of streaming services, arguing that they prioritize profit over artist compensation, creating a system where the majority of earnings are funneled towards established artists and major labels.
   4. He emphasizes the importance of playing live shows as a primary source of income for artists, recognizing that direct engagement with fans remains crucial in an era of digital music consumption.
7. The Importance of Finding Your Flow and Embracing Individual Freedom:
   1. Simpson emphasizes the importance of finding your “flow,” a state of effortless creativity and fulfillment that arises from aligning your work with your passions and values.
   2. He shares his belief that achieving a place of success and freedom in life is often a result of overcoming challenges and navigating setbacks, allowing you to develop resilience and clarity about your true desires.
   3. Simpson advocates for embracing a balanced approach to work and leisure, prioritizing personal fulfillment and well-being over the constant pursuit of greater success.
   4. He believes that everyone should strive to create a life where they have the freedom to pursue their passions and make choices that align with their values, rather than being constrained by external pressures and expectations.

5 Memorable Quotes

• “Everybody that plays music and really gets into it that heavy, there’s like a it’s an OCD. You have to have a level of spectrum or to see and just do the same thing over and over repetitively 08:10 hours a day, especially as a kid, when you’re really learning you, like, when it gets you and you hook into it, it’s like you just that this is other thing that nobody else can be a part of.”
• “The shows are free. Like, that’s that’s fun. You know what I mean? Like, that’s — Right. Right. — we’re out there doing what we love to do, but it’s all the in between. And the beat down your body takes and being out of any kind of routine away from your family. That’s that’s really the thing that you come off for like 4 or 5 weeks straight of that.”
• “It is a it’s 1 of the most amazing plants we’ve ever discovered. You can make your house out of it. You can fucking eat at. You can get high with it. You can make your clothes with it. It has all the amino acids. Could use for heating oil. You could what? You can treat cancer patients.”
• “If someone has that kind of power, right? If there really is something that a person can think of that didn’t exist, 200 years ago. 200 years ago, there wasn’t even the thought of it. So in 200 years, 2 small amounts of measurement of time and relationship to the entire age of the universe. They could figure out a way to kill every person on the planet like that.”
• “It’s the sound of a man who suffered. Oh, yeah. It’s the sound of a man who understands. That’s that’s the wows as me. That’s real. That’s a re that’s there’s a real emotions, you know, like that Jolene song.”