Talkin' Rock with Mac Saturn's Carson Macc

Name: Talkin' Rock with Mac Saturn's Carson Macc
Uploaded: 2025-04-23T00:19:20+00:00
Duration: 18 min 14 s
Channel: Beasley Digital
Description: Talkin' Rock with Mac Saturn's Carson Macc

Beasley Digital

4/23/2025

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Fun

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00:01Rock, metal, prog, and everything in between.

00:04If you're into rock, you've come to the right place.

00:07Welcome to this episode of Talkin' Rock with Meltdown.

00:11Don't forget to follow the audio-only Talkin' Rock podcast on all podcast platforms.

00:15And now, it's time for today's conversation.

00:18Here's Meltdown.

00:20Carson, good to see you, man. How's things?

00:22Dude, things are wild right now.

00:24I'm glad you had the time for me. Thank you very much.

00:27Yeah, you're welcome, man. For sure.

00:28Yeah, things are really... This is it, man.

00:31This is the culmination of many years of work to this point, right?

00:35Oh, oh, oh. Many, many years and many months and many moons.

00:39And it just feels right. It feels like we're ready. You know what I mean?

00:42Yeah, so let me start back at the beginning.

00:45So you guys were pretty much started.

00:48You guys kind of were ready to go as the pandemic hit. Is that right?

00:52Yeah, just as the pandemic hit, we thought we were going to take over the world.

00:55And then the world kind of took over itself.

00:57And we kind of were left to look at ourselves in the mirror and say, what are we going to do?

01:03And we decided to hone ourselves and really step into the studio that we were at at the time.

01:09And it's Rust Belt Studios in Royal Oak, working with Al Sutton and Herschel Boone and Marlon Young,

01:15the incredible team that they've got over there.

01:17And it all started there.

01:18And we just shoveled out this sound that you're hearing now with them in there.

01:23And when the stage is opened back up for us, hit the ground running.

01:27And we've been chugging and chugging away.

01:30And, you know, it's finally coming to a culmination now, like you said, in this album, in this release,

01:35and us playing our biggest show ever in Detroit at the Fillmore.

01:39So when you guys first started, correct me if I'm wrong, didn't you guys have like,

01:43it was like you guys had songs, but who, Al or Marlon or someone said, yeah, these songs aren't that great.

01:49Let's let's let's scratch. Is that what happened?

01:51Yeah. Oh, yeah.

01:52We brought them so many songs that we thought were it.

01:56And they, you know, ran them through their process.

01:59And a lot of them just didn't end up being anything that no one's heard.

02:03But through those songs, you always learn something.

02:06When you get through a song, you always take something from it.

02:09And you bring it into the next song that you start and you try and top it.

02:13You're always chasing that thrill.

02:15And we got to chase a ton of thrills when we were working with them during that time where everything was kind of locked down.

02:22And then the songs that evolved from that time, we just kept going off of them.

02:26When we released Diamonds, that's when things popped off.

02:28And then Mr. Cadillac popped even hotter and people wrapped their head around that.

02:32And now these new singles, these new three singles we released from the album, I think, are the next step from that.

02:38You know, Mint Julep coming out really with a punch.

02:41Get on the phone with that Mr. Cadillac kind of world with the actual phone number you can call.

02:47And Sleep, you know, that kind of that third like culmination of the two.

02:52Really smooth, really sleazy at the same time.

02:54And just three songs we were really excited to release.

02:57But so much more on this album coming out Friday.

03:01There are songs that nobody's even heard.

03:03And that's not even on YouTube, songs we haven't even performed in front of a crowd.

03:07So that's that's what I'm really excited for.

03:10So so you guys got this record dropping, like you said, a hard to sell this coming Friday.

03:15OK, now there's a lot of people out there that haven't heard your band.

03:19So describe your band, because I'm kind of like to me, it's like a Sturgill Simpson meets a pop rock meets a stretch.

03:26And it's kind of everything in between.

03:28How do you describe them?

03:30Your sound?

03:30Well, to me, what I say to people, and I'm going to say this verbatim, I go, we're from Detroit.

03:37We're rock and roll, but we're from Detroit.

03:39So it's got a little bit of that funk and soul.

03:42So that's what I always start out by saying.

03:44And I don't ever usually compare it to any other groups.

03:47But a lot of people compare us to them when we're out there talking to people.

03:51And I'm telling you, every time I talk to somebody and every time they compare us to something,

03:55it's a mixture of one or two.

03:57It's a mixture of two or three things.

03:59And they're always different.

04:01There's all these different combinations.

04:02Somebody will be like, you guys are like a J.

04:05Guile, Steely Dan.

04:07And then the other people will be like, you're like, you've got Jeff Beck's haircut energy,

04:12but you've got the Stones, you know, rhythm going on.

04:15And it's like people put these Frankenstein combinations together.

04:18And it's the most beautiful thing.

04:20I mean, we have gotten some of the craziest, craziest combinations you wouldn't even believe.

04:25But it's a good thing.

04:26You know, it means they're trying to put their finger on it.

04:28And it's something new.

04:30To me, it means that it's something new.

04:32And that's what we're going for.

04:34You know, we want it to be something new.

04:35But we are all influenced by all these things that people are saying.

04:40And they pick it out.

04:41Like, we all love Steely Dan.

04:42We love every Steely Dan album.

04:44We love all the lyrics.

04:46And it affects us.

04:47And we try to write like that.

04:48So when people catch us in that way where they're like, oh, you guys are like that.

04:52And we're like, wow, that's what we're listening to, you know.

04:55It's a real authentic kind of check.

04:57And I love that.

04:58And even though you guys are younger, you guys all seem to have this like classic rock kind of vibe.

05:05Yes.

05:06Yeah, we like to do things authentically.

05:10And when it comes to rock and roll, there's a lineage.

05:12There's a history.

05:13But there's also that same thing with popular music and this pop side and this energy side to it that we found.

05:20And that we're combining.

05:22And there's a lineage to that as well as this rock and roll thing.

05:25And we've got those songs that really have that Motown popular sound, you know, that really just get to it.

05:32But then we also have these songs like Plain Clothes Gentleman.

05:35That's like it gets you going slowly.

05:39And it's got this authentic blues porch-y sound to it in the beginning.

05:44And then it pops you into it.

05:45And we think that it's important to have both of those sounds and to pay homage to both of those types of songwriting approaches.

05:53I mean, we love the concept of what a song can do.

05:57And the 10 songs you're going to get on this album, you're going to see.

06:00We're using all 10 songs to their fullest extent.

06:03And I'm excited.

06:04I'm really excited for everybody to hear it.

06:06Yeah.

06:06It comes out Friday, like I said, as I'm recording this.

06:09And, of course, you guys have your big show at the Fillmore.

06:11You mentioned Detroit.

06:12And you guys are very Detroit-centric.

06:15And you kind of wear that on your sleeve, don't you?

06:17Yeah, absolutely.

06:18Absolutely.

06:18I mean, when me and you get together, we're always talking about Detroit.

06:22We always say the word Detroit to each other.

06:24I mean, you're the same way.

06:26We're from this area that has this history and this culture, especially with music, especially with rock.

06:33And you've got to say it.

06:35You've got to wear that on your sleeve because, you know, why wouldn't you?

06:41It's got so much attitude to it.

06:44I mean, just everything in general.

06:46I mean, your whole station, just riff in general.

06:48I mean, you guys have that Detroit edge, that Detroit energy.

06:52And you notice it, you know.

06:54And it comes from paying attention to where you're from.

06:56And that's why, you know, I'm just so thankful for you being able to spread the word about this thing with us.

07:01Because it's no different from what you're doing.

07:04It's no different from what's happening in the city.

07:05It's no different from what's happening with the Lions in the playoffs.

07:09It's a movement that involves Detroit.

07:11And it can transcend even rock or rock and roll or music in general.

07:16So I'm happy that you're helping us get this word out about this thing.

07:20Max Saturn, that's happening right now.

07:23And I texted Marlon.

07:24I told him I was talking to you.

07:25And he said you're quite a front man.

07:27So who are some of your front man heroes?

07:30Well, you know, it's a very interesting thing because it changes a lot.

07:33I'm always finding new people, new singers.

07:36See, there's a difference of what I look for when I'm listening to a singer and things to take from that artistically in my singing.

07:44I go to a lot of classics.

07:46But I also go to a lot of blues guys, too.

07:49But I'll go from Frank Sinatra to Howlin' Wolf.

07:52But I also like Muddy Waters.

07:53I'll go right in the middle and do like a little Willie John or like a little Walter.

07:59But my singing is different than my performing.

08:03You know, when it comes to my performing, I'm looking at movements and body language and what you're kind of stating.

08:08And I really think something happened to me when I discovered that Prince wasn't just some 80s type of, you know, floozy type of one off thing, you know, really lived up to the hype that, you know, I thought Prince was overhyped.

08:25And when I really looked into it and I really watched what was happening, it inspired me to take my performing and my physical, the physical level of my performance to the next level.

08:35So I take all these influences in even more than just singing and dancing.

08:41You know, I used to be the drummer for the group.

08:43So I've got a lot of rhythmic influences and drummers and types of drum music and world music that I listen to, you know, a lot of cha-cha records and stuff.

08:52And I just draw from all that stuff.

08:54I'm so happy I can sing now and take all of these things and all these elements and be completely free on top of this band that's underneath me.

09:03That has some serious players in it.

09:06So they give me this freedom to really go where I'm feeling inspired and just kind of take this whole thing out.

09:14Dude, I could talk to you about my influences and my inspirations all day because it goes even further and deeper into movies and actors and, you know, old Hollywood actors and Paul Newman and Robert Redford and those types of things.

09:25And I just, I've got this combination of all these characters in my head.

09:30And that's what you get when you see Carson Mack on stage and in person.

09:34You know what I mean?

09:35This just is how I am.

09:36And you've talked to me off air and, you know, we have these same types of conversations, you know, and it's so cool.

09:42It's a very inspiring time for me.

09:44You know what I mean?

09:45You could tell I'm a little fired up right now.

09:47Well, you should be fired up.

09:48I mean, this has been a long time in coming and, and then to top it all off, I think, I think I counted 35 shows you have between this coming Friday and St. Patrick's Day.

09:57So you guys are jumping right into the, into the frying pan, aren't you?

10:01My goodness.

10:02They're sending us right in.

10:03I mean, I think we have a show in Cleveland and then we're all up in Canada.

10:06I'm going to play Toronto and Montreal, which those, those crowds for us are insane.

10:12They love us up there.

10:13I mean, Canada loves just rock in general.

10:16You know what I mean?

10:17So it's really cool that we get to go right there and then come down the East coast and then go through Atlanta and hit Nashville and then down to Texas.

10:25And then we hit the West coast.

10:26I mean, we're doing it all.

10:28We're hitting all four corners, it seems like.

10:30And that's the way to do it because from the ticket sales that we're seeing coming in, it seems like we've got fans in just about every crack and crevice of, of this route that we're going on.

10:40And we are ready to bring it.

10:42The guys were practicing today at the house.

10:44This is the house we live in.

10:45We're about to practice, run the set.

10:47We've got it ready.

10:48We're so ready to bring this thing to everybody.

10:50And it's kicking off Friday.

10:52Friday's a big, big night for us.

10:55And then now earlier in the day, is it Friday afternoon or Thursday?

10:58You're going to be at Dearborn Music.

11:00We're going to be at Dearborn Music on Thursday, I believe.

11:03Thursday.

11:03Okay.

11:04We're going to have to, you're going to have to double check on that because I don't want to say that it'd be Wednesday, but I'm pretty sure it's Thursday.

11:11And that's the one in Dearborn.

11:12Yeah.

11:13Yes.

11:14But we're excited to, for everybody to come out there and, you know, listen to it with us and kind of pop this thing off.

11:21We're doing a couple appearances, you know, kind of scattered throughout.

11:25I think there's a whole list of things that we're doing, kind of popping up in certain places.

11:30We actually just got back from a retail shop in Royal Oak, Lost and Found Vintage.

11:36We hit a couple of tickets in there.

11:38We're going to encourage our fans to go shop the store and see if maybe they can find a ticket in some of the clothes.

11:43So we're doing a bunch of creative stuff and trying to, you know, give some stuff for our fans to get into.

11:50I was going to say, that's only a mile down the road.

11:52You should have just come right back.

11:53I know.

11:54I totally could have.

11:55My God.

11:56Next time.

11:57Next time.

11:57Hey, so you recorded this at Rust Belt, obviously a famous but well-hidden place.

12:02Yes.

12:03That's pretty true.

12:04I've been in there several times.

12:05As a matter of fact, I think I was in there with you guys one night after Dirty Honey, if I'm not mistaken, a couple years back.

12:09Oh, yeah.

12:10That was the first time we saw Dirty Honey.

12:13Yeah.

12:13Yeah, that's right.

12:14At the Royal Oak Music Theater there.

12:15So what's it like working in that place and especially with a guy with the pedigree of Al Sutton?

12:21Well, it's unlike anything we've ever been a part of.

12:25It's a special bond with him because we've been working with him for so long since back when, when we were talking about earlier.

12:33And he did something with us.

12:35I think we won him over, but also he won us over by sticking with us through all these years and developing this sound with us and not just being happy with the first thing that we brought him or the first bunch of songs that we brought him.

12:51And he was always pushing us to really see how far we could take this sound with this time that we had.

12:58And it's credited to him and his team there of hardworking people, his guy at the board with him, J2, Jake Hulke.

13:06And again, Marlon Young, incredible, incredible.

13:09Just the way he can look at a song, the way he can feel its live energy through the studio.

13:16It's so essential.

13:18As well as Herschel Boone, an incredible singer, an incredible performer, but he really shines and soars in the studio.

13:27And when he gets in a workflow with me as a singer, we both together really collaborate very quickly and very well.

13:34And we get into this flow.

13:35So for us as Max Saturn, working at Rust Belt is an extremely, extremely wild, immersive experience.

13:42You know, like each of us are pushed and pushed and pushed by ourselves out of respect for them feeling our worth and our value to push and go that far.

13:54So it's really deep.

13:56You know what I mean?

13:57I mean, it's much more than a studio for us, but I think you hear a lot of that in the recordings, in the quality of the recordings, the extra attention to detail that Al is putting in the production and especially the post production.

14:10But even how attuned he is to detail when we're tracking it live, certain stuff.

14:16He is a wizard.

14:17I mean, and he really wants to capture the full sound of Max Saturn.

14:23And I think he's really done it on this album and the team that he has there.

14:26It's going to be talked about, you know, he's incredible and he deserves every ounce of what's being said about it because it's an incredible thing.

14:35It's an incredible studio and it's an incredible place to be.

14:38You know what I mean?

14:39Oh, I know exactly what you mean.

14:40I think I was talking with one of you guys.

14:42I don't know who it was.

14:43Were you in the studio the one day when Alice Cooper walked in?

14:47No, no.

14:47But I think some of the guy, one of the guys were, but we just missed it.

14:51You were there, huh?

14:52No, I wasn't there.

14:53But, I mean, I've met Alice before, but I know he recorded his Detroit record over here and stuff.

14:59And people had some stories about Alice walking by and stuff like that.

15:03But, of course, you know, Greta Van Fleet recorded there.

15:05I mean, Alice worked with Kid Rock and all sorts of people.

15:08And like you were just talking about Herschel, you can't say enough good things about that guy.

15:11I was going to ask you, like, what did you learn from a guy like that?

15:13But you kind of summed it up with what we were saying about him.

15:16Yeah.

15:16He is an absolute animal.

15:20My God.

15:21You know, he is like a total waterfall.

15:27You know what I mean?

15:27He just sends you down this ride.

15:30He's got this wealth of knowledge.

15:31And he's just coming from the right place.

15:33And he took me in my, you know, blissful ignorance and took me to this place where I'm really conscious of a lot of things musically.

15:45And that's new for me because I have no formal musical training whatsoever, especially being the drummer, the former drummer of Max Saturn.

15:53I got into this thing to just, you know, get my kicks out.

15:57You know, you just sit down by a drum set and you just go.

16:00And that's what I loved about that.

16:01So that's all the musical knowledge I had going into my actual singing and then my involvement with what the guys are doing, you know, with their instruments.

16:09And that was the first time, really, I had done that.

16:12And meeting Herschel and him teaching me these things about my own lines and about my own phrases and finishing them strongly and finding the notes in there that were my notes.

16:24But I just wasn't going to him because I didn't know or didn't have confidence.

16:28And, you know, it wasn't like he's writing where to go into a new place.

16:32He's just hearing where I was going to and he would get me there.

16:37You know what I mean?

16:38And that's what I mean by that waterfall thing.

16:40And once he gets you down, you know, and you fall off that waterfall, he gets you.

16:46He says, you know what?

16:47You're falling now.

16:48You're free falling.

16:48So just just go with go with it and you get something because you've got the momentum.

16:53I mean, you're falling down a waterfall for crying out loud.

16:55So it's such a rush working with him.

16:58But all the guys have that same experience with each of the people that they work with at Rust Belt because they care about this project, you know, and it makes us care about it.

17:09And you can really hear it in the music.

17:10You know, it's it's an incredible experience.

17:14I can't say good things about it.

17:16I think the first time I met you guys would have been at the Kid Rock show two years ago in the summertime up in mid-state Michigan or something.

17:22Yes.

17:22And that was a wild night.

17:23Yeah.

17:24Marlon's like meltdown.

17:25You got to meet the guys from Max Saturn.

17:27So, yeah, I'll tell you what, dude, looking forward to the show that's coming up Friday at the Fillmore.

17:31And, of course, you're talking about Dearborn Music, the record Hard to Sell drops on Friday as well.

17:36Congratulations.

17:37I've had a chance to listen to the whole thing, and it does take you on quite a ride.

17:40It's kind of all over the place, but still kind of there.

17:45It's all over, but it's still kind of there, if that makes any sense at all.

17:48I appreciate you so much.