Jelly Roll: Country/rock star and songwriter, formerly incarcerated, whose album Beautifully Broken was fighting for the number-one spot when this was recorded.
What this episode covers
Jelly Roll returns to JRE for a wide-ranging conversation rooted in storytelling. They open on the Austin comedy explosion around Kill Tony, the Mothership club, and the late Mitzi Shore's legacy, which inspired Jelly Roll's plan to open a bar called Jelly Roll's Good Night Nashville with a private back bar named after his late father. The talk moves through psychedelics and the stoned-ape theory, addiction and recovery, and Jelly Roll's astonishing 100-pound weight loss aided by a dedicated nutritionist. He shares deeply personal songwriting stories, including how Eminem reworked 'Save Me' and how an AA meeting inspired his song 'Winning Streak.' The episode closes on the idea that taking yourself out of your art and writing for the 'every man' is what unlocked his success.
Also referenced (named, not recommended)
The Sacred Mushroom and the Cross
John Marco Allegro
“did you ever hear about John Marco Allegro in the book The Sacred mushroom and the Scrolls”— Joe Rogan
Epic of Gilgamesh
“we can read the Epic of gilgames today that's a 6,000 year old story something like that 5,000”— Joe Rogan
Red Dead Redemption
Rockstar Games
“it's like a super hype version of Red Dead Redemption my dude's telling people like y'all remember that dude”— Joe Rogan
Minecraft
Mojang
“there's a little dude that's nobody believes and he's going to school every day like my Minecraft dude is killing it”— Joe Rogan
Yellowstone
“it so it resonates with you when you watch it on Yellowstone yeah right like I want to live like that so bad”— Jelly Roll
Cinderella Man
“I almost called This Album Cinderella Man right and I'll tell you why I didn't but I thought I watched the movie”— Jelly Roll
Big reveals from this episode
- Jelly Roll turned in 170 songs to his publisher last year and dropped his album Beautifully Broken with 22 tracks plus features.
- Jelly Roll announces he is opening a bar on Broadway in Nashville called Jelly Roll's Good Night Nashville with a back bar named buddies after his late father, inspired by Mitzi's at the Mothership.
- Jelly Roll reveals he is officially down 100 pounds, now weighing 420-something after peaking around 550.
- Eminem reworked Jelly Roll's 'Save Me,' taking the first verse and turning it into the chorus, mirroring an instinct Jelly Roll had while writing it.
- Jelly Roll quietly attends NA/AA meetings for support; witnessing an old-timer comfort a shaking newcomer inspired his song 'Winning Streak,' which he performed on SNL.
- Gary Rossington's family gave Jelly Roll one of Skynyrd's guitars after he died, and he played it on a couple of tracks for the album.
- Jelly Roll almost titled the album Cinderella Man but renamed it Beautifully Broken after realizing he should write for the 'every man,' not himself.
Worth remembering
- At Kill Tony's first arena show, a bombing comedian got booed by 12-13,000 people who 'made the decision at once,' convincing Jelly Roll the arena format would explode.
- Joe describes the panspermia theory and the unusual properties of psilocybin spores, including a metallic purple-hued outer shell said to be the hardest organic compound in nature.
- Terence McKenna's stoned-ape theory holds that mushrooms may have driven the doubling of the human brain over two million years.
- Jelly Roll's band now plays full basketball tournaments on NBA arena courts three days a week, with NBA coaches like the Spurs' coach refereeing.
- Ari Shaffir's 'This Is Not Happening' ended because Comedy Central fired him after he chose to film a special on Netflix instead.
- Reba McEntire was discovered singing the national anthem at a rodeo when a record exec flew her to Nashville and signed her.
- Gary Rossington survived a plane crash with a rod from his wrist to his elbow and adapted his guitar playing around the injury.
- Jelly Roll's father told him that even five years of trying wouldn't equal a Vanderbilt degree, urging patience because hard work would eventually pay off.
- Jelly Roll calls out producer Jamie, who agreed to play guitar onstage at Ohio Stadium if Jelly Roll ever performed there.