Overview of Ep 584 - The Buzz Man (feat. Marcus King)
This episode of the Matt & Shane Secret Podcast features musician Marcus King. The conversation ranges widely: Marcus’s new album and tour logistics, life on the road (band personnel, smell/hygiene, tertiary markets), addiction and sobriety (alcohol, caffeine, cocaine, gambling, laxatives), performance anxiety and substance use before shows (weed, microdosing, “buzz” culture), and differences between playing music and doing stand‑up. The hosts and guest trade stories (some very candid/embarrassing) and end with updates on Marcus’s upcoming projects and performances.
Guest background & current projects
- Guest: Marcus King — guitarist/singer, recently released the album Darling Blue.
- Current/planned projects:
- B-sides/deluxe release titled No Room for Blue (physical release timed with Record Store Day/Black Friday; digital release planned for April).
- Austin City Limits taping at the Moody Theater (with strings, horns, background vocals).
- LA residency at the Blue Note with Chris Dave and Corey Henry: four nights, two shows per night.
- Touring: recent leg focusing on tertiary (smaller/non‑A) markets to build momentum for bigger markets later.
Topics discussed
Touring & band logistics
- Marcus described flying horn players and fiddle players in for shows, local vs flown musicians, and the “wall of sound” setup (horns, BGVs, strings).
- The tour strategy: playing smaller/tertiary markets after moving the album release earlier to buy time to build bigger markets.
- Stories about tour bus life: smells, hygiene, passive ways of confronting bandmates (buying deodorant), and crowd expectations (fans looking for Briley—Marcus’s wife and occasional singer).
Performance & audiences
- Differences between music and stand‑up feedback: music crowds can be more passive (staring/scrolling), making it harder to gauge success; stand‑up gets immediate laughs and clarity.
- Festival crowd frustrations (VIP pit vs GA), but memorable moments like a sign language interpreter really getting into the songs.
- Marcus’s onstage goals: stay present, avoid lulls in the setlist, and value the reciprocation of a sold‑out, engaged crowd.
Substance use, addiction & sobriety
- Marcus’s personal history: long history of drinking starting young, combining alcohol with antidepressants/benzodiazepines; eventual decision to quit drinking (but still encourages others to have fun).
- Difficulty quitting caffeine (relatable struggle discussed).
- Other substance topics: cocaine, meth, nicotine, laxatives (Marcus shared a story about laxative abuse leading to a public accident in Japan), microdosing psychedelics, and the lure of the “buzz.”
- Discussion about gambling: why some people find the flow state addictive (not just winning/losing).
- Practical points: honesty helps (tell someone if you’re unwell/high), microdosing helped some with panic attacks, and sobriety is a non‑linear process (“fall off the wagon, get back on”).
Performance anxiety, being high before shows & coping
- Marcus and hosts compared pre‑show rituals: smoking, caffeine/energy drink combos, or aiming to be present without substances.
- Risks of performing while high: out‑of‑body experiences, forgetting lines/lyrics, almost canceling meet‑and‑greets.
- Small coping tactics: rehearse, be honest with crew, minimize temptation (joke about having a team manage your impulses).
Comedy/acting & auditioning
- Matt and Shane swapped stories about audition tapes, acting uncertainty, and the vulnerability of putting audition tapes out into the world.
- Parallels drawn between music, stand‑up, and acting in terms of feedback and clarity.
Notable quotes & moments
- Marcus’s dad (while working demolition): “I need you from the neck down today.” — called out as a favorite line.
- Marcus on sobriety: “When you fall off the wagon, you get back on.” — a pragmatic view of relapse and recovery.
- B-sides title explanation: No Room for Blue — “all the songs we didn’t have room for.”
- Embarrassing tour anecdote: Marcus’s story about being drunk and repeatedly soiling himself at a dinner in Japan.
- Tour bathroom code words: “Kenny Loggins” = solid dumps; “Messina” = not-so-solid.
Main takeaways
- Marcus King is actively evolving: new album out, B-sides release forthcoming, high-profile live taping (Austin City Limits), and a Los Angeles residency.
- Touring has layers — personnel logistics (flying players), varying crowd dynamics by market, and tradeoffs when playing smaller markets to grow presence.
- Addiction and substance use are complex, personal, and often non‑linear; Marcus candidly discusses past struggles and the nuanced benefits/drawbacks of various substances (caffeine, alcohol, weed, cocaine, meth, nicotine).
- Performance presence matters — being sober/present often yields a better live experience, but many performers use small “buzzes” to manage anxiety.
- Honesty and practical systems (tell a crew member, have limits, microdose carefully) are recommended ways to manage performance-related substance use.
Recommended follow-ups / action items
- Listen to Marcus King’s album Darling Blue.
- Watch his live taping (Austin City Limits) when available; look out for the No Room for Blue B‑sides release on Record Store Day/Black Friday (physical) and digital in April.
- For people dealing with substance issues: consider therapy/counseling (BetterHelp was an ad discussed on the episode) and be honest with trusted friends/crew about limits during tours or performances.
Sponsors mentioned (brief)
- ZipRecruiter, PrizePix, BetterHelp, Robinhood, Apple Watch Sleep Score, Mint Mobile, Etsy (these were read as sponsor segments during the episode).
If you want, I can produce a short social caption or pull 5–10 tweetable quotes from the episode.