How did you link up with Sturgill? Have you ever heard this band called Rival Sons? Check them out, they’re a really good rock & roll band from LA. They played Estonia for the first time two years ago, and Dramamama opened up for them. At the show, the drummer, Michael Miley, found his future wife. Before I knew it, they were married and now they have a beautiful baby boy. After, when he wasn’t touring, he’d spend his time in Estonia, and of course he’d want to hang out with musicians. We started playing some shows, and we actually toured Russia for a week. After the gig, he told me I should check out Nashville, which I found was a really good idea. But you don’t just buy a plane ticket, you need to have some contacts. I asked him, “Do you know anybody from Nashville?” And he gave me the contact of Dave Cobb, the producer. Rival Sons and Sturgill Simpson have the same producer. Last summer, I sent him some links of my playing, and he liked it, and next thing I know, Sturgill sent me an email asking to play around America.

What's Nashville been like for you? It’s a completely different life, but I’m channeled into it right now. I got my three-year visa, so basically now I live here. My life is here for now. The first time Michael told me about Nashville, my response was, like, “Are you kidding me? Why Nashville?” I didn’t know anything about it. I grew up on rock & roll and the blues—a little bit of country, but not really. So when I got over here, I started practicing. Blues and rock & roll and country are all connected in a pretty strong way, so I think it translates pretty well.

You’re great playing slide guitar, but I’m sure that wasn’t part of your heavy metal repertoire. Did you have to hone certain skills? The things I do right now, I didn’t do before. I think we did three rehearsals before the first gig. Everything happened really fast, but I didn’t have a choice. I had a job to do. A lot of it came from Sturgill because he helped me out and would listen and then I’d add some of mine.

What has been working with him been like? I know he lived in Japan for a while, so he’s not this backwoods person who hasn’t seen the world. Oh yeah, amen to that. He’s a really broad-minded. He knows about a lot of things, and he listens to a lot of different things. He’s just an open-minded and smart person, and he’s experienced a lot in life, so he knows what he’s talking about. Not to mention that he’s an amazing songwriter and singer.

It was just announced that you guys will be opening for Willie Nelson. Does that affect you differently than other people in the band? I think it affects us in a pretty similar way. Maybe even they have a stronger reaction towards it. It’s just wild. I don’t want to think about it too much, because I’ll lose my shit. Just the idea of me being here and doing this and playing all these TV shows… It’s a little bit hard to comprehend. A few weeks ago, I got together with the drummer that got me over here, Michael Miley, and he took me to the Pacific Ocean. I just watched the waves and sunset. It was magical.