

Jason Isbell is the latest guest on Lance Armstrong’s (yes, the guy who won a bunch of Tour de France’s and then didn’t) podcast The Forward, as the two got together backstage after a soundcheck prior to one of Isbell’s stops in Texas to chat about a variety of topics including his relationship with Ryan Adams and his aid in Isbell’s sobriety, rising stars like Sturgill Simpson and Chris Stapleton as well as his love for King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard.

On Adams, Isbell recounts one of their first interactions talking on the phone as Isbell sat in a basement prior to a show. Armstrong reached out to Adams prior to the interview, and Adams sent in a touching message calling Isbell one of the “funniest people I know.” Isbell also described the moment when he decided he needed to go to rehab, which prompted his wife Amanda Shires to call Adams and members of Isbell’s family to help get him sober. The two then embarked on a tour shortly after Isbell exited rehab, to which he credits for getting him on the path to sobriety.

“He loves his cats, man,” Isbell also joked about Adams. “He gets a lot out of the cats.”

Isbell also credited the Eagles’ Joe Walsh as a key figure in his sobriety, saying that Walsh gave him his phone number and told him to call him whenever he felt like having a drink. “He’s one of the best resources on earth for alcoholics who are recovering,” Isbell said. “This is a person who invented trashing hotel rooms and really taught all of your favorite rock stars how to do drugs. He was a huge figure in all that fucked-upery.”

The conversation then shifted to modern country music, particularly Isbell’s relationship with Sturgill Simpson. “Tell him I said he needs to buy some goats,” Armstrong said as he relayed a message from Simpson to Isbell. The guitarist then relayed a funny memory about running into Simpson at a party while wearing a pair of Kanye West’s “Yeezy” shoes. Isbell said someone got them for Sturgill as a birthday present since he and the famed rapper share a birthday.

Armstrong closed the interview by asking Isbell if he had any musical recommendations, to which he says surprisingly: King GIzzard and the Lizard Wizard. “Very strange and you can tell they have no interest in making singles and short songs but they’re really good and it’s hard to stop watching them once you start,” he said. He also noted that Alabama Shakes’ Brittany Howard recommended them to him and he eventually caught a set while overseas at a festival. “It was crazy good. Weird and loud and they’re talented musicians but they’re playing loud, screamy punk rock music.”

Listen below.