Jelly Roll X Motor city Hockey
Speaking Things Into Existence
You can speak things into existence—both positive and negative. The way you choose to speak is up to you. I’ve found myself on both sides, but I’ve learned that the best and right way is always through positivity.
Yesterday at camp, I was telling Nick, Lewy, Luke, and a couple of the guys that I was going to put a video together. I said Jelly Roll would probably repost it—and sure enough, he did, in front of six million followers!
He showcased our players and our culture: a culture of belief, joy, discipline, pride, and love for the game of hockey.
Today, I’m going to showcase my time with—and what I learned from—hanging out with the rockstars and multi-platinum musicians of Jelly Roll’s 36 Hour Band.
What If I told You This Is What Casey & Jelly Roll Toured Out Of Back In 2015!
The Story Of Our Friendship.
We skated in Grand Rapids. I knew they were hockey guys, so I reached out to them on Instagram to see if they wanted to skate while they were in town. I’ve always loved Jelly Roll’s message, and I thought it would be a really cool experience for Dylan.
All of the band members responded right away, and we had a group chat going for over a month. It was a lot of fun.
We showed up at the rink, and it was a great day. They opened the rink just for us—and then the rockstars walked in.
Matt, who plays the flaming piano, is a total rockstar. He walked in wearing orange sunglasses with a long 100 cigarette hanging from his mouth. Dylan claims he had it in his mouth the entire time. We were cracking up!
Matt and Henry showed up with no skates or equipment, so they used rentals. Henry was a really unique guy. He’s an insane photographer from Vancouver who has toured with Billie Eilish for the past two years and has also toured with Travis Scott, Kanye West, and Drake.
We got on the ice, and the guys could actually skate. I was hoping I wouldn’t have to skate that hard! LOL. The guys were solid, and Dylan had a great time skating with them.
Afterward, they invited us backstage for the concert—and this is where I’ll dive into their personalities and what it’s really like backstage with one of the biggest artists in the world.
Here is one of Henry’s pictures on Instagram. He is insanely talented.
The Backstage Experience.
Pork Chop “Drummer” & Dylan.
The Delay…
The backstage area was supposed to open at 7:00 PM, but we waited downstairs until about 7:40. We had no idea what was causing the delay. The amphitheater staff didn’t seem to know how to get us backstage—or even where the entrance was. Eventually, we found the right spot.
Then Casey called me and explained the delay: Jelly Roll was privately spending time with a Make-A-Wish child and his family—something he didn’t bring attention to or publicize.
Not Scotty’s Kind Of Room.
My friend Scotty spoils Dylan to the point where almost every other experience can feel disappointing in comparison to the events he lets Dylan attend. Everywhere we go—every concert or sporting event—Dylan asks, “Where’s Scotty?”
We walked into the backstage area, and the entire band was there. Everyone. I turned my head and saw someone behind the bar slinging drinks. Randy looked at me and said, “I don’t have any cash to tip.” I looked back, and the person was gone. Now there were girls behind the bar pouring drinks. I quickly realized it was a pour-your-own setup.
As I was standing there, crazy Matt welcomed me by flicking a lighter near the nipple area of my shirt. What a welcome! Haha
Considering Jelly Roll is one of the biggest artists in the world, there really wasn’t much available backstage—probably around a 12-pack of beer, a few random bottles of liquor, and extremely limited food served in carryout boxes.
Dylan wanted to eat the wings, but they were in a tiny container, so I didn’t let him. They quickly ran out of mixers, and Dylan was highly disappointed that there was no Sprite or candy like our friend Scotty always has waiting for him.
I had to remind him, “Dylan, these guys are rockstars!”
Casey Strumz & Dylan.
Casey greeted Dylan with an incredible gift. Dylan became the first—and currently the only—person in the world to have the band’s complete guitar-pick collection, featuring each member designed as a South Park character.
We talked with all of the band members, and it was all love. They were incredibly kind. Anyone who watches Jelly Roll would probably think he’s the nicest guy in the world—and I’m here to tell you that his band is exactly the same.
We spent most of our time talking with Casey while he showed us what he calls his “awful tattoos.” We also spent a lot of time with his girlfriend, Lolo. They’re total rockstars, but at the end of the day, they’re some of the kindest people you’ll ever meet.
We hung out backstage with the band until they gathered for their pre-show prayer. Of course, Dylan forgot his ear protection upstairs, so we had to go back after they had cleared out all of us “normal folks.”
When I went back up, I met Kountry—Jelly Roll’s best friend and a close friend of the rap group Three 6 Mafia. He was extremely nice and welcoming.
Casey HATES The Detroit Red Wings. Why He Wore The MCH Hat?
Left To Right: Jelly Roll, Casey Strumz, Alex Howard.
Casey said to me, “Rich, I really appreciate all the Motor City Hockey swag, but I have to be honest—I hate the Detroit Red Wings. Most of my childhood memories are of watching the Nashville Predators lose to them in the playoffs.”
I explained my story and told him that Motor City Hockey has nothing to do with the Red Wings. I shared how heartbroken I was when I moved back home for the opportunity to work with the Red Wings, only to be left hanging with no communication at all. It absolutely crushed me.
After hearing my story, Casey said, “I’ll be right back. I have to put on my show clothes.”
When he came back, he was wearing his Motor City Hockey hat—and he wore it for the entire show.
