Episode 626: Kathy Valentine Returns Again!

Former Go-Go, current Bluebonnet and one of my favorite people, Kathy Valentine returns to the show for episode 626! Kathy's has a busy year and she's back on the show to talk about it. Plus, she's started a new series assembling the talent of women in the arts called, "She Factory". The first of the series is a song pool featuring Nina Diaz (Girl In A Coma), Carolyn Wonderland, Jane Ellen Bryant, Suzanna Choffel, Ruthie Foster and Patricia Vonne. It takes place at The Townsend on Tuesday, September 19th from 8-10:30. You can find out all the details HERE. Kathy and I have  great conversation about The Bluebonnets newest album, Tonewrecker, her solo singles she's been releasing,  the idea behind and the future of "She Factory", her memoir and much, much more! I always love hanging out with Kathy. I'm sure you will too. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 617: Celebrating 6 Years of "How Did I Get Here?"

Hello friends! Welcome to episode 617! Six years ago today, August 10, 2011, I released episode 1 of "How Did I Get Here?" with my guest, Suzanna Choffel. I thought it would be nice to put together a clip show of some of conversations I've gotten to have with people I love and admire over the last six years. Frank Turner (ep. 430 -10/30/15) talks about the coreleation between the punk and folk ethos, Kathy Valentine (ep. 18 -10/22/11) tells her story about joining The GoGo's, Hunt Sales (ep. 88 -7/29/12) discusses the ups and downs of an illustrious career, Angelo Moore (ep. 261 -4/4/14) on how he fell in love with the Theremin, A Giant Dog (ep. 330 -11/27/14) on Sweet Spirit and how they came together, Bruce Sudano (ep. 477 -4/1/16) on the transition out of disco into pop and singer/songwriter music, Penelope Spheeris (ep. 407 -8/12/15) on why Paul Stanley was in bed with so many girls when she interviewed him for "The Decline of Western Civilization Part 2: The Metal Years", David Grissom (ep. 89 -7/27/12) being onstage with The Dixie Chicks in London in 2003 when Natalie Maines made the George Bush comment, John Bush (ep. 314 -10/6/14) on meeting Edie Brickell and starting The New Bohemians, AJ Vallejo (ep. 600 -6/13/17) AJ gets naughty at a live podcast with Nakia, Jaimee Harris and Jane Ellen Bryant. I want to thank all of the guests who have been on the show and all the publicists, managers and friends who help me get folks on the show. Mostly, I want to thank YOU for listening. Thanks for a great six years. I'm looking forward to the next few years and all the conversations I'll have. Have a great weekend. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 597: Uche'

Hello friends! I can't believe it's already summer. I can't believe my baby cousin is graduating medical school this weekend. I'm looking forward to a fun, family weekend at the beach. On Monday, we'll be celebrating 600 hundred episodes with a live podcast recording! It takes place this Monday, June 5th at 8 pm at The Townsend here in Austin. My guests will be AJ Vallejo, Jane Ellen Bryant, Jaimee Harris and Nakia! If you're a fan of the show and you live in Austin, Come out and celebrate with us. Also, it's a free show!
My guest for episode 597 is the talented and extremely entertaining, Uche'! His brand new e.p., My Generation comes out Friday, June 9th and he's celebrating with a release show on Thursday, June 8th at Scratchhouse in Austin, TX. Uche' and I have a great conversation about Nigeria, his crazy college experience, cleaning up his act, making My Generation, dancing, drugs and much, much more! I hope you enjoy getting to know Uche'. I sure did. Let's get down!
 
ciao! -jg

Episode 585: Fastball

Hello friends! i hope his episode finds you all living the American dream. I'm good. I've spent the week doing podcasts, rehearsing with my drummer Joe Humel, rehearsing with SKYROCKET! and working with The Austin Music Foundation. You might wonder if I ever fuck anything up because some days, I do at least three of those things. The answer is yes. This week I deleted a podcast right after I recorded it with a band called, Girling. I was doing a lot of different things that day and I just got confused and turned off my machine without saving it. They're coming back next week and we're gonna redo it. I think I need a vacation. 
My guests for episode 585 are Tony Scalzo and Miles Zuniga from the pop band, Fastball! They're releasing theirsixth album, Step Into The Light on Friday, May 19th and they're going on tour all summer of the U.S. with Everclear and Vertical Horizon. You can find out if they're coming to a town near you by going to fastballtheband.com Tony and Miles and I have a great conversation about how they met and formed Fastball, getting signed by Hollywood Records, Keeping the original band together for six albums and for over 20 years, their friendship, disterous self-managing times, getting the Machine Gun Kelly and Camilla Cabelo's interpelation of the Fastball song "Out Of My Head" called, "Bad Things" and much, much more! I genuinely love these guys and their band. You will too after this show. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 575: Tailor & Zak Loy Return!

Hello friends! I hope you're all doing well and if you're here for SXSW, I hope you're winning the fight. I just got back from talking to Jonas Wilson and Aaron Behrens from The Midnight Stroll at the Tunein SXSW Podcast stage. It was absolutely terrific! It will be up on Tuesday. If you live in Houston, I will be playing tomorrow, Saturday, March 18th at The Heoghts Theater. I'm opening for and singing some songs with BoDeans. I'm really excited about this show. Come out and say hi. Get your tickets here theheightstheater.com
South African powerhouse, Tailor and her producer/guitarist, Zak Loy return to the show for episode 575! They're in town playing some shows for SXSW. You can see them tonight, Friday, March 5th at The Rooftop at 9 pm and more shows tomorrow, Saturday, March 18th. Go to thisistailor.com for times a places. Tailor and Zak and I have a great conversation about making Tailor's brilliant new album, Trust pt. 1 here in Austin last year, pulling it off live, SXSW, having trust in each other and much, mcuh more. I hope you enjoy our conversation. I sure did. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 558: Skye Strickler

Hello friends! I hope this episode finds you well and enjoying life to it's fullest. Things are good here. I've doing tons of podcasts this week. Six to be exact. I got super-behind during the holidays to where a couple of weeks ago, i was doing podcasts the day before they are posted. I haven't goten behind like that in a few years, so I'm making up for it over the next couple of weeks by getting ahead again. Over the next few weeks, look for great converations with Leopold And His Fiction, Daisy O'Connor, Demi The Daredevil and more. 
Pop artist, Skye Strickler is my guest for episode 558! Skye's brilliant, debut e.p., DNA is out now. You find it and more at skyestrickler.com. I met Skye a couple of months ago and I've run into him at different events. He is a really nice guy with incredible energy and an amazing wealth of talent. Skye and I have a great conversation about growing on a farm in rural Kansas, his humble beginnings in musical theater in his teens, the dangers of being "rufeed", making DNA with his producer in Guadalajara and much, much more. I had a great time getting to know Skye. I'm sure you will too. Let's get down!
 
ciao! -jg

Episode 537: Nomad City

Hello friends! I hope this episode finds you happy, healthy and ready for the weekend. As usual, I'm heading out of town with SKYROCKET! for the next couple of days to play some shows. Oh! I want to let you know that my band, Ladyband Johnson is playing next Friday, November 4th at The Continental Club here in Austin. The band is Kathy valentine, Dominique Davalos and Christina Comley from The Bluebonnets with me as the singer. Come out. It's rock and roll! Go to the Facebook event page for more info. 
My guests for episode 537 are Britny Lobas and Ray Kainz from Austin rock band, Nomad City! Their self-titled, debut e.p. comes out on December 1st, but you can get a taste of the music and the band if you check out their new video for the song, "Didn't Have a Gun" by going to their website nomadcityband.com. They'll be playing an e.p. release show on December 1st at The Mohawk here in Austin. I have a great conversation with Ray and Britny about moving to Austin from the midwest, growing up in musical families, the rock scenes in Detroit and Cleveland, making their new e.p. at The Orb with Matt Novesky and much, much more! i hope you enjoy getting to know Brit and Ray as much as I did. Let's get down! 
ciao! -jg

Episode 510: Jackie Venson

hello friends. i hope this episode finds you all doing well. i'm good. i'm glad that these conventions are over. i thought it was exciting to see the first woman accepting her party's nomination for president. i watched it live. i like what she's saying. i'm really glad these conventions are over. i feel like this campaign has been going on forever. hey! if you want to get away from all things political and you're listening to this show the day it comes out, skyrocket is playing tonight, friday, july 29th at speakeasy here in austin. come out and party with us. 
my guest for episode 510 is musical powerhouse and guitar hero, jackie venson! jackie has a new album, live at strange brew, coming out on september 16th and is heading out on a west coast tour starting next wednesday, august 3rd. go to jackievenson.com to find out if she's coming to a town near you. jackie and i have a great conversation about growing up austin, her time at berklee college of music, making a switch from classical pianist to blues guitarist in 2011, recording her new live album, why she likes short guys and so much more. i had a great time getting to know jackie. i'm sure you will too. let's get down! 
ciao! -jg

Episode 500: Live at The Townsend w/ AJ Vallejo, Nakia, Kathy Valentine, Taylor Muse, Suzanna Choffel

hello friends! we did it! we hit 500 episodes and we did it in style. on monday, june 20th i was joined by aj vallejo, nakia, kathy valentine, taylor muse and suzanna choffel at the townsend here in austin, tx. we have a great and crazy conversation aj vallejo and i talk about our cooking show, "cooking/drinking w/ johnny & aj" and being producer of the year. we talk to nakia about his prince shows where he raised $15,000 for the sims foundation and haam. kathy tells about her new book, the movie she got to be in the new bluebonnet songs and videos. taylor muse and his love for chicken wings and star wars and suzanna choffel talks about jem & the holograms, her new album and much, much more! i want to thank juan alsina for recording the show, the townsend for having us and being so supportive of the show and last but not least, all of the people who came out and made it such a special night. let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 493: Shinyribs

hello friends! are you feeling that TGIF feeling you get on the friday of a three-day holiday weekend? me neither. but some people really do feel that feeling. i've felt it before... the last time was probably in the 80's, but i remember it well. having plans that involved a beach or some kind of backyard bbq with booze, bathing suits and a pool. anyway, i'm going to be staying at my ex's house with my dogs. that'll be fun. i'll be playing a couple of shows with skyrocket and hanging out with my girlfriend, zuri. i hope you have a good weekend. 
my guest for episode 493 is the amazing singer/songwriter/performer, kevin russell from the band, shinyribs! i have been watching kevin play since 1989 when he was in the shreveport, la band, the picket line coyotes. kevin moved to austin with that band and when the coyotes ran their course, they split up and kevin started the gourds and went on to play with them for 18 years. the gourds career is covered in the amazing documentary, "all the labor". anyway, as the gourds were fading, kevin started shinyribs and three brilliant albums later, shinyribs is touring and going full-steam bringing their funky/soul/honky tonk happiness to thousands of people a year. i had a great time getting to know kevin. i'm sure you will too. let's get down!
ciao! jg