Episode 530: Thor Harris

My guest for episode 530 is the amazing Thor Harris! The Thor & Friends debut album comes out this Friday, October 7th! Thor and I have been pals since 1989 when he was the drummer for Austin's Stick People. He has since gone on to tour and record with Swans, Shearwater, Bill Callahan, Amanda Palmer, Rebecca Cannon, Lisa Germano and many more. He's recorded 6 albums with Austin studio maven, Rob Halverson. Thor & Friends is a collaboration with Peggy Ghorbani and Sarah "Goat" Gautier and draws on classic minimalist composers for inspiration. They'll be hitting the road with Adam Torres Oct 12 - Oct 30 hitting the east coast. Go to thorharris.org to see if they're coming to a town near you. Thor and I have a great conversation about growing up in a Texas coast town, Austin music, his work with Swans & Shearwater, a bad ass Talk Talk album I've never heard, Thor & Friends L.P. and much, much more. I hope you enjoy my conversation with this inspiring man as much as i did. Let's get down!
Ciao! -jg

Episode 487: The Warplanes

hello friends! i hope this episode finds you happy and healthy. things are good here. i've been booking some good shows for you guys. i would announce them, but i don't like to do that until they're done. something about crying wolf and being like "oh my god! y'all are never gonna believe who i got for the show..." then, that person cancels or something. anyway, just know i'm working on some good stuff for you guys. i hope you have a great weekend!
my guests for episode 487 are aric and issac from the rock band, the warplanes! their new e.p., epigenesis is out now. it was produced by my pal, aj vallejo. the warplanes are the austin music foundation's band of the month for may. congrats guys. they have a show here in austin tomorrow, saturday, may 7th at the one-2-one bar. if you're not in austin, you can find them at thewarplanes.net. we have a great conversation about making epigenesis with aj vallejo, uppity sound men, what band of the month means, pitchy whistling and much more. i hope you enjoy our conversation. i sure did. let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 472: Brannen Temple

hello friends! i hope this episode finds you well. austin, texas is in the depths of sxsw. it's all happening. bands are running around town. pedestrians are in the middle of the road looking at their phones. people are littering. i had a hangover the other day. all signs that sxsw is in full-swing. i got to attend a very special documentary screening last night. it's called "the shopkeeper" and it's about my mentor, musician/songwriter/producer, mark hallman. i had the good fortune of getting to be in it and it was absolutely amazing. my friend rain perry made it. i'll keep you guys up on what's going on with it and when it's going to come out. keep an eye out for "the shopkeeper".
my guest for episode 472 is drummer, brannen temple. you might know brannen from his bands, temple underground, black red black blaze and more. or you might know him from his work with, sheena easton, eric johnson, janet jackson, the dixie chicks, boz skaggs and many, many more. brannen is one of the best drummers and musicians i've ever seen in my life. most people that know him say that too. he's also one of the coolest guys i've meet and have had on the show. we have an in-depth conversation about what music means, what it does, what it can do. brannen's approach to studio and live playing. this is honestly one of my favorite episodes. prepare for a lesson in true cool. enjoy my conversation with this masterful musician and soulful human being. i sure did. let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 468: Lincoln Durham Returns!

hello friends! i hope you're all having a good start to your week. i hope your movie/actor/director etc won. i didn't watch it really. i saw a couple of awards being given out, but i watched vinyl instead. i had the weekend off which was cool. i saw the bluebonnets and miss lavelle white at the townsend. i saw aj vallejo's whiskey rebellion at the moontower saloon. great shows. great times!
the amazing lincoln durham returns for episode 468! his gorgeous new album, lincoln durham's revelations of a mind unraveling comes out on march 25th. the first single, "creeper" is available now. he's starting a west coast tour this week with the reverend horton heat. the tour goes from march 3rd - march 19th and you can go to lincolndurham.com  for more info on the tour and his music. lincoln and i have a great conversation about the ups and downs of being an artist dealing with o.c.d., how creativity can pull you out of a psychological hole, making records as a one-man-band and much, much more. i had a great time getting to know lincoln. i'm sure you will too. let's get down! 
ciao! -jg

Episode 466: David Messier

hello friends! i hope you're all feeling footloose and fancy free. i'm doing well. i'm just sitting here listening to my first bandmate's new album he made with his wife. it's called, little souvenir and it's really good. their band is called basketcake. they don't play live or anything. they have kids and jobs. they just made an album because they love making music. fortunately, it's available for people to buy and listen to. here's a link to their band camp page basketcake bandcamp page go hear it for yourself!my guest for episode 466 is producer/singer/songwriter, david messier! you might know david as the owner of same-sky productions, producer and sideman, or as the frontman for the early 2000's boston band, papermoon. he is making his official debut as a solo artist with his album, waiting for eldridge, which comes out this friday, february 26th. he's also having a record release show friday february 26th at the townsend in austin, tx. so, if you're in austin, come out to the townsend on friday, see the show and pick up a copy of waiting for eldridge. if you're not in austin, check out davidmessier.com for all of your david messier needs. i hope you enjoy my conversation with david. i sure did. let's get down! ciao! -jg

Episode 461: Bale Creek Allen

hello friends! i hope you're all doing well. i'm good. i had a busy day of podcasting. i'm looking forward to bringing you guys some good conversations. i'm going to galveston with skyrocket tomorrow to play a mardi gras party. i thought we were playing the galveston mardi gras, but we're not.  sometimes i don't know what's going on until i get a show sheet a couple of days before the show. welcome to "johnnyworld" population: me. my guest for episode 461 is a true artist and a dear old friend, bale creek allen. bale is a true artist because to me he is aggressively creative. by that, i mean he works in bronze sculpture, painting, photography, neon, wood work, spoken word, theater and music. i honestly love his work in all of those mediums. in the last 25 years that i've known him, i've seen many of his art shows, music shows and more. his work is always honest, powerful, sometimes brutal and always beautiful. he's a really sweet and inspiring person to be around. i hope you enjoy our conversation. i sure did. let's get down!ciao! -jg

Episode 441: Eve & The Exiles

hello friends! i hope you're all doing well. i'm on the mend. i was feeling awful yesterday with a nasty cold. you can hear it in the intro. i feel and sound a lot better this morning which is good because i'm moderating a panel on local, regional and national booking tonight (wed. 12/2) for the austin music foundation. if you would like to go, here's a link "expand you horizons" booking panel artists charlie faye, einar pedersen (kelly clarkson) and booking agent, laura thomas (combo plate booking) will be discussing booking strategies and taking questions. the whole thing takes place tonight! wednesday, 12/2 at 7 pm at st. elmo's soundstage in austin, tx.my guests for episode 441 are two of my favorite musicians/people, eve monsees and mike buck from eve & the exiles! they are releasing their newest album, you know she did, THIS friday 12/4. they're playing an instore at antone's records here in austin on sunday, 12/6 at 3 pm and they're doing a release show at c-boys heart and soul on friday, 12/11. go to eveandtheexiles.com and find out how to get the album if you're not in austin. eve and mike came by almost 2 months ago and we had an amazing conversation about their new album, you know she did, owning antone's record store, growing up on "guitar hero" street, mike's amazingly educational and entertaining sun radio show (mondays 7-9pm 100.1 sun radio) and much, much more! i hope you enjoy getting to know eve and mike. i sure did. let's get down!ciao! -jg

Episode 435: The Lonely Wild

hello friends! i hope you're all having a great week. hopefully where ever you are, you're enjoying the cool fall weather that we're enjoying here in austin. so, i had an eventful week... i deleted two podcasts i recorded on tuesday. right after i finished the second one with dan dyer (a podcast i've tried to book for over 4 years BTW), i went to turn off my machine as dan and i chatted and i didn't "save" my interviews and they were deleted. it was that easy. i did it once before in summer of 2012 after i talked to comedian, john tole. anyway, this time i deleted dan dyer's and a band that is on tour from los angeles. luckily, i was able to get the band from l.a. to come by the next morning be fore they left town and looks like dan will be back in next week... i hope. my guests for episode 435 are los angeles indie rock band, the lonely wild! we actually had this conversation twice. yes. they're the band from l.a. who's interview i deleted the day before, but they were nice enough to come by and do it again. anyway, the lonely wild is currently on tour in support of their gorgeous new album, chasing white light. they'll be on tour through november 23rd in the midwest and east coast with indie rockers, young buffalo. go to thelonelywild.com to find out if they're coming to a town near you and find out where to get chasing white light. i want to thank the band for coming by twice and being so cool about everything including me deleting their first podcast. i hope you enjoy getting to know the lonely wild as much as i did. let's get down!ciao! -jg

Episode 425: Freddie Steady Krc

hello friends! i hope this episode finds you all happy and healthy. i am a bit hungover as i celebrated my birthday last night. it was a blast. saw the wonderful dawn & hawkes play, then i had a fabulous dinner, then went to se my old pal aj play and met up with a bunch of friends. great night! if you're in austin tonight, october, 16th and looking for something to do, skyrocket will be playing at the one-2-one bar at 9 pm. come out and party with us.my guest for episode 425 is singer/songwriter/drummer/guitar player/renaissance texan and texas music hall of famer, freddie steady krc! freddie has been a staple on the austin scene since the 1970's when he played drums with the likes of b.w. stevenson, jerry jeff walker, carole king and more. he went on to start the new wave/power pop band, the explosives in the late 70's. then a string of great country and garage rock bands including freddie steady 5, shakin' apostles, freddie steady's wild country and many more. freddie continues to write and play with his many bands, he owns a record label and now runs the austin chapter of the musicians union. freddie and i have an awesome and long conversation about his journey. i hope you enjoy getting to know freddie steady as much as i did. let's get down!ciao! -jg

Episode 424: Empire Machines

hello friends! i hope you're all doing well. it's my birthday so i don't really know how i am. i'm kinda weirded out by the whole thing, but i'm dealing with it. hey! if you live in austin, my band, skyrocket is playing this friday at the one-2-one bar. we go on at 10. should be a good time. we're playing three shows this week. i'm releasing three podcasts this week. i might be old, but i like to stay busy. my guests for episode 424 are modern rock band, empire machines! their new ep animal skin is available now on bandcamp. they're having a release show this saturday, 10/17 at spider house ballroom. the show is brought to you by our friends at solstice live. so, matt and bruce came by and we had a great conversation about the branch davidians, taking a two year break from playing, recording animal skin, nice music teachers, finding rock and roll in waco, tx and much, much more. bruce and matt are great guys. i hope you enjoy getting to know them as much as i did. let's get down!ciao! -jg