Episode 577: Happy Meals

Hey gang! I hope the world is treating you like a king or queen right now. Things are good here. I've just been working on some songs for my new band. We have a gig on Sunday, May 7th at Pecan Street festival here in Austin and we're getting into the rehearsal room to start knocking out some songs. I'll let you know how it's going. SKYROCKET! will be playing some shows this weekend... Tonight, Friday, March 24th we'll be at Sam's in San Antonio and tomorrow, Saturday, March 25th we'll be at Cedar Street Courtyard in Austin, TX. Come out and party with us.
My guests for episode 577 are Suzanne Rodden and Lewis Cook from Glasgow's, Happy Meals! This phenomenal dreamy, synth, French-pop duo was in from Scotland for SXSW. They came by and we had a great conversation about their e.p.'s Fruit Juice and Apero, the d.i.y. underground scene in Glasgow, our love for Swtched On, touring Russia, India and Europe, working as couple, our ove of synthsizers and much, much more. I hope you enjoy getting to know these fine people. I sure did. let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 565: Sphynx #5

Hello friends! I hope you're all holding up in this crazy time of extreme insanity. On one hand, it seems like the world is falling apart and on the other, it seems like everything is fine and the news is trying to freak us out 24 hours a day. I went to lake Charles, LA with SKYROCKET! on Saturday and realized that when people put on costumes, drink heavily and let themselves give-in to the joy of music and dancing and celebrating being alive, the insanity that we face on a day-to-day basis, falls away like a bad dream. Of course, it's always there waiting for you when you wake up the next day hungover and wishing everything would just stop.
Cory, Aaron and Todd, better known as the band, Sphynx return to the show for episode 565! Their epic new e.p., Floppy Disco comes out this Friday February 10th. Their playing an e.p. release show in Austin next Thursday, February 16th at Stubb's. Find out more on when they're coming to a town near you or how to get their music by going to sphynxmuxic.com. We have a great conversation about Floppy Disco, working with drummer/producer, Ken Coomer (Wilco, Fita & The Tantrums), hanging out in Nashville, playing weddings, touring and much, much more. Sphynx is one of my favorite bands and some of my favorite people. I hope you enjoy our copnversation. 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 538: Bootblacks / Liste Noire

Hello friends! I you're all doing well. Things are good here. I'm rehearsing some with my band, Ladyband Johnson for our show this Friday 11/4 at The Continental Club here in Austin. We go on at 11 pm. Come out and say hi. Other than that, tonight (Tuesday 11/1) I'll be doing some hosting duties at the TuneCore and Austin Music Foundation at Emo's. Come have a drink, hear about the many services TuneCore has to offer to better serve local artists, and catch sets by Austin-based artists, Migrant Kids and Keeper! Here's the Facebook event page 
My guests for episode 538 are Brooklyn based synth-rockers, Bootblacks and French synth wave band, Liste Noire! Both bands have new albums out and just toured Europe together and are currently on the road in America. Go to Bootblacks.net and Listenoire.tv to check out their music and find out if they're coming to a town near you. Nico from Liste Noire and Panther from Bootblacks join me via Skype and we have a great conversation about drum machines and sythesizers, touring Europe vs. America, living in a post-modern era as an artist, Mr. T for president, 80's sax solos and much more! I hope you enjoy getting to know Panther and Nico as much as I did. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 525: Rattletree

Hello friends! I hope you're all doing well. I'm recovering from a pretty fun Sunday. I went to the Reckless Kelly Sunset Motel listening party at Arlyn Studios here in Austin yesterday. The album is great. The party was awesome. Lots of old friends and new friends all celebrating one of our own and their new album. It reminds me how lucky I am to be a part of this scene. Sunset Motel comes out this Friday, September 23rd. You'll be hearing from them on this show very soon.
My guest for episode 525 is Joel Laviolette from the electronica/marimba band, Rattletree! This weekend Rattletree will be hosting "The Rattletree Glow Party" with all kinds of activities, musical projects, food and more.The party takes place this Friday, Sept 23rd, Saturday, Sept 24th and Sunday Sept 25th. For tickets and more information, simply go to rattletree.com Joel and i have a great conversation about learning marimba and living in Africa, teaching marimba, incorporating electronic music and traditional African music, the glow party, African chord changes and much, much more. I hope you enjoy our conversation. I sure did. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 513: Drop Out Vegas

hello friends! i hope this episode finds you all happy and healthy. if you're a musician in austin and are planning on releasing music in the form of a single, e.p. or full-length album, i have a panel for you. the austin music foundation and arlyn studios present: releasing your music, a panel sovering distribution channels, release shows, traditional and grassroots marketing, d.i.y. publicity and much more. it all takes place wednesday, august 10th from 7-10 pm at arlyn studios in austin, tx. here's a link to the event details. austinmusicfoundation.org come out. it's informative, it's free and i'll be moderating. 
my guests for episode 513 are houston pop duo, drop out vegas! these super-talented guys have just released a new single, "sleep alone" on their own and they've gotten a ton of press for it and believe me, it's well-deserved. i came a cross these guys on social media a little over a month ago. they looked cool, so i went and listened to their music and fell in love. skylar and jason came by my hotel when i was in houston a few weeks ago and we had a great conversation about growing up in the church music programs, writing songs together and apart, the woodlands vs kingwood, making pop music in houston and much, much more. i had a great time getting to know skylar and jason. i'm sure you will too. let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 506: Laura Scarborough / Giulia Millanta Stops By!

hello friends! i hope you're all doing well. i'm good. i have the weekend off from skyrocket this weekend. my girlfriend, zuri and i are gonna go to a cook out and doing some weekend things. maybe we'll go see the new ghostbusters... my pal, giulia millanta stops by for a quick chat abut her new kicktstarter campaign to fund her new album, moonbeam parade which comes out september 9th. she'll be previewing her album this sunday, july 17th at strange brew lounge side at 6 pm. you can go to giulia's kickstarter page to see what it's all about.
my guest for episode 506 is the incredibly talented piano/vibes/synth playing singer, laura scarborough. you might know laura as the vibes player in the ultra-flamboyant psychedelic band, the golden dawn arkestra. i had the chance to see them a few weeks ago at a black fret event and they're amazing, like nothing you've ever seen before. laura also plays with kat edmonson, suzanna choffel, bob schnieder's moonight orchestra and many, many more. she covered john lennon's love on the friends of sims album that came out earlier this year and is releasing a solo album later this year. you can find her at laurascarborough.com i hope you enjoy my conversation with laura. i sure did. let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 499 Part One: The Music

hello friends! i want to remind you that we are recording our 500th podcast live this coming monday, june 20th at 8 pm at the townsend here in austin, tx. my guests will be nakia, kathy valentine, taylor muse (quiet company), suzanna choffel and aj vallejo! come out and celebrate with us! enjoy fine cocktails, delicious snacks and a great conversation with some of he most entertaining musicians around. plus, there's no cover!!!
episode 499 part one: the music is a playlist i put together out of some of the music i've been turned on to by guests over the last hundred episodes. part two will be excerpts of conversations from soem of the last hundred episodes. look for that on tuesday. here's the track listing for episode 499 part one: the music...
 1. "baby when i close my eyes" - sweet spirit
 2. "stop the world" - mike flanigin w/ gary clark jr.
 3. "echo of whoos" - calliope musicals
 4. "no one gonna give you love" - my jerusalem
 5. "down to the ocean" - jeremy nail
 6. "atta blues" - emily wolfe
 7. "withdrawal" - max frost
 8. "september in your eyes" - bruce sudano
 9. "summer samaritan" - los coast
10. "ready for war" - love & chaos
11. "work" - tank washington
12. "heartbreak bugaloo" - the midnight stroll
13. "sweet dreaming" - daniel eyes and the vibes
14. "southern suburbian" - sally allen
15. "one" - moving panoramas
16. "polyester" - john evans
17. "i don't wanna have to lie" - lolo

Episode 489: Bonnie Whitmore

hello friends! i hope this episode finds you living the dream. i'm good. i have tonight (friday) off, so i'm going to see john evans' record release show. zuri and i also got invited to a special "invite only" acoustic show before the actual show, so i guess we're making it a john evans night! heads up! the austin music foundation is having a panel next wednesday, may 18th at 7pm called, "recording your music: how? when? why?". the panel will take place at the legendary arlyn studios here in austin. panelists include dwight baker, mark hallman, gina fant-saez, jacob sciba and i will be moderating it. just go to austinmusicfoundation.org  for more info and to rsvp. see you there!
my guest for episode 489 is the amazing singer/songwriter, bonnie whitmore! bonnie is about to make a new album and needs your help so she started a pledgemusic campaign. check it out at pledgebonnie.com 25% of all donations go to planned parenthood. bonnie and i had a great conversation about naming her new album, fuck with sad girls, dealing with sexual abuse through music, the detrimental effects of growing up on disney movies, having a female support network, her electronic project, coyotes: life and after life (only available when you donate to her pledge campaign) and much, much more. i had a blast getting to know bonnie. i'm sure you will too. let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 453: Lou Rebecca / Rock Journalist, Kristy Loye

hello friends! i hope you're all doing well and getting ready for the weekend. i have a big show for you guys today. first up, i have a skype conversation with houston press writer, kristy loye! kristy wrote an article for the houston press.com called, "rock and roll is dead, and even axl and slash can't save it". that really hit a nerve with people both with it and against it. go read it for yourself here . i reached out to kristy because i thought she touched on some important issues facing all musicians, how to make a living in an age where support for musicians (and artists in general) is becoming more scarce by the day. great conversation!!!on a completely different note, i also talk to french-pop artist, lou rebecca. lou is playing a show tonight, fri. 1/8 at the vulcan gas company in austin, tx. she moved here 6 months ago from paris, where she grew up the daughter of a pop singer mother and record producing father. she has an ep ready for release but has to figure out her deal with her french publishing company, sony. lou and her husband, daniel, a great photographer and director, came by last week and we had a great conversation. i hope you enjoy getting to know her as much as i did. let's get down!ciao! jg