Episode 578: Raul Midon

Hello friends! I hope you all had a great weekend. I was back at work with SKYROCKET!. We played Friday in San Antonio and Saturday in Austin. They were great shows. This week we're back at it on the private party scene. we're playing 5 shows this week, so that should be interesting. I got to play with some of my new band on Saturday! That was really, really fun. We'll be playing our first show at Pecan Street Festival here in Austin in May. I'll let you know when it's happening.
My guest for episode 578 is the amazing Raul Midon! His brand new album, Bad Ass and Blind just came out last Friday and he is embarking on a U.S. and European tour as we speak. Go to Raulmidon.com to find out when he's coming to town near you. Raul came by when he was in town for SXSW a couple of weeks ago and we had a fantatsic conversation about making Bad Ass And Blind, his time at The University of Miami Music Program, being in the jingle scene, playing with Shakira for two years, teh New York jazz scene and much, much more! I hope you enjoy getting to know Raul. I sure did. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

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 569: Billy Harvey Returns Again!

Hello friends! I hope you all had a good weekend. I did. I saw Jane Ellen Bryant play on Friday. She was great. On Saturday I got to be in The Megaphone Show at The New Movement Theater. It's a storytelling/improv show like U.C.B's "Asscat" shows. I highly recommend the show to everyone. the actors are all amazing at what they do. The show is extremely funny and it's something to do that's outside the norm. Do it. It's fun.
The amazingly talented and always entertaining, Billy Harvey returns to the show for episode 569! His brilliant new album Elephants In The Room comes out today, Tuesday, February 21st 2017. Billy stopped by while he was in town playing a show and moving his studio from Los Angeles to start a new chapter of his life in Nashville. Billy and I have a great conversation about making Elephants In The Room, his band Reluctant Apostles, his upcoming release with Salim Nourallah and Alex Dezen called NHD, fatherhood, moving to nashville and much, much more! I hope you enjoy my conversation with Billy. I sure did. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 555: Rival Waves

Happy new year my friends! I hope that 2017 brings you everything you want and everything you need. There's a thin veil of optimism this week... or maybe it's just me. I don't know. I don't think I rang in the new year the right way. Not that i didn't want to play the 5th annual SKYROCKET! show in Houston, it's more like I should have prepared and maybe bright a guest. Even jut a friend. I had this wave of, "oh wow. you don't have a girlfriend, you don't have kids, your dogs live with your ex" loneliness when I got back to my hotel. So far, 2017 is preying on my insecurities.
My guest for episode 555 is Joel De La Garza from the rock band, Rival Waves! Their latest single, "Amputee" is available now on all of the digital platforms, just go to rivalwaves.com an get involved. Their next single, "Transducer" comes out Friday, January 20th and they're celebrating the release with a release show at The One-2-One Bar on Saturday, January 21st. Joel and I have a great conversation about getting some of his heroes to play on his recordings, growing up in the Rio Grande Valley and crossing the border to party at 15, Mariah-gate and much, much more. Happy new year!
ciao! -jg

Episode 550: Ty Richards

Hello friends! I hope all is well in your world. I finished the new Phil Collins austobiography this week. It's really good. It sent me down a Genesis worm hole. I've been listening to all kinds of Genesis except for the Invisible Touch album and beyond. It dawned on me that wether you like them or not, they are easily one of the most unique bands ever. you know their music by its melody and even their two singers have similar voices and melodic sensibilties. Do you agree? Am I crazy? Maybe I am.
My guest for epsiode 550 is the incredibly talented, Ty Richards! Ty's new album, Zillion comes out Friday February 3rd 2017. His music has been described as "Beck Zeppelin". The album is a very celebratory psychedelic/guitar/dance album. The first single, "Spaceman" is available now on all digital and streaming mediums. You can also find him at tyrichards.com. we have a great conversation about making music alone, moving to Austin, his wife's influence on Zillion and much, much more! I hope you enjoy our conversation. I sure did. Let's get down!
 
ciao! -jg

Episode 535: Reddening West

Hello friends! I hope you're all doing well. I am getting ready to go rehearse with my band, Ladyband Johnson. I'm excited to be playing with the ladies again. We're playing a couple of shows at the beginning of November. We'll be at The Continental Club in Austin on Friday, November 4th (facebook event page) and we'll be playing another show on the 10th. I'll fill you in on that one next week. Otherwise, I'm headed to Houston tomorrow with SKYROCKET! to play a private show. 
My guests for episode 535 are Matt Evans and Kevin Butler from the band, Reddening West! They have a gorgeous new EP out called, Where We Started that came out a couple of months ago. I met Matt during an Austin Music Foundation consultation about a month ago and fell in love with their music. It's gorgeous, dreamy and lush. Go to reddeningwest.com and get it now. I have a great conversation with Matt and Kevin and i hope you enjoy getting to know them as much as i did. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 532: Shmu

Hello friends! I hope you all had a great weekend. I had a good weekend. i did spend some of it worried that was too sick to play. I can't tell if I have a lingering cold or just really bad allergies, because it seems like one day, i'm better and the next i'm totally sick again. Anyway, I had a good time singing at the John Lennon birthday show at Threadgill's here in Austin on Sunday. Lots of cool folks joined Stephen Doster's #9 Orchestra to pay tribute to John on his birthday.
My guest for episode 532 is Samuel Chown musically known as Shmu! Shmu's latest album Shhh!!! is absolutely fantastic! Sam and I have a great conversation about growing up in Canada, going to Berklee College of Music, making shoe-gazer/dream pop meets psychedelic glitch music, his label, GTZ Records and much, much more! I hope you enjoy getting to know Sam/Shmu as much as I did. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 526: George Reiff Returns!

Hello friends! I hope this episode finds you all doing well and ready for fall. My guest for episode 526 is the amazingly talented bass player/producer/mixer and my dear old friend, George Reiff! George has been undergoing treatment for cancer since a brain tumor was discovered a couple of months ago. He had the tumor removed, but has been undergoing radiation treatment and a new experimental treatment. He has insurance, but all of this treatment is expensive and he's not been able to work since he was diagnosed. To help with bills, people have organized some beautiful benefits and there is a gofundme.com page where anyone can donate. I encourage you to donate. Here's the link https://www.gofundme.com/georgereiff George and I have a great conversation about producing and mixing albums, new pop music, fighting cancer, our music family that has shown so much support and much, much more. I hope you enjoy our conversation. I sure did. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 511: Tee Double Returns Again!

hello friends. i hope you're all doing well. i need to make an important announcement about a dear friend and very important part of the music community, bass player/producer, george reiff. george has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. he had a brain tumor removed on friday and is recovering. he has a long road ahead of him and that road is going to be very expensive. his family has started a gofundme page so that we can all help out. please go to gofundme.com/georgereiff and give what you can. let's help this beautiful man and his family get through this. let's do it for george.
my guest for episode 511 is artist/producer/entrepreneur/activist and austin's hip hop ambassador, tee double! he's just released his 27th album, ambassador status. he's started "black mics matter " a new musical project that will feature new artists with stories of passion and solutions for the black community and the world during these challenging times. you can find out more about by going to his gofundme page and help him realize his vision. tee double and i have an amazing conversation about making his new album, ambassador status, his goals with "black mics matter", race relations in today's crazy times, austin's hip hop scene, music licensing and much, much more. i hope you enjoy our conversation. i sure did. let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 498: Arthur Yoria

hello friends! i hope you're all doing well. i want to invite those of you who live in austin to our live podcast recording of episode 500 at the townsend on monday, june 20th at 8 pm. my guests will be taylor muse (quiet company), suzanna choffel, kathy valentine, a.j. vallejo and nakia. go to our facebook event page for more info. come out and celebrate 500 episodes of "how did i get here?". plus, there's no cover!
see you on monday!
my guest for episode 498 is singer/songwriter, arthur yoria! arthur and i go back a few years and he's always been one of my favorite people to play shows with because i'm such a fan of him and his music. arthur has a new single and video out for the beautiful song, "ruff life" and is currently working on a new album for splice records. find out all about where he's playing and how to get his music by going to arthuryoria.com. arthur came by a few weeks ago. i hadn't seen him in a few years and we had a great conversation about taking a break from from the grind of the biz, meeting his dog rita, working on new music for a new album, dealing with medications and much, much more! i had a great time catching up with my old friend. enjoy! let's get down!
ciao! -jg