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 568: Ian Moore Returns Again!

Hello friends! I'm a little late putting this out because I went to see Sphynx last night and then went and sang karaoke. I was drunk and terrible which is a great combo right? Anyway, Sphynx was incredible. Their new e.p. is out and it's awesome. Other than that, I want to invite you to a storytelling/improv show I'm doing tomorrow at The New Movement Theater here in Austin. It's called The Megaphone Show. I'll be telling stories and then an improv group will act them out. Should be fun. If you're in town, come out and say hi. Here's a link The Megaphone Show
My dear friend, the amazing Ian Moore returns to the show for episode 568! His gorgeous new album, Strange Days comes out next Tuesday, February 21. Ian was in town rehearsing with his new band and they're hitting the road on the west coast starting March 2nd and ending up in Austin for SXSW. Ian and I have a great conversation about making Strange Days and his last e.p. The Noble Art, selling out vs. making a living, his new non-profit, SMASH bringing affordable health care to Seattle musicians, his songwriting workshops, family and much, much more! I hope you enjoy our conversation. I sure did. Let's get down!
ciao!- jg

Episode 562: The Traveling Ones

Hello friends! I hope you've all had as little stress this week as possible. If you watch the news or engage in social media, you might have noticed there's an unprecidented level of controversy surrounding this country's new prez. There's a lot of unease among folks worried about their rights. A lot of people turning on each other and attacking one and other on social media. A lot of, "I've been too quiet for too long about this but..." posts on facebook from boths sides of the aisle. Just a quick reminder that you should go out and see music. I did that a few times this week and it totally took me out of that "Oh my God! What's happening now?!?!" state of mind I get in when I'm watching the news or what ever CNN has become. Go out and see live music and it will take out of that head and into the beautiful world of art and creativity. 
My guests for episode 562 are Justin Ahmanson and Emily Villareal, professionally known as, The Traveling Ones. Their debut albuum, Meet Me There comes out next Friday, February 3rd and they're playing a release show that same day at Stubb's here in Austin. They'll also be playing other release shows around Texas so just go to travelingones.com to see when they're coming to a town near you. Justin and Emily and I have a great conversation that takes us from their humble beginnings as solo artists to meeting each other, falling in love and joining forces musically, making Meet Me There on their own and much more. It seems to be working for them. I hope you enjoy getting to know Emily and Justin. I sure did. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 561: Leopold And His Fiction Returns Again! / Moxxy Stops By!

Hello friends! i hope this episode finds you all doing well in life. Maybe you marched this weekend in the historical march. If you did, congratlations. That was an historic event for everyone. Quirky pop band, Moxxy stopped by the other day to talk about their self-titled e.p. that just came out a couple of weeks ago. The e.p. was produced by Quiet Company frontman, Taylor Muse. If you live in Austin, you can see Moxxy this Thursday, January 26th at The Sahara Lounge. Check it out!
Daniel Leopold from Leopold And His Fiction returns to the show for episode 561! They're releasing their new album, Darling Destroyer this Friday, January 27th. They'll be on tour of the U.S. from now until March 13th. Go to leopoldandhisfiction.com to find ut if they're coming to a town near you. If you live in Austin, they'll be playing a record release show at Stubb's tomorrow, Wednesday, January 25th 2017. Daniel and I have a great conversation about what it took to make Darling Destroyer, touring the U.S. like crazy and much, much more. I hope you enjoy our conversation. I sure did. Let's get down!
 
ciao! -jg

Episode 559: Demi The Daredevil

Hello friends! I hope you all had a good Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Things are good here. Spent the weekend practicing and playing. I went to C-Boys after my gig on Friday and saw Mike Flanigin and Jimmie Vaughan play the end of their set. It's really awesome to live in a town where you can get home from a gig at 12:30, get to C-Boys a bit before 1 a.m. and see these amazing and legendary artists play at a club. Pretty great. If you live in Austin, SKYROCKET! wil be playing at Cedar Street Courtyard this Friday, January 20th. Come out and party with us.
My guests for episode 559 are Marc Martel and Jeff Azar from Austin art-rock band, Demi The Daredevil! Their new e.p., Secret Schizoid is out now and available by going to demithedaredevil.com. They wil be playing tomorrow night, Wednesday, January 18th at The Mohawk in Austin, TX. Jeff and marc and I have a fantastic conversation about growing up in El Paso, playing together in their first band as teenagers, the death of their original lead singer, being hospitalized for mental issues, making Secret Schizoid on their own, the effects of porn on society and much, much more! I hope you enjoy getting to know these sweet lads. 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 551: Chris Taylor Returns!

Hello friends! I hope you're all staying warm. I am. I actually made a huge dent in my Christmas shopping today. That's always a relief. How did we make Christmas so stressful? It makes you realize how poor you are, how much you wish you could give people. At the same time, you stress out getting your cousin's boyfriend something you think he'll like and he's not even going to show up. I spent a lot of time the last couple of years buying people music I thought they would like, but i've seen a couple of cd's I bought over the last couple of years still in the cellophane. Merry Christmas!
San Antonio's hyper-prolific artist/singer/songwriter, Chris Taylor returns to the show for episode 551! Chris put out three albums in 2016, the electronic, Re: Imagine, the gorgeous double-album, Never Ending Now and the politically infused, USBlues. Three fantastic albums! You can find all of his albums and his amazing artwork at christaylorworld.com. Chris and i met up at Sam's Burger Joint Music Hall before my gig in San Antonio a couple of weeks ago. We have a great conversaion about what drove Chris to make 3 albums this year, playing with his band, fighting fear with art, what the election year means to him and much, much more. I hope you enjoy our conversation. I did. Let's get down!
 
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 544: David Halley / Nomad City Stops By

Hello friends! I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and you're living that "Black Friday" dream. You know the dream, the one where you don't have to be with your crazy family anymore and there are tons of leftovers that you can eat cold, right out of the fridge. The people you're tired of hanging out with are the kind of people that go shopping on "Black Friday", so you're happy they're gone. Hey! If you're in Houston tonight, Friday, Novermber 25th, SKYROCKET! is playing at Fitzgerald's! Come out and say hi. Also, it's a fabulous escape from your family. 
 
My guest for episode 544 is legendary singer/songwriter, David Halley. David has a new album coming out, A Month Of Somedays on December 6th. A Month Of Somedays is David's first album since the classic, Stray Dog Talk over 20 years ago. He's playing a record release show here in Austin next Saturday December 3rd at 9:30 pm at The Townsend. David and i have a great conversation about what he's been up to for the last 20 years, working on A Month Of Somedays with Will Sexton and J.D. Foster, fatherhood and much, much more. I love David Halley and his music. It was a real treat to get to talk to him. Plus, Brit and Ray from Nomad City stop by and talk about their e.p. release show next Thursday, December 1st at The Mohawk. Big show. Good times. Let's get down! 
 
ciao! -jg