Episode 172: Live at Saxon Pub w/ Edison Chair and David Cotton!

hello friends! i hope life is treating you well. my guests for episode 172 are the band, edison chair and austin treasure, david cotton. this was recorded earlier this week at the saxon pub in austin, tx. edison chair has just released a new e.p. produced by matt novesky (blue october), they've changed some members and added some girls. i was joined by founding members, martin aker, wes armstrong and will bryant. we talk about how they got together and why, "secret asian man" , girls, power pop and much more. first up, i'm joined on stage by david cotton. david and i have worked together and been friends for 20 years. we talk about the rooms he books, bill hicks, the houston comedy scene and more! i would like to thank everyone who came out. the audience was very, very cool. also, thanks to the saxon for having us and jay thomas for recording it. i hope you enjoy this episode. i did!
ciao! -jg

Episode 164: Robyn Ludwick

our thoughts and prayers this week are with our friends in boston, ma and west, tx.
hello friends! i hope you are all doing well. it's been a pretty intense week. tomorrow is 4/20.. they're having a reggae festival tomorrow here in austin. that seems pretty apropos for austin. there's actually a slogan, "keep austin weird". hey man. i get it. but if you have to focus on that, how weird are you gonna be? what kind of worthwhile weirdness is forced and premeditated? "hey everyone! before you leave the house, don't forget to be weird. check your clothes. how weird do you look?" maybe they should make the cops wear tie-dyed uniforms. make the city council wear those weird wigs. half of the town already has zz-top beards or wax mustaches. isn't that weird enough? also, i think i'm naturally pretty weird. i'd actually like to be more normal.
my guest for episode 164 is singer/songwriter extraordinaire, robyn ludwick! robyn has been a critically acclaimed artist since since the release of her first album just under a decade ago. her last album, "out of these blues" was in the top 10 of most texas top tens... produced by gurf morlix (our guest on episode 123 ) and featuring a slew of great guests including my SKYROCKET! bandmate, trish murphy. anyway, she just went back into the studio with gurf and she took some time to stop by the apartment and have a chat. we talked about her triumphant journey. from her humble beginnings as a poor kid in bandera, tx, growing up the little sister of texas music legends, charlie and bruce robison, marrying young, working in bars, going to college, becoming an engineer, becoming and being a mom and finally, stepping out of the shadow of her family as a late-blooming, yet fully-formed songwriter. i had a great time getting to know robyn. i'm sure you will too. she has a great story.
ciao! -jg

Episode 161: Danny Crooks

hello my friends! i hope you're all feeling fantastic and loving the spring. i sure am. i had a great weekend of shows and good times with good friends. while we were in houston i had the chance to do a podcast with my friend, fellow podcaster and stand-up comic, rob mungle. look for that next week.   so, an all around fabulous weekend. hey! if you're interested and you live in austin or houston, SKYROCKET! will be playing some shows this week. you can find out where and when by going to skyrockettheband.com and checking the dates page.
my guest for episode 161 is my outspoken old friend and former club owner, danny crooks. danny was the was the owner of steamboat and the patriarch of a scene that was born out of his club. these bands included, breedlove, vallejo, bob schneider's various bands, sister 7, will sexton, billy white and many, many more. danny is retired from the club scene and taken his kingdom to a small town on the outskirts of austin. i went out to danny's place to sit down and chat about his life and document a specific scene that took place in austin in the 90's... and i was a part of it. my band, mr. rocket baby started our thursday night residency in may of 1993. so, we talk about his wild journey through the bar business and his life. i have a great affection for danny and i miss sitting around shooting the shit with him, so it was nice to hang out again. i hope you enjoy this conversation. i did.
ciao! -jg