Tony Scalzo and Miles Zuniga from Fastball Discuss Definitive Versions of Songs!

Hello friends! Welcome to a special episode of "How Did I Get Here?". A few months ago, Tony Scalzo and Miles Zuniga from Fastball were asked to record some comments about definitive versions of songs for a Spotify playlist. They invited me to be a part of that conversation and we kept a fun and unedited version for "How Did I Get Here?". So we did. We discuss songs like "You Really Got Me" and wether The Kinks' or Van Halen have the definitive version. We talk about other songs "Hallelujah", "How Can You Mend Broken Heart" and more. Fastball has had a great year. Their amazing new album, Step Into The Light has been doing really well and they've been on tour of the U.S. all summer. They'll be playing tomorrow night, Friday, December 1st at Antone's here in Austin. Find out when they're coming to a town near you by going to fastball.com I hope you enjoy our chat about music. Please let us know by leaving us a comment here or on our Facebook page.

Episode 636: Jonny 8 Track Returns!

Hello friends! Brittish drummer, singer/songwriter and front man, Jonny 8 Track returns to the show for episode 636! Jonny was on episode 115 way back in 2012 and has returned to the show via SKYPE after five years to catch up. In the last few years Jonny's spent 3 years behind the drums with Psychedelic gurus, Spritualized, he released a brilliant album, 8 Hours Work 8 Hours Sleep 8 Hours For What We Will, Chicken Ranch Records is releasing his back catalog, he just returned to the UK after playing a festival in India and much, much more. You can find all things Jonny 8 Track at jonny8track.com I hope you enjoy our conversation. I sure did. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 630: The History Department / Baby Island Checks In!

Hello friends! Jack Thornton and Matt Leslie from garage-rock/power-pop trio, The History Department are my guests for episode 630! Their brand new e.p., Alchemy is avaialble now on Bandcamp and will be available on all platforms next Tuesday, October 3rd. They're also playing a release show here in Austin at Cheer-up Charlie's on Tuesday, october 3rd. I had a great time talking to Matt and Jack about making Alchemy, Jack's work with Shivery Shakes, Matt's sobriety and what it brings to the band and much, much more. I had a great time hanging with these guys. I'm sure you will too. Plus, Eli Moore from Seattle WA area garage-pop band, Baby Island checks-in via Skype. Their brilliant new album, Break The Lease is out now. Find it on their Bandcamp page. Two great conversations on one show! Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 624: Joseph King & The Mad Crush

Hello friends! Things are still a mess on the Gulf Coast of Texas and cities like Houston, Beumont and others still need your help. People have really gone above and beyond for each other over the last week in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. Donate to The Salvation Army, The Red Cross and The Central Texas Food Bank HERE. Keep it up, they're going to need it for a while.
New York City singer/songwriter, raconteur and one of my best friends, Joseph King from Joseph King & The Mad Crush returns to the show! Their brilliant new e.p. I Miss Everything is available now. Joseph was doing a solo tour in Texas last week and stopped by the apartment to chat about his new band, I Miss Everything, what happens when your team breaks down prior to release, the secret meaning of "sofaplaya", connecting with your audience, his next recording peoject and much, much more. Joseph is a great artist and a great guy. I Miss Everything is his best work yet. Find music, show dates & more at josephkingmusic.com I hope you enjoy our conversation. I sure did. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg
 

Episode 599: Music From The Podcast

Hello friends! Welcome to episode 599 where I get to play D.J. and play some songs that I got turned on to by guests over the last hundred episodes. I also made a Spotify playlist with even more songs from the show. Check it out here, Spotify playlist Anyway, I hope you enjoy this Episode as much as I enjoyed making it. Here's the track listing...
1. Ty Richards - "Spaceman"
2. Sphynx - "Weekend"
3. Jane Ellen Bryant - "All In My Head"
4. The Midnight Stroll - "Heartbreak Bugaloo"
5. Echocentrics feat. Natalia Clavier - "Muerto En Vida"
6. Fastball - "I Will Never Let You Down"
7. The Mastersons - "Fight"
8. Magna Carda - "Angela Basset"
9. Daisy O'Connor - "Lightchasers"
10. Kady Rain - "Can't Save Us"
11. Walker Lukens - "Lifted"
12. Emily Bell - "Can't Talk Back"
13. Bonnie Whitmore - "Fuck With Sad Girls"
14. Leopold And His Fiction - "Cowboy"
15. Fragile Rock - I Am Sad ( And So Am I)
16. Ian Moore - "Strange Days"
17. Happy Meals - "Altered Images"
Let's get down!!!

Episode 585: Fastball

Hello friends! i hope his episode finds you all living the American dream. I'm good. I've spent the week doing podcasts, rehearsing with my drummer Joe Humel, rehearsing with SKYROCKET! and working with The Austin Music Foundation. You might wonder if I ever fuck anything up because some days, I do at least three of those things. The answer is yes. This week I deleted a podcast right after I recorded it with a band called, Girling. I was doing a lot of different things that day and I just got confused and turned off my machine without saving it. They're coming back next week and we're gonna redo it. I think I need a vacation. 
My guests for episode 585 are Tony Scalzo and Miles Zuniga from the pop band, Fastball! They're releasing theirsixth album, Step Into The Light on Friday, May 19th and they're going on tour all summer of the U.S. with Everclear and Vertical Horizon. You can find out if they're coming to a town near you by going to fastballtheband.com Tony and Miles and I have a great conversation about how they met and formed Fastball, getting signed by Hollywood Records, Keeping the original band together for six albums and for over 20 years, their friendship, disterous self-managing times, getting the Machine Gun Kelly and Camilla Cabelo's interpelation of the Fastball song "Out Of My Head" called, "Bad Things" and much, much more! I genuinely love these guys and their band. You will too after this show. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 584: Emily Bell Returns Again!

Hello friends! I hope you all had a great Easter weekend or a good Passover or just a great weekend. I had good weekend. I played a couple of shows with SKYROCKET!, went to Waco on easter Sunday and met my aunt and her partner at probably the worst Mexican restaurant in America. I used to eat at the ones in Houston when I was a kid and I loved them, but this one in Waco was "the suck". Anyway, I had a great day with those ladies. We drove around Waco, had some drinks at a pub and caught up. It was a nice Easter.
The amazingly talented and always entertaning, Emily Bell returns to the show today! Her firey new e.p. Kali comes out this Friday April, 21st and she is celebrating with a release show with her band, Emily Bell & The Talkbacks, at 3Ten Austin City Limits Live on Saturday, April 29th. Go to emilybell.com to find out how to get tickets. Emily and I always have a great time hanging out and chatting. We have a great conversation about working with your spouse, Losing her voice and the long journey of recovering it, her new band Emily Bell & the Talkbacks and much, much more! I hope you enjoy my conversation with brilliant artist. 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 546: Monte Warden

Hello friends! I hope you're all doing well. I am. I got to play at The "Eye Love Savannah" show that my friend Todd Wolfson put together on Monday at Monkey Nest. I was honored to be a part of the music, but even more, I was honored to be a part of my community. It's sad to have to get together because something unfortunate has happened to a memebr of our tribe, but it's amazing how quickly and how powerfully we come together as a community to lend support and raise money for our own. It was very moving to see and hug savannah for the first time since her accident and I'm very glad she's still in our lives. You can still donate to her gofundme page every bit makes a difference. 
Legendary singer/songwriter and frontman for Americana pioneers, The Wagoneers, Monte Warden! I played a show with Monte and his new band, Monte Warden and the Dangerous Few a few weeks ago and invited him to be on the show. I haven't seen him in the last 15 years or so and was pleasantly surprised to see how much music he's written for others including, Carrie Underwood and Goerge Strait and many more. We have a great conversation about how he discovered music, going from cease and desist orders with The Wagoneers to recording a new album and playing a residency, getting sober and why, the idea behiind the jazzy country of Monte Warden and the Dangerous Few, getting his song "Desperately" recorded by George Strait and much, much more. I hope you enjoy our conversation. I sure did. Let's get down!
 
Ciao! -JG

Episode 543: Scott Collins Project

Hello friends! I hope you're having a great time preparing for Thanksgiving. Hopefully you're not fighting with family about what happened in the election and after, deflate-gate, is "Saturday Night Live" still good and all that stuff. I'll be heading to Houston to see the family. Plus, SKYROCKET!'s playing Fitzgerald's in Houston on Friday. On Thanksgiving eve, we'll be playing at Don Strange Ranch in Boerne, TX. You can find out about both shows by going to skyrockettheband.com and looking up our tour dates. I hope you all have a very happy Thanksgiving. I'm Thankful for all of you. 
My guest for episode 543 is singer/songwriter/studio owner, Scott Collins from The Scott Collins Project! If you're listening to this the day it comes out, Tuesday, November 22nd, at The Mohawk here in Austin. Go to Scottcollinsproject.com to find out where they're playing and to get their e.p., Sleeper and more. Scott and I have a great conversation about working with the great Frenchy Smith and the legendary Hunt Sales, opening a new studio with world-famous engineer Chet Himes, his time living in his car and much, much more! I had a great time getting to know Scott. I'm sure you will too. Happy Thanksgiving!
 
ciao! -jg