Episode 536: Craig Dorfman (Author of "Brighter Day: A Jellyfish Story")

Hello friends! I hope you all had a great weekend. Are you a fan of the band, Jellyfish? Do you ever wonder why they only released two albums (Bellybutton - 1991, Spilt Milk - 1993) and broke up? Do you ever wonder what ever happened to the members of the band? Well, for episode 536 I talk to Craig Dorfman, the man who wrote the book about Jellyfish. The book is called, "Brighter Day: A Jellyfish Story" Craig just picked up distribution last week, so it should make its way into some stores in the next few months, but for now you can get it the "Brighter Day: A Jellyfish Story" facebook page. I reached out to Craig and got a copy of the book. I absolutely loved it. Jellyfish is one of my favorite bands and it was great to hear the whole story told by the people that lived it and told in a single narrative that keeps you engaged the whole time. Craig and I have a great conversation about finding the dozens of people involved in the story and interviewing them and working on the book for over 7 years, his love of music and these guys and their life story and much, much more. I hope you enjoy getting to know Craig. I sure 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 523: Elijah Ford & The Bloom

Hello friends! I hope you all had a good weekend. I had a busy one. Thursday night I moderated a panel at The Austin Video Music Festival and afterwards met up with some friends and saw the great Eric Tessmer. Friday i headed to Houston to play a couple of shows with SKYROCKET! Saturday afternoon before my gig, I went to my little cousin's 5th birthday and hung out with my family and a lot of children and parents. Sunday, I came back to Austin and interviewed Nakia at The Soul of a Musician series. Long weekend.Good times.
My guests for episode 523 are Elijah Ford and Chris Konte from Elijah Ford & The Bloom! Their rocking new album, As You Were comes out this Friday, September 16th on Nine Mile Records. Elijah and and his uncle Chris came by last week and we had a great conversation about collaborating on writing and recording, making As You Were, the term, "youngcle", coming from a family of musicians, our love of the power pop band, Jellyfish, Project ATX6 and much, much more. It was great getting to hang out and getting to know these guys. I hope you enjoy our conversation. I sure did. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 519: Jonathan Fox Band

Hello friends! I hope you had a great weekend. I had a good one. Skyrocket played a couple of private shows in Houston. They were fun shows in bbq places, so i had a lot of bbq this weekend. I loved both dinners and we had a blast at both gigs. If you live in Austin or in the Hill Country, Skyrocket will be playing shows in both of these places this weekend. Friday, 9/2 at Cedar Street Courtyard in Austin and Saturday 9/3 at Mercer Street Dance Hall in Dripping Springs, TX. 
Jonathan Fox from Jonathan Fox Band is my guest for episode 519! Jonathan Fox Band has just released their 2nd album, Loverlust. Jonathan made this record in his studio apartment with his drummer and guitar player. We have a great conversation about growing up in the DFW area, being influenced by Blink 182 and John Mayer, making Loverlust in his apartment, the dating woes of the hopeless romantic and much, much more. You can find out when they're coming to a town near you by going to jonathanfoxband.com Have a great week. Let's get down!
Ciao! -jg

Episode 516: Free Kittens And Bread

Hello friends! I hope this episode find you well and and having a successful summer. It's been raining since Saturday here in Austin. It's been nice to get rid of the heat for a little bit, but the rain is a little much. Quick plug, Skyrocket, the band i'm in, is playing this weekend. Friday, August 9th, we'll be playing the new Hanovers 2.0 in the North Austin/Round Rock area. Saturday, August 20th, we'll be heading down to Houston to play The Continental Club. find out more details at skyrockettheband.com
My guests for episode 516 are Austin punk/pop band, Free Kittens And Bread! Their brilliant new album, American Miserablist was released recently and they just got off of a tour of the US. Their single, "Brainless" already has over 35,000 plays on spotify. (i accidentally said "35 plays" in the intro, but i meant 35,000. sorry guys.) Chase Spruiell and Mark Hawley came by and we had a great conversation about combining punk music, folk music and power pop to create their sound, meeting in film school at St. Edwards, playing house parties on tour vs. clubs, the genius of Steve Poltz, touring the US and much, much more! I hope you enjoy getting to know these guys. 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 512: Those Poor Serfs / The Eric Bee

hello friends. i hope this episode finds you 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.
episode 512 is a double-header featuring two new austin bands, the soul-infused americana band, those poor serfs and garage-rockers, the eric bee! first up, those poor serfs frontman, derek kinsaul stops by and we have a great conversation about working with the afore mentioned, george reiff on their new e.p., city view. if you live in austin, you can see those poor serfs tonight, friday, august 5th at lambert's. go to thosepoorserfs.com to get their music and find out where they're playing next. the second part of this double-header is eric bee from the band, the eric bee! their brilliant, new self-titled album recorded live in just two days at public hi-fi studios is available now! see them live in austin on saturday, august 20th at the one-2-one bar. find their music and show schedule at theericbee.com i hope you enjoy getting to know these two new bands. don't forget to get get out and support local music where ever you are! 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

Episode 488: John Evans

hello friends! i hope you're al doing well. i had a great weekend of gigs with skyrocket. i got to have mother's day brunch with my girlfriend, her sister and her grandmother on sunday. i ended up taking a 4 hour nap after brunch. i've been digging riding around in my new car. it's working out great! i spent my travel time this weekend listening to the audiobook of "under the big black sun: a personal history of l.a. punk" by john doe with tom desavia and a host of others from the first generation of l.a. punk scene including jane wiedlin and charlotte caffey from the gogo's, mike watt, henry rollins and a bunch more. getting to hear everyone tell their own story makes you feel like you're there. great book. anyway, i'm about to talk to co-author, tom desavia via skype for the show. look for that on friday.
my guest for episode 488 is songwriter/producer/frontman/sideman/band member and one of the coolest most talented guys i know, john evans! his brilliant new album, polyester comes out THIS friday, may 13th. he's also having a couple of release shows this weekend, friday, may 13th at the continental club in austin and saturday, may 14th at raven tower in houston. go to johnevansband.com to find out how to get all of his albums and find out when he'll in a town near you. john came by a few weeks ago and we had a great conversation about picking up the pieces of a shattered heart after losing his daughter, the magic of prince, making polyester, touring with el trio grande, what he does as a producer, the fact that i probably saw his band play "i love rock n roll" when we were in jr high together and much, much more. john is a great hang and a phenomenal talent. i hope enjoy getting to know him as much as i did. let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 478: Wonderbitch Returns!

hello friends! i hope you're all doing well and enjoying the spring. i am. i was in las vegas this weekend playing a show with skyrocket. i don't get all vegas-y. i didn't gamble, i only had two drinks and i didn't freaky deaky with any prostitutes. a guy asked me if i was looking for "party favors"  while i was walking through the casino at my hotel. so at least i still look like i party even though i was just a nerd heading to his hotel room to do his podcast intro. quick plug. i'm playing some songs tomorrow with the bluebonnets at the townsend here in austin for my friend steven's birthday show. should be a good time.
my guests for episode 478 are austin's psychedelic, 80's dance band, wonderbitch! wonderbitch was on the show a few months ago when they were the austin music foundation's band of the month. now they're back with the worlds premier of their new single, "miracle drive" which drops later this week but you can hear it first on this show. they having a single release show saturday, april 9th here in austin at swan dive. you can find out where they're playing and hear their music by going to wonderbitch.com. we have a great conversation about recording their new song, "miracle drive", social media and how to "michael bay" your career, redefining their sound, finding the best 80's synth sounds and much, much more. i had a great time talking to these guys again. dig it! let's get down!
ciao! -jg