how did i get here?

Episode 625: Ray Prim / Reenie Harwood Collins Stops By To Talk About HAAM Day!

My old pal, singer/songwriter, Ray Prim returns to the show for episode 625! His amazing new album, To Whom It May Concern drops next Friday, September 15th and he's celebrating with a release show that same night at The North Door here in Austin. Go to rayprim.com for ticket and album info. Ray and I have a great conversation about making To Whom It May Concern with co-producer, Omar Vallejo, winning a Black Fret grant and what he did with the money, relearning guitar after shoulder sugery, he tries to sell me on "Game of Thrones" and much, much more! It's always a great chat with with this talented and hilarious dude. Plus, Reenie Harwood Collins stops by to talk about HAAM Day (Tuesday, 9/12) and all things HAAM. Go to myhaam.org for a listing of music, venues and participating businesses. 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 623: Curse Mackey / Louie Carr Stops By Between Rescue Trips To Houston

Hello friends! Hurricane Harvey has really laid some destruction on our fair state. Over 38,000 people are in shelters and the time to help is now. This page on texasmonthly.com shows you the many ways you can help those in need. Speaking of which, my friend, Louie Carr stopped by after his first trip to Houston. Louie and his partners at BMUSED Imaging bought a boat, grabbed an R.V. and headed to Houston to rescue people from their flooded streets and homes. It's an extremely intense scenme down there as Louie tells us. Also, he let's us know what the most needed spplies are. Louie is a real hero among many others who have come to the aid of these people in need.
Industrial rock hero, Curse Mackey is my guest on the show today! You might know Curse from his many musical projects including, PIGFACE, Evil Mothers, My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult, DJ and solo performances and even his latest project, Amorous. He's also a real art currator, he's published two books of art, he's the co-founder of Mosaic Sound Collective, he's composed and produced music for video games and much, much more. Find him at cursemackey.com Curse is a real artist and a great hang. I hope you enjoy getting to know him. I sure did. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 622: Caleb Elliott / Rain Perry Checks In "The Shopkeeper" Is Out Now!

Our thoughts and prayers are with our fellow Texans affected by Hurricane Harvey. If you're wondering how you can help, Texas Monthly has compiled a list of ways you can help Texasmonthly.com Help out now.
Muscle Shoals singer/songwriter/cellist, Caleb Elliott is my guest for episode 622! caleb stopped by last week when he was in town on tour. We have a great conversation about being a sideman and frontman, touring solo, the Muscle Shoals studio scene, growing up the son of a preacher, Natchitoches LA and much, much more. find Caleb at Calebelliott.com Plus, Rain Perry's brilliant new documentary, "The Shopkeeper" about my mentor, Mark Hallman, his studio, The Congres House and the changing music business is out now! Find it at shopkeepermovie.com Rain checks in via Skype to talk about making "The Shopkeeper" and more. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 621: Cowboy Diplomacy

Hello friends! I hope you're all doing well. Ian Cochran and Matt Leslie from Cowboy Diplomacy are my guests for episode 621! Their debut album, It's No Alibi comes out today, Friday August 25th. The album was produced by Eric Harrison and mastered by the legendary Howie Weinberg (Wilco, Spoon). Cowboy Diplomacy has only been around for a year, but in that year they've been runner-up for "Best New Band" in The Austin Chronicle Music Awards, nominated for a Black Fret grant, garnered a big following through their residency at The Black Heart and much more. Find out how to get their album, when they're playing next and more by going to cowboydiplomacymusic.com I had a great time getting to know Ian and Matt. I'm sure you will too. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 620: The Mrs / Charlie Faye Stops By!

Hello friends! I hope you all had a good total eclipse of the sun yesterday. I did. The Mrs are my guests on the show today! In 2009, Andra Liemandt and Jenny Mason picked up musical instruments and decided to start a band with the idea of making music to help women see themselves in a more positive light. 8 years later they've been featured in People Magazine, CBS News, Fox News, Billboard Magazine, their "Magic Mirror" video has over 5 million plays, their single "I'm Enough" charted in Billboard's "Hot A.C." chart, they've opened for some of the biggest bands you know, Their self-titled debut album is out now and the second single, "Somewhere To Go" is just coming out of the gates. These women are bringing a message of empowerment, understanding and love in a time when the world needs it most. I had an amazing conversation with Andra, Jenny and their bandmates, Larissa Ness and Mandy Prater. I hope you enjoy it. I sure did. Find tourdates, music and videos of The Mrs at themrs.com
Plus, Charlie Faye and the Fayettes are about to go into the studio to record their second album and they'd like your help. Charlie stopped by last week and told me all about their new Pledgemusic campaign with lots of incentives, special updates and video content available only to donors. Go to Charlie Faye and the Fayettes PledgeMusic Campaign  for more info. Let's get down!

Episode 619: Wiretree Returns!

Hello friends! Kevin Peroni from indie pop band, Wiretree returns to the show today! Their newest album, the incredible Towards The Sky is out now. Wiretree will be playing at the 37th annual Pecan Street Festival  on Saturday, September 23rd at 2 pm on the Neches stage. Go to Pecanstreetfestival.org to find out who all is playing that weekend. Go to wiretreemusic.com to find out how to get Towards The Sky and find out when and where they're playing. Kevin and I have a great conversation about making Towards The Sky, dealing with the loss of a parent, being a parent, playing shows in China, we try to figure what "pop music" is and much, much more. I love talking to Kevin. He's an extremely talented and and an all around good guy. Enjoy our conversation. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 618: Quiet Company's Taylor Muse & Producer, Frenchie Smith

Hello friends! I hope you all had a great weekend. Quiet Company has a gorgeous new e.p., Your Husband The Ghost, dropping this Friday, August 18th! Quiet Company's Taylor Muse and Your Husband The Ghost producer, Frenchie Smith are my guests on the show today! This is the band's second e.p. released this year. The brilliant, 3-song, It's Not Attractive And It Changes Nothing came out in March. You can find their music, release show show dates and all things Quiet Company at quietcompanymusic.com. Taylor and Frenchie have both been on the show several times and are both really good friends of mine, so it was a treat to sit down and talk all things, Your Husband The Ghost, the trouble with meeting your idols, recording intimate vocals in an intimate environment, ugly-crying while writing sad songs about divorce, out love for Buttercup and Joe Reyes and much, much more! I think the world of both of these guys as artists and people and I hope you enjoy our conversation. I sure did. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 617: Celebrating 6 Years of "How Did I Get Here?"

Hello friends! Welcome to episode 617! Six years ago today, August 10, 2011, I released episode 1 of "How Did I Get Here?" with my guest, Suzanna Choffel. I thought it would be nice to put together a clip show of some of conversations I've gotten to have with people I love and admire over the last six years. Frank Turner (ep. 430 -10/30/15) talks about the coreleation between the punk and folk ethos, Kathy Valentine (ep. 18 -10/22/11) tells her story about joining The GoGo's, Hunt Sales (ep. 88 -7/29/12) discusses the ups and downs of an illustrious career, Angelo Moore (ep. 261 -4/4/14) on how he fell in love with the Theremin, A Giant Dog (ep. 330 -11/27/14) on Sweet Spirit and how they came together, Bruce Sudano (ep. 477 -4/1/16) on the transition out of disco into pop and singer/songwriter music, Penelope Spheeris (ep. 407 -8/12/15) on why Paul Stanley was in bed with so many girls when she interviewed him for "The Decline of Western Civilization Part 2: The Metal Years", David Grissom (ep. 89 -7/27/12) being onstage with The Dixie Chicks in London in 2003 when Natalie Maines made the George Bush comment, John Bush (ep. 314 -10/6/14) on meeting Edie Brickell and starting The New Bohemians, AJ Vallejo (ep. 600 -6/13/17) AJ gets naughty at a live podcast with Nakia, Jaimee Harris and Jane Ellen Bryant. I want to thank all of the guests who have been on the show and all the publicists, managers and friends who help me get folks on the show. Mostly, I want to thank YOU for listening. Thanks for a great six years. I'm looking forward to the next few years and all the conversations I'll have. Have a great weekend. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg

Episode 615: Löwin Returns Again!

Hello friends! My guests for episode 615 are Sara Houser and Michael Sanders from the band, Löwin! Sara has been on the show a few times over the years, but they've taken a step back from playing every show they can and started focusing on releasing a string of singles as they define and redifine who they are as a band. The latest in that group is the brilliant summer single, "Sloop", a poppier offering which follows on the heels of the more rock feeling, "Say Say". Both are great songs and both explore the depth of a band that's always growing and always reaching for something more. You can find all things Löwin at lowinband.com. I have a great conversation with Sara and Michael about everything from the band's songwriting and recording process, to the story about Michael getting robbed and shot on his way home from a show during SXSW a few months ago. I really loved getting to know Sara and Michael. I'm sure you will too. Let's get down!
ciao! -jg