how did i get here?

Episode 398: Lemonade - Hanging Out With The Gang At WERD When The Scheduled Guests Cancel.

hello friends! i hope you're all doing well. i am running around trying to close down shop at my ex's place (where i've been staying for the last 7 days), get my shit together for my skyrocket show tonight while packing and getting my affairs in order before zuri and i leave for a mini-vacation to the beach with my family. the summer beach house vacation to galveston, tx has been a tradition in my family for over 30 years. zuri and i got to go last summer for a few days and had a blast. i'm looking forward to it. i've been getting everything squared away for episode 400. next wednesday, july 29th from 8-10 pm at the townsend in austin, tx. my guests will be aj vallejo, jazz mills, suzanna choffel, nakia and cocktail guru, justin elliott! justin will be presenting some of his cocktail creations including a new drink called "how did i get here?". come on out and celebrate 400 episodes with us! here's the facebook invite with all of he info. hope to see you there!so, i had the werd podcast studio and "juan, the engineer" booked for a podcast recording with a band i really like. well, they canceled 5 minutes before we were supposed to start. juan and i were already working on stuff for the show, so when they canceled, juan and i decided to carry on. i had booked the time. i needed a show. so,we walked the halls of the werd company asking everyone if they wanted to come talk to us. we were joined by joel, drew and ali and the 5 of us had a great conversation about all kinds of stuff. i want to thank everyone for being such great sports and helping me make lemonade. i had a great time shooting the shit with these guys. i bet you will too. let's get down!ciao! -jg

Episode 397: Phranchyze Returns!

hello friends! i hope you're not worried about being one of the 37,000,000 people about to be exposed as adulterers through their affiliation with ashleymadison.com. i'm doing well. i'm still staying at my ex's house, dog sitting while she's away. the dogs and i have been having fun. i've posted some photos of our adventures on the "how did i get here?" facebook page. if you haven't "liked" it yet, please be sure you do. you'll get updates and pictures from me about he show and my own adventures. also, you'll get updates on our 400th episode live podcast next week! that's right! we;re having a live podcast/party for episode 400. it takes place next wednesday, july 29th from 8-10 pm at the townsend right here in austin, tx. my guests will be aj vallejo, jazz mills, nakia, suzanna choffel and cocktail guru, justin elliott. there is no cover for this event. come out and celebrate 400 episodes!!!my guest for episode 397 is austin bred rapper, phranchyze! his new mixtape, "the anime tape" is out now along with his various other releases. you can find out all you need to know at www.phranchyze.com. he's featured on the bill of the upcoming weird city hip hop festival in september at empire garage and control room. phranchyze was on a couple of years ago and got his journey from battle rapper to opening for snoop, rakim and many, many more. this time around, phranchyze is married, we talk about religion, politics, the austin music scene, representing austin, the magic of "hennessy and horchata", superheroes and much, much more. i always have a great time talking to phranchyze. i'm sure you will too. let's get down!ciao! -jg

Episode 396: Wonderbitch

hello friends! i hope you're all doing well. things are good here. i have shared custody of my dogs with my ex and she's leaving town today and i'm going to stay with my dogs for a whole week. i love it. i miss living with them, so this is a nice treat. i have to go in for a follow-up post-op appointment at the dentist. i'm pretty sure it'll all be fine. it feels fine. i have a big announcement. as you know, we are closing in on episode 400 and we're going to celebrate by having a live podcast recording! it will take place wednesday, july 29th from 8-10 pm at the townsend. my guests will be aj vallejo, suzanna choffel, jazz mills, nakia and justin elliott! here's a link to the facebook event page. if you live in austin, come celebrate with us.my guest for episode 396 is alex chod from the disco/psych/prog band, wonderbitch! i first heard about them from matt and lauren from solstice festival. so, i looked them up and was blown away by their ability to cross the lines of prog and dance pop. alex and i have a great conversation about everything college in indiana, expensive chords, the subtle magic of the DX7, how to be prog but not too prog, making "playing keyboards" sexy, finding like-minded bandmates, i learn what y.o.l.o. means, über driving and much, much more! their new single, "josanna" is available online now! i had a great time getting to know alex. i'm sure will too. let's get down!ciao! -jg

Episode 395: The Octopus Project

hello friends! i hope this episode finds you running in slow-motion on a gorgeous summer day through a field of golden wheat into the arms of your lover. i'm doing well. i am getting ready to leave to orlando and play with skyrocket tonight. i'm still recovering from my oral surgery i had on friday. long story, i'll fill you all in on this friday's show. today's show is a special show for me because i went to the werd company podcast studios to try out recording a show in a studio outside of my apartment. well, it was a tremendous success! engineer, juan alsina, (who you'll get to know in the show) did a fabulous job of recording the show and everyone there was totally top-notch, pro. click on the link above if you're looking to find a place to record a podcast. their rates are totally reasonable and i think the show sounds better than ever. thank you, werd!my guests for episode 395 is one of austin's most innovative, creative and musically brilliant exports, the octopus project! their score for the film, kumiko: the treasure hunter comes out this week on vinyl. the movie is amazing and the score is absolutely gorgeous. if you're not a vinyl person, you can find it and all of their other releases on itunes, spotify and by going to their website,  theoctopusproject.com. you can also find their wealth of videos and other content including handmade, stuffed animals. i had a blast sitting down and getting to know this hyper-creative trio and talking to them about everything, keeping a band together for 16 and staying fresh and relevant, creating visual art including videos, one-of-a-kind merchandise, being a couple in a band, the theremin, finding chords that make you cry, how juan the engineer won a scavenger hunt that included the band, scoring films and much, much more. toto, yvonne and josh are three of the nicest people you'd ever want to meet. they also make amazing music and art. i hope you enjoy getting to know the octopus project. i sure did. let's get down!ciao! -jg

Episode 394: Migrant Kids

hello friends! i hope you're all out there walking on sunshine this summer. i'm good... well, not good. i'm anxious because i have to go to the dentist today to have tooth pulled and to put in an implant post. sounds freaky, right? jeez. it stresses me out to be out of it and in pain and just confined to my apartment. all of those thoughts give me anxiety. hopefully, it won't be bad. i'm no stranger to the dentist, but i still get psyched out by that shit. at least they're nice. wish me luck.my guests for episode 394 are dream pop, shoe-gazer, rock trio, migrant kids! they've just put out a new single, "thread", produced by bright light social hour they're incredibly cool guys who make really beautiful and powerful music. they stopped by a couple of weeks ago and we had a great chat about their sound, how they make music as a trio, playing bass and drums at the same time, not forgetting where you and your people came from, working with bright light social hour and much, much more. i had a great time getting to know migrant kid, i'm sure you will too. let's get down! ciao! -jg

Episode 393: Billy Harvey #3

hello friends! i hope you're all getting it back together after the 4th of july weekend of insanity. i had a great weekend. i got to play a lot. i played on thursday at the grand opening of the townsend, a new club in downtown austin. i played some songs by myself then i had today's guest, billy harvey sit in on some songs and i played with the bluebonnets. great time. then friday i played at stubb's with amy edwards and i got to play some songs with the bluebonnets again. look for our new band which we've renamed, ladyband johnson. then sunday, night i played at the william harries graham guitar pull at the continental club gallery with william, noelle hampton and nathan hamilton. great time was had by all. my guest for episode 393 is the amazing billy harvey! billy has a gorgeous new album the comes out this friday, july 10th, called, dear danger. dear danger is my favorite album so far this year. billy is an incredible songwriter that just keeps surprising you with his amazing depth both musically and lyrically. this is billy's third time on the show. on this episode we cover some different topics than before, reading glasses, kickstarter rewards, getting over bullshit as you get older, touring with patty griffin, his new album, what to do with your anger, dear danger and where it came from and much, much more. he's one of the deepest, most talented and funniest people i know and i love him. i hope you enjoy this conversation as much as i did. let's get down! ciao! -jg

Episode 392: KNIFIGHT / Catching up with Austin Music Foundation

hello friends! i hope this holiday weekend finds you rocking out on some body of water with a cocktail in one hand and a sparkler in the other. i'm well. i'm playing guitar tonight with my friend, amy edwards and then i'll be sitting in on some songs with the bluebonnets. this all goes down tonight, july 3rd at stubbs in austin, tx. cautiontape is also on the bill. good times! i'm looking forward to enjoying my 4th of july at my pool. i might even go buy a float with drink holders. happy 4th of july!!!my guests for episode 392 are austin synth-rock band, knifight! knifight is the austin music foundation's band of the month for july. so i went down to the amf and met these guys in the conference room and we talk about everything, screaming at the audience at the punk clubs of tyler, tx, finding depeche mode and new order, which version of "blade runner" is the best, the making of their new album, V and much, much more. great guys. great conversation. plus, i sit down and catch up with alex and jen from the austin music foundation and they explain their function and role in the community as well as all of the events they have planned for the summer. check it out, austinmusicfoundation.org have a fabulous 4th of july! stay safe. let's get down!ciao! -jg

Episode 391: Ali Holder

hello friends! i hope this episode finds you getting ready for the 4th of july by eating as many hot dogs and as much apple pie as you can without dying. also, fireworks. i am coming to you from my apartment whee i am frantically trying to prepare for tonight's taping of "cooking/drinking with johnny & a.j.", the cooking webseries that i co-host with a.j. vallejo. it's a good time, but i've been out of town for a few days playing shows and my place is a mess. i have to get it cleaned up before i mess it up again cooking with aj and the yanez sisters... check the "how did i get here?" facebook page for photos and an update when the show comes out. in fact go to  how did i get here on facebook and "like" it if you haven't. there's all kinds of stuff on there. get involved then let's get down!my guest for episode 391 is singer/songwriter, ali holder! ali came over a while back and we got to have an incredible conversation about her journey both personally and musically from small town texas to becoming a real musical force here in the austin scene. she is currently in oxford, mississippi recodring the follow-up to her brilliant, debut album, in preparation for saturn's return. the new album is due out this september. you can find out all about ali and her music at aliholder.com i want to thank ali for being so candid during our conversation. i know it made her a bit uneasy, but that's what makes her so cool. i hope enjoy getting to know ali. i sure did. let's get down!ciao! -jg

Episode 390: Kalu James Returns!

hello friends! i hope you are living life like an angel of love and happiness. i am well. i am working on some guitar stuff for a gig i'm playing next friday with amy edwards. it's really fun to just play electric guitar and be loud and not even have to sing. i'm looking forward to it. also, i wanted to let you guys know that i'll be playing some songs with the bluebonnets next thursday at the grand opening for the townsend which is a new, swanky club opening here in austin. also, while we're on the subject of gigs.. i'm playing song swap with william harries graham on sunday, july 5th at the continental club gallery. come out and say hi!my guest for episode 390 is talented singer/songwriter, kalu james! this is kalu's second time on the show. he's had a couple of life changing years since he was last on the show a couple of years ago. i saw him play a month or so ago and was reminded what a great artist he is and what a genuine and nice person he is. so, we did it again. we have a great conversation about, the magic in the continental club gallery, becoming the man of the family, re-prioritizing life, writing songs about nothing, über adventures, american racism, a live album in the can and much, much more! i want to thank kalu for coming in and being so honest and real about where he is in his life. kalu is a great artist and a great guy. i hope you enjoy our conversation. i did. let's get down! ciao! -jg

Episode 389: Bantam Foxes / Suzanne Monroe

hello friends! i hope your summer is shaping up to be the best summer ever. i'm doing well. it's been so humid, i can't stand it. i played a couple of outdoor shows last week with skyrocket and it was gross. i think i sweated about a gallon. i got to go to the solstice festival on saturday. that was a lot of fun. sadly, it got rained out late in the afternoon, but while it was happening, it was a blast. those guys have a great thing going on. my guests for episode 389 are new orleans rock trio, bantam foxes! these guys stopped by one morning a couple of weeks ago on their way back home. they're a great band and fantastic dudes. you can find their music and tour schedule and more at bantamfoxes.com we had breakfast tacos and a fun and informative conversation about loyola university, music business school, making music in new orleans, day jobs, twins, analogies galore, staying in the black on the road, hick versions of bowie and arctic monkeys, releasing singles and much, much more! i hope you enjoy getting to know them as much i as i did. plus, suzanne monroe stopes by to talk about her new album, face to the mirror, and her release show next tuesday, june 30th here in austin. let's get down!ciao! -jg