The Musician's Guide To Everything

Head slammin. Feet shakin. That's how you do it. Meliza Jackson plays guitar for the Darts (US) and is having a blast doing it. Their new album is on Jello Biafra's Alternative Tentacles label and is on the verge of release into the wild. Come on in for a lively discussion about life on the road and making shit happen in the music biz.

The more you look, the more you love. There is a mountain to discover where this man is involved. An influential writer, creative director of Hello Merch, overseer of the world of WASTOIDS, neck deep in Aquarium Drunkard and Transmissions, and pushing great music on Range and Basin. Look them all up. You'll like them. He's also a musician under the moniker JPW with a recent solo release called Something Happening/Always Happening on Fort Lowell Records. And he's in the band Kitimoto taboot. Damn. Drop in for a wide ranging chat with this stalwart of the desert cultural experience.

Instruments to drool over. Fantasize about. Lust after. Stephen Stratton has been building stringed instruments since graduating from the Roberto-Venn School of Lutherie in Phoenix in 1998. He now creates playable works of art from his shop in the Sacremento Mountains of New Mexico. Stephen stopped by the Goldwater Building to chat about, you guessed it, guitars, as well as the life and times of this remarkable craftsman.

Billy Bob Thornton and J.D. Andrew came through town again with their band The Boxmasters. And being the generous chaps that they are, gave us an invite to come hang out on their tour bus for a bit and get the lowdown on their current adventures.

He's a busy man, but we finally got him! Jim Bachmann is a wizard of words and an Americana master with his signature "good timing Stonerbilly" sound and a presence of wisdom and authenticity. He's been making music solo and and along with his band The Day Drinkers for over a decade now and is still making the rounds. From playing "professional busker" gigs on a sidewalk downtown to opening for Billy Joe Shaver, Whitey Morgan and the 78's, Dallas Moore, Shinyribs, Reckless Kelly, The SteelDrivers, Ramsay Midwood, Mike and the Moonpies, Jeremy Pinnell, Paul Cauthen and more he's been grinding it out with the best of 'em. Settle in and enjoy this warm conversation with a lovely man and a great hang!

He’s a prolific songwriter, an alt-country pioneer, a damn good talker and a fountain of thoughtful insight about music, touring, and keeping a band together for over 30 years. He’s the primary songwriter for the Old 97’s with 12 studio albums and a long list of song placements in movies and TV shows. He has also released 7 solo albums in his spare time. On top of all that, he’s got a damn good podcast of his own called “Wheels Off” about the messy reality of living a creative life. And the list of guests is indeed impressive. We caught up with Rhett on the tour bus after the Old 97’s sound check for their Phoenix show as they tour the US and later head over to Europe. Come on in and enjoy this thoughtful conversation with an artist that has truly stood the test of time and is still going strong.

He’s a writer of songs. He’s a player of guitars. He’s the winner of a multitude of songwriting competitions and is a regular performer at a long list of venues all over the southwest and beyond. From the bars, to the coffee shops to the theaters and festival stages he’s been pouring out his special blend of bluesy folk for the last 20 some odd years. To know him is to love him and he’s right here laying out his warm, thoughtful, hilarious insights into songwriting, touring, family and making it all work. Come on in a share some laughs and some great experiences with one of the valley’s musical treasures.

Brace yourself! Pastor Carl Wiman is about to preach! He’s the head of a little church out in Whitman, AZ and is always bringing music to the people and giving whole heartedly to his community both locally and abroad. He started playing in bands when he was 12 years old at the Moose Lodge in Ajo, Arizona which started him on a path of musical pursuit which took him to making records, producing radio shows, and combining church services with pro wrestling matches! He’s a barrel of laughs and a geyser of great stories so grab a download and prepare yourself for a great time with this lovely, talented, big-hearted man!

Ali Hedrick has been booking bands since the 90’s and has the experiences and stories we all wish we could have been there for. From interning at Touch and Go Records to starting one of the largest independent booking agencies in the country she has been working hard to get your favorite bands into the places where they can blow you away with their performances. She has worked with an impressive roster of bands. From Nick Cave to Mumford and Sons to Bon Iver to Death Cab for Cutie to Arcade Fire she has provided the essential support that these acts need to grow their audiences and realize their full potential. She’s also a joy to hang out with and a great story teller, so grab a download and prepare to be both wildly entertained and educated about the life and business of booking.

Magnificent solo artist and, of course, front man for The Wallflowers, Jacob Dylan is one of the greats. Grammy’s, mega-hits, quadruple-platinum, all of that. But it didn’t come easy. Jacob had to grind it out in the clubs and had frustrating record label problems like so many other musicians. But the greatness of his songwriting prevailed and the body of work speaks for itself. We snuck onto the tour bus while The Wallflowers were playing in Tempe, AZ and grabbed a quick but intense conversation with this hard-touring, hard-working songwriter and musician thriving in his element. You gotta hear this.

At 15 he was playing in bars. By 25 he was writing huge hits as a member of the Gin Blossoms. And 30 plus years later he's still writing great songs and conjuring great sounds as a solo artist, collaborator, session player, producer and composer for TV and film. He's pretty much done it all and he was nice enough to stop by and tell us all about it. This is a lovely, warm, wide ranging conversation about life and the love of music so come immerse yourself in this magic.

They've threatened to do this for a while now. And it's on the verge of release! Jon and Blaine discuss the making of their fabulous new record and the great fortune that was showered upon them. Loads of heavy hitters showed up to contribute and the results are fantastic! Come on in and get the inside scoop on who's involved, where the songs came from and how this all came about.

This guy has pretty much done it all in the music business. For over 50 years he’s been a performing and recording musician and played all over North America, Europe, Africa, you name it. He’s released 17 albums and the list of great bands he has opened for is way too long to list here. He was the owner of the Sun Club in Tempe which was a big part of the scene that helped launch a number of huge bands. You want stories? Here they are. The good ones. Come on in and get a nice, healthy dose of knowledge and wisdom from one of the great musicians of our time.

Cofounder of Calexico, Joey Burns and long-time compatriot Sergio Mendoza stopped by for a warm chat about what's going on with this prolific band. With a unique blend of folk, indie rock, and Americana, and with great respect to the traditions of Mexico and South America, Calexico has become synonymous with the sound of the desert southwest. Decades in, they are still blooming with new material. Their most recent release, recorded in Tucson, AZ at Sergio Mendoza's home studio, continues the tradition, sounding as if it is floating from the windows to the streets of some narrow-walked Mexican town. We're talking recording, touring and plenty of other savory topics so come on in and give a listen.

Billy Bob Thornton has done an excellent job of not letting his acting, writing, and Academy Award winning get in the way of his music career. He’s been in bands since middle school and has made music a central part of his enviable life. J.D. has also been busy as an in-demand audio engineer and composer working with artists such as The Rolling Stones, The Pussycat Dolls and Will Kimbrough as well as contributing to various TV and film projects. Put these massive musical minds together and you get The Boxmasters. The accidental band that since 2007 has turned out about a dozen albums, toured with Willy Nelson, and played all over North America. The guys stopped by the studio for a casual chat before their sold out show at the Rhythm Room. When you get a few people like this in a room, you know there are going to be some outrageous things said. And that they are probably true. Don’t miss it.

What a story. What an inspiration. A young hockey player, from a long line of hockey players, excels to the point of being chosen to train for the Olympics. But he's also a killer musician and forms a band called Five Speed. This band is so good they get a major record label deal and record some albums. So the aspiring Olympian changes gears and tours the US with his band and they are on their way to superstardom. Things go south and the band gets dropped by the label. The band breaks up and it is time to change gears again. So he decides to combine his passions and go to work helping people with intellectual disabilities by getting them involved in things to get them out of their shells and into the world. One Step Beyond is the organization and Jared is a key component of their effort to enrich peoples lives with various programs from culinary training to life skills and of course music and hockey. Here is a great conversation with one of the good ones. Full of life and positivity and an avalanche of the attitude we should all strive for.

Pedal steel. The crying machine. Like flying a helicopter while standing in a hammock. A few brave souls have applied themselves to this mysterious instrument and mastered it's unique, voice-like sound. John Rickard is one of them. He's been obsessed with this contraption since he was a boy and has played with damn near every band that has ever utilized a pedal steel in their act. He's also an in-demand guitar tech and has traveled the world with numerous bands in that capacity. He's full of great stories and loves to laugh so come on in and enjoy this raucous hang-out with one of the greats.

She’s been on the front lines of the record store business for over 20 years and still loves the thrill of helping people find their new favorite band. She’s a huge part of the long-time taste-making record store Stinkweeds that has always been a well curated and super hip place to find your next musical listening adventure. No wading through piles of crusty Engelbert Humperdink records here. She’s also a damn fine bass player laying down the low end for bands including Fatigo, Pick and Holler, Snow Songs and The Sunpunchers. Lindsay stopped by for a very cool conversation about the up’s and downs of the music industry, art and commerce, and maybe a few ghost stories too.

Need some guitar work done? We know a guy. Brendan Dezember is one of those cool underground guitar guys that is good enough that word of mouth is all he needs to have a steady stream of repair work coming in. He's a graduate of the Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery and has been doing this important work for years. Super talented and humble in equal parts, he's a cool hang and great to talk with. We chat about running a business, being in a band and, of course, guitars, guitars, guitars.

Canadian martial artist, musician, Covid nurse, etc. You know the type. He's a songwriter, a lover of humanity, a giver of aid and a teacher of competitive physical interactions. Full of insights about a great many topics. We had a good time and a lot of laughs as well as some serious discussion of the state of the pandemic. Welcome to the show.