Neworleansmusicians.com Podcast

David Trahan

Join us as we take a look behind the scenes with the independent musicians of New Orleans and surrounding areas in Louisiana. Learn about upcoming projects before they drop. Experience the rich heritage of iconic venues and get first had accounts of exclusive events. Musicians are remarkable people. Get to know them, their struggles, and the inspiration for their art. Neworleansmusicians.com is dedicated to uplifting the artists and providing them with the tools necessary to elevate their craft. We shine a spotlight on them, as well as highlight the music scene and educate everyone with our interviews, album reviews, and music scene news.

  1. Aug 8

    #95 Guitarist/ Vocalist Scott Guion

    Hey everybody, thanks so much for tuning in. Today I’ll be sitting down with guitarist and vocalist Scott Guion. For Scott, artists like John Denver and Barbara Streisan were the only types of music in his household growing up. You see Scott was a product of religion, so rock and roll just wasn’t tolerated. But when his older sister began to sneak in rock albums, previously unseen and unheard visual and audio mediums flipped a switch within Scott. Clarinet and saxophone were swapped out for a sought-after Stratocaster. In kind, the Beatles, Hendrix, and Led Zeppelin would lead him to KISS, AC/DC, and Motley Crüe. Exploring 80’s extreme music locally delivered members of heavy metal, punk, and thrash bands up close and personal. Scott would form metal/ punk hybrids like Cap’n Meathead and Rigid as three-piece New Orleans versions of bands that influenced him; Black Problem, Minute Men, Corrosion of Conformity, Black Flag, Fugazi, and Hüsker Dü.  Being a part of something not yet supported or popular, or mainstream, acted as both an obstacle and a unifying element. According to Scott, hindsight bears this obviously. But in the moment, the disconnect added to the struggle. New Orleans was and still is, honestly, a staunch supporter of trad jazz, funk, rhythm and blues, and nothing else. So, in the 80’s, local bands like Lump, Evil Nurse Sheila, and Burn Version were not punk for the sake of being punk. They were punk because they were on the fringe and different. Scott was oddball, a nerd, not fitting into any scene. But worshiping that Stratocaster meant he could share the stage with others drawn to the many facets of the underground scene.  Scott plays guitar and sings in a three-piece band named WILDCATS!, and plays bass in a three-piece band named Norco Lapalco. Which is set to record a full length album soon at Sound From Space Studio with two-time Grammy winner Chris Finney. Throughout the show, you will hear snips and descriptions of music from several current indie bands in Louisiana. Their links will be in the show notes. I do hope you enjoy the show!  https://neworleansmusicians.com Everstatic (Phantum Sun) https://neworleansmusicians.com/musician/301 Kepha Arcemont https://neworleansmusicians.com/musician/306 Hal Bradley https://neworleansmusicians.com/musician/295 Nounverber https://neworleansmusicians.com/musician/277 Bret Crooker (Bret Heart) https://neworleansmusicians.com/musician/264  Elevate your health and well-being. Shop Realmushrooms.com and support this show! Here’s 20% off just for our listeners.  https://shop.realmushrooms.com?ref=1494 Free trial for AI assisted editing with Opus Clip. Create viral short videos for social! OPUS CLIP: https://tolt.link/nom Donate to this show: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=83ZWJWHNRAYNU

    #95 Guitarist/ Vocalist Scott Guion
  2. Jul 17

    #95 Vocalist/ Multi-instrumentalist Dave Jordan

    Hello everyone and thanks so much for tuning in. Today I’ll be sitting down with Dave Jordan. Dave is a guitar player, songwriter, band leader, bass player, and singer.  He grew up in Mandeville, La., eventually settling in New Orleans. He is the anchor point for the Neighborhood Improvement Association. It’s what he calls an umbrella band that consists of a rotating roster of 50 or so members spread out across the country. This has allowed him to tour extensively without bearing the cost of room and board for a full band. He also plays solo and is in a trio called Almost Acoustic.  Growing up, church was his first exposure to music. And while he sang there and in school plays, being the youngest of several siblings meant the rock of the 70’s garnered the majority of his attention. While Dave didn’t actually pick up an instrument until he was about 18, things moved relatively quickly for him in retrospect. His college band, Hopper Grass was a hippy-esque jam band that blended the sounds of the Grateful Dead with the Meters, the Allman Brothers, and the like. Hopper Grass would morph into funk band Juice, where Dave would set down the acoustic for an electric bass. While playing a house party near Jazz Fest, a booking agent happened by and would eventually have Juice booked across the west. The momentum grew over the next 15 years, with Juice playing 180 dates a year for several years.  Amidst his life story, we explore several concepts like butterflies versus the rush before and during shows, how significant life events like death and divorce affect bands and members, and how marketing and authenticity can come into question for a band that is not genre-focused. We go on to speak about what kills a band, what breaks a band financially, and what strategies lead a band to success.   Dave Jordan has recorded and performed with a broad spectrum of musicians including Art Neville, George Porter, Joe Krown, and Anders Osbourne. He’s played main stage Jazz Fest several years, filled large venues in over 40 contiguous states, even venturing out into Maui and Alaska for shows.  There will be a link in the show notes to connect you with Dave, along with links to connecting you with ways to support this show. This can be directly through PayPal donations, or through our sponsors. Right now we have Opus Clip for video editing and Realmushrooms.com for health and lifestyle. Both of those included links will land you hefty discounts and perks while affording this show a small commission. And hey, if neither of those are a fit for you, it would mean so much to me if you would consider following the show. This tells the robot world we’re cool enough to show to more people. Thanks again for tuning in and I hope you enjoy!! DAVE JORDAN: https://www.davejordanmusic.net/ https://neworleansmusicians.com Elevate your health and well-being. Shop Realmushrooms.com and support this show! Here’s 20% off just for our listeners.  https://shop.realmushrooms.com?ref=1494 Free trial for AI assisted editing with Opus Clip. Create viral short videos for social! OPUS CLIP: https://tolt.link/nom Donate to this show: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=83ZWJWHNRAYNU

    #95 Vocalist/ Multi-instrumentalist Dave Jordan
  3. Jul 3

    #94 Multi-Instrumentalist/ Vocalist Ian Falgout

    For this episode, I traveled to Morgan City to speak with an international session and touring multi-instrumentalist and vocalist from Morgan City, Louisiana, Ian Falgout.  Ian took up music back in grade school on drums and baritone. From there through high school, he went back and forth between Morgan City and Santa Barbara, California. Settling in on drums, guitar, and vocals, he would eventually pass on music scholarships at Nicholls State, LSU and Ole Miss, choosing the west coast over the gulf coast as a base of operations.  He played in several garage bands while holding the position of percussion director at Carpenteria High School  Bars and open mics would give way to session work, and by 19 he was earning a living in studios as a hired gun. Back then, personality and presence opened many doors, as remote work was much less prevalent than today.  We speak about the tough trades that musicians in his position frequently navigate, like forgoing songwriting and publishing credits for experience and exposure.  He shares stories about challenging moments of workmanship and camaraderie working with Eric Burdon of The Animals and Lynn Straight of Snot.  We also discuss the tricky relationship between time spent as a hired gun for the money verses time spent on one’s own projects for the pursuit of something greater.  Ian’s own project back then was a band by the name of Windsor, which would eventually be signed to the Warped Tour and Mtv. This is again where presence and personality opened many doors.  On this same sentiment, we move into the sacrifices touring musicians make. He mentions what it’s like putting the key in his front door for the first time in ten months.  Over the years, experiences with interesting people and places have been Ian’s divining rod in leu of the dollar. And the unmistakable place in the pocket of a Louisiana man has kept him in demand.  Ian is a published BMI singer and songwriter, has appeared on Mtv, VH1, ABC and Fox, played with bands and members from Lynyrd Skynrd, Dr. John, Steppenwolf, Ugly Kid Joe, Talking Heads, Dire Straights and just so many other global names. His current band, Kit Shicker tours nationally and their recent single Louisiana Hearts is on streaming and radio internationally. So I thank you all for tuning in and I hope you enjoy!! https://www.facebook.com/iangroove https://neworleansmusicians.com Elevate your health and well-being. Shop Realmushrooms.com and support this show! Here’s 20% off just for our listeners.  https://shop.realmushrooms.com?ref=1494 Free trial for AI assisted editing with Opus Clip. Create viral short videos for social! OPUS CLIP: https://tolt.link/nom Donate to this show: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=83ZWJWHNRAYNU

    #94 Multi-Instrumentalist/ Vocalist Ian Falgout
  4. Jun 14

    #93 Producer/ Engineer Chris Finney

    For this episode, I sat down with Producer, Engineer, and Mixer Chris Finney of Sound From Space Studio in New Orleans. In the past, Chris has worked at HOB and Jimmy’s Music Club, as well as owned and worked for several studios including Studio in the Country and The Music Shed. He’s a Grammy winner, and a Disney sound score producer and engineer. He’s worked at WYES television station filming Jazz Fest and Bonaroo, and made an impact filming and producing musician sets during the pandemic. We start by examining the experiences that lead him to a now 35 years in the music business.  While he had interest in guitar, keys and drums, and played all of them, car stereos, believe it or not, started him on a pursuit of the elements of sound like clarity and phase. We discuss how a fortuitous turn of events landed him on the road with Cowboy Mouth when he first turned 18 back in ’93. He shares with me a moment when Ellis Marsales gave him a bit of tough love, dissuading his pursuit of musicianship and steering him toward sound engineering. We recognize the role engineering played in the age of shredding. Together, we also recollect the moment when hair metal succumbed to grunge, and the Alt-rock tsunami that followed. He talks about the time Aerosmith dropped in to HOB unexpected and what the performance was like from the mixing board. Chris has worked with artists like BB King, Eric Clapton, NIN, Johnny Guitar Watson, Earl King, Neville Brothers, Allman Bros, Gov’t Mule, Trombone Shorty, and The Revivalists. Navigating this stratosphere, we discuss how not to be starstruck and why such a concept makes sense. We delve into the hot button topic of analog vs digital and how the reluctance to commute was part of what cost him a studio. There’s a diff between being part of a performance and creating content. Chris opens these partitions through stories of large corporations and local mediums.  We also look into the delicate line walked between a producer, an engineer, and a band in sessions and on stage.  And we mull over how to insert a value proposition into a creative endeavor. It’s ok that money be exchanged in the midst of music. I think you will find that Chris has played this and other hands well. There are going to be a few links in the description for this show. They’ll connect you with chris as well as link you with ways to support this show. It would mean so much if you would hit the subscribe button to help me take these personal moments further. Chris at Sound From Space Studio - https://www.soundfrom.space/ Neworleansmusicians.com - Networking and Promoting Bands For Free Elevate your health and well-being. Shop Realmushrooms.com and support this show! Here’s 20% off just for our listeners.  https://shop.realmushrooms.com?ref=1494 Free trial for AI assisted editing with Opus Clip. Create viral short videos for social! OPUS CLIP: https://tolt.link/nom Donate to this show: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=83ZWJWHNRAYNU

    #93 Producer/ Engineer Chris Finney
  5. May 8

    #91 Vocalist/ Guitarist Theophile Bourgeois

    Welcome everyone, and thank you for joining me today on another musical journey. I went out to Lafitte, Louisiana for this episode and sat down with guitarist and vocalist Theophile Bourgeois who founded and currently plays in Them Ol Ghosts. They’re a four piece, melodic, southern rock band with a catalog to which you can slow dance as well as rock out.  Theophile began early in music, starting out on drums around 8 yrs old, but quickly moved onto guitar two years later. And it’s where he’s stayed ever since. Heavy metal consumed him early on, and it became the voice of an angst-filled teen throughout high school. We talk the facets and factors of his transition from there which included trading screaming for harmony and airing out frustrations for depth of meaning in lyricism. He pays much respect to his hometown, citing the mysterious charm of the swamp and historical prominence as the old stomping grounds for infamous pirate Jean Laffite.  We also discuss the inspiration he drew from artists like Dax Riggs, whose ability to bring haunting, melodic imagery to Acid Bath’s thrash metal struck Theophile as admirable and dynamic.  I found Theophile to be enthusiastic and forthcoming about his personal life. And I believe it’s what made this episode such a great one. We were able to parse through the impact becoming a father, family death, and a pandemic had on his music career; which, incidentally, almost ceased due to these factors. But hearing him describe how he waded back into those waters once again will definitely help some of our musician listeners out there that currently find themselves at a crossroads.  But hey I don’t want to give everything away. So, stick around because there’s something for everyone in this episode. I’ve got Them Ol Ghosts site link in the show notes if you want to learn more, as well as ways to support this show. You can shop with realmushrooms.com for health and wellness. And if you use our code you will take advantage of 20% off your purchase! We do accept donations through Paypay. That link is also in the show notes. And hey, if neither of these is a fit, you can always just subscribe to this show because that helps us get this content out to more listeners like you. This is all part of a larger network I built, Neworleansmusicians.com, where I promote Louisiana musicians for free. So, anything is everything when it comes to support. I welcome your support in any form.  Ok! Well that’s it for all the hubbub. Let’s get right into it. Here’s Theophile Bourgois of Them Ol Ghosts. Enjoy! https://www.themolghosts.com/ https://neworleansmusicians.com Elevate your health and well-being. Shop Realmushrooms.com and support this show! Here’s 20% off just for our listeners.  https://shop.realmushrooms.com?ref=1494 Free trial for AI assisted editing with Opus Clip. Create viral short videos for social! OPUS CLIP: https://tolt.link/nom Donate to this show: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=83ZWJWHNRAYNU

    #91 Vocalist/ Guitarist Theophile Bourgeois
  6. Apr 24

    #90 Guitarist Jake Kelston

    I sat down with Jake Kelston, a guitarist currently in bands Bakey’s Brew and Parallel Threads.  There’s a lot of valuable content in this one. We discuss his upbringing in music through medieval play scores and African folk songs. And how he cycled between drums, piano and sax, eventually focusing on guitar because it gave him the ability to be a soloist.  I know a lot of us would say we suffer from attention deficit. But this became an asset in Jake’s eyes, resulting in eclectic genre styles and a more extensive exploration of the creative and recording processes. Including cover songs in his repertoire reinforced this notion, and we touched on the concept of ordering these covers and originals in a set list.  We did delve a bit into how genre diversity can cause issues at live shows, which had some interesting caveats. And we took inventory on how to express one’s self to fellow band members without sabotaging the creative process.  So, there will be lots of impact from this discussion in your own lives. And I’m so grateful to be able to bring this to you.  http://parallelthreadsmusic.com/ https://neworleansmusicians.com Elevate your health and well-being. Shop Realmushrooms.com and support this show! Here’s 20% off just for our listeners.  https://shop.realmushrooms.com?ref=1494 Free trial for AI assisted editing with Opus Clip. Create viral short videos for social! OPUS CLIP: https://tolt.link/nom Donate to this show: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=83ZWJWHNRAYNU

    #90 Guitarist Jake Kelston
  7. Mar 30

    #89 Percussionist/ Vocalist Cyril Neville

    Grammy award winning percussionist Cyril Neville is known as a member of The Meters, The Neville Brothers, The Wild Tchoupitoulas, the Voice of the Wetlands All-stars, Cyril Neville & the Uptown Allstars and a former member of David Batiste and the Gladiators. We sat down to peel beyond those layers, to discuss who Cyril really is and what has shaped him over the years. Personal influences like Idris Muhammed, Lee Dorsey and Dr. John were there at an early age to nourish and encourage Cyril on his path; a path that would elevate him above trials to which many of his peers would succumb. We talk about how the rhythm of the city came to him everyday through tugboats, pile-drivers and street cars. And how that city’s Wards became the villages that raised him. You will find no interview of his with depth greater than this one. And you will find no warmer, more humble, more spiritual soul than the one revealed here in Cyril Neville. Join us! Special thanks goes out to Sound From Space Studio for sponsoring this show and providing the space to do a wonderful interview! https://www.soundfrom.space/ https://neworleansmusicians.com Elevate your health and well-being. Shop Realmushrooms.com and support this show! Here’s 20% off just for our listeners.  https://shop.realmushrooms.com?ref=1494 Free trial for AI assisted editing with Opus Clip. Create viral short videos for social! OPUS CLIP: https://tolt.link/nom Donate to this show: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=83ZWJWHNRAYNU

    #89 Percussionist/ Vocalist Cyril Neville

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Join us as we take a look behind the scenes with the independent musicians of New Orleans and surrounding areas in Louisiana. Learn about upcoming projects before they drop. Experience the rich heritage of iconic venues and get first had accounts of exclusive events. Musicians are remarkable people. Get to know them, their struggles, and the inspiration for their art. Neworleansmusicians.com is dedicated to uplifting the artists and providing them with the tools necessary to elevate their craft. We shine a spotlight on them, as well as highlight the music scene and educate everyone with our interviews, album reviews, and music scene news.