Today we’d like to introduce you to Johnny Goudie.
Hi Johnny, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started my first band when I was 14 years old after seeing a Cheap Trick concert. We played in bedrooms, garages, friends’ birthday parties. By the time I was 16, I was playing guitar in a band with my mentor, Mark Hallman (Carol King, Dan Fogelberg). We played all of the local clubs including Liberty Lunch and The Continental Club and even played on an episode of “Live and Local” that was shot on the old Austin City Limits stage. My mom passed away when I was in high school and I moved from Austin to Miami to live with my dad for a couple of years then found my way to Houston where I started my first “real” band at 20. A funk-rock band called, Panjandrum. after the band broke up, I moved back to Austin and lived in my mentor, Mark Hallman’s studio, The Congress House. Living in a fully functioning recording studio was a dream come true. I was around all kinds of amazing musicians, artists, and other industry folks. During that inspirational time, I wrote and recorded songs on my own and started to figure out a sound and have a vision. From that vision, I started a power-pop band called, Mr. Rocket Baby that ended up becoming very popular by touring regionally and won Best Pop Band at the 1994 Austin Music Awards. After Mr. Rocket Baby broke up, I started recording and touring as a solo artist under my own name. During that time I ended up starting a new band called, Goudie. Just a year after Goudie was formed we got signed to Metallica drummer, Lars Ulrich’s label TMC, a subsidiary of Elektra Records. We recorded and released an album called, Peep Show. We toured the U.S. for all of 2000 in a van and eventually had some personnel changes, left Lars’ label, recorded a second album, …Effects Of Madness with a new line up for an indie label in Austin called India Records. Again Goudie toured until we burnt out….
After Goudie, I was asked to join an up and coming band from Austin called Endochine as their touring auxiliary guitar, keyboard and backing vocalist. After all of the pressure of being “the guy” in Goudie, I cherished my new role as “side guy” in Endochine. After my stint in Endochine, I joined a group of old friends that had started a 70’s tribute band called The K-Tel Hit Machine. After our first couple of gigs, we started playing corporate events and weddings. Those gigs were so fun and we made good money. After a couple of years we changed our name to SKYROCKET! so as not to get sued by K-Tel and 23 years later, we’re still playing. During that time I wrote and performed my own music with my band, Johnny Goudie & The Little Champions, recorded a few albums, Boy In A Box, El Payaso, and Leper Hands. I’m still writing, recording and performing my own stuff and playing with SKYROCKET!.
In 2011, I got turned on to podcasts and launched “How Did I Get Here?”, an audio segment that takes the form of a casual living room conversation while simultaneously packing the punch of a formal interview. With thousands of subscribers, the show has garnered a worldwide fanbase. I’ve gotten to chat with some of my favorite musicians like STYX, Foghat, Living Colour, and Asleep At The Wheel, as well as up and comers like Jackie Venson, JaneLeo and others. Almost 14 years later and 1,500 episodes later, I’m still at it. Still curious. Still in love with getting to know my tribe.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Nothing worth doing involves a smooth road. A lot of the challenges that come with the podcast, have been keeping up with the way things change. For instance, there was no Instagram when I started How Did I Get Here?. iTunes was responsible for 90% of my downloads in 2011 and 2012. Today, there’s no iTunes Store. Streaming services like Stitcher that were extremely popular, can go extinct in a couple of years. Basically, the main struggle is keeping and growing an audience.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As far as the podcast goes, i think I specialize in connection. Since my guests are fellow musicians and when they come to my house to do the podcast they see my “dining room” is filled with a piano, organ, guitars, keyboards, recording equipment and microphones, and we connect pretty quickly. I’ve also been a very curious about how people navigate life as creators and human beings. I think what sets me apart from others is the shared experience of having lived similar lives.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Betting on yourself is always a huge risk. I don’t jump out of planes or bungy jump, but being self-employed for over 30 years feels like a high-wire act. Having said that, the set backs and failures have only helped me grow. I don’t think I would do it any other way. So, I guess I’m a risk-taker.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://johnny-goudie.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnnygoudieofficial/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/howdidigetherepod
- Twitter: @johnnygoudie
- Youtube: @johnnygoudie
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@johnnygoudieatx
Image Credits
Todd V. Wolfson
Ismael Quintanilla III
Todd Crusham
