106: Garrett T. Capps
On Episode 106, I am joined by singer-songwriter Garrett T. Capps. Capps, who released the (inter)stellar Space Country record All Right, All Night, embraces the sonic tones and textures of yesterday and tomorrow throughout his rich and diverse catalog. At times, he turns back the pages of Tex-Mex, honky-tonk, and the sweltering heat of South Texas. Other times, he ventures off into the vast unknown and lays down a dreamy foundation with the cosmic chill and awe of deep space adventures. During this conversation, we talk about those various directions in his songwriting and sound, growing up in San Antonio, touring Europe, recording albums with the likes of Adam Odor and Jerry David DeCicca, and hanging out with Texas legend Augie Meyers.
This episode's presenting partner is The Blue Light Live.
Interview Transcript
Note: Transcripts aren’t always accurate since they are computer automated and haven’t been edited for spelling, grammar, etc.
Thomas Mooney 0:02
everyone welcome to new slang. I'm your host music journalist Thomas Mooney. And this is Episode 106, where I'm joined by singer songwriter Garrett T. Capps. I caught up with the San Antonio, Texas native this past Sunday caps is one of my favorite songwriters out there right now. Because you're really never totally sure what you're going to get next from him. He's going to Zig when you think he's about to zag at times. It's this expansive, cinematic adventure. It's space country. It's cosmic but not net Joshua Tree, desert swept kind of way. More so like in a crowd rock meets post rock, kind of interstellar kind. Sometimes it's dive bar caps. It's raw and nimble piss and vinegar. It's garage rock and punk. In a sense, he's very Spry. And then sometimes it's more of this Honky Tonk grittiness. It's Lonestar beer all night and low ceilings, chain smoking and cowboy hats. Then there's the Tex Mex torchbearer caps, where he's embracing those South Texas roots. And then of course, there's those moments where he blends them all. But the reason I even bring up these distinctions is because he releases enough music that he can go into these directions. For a record or two without sounding lost, or In short, we talked about those distinctions and influences and interest throughout this conversation meeting and playing with guys like Texas legend Augie Meyers diving into San Antonio music history, and growing up with fellow songwriter john Bauman and plenty of other stuff. I think you all really enjoy this one. If this is your first time listening to new slang, I strongly suggest hitting that subscribe link. If you just did, I'm giving you a virtual High Five right now. New slang is over on iTunes, Spotify, Google podcast, Stitcher, radio, and basically any and everywhere you listen to podcasts. Go check out the new slang merch store. Grab a koozie some stickers, buttons and magnets. Any bit helps, I'll throw a link into the show notes. And if you're into playlists go check out Tom mooneyes cup of coffee and the neon Eon playlist over on Spotify. The neon Neon is for all your nostalgic 90s country needs which there's going to be more neon Eon related stuff coming your way pretty soon. And then Tom mooneyes cup of coffee is a regularly updated mix of new Americana and country music it's also really great Hannah who I have coming up on the podcast so yeah go follow those Alright, that's enough for the intro here is guaranteed caps off with just you know you released all right all night last year and it's part of this trilogy. Can you expand on what what this the trilogy record is like this space country NASA country? What what the broader storyline is?
Garrett T. Capps 2:58
Um Well, the in the shadows again, album, I guess. I didn't know it was a trilogy. But we made it. And then when I was working on all right all night, and decided to like weave incense and stuff, I figured it would make it really ridiculous to like, say that it was part of a trilogy. So now there's a trilogy.
Thomas Mooney 3:24
Yeah, well, I mean, like, it's what you've done with these what these new records are like the last two is like there is those sins so there is this like very, like very post rocky kind of atmospheric cinematic feel to very, very sassy. And like you even had like the the backing band NASA country is as the moniker what, how did you how did you drift into, into going in that direction?
Garrett T. Capps 3:54
Um, I guess, like, in 2016 2017, I was kind of getting more into, like, Kraut rock like noyon can or whatever. And it's kind of like more like transcendental psychedelic rock. And also, you're still writing songs and stuff, but I I really wanted to make like my first professional quote unquote, album. But I was also like, starting to collaborate with some local people in town that like my friend Justin, who does my only modular synth stuff. He's technically like a sound artist, Turin, who's just like a far up guitarist. So I basically put together a band for the in the shadows album. It was just like weirdo musicians from in town. And that's kind of like, what that album is. We really didn't know what we were doing on that album. Whatsoever compared to these days, I guess, but uh i think it was just like, really enjoying kind of psychedelic music for I mean, I got really into Kraut rock, just like the two chord, fast paced, um, type of music that can just go on forever. Right? And then that's like, we're like here right now kind of comes from that. That mold. Yeah, just kind of collaborating with these local artists that, that feel the same way and are open to like experimental music and just stuff like that. Yeah. And also, I mean, we made that album. And I have other lineups. And I'm, I'm kind of all over the place, personally, because I, I like to try and go out and play as many shows as possible. So I have several different backing bands. But I would say that the NASA country band, we like, those are like my really good friends. And so like, it's cool to play with them. Yeah, but we haven't. Like we played tic a THON last year. We went to Europe last year, but like, um, NASA country hasn't like been my only band, I guess.
Thomas Mooney 6:31
Yeah, well, I know, like, you do have like all these. Like, it's almost like there's three or four, five guarantee caps, making records and playing shows and stuff because like, you know, like, yeah, like the NASA country thing. That is very, very spacey. Like, I don't know, if a lot of people were familiar with can in general, but like those songs, like you said, like they're, they kind of do go on forever. Like, a lot of those records are like four tracks long and like 18 minute songs and 10 Yeah,
Garrett T. Capps 7:01
totally.
Thomas Mooney 7:03
And I you can see that being the case with your music as you could see a lot of those songs having a version whether 10 minutes long, and you kind of like hone that into being more of the I guess finding that middle ground between the Honky Tonk three minute song and then that being like the, the epic kind of just endless cycle of, of a song. Like,
Garrett T. Capps 7:34
I don't know, I just read the songs, the way I write my songs, you can probably hear my influences in there. Like for the core of the song, like I'm a big Robert O'Kane fan or, you know, Tom Petty, but I don't know, I guess, like the NASA country thing is funny to me, like in San Antonio. We don't have like a thriving music scene, per se. Um, so it's just kind of like all the creative scenes work together. And a lot of ways are like, you get to know the people in the art scene or the or the restaurant scene. And that's kind of like, origin like free jazz artists or whatever. And I think what's funny about like the NASA country product is it's essentially just a product of knowing people in the San Antonio creative community, and just kind of it kind of coming together but looking back at it now. especially seeing like what we're working on at this very moment and what we did last year, like touring Spain and stuff like that it's cool that like something that was just for fun in town, kind of came together and and has taken as we've gone further places than just San Antonio with it.
Thomas Mooney 9:15
Yeah. A couple of questions on that one. Is it like is it super receptive over in Europe simply
because of you know, the the more of the crowd rock kind of thing. It feels like they like that, like over there. They're, I don't know a little bit more informed about that kind of music than maybe here.
Garrett T. Capps 9:35
Yeah, I mean, I guess I guess what I was thinking of when I was talking about the in the shadows, or how that kind of like, transpired as someone outside of my room right now make noise. Ah. Basically like there is an interesting span of events. since that happened, but what something that did happen was, there's this website called all country.nl. I'm based out of, I think it's grown again, in the Netherlands. And it's this guy named john and a few other people and they asked me to mail my CDs to them because they like love CDs over there still. And I like paid the 20 bucks to ship my CDs to the Netherlands. And they gave me like a five star review on their website. And all of a sudden, I had like a festival, offered to play this festival take root in 2018. It was headlined by Kurt vile. And Father, john misty and like Sarah shook in the disturbers, I think American aquarium played it as well. It was just like a really solid festival. And that hooked me up with a booking agency over there. And that was like the first tour, like four months after that review went up on that website, but they kind of like, I've had this interesting, or just like, fondness for their passion for this kind of stuff since then, just noticing, like, how many of my favorite artists have found success over there? For many years, and just seeing like, how they kind of found out about in the shadows again, organically and they like solid as a new step. Um, for country music, which is what I was trying to do, but like, no one around here is really told me that other than, like, people I know, I guess. Yeah, but the Dutch people, the Dutch people, like, solid for what I felt it was. And yeah, they like the weird shit. They like weird country. And everything else. Yeah, but they have good taste, I guess. Yeah, well, really, really interesting taste.
Thomas Mooney 12:07
What I always what I liked about a whole lot was the post rocky aspects of it The, the just like, kind of like you felt really small listening to the, to like the the sonic qualities of the songs. But then like the a lot of the storytelling. They feel like they are like, these just classic kind of prototype Honky Tonk songs. And just like we're that blend came from it. To me, that's what really drew me in was was that and then like, just, there's some of the things that you sing about that. I don't know if I'm not sure if a lot of people have been have talked about. But like you do tap into a lot of I guess themes about like theology and like questioning of, of life after death and all of that kind of stuff.
Garrett T. Capps 13:01
Yeah, I mean, I guess when I started writing songs, however long ago, like the things I still write about, haven't changed. Like, I don't really do that many story songs. I usually just it's usually about dying, or try trying to feel positive or about things. I don't know. But yeah, I don't. I don't like write story songs or make up characters or something like that. So there's only like a few different directions you can go. If in my mind, if you don't do that,
Thomas Mooney 13:40
yeah, well, I mean, like to me like that song lately. That is just like one of my favorite songs of like, the last couple years, because like, it does feel like the really like that, like Sunday sun. I'm a beauty in the horizon. Like all of those feel like sun coming up. Like you've spent the entire night by yourself. And like you've just, I don't know tapped into something strange in the universe. You get I'm saying like, that's what
Garrett T. Capps 14:13
yeah, I mean, thanks, man. Like, that's what I would hope people could take away from it. So that is awesome.
Thomas Mooney 14:24
Well, like, specifically like the song lately. I guess like where did that come from? word was like the, the initial root of that song. From
Garrett T. Capps 14:37
Um, I think it definitely rooted from like a previous relationship and just being unhappy in it and also starting from there and just see where the song goes. I guess what usually ends up talking about larger philosophies What?
Thomas Mooney 15:02
Yeah, what are you talking about, like the, let's I'm paraphrasing here on the line, but like, I wish that time would loosen up, instead of just taking away that right there. Like that was probably like my favorite line of last year, just like that concept of, of time passing and like how I don't even know if this is like your intentions, but like I was thinking about how, I don't know, if you were trying to tap into talking about how like time is kind of like a man made object or like a thing, not an object necessarily. But like a, it's man made in a lot of ways and how we, like count everything by time. Like, that's how we are able to, like structure our lives, but then like, how that can just get in the way of living?
Garrett T. Capps 15:49
Yeah, totally. I mean, time, I was just talking about that a few days ago, like, not really did the song, but at times weird, especially in the corona times. Yeah, but yeah, I think you put it in that category, like, like, I think that's what I meant, by that line, like, something within the world of within the thought process of like, Oh, that was just a few days ago, but it was a long time ago or can't believe that was a month ago, it feels like a year ago. Like, it's just like a really? Time has a strange effect on your memory.
Thomas Mooney 16:32
Yeah. And also, like, just, I used to do this a whole lot, but I still do it. Every once in a while, I get a whole lot of anxiety about time. And like, are you Am I where I'm supposed to be at that at this point? You know what I mean? Because it feels like sometimes you I guess the way you envision life, you're like a lot further ahead, then maybe you are. And I used to get a whole lot I used to get like really strung up about like that kind of stuff when I was in school, because it felt like I was never going at the pace that I wanted to. And I don't know, like it feels like, all the time stuff. I find that's probably more about me than anything else is like how I always relate things to the time and how like diamonds just like, it feels like you can't wrangle time at all. And what do you do about that?
Garrett T. Capps 17:25
Yeah, totally. Or like, yeah, it's hard to like, for me to revel in the moment, sometimes. I'm trying too hard to do that. That's but uh, because all of a sudden, like, you'll have like, a really great time, or it was wonderful memories of something. But like when it was happening, like he might not realize it, you know?
Thomas Mooney 17:51
Yeah, like what i and this is something just because I have to do this, to try and stay organized. I am almost always making lists. And like that maybe like a list of stuff I need to do this week list of stuff I need to do today. And it feels like that's where so much more time gets put into is trying to like schedule time out versus like, enjoying the moment like you say, and that's very, very difficult, I think for most people to do is like the How do you just like that? I don't know, like, let all the the tension out of your body and out of your mind and just like enjoy what's happening during that moment, versus like trying to capture it for later.
Garrett T. Capps 18:39
Yeah, yeah, it's a it's a one of the big. Um, that's what everyone struggles with in one way or another, I would say
Thomas Mooney 18:49
Yeah. And of course, it doesn't help that we have iPhones that can capture everything. Like you. That's that's a one. Maybe the one place that I don't try and capture stuff for later is that that's shows like, I'm never like the person trying to like Snapchat the entire show or like trying to make videos because I'm also like, who actually watches this video later
Unknown Speaker 19:15
on? Yeah.
Thomas Mooney 19:16
I don't think anyone really does. I don't know. One of the things I wanted to go back to though, is you're talking about San Antonio, obviously, you grew up in San Antonio, you still live there. You're part of the art community, all that kind of stuff. And you're mentioned in the art community. I think we always think of like San Antonio being this big city, and it is big and it's growing and all it's up. But when it comes to the art scene and all that part. Does it still feel like a small town, if you will?
Garrett T. Capps 19:49
Absolutely. Yeah, I probably say that every day. I mean, yeah, it feels like a small town. It's felt that way. For a long time, um, you know, I especially like in the alternative music world. Um, you know, it's just kind of like everyone's kind of when I started playing solo, I definitely found like, comfort here because it was so laid back. Scene wasn't too competitive. What else first starting out, I lived in Austin and I didn't really have very much look. I mean, I have some friends up there, but I couldn't get, I couldn't really find my way in the scene up there. But, uh, down here, you could do whatever you want and make friends and no one really cared. And, and, I mean, you set your own standards, but you can have a good time no matter what.
Thomas Mooney 20:54
Yeah, I do wonder if like,
Garrett T. Capps 20:57
if you want to get out of town, then you can. But you don't have to. It's laid back down here.
Thomas Mooney 21:02
Yeah, I wonder if like the, like the since it is so close to Austin. That that makes it where it is a little bit more laid back. Because you're our entire lives were told Austin, live music capital of the world, all that kind of stuff. So you, you get the sense that hey, I need to move to Austin to become I don't know,
Garrett T. Capps 21:24
my potential in that way for so long. Like I I'm pretty fascinated with San Antonio's music history, like, of all genres, but like, I've always really been interested in like venues and what bands have played here. And I mean, not only do we have like a really strong cultural history with, like, kanuto and norteno music. But I mean, obviously, we're kind of people still call us. It's like, it's pretty much an outdated term, the heavy metal capital. I don't know if you've heard that. But like, I remember reading an Austin Chronicle. They're called sent like two years ago, they called San Antonio, that heavy metal capital and like, you're so out of the loop. You know, I wear the heavy metal capital in like, 1988 or something. Yeah. But, uh, I know, we used to, like, be an epicenter for country music, especially back I guess, in like the 50s and 60s. And I think that I think that Austin's cosmic cowboy on real world headquarters culture kind of started overshadowing that.
Thomas Mooney 22:54
Right?
Garrett T. Capps 22:56
Um, but I mean, it took over country music and a lot of ways so what can you expect throughout the road?
Thomas Mooney 23:02
Yeah, well, you know, it's, I think like, this is gonna sound like I'm talking like shit on Austin. I do like going off and I love the, the the scene there I love like, going and visiting all that kind of stuff. But so much of, of our ideas of different towns is the who can come up with like a great slogan. You know what I mean? Like, there's like, if, like the live capital music that kind of thing or, you know, keep Austin weird stuff like that. Like it's part of the the lexicon all of a sudden and you know, like, not to say like, you're you're underwhelmed by by when you when you get there or something, but sometimes it can be a letdown. I know like here in Lubbock, I guess. Like, we've, we've kind of built up the lore of Lubbock. And then some people get here and they're like, Oh, it's not nearly as cool. As I expected it until like, I don't know, like, it's this weird thing that sometimes like the the bumper sticker the slogan, can like, really make make it seem way cooler than it is. Or worse sometimes. I don't know.
Garrett T. Capps 24:18
Yeah, I mean, I don't know anyone that's moving to Austin anymore. But I also don't really know. Like, young 20 somethings or like rich text people. So
Thomas Mooney 24:31
yeah, well, no one from Texas is that's probably Yeah. Because
Garrett T. Capps 24:36
I think he graduated from college at UTSA or in San Antonio or something like Austin still has it to Laura. But it's, it's so like, impossible to live a normal life there, it seems. And not in a good way.
Thomas Mooney 24:49
Yeah. When you mentioned like you and I've seen you do this lately on Facebook is you're been really diving into the San Antonio history, asking people like hey, Anyone been to this show? You know? Or like, who was at this venue? That kind of stuff? What's been like the most interesting kind of San Antonio historical facts have you have you run across by just asking people about San Antonio music history?
Garrett T. Capps 25:17
Um, I mean, I think that like, kind of, we're kind of talking about this, but moving back to, like, kind of this San Antonio, big city. Um, scenario, but, like, what I like to kind of call the San Antonio thing, in a lot of ways is, like, no one's, like waving a flag down here. You know, um, I mean, like, kind of with branding and all that stuff, like you're talking about with Austin or whatever. Like, a lot of amazing stuff has happened here. But no one was no one. Everyone just tells their friends or whatever. And, yeah, you know, just like, that was awesome. No one's like, trying to, like, capitalize off of it or, you know, but a lot of cool music stuffs happened here. There's like a, let's see. Um, there is a little bar called Cass beers down here. That was on Blanco road. And it was kind of like an offshoot of like, the CURV al folk scene. And growing up here, like and as I got more into songwriting, and Texas songwriting and stuff like that, um, I didn't really know like, San Antonio stood like in the songwriter scene, because it's hard to like, you never really hear about it. But, uh, there is this place called Cass beers. That, um, it was a restaurant and like a small hole in the wall, and they just had like, they're the owners were named Steven Barbara. And they were open I think since like the 880s. And that was like, we're all the Songwriters went like, I'm I'm trying to pull up a list right now. But, I mean, they love the dog song like dog unagi hung out there. Yeah, um, they did have rock shows and stuff, but they'd have. Like, I'm trying to pull up a list, like Billy Joe shaver has played there, or, um, might need to edit this. I'm looking at my Facebook posts, right? Peter case, or whoever. None of this stuff is. None of this stuff is like that. Amazing to someone that might not live here. The fact that there's just this songwriter venue in San Antonio, it was just like a small hole in the wall restaurant. Yeah. But to me, it's really cool because it like sheds light on this culture that that was there that only the people that knew about it knew about it, like no one was really like it wasn't famous. Yeah, but but the people that do know about this stuff here care about it. And there was a cafe called the Leon springs cafe. Um, but like, somewhere on I 10, in between here in kerrville. And they had like, all of the Songwriters in the 80s like the Texas songwriters like James McMurtry, or Townes Van Zandt, or real Kane is just like, my friend found these photocopied calendars of from back in the day from the Leon springs cafe and select the talent line is insane. And I'm obsessed with this genre of music. I'd never heard of that place.
Thomas Mooney 29:06
Yeah, that's like,
Unknown Speaker 29:08
I'm
Thomas Mooney 29:11
like that kind of Yeah. Right. They're like the, you're talking about, like, I don't know, if anyone else would be interested in it, other than people kind of invested in that area. I feel like this kind of the same thing about hearing loving, like, when I first moved here, probably like that first year. I was like, going out and trying to find just different stuff, like stuff that probably really didn't matter. Like I went and found like Buddy Holly's like the house that he bought for his parents, you know, and it was just one of those I find it right now by needed to, but it was like, Oh, I found the house and I just drove by I didn't even like to take a photo or nothing was just like, okay, yeah, that's, that's the real cool, and then, you know, went and found something else and then went and found something else and it's all these little things that are you know, They do like the Hollywood tours in LA and stuff about this is where blah, blah, had an overdose and died. And you know, like that kind of stuff like real Hollywood history and like the stuff here. People wouldn't want to sign up or anything like that. But to me, it's, it's like the same level of like, just interesting. Not even I don't even it there's a, I guess there's a historic,
Garrett T. Capps 30:23
magical feeling.
Thomas Mooney 30:25
Yeah. Like one of the things that I so like guy Clark, you know, he grew up in monahans, which is about 3040 minutes north of Fort Stockton where I grew up. And of course, I didn't know that the entire time growing up. But then, of course, you then you become like a guy Clark fan. And then you I guess, like, it was one of those things. I was a fan, but never really thought, Oh, you know, some of these songs are about monahans. Until, like, a couple of years ago, and then I went in like, last time I went home, not the last time but the the time that I went home around that time. I went and like found all those things in monahans. And like, no, no one in monahans cares, you know? But then I found like Jackson pregs grave who's the he is who Desperados waiting on a train is about Ah, and I found his grave in in monahans. And after that, people were asking me where to find it. And I was like, I don't want to just give out that info. Like it took me like an hour and a half. I go into the monahans cemetery to find this like, you can find it though. You know what I mean? Like, I don't know, it's it's this weird. I I don't want to feel like I'm a like if the gatekeeper that or something like that. But it's also like, you know, are we don't want to just give it like if it's worth it in go find it. I don't know.
Garrett T. Capps 31:58
Totally. Yeah, I and I can only imagine and love it with all the crazy music history there. I mean,
Thomas Mooney 32:06
yeah, it's, I've found a lot more stuff lately, because I know a little bit more about it now than when I initially moved here. But I don't know. It's it's still it's strange because Lubbock is still such a young town. You know, I think like, it's only like a barely over 100 years old as far as like being established, probably like 115 or something like that. Which is pretty young in in town. Ages like, right. So like there is a lot of stuff still around. And but but also at the same time there's like, like the Caldwell studio like the original one that's not there. And that's where like luck on everything. And like, all these classic main brothers records and all right, like that's where all that kind of stuff happened. But like that none of that's around. But like it's one of those like you so just drive by an empty lot and be like, yeah, that's where that was, I guess.
Garrett T. Capps 33:06
Right on Yeah, that's awesome. Yeah, I drive around the crowd to find out. Are these old venues and honky tonks. We're in San Antonio, there were honky tonks. Like up into the 90s there are some pretty cool ones in town, and they just went away. No one really like, carried the torch. After that. It was just like over.
Thomas Mooney 33:33
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Unknown Speaker 34:54
All right back to the show.
Thomas Mooney 34:59
honkytonk Place then then luck. Like luck. I don't know it's I don't know if luck has what I would call any. I'm sure there were some like classic hockey talks here back in the day but like when I think of honky tonks ease think of like the hill country, that area all the way back through up into Houston, you know, so yeah, I don't know. Um, what's been like what? What is like your favorite name of one of these places? Because like all these honky tonks have great names.
Garrett T. Capps 35:30
Um, yeah, I mean, the real famous one from I gather was called the farmer's daughter that's pretty so funny name. Yeah, I guess. Well, um that Yeah,
Thomas Mooney 35:46
the the, that Mike in the moon pies record that just came out of Gary Stewart songs. That song is bottom of the pile. And apparently that was like Gary Stewart's go to place his hockey talk dive bar, bottom of the pile. And I was like, Man, that is Yeah, that's awesome. fucking good name. You know, you you mentioned like, kind of getting in with like, a lot of these older guys in San Antonio. You mentioned Doug som and Augie Meyers a minute ago. You've you've an OG he was on the last record. How did you meet him? And like what has it been? Like having him as like, you know, someone you can call?
Garrett T. Capps 36:34
Um, I mean, oh, he's cool. Yeah. He just loves to gig and, and play. And it's really wild. Whenever I reflect on hanging out with him or collaborating with him, or just his career in general. He's been he's been there like, since the beginning, I guess of post Beatlemania rock and roll. And like a few years ago, I threw an album release party for in the shadows, again, at this venue in town, called the paper tiger, which is like our alternative 1000 cap club. And it was this wild sinker denial, you're like, anything goes crazy party that we had, like, flocked to him in his play. And I've put together a band that like backed him up. And we just played all his hits. And what that was like during the afternoon, and then his brother Santiago Jimenez Jr. who is in his famous but is really bad as some plays more traditional stuff. Like collaborated after our set with laco. And then, when that was done, um, I played my set. And then my friend Travis was having an album release and his band played a set. And then Augie came on and then we all put it was just this like, it was like an iconic day in San Antonio. Show rock club history. I like to think, yeah, but that was like kind of the beginning of my collaborations with Augie. Like we played my song about San Antonio that night. And it usually goes over well, down here. And August. He's, he's cool. And he he always has really good stories. And he has, he's the guy with the Vox Oregon sound. And your studio that he likes to record at is I can walk to it from where I live here. So we'll just overdoses parts there. And it's cool to hang with Augie, and we've done more gigs like we did. Last year. I hadn't played a white horse and Austin, which was really fun. Um Yeah, she's down for the gig. It's crazy.
Thomas Mooney 39:13
Yeah, well, I guess like obviously he's so iconic for for Texas music. And you know, like, like you said, like that post Beatles mania kind of thing and then going into the text max like him in Psalm like, kind of just creating Tex Mex. In a lot of ways. How informed were you as a kid though, like, at what point did you did you realize like, Oh, this guy is like, super important. Obviously. You didn't necessarily know him at the time, but
Garrett T. Capps 39:47
right. Yeah, I didn't. I didn't know much. Um, I grew up like on the north side of town, like kind of in the suburbs. And I remember When the Texas tornadoes self titled album came out that I hate Baby tape also was like the city wide anthem. Like we have Fiesta down here is like our Mardi Gras. It's like two weeks long. And there's like just parties every night all over town. And I remember going to this Fiesta event when I was like, five, and I remember hearing Hey, baby k posso. I'm like, that was like the talk of the town. Everyone knew that song. It seemed if I knew it as a five year old on the north side, like everyone knew it. I didn't really explore the tornados catalog or like, there's dos amirav, your Sir Douglas quintet, or whatever. Until way later on. When I started getting into Texas music deliberately,
Thomas Mooney 41:01
yeah, you know, it's for me like, What's weird is I remember Texas tornadoes. The same kind of thing. Like as far as like, Hey, baby. Hey, baby kept us. Oh, and then like, Who are you thinking of like that record? Yeah, actually, because of my grandparents. They were always playing it. But then later, like, I guess discovering Sir Douglas quintet, like on on its own. And then like, at some point, realizing like, these were like the same people. And
Garrett T. Capps 41:32
yeah, like the crazy man. like yeah, I mean, like, she's about a mover was a big hit. So yeah, I'm thinking about like, how they went from that to the tornadoes. It's pretty mind blowing to me, because there's a lot of time in between and highs and lows. Yeah. And the fact that like, the middle age, super group of Tex Mex, South Texas guys could find that much success. At that point in their career. is really cool to me. Yeah,
Thomas Mooney 42:07
I mean, like, it's, it's so and I guess also with Doug song, just, it feels like there's just a wealth of records there that I don't know, maybe didn't get there do like, I know, like the what the first song that I heard independently of Psalms was that song Texas tornado. And like, just Yeah, like never really. Like, like, again, like it just never really registered that like these. This was like the same guy. As like, you listening to Texas tornadoes as a kid, or like, even like, just, if you want to go the other route with Freddie Fender, like just his entire, I guess I was a little bit easier to like, connect. But still, there's like so much. Just a wealth of music there that you just, it feels like once you start digging, you realize there's like so much more. And I don't know if there's just a it's easy to like, pick out the hits. But then also, there's just so many, I guess different names, I guess. Like that's probably the part of it is like there's just so many different names to have all these different bands. As far as like, what the releases were getting released as.
Garrett T. Capps 43:21
Yeah, and I think Doug Psalm apparently was just all over the place all the time. And but, like, I guess, what's really cool to also really cool to me about the tornadoes. And like, how that all came together, and like they're some of those the biggest songs on that record of the most memorable songs, the two you mentioned. were written by Augie. So he just like came out of the gate swinging on that one. He's just a clever dude. And those songs are just timeless and like that. They're like quintessential Tex Mex.
Thomas Mooney 44:03
Yeah, well, you know what, also, like, something I suggest everyone to do, because that first Texas tornado record. There's an English version and a Spanish version. Yeah, go and check out like the Spanish version of all those songs to like, that's, uh, but like, you know, there's also when you when you go back and like, start listening to that record, the deep cuts. I mean, it's not necessarily even a deep cut. But, you know, like, Butch.
Garrett T. Capps 44:28
I'm sorry. oggy did not right. Who are you thinking of? I'm looking at it right now. It was Jim Glazer.
Thomas Mooney 44:35
Yeah, okay. Yeah, I'm looking at it right now to actually but he did. He.
Garrett T. Capps 44:41
He made it his own.
Thomas Mooney 44:44
But like, I'm sure there's like a, a butch Hancock. Cut on that record, too.
Garrett T. Capps 44:51
Yeah, yeah,
Thomas Mooney 44:52
I don't know. Um, I guess you know, it won a Grammy. That's like, I don't know. That's when people talk about like super groups here in Texas are like super groups in general. One that they always go to is highway men. Which is Yeah, granted, that's really great. But I'm always like, man, Texas tornadoes. That that's maybe like your, your number one seed as far as like for putting them in a tournament or something. real strong.
Garrett T. Capps 45:22
Strong.
Thomas Mooney 45:23
Yeah. Now obviously, I wanted to go back to you talked about born in San Antonio. That was picked up by billions. That's when I guess we first kind of met. Was it right? Yeah, point. And what's the story behind that? Like did Brian Koppelman reach out to you personally? Have you met him?
Garrett T. Capps 45:47
Yeah, he did. It seems like forever ago at this point, but uh yeah, can you I heard it on Spotify, discover weekly or something and really liked it. So I've had some other syncs on TV since then, and they like are not the same. Like truly background music like you could never tell what song it was just like background noise. But the way that compliment used my song in that show, was like he was truly trying to help me and that show obviously like I haven't really watched it but I think at the time especially he was there priding themselves on the soundtrack, and I'm sure it's still the same. But uh, yeah, they kicked off the season three episode one with my song and I self released in the shadows around that episode coming out and it made a huge difference. It was definitely like the way you use the song people last john do and could easily look it up. And all sorts of people from sannan San Antonio, like all over the world like reached out to me and bought the record and all this stuff. So that was cool. Yeah.
Thomas Mooney 47:05
Yeah, the
I for for people who are maybe like unfamiliar with Brian Koppelman. He's probably like most known for like being the writer rounders. And, obviously a billions now but like, that's where like, I guess my connection is. I would say also, this is like a side point on all of this. The ringer has like this podcast called the rewatchable. And Koppelman was on an episode, where they read it or where they talked about godfather two. And it's one of the best podcasts I've ever listened to in my entire life. And the way they break down godfather two is just incredibly perfect. And they talk about like that movie with nuance and everything that you'd want it to be. So if you if you're This is, I guess a just a plug for going, listening to that episode of rewatchable. So anyways, um,
Garrett T. Capps 48:01
yeah, yeah, it's cool. Man is a cool guy. I don't that's my only brush with like primetime or Hollywood or whatever. And at the moment, and yeah, he means business. When he likes it, he likes it and and you look at the other artists that he has on that soundtrack and trust to help out like, he cares about roots music, and yeah, he's got good taste.
Thomas Mooney 48:27
If you if you follow him on, on Twitter, he's always interacting with guys like, Jason is born. I think like he's had a few conversations with BJ Barnum of American Korea and stuff. So like he is very much into, like roots, music and singer songwriters, and the broad genre of Americana. But I was gonna say about that song, though. I was gonna ask you about like, obviously, like that. Born in San Antonio, and like, you go through that laundry list of like, you know, the checklist of San Antonio things. I guess like was that just like part of the what you envisioned that song to be was like, Oh, I want the song to be a quote unquote, theme of San Antonio. Like, this is like if I if I was putting together my my list of San Antonio things this would be the checklist.
Garrett T. Capps 49:22
Yeah, I mean, it's just supposed to be like a party. Party song. But yeah, I think the the checklist like I have a never ending list, like I try to do ad libs live. And, you know, just obscure stuff, kind of like the music. Unknown music scene stuff or just like weird. histories about the cities. Yeah. You mentioned Shane Elliot. Yeah, laundry list, whatever. Like it's just like, supposed to be a ramble. Yeah, essentially. No, no, I
Thomas Mooney 49:57
think it even though I'm at a spurs fan. So, but you, this is something that a lot of people probably know already. But you know, you you grew up with john Baumann. Ah, did you always know like Bauman was going to be kind of like a writer? Or like, what was he? like growing up?
Garrett T. Capps 50:18
Yeah, I mean, we always like played music and listening to this, say, we, I'm not that guy forever. And music was definitely one of our if not our main, common, common ground. And we used to, like, write fun songs just for the hell of it, or just like, trade artists and stuff. But I guess when I was talking about living in Austin, like, That was when I started writing songs. And that was basically just john and i trading, trading songs off, essentially. Yeah. And use, like, trying to figure out how to write songs, like our favorite artists, and playing like weird Craigslist gigs. And, yeah, it's been cool. It's cool that we're both still doing it. And it found our own paths and successes along the way. Yeah,
Thomas Mooney 51:28
have you guys, obviously, you mentioned the very beginning, like trading songs and stuff like that trading bands. Have y'all tried writing together like recently?
Garrett T. Capps 51:40
Um, well throw like, like, song ideas past each other, or like lyrical tweaks or stuff like that. We haven't like sat down and tried to, like, write a song together in a long time. But I'm definitely like, one of the only people that I send lyric ideas to, if I think that just to bounce ideas off of,
Thomas Mooney 52:07
yeah, you guys both feel very much like, I know, battlements talked about it, like kind of like wanting like just being a solo writer, more so than always having a co writer or anything like that. Feels like you guys are both kind of at least that initial core idea, that first draft or whatever the case is. Kind of just like working alone, working it all out. And then showing it off. Sharon? Yeah, from that point?
Garrett T. Capps 52:36
I think the I think that that's totally, totally right. And part of it's just being stubborn.
Thomas Mooney 52:47
You know, it's weird, to me is like, not weird, because I do it all the time. But is I would probably have like a really hard time being a co writer because like you that stubbornness, but also like, you're you're given up so much of the trust, I guess, the responsibility. Oh, no. Do you feel that?
Garrett T. Capps 53:09
Yeah, I mean, when it comes to lyrics for me, I, I'm pretty like, tied, I'm pretty attached to the lyrics that I write. Not that I don't change them up, like all the time, but like, I guess when I was, we were talking earlier about, like, the word the song lately came from or whatever. I mean, it's hard for me to write songs from other people's perspectives. So that's makes it hard to co write. But on the other hand, I love collaborating with, like different bands and different producers and stuff like that. And it really helps when the producer like I guess the closest I've gotten to aggressive songwriting is when like a someone like a producer, that's like looking at the whole song, not just lyrically, or musically. kind of helps me like change some lyrics here and there to fit the song for a better final recording or whatever.
Thomas Mooney 54:19
Yeah, well, like these these three records here, like the trilogy, you've been working with different like a second when you worked with Adam auteur as producer and like this one that you have coming out. I'm not even sure. Even working
Garrett T. Capps 54:32
Yeah, I mean, I definitely in all this downtime. I have an album that is not going to be part of the trilogy. That is basically just my solo album. Um, and we recorded it in January and yeah, December in January of this year, my friend Jerry cyka produce it. He's got this long history of working with labels like drag city and artists like Bill Callahan and flag that he's from, like Ohio. Right? But he lives around here. And yeah, he definitely took the old school producer approach. And I got my Austin band with like, Brian, like, it's all it's basically that band. Maya Broussard. Oh, yeah. Um, basically, it's, it's a pretty live album. It sounds like, it sounds really live. And it's kind of like anthemic country rock with some Tex Mex. Kind of like Warren's Avon meets dog song or something. But, uh, yeah, I don't know when that album's coming out. But that whole process was definitely like what I was talking about, like, changing lyrical phrasing, along with music, and all that just like the whole old school production treatment, and then just show up at the studio and cut the tracks live. Like, it's all pre production.
Thomas Mooney 56:11
Right? Well, I was gonna ask, like, how did you? Not necessarily like, I'm sure they're like you. There's a process of or something with it. But like, how did you do? Have you decided like, oh, the songs I want to you? Like the last record, you've worked with that? I'm How did you decide like, Oh, that's the where I wanted to take the songs this idea. And then, like, at the same time, you know, for this next record, all want to take the songs to Jerry? I guess,
Garrett T. Capps 56:38
yeah, it usually just starts with the idea that I need to make a record and figuring out how I'm going to make it and then figure out what better songs to pull pull from. Um, I usually don't write. Sometimes, most of the time, I don't write the songs aimlessly. I mean, for lack of a better word. I usually like in writing a song for like a specific project. And that'll usually end up with a batch of songs. And then I'll go through my pool of songs I've never haven't used before and add those to the batch. And then, like with add a motor, I probably gave him 15 songs or something. And he just, I let him choose. And that's what happened.
Thomas Mooney 57:26
Some of the songs on that record, you have like, Jamie Lynn Wilson on and Carson McComb. And, obviously, there's that song with Augie, like I guess how did some of the songs did you have in mind like these as being duets, or anything like that? Or do
Garrett T. Capps 57:43
ya? Do it? For whatever reason? So I definitely heard do it on some of that stuff. And yeah, it was cool to work with. It's always like a strategic nightmare when you're working on a budget, and, and a studio wherever to like wrangle up everyone's schedules and get that kind of thing together in person. But I like having guests on my albums. And and yeah, Jamie Jamie Lynn's awesome. On that song. And she's just awesome in general. Right? And Carson's great, too.
Thomas Mooney 58:23
Yeah,
Unknown Speaker 58:24
of course.
Thomas Mooney 58:25
That's with Jamie. Like, he just feels like, like, it was kind of like written for her in mind, even in a way. Like obviously. Yeah, I don't even know if that's the case. But like, totally, she just, she just, like, fit that song perfectly for for that. I guess that voice you know, and that not necessarily voices and just her voice but I mean, like her, whatever character she is in that song, you know?
Garrett T. Capps 58:53
Absolutely. I mean, she. It definitely fits her personality.
Thomas Mooney 59:00
One of the other things you mentioned was kind of like,
Unknown Speaker 59:03
how,
Thomas Mooney 59:05
yeah, you do have like this song you want, like you write intentionally for certain projects. But there are other songs that like they fit with the different bands. Like you, you have like the three timers where you put out that record with them. And there's two or three songs from all right all night on there, as well. Was that just one of those things like these songs? I feel I hear him both ways. Or was it? I guess like what was like the process of deciding like those songs fit both projects?
Garrett T. Capps 59:41
Yeah, I mean, a lot of the songs that I told you I gave that odor were three times songs that I played with the three timers like the three timers are basically my quote unquote Honky Tonk band that I formed almost like almost only to play the white horse when I started getting gigs. up there, which makes it even better that they're like the first band that I took to Europe with me. Um, because we're just like a beer drinking rough around the edges. country rock band. But um, yeah, I mean, the three timers, we wanted to make that record ourselves. We just did it here in town, the guitarist is a good good at doing records like that. And that was that but I wanted to make a record with Adam and see what happened was it? Yeah, so I was kind of doing both at the same time.
Thomas Mooney 1:00:40
Yeah. What you know, what's interesting, too, is like I've seen you there's a couple of quotes, I guess about how you kind of thought of this record is like, you're not just like, quote unquote, Texas country, but like, you're being informed by guys like Robert okene and Steve Earle. And it feels like a lot of those songs even it's, I don't know how, if people really understand how the songs they do very much fit in this like very spacey spaceship kind of that NASA contrary thing, but also like they are very much like a like if Steve Earle or Robert Earl keen or you know, Rodney crowl or whoever from like the, your your prototypical prototype like Texas singer songwriter like they both like they fit in both worlds. So perfectly. I don't know if if I'm doing like, enough justice on like, how you're able to weave those two together? Those two words? Um, yeah, I
Garrett T. Capps 1:01:43
mean, like the, the atom odor album, definitely. I knew that he was working with the moon pause. And I knew I've known his name for a long time and, and he obviously has like a huge history in the recording world, especially with Texas music. And yeah, I mean, Frodo Kane is one of my favorite artists. And I really like that stigmatic prairie rose album. It sounded really good. Obviously, the moon highs are just like a ferocious band. But sonically, it sounded really great and older is a really cool guy. And yeah, I kind of wanted to make the Texas album, quote, unquote, yeah, as I felt like I was kind of like, I don't know, I still don't know where I'm going. Exactly. But I wanted to. I wanted to make an album with someone that had worked with Jason Boland, and all these people. Um, essentially,
Thomas Mooney 1:02:52
right. Well, I don't know. I'm like the, a lot of those songs.
Garrett T. Capps 1:02:57
I know. He's not a Texas guy. But you know what I mean?
Thomas Mooney 1:02:59
Yeah, no, of course, like, if you if you're listening right here, go look up like Adams catalog or I don't know, his his, his musical album history. You know, he's got, he's worked with everyone from, like, you mentioned the moon pies. He's got a Grammy for working with the Dixie Chicks. As an engineer, you know, he was basically Lloyd Maines his guy for ever. And so like, that's why he's, like, really, he's got like his fingerprints all over the, the Texas music world, especially since I don't know, like 95 or something. So all right, I think like you on that record. You You do it really well. Blending those two worlds? Because, again, like the along with you. Like if, if you if someone covered that song in the scene right now? It would be like you could you can hear that version, you know what I mean? So
Garrett T. Capps 1:04:02
I'm working on all sorts of stuff. I've definitely, like been writing a lot, almost to the point where I kind of need to stop writing. Maybe it's time to start co writing. As I'm feel like, I'm just writing out the same thing over and over. But, uh,
Thomas Mooney 1:04:18
is it Yeah,
Garrett T. Capps 1:04:19
I got an album in the can. And I'm doing the NASA Country Album. We're going to record that later this year, the third album in the trilogy. It's going to be super far out. And the only gig I have planned is only things I think I have planned right now is my return to Europe in summer of 2021. So who knows what the hell is going to happen before then, but that's all I'm planning on doing. gig was at the moment.
Thomas Mooney 1:04:47
Yeah. Wow. Okay, you're talking about the writing and you feel like you're writing the same thing over is that like the is that like the the Groundhog's Day effect of living 2020 since there are no gigs, and there's no real movement, there's no real travel. There's no, you just kind of feel like you're doing the same thing daily.
Garrett T. Capps 1:05:11
Yeah, I mean, I love writing and I love having projects to work on and stuff. And now I also like, I love playing live gigs and throwing my own shows. I mean, I own my own bar, here in town. And I booked all the bands, the lonesome Rose is like our alternative Honky Tonk. And everything in my world is like, based around music. So the fact that events have been canceled or just can't happen, it's filling the strange, this huge void is appeared. I guess what I'm getting at is that, uh, when I'm writing, I usually see like, some sort of stage in mind. Or, like, some sort of setting. Um, and a lot of what and most of it's pretty much always a, like a show. And yeah, it's weird not knowing when, like, I could take the songs to the stage.
Thomas Mooney 1:06:22
Right. Well, also, the, I guess, like, what kind of added stress it has it been since you do you own a bar? And like, we're not open. Has that like, oh, has that effect?
Garrett T. Capps 1:06:38
Yeah. I mean, while you were in this, we're doing fine. I mean, all the other all the other venues and bars are closed, but as well, but uh, it? Yeah, I mean, we're just closed. It's been pretty stressful in its own way. But at this point, what is it? Yeah.
Thomas Mooney 1:06:59
One last question on that though, too. Is you had this really great mural put on the side the other day. Matt Tom Tomlinson. Right. Tomlinson. Yeah.
What, uh, I guess like, obviously, it's all like San Antonio tied and everything like that. But like, what, what made you decide, hey, I need this San Antonio mural on the side.
Garrett T. Capps 1:07:22
Oh, come on, since a buddy and he does great Texas themed stuff. And he had mentioned doing a mural and we have this big wall like, right, in the great part of town. So he basically Yeah, he made that. I think he basically based it off of that long, rambling verse. And born in San Antonio.
Thomas Mooney 1:07:46
I need to get by on the podcast.
Garrett T. Capps 1:07:48
We got some killer shows like, man we had. There's this beard conference. We've had some cool shows at the rose. And that's like a whole nother conversation. But I was thinking about this yesterday, like we there is a beer conference in town that wanted to throw a cool gig at my venue on April 28. Unfortunately, for some reason, as a Monday, and we ended up booking service chicken that is service is gonna be like thought like, five bucks, the public or something. And James hand was gonna open for like, it was like a crazy, crazy music night. I was just thinking about that yesterday, man. I can't believe this shit. Like that can never happen. You know? Right. Yeah. The
Thomas Mooney 1:08:43
It's, uh, I said, I had like one last question just a minute ago. But I actually have one other question here. Now this is like a goof question, really. But obviously, you've been you've done a lot of these promos, where you call someone on the phone? And then like, Charlie Crockett will answer the phone and these it's these old dial phones. Those old rotary kind of style. Oh, is that what you're talking on right now?
Garrett T. Capps 1:09:11
No, definitely not.
Thomas Mooney 1:09:15
What did you decide? Like how did you like decide? Hey, this is what I need to. These are great promos.
Garrett T. Capps 1:09:21
The phones. commercials. I don't know. For some reason, my mind my mind. Thought that doing a phone commercial would be good. One day I think I was talking about with bloco and Santiago and Augie Meyers two years ago. That was like the first phone commercial and like oggie in Santiago, like on the phone was just like hilarious. But yeah, gotta keep it alive. It's just my goofy caveman style phone call commercials. But I mean, like Bill Callahan did one like people people think they're funny? Yeah. in their own way. So
Thomas Mooney 1:10:05
I'm assuming at the very beginning you had to like, No, no, trust me, this is gonna work. And now it's like, Hey, we do this thing where we do phone commercials.
Garrett T. Capps 1:10:15
Yeah, yeah, it's like kinky kinky Friedman. Yeah, that's a good one.
Thomas Mooney 1:10:22
Well, now you know the thing is is like Charlie Crockett, he put out a or he's putting out a record at the end of the month. And like that first song. He's got like a old school phone and like in the music video or something like that. And I was like, Yeah, he did. He did a commercial. I can't help but think that like, that's where the seed of that idea came from.
Unknown Speaker 1:10:44
That's funny commercials.
Thomas Mooney 1:10:48
Okay, all that does it for this week. Thanks for listening. Go check out Garrett t caps. Stop by the Newsline merch store and episode sponsors the blue light live and Tom's Daiquiri here in Lubbock, Texas. I'll see y'all next Monday for another interview.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai