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So we have on the show Matt Stebb's of the blues trio, g a twenty. If you don't know who they are, I think you will soon enough. In a short amount of time, they have garnered a lot of well earned attention and accolades with two top spots on the Billboard Blues charts. GA twenty is Matt Stubbs on guitar. Pat Farrity on guitar and vocals, and Tim Carmen holding it down on the drums.
casson:Hi, Matt. Thank you for being here with us today.
Matthew Stubbs:Hi.
casson:So you're gonna be playing on the Sage Motel tour with Monophonics and Kendra Morris at The Independent, Saturday, September 17. Karma Chief is a subdivision of Coal Mine Records and was born to offer diversity to Coal Mine's already impressive roster. We bring in GA twenty, a blues style band who's happy to have a home at Coal Mine. So I wanted to start off by finding out a little bit more about your sound. Would you describe it?
Matthew Stubbs:So we're influenced really heavy from fifties to sixties Chicago Blues. That's when we started. That was kind of our main influence trying to do the music that we love to our our our, you know, interpretation of that. We're on our third this will be our third record. It's it's changed a little bit or grown, I should say, where, you know, on crackdown has a few other different elements sneaking in there.
Matthew Stubbs:There's some country music stuff, some garage rock, but it's still at at the heart kind of a Chicago blues band for sure.
casson:I'm trying to think of the sound of the song, but there was one song that I heard on that there that, like, almost kinda sounded a little bit like soul music to me. I was gonna ask you if you could cite any early influences that maybe had a hand in the sound you've developed.
Matthew Stubbs:Sure. Let me think. Earl Hooker is one of my favorite guitarists. We love early junior Wells and JB Lenore early buddy guy. These are all cats that we were listening to.
Matthew Stubbs:You know, I've been listening since I was probably 13 years old until now. I'm getting older, but yeah, all that played played a part. Hound Dog Taylor. Robert Lockwood, Freddie King, so many.
casson:Very cool. Can you tell us about the other members of your band and maybe how you all came together?
Matthew Stubbs:Sure. So Pat, the singer and guitarist, the other guitarist, him and I have known each other for a few years now. And in 2018, I also play guitar with an older blues musician, Charlie Musselwhite. I've had that gig for a long time. And in 2018, Charlie was going out on the road with Ben Harper's band, so I had a full year ahead of me with no tour dates, which is the first time that's ever happened.
Matthew Stubbs:And Pat and I were buddies, and I came up with the idea because I wanted to keep I didn't wanna get a day job. I wanted to keep playing music full time. So we we decided to start a little trio and and like I said, we wanna do, like, Chicago raw 50 Chicago blues. That's how it started. And we used different drummers for about a year until we met Tim.
Matthew Stubbs:Then Tim joined, and he's been in there ever since. Both those guys, Pat, I I'm probably out of the three of us. I've been in the Blues probably the longest like I've since I was a kid. My father plays guitar and introduced it to me when I was 13 or 14. Pat was more into jazz and heavy metal.
Matthew Stubbs:All this other stuff up until about three years or four years before starting GA twenty and then he kind of dove deep into it. That's how we met. He would come to my shows and see who I was playing with and you know would ask me who to listen to and stuff to kind of discover traditional blues artists. And then we met Tim, like I said, about a year after the band and he he's coming from more of like a jazz and kind of R and B background, rock and roll. But as soon as he joined this band, he kind of dove in just, you know, full in with us with the whole traditional blues thing.
casson:And then so it's two guitars, vocals, and drums, and then no bass. So that arrangement kinda beckons to a certain era of music. Right? To do that?
Matthew Stubbs:A lot of people, I don't think they realize it, but a lot of these Chicago bands, blues bands didn't have bass on their recordings, and I'm not sure why. It was just out of the you know, there was no bass player around or they were trying to save money. But a lot of these records that I grew up with is two guitars and drums, or it might be two guitars, drums, harmonica. So that's kinda when we started. We wanted to keep it, you know, as small and tight as possible.
Matthew Stubbs:So we were kinda modeling ourselves after those type of groups that were around, where one guitar player plays more of the baseline and the other guy plays the more typical guitar parts.
casson:How do you achieve that? Just for someone who doesn't play music, like, a guitar player wanted to play more of the baseline, like, how can you get that sound?
Matthew Stubbs:Well, first of all, it's just the part. So, a lot of the times, one of us is actually playing a baseline. It's just on guitar. So, it's just not as the note isn't as low, the odd. And then, technically, you know, you can set your amplifier in a way so it's a little darker, has more low end.
Matthew Stubbs:And then it just comes down to arrangements like, you know, knowing how what songs it will work on or not. I mean, there's some songs you just need bass guitar and you and we wouldn't be able to do those but we kind of, you know, for the first year, we were playing a lot of covers. Know, we learned all these songs that those acts were doing in the fifties and sixties. So, think when we started writing our own tunes, we were kind of in that headspace anyway. So, we kind of write in a way that accommodates two guitars and no bass.
casson:Okay. And then would you bring in like a harmonica like you were saying? You've heard that
Matthew Stubbs:on When we first started, we when we first started, we had a guy that would do some gigs with us and he's on our first record for a few tunes. And on our first record, we also had Charlie Musclewhite sit in. But
casson:Oh, yeah.
Matthew Stubbs:Yeah. But I mean, so the first Lonely Soul, there's some harmonica on there. But since then, we have not had any more harmonica just for that first record.
casson:And so GA twenty is the name of a vintage Gibson amp, I think I read. So obviously, you're all into gear. I was interested in what some of your favorite instruments you have are and maybe what you might get if you could, what you're dreaming of having.
Matthew Stubbs:Sure, well I got my dream guitar about two years ago, it's a 1951 Telecaster, it's the first year Telecasters were made, And I lucked out, a friend of mine found one for sale and I had to like sell 10 guitars to even think about affording it. But so I have that one. That's my probably my prized possession, but I record a lot with GA-twenty. I do not go on tour with that guitar. With GA twenty, I play some other Telecasters and then a lot of vintage harmony and silver tone kind of cheaper guitars that were made back then, and that's Pat uses the same thing.
Matthew Stubbs:He uses either a Tysco or Old Harmony.
casson:And that's to achieve that kind that sound that's more reminiscent of the past. Is that why you're using
Matthew Stubbs:Yeah. They're just I think they're a little more unusual or unique sounding than a Fender or Gibson. I mean, don't get me wrong. I have lots of Fender's and Gibson's. I love them, but so many people play those.
Matthew Stubbs:I think some of those, they call them, like, catalog guitars because you used to be able to buy them at Sears in the catalog. You know? They were they were still American made, high quality. They just weren't as expensive as a Fender, you know, and they have a little bit of a different sound. It would just happen to be the guitar I was using when we started the band.
Matthew Stubbs:So I've I've just kind of stuck in that area since.
casson:So there's this real soul country kind of music revival thing happening at the moment. GA twenty's kind of on the forefront of the blues revival. What do you keep in mind when creating new material to keep it fresh while still paying a tribute to the past?
Matthew Stubbs:Sure. So, I mean, what I listen to, is, you know, mostly traditional music, blues or country or jazz. And we're not really trying to re recreate the the wheel or anything. We're just trying to write our own songs, and hopefully, they come off sounding, you know, original in the regard that we're the ones performing and writing them, but heavily influenced from all all our, you know, heroes and trying to kinda keep that alive with the songwriting, but also the production of the records. You know, our records I'm trying to have some sort of classic traditional element at all times, but, you know, maybe have something, you know, freshen them up a little bit.
Matthew Stubbs:I mean, we are living in 2022 and we listen to all kinds of music, so some other influences always sneak in there, so it doesn't sound like a exact copy of a 50s record or something, you know.
casson:Yeah. In in regard to creating new material, is there anything about that process you can share with us? Maybe how things take shape and form? Like, discussion. Pat
Matthew Stubbs:and I write most most of the stuff. We'll trade just like notes, like, if I come up with a riff or he'll have a lyric or a hook, And we usually do that separately. And, you know, we'll email or text, you know, with voice text on the phone, just ideas. And we'll go back and forth a little bit. And then usually when there's a little bit of a blueprint, we get together with Tim and we try arranging it.
Matthew Stubbs:And if it sounds halfway decent at the rehearsal, we usually bring it out and start performing it live right away and really try to work it out live a lot before we even think about recording it. So at Crackdown, we did that. Not all the songs, probably 80% of the songs we were playing for a while before we recorded them.
casson:That's very cool. I like Crackdown a lot. I got the opportunity to listen to it, and we're playing some of those songs off of there. I kinda felt like there was, like, maybe an emotional theme that cracked down, and I didn't know if I was just thinking that in my own mind if there was, but it feels sorta like a an album about heartbreak. Is that on purpose?
casson:Well, Pat
Matthew Stubbs:wrote a lot of the lyrics to these songs, and I would I would agree with you. You we'd know, have to ask Pat. But, yeah, it sounds like a lot of these are, you know, him him him having trouble with some partners.
casson:Yeah. Yeah. So you did a tribute to Hound Dog Taylor with the album Try It. You might like it. That was a joint endeavor under both Crime Achieve and Alligator, I believe.
casson:And I read how you picked out specific instruments to recreate that sound. I wanted to know if you'd expand upon that for the people who are listening.
Matthew Stubbs:Sure. So the owner of Alligator, his name's Bruce. He started Alligator to put out a hound dog record because no one would sign sign hound dog in the early seventies. So, anyway, he was there. He produced those records, and he's still part of Alligator.
Matthew Stubbs:So when we decided to do this, you know, I had lots of conversations with him and got some pictures that aren't so common and saw how those sessions were, you know, recorded. And and I got to talk to him and what the vibe was in the room and what they were using for instruments and stuff. And then, yeah, we went out and we kind of like hoarded as many guitars like that that, you know, their Tysco is the brand or Kingston. And they're very inexpensive still. They're like these Japanese sixties guitars.
Matthew Stubbs:So it took we probably bought eight or nine of them to find one or two that's worked correctly and sounded close to what Hound Dog used. And then from there, we also, you know, bought little amplifiers, smaller versions of what they were using, but the same brand because we were our studio is pretty small where we were recording. But, yeah, was fun. It was a fun process.
casson:Did you find that, like, the new ways of recording, like or trying to record, that Hound Dog style kind of changed you and your process as a musician, either in the studio or when you're playing live?
Matthew Stubbs:We kind of already recorded that way. Okay. The record without Lonely Soul, We record like a traditional blues band. So unlike a lot of modern bands, we set up in a room live, the drums, the amplifiers, everything in one, and we play all together. We don't do a lot of like independent like playing to a track and then overdubbing.
Matthew Stubbs:So, in that regard, it wasn't that foreign for us to do. Couple things that were a little different like those Hound Dog records that we were trying to get in the neighborhood of sounding like are very dry. They didn't use reverb or anything. We typically do like reverb. So, that was the only technical difference for me when I was producing it.
Matthew Stubbs:It was, like, strange not to have any reverb on any instrument. You know?
casson:I read like, speaking about recording, I read that you usually only do a few takes. And I feel like that really does give you record sort of like an authentic alive kind of raw feeling. And I was, I guess, how do you know when to walk away like that you have the take that you want?
Matthew Stubbs:We usually you kind of know. I think it usually takes one to three takes and like I said, we come in really prepared. We're not coming in sometimes, especially with those old Blues records. People just come in and they would play and you know you get what you get and sometimes it's good. It's not.
Matthew Stubbs:We come in pretty rehearsed as far as knowing the arrangements and knowing what we're going for and we play the songs hopefully live a bunch and rehearsed them. So it's usually we just listen back and if it feels natural and it and there's all the energy that we're going for is there. I move on. Like, there's lots of mistakes all over the place but that's not really, we're not trying to make a perfect mistake free record ever. We're trying to make, you know, a lot, almost like a live representation of what we do.
Matthew Stubbs:So, if you ask the other guys, I think I I move on a little quicker than anyone else in the band. They they usually want to keep trying to fix stuff and and usually I'm the one that says, okay, let's move on. We can do it again later and then, I don't I don't we don't do it again later.
casson:So, you do a lot of these songs live before you take them into the studio, and I feel like I I think I read that you you kind of work things out on stage. Let's say you go in different directions with a song. When you're live and you're doing that, how do you feel like you as a group kind of stay together as a cohesive unit when you're doing that sort of improvisational work or just doing different things with a song?
Matthew Stubbs:I mean, I just think we've done so many gigs in such a short time. We're pretty dialed into what each other's gonna do for the most part. I mean, there's always here and there that might be a fumble, but for the most part, we know where each other's gonna go. I mean, none of the solos are exactly the same, but you know, you can kind of tell. I think Pat can tell or Tim can tell what I'm about to do and vice versa.
casson:So GA20 is a relatively new project. I already undergone some evolution. How do you see the band continuing to evolve, and what would you like to see happen?
Matthew Stubbs:Well, I just we wanna just keep making records and touring and trying to reach more people, bigger bigger audience, and hopefully introduce people that might not be exposed to blues or maybe they don't know they like it and show them what we're doing. Also, introduce people to traditional blues because I think the one thing that, you know, these days, I think if you mention the word blues, sometimes it has a PR problem. People instantly go to thinking blues rock or modern blues or this word, which is more like influence from British British invasion blues, which is lots of soloing and and shredding and long guitar solos. We're not we don't we play guitar solos, but it's different. It's more about the song, you know?
Matthew Stubbs:We're making records based on the song, and if song calls for a guitar solo, we play guitar solo, you know? Yeah, yeah. Introduce people to that if they're not aware of it.
casson:Your songs do seem like more concise if that's like. Yeah, I like I like it a lot. Are there any new projects that you're working on that you wanna share with the people who are listening?
Matthew Stubbs:Right now, I'm pretty consumed with this. So this record is coming out September 9, and then we have two more records that are done and ready to release. So everything's getting scheduled for that. We're just we're on on the road. We're going to Vegas tomorrow, and then we're on the road until, like, December.
Matthew Stubbs:Then we take the holidays off, and then we're out all January and February again. So it's mostly just promoting these records.
casson:When did you record all these records?
Matthew Stubbs:Well, Crackdown actually was recorded before the Hound Dog tribute record, and we were going to release it in 2020. And then when everything shut down, we decided after talking to the label, it was probably best to hold off and make sure we can tour behind it because mostly original music. Like I said, the whole point is to get out there, introduce it to people. And then Hound Dog kind of fell in our lap. Alligator contacted us in July 2020 and wanted to work with us, but we're already under contract with Coal Mine for multiple records.
Matthew Stubbs:So, we had to figure out a way to work with both labels, and they both like this idea because it was the fiftieth anniversary of Hound Dog's first record. So, I cooked the idea up and they went for it. And then from there, once we started doing the recording session for Hound Dog, I had I had built a studio at my house. It went well, we were happy with the sound. So we went back in and recorded another record right away, like, I think it was a month later.
Matthew Stubbs:So that will be coming out shortly.
casson:Is there anything you can say about the other records?
Matthew Stubbs:Sure. So the next one coming out is a full live record. It's not that one. It's a this performance we did at our record label own has a record store in Loveland. So we did a show there to a live audience direct to tape.
Matthew Stubbs:So that's going be the next record that comes out after Crackdown. And then the record after that, it's going be an all acoustic studio record.
casson:That's a lot of work. You've been just grinding. I wanted to ask touch upon the Charles Muscle White thing again. Yep. I was just wondering because you are having so much success with GA twenty and you are so busy.
casson:Do you see yourself being able to join him on tour again in the future?
Matthew Stubbs:Yeah. I just did a few gigs with him, last month and I have gigs on the books coming up. It's we we we're lucky I share a booking agent. So our agents is his booking agent as well. So it makes it a little easier for me to schedule stuff.
Matthew Stubbs:I did miss a few gigs this year, which is the first time in about fourteen years I've never missed a gig with them that I had to get somebody to come in and sub for me. But I would I would like to keep juggling both if possible.
casson:Yeah, I love him. So you've you've shared a stage obviously with some pretty big names. I'm wondering if there's anybody you dream of playing music with.
Matthew Stubbs:Oh, boy. I don't know. Wouldn't mind playing with Buddy Guy. I mean, I played with Buddy Guy a couple of times, but I wouldn't mind playing with Buddy Guy again at some point. That might be fun.
casson:That would be very cool to listen to. Do you have any kind of advice that you've ever received from one of these big musicians or anyone? Like, what's the best piece of advice that you've received musically? I
Matthew Stubbs:don't know. I mean, Charlie just always says, you know, play from the heart or play stuff, you know, that has the feeling, blues is a feeling, whatever. I guess that's good advice. Yeah. I don't know.
Matthew Stubbs:That's something I would probably have to think about. That's a that's a good question.
casson:Is there anything is there any music in particular that you're kinda really digging on right now? Maybe something we could play afterwards on the show today? Also anything from crackdown that you'd specifically want us to play.
Matthew Stubbs:So the two singles that are out now are easy on the eyes or dry run. So either one of those or the the leading track when the record comes out September 9, but you can play it. It's called fair weather friend. So any of those three would be great.
casson:Okay. I I played dry run last week on the show. Well, thank you. Cool. And is there anything, like, outside of your band that you've been listening to that you might want us to play?
Matthew Stubbs:Yeah. I I I dig Cedric Burnside's new record. That's a good one. There's a country singer. Her name is Sierra Farrell.
Matthew Stubbs:I've been listening to her a lot. She's great. I also like Coulter Wall, who's a country guy, country music guy. I've been listening to those three.
casson:Okay. Any particular songs or should I just kind of like dig through They're and try to find
Matthew Stubbs:all great. There's one other guy like this Canadian guy named we just became buddies, Jeremy Albino. He's another good one. So any one of those guys would be good to play.
casson:Okay, cool. Thank you for those recommendations that I wanted to ask you where people are gonna be able to find your new record when it does come out.
Matthew Stubbs:Probably any indie retail store near them, probably if not, you request can it. But also, you can just go to our website, ga20band.com. And from there, you can find it wherever you listen to music.
casson:And then it's gonna be I'm assuming streaming all services, things like that.
Matthew Stubbs:Digital cassette tapes, CD, vinyl, we'll have it on all all those things. Yeah.
casson:Cassette tapes. Yeah. That's awesome. Is there anything else that you were hoping that we might talk about today that we haven't had a chance to?
Matthew Stubbs:You covered a lot. Just, you know, hope people come to the show, you know, and and and come support the show. That'd be great.
casson:Yeah. I'm definitely gonna be there. Well, thank you for being here. It was great to talk to you and learn more about your work. I wanna remind everyone that GA twenty, Monophonics, and Kendra Morris are starting their Sage Motel tour soon.
casson:Get your tickets now, San Francisco. The Sage Motel tour will be stopping in San Francisco Saturday, September 17 at The Independent.