Tales from the Green Room

The Journey and Legacy of Sweetwater's Uncelebrated Icon - An Interview with the late Austin de Lone

In this interview, which took place in October 2022 before Mount Tam Media launched its Tales From The Green Room podcast, Austin de Lone sits down with host Dennis Strazulo to discuss his rich musical journey and his pivotal involvement with Sweetwater Music Hall, as the venue approached its 50th Anniversary. This is the raw recording of Dennis's visit with Austin for the purpose of writing a feature story on Austin for Mt. Tam Media's Mill Valley Living Magazine to celebrate that event. With Austin's recent passing, the recorded conversation was re-purposed to release as this special podcast episode, honoring Austin's lasting legacy.

Moving to Sweetwater in the early 1970s, Austin recounts the creation and rise of his band Eggs Over Easy, their unexpected London ventures working with Chas Chandler (The Animals, Producer and Manager for Jimi Hendrix), recording at the famed Olympics Studio, and the birth of the pub rock scene. He also discusses the transformation of Sweetwater into a cornerstone of the local music scene, brining the venue to national fame as he worked with John Goddard of Village Music and Sweetwater's beloved owner, Jeannie Patterson, highlighting key interactions with notable musicians like Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe and so many more.  The conversation transitions into Austin's personal efforts in starting the Prader-Willi California Foundation in response to his son's condition. This story captures the essence of a musician's enduring influence on his community and provides insight into the historical and emotional layers of Sweetwater’s musical heritage.

Links

Mill Valley Living October 2022 Feature Story on Austin de Lone

Sweetwater Music Hall Website - History 

Creators and Guests

Host
Dennis Strazulo
Dennis Strazulo & Tami Larson host backstage conversations with artists in the exclusive confines of green rooms at popular music venues and festivals.🎧
Host
Tami Larson
Dennis Strazulo & Tami Larson host backstage conversations with artists in the exclusive confines of green rooms at popular music venues and festivals.🎧

What is Tales from the Green Room?

Welcome to Tales from the Green Room - Backstage conversations from popular music venues around the country curated by Mount Tam Media.

Buckle up and listen in, as host Dennis Strazulo and Mount Tam Media founder, Tami Larson, dig up conversations with artists - before and after shows - in the exclusive confines of the green room. Barriers are down with stories abound!

Tales from the Greenroom Special Edition (Sweetwater Music Hall's 50th Anniversary Series)

Mount Tam Media is thrilled to launch its Tales From the Green Room Podcast with a special series of episodes celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the iconic Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley, California. The roster of artists that have crowded onto the club's little stages, first at the original Sweetwater location two blocks away, and now at the new location which opened in 2013, reads like a Who's Who of roots & rock music: Bob Weir, Aaron Neville, Big Mama Thornton, Carlos Santana, Elvis Costello, Etta James, Greg Allman, Van Morrison… the list of musical luminaries is endless. In the 80's, the Times of London hailed Sweetwater as one of the best nightclubs in America and the legacy continues! Mount Tam Media has been granted special access to Sweetwater’s green room during the venue’s 50th anniversary year to interview musicians, photographers, managers and the like, and capture their favorite moments and memories, preserving the untold secrets of what has graced these hallowed walls for half a century, before they are lost forever.

00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:11 Connection to Marin County Music
00:29 Grateful Dead Influence
00:54 Memorable Concert Experiences
05:28 Playing with Grateful Dead Members
13:11 Touring and Festival Plans
15:17 Fanbase and Legacy
18:13 Conclusion and Farewell