Backstage Pass Radio

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SHOW SUMMARY:
Date: September 9, 2026
Name of Podcast: Backstage Pass Radio
S11: E6: Jaron Gulino (Lynch Mob) Road Life & 4 Strings

SHOW SUMMARY:
Watching your hero from the crowd is one thing. Locking in beside them onstage, night after night, is something else entirely.

I sit down with powerhouse bassist and tour manager Jaron Gulino, an East Coast native known for his work with Lynch Mob plus projects like Heaven’s Edge and Tantric. We get into where his sound really comes from: being a fan first, getting raised on Sabbath, Rainbow, Deep Purple, and Iron Maiden, then slowly widening his ears until groove, vocals, and feel matter as much as riffs and speed. Jaron also explains why his bass playing is “guitar-brained” even though he’s not trying to be a guitarist, and how that mindset shapes writing, tone, and stage energy.

We also pull the curtain back on the touring musician reality. Jaron breaks down the unglamorous work that keeps a band moving, from last-minute prep to merch, driving, and tour managing. He shares what it’s like to record a truly raw live album with Lynch Mob (The Final Ride), why leaving small imperfections makes it honest, and how improvisation changes depending on the drummer and the moment. Along the way, he clears up the biggest misconceptions about George Lynch and talks about reading cues when the jams go off-script.

If you care about the music industry, rock and roll, heavy metal, live performance, or what it actually takes to build a sustainable career as a working bassist, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share the episode with a music friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find Backstage Pass Radio.

Sponsor Link:
WWW.ECOTRIC.COM
WWW.SIGNAD.COM
WWW.RUNWAYAUDIO.COM
WWW.BROADLEAFGROUP.COM

Artist Website:
www.georgelynch.com

Backstage Pass Radio Social Media Handles:
Facebook - @backstagepassradiopodcast @randyhulseymusic
Instagram - @Backstagepassradio @randyhulseymusic
Twitter - @backstagepassPC @rhulseymusic
Website - www.backstagepassradio.com & www.randyhulsey.com
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@backstagepassradiopodcast

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Thank you for being a part of Backstage Pass Radio
 
Your Host,
Randy Hulsey 
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SHOW SUMMARY:
Date: August 26th, 2026
Name of Podcast: Backstage Pass Radio
S11: E5: Max Rios (Max Rios & The Waysiders) - Los Vatos Del Barrio)

SHOW SUMMARY:
A lot of artists talk about “being real,” but Max Rios has actually built his whole musical life around it, even when the easier move was to chase someone else’s plan. We sit down face-to-face in the studio and follow the trail back to South Houston, Wayside Drive, and those formative years where rock and roll, Spanish-language records, and country radio all quietly wired themselves into his sound.

Max breaks down how his Tex Americana style is really a lived blend of roots rock, Americana songwriting, country DNA, and Mexican-American influence, not a genre trend. We dig into the lost art of deep listening, why vinyl records and liner notes trained a generation to hear details, and how that kind of attention shows up in songs like “Record Store Days.” If you’ve ever missed the feeling of getting lost in an album, this conversation will hit hard in the best way.

We also get practical about craft and career: how Max writes when inspiration strikes instead of on a schedule, how he knows when a song is “done,” and why space in an arrangement can say more than another overdub. He performs “Angelina” and shares the story behind it, connecting grief, memory, and songwriting in a way that changes how you hear the track. Plus, we talk band realities, solo gigs, redefining success with age, and what to expect from his upcoming full-length release, Two Sides to a Story.

If you enjoy songwriter interviews, Americana and Tex-Mex textures, and honest talk about making music in today’s industry, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave us a review. What’s one song you’d keep alive 100 years from now?

Sponsor Link:
WWW.ECOTRIC.COM
WWW.SIGNAD.COM
WWW.RUNWAYAUDIO.COM
WWW.BROADLEAFGROUP.COM

Artist Website:
www.maxrios.com

Backstage Pass Radio Social Media Handles:
Facebook - @backstagepassradiopodcast @randyhulseymusic
Instagram - @Backstagepassradio @randyhulseymusic
Twitter - @backstagepassPC @rhulseymusic
Website - www.backstagepassradio.com & www.randyhulsey.com
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@backstagepassradiopodcast

Call to action
We ask our listeners to like, share, and subscribe to the show and the artist's social media pages. This enables us to continue pushing great content to the consumer. 
Support Backstage Pass Radio - https://www.buzzsprout.com/1628902/support
 
Thank you for being a part of Backstage Pass Radio
 
Your Host,
Randy Hulsey 
Support the show

Let Us Know What You Think of the Show!
SHOW SUMMARY:
Date: August 12th, 2026
Name of Podcast: Backstage Pass Radio
S11: E4 - Bubba Westly - Truths, Songs, and Second Chances

SHOW SUMMARY:
A song can be “good” for years and still not be ready for the world. Randy Hulsey sits down with Texas country artist Bubba Westly for an honest, boots-on-the-ground conversation about what actually builds a career when you are doing it independently: family roots, long drives, late-night lyric notes, chart pressure, and the humility it takes to keep going when the plan changes.
 
Bubba performs live in the studio and unpacks the stories behind the music, including “Feel So Good,” a track he wrote years ago and resurrected after audiences kept asking to hear it again. We also talk through his lyric-first songwriting process, how he decides when a song is truly finished, and the business milestones that made it all feel real, like holding his first royalty check and learning how publishing and PROs like BMI work in practice.
 
The conversation turns deeply personal with “Every Other Weekend,” a vulnerable co-write about parenting, custody, and the emotions that can hit hardest onstage. Bubba also shares how sobriety and faith reshaped his life, why he invites prayer requests online, and how he meets fans at the merch booth after shows to offer encouragement, not just sell merch. If you love Texas country music, country songwriting, independent artists, and behind-the-scenes music industry stories, this one lands with both craft and heart.
 
Subscribe to Backstage Pass Radio, share this with a friend who loves real artist stories, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show.

Sponsor Link:
WWW.ECOTRIC.COM
WWW.SIGNAD.COM
WWW.RUNWAYAUDIO.COM
WWW.BROADLEAFGROUP.COM

Artist Website:
www.bubbawestly.com

Backstage Pass Radio Social Media Handles:
Facebook - @backstagepassradiopodcast @randyhulseymusic
Instagram - @Backstagepassradio @randyhulseymusic
Twitter - @backstagepassPC @rhulseymusic
Website - www.backstagepassradio.com & www.randyhulsey.com
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@backstagepassradiopodcast

Call to action
We ask our listeners to like, share, and subscribe to the show and the artist's social media pages. This enables us to continue pushing great content to the consumer. 
Support Backstage Pass Radio - https://www.buzzsprout.com/1628902/support
 
Thank you for being a part of Backstage Pass Radio
 
Your Host,
Randy Hulsey 
Support the show

Let Us Know What You Think of the Show!
SHOW SUMMARY:
Date: July 29, 2026
Name of Podcast: Backstage Pass Radio
S11: E3: Jonathon "Boogie" Long - Courage In The Chaos

SHOW SUMMARY:
A great guitar player can impress you in 10 seconds, but Jonathon “Boogie” Long is after something harder: a sound that tells the truth. Randy Hulsey talks with the Louisiana blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter about what it takes to build a career when the music industry is driven by algorithms, short-form video, and streaming numbers that can make even a great record feel invisible. Boogie gets real about the pressure to “go viral,” why that can feel forced, and how he’s chosen a more authentic lane through TikTok live streaming, daily improvisation, and genuine fan engagement that slowly moves the needle on Spotify.
 
We also go back to where it started, from Baton Rouge roots to life in Hammond, and the family gospel tradition that shaped his ear, his phrasing, and his commitment to uplifting songs. Boogie explains how he learned to hear chord progressions without an instrument, why he thinks like a vocalist when he plays guitar, and how early gigs, road work, and mentorship helped him grow up fast in the Louisiana music scene. Along the way we touch career turning points like playing Jazz Fest, winning Guitar Center’s King of the Blues, and the long road from accolades to sustainable momentum.
 
Then we dig into Courage and the Chaos, the album that pushes through genre lines and lands on the Billboard blues chart, plus the realities of releasing new music while competing with legacy acts. You’ll also hear practical talk on recording sessions, touring goals, future album ideas, and a quick hit of guitar gear favorites for tone chasers. If you care about modern blues, independent artists, and the behind-the-scenes work that never shows up in a highlight reel, this one’s for you. 
Subscribe, share this conversation with a music friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find the story behind the songs.

Sponsor Link:
WWW.ECOTRIC.COM
WWW.SIGNAD.COM
WWW.RUNWAYAUDIO.COM
WWW.BROADLEAFGROUP.COM

Artist Website:
www.boogielong.com

Backstage Pass Radio Social Media Handles:
Facebook - @backstagepassradiopodcast @randyhulseymusic
Instagram - @Backstagepassradio @randyhulseymusic
Twitter - @backstagepassPC @rhulseymusic
Website - www.backstagepassradio.com & www.randyhulsey.com
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@backstagepassradiopodcast

Call to action
We ask our listeners to like, share, and subscribe to the show and the artist's social media pages. This enables us to continue pushing great content to the consumer. 
Support Backstage Pass Radio - https://www.buzzsprout.com/1628902/support
 
Thank you for being a part of Backstage Pass Radio
 
Your Host,
Randy Hulsey 
Support the show

Let Us Know What You Think of the Show!
SHOW SUMMARY:
Date: July 15, 2026
Name of Podcast: Backstage Pass Radio
S11: E2: A.J. Vallejo - (Love & Chaos / Brody Lane / Vallejo - The Hustle Behind The Melody

SHOW SUMMARY:
The music industry loves a clean storyline: one band, one break, one big deal. A.J. Vallejo’s career is the opposite and that’s exactly why it works. From Vallejo to Love and Chaos to Brody Lane, A.J. has built a life in Texas music by stacking skills: songwriter, guitarist, producer, director, band leader, and the kind of connector who can turn a garage hang into a charting project.

We dig into the real business behind the art, including why major label contracts and 360 deals can trap artists in endless recoupment, and what it actually takes to keep creative control. A.J. breaks down touring economics, how social media changed discovery, and the strategy he wishes more musicians would talk about: sync licensing. If you’ve ever wondered how songs end up on ESPN, HBO, or long-running TV rotations, he explains the “mailbox money” logic and why catalog placements can fund studios, gear, and future records.

Then we head to the river. A.J. shares what he’s building at Grüne Studios near New Braunfels and Canyon Lake: a residential recording studio and songwriter retreat where artists can live, write, record, and reset without the constant distractions of a city room. We also talk about finding young talent, producing regional number ones, supporting musicians through HAM health coverage in Austin, and even the surprising parallels between crafting a hit song and dialing in a hot sauce recipe.

If you care about independent artists, Texas country, Americana, rock, and the behind-the-scenes choices that keep careers alive, hit play, share this with a music friend, and subscribe and leave a review so more listeners can find the show.

Sponsor Link:
WWW.ECOTRIC.COM
WWW.SIGNAD.COM
WWW.RUNWAYAUDIO.COM
WWW.BROADLEAFGROUP.COM

Artist Website:
www.loveandchaos.com
www.ajvallejo.com
INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/ajvallejo

Backstage Pass Radio Social Media Handles:
Facebook - @backstagepassradiopodcast @randyhulseymusic
Instagram - @Backstagepassradio @randyhulseymusic
Twitter - @backstagepassPC @rhulseymusic
Website - www.backstagepassradio.com & www.randyhulsey.com
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@backstagepassradiopodcast

Call to action
We ask our listeners to like, share, and subscribe to the show and the artist's social media pages. This enables us to continue pushing great content to the consumer. 
Support Backstage Pass Radio - https://www.buzzsprout.com/1628902/support
 
Thank you for being a part of Backstage Pass Radio
 
Your Host,
Randy Hulsey 
Support the show