The Bandwich Tapes

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with Deer Fellow, the Austin-based duo of Alyssa and Matt, for a conversation about harmony, songwriting, production, and the creative life of a working independent band.

Their new full-length album, Hues, is built around the idea of emotional color. We talk about how that concept developed, how songs from different points in their writing lives found a home together, and how video games, travel, nature, and everyday life all find their way into their creative process.

Alyssa and Matt also talk about the practical and musical challenges of being a duo. Their sound is remarkably full, both live and on record, and we dig into how they use looping, synth, violin, guitar, vocals, and production choices to create something expansive without making it feel crowded.

This conversation also gets into the reality of being full-time musicians in Austin: the gigs that pay the bills, the shows that feed the soul, the pressure of social media, and the persistence it takes to keep growing while staying connected to the music itself.

Key Takeaways  
• Deer Fellow began after Alyssa and Matt met at an open mic and discovered a natural vocal chemistry.  
• Their album Hues is centered around emotional color and includes songs written across many different seasons of their lives.  
• The song “Easier” was their first full song written together from start to finish.  
• The album’s “Between Shades” interludes are built from pieces of existing songs, highlighting vocals, violin, and guitar.  
• Alyssa and Matt recorded the album at home, then sent the tracks out for mixing and mastering.  
• The duo format has pushed them to become stronger arrangers, performers, and producers.  
• Austin has challenged them professionally while also giving them community, grit, and access to support systems for working musicians.

Music from the Episode  
Fool For You - Deer FellowInvisible - Deer Fellow
Between Shades (Part One) - Deer Fellow
Beautiful Grey - Deer Fellow
Pep in My Step - Deer Fellow
Hues - Deer Fellow
About the Podcast
The Bandwich Tapes is a music interview podcast hosted by Brad Williams. Each episode features thoughtful conversations with musicians, songwriters, composers, producers, and artists about craft, collaboration, creative process, musical identity, and the way music actually gets made.
Connect with the Show
Email: contact@thebandwichtapes.com

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with John Cowan, a musician whose voice has been part of my own musical memory since I first heard New Grass Revival as a kid at the Georgia Mountain Fair in Hiawassee, Georgia.

John and I talk about his early influences, from Paul McCartney and Duck Dunn to Leon Russell, and how he developed as both a singer and a bass player. We also dig into the specific challenge of singing lead while holding down the low end, especially when the bass part and vocal line are moving in different rhythmic directions.

The conversation moves through John’s years with New Grass Revival, his deep admiration for Sam Bush’s rhythm, and the way bluegrass taught him the power of simplicity. John also reflects on finding his own voice after years of being able to imitate other singers, and how joining New Grass Revival forced him to become himself as a vocalist.

We also talk about his work with The Doobie Brothers, his respect for Tiran Porter’s bass lines, singing harmony, working with Andrea Zonn, Luke Bulla, and The HercuLeons, and the gratitude that comes from a life spent standing beside remarkable musicians.

Key Takeaways  
• John reflects on the impact of New Grass Revival and how joining the band helped him discover his own voice.  
• He talks about the challenge of singing lead while playing bass, especially when the bass line is syncopated.  
• Paul McCartney, Duck Dunn, Leon Russell, Little Feat, Stevie Wonder, and Gregg Allman all shaped John’s early musical world.  
• Playing bluegrass taught John the beauty and power of simplicity.  
• John describes Sam Bush as one of the greatest rhythmic forces in bluegrass music.  
• His role with The Doobie Brothers gives him the chance to honor Tiran Porter’s melodic and highly musical bass parts.  
• John speaks openly about recovery, community, discipline, and the work of becoming a better person over time.

Music from the Episode  
Georgia Rhythm - John Cowan
Devil Woman - John Cowan
Hold to a Dream - New Grass Revival
You Plant Your Fields - New Grass Revival
Take Me to the Alley - The Herculeons
I'm Just Not Ready - John Cowan  
About the Podcast
The Bandwich Tapes is a music interview podcast hosted by Brad Williams. Each episode features thoughtful conversations with musicians, songwriters, composers, producers, and artists about craft, collaboration, creative process, musical identity, and the way music actually gets made.

Connect with the Show
Email: contact@thebandwichtapes.com

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with singer, songwriter, producer, studio builder, and longtime Austin music figure Hank Alrich for a conversation about songs, sound, family, and the long arc of a creative life.

Hank talks about his early years as a working folk singer, his time building a recording studio inside Armadillo World Headquarters, and eventually taking the helm of that legendary Austin venue in the late 1970s. Along the way, he reflects on the kind of musical education that comes from being surrounded by country, blues, folk, jazz, funk, and experimental music all in the same room.

We spend a good bit of time with Hank’s album Broken River, especially the way it balances polish and looseness. Hank shares how he approaches recording with a live band, why he values trusted collaborators, and how his daughter Shaidri has become an essential musical voice in his work.

This is a conversation about writing only when the song demands it, letting musicians play together in real time, and learning to respect the crack in the performance where the light gets in.

Key Takeaways
 • Hank’s first professional gig was as a house folk singer, playing six sets a night, seven nights a week.
 • His work at Armadillo World Headquarters gave him a broad musical education across folk, country, blues, jazz, funk, and beyond.
 • Broken River brings together songs from different periods of Hank’s writing life.
 • Hank values live recording because of the human, almost metaphysical connection between musicians in the room.
 • His daughter Shaidri plays an important role as a harmony singer, collaborator, and trusted set of ears.
 • Hank sees production as a team effort, with every musician and engineer contributing to the final shape of the song.
 • The conversation explores the difference between perfection and completion in making records.
Music from the Episode
I Hate to See That Evening Sun Go Down - Hank Alrich
The Perfect Hat - Hank Alrich
She Had Whiskey For Dinner - Hank Alrich
Broken River - Hank Alrich
About the Podcast
The Bandwich Tapes is a music interview podcast hosted by Brad Williams. Each episode features thoughtful conversations with musicians, songwriters, composers, producers, and artists about craft, collaboration, creative process, musical identity, and the way music actually gets made.

Connect with the Show
Email: contact@thebandwichtapes.com

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with pianist, composer, producer, and sound designer Dave Mackay for a thoughtful conversation about musical identity, touring life, and the creative possibilities that live between composition, improvisation, and sound.

Dave reflects on the strange rhythm of life on the road, especially after years of near-constant touring. We talk about the physical and emotional shift from playing for massive audiences to suddenly being home, and how that quiet space can bring a different kind of reflection. He speaks honestly about performance, nerves, and why playing the piano can feel natural while speaking into a microphone can still feel unnerving.

We also trace his musical path, from early piano lessons in England to his studies in London and at Berklee College of Music in Boston. Dave shares how a perceptive childhood teacher encouraged him not just to learn music, but to develop his own voice. That thread carries through the entire conversation, from his improvisational instincts as a child to the way he builds sounds, writes records, and approaches collaboration now.

A major part of our conversation centers on Dave’s remarkable body of original work, including his Three trilogy:  L.A., Nashville, and Utopia, and his album The Looking Chamber. We talk about the influence of the Esbjörn Svensson Trio, the creative chemistry of working in a trio format, and how sound design and composition constantly inform one another in his music. Dave also shares why he prefers creating his own keyboard patches rather than relying on presets, and how his relationship with Nord keyboards grew out of that sonic curiosity.

We close by talking about his work touring with Brandi Carlile, how that opportunity came together through Lucius, and why he remains passionate about live music that breathes naturally rather than being locked to click tracks and playback. It’s a conversation about artistry, listening, taste, and learning how to trust your own instincts, both on stage and in the studio.
Key Takeaways
Dave talks candidly about the physical and emotional reality of life on tour, and why the transition back home can feel just as intense as the touring itself.
He shares how improvisation has been part of his musical voice from the very beginning, even as a young piano student.
Dave reflects on the importance of great teachers and how one early mentor helped him develop his own sound rather than imposing someone else’s.
We discuss the origin of his Three trilogy — L.A., Nashville, and Utopia — and how those records grew out of improvisation, friendship, and experimentation.
Dave offers a fascinating look at sound design, explaining how creating his own patches and textures is integral to his compositional identity.
He talks about touring with Brandi Carlile and why live music feels most alive to him when musicians listen and respond in real time.
The conversation becomes a broader meditation on trust: trusting your ears, your collaborators, and the artistic choices that feel most like you.
Music from the Episode
All the Same - Dave Mackay
Here in the Vastness - Dave Mackay
Impulse - Dave Mackay
Prophecies - Dave Mackay
Trust Goddess - Dave Mackay
About the Podcast
The Bandwich Tapes is my chance to sit down with musicians, composers, songwriters, and creative artists I admire for honest conversations about craft, collaboration, career, and the deeper musical ideas that shape their work. It’s a show about process, perspective, and the stories behind a life in music.
Connect with the Show
Email: contact@thebandwichtapes.com

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with drummer, collaborator, and educator Eric Doob for a wide-ranging conversation about sound, taste, collaboration, and what it really means to make music in today’s world. I first came across Eric’s playing through his work on Live From Here with Chris Thile, and I’ve been a fan ever since. From the very beginning of our conversation, it’s clear that Eric approaches music with a deep sense of curiosity and care, whether he’s performing, recording, producing, or teaching.

We spend time talking about his work with guitarist Matthew Stevens, including his role as both a drummer and a collaborator in shaping the sound of those records. Eric offers great insight into the importance of sonic identity, how the sound of the drums, the tuning, the cymbals, and even the engineer’s perspective can shape the emotional core of a track. It’s a thoughtful look at how sound itself becomes part of the composition.

Our conversation also dives into collaboration and the idea of “taste” as a guiding force. Eric shares how the strongest musical relationships often come from a shared aesthetic sensibility rather than just technical ability. We talk about bands, chemistry, and the unspoken communication that happens when musicians are truly aligned.

We also explore his path from growing up outside Boston to studying at Berklee College of Music and eventually building a life in New York. Along the way, Eric reflects on early musical experiences, the importance of access to live music, and how those formative years shaped his voice as a musician.

Toward the end of the conversation, we get into teaching, creativity, and the challenges of making music in an age of constant distraction. Eric shares some really thoughtful perspectives on how access to everything can be both a gift and a challenge, and why focused listening and presence might be more important than ever.

It’s a conversation about listening, really listening, to music, to collaborators, and to the moment you’re in.

Key Takeaways
Eric Doob discusses how sound—especially drum sound—can define the emotional identity of a track.
He shares insights into his collaboration with Matthew Stevens and the importance of long-term musical relationships.
We explore the idea that shared “taste” can be more important than technical ability in building great musical chemistry.
Eric reflects on his early musical experiences growing up near Boston and the importance of access to live music.
He talks about his evolving role in recording, producing, and shaping music beyond just playing drums.
We discuss teaching and how working with students has deepened his own understanding of music.
Eric offers a thoughtful perspective on modern music consumption, distraction, and the importance of focused listening.
Music from the Episode
Take Heart - Matthew Stevens
Three Card Molly - from Live From Here with Chris Thile
El Duelo - Diego Urcola Quartet
Tangled in the Endless Chain - Ryan Keberle & Catharsis
About the Podcast

The Bandwich Tapes is my chance to sit down with musicians, composers, songwriters, and creative artists I admire for honest conversations about craft, collaboration, career, and the deeper musical ideas that shape their work. It’s a show about process, perspective, and the stories behind a life in music.

Connect with the Show

Email: contact@thebandwichtapes.com