Drummer, singer and artist Gino V (@ginovmusic) joins Cody and Kai to talk about his journey from Louisiana to the Austin music scene and the lessons he's picked up along the way.

From learning drums as a kid and playing with Wayne Toups to starting over in Austin, Gino gets into developing your own sound, learning to listen, knowing when not to play, performing under pressure, and why technical ability doesn't necessarily mean someone knows how to jam.

Plus: bedroom shredders vs. live performers, AI vs. the human connection of live music, being a good hang on the road, Austin vs. Nashville, and plenty of drummer talk.

Cody Kai Cast #82

Kill Tony guitarist Matt Muehling joins Blake O’Neal and Nico Little for a deep dive into musicianship, obsession, competition, and Austin’s evolving music scene.

We get into Matt’s journey from obsessively practicing guitar to playing Madison Square Garden with the Kill Tony Band, why performing at that level doesn’t make him nervous anymore, and why some of his favorite shows ever happened in Austin rooms with only 25–50 people.

Blake breaks down why hard work eventually beats talent, Nico talks about finding his place in Austin’s music community, and the guys get into everything from bombing onstage and handling criticism to musical chemistry, improvisation, guitar tone, dynamics, and what separates great musicians from people who can simply play.

Plus: the rise of Da Homies, Matt’s signature guitar, Nico working with members of the Steve Miller Band, and why Austin continues producing some of the best musicians in the country.

🎙️ Cody Kai Cast — CKC81

Guests:
Matt Muehling
Blake O’Neal
Nico Little

#CodyKaiCast #CKC81 #KillTony #AustinMusic #MattMuehling

Austin’s own Bars Robinson joins Cody and Kai to talk about what happens when your comfort zone starts holding you back.

From declaring that hip-hop has become “easy” and exploring new genres, to the realities of performing live, navigating haters, building a business, Austin’s music scene and staying authentic in the content era, Bars breaks down the mindset behind his next chapter.

Along the way: Drake and Kendrick, Eminem vs. MGK, why you can’t hustle and hate at the same time, and plenty of completely unnecessary Cowboys slander.

Austin musician Ruby Dice joins the Cody Kai Cast for a wide-ranging conversation about building a life in music, developing your own artistic identity, collaboration, comparison, failure, relationships, therapy, narcissism, psychedelics, technology, politics, and the strange experience of trying to remain human in an increasingly digital world.Ruby shares how losing her gigs during the pandemic pushed her from working primarily as a bass player into writing and performing her own music—and ultimately increased her income. We also dive into her upcoming collaborative album and documentary celebrating Austin musicians, the danger of comparing yourself to naturally gifted artists, why creative chemistry matters, and what years of playing with different personalities taught her about people.Later, the conversation gets much deeper: addiction and adversity, therapy culture, entitlement in modern relationships, recognizing narcissistic behavior, turning jealousy into support, psychedelics and perspective, comedy and authenticity, and why our phones may be the most powerful tools ever created for controlling human attention.

Austin singer-songwriter Jo James joins Cody and Kai for one of the most wide-ranging conversations yet on Cody Kai Cast.Jo talks about his upcoming album Everything and Nothing, a project he describes as his most honest work yet—written without chasing approval, trends, or what he thought people wanted to hear. The guys get into songwriting, The Beatles, putting in the reps, why great musicians serve the song instead of their ego, and why technical ability means nothing if the music doesn't have soul.The conversation gets much deeper as Jo discusses becoming a father through adoption, his relationship with faith, and the period five years ago when he reached one of the darkest moments of his life. He explains how an experience with God changed the trajectory of his life and ultimately inspired the title of his upcoming book, I Shouldn't Be Here.From there, nothing is really off limits: masculinity and male mental health, abortion and adoption, religion, political polarization, social media, identity, AI-generated music, and whether technology is stripping away some of the human struggle that makes great art meaningful.Jo also explains why he eventually had to stop defining himself simply as "Jo James the artist"—and figure out who he was when the music, attention, followers, and external validation were stripped away.It's music, faith, fatherhood, culture, and a whole lot of uncomfortable gray area.Jo James' new album Everything and Nothing drops September 18.#CodyKaiCast #CKC78 #JoJames #AustinMusic #Songwriting #EverythingAndNothing #AustinMusicians

Reid Estreicher of Local Sets ATX and Austin musician Adam Knight join Cody and Kai for a wide-ranging conversation about music, creativity, community, resilience, and what it takes to build something meaningful.Reid breaks down the mission behind Local Sets ATX and why creating a platform for Austin musicians matters more to him than turning it into a paycheck. The conversation explores the challenges independent artists face, the middlemen who profit from creatives, and why capturing and supporting Austin’s talent is essential to preserving the city’s music culture.Adam opens up about grief, vulnerability, overcoming dark periods in his life, and how singing and performing became a form of therapy and embodiment. The guys discuss turning suffering into creativity, gratitude, human connection, and why art can be far more than entertainment—it can be necessary for survival.They also get into the state of the music industry, whether the best art still rises to the top, social media, the importance of doing the work when nobody is watching, and what Austin can do to build a more sustainable future for the musicians who give the city its identity.#CodyKaiCast #CKC77 #AustinMusic #LocalSetsATX #AdamKnight #AustinMusicians #Podcast

Austin musician Jac Carson joins Cody and Kai for a wide-ranging conversation about life as a working musician, songwriting, creativity, comedy, and the culture that makes Austin unique.

Jac shares stories from years of playing live on Sixth Street, including a memorable encounter with Gary Clark Jr., and gets into what performing constantly teaches you about connecting with an audience.

The conversation dives into finding your own artistic voice, the parallels between music and stand-up comedy, why artists shouldn’t take themselves too seriously, and the danger of chasing trends instead of following an idea wherever it naturally leads. Jac explains why sometimes the best approach to songwriting is simply to “let it be what it is” and allow your own sound to emerge from the work.

They also get into AI and the value of human creativity, John Frusciante’s idea of the artist as a conduit, sports, comedy, pop culture, and plenty of completely unnecessary detours along the way.

#CodyKaiCast #CKC76 #JacCarson #AustinMusic #Songwriting #AustinMusicians #Podcast

Austin singer-songwriter Ruthie Craft joins the Cody Kai Cast for one of our most honest and inspiring conversations yet.

We discuss the realities of being an independent artist, balancing creativity with business, surviving a traumatic leg injury, PTSD, faith, sobriety, dating, social media, vulnerability, and the lessons that come from rebuilding after adversity.

Ruthie also shares the story of being scammed by a former manager, why artists should think like CEOs, how Jeremy Renner's advice helped her stay calm during a life-threatening injury, and why simply being present can be the greatest way to support someone who's hurting.

Whether you're a musician, creative, entrepreneur, or someone navigating life's setbacks, this episode is packed with practical wisdom, humor, and hard-earned perspective.

Topics Include

• Independent artist life
• Music business & artist branding
• Manager red flags
• Getting scammed in the music industry
• Creativity vs. social media
• PTSD & trauma recovery
• Jeremy Renner's influence
• Faith & resilience
• Sobriety & dating
• Vulnerability & emotional support