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I've been wanting to do something with Beth Garner for a long time. Whether it would be a gig or an interview, we finally had a chance to have a candid interview on Aug 14, 2006. This Austin, Texas beauty not only has the chops and writing talent that can make her a success, but she is quite an eye catcher! That's for sure. I came across a link to her through a twist of fate by someone suggesting to check out this redneck outdoor, port-o-let and at the bottom of the page was a link to another great Austin artist, Tracy Conover. Somehow, either through her links or that of an event that she was playing, I find Beth!

What a find she is!! I listened to a few mp3's of hers and instantly fell in love with her sound! I immediately ordered her debut CD; Much Later For You; and became stricken with the 'Garner Illness'! Her licks and grooves were quite infectious and her voice just stuck with me for weeks on end until I recieved her disc in my mailbox. To this day, I still list her debut disc as one of my all time faves!

In this session I discuss her musical upbringing, influences, numerous projects and what her plans for the future are as she tours the U.S. and Europe in promotion of her new studio album, appropriately titled, Addictions on Armadillo Records out of the U.K. Look for this Texican to become a force to be reckoned with in the years ahead as she changes her sound a little bit every time and grows as an artist.

TheHMD: I'm with Austin, Texas blues rock guitarist Beth Garner today. How are you doing today Beth?

Beth: Fine thank u.

TheHMD: So, Beth, How long have you ben playing guitar and how old were you when you got interested in it?

Beth: Been playing since I was about 14, I'm 28 now, but I've been interested in guitar, thanks to my mother and bros, for as long as I can remember.

TheHMD: Was the guitar the first instrument you played?

Beth: I first picked up the guitar at a very young age, about 9, but didn't get serious until 14. Played flute in middle school (age 12) and my mom had a piano in the house. Began singing in choir in or around the 4th grade.

TheHMD: Who were your earliest influences?

Beth: On guitar: Freddie King, Magic Sam, Wes Montgomery, Eddie Van Halen, LUVED Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson, SRV, you know, the usual culprits!

TheHMD: Are you classically trained or self taught?

Beth: I went to high school at Booker T. Washington in Dallas and studied jazz guitar, but most of my schooling came from playing with other musicians and especially at gigs.

TheHMD: According to your bio, you were playing with young pros and gigging professionally by the time you were 17. Tell us about that and some of the people you played with.

Beth: Alot of the guys I played with now, I played with Erykah Badu, Norah Jones and I went to high school and college together and played in various combos. I was gigging with my sis on bass at the local blues clubs every week before i had graduated h.s. . I also played surf, rock, blues, jazz, big band.

TheHMD: When did you start writing your own material? Was it easy for you at first?

Beth: I wrote my first completed song at about age 22. I always had ideas in my head for music, but tended towards ignoring it because I thought my songs sounded like copies of songs that already existed and they do, but oh well. The first song came kind of easy. The trick is to not edit yourself as it comes out. Let it flow, get the idea down and maybe edit it later. Usually your first ideas are freshest and best to go with it.

TheHMD: So how did you come about compiling the material for your first album, Much Later For You?

Beth: I tried to pigeon hole myself into a genre I thought I was good at. I felt like I had to choose a style in which to sell my art. I really couldn't decide if i was rock, blues, country, jazz whatever. But I felt I had to choose a style and blues was my favorite at that time.

TheHMD: Artistically or more comercially?

Beth: What do u mean specifically?

TheHMD: You mentioned that you were trying to sell your artistic style. Were you trying to be more of an artist and hoped it would sell, or were going for a more comercial sound?

Beth: Hmmm...probably both.

TheHMD: Your first disc was cut live in the studio?

Beth: For the most part, yes. We overdubbed some horns and piano, but rhythm section is live, baby!

TheHMD: Tell us about your experiences during those sessions.

Beth: well, called up the musicians I wanted and set two days to lay down rythm tracks, and since we were doing it live, I had to have my act together as far as singing and soloing goes. We tried to keep the style authentice and still be wildly live. Which the guys covered nicely!!

TheHMD: What are your favorite cuts on the album?

Beth: I love, "Just Can't Please You", "Keep On Pleasin' U", "Much Later For You"----sometimes I dont like any! Sometimes I like 'em all. "Love Me" is another good one.

TheHMD: I Do! lol

Beth: Thanks I luv u too!!!

TheHMD: Why did you pick the covers you did for the album?

Beth: For the first album?

TheHMD: Do they have a long time facination with you or did they just fit your style at the time?

Beth: I liked the variety. I wanted to have a low down grinder, a minor rhumba-type. Ballad, jump and they fit my style at the time. I liked the grooves and makin' people feel like dancing or cryin'.

TheHMD: How was the response to your first album? Any serious feedback?

Beth: Looking back, I didn't really know how to properly promote the album. I thought just because i recorded it, everyone would automaticly know who I was, but that's not the case! You have to have promotion and distribution all over the world and internet.

TheHMD: That's how I found you!

Beth: But those it did reach, I received very complimentary responses and made it to number on local blues charts at number four!

TheHMD: Tell us how you get the opportunity to sing with the Rev. Horton Heat for the track featured in the movie "Auto Focus".

Beth: A local promotor, Mike Snider, got a phone call from the Rev for a female blues singer, and he immediately thought of me. Got the phone call and the next day or so we were in the studio with the producer of the film cuttin the track. That was so much fun!

TheHMD: Did having the first album and the movie track help open doors for you as far as billing in some top gigs? Any major fests or themed events you got to attend?

Beth: It helped open doors by giving me a tangible product to give to listeners and anyone who was devoted to promoting live bands. For example, I did the SRV Memorial ride and Concert with guys like double trouble. Opened for Jimmie Vaughan and Marcia Ball. Also, Los Straitjackets. I got emails from the Netherlands and France, kind of exciting!

TheHMD: What was that like? Was it intimidating for you to play with Stevie's band?

Beth: We were on the same bill---didn't get to play with them, but Whipper's a friend of mine, don't know Tommy Shannon very well. He's shy and doesn't like alot of attention sometimes. Whipper is great.

TheHMD: Who all locally have you shared the stage with that has made a name for themselves as well?

Beth: In Austin I dida gig where we did a remake of the Beatles' "White Album" with guys like Joe Ely. I covered "Cry Baby Cry". I also opened for James McMurtry. Having trouble remembering some of 'em.

TheHMD: Tell us about your 'Beatles White Album' show you did. Did you get to pick the song or was it a lottery type of drawing?

Beth: There were about 25 of Austin's reasonably successful musicians each did a song from the white album to two sold out crowds with a string section backing us up.

TheHMD: How was your version recieved?

Beth: Very well actually. Went to a hand surgeon today who was at the show and my song was on his ipod. It was the first time I'd heard it. We performed in a church, so no bar or smoking. The fun part was backstage. By the second set, someone had snuck in a flask or two so our second set was rather lively. I was at least!

TheHMD: Moving on to your other projects, as you have done several. Tell us about them, such as your "Queen Of Spades" project.

Beth: Queen of Spades is my all-girl trio of surf rock and jazz ---mostly instrumentals. The girls are hot and talented, look out, understood? :-) We're very well received but we only play about every 3 months it's difficult to get the girls together at once---they're in high demand.

TheHMD: You recorded a show from that group and was available for a limited time via your website. Not a bad live recording at all! Have you had any press from that recording?

Beth: I have different versions of the band, but my favorite is with my twin sis on bass and Lisa Pankratz on drums. I did get a review from I believe, MetalMaidens.com. I don't have much bizness sense, i only know how to do the show, so i didn't promote too much.

TheHMD: Nice! What did they have to say?

Beth: They liked it, but the Queen of Spades Must Be SEEN!!

TheHMD: I personally felt it was one of the best live "bootleg" type of recordings I heard in a while. Any chance of yoou either releasing that recording or making more? or a possible DVD in the future?

Beth: We made a live DVD of our last two performances---one of 'em went to Fender. I have friends editing some of the film for me, but since its all done for free, its on their time so when they finish is when i get it. But we are playing again Nov. 11. YAY!

TheHMD: Have you had any other projects or "jam bands" during this time prior to beginning your next album?

Beth: I've been playing with a piano player here in Austin every Sunday. we do ragtime and stuff. We also play some jazz for fun. On thursdays I play with a communtiy college big band and sing for them two. Lotsa fun singing in front of a 15 piece horn section. I went into the studio yesterday and laid down some new tunes. Very bluesy country.

TheHMD: When did you starting writng the material for your 2nd album "Addictions". Was it a 'lock-yourself-in-the-room' type of writing or was this music that you had been writing after "Much Later..."?

Beth: Some songs were forcing themselves out of me back before i moved to austin in April 2003. So it started back before then. I just organized my songs into the forms i could easily play and came up with this record. I just kind of let it be what it is and move on to the next one.

TheHMD: Though your first album was self released, you did get signed by a U.K. label. How did that come about?

Beth: I didn't try to sell myself so much as I tried to just be myself. Through one of the drummers who was playing on one of the label's artists. He was in town recording and called me about 14 times to tell me this guy was looking for a female artist for his label. So I met him (Tony) at his hotel and drank all his beer!! Ha!

TheHMD: Did he hear your first disc or you in person to want to sign you?

Beth: I gave him a demo of the new songs and some Queen of Spades stuff. Then he came to see my band in Austin a few months later.

TheHMD: Your style on the new album is totally different than your last. Was this the natural pregression for you or did want to fit in this style more?

Beth: A little of both. I play in country bands, blues bands, rock bands and i feel like my style reflects each of those genres. So l went with it.

TheHMD: Your lyrical material is quite good on this album! Who are some of your influences as far as your writing style goes?

Beth: Thank you! I just let the words flow into the rhythmic phrasing of the song. The words just kind of came to me, honestly .

TheHMD: You started touring for this album already in Europe. How were you recieved?

Beth: Pretty good, l think. Our first tour of England picked up well---people werecoming out to shows and kind of following the tour and bringing friends. I got to take my band-- we had a blast---life changing really. Got thrown out of a hotel in London--entirely my fault.

TheHMD: For what?

Beth: Almost got deported for being a lush!

TheHMD: I see! So I guess we'll just "Blame It On Me" eh? LOL

Beth: Right! Just drunk in the hotel, being noisy, trying to toss the tele out the window---usual r-n-r behavior. Hey I learned it from the Who!

TheHMD: What are your fave cuts on this disc?

Beth: "Waiting for the Train", "Get It Out", "Addictions", "Blame it On Me", "Pour Me".

TheHMD: How did the idea of doing the video for the title cut come about?

Beth: We went to west Texas (Big Bend area) to shoot the album cover and the photographer at the last minute decided he wanted to shoot film to go with the imagery and cover art. So we just went with it. He used old Super 8 film and scratched it to get the grainy effect. The idea was all the photographer, Alwyn's.

TheHMD: Very artsy!

Beth: Thank you. Its harder to lip sync than it looks, especially in 108 degree weather!

TheHMD: So you are still doing some dates in Europe as well as the U.S. What are your touring plans for the future?

Beth: I'm planing around Texas right now and working on getting booking and management for the US. Know anybody?! Tony is booking us some dates in Europe for the spring. I'm hoping to get into the studio by the year's end to finish my 3rd album then take a much needed break from the biz for a bit.

TheHMD: Any more side projects you are planning thus far before recording your 3rd album?

Beth: I am focusing on the Queen of Spades, my album, big band and I've been playing alot of bass lately. And I'm taking ballet.

TheHMD: What does your gear / arsenal consist of?

Beth: A strat, tele, Ibanez hollowbody, 1968 Fender super reverb amp, early 60s Alamo amp, a Korean-made banjo. Pedals are by Durham electronics. Phaser pedal. Pretty simple.

TheHMD: What would be your best advice as a musician for today's young talent?

Beth: If you can it, then do so. Have a van, trailer, and insurance. If you can't stay in. Have money behind you if you can get it. Enjoying writing, it gets better over time.

TheHMD: What are your current fave local acts in Austin?

Beth: I love James McMurtry; Redd Volkkeart (Merle Haggard's guitarist); An unknown guitar playing by the name of Dave Biller; David Newbould from Canada. The Breathers from Austin are cool.

TheHMD: Older / defunct acts you admired?

Beth: Famous ones would be David Lee Roth latley. Dead Milkmen, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald; alot of jazz like Thelonious Monk. I'm a nerd!

TheHMD: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Beth: Hopefully with a few more finished albums and a lot bigger paycheck, so I can eat at least. Just kidding!

TheHMD: Lastly, what are your thoughts about TheHMD.com? Any suggestions?

Beth: Keep promoting the music you love! It helps and gives me hope that someone actually cares and is listening. Don't change a thing baby!!

TheHMD: Thank You for the kind words!

Beth: And you for yours. Hope I wasn't too boring!

TheHMD: Not at all! Well, thanks for the coming onto TheHMD.com for an interview.

Beth: Anytime Babe!

Beth on the Web:

BethGarner.com

Beth on MySpace.com

Listen to "I Don't Wanna" from Addictions on
MySpace.com/TheHMD

Queen Of Spades - LIVE @ Deep Ellum Blues
7-10-04 (Track 3 - 60 second clip)

Email: contact@TheHMD.com