SlapperCast

This week on SlapperCast, we talk about the Houston spots and local businesses that keep live music alive, how much we loved playing with Lonefeather at the Big Top last week, and what’s coming up for the band as Turbo pushes through these next few weeks before his knee replacement surgery.

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SlapperCast Episode 371: "Don't Hit the Good Knee"

This week on SlapperCast, we’re talking Turbo’s looming knee surgery, what it means for the upcoming shows, and which old Blaggards tunes might make their way back into the set as old friends step in behind the kit during Turbo's absence.

We also detour into some grisly childhood injury stories. You have been warned!

00:00:00 — Intro

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SlapperCast Episode 370: "Saint Whippy’s Mandatory Paddy Hooley Hour"

This week’s SlapperCast is a big one. We’ve got an important update from Turbo about his upcoming knee replacement and what it means for the band in the months ahead, plus a special Paddy’s Day segment we recorded for Auntie Lori and WHIP/Backland Radio, where we dig into some of the Irish artists and songs that shaped Blaggards.

This version of the show doesn't include the songs themselves, but we've uploaded the entire radio show as broadcast—including all the songs—to our Patreon. Join us there! Only $5 a month.

Along the way, we also share some huge news: Blaggards are heading back to Ireland for our 12th annual tour, including an appearance at the Johnny Fean Rhythm and Blues Festival at the Shannon Springs Hotel on October 24.

From Rory Gallagher, Thin Lizzy, and Horslips to the Dubliners, the Pogues, Christy Moore, and more, this one’s part announcement, part celebration, and part love letter to the music that made us who we are.

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This one was recorded on March 2 in Tombstone, Arizona, the day after our gig at Tombstone Brewing Company. Before heading out for Kingman, we spent the morning talking with some of the local business owners, all of them passionate as hell about what they do and full of great stories.

We sat out on the brewery patio with taproom manager Don Phillips and owner Matt Brown (via phone), talking about how Tombstone Brewing got started, how it’s grown, and what makes the place tick. We loved this venue from the jump... great people, GREAT beer, and just a great atmosphere all around.

While talking with Don and Matt, we also got to meet Ritchie Rhinehardt of Dick’s Diner, the food truck on the patio. Ritchie’s a musician too, and it shows in the way he talks about food: meticulous, hands-on, and serious about doing it right. KILLER food (we can all vouch for that), and a perfect match for the brewery.

Before all that, we stopped in at Cowboy Coffee right down the street and talked with Jay Kearney, who opened the shop with his brother Tim last fall. Jay’s got deep roots in Tombstone, so along with serving the best coffee in town, he had some great stories about the area and the building itself.

This was only our second time playing in Tombstone and it already feels like home. Can't wait to get back and see all our new friends again.

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SlapperCast Episode 368: "High Hygiene"

This one was recorded right after playing a gig at the American Legion Post 107 in Phoenix. We look back on one of the more memorable stops of the Arizona run — getting made honorary American Legion members, dealing with some awful coffee, trading hitchhiking stories, and heading down the road to Tombstone for the next leg of the tour.

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This one starts with a long ramble on a weird phenomenon: what happens when people hit a certain level of wealth, power, or fame, and suddenly seem to go… off the rails. We kick around examples from music, comedy, and business, talk about “guardrails” (or the lack of them), and dig into how success can amplify whatever’s already under the hood.

Then the convo swerves into stand-up comedy heroes, the craft of writing jokes, and why live music and small venues feel more important than ever.

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SlapperCast Episode 366: "Don't Use Afrin"

In this episode of SlapperCast, we dig into what it’s actually like when a pub tries to survive (and thrive) through the biggest Irish day of the year, Texas-style. From the nonstop pressure and crowd dynamics to the behind-the-scenes decisions that can make or break the day, this one’s a real look at the logistics and chaos that most people never see.

And because we can’t help ourselves, we also bounce into a bunch of other road-life territory, including a post-gig hang after Bullet Grill House in Point Blank, Texas, plus some tour talk and what we’ve got coming next.

Also in this episode:

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SlapperCast Episode 365: "Digging Them Digging Us"

Blaggards hit the long road home from Parker, Arizona, after a very rewarding two-day engagement at the legendary DESERT BAR.

We start off talking about how we often change the set list during the show based on the audience response, and sometimes even the change how we play the songs... which is one of the most fun things about being in a band.

We talk about why song placement matters, how the last song can basically point at the next one, and what it takes for a band (especially the rhythm section) to make those decisions in real time

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SlapperCast Episode 364: "Build It And They Will Come"

Today we trek across the treacherous dirt roads to the legendary DESERT BAR, get a tour of the bar from general manager Tina, and then talk about our first experiences there. Will the van survive??

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We recorded this one as we drove out to Parker, Arizona, for a two-day engagement at the legendary DESERT BAR, an off-the-grid, 100% solar-powered establishment only accessible by a long, winding and rocky dirt road.

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