Hey, this is Paul Martin. And Ray the Roadie. For the Rock and Roll Chicago podcast.

How's it going, Ray? Ooh, baby, it's cold outside. Yeah, it's the middle of winter. It is.

I don't like this. That happens. Yes, it does.

We need something to warm us up a little bit. Yeah. What do you got in mind? Well, I was thinking Johnny Rustler and the Beach Bum Band.

Oh, sure. Some beach music. There you go.

I think that would warm everybody up. Yeah. Yeah.

I definitely can use some warming up since I'm not in Florida yet. Yeah. Yeah.

Well, you get there one of these days. So, yeah, let's let's check out Johnny Rustler and see what he has to say about his band. All right.

Let's do it. Hey, everybody. We're here at the Rock and Roll Museum on Route 66 in beautiful downtown Joliet.

Joining us today is Johnny Rustler of the Beach Bum Band. How you doing, Johnny? Awesome. It's good, man.

This place, I cannot wait for this place to open. It's going to be nice. Oh, my God.

You know what? And I love that there's kind of a revival. I know they've been trying to revive downtown Joliet for a long time, but like from just recording the new album up at Third City Sound right over there above Chicago Street, you know. So if you come down for all your podcasts, come to Joliet and you know how they got that right above? There's a studio right above there.

It's like I've had like renewed vigor. I'm like, I can't wait to. And this place.

This place is going to be awesome once they get it going. Yeah. I mean, it's cool.

Like these older buildings that are like life back in them. And that's what it is. It's what I like, because I always have this like pipe dream of like one day I'm going to I'm going to have a big building like this and just fill it with guitars.

Yeah. So but that's it looks awesome. You can join Rick Nielsen, Jim Peterick, all them other guys I got just.

Yeah. I'm the poor guy that's trying to do that, though. You know, we got quite a collection, I understand, right? Yeah.

I'm around. And I hope my wife does not hear this podcast. I'm around 50.

And believe me, it is like she would kill me. But I don't like hide them, you know, like in our old house, I would just if a new one came in, I'd leave it in the case and just I would stack it up. Right.

And then we moved. And my my mother-in-law was like, hey, you should I mean, you got a lot of guitars, put them up on display. So I was like, well, you know, and I was like, if I do that, I'm going to get in trouble like people can count on them.

And, you know, and when it's in your face, you see it. Right. I was like, oh, all right.

Forget it. I'll do it. So I did it.

And I only hung half of them. And then I was hearing about that. So you sure got a lot of guitars.

I mean, you have many guitars. I got all these other ones, like tucked away. And I was like, oh, my God.

And then yesterday, speaking of beautiful Juliet, I go and I was going to show you guys. I go into and I told you I got a guitar problem. You know, there's people that drink, you know, recreational stuff and all that.

And I don't do that. But like so this guitar here, can you see the sparkle in this? Yeah. And I'm a strap guy, too.

I have a lot of different guitars. But like and then here's the video, like the video, does it like you see the spark? Oh, yeah. Yeah.

It looks like I mean, you see that. It's gorgeous. Definitely.

Definitely. And I'm like, you got to be kidding me. I know.

And I honestly like I dreamt about the guitar last night. I Jones like there's people that do all these things, you know, guys that look at porn and I'm on the river. Oh, my God.

It's crazy. Yeah. And but because of that, like I'm a guitar musically influenced.

I'm not like just stuck here, stuck there, you know, because like I love guitar guys, you know, like I love all kinds of different guitar. And yeah, from from like Albert King blues. I mean, like, you know, he's like when you listen to Albert King play the guitar, you can feel it.

You know what I mean? Like you can feel it. And he's not going nuts and shredding and doing all that, but you can feel what he means. And then you got guys like Steve Vai, who is like my growing up hero, who's insane.

You know what I mean? Like does everything. So but. Well, speaking of growing up, I understand you have an interesting story about how you got into music, you know? This is true.

I know. Yeah. So when I was in high school and I was skinny and you wouldn't believe it looking at me now, but I was like 120 pounds soaking wet.

And I wanted to play football because that's the dudes that were getting chicks. And I was like, I want to play football. Well, really, I wanted a chick.

That's what I mean. And and my mom was like, no, I'm not going to let you play football. There's concussions and would not let me play football because of that.

Right now, I still don't know how to throw a football well. And I have a son that I'm like, I got to learn how to play like in the next few years. I got to learn how to throw this football.

And I love watching it. Can't throw it. So I was like, I got to figure something out.

So I got into music and Def Leppard ended up being my big, my big band. And it was because remember this going back to like 87, the pour some sugar on me video. Right.

So there was other guys like Motley Crue is making the cool videos. And I like crew and I like them all, man. But they are not Van Halen, but like Def Leppard had that, that it was them live and you could see the energy.

And that's what sucked me into Def Leppard. And then my mom takes me to like, she actually had to take me because I was 13 and she goes with me, buys a ticket because she's not going to let me go in. And we got really good tickets.

My mom is like great. The best mom in the world. And you know what I mean? She probably went to see Def Leppard too.

No clue. She has like, she was like, there's a big age gap for my parents. Like, like they had me later in life.

So like my dad was born, God rest his soul, was born in the twenties. So he had no clue for him. He was like, you long hair and you're killing cows, you know, all this leather on you, killing cows.

You know, he asked me everything from like what my orientation was to if I was using drugs, you know, like he, he hated it, right. Which is funny later on when I start playing with Buffett, you know what I mean? Cause then all of a sudden he's like, Hey, but, um, but we go and cause we got tickets later. It was, she got good seats.

It was for two of us. So we got like sixth row, you know, it was something really close. And I'm like, I couldn't believe it.

And Phil Collin was ripping a guitar solo, you know, that's the one that, you know, age of guitar solos. And the girl next to me rips up, you know, rips the quality, like you see, rips open her shirt. It's the first time that wasn't, was not in a magazine that I'm looking at fully developed breasts.

And I was like, you gotta be kidding me. And then we walked in that moment. The equation went in my head and guitar, you know, play equals boobs.

And I was like, I need this. And then I walked out of there and I'm telling you, I think every single day I asked my mom for a guitar. And then my, my birthday was in December and she, I got like, it's kind of a joke, but I got the red harmony.

I don't know what was Lockport music, but up here in Lane, all up the street, which I don't even know if it's still there, but it was a, um, and there was a red harmony hanging on the wall. And I was like, I want that red harmony. I'll take that guitar.

And the funny thing is my mom called it a phase. Oh, it's just a phase. So now when we go play and do all these things, I'm like, wow, mom, it's just a phase.

I was just going through a phase. It's kind of the joke, but I got that red harmony. And then that was it, man.

I played, I would play that guitar till, I'm not even kidding you when you hear about till your fingers bled. I played till I couldn't play anymore. You still have it? I wish I did.

Oh yeah. You know what? I started trying to be all like fancy and construct it and paint it and do all this stuff. And, uh, and it's killing me that I don't have it.

I know it was barely playable. You know what I mean? It was like a hundred dollars, but, um, it would have been nice. I have an old Kalamazoo that I, it's a white one, you know, like a straight straight cap.

Yeah. That's awesome. Yeah.

That's, but yeah, I mean, that's what that, it started there and then just started upgrading. And then my first really good guitar was, uh, cause when I got into Steve, I was the floral Ibanez gem that I still have hanging on the wall, which blows me away how much it's worth now. Oh yeah.

But yeah, you know, it's pretty cool. So you played in some, some metal bands and didn't you? Yeah. Yeah.

I, uh, my high school band that actually kind of jumped up was, was called passion play and it was actually named after there was a phrase in a Metallica song and we named it there and it wasn't even that heavy. It was kind of like, yeah, I don't know. Like skid row ish, you know, like that kind of, that kind of band Queens, right? Me skid row.

And then, uh, and I just played lead guitar in that band cause like, that's all I wanted to do is be a lead guitar player. And then we got, uh, got a little bit older and then I had this band called Voodoo vibe tribe and that was the band that actually did, you know, started doing some pretty cool things. Like we remember that band trickster way back.

Do you remember those guys? Like it was trickster. I don't think Lillian acts and, uh, and we actually like opened up for like enough's enough and, and, uh, warrant as they were on their way down. That's what I like to say, you know, like, you know what I mean? Like the late nineties weren't or something like that.

We, we, we opened up for some, you know, some big bands. It was cool. Right.

Um, and you know, that was like the long hair and that's when I was in shape. So I'd like do the leather pants and let my, you know, let my six pack out, which now is buried in the cake. But you know, it's still there.

Yeah. And then, uh, but that was like the days of shredding. And it was, I mean, it was awesome because you're doing, I mean, I had a really warped sense of reality as a 17 year old kid.

You know what I mean? Like I was playing the Riv at 17, which made geometry really hard to do the next day. And that was the deal. Like my mom's like, I don't care if you're going to go play on a Wednesday night, but you're getting up for school.

Right. And I did, I mean, I did, and she made me go, you know what I mean? And I think her thing was like, well, he'll be too tired. He won't want to do it anymore.

And instead, it just taught me how to stay, you know, work on minimal sleep. Right. Right.

So, but doing that nowadays is tough. I know. Oh yeah.

And I still do though. I'm actually, that's what I like was telling my wife the other day, I'm like, if the day stops when I like can't do it, like work on this minimal sleep, then, then you got to start to worry. You know what I mean? Because like right now I can still do the overnight drives and stuff like, you know, stuff like that.

Right. But I can do that. Get, you know, get home at three or four and the kids are almost five.

They wake me up at like six and I can, I can operate for some people can't do that right now. And I'm like, when that day comes, we're in trouble. Right.

Right. But then what happened was, you know, the grunge scene jumped in. Right.

And, uh, I did not get on board with the grunge scene because I loved having the, the, I mean like girls went from wearing like mini skirts and the high hair and all that stuff to like flannels and jeans and covering these gorgeous, you know, I'm like, how do you want this? And it was depressing. Like the other stuff, like poison and I was all partying, you know, stuff like that. And that's what I was into.

I'm like, this is, it's high energy and stuff like that. But then it went to like, and I like, I still like them, but like Soundgarden, Alice in Chains to me was depressing and now I appreciate them more now than I did, you know, like when you, in retrospect, oh yeah, they're pretty good. Right.

Right. And, and, and, but at the time I'm like, you're taking this away from me. Right.

So that's, that's, it went away. And then I went to college and I was stuck with the pose, like, how am I going to meet girls? You know what I mean? And then like, I don't have this rock and band anymore. And then it was like in the dorm, I grabbed an acoustic guitar for probably the first time.

And cause I was like, you know, all shredder. And I was like, what am I going to do? Like, how am I going to? So I ended up grabbing an acoustic guitar and playing Jimmy Buffett and stuff like that. Really it was honestly for like beer money.

Right. And the reason the band technically is Johnny Russell and the Beach Bum Band was I used to pretend I would set up beer cans behind me. And that was the band.

So it was Johnny Russell and the band, you know what I mean? The Beach Bum Band. Yeah. And it was usually, I'm a Corona guy.

I know it sounds cliche, but I really do like Coronas. And I would set them up and that was like the Beach Bum Band. So it was kind of a joke.

You know what I mean? So, and I was basically playing for free beer. And then it kind of started coming together. And some guys that I used to play with, like, hey, you know, we could get on board.

We'll try this. Where'd you go to school? I went to Lewis up the street. I really wanted to go to Florida or San Diego.

And the only reason was for the beach. And my parents were helping fund college. So they're like, no, you're not going to go.

And we had this big standoff. And then... Ray would live at a beach if he could. Yeah, I would.

Yeah. I know. And it's weird that we're stuck like, cause I always had people say that to me, like, well, why do you stay here? But I'm like, well, it's where my, you know, it's like my family job, everything you need, you know, like the job that pays for my guitars is actually at.

But then that's how it started. And then we kind of slowly put together the band. And then my, one of my best friends, his name's Ian, he used to be in the band, Ian Roche.

And he jumped into the band. He's like, well, everyone knows who you are, you're already doing it. Keep it that way.

Cause I was never a big, like, stand out. Like, cause I mean, I mean, honestly, right now, even right now, I know it's technically generous on the Beach Bump Band, but like the website, I mean, beachbumpband.com and stuff like that. Cause I am nothing without these guys.

You know what I mean? Like, like I am proud. I know, I always say it. I know.

It takes a village. Yeah. But I mean, like, I am proud to stand with these guys on my stage, like, like I'm by far probably the worst musician in the band.

You know what I mean? Like they, like my, my, I mean, my bass player is a music and my steel pan keyboard player, they are music majors. You know, they did, they teach music. They do, you know, like my steel pan player is a department chair of music at a university, you know, like.

Yeah. I talked to him at the show that I saw you guys at. And yeah, that's what he said.

He's been playing the steel pans for like years. Right. I'm like, wow.

And they talk in language that I don't, I don't know. So they're like, it's the four and I'm like, I don't know. I don't know.

Yeah. And so the only thing I'm grateful for is that Michael Sheehan, who's in the band, the one other guy who sings and plays acoustic in the band, is in the same boat as me. Like I need that.

I need the letter. Right. I mean, I get that there is music theory.

I know it's out there and I really want to learn it one day. But I need to know, like, I need somebody to go like GCD, you know, not like four, six, four. Yeah.

What the hell does that mean? Yeah. Like I spend money I don't add. What are you talking about? So, but that's how it just started that way.

We went from from that and we put the band together and I met a steel pan player and had him in the band and then I don't even how long we're playing, maybe like a year, just barely getting these gigs. And in Joliet up here, it was or I think it's Joliet side was just one more. You guys remember just one more.

It was Theodore and Rainer. It's up there. It's familiar.

It used to have a boat out, half a boat outside. It was a big Buffett bar in Marlene. Didn't we used to be called something else? It was Coyotes.

I think before that. Yeah. I'm thinking of the edifice.

Oh, maybe. Yeah. I'm talking.

I'm talking back in the 70s. Yeah. I think it was that.

And then Coyotes or something. Yeah. Yeah.

Then just one small little place. Yeah. But they made it about a tiki thatched hut and stuff like that.

And she I give her credit. We played a couple of gigs, but she was the one Marlene was the and Darren were the two owners at the time. And they were the ones that actually would hire us again.

You know, we could get the gig, we just had to get hired again. And so they would hire us again. And we used to do a cabin fever party there for them every single year while they were still in business.

And then from there we started doing it. And I got this call. Buffett was playing the I think it was still the tweeter center or the world.

It was either the world or the tweeter center. It's still the world. Yeah.

And then they asked us if we'd play that side stage thing. And that's when it went from like, because our band practices would consist of like, hey, mixology in the beginning, like who makes the best Bloody Mary or who makes this? And then we go play. And, you know, I mean, it was all good.

But it went from like when we got that call, it was the moment where like, hey, you got to be a serious band if you're going to go play before Jimmy Buffett. You got to be sure. Serious.

And I remember we had some pretty intense practices and then went and played. Right. And that kind of like propelled the Beach Bum Band thing.

And then not shortly after that, Buffett was doing the Cheeseburger in Paradise openings, which now most of them are closed, if not all right. But it was and it was kind of funny because they called us and said, hey, could you do these opening or the one in Downers Grove? And I was like, well, hell, yeah, you know, like, right. And it was that was where they didn't give us a set list.

And Jimmy Buffett's got like 200 songs, you know, so you're like, what the hell is he going to play? Right. So we're trying to guess what he was going to play because they wouldn't at all. Like, well, he just called Cheeseburger in Paradise.

That was it. I figured it was going to be that. So what I did was this is like the way I thought is like I'm from from doing those openings.

We could go on the side of the stage and I could see that they would rehearse their before like their soundcheck. They'd rehearse their set list. So I'm like, he's going to play stuff, I think, from the set list.

And thank God, because almost everything was from his current tour that he played. So I think it was top of mind. And he did throw us on when we played with him in Omaha, there was one tune that I like I will never forget because he's like, you know, I forgot was a grapefruit, juicy fruit.

It was the one thing like the entire band didn't know. So we're like, no, but you're on stage, you know, because he was just whipping at you. But I remember those practices when you're playing, you know, you're going to play with Jimmy Buffett was so you went all over the country doing this, right? Yeah, we did.

How many? We did five. OK. And I think five.

Yeah. And then I mean, it was like there. But they fly you out there and no, no, that's the best part.

They which I said, they paid us a thousand bucks that no matter where it was at. Yeah. They paid us a thousand bucks.

And then I was like, OK, you know, I'm not going to say no to that because I'm like there's people that would actually pay to do this. And we're at least going to get a thousand bucks. I mean, so but I remember because what made me learn the ukulele was we were on the way to Omaha and you would drive.

Yeah. We piled in the van and you go, hey, I get a call on my cell phone and it's like, hey, Jimmy's going to have Warren Buffett join him on stage because I know he calls him uncle, but I think they're cousins or I can't remember which way it was. But and so, you know, he helped obviously helps him invest and stuff like that.

Sure. Sure. They are related.

I think he calls him Uncle Warren, but they're cousins. But but he's like he's going to play ukulele. They're going to come on stage and he's going to bring him on stage and they're going to play a ukulele song together.

Do you have ukuleles? Well, the true answer was no. My answer is because I was so nervous. Yeah, we have we have four.

You know, I mean, like I don't even know why I said there was like I could have said just yes. Yeah. And then but I like got so nervous because I'm like, oh, yeah, for sure, Jimmy, we got four.

Yeah. And I have the phone and they're like, yeah, for what? Mike, we got to find Guitar Center right now. Yeah.

And then so we did it the way I think we got the one in like Des Moines or like Iowa City or something that I'm on. Then I'm pulling up chords on the phone to learn how to play ukulele. So I learned how to play ukulele in the back of a van before because I thought I'd have to play and we get there and we didn't have to play it at all.

I just had to hand it over. Right. And then I found out later that I was like, you know, I'm surprised he doesn't use his band, but it was cheap.

This is true. It's cheaper to have us come there than it was for his roadies to pull all his gear off the stage. I mean, like it would cost that more.

So like that's how we became the band. But that really kind of shot the Beach Bum Band into. Yeah.

Like in the light of and this is at the time was called Caribbean Rock. You know, it was right. And then so that was it.

And then we kind of had like I said, we did a couple albums and there was this, you know, we did Amigos out at sea and then we know that was that original. Yeah, it's all originals. Yeah.

And then we did. Who does the writing? Mainly, mainly me. Yeah.

There might be one or two songs that somebody else will do. Now it's more collective. OK.

But back then it was like it was a variation of everybody. Yeah. And and actually this this first album, this album that we just put out, the Living the Dream is the first one I've actually had somebody outside of the band come in, like write the tunes with us.

Oh, and I actually at first, like the first albums I saw that as like, no, no, I got to keep in the band. And now it's like this is awesome. Right.

So it's crazy because we're trying we were trying to get living the dream done before we went and played in Key West. OK, so we are like really under the gun and we have like 20 songs that are just sitting there. So I'm already working on new material because my goal, I always say goal, because I don't know if what happened is I want to do like I was telling you guys off the air that I feel like the Beach Bum Band is a really good live band.

Right. And we feed off the energy and stuff and stuff like that. So I would definitely want to put out a live album.

There's a lot of bands that have more of the energy and more of the charisma and everything comes across, you know, in recording. And that's why I think and like the other thing is, like I was telling you with the rock and roll, there's a lot of great drop rock musicians out there that are really good, great songwriters, but they're just kind of stand there and play guys. Right.

You know what I mean? And or their music's a little bit slower, right? You know, because even you think of beach music, you know, it's all relaxing and stuff like that. And there's not that many that go like nuts. But being raised on Kiss, Def Leppard and all that stuff.

Like I bring smoke geysers, you know, if they let me, because I did a smoke geyser gig where I didn't think about a fire alarm. But, you know, but I bring that. You don't want to lose your audience.

And bring bring lasers like I think that's how it is. Like if you're going to go out there. A light show.

Yeah. Like you got to go and do it. And I like jams, too, you know, and our band's been playing together long enough that we're good.

You can have a guy go, you know, my steel pan player. And you can tell when you're playing together long enough when he's not done. You know what I mean? I just take it a little farther.

Yeah. And then with guitar solo is like, you know, like, yeah, let it go. You know, stuff like that.

So it's and that's good because like you don't get that on an album. Right. So that's why I like to make live different.

So that's why I was like, hey, we got to we got to make a live like put out a live album. Right. And we got some older songs that I love that off like Amigos out at Sea that half that album we recorded in a basement with not a lot of knowledge that I was like now when we play them, I think they sound, you know, so much more updated than I'm like, but I don't want to rerecord this first.

You know, I mean, right. So I was like, well, let's go ahead and and do a live album. Put some of those songs on that live album.

So the only thing we had the song that was the big hit was Fat Guy in a Hawaiian shirt, which was actually almost didn't make it. It was my first drop rock ish or Caribbean rock at the time that writing a song. Down by the bay, I like to play a six string song.

Up comes the sun, it's looking for fun and we won't be long. And that's when I knew I'm just a fat guy in a Hawaiian shirt, I ain't that great, but I could be worse if I drank a lot or my hair was thin, cause I'm a fat guy. I was like, oh, man, it's just about me gaining weight.

And, you know, I mean, it was true. It's all it was about me. And then and I was like, all right, let's do it.

And we put it together. But now we played it so good and I still get it requested so much that I'm living the dream. I did the updated version.

OK, so that was the only like rehatched thing I did. But it's like so that's my goal is the live album to bring back some of those, play some of the new ones. Right.

And then and then I want to do another studio album at the end of the year. So you've got a new album out right now. Right now.

It's done. It's out. Yeah.

It just came out living the dream one. Right. Yeah.

So that's available for purchase. Yeah. It's on iTunes, CD Baby, Amazon, you know, of course, at our shows.

All right. And stuff like that. So that just that came out.

We did like a Key West release and we just did before the holidays. We just did a CD release party up here. So.

So how much traveling are you doing now? I mean, you stick around mostly in Chicago area or for the most part, like we do it like we have. We're playing in Michigan coming up, which isn't that far. I know.

But we'll do Key West, Kentucky. We've been all over. I mean, Minnesota.

The hard thing is going out west. I've had I've had people call me to go play like Washington or San Diego. But the hard part is getting a band out there and making it financially feasible.

You know, like I like Texas. There's this gig I wanted to play in Texas so bad, but it fell on the same date as there's this big event in August called Summer Chill that we play here by the Chicago Parenthood Club. And it's huge.

It's a huge, you know, like all these musicians come in and happen to be on the same date. But I was like, oh, I want to break into Texas so bad. I've never been to like I want to go to Texas, period.

Like I want to go just myself. And it didn't, you know, it had been it had been tough. It's hard like getting other just calling a place, being like, hey, you need X amount of money, bring it down.

And I'm like, what? I don't even know who you are. You know, it's hard. And I'm the one who does the booking for the most part.

So, you know, I'm on the border of like, I need somebody, you know what I mean? Like, I need an agent like that will take that will go and do the cold calls and set it all up. So, you know, it's not cheap. No, I know.

It's I mean, it's it's it's hard. And at the time that goes into it is hard because I got I'm for the most part, do the most of the social media and all that stuff, too. Right.

So, you know, eventually get to a point where you got to get help. You just can't do it all yourself. I'm almost there.

Like I'm almost the point. Oh, I'm actually there. So if I have anybody that wants to do it and you're going to listen to this awesome podcast, hit me up.

So you never know. That's right. So, yeah, that's that's the goal.

So this is the season you'll be recording all your shows then for the. Yeah, I bought all that recording gear in. And like I said, I had a nice tutorial from a guy in Vietnam yesterday and I had no idea the guy was in Vietnam because like.

Yeah, but I reached out. I was like, hey, you know, do you do this stuff? And he's like, yeah. And I couldn't I couldn't understand it was real cheap.

And I was like, man, this is you guys pay like 100 hours an hour for these kind of things. And then I was talking to him like before we got going, he's like, yeah, I'm in Vietnam. My meals are a dollar twenty five.

And obviously the guy is flying solo and living. He's like, I live on the beach and a simple man. And like he just does.

And that's what he does. He does YouTube videos and private tutorials over the Internet. And yeah, so but he did it.

So now I think I'm set up and like I told my goal is to release. It'd be cool to do at least, you know, we usually play like four or five days a week in the summer and it'd be cool to do like one or two from the week if I can get one or two done from the week and release them just from the show. You know, because I think that's right, because I know like when you go and you're part of a show and then you can hear it, you can visualize it like, hey, man, I was there.

I mean, so like right. And that's the way that's that's the goal. So and then eventually what you said, the fat guy in the Hawaiian shirt.

And what's what's another one of your big tooth? So from that album, there's that one. And then the second album from Shady Sunny Place for Shady People. I was in a time of transition.

So I went down. My buddy lived in San Diego and I was going to move there. And we'd go to San Diego.

And there was nobody like the place closed that one. And being from around here in Chicago, things close four or five. You know, I mean, like or never or never.

And you go to Denny's. You know, I mean, like, you know, it was like that's how it was. I'm like, well, what's open, man? He's like Tijuana.

And I'm like, really? So then we I would do like I'd go with him and we did this big run in Baja and we'd go to Tijuana, you know, Ensenada all the way down to Cabo. And so from that one, the two big, bigger songs are the song Tijuana, which is actually a hundred percent true story. Well, actually, most of the tunes we write are true story.

I mean, like they come from something. Sure. And it's basically all I remember from the trip.

After 12 shots of tequila. Well, now I'm turning ever crazy. Now I'm down here with the locals.

Oh, yeah, I just don't know. Baby, do you want to take me down to Tijuana? It was a bad scene, man. It was the stuff like not for air that that happened on that trip.

And then the next one is this Baja shakedown, and they both involve vitamin T that happened. A lot of that, you know, the nectar of Mexico and and we actually used to have this thing. And during this Baja shakedown called a tequila challenge.

And every time we'd yell it, somebody had to bring people on stage and do a shot. Now we're playing this place and it got ugly. I mean, it got really ugly.

And I was like, I'm like that. And then my like business mind kicked in. I'm like, I'm seeing liability.

You know, I was like, I need somebody on the side to have a waiver. Like, hey, sign this waiver. You're drinking it, not us.

But luckily, nobody. I mean, it was it was pretty good. Like we actually had I told the one jokingly.

I said, I'm afraid of tequila myself. I want to get back on the horse. Yeah.

That trip that I told you about, it was it was bad. And, you know, like we got down, you know, there's like a little it sounds cliche, but there was this little cart when you come over the border and it was a little cart with tequila on it. Yeah.

And my buddy and I just drank this guy out of tequila where we're into Mezcal with the worm. And that's where it started. And then we continued on in.

And, you know, all kinds of stuff from there. Like I said, nobody wants to hear and then at least on the air. And then as far as you remember, and that's the beginning.

And when I came back and I was sick for days, I had the shakes. It was it was bad. And, you know, I mean, like and then I was I then I we I tried to have just the frozen one, like from Fat Tuesdays that you pour out the tequila.

And I could I I like to start throwing up immediately. I mean, it was it was bad. And now after I'll say it was 2009.

So 10 years later, I finally have been able to start some of it. Yeah. Yeah.

Like bring it back. And I so like I just did a little tasting and I think I'm good. Like I'm I'm I'm not going to say I'm going to line up a bunch of shots.

Like I can have a margarita now. And I mean, like before I would it was like it would churn and stuff like that. And back in the day to you, pretty much all you can afford the cheap stuff.

You know, you get the better stuff until that's all better with you. You know, that's what that's what I noticed. I've noticed that, too.

Yeah. So but it's on back. I'm back on that.

But it sounds weird, but I'm not like, you know, people have a drink. I'm not really like I love rum. I love whiskey.

I like, you know, like when it comes to that stuff, like I like it all. And now I just don't use it like, you know, I just want to say, you know, yeah, like Cuervo's out there because Amigo Hornet Hornitos. Johnny's back, man.

You know, exactly. You know, send him some samples. And ironically, there you go, because I know I look like Sammy Hagar.

I get the thing. I look like Sammy Hagar, but I did not like the Cabo Wabo tequila. Yeah.

Was not one of my favorites. But I tried because I'm like, well, I look like Sammy. I got a drink.

Well, yeah, you know, it didn't. It wasn't one of my favorites. So I think when it comes down to it, I think it's still good old Patron that is the one that, yeah, that does it.

You know, I mean, the one that gets me through right now. Right. All right.

So there's a lot of them out there, though. Oh, yeah. No, it's a few with us.

And now there's so many good ones that I don't I don't even know. I don't know what to to sample. Yeah.

All right. Or if I want to still, you know, I mean, I'm like, I'm really, I'm just getting I mean, when I say just getting back, it was like, when we're done, I'll tell you about some because nobody's paying for any of this commercial. Yeah, exactly.

So that's and they should. They should. Yeah.

Sponsors, you need to come out there and start doing this. That's what I so but yeah, no, I mean, that's that's how that that's how that rolls. So that's that's how that song goes.

And now with the new album, Living the Dream, I'm shocked. I mean, when people say they wanted to have it back, I didn't have us do new music. I couldn't believe it because like in July, I released Bone Fishing, the song called Bone Fishing.

And and it went to number one on a bunch of different, you know, tropical American kind of chart charts. Oh, really? That's awesome. Yeah.

And then we released a song, Ain't Too Hard to Please. That went to number one. I was like, this is crazy.

And then I did. Yeah, I was thinking, you know, some of that's going to wear off. And then we released on.

Oh, my God. Oh, Weekend of Keys, because we're headed to Key West. And that's the song I wrote with, like I said, the guy, this guy, Al Camp, or who he was like was telling me about this song as I was packing up one day.

And then I was like, dude, like a year later, I'm like, come on over, man. Let's just make this happen. And we did.

And it's like probably one of my favorite songs on the album because the guitar work. And then let's go. And then so then we did that one and that one went number one.

And then I got back and we just released a song called Beach Happy. And that went number one. So it's like everything we put out.

I was like, this is awesome. So now I'm and I think I'm going to stop releasing singles because I want to just stay where it is. All right.

So so where can we hear and what track station or so there's in that radio? The there's a guy in since we're on Chicago, rock and roll in Chicago. There's a guy out of here that does Tiki Pot. And it's a it's an I listen to it on.

He's got an app and I listen to Tiki Pot. Then there's like Radio Trap Rock. And that guy, Eric, isn't it? Eric and Gina do it and they do it out of Winnebago.

And they travel all over the he's a former vet. And and they just do it. They follow it, follow it around.

And so there's like Radio Trap Rock. And there's like Palm Tree Radio. And there's these other ones that you find.

Right. And which I mean, the Internet based. And then, like I said, my real good friend, he does podcasts, but anchor radio.

And he usually plays this at least once on his thing, somewhere up from the whole catalog of stuff. And I mean, he's actually a guy who works down at CCQ and Q Rock and all those stations like right down here. He actually he's part of the, you know, the radio family.

So so you mentioned the the the guy that you wrote the music with. Yeah. Yeah.

El Camp. And tell us about some of the other band members. So, well, Michael Sheehan is the other guy.

He sings and plays guitar. And he's got like, you know, and I always have people ask me, like, well, why do you if it's, you know, John Russell Beachman, why do you let other people sing? And I think when you got talent in the band, it makes it you know, he plays acoustic and sings and he's got a great voice. Tom Rucker, who we call Trucker, because I know nobody knows the story.

So Tom, I'm going to break it out there. But his email was T Rucker. So it looks like and that's how we got the name Trucker.

So I mean, like nobody knows that story. They think you everybody asks like, well, does he drive a truck? I mean, it's like, no, no, it's a band director. But, you know, and ironically, he's the band director of our band, too.

And he but he'll sing some tunes, you know, and he's like mega talented. He's the one that I told you, like he's plays everything. And on the new album, actually, at the end of at the very end of the song, we got a song called Parties Over.

And there is a and I in the studio. That's what I like about studio. I get nuts.

I'm like, we need like a we need trumpets, man. We need a horn. We need like a jazz, like the New Orleans Jazz Funeral to end the thing.

And the guys look at me like, we're going to get that stuff. And then Trucker's like, well, he he's got all the horns, man. Band director.

So he came in with a tuba, the trombone and and Billy, who does, you know, the studio over there. He actually played the he did the trombone because he was he was the one who could do it the best. You know, so we did like we won't be seeing the song live.

Yeah, no, no. I was trying to figure out a way of doing it. Believe me.

But I was like, I cannot play a wind instrument to save my life. So but then so we did that. But he's like, that's how talented he is.

But he sings, too. He'll sing a couple tunes in it, like I feel like when you come to see the show, then you're not just stuck with the one sure singer. And if everybody's got the talent, you might utilize even Jimmy Buffett.

You see him. He doesn't sing everything. Mac McAnally sing some stuff.

The girls sing some stuff. Exactly. And I think that's I think that's good.

You know, I think and it gives you a break. And then yeah. And then I know, like I told you, I'm a guitar guy first.

Like I, you know, like and I it gives me a chance to just enjoy playing guitar. You know what I mean? So so I don't know. I'm trying to figure out a way to bring like multiple guitars because I'm not like that guy when I do that.

Like if I have some pretty funky looking guitars, you know, some some really cool ones that and I'll put them out there. And all the time after a show, I have somebody come up and be like, hey, oh, man, I just want to look at it. And I'm OK with touch it.

Yeah, right. But it's OK. And I'm like, no, if you play guitar, I mean, you don't put it on.

Feel it. Go for it. You know, I mean, like I want people to enjoy music and and go for it.

I don't care. You know what I mean? Like you can't do anything worse besides drop it, you know, than I would do to it. You know, I mean, because I got some really cool guitars that that are old to like this cool, like fifty nine reverse Gibson Explorer.

And my old bass player, Terry, was like, what? How are you bringing this out for? And I'm like, yeah, because I bought it to play it. You know, I don't want to just look at it. I want to play it, man.

I want to feel this thing. So when I get that gives me a chance to swap up guitars and do stuff like that. So I'm good with it.

You know, I mean, like I don't and I don't really feel like anybody in the band has like big egos worried about like a song or this is that, you know, I mean, we're we're there. Right. We're there to to do it.

So does everybody sing or just a few of the people? I mean, really, I'd say I sing about 60 percent. OK. Mike does.

I mean, do all the members of the band sing? Not our drummer and our conga player. Not so much. OK.

So how many people are in the band? Six. Six. I'm actually really tempted.

Long time ago, we used to have a little bit of a horn section. Right. And I am.

There you go. Yeah. With with this whole.

Yeah. With that whole new album thing, I just actually had a conversation with Trucker yesterday about like, I think we need a horn section. The problem is then you got to up your you know, you got more miles to feed.

That's right. It's hard. You know, it's hard because like a lot of the stuff has been replaced by MIDI tracks.

Right. Right. So your band's been replaced by MIDI tracks.

So it's weird how technology, even though it's awesome, hurts the bands. You know, and I like playing in a band like I've I can play solo gigs and I've done them or like duo trio gigs and I'm good with it. But like like I like being in a band, right? There's some guys out there like these trap rock guys are awesome.

And they, you know, 80, 90 percent of their shows are them with MIDI tracks. Right. And they go around and do it and they put on great shows like they've got that that's stick or whatever.

Yeah. And then every now and then they'll play with a band where like I'm, you know, I mean, you can't shred and do these cool things on guitar. Right.

We do it with backing tracks. Yeah. You know what I mean? Like I like a band.

I like playing in a band and you got to feel like a family now. You know, I mean, that's family to me. So exactly.

Exactly. And, you know, I love those guys. I mean, you share everything, your goods, your bads, your personals.

You know, I mean, they know a ton of stuff about me. You know, I mean, like each other, you know, where we're at, where we're at in life, you know, how we're feeling. And so did we get through everybody in the band? So that's trucker.

And then my percussion players, Joe, and he's the guy, Joe McGee and McKee, I mean, and he has been the guy in the band with me the entire time. So he has never had a hiatus. He's never you know, he's been the percussion player.

He's solid as a rock. And I would never in a million years like I've had other people ask me to take his spot, you know, like the other percussion people or, you know, just like, hey, man, this girl plays congas and that'd be awesome. And I'm like, no, that's Joe, man.

He's my guy. You know what I mean? Like he has been in the band the entire time. And I like, you know what I mean? And that nothing's going to change there.

And then our drummer, Jeff Hatcher, and he's out of Streeter. He's down in Streeter, Illinois. So he was no matter what the show is, he's got a ride, man.

He is doing this down there. He's got a cruise. But he was in the band.

He started in the band. He's done my next. Yeah.

Oh, yeah. Where you at? Pontiac. OK.

Yeah, we're playing Pontiac. I July 16th. Really? Yeah.

In the pavilion. Yeah. Oh, cool.

I just booked that. And I'm like, so July 16th will be done. Oh, cool.

Yeah. I'll have the smoke geysers. Don't worry.

And then but then he so he's down there. And so he was in the band. He was on the first album.

Then he had a hiatus because of work and stuff like that. And then he got back in the band. And I don't have like, you know, it's the other thing.

Guys who've left the band, with the exception of like one person, there's been no bad blood, you know. Right. I'm a very peaceful guy about that.

And then so like when he came back to play, I was like, absolutely, man. You know, I mean, come back in. There was no it was just like picking up from where you left off.

And then and then my steel pan keyboard player, Mark Smith. And he's like the newest member in the band. But when I say newest, it's not that, you know, it's six years or so.

You know what I mean? And he's a man of very few words, but very direct. But he is just a music and another musical like him and Tom are like musical geniuses, you know, I mean, he goes from playing keys on a song and then jumps over his playing steel pan and goes, you know, like goes up and back and and very like, you know, melodic on what he's choosing. And because he's got that, like I said, that musical brain, he doesn't just you know, he can go, man.

It's it's it's awesome. And these guys are like I said, it's just I'm so I mean, it's the best band. I've had a lot of configurations of the band in the past.

I mean, when you're because honestly, we've been together since 2001, which is crazy. You know what I mean? Like you're going on almost 20 years. And that's right.

So it's with you have different guys come and go and stuff like that. And this this band right now is just the most solid band. It's great.

So what's your ratio to cover stuff to original stuff? Well, in the beginning was 50, 50. Yeah. And then there was this law like to get to play at fests and stuff like that.

They don't want to hear your original stuff. They don't want to hear it. So then I kind of went down to like 70, 30.

Yeah. And now with the resurgence of like, hey, we want new music. It's more like going towards 50, 50 or 40, 60, because the bottom line is it's cool to do your originals and get them in there and get them out there.

But when you're playing a big fest, an event, right? You have to you have to please the people. They want to hear what you're they want to hear stuff they know. And I'm OK with doing that.

You know, I mean, like because we kind of do our versions of songs like our free bird, which started off as a joke. You know, people would yell free bird and we started doing a reggae. And you know, did you see that when you were there? Did you see the free bird? Yeah.

So then at the end and when we're playing it, that's how it happened. I was like, well, the hell do you do? How do you end this? You know, because like we did it as a joke. The guy yelled free bird.

And I was like, well, how are we going to do this? Yeah. And then I just like cranked up the distortion and started shredding at the end. And then we went back and went, that was pretty cool.

We got to do that again. You know, so and so like, you know, it's stuff like that. So if we're doing it, it's not like the album version, because I think you can kick on.

I mean, if you really wanted to hear the album version, sit in your car and turn on the radio. So I want to do like our version, like Bob Marley. We do stir it up.

You know, it's a little quicker and got more steel pans and, you know, more stuff like that. So I kind of do it's going to be cover. It's going to be our version of the cover.

Similar, but different. Yeah, exactly. It's enough where it's like not the album, but people will be like, it's awesome.

Yeah, they recognize the tune. But so, yeah, I mean, we throw it all over the place, too. I know it's usually this starts off with the one way and then it'll go all the way.

I mean, I have a set list made, but it hardly ever do we ever stay on the set list. So like, which is the other thing that the guys are good with? Like, I'll turn around and be like, hey, we got to play some Johnny Cash. Yeah.

You know, like what? Like, yeah, I don't want to start playing. And everybody jumps in and they're like, all right, let's do it. You know, so it can go from that one side to this side.

And I think that's what makes it feel out of the crowd, too. Yeah. Yeah.

That's what makes it. Well, actually, like I saw on your Facebook page and on your website and stuff that you're not a Jimmy Buffett covering now, you know, people come to expect that that you're going to get some Jimmy, but you're going to get other things, too. Yeah.

And we don't I mean, like, it sounds weird, but I actually had the debate, the Margaritaville debate. I don't hate the song. Like there's these guys that don't like refuse to play it.

I will not play it, you know. And that's Jimmy Buffett song, but I might play it. But if I didn't hear that song, I wouldn't be standing up here doing all these things.

So I don't really mind. I mean, when you're alive, like I don't really care. You know what I mean? Like I said, you want to please the crowd.

Yeah, I like please the crowd. Then you got to do it. And you play off the crowd.

Yeah, that's what I mean. Yeah. One of our best sets when we were playing in Key West, we're playing at Schooner Wharf and we played.

Oh, man. Charlie, one, two, three. It was like a grueling.

It was awesome. But we went down to Meeting the Minds and played two shows the first day, two shows the second day and on one show on Sunday. And by that point, everybody's tired.

Sure. And I didn't make a set list. And the guys are like, what am I? I'm just going to figure it out.

And probably the best that we did was I had this crowd impromptu and I picked out as we're playing, I'd think of the next three. That's usually how I like the next three is how I'm doing. Like, all right, the next three, let's do the next three.

And it was and then my drummer, Jeff, was like, that's the best set we've ever played. And that was the best show. He's like, quit writing set lists.

Yeah. And I thought about that for a minute. I'm like, well, I could.

And I'm like, no, no, no. Because like, you know, like I want, you know, like when you got these big gigs, you want to turn around, be like, hey, you know, like, yeah, which one next? You know, so but when you're at Schooner Wharf in Key West and having all these drinks and is that where you usually play when you go down there all the time? Yeah, we do Schooner Wharf, Margaritaville. And then they they have the the pitch, the immediate Pear Heads in Paradise has their meeting of the minds.

And they have a stage set up at the Casa Marina. They used to do a street fest like on Deval Street and play one of those. So, you know, but it's it's it's grueling, but it's fun.

You know, I mean, like when you're done, you're like, oh, glad that's over. But like, yeah, kick back. No, that was a great time.

You know, we're still talking about it. Like, that was awesome. Yeah, Schooner is a great place.

So I know it's you're saying, you know, of course, it's winter now. Things a little bit slower. But you guys are still out playing.

Where are some places you're going to be in the near future? January 17th. We're playing at Payless. The Payless Recreation Village of Payless is putting on a cabin fever party.

So we're playing there. And then the 18th, we're playing up at Gusto's in Crest Hill. And one of our fellow trop rock buddies from Michigan, who's a big percussion guy, is going to come out and sit in just for a guest sitting on that one.

His name's Quinton. And then the 25th is the big out in St. Joe's, Michigan, St. Joseph, Michigan. Yeah.

At the Silver Beach Motel, the Parrot Heads in Michiana have this whole weekend planned out of just music. And we're playing. There's this you got to check her out to her name's Erika Sunshine Lee.

And she's kind of like country, but does some beachy songs. And she's like she's a badass country chick, you know? And so and she's playing. So we're going to do a couple of tunes together to before us.

But it's like the whole thing is super cool because they do a hotel crawl. So they open up like everybody decorates the hotel rooms and then they do like a hotel crawl and you get drinks. And I mean, I actually have a song written about it that I got to finish.

Wow. Because it's so it's so cool. I don't even know I have the song either that I've done it.

But it was like I mean, it's so cool that they do it because it's freezing. You know, it's like January and half the time. I mean, like usually the lake is frozen over.

You know, I mean, it's like you can't do all these other things. So you do that. You know, they do this hotel crawl.

And it's really because you can't like a pub crawl freezing. Right. So you do that.

And and it's a really good time. And then we're playing at just like two blocks from there. The hotel is a place called Zars.

And so they, you know, have the whole stage and all that. And we're going to be rocking out there. And then it's awesome.

February for a nice lover's weekend. We're playing in February the. It's up in Lake Geneva, the Lake Lawn Resort.

Oh, sure. A whole weekend plan up there. So Delavan.

Yeah. Lake Delavan. So if you want to get away.

So so where can we find a list of these of these places? I got on BeachBumBand.com is our website. And then our Facebook page in our, which is the BeachBumBand on Facebook. And then we have BeachBumBand on Instagram is the ones that, you know, social media wise that I keep updating.

That's got more of the pictures and stuff. Right. The BeachBumBand.com is more all business.

Right. It's got a list of. Yeah, but it's got it right there.

So, you know, so that's that. Very good. Well, very good.

Well, I want to thank you for coming out on this chilly, chilly weekend. Thanks for having me. Anytime I can talk about guitars and stuff and being in the rock and roll museum.

I mean, this is awesome. Yeah. So I really thank you for having me out.

Well, thanks for coming out. Then we'll see you out and about. So don't forget sponsors.

Sponsors. Sponsors. Tequila sponsors.

There we go. Sponsor this podcast. There you go.

All right. Thanks, guys. Thank you.

Well, that was Johnny Ressler. I tell you, we talked about everything that we got on tequila kick there for a while. Yeah.

Yeah. I kind of feel like I had a little tequila now. I mean, we talked about it so much.

Not that there's anything wrong with that tequila. Oh, yeah. Tequila is good for the soul.

It is good for the soul and whatever it's good for something. I don't know what it feels like. The soul and the your heart.

I love it. It's good for your heart. I love it.

It might be. They say it's good for your probiotic system. But the tequila is excellent.

Yeah, that's good stuff. See everything. Everything's good for something.

That's right. So, yeah, well, Johnny's a busy guy. Boy, he's got he's got a unique music there.

So that trap rock and them guys are very, very busy. They're playing all over the place. I mean, really, they played with Jimmy Buffett.

They get they get down to Key West regularly and. Yeah. Yeah.

Keep them busy. Keep them busy. Definitely.

Which is which is a good thing. And even in the winter, even in the winter. Yep.

So. So be sure and be sure and stick with us here and maybe we'll bring you some more, some more beach music, some more tropical stuff, some warming music, something to keep you warm. That's right.

The cold winter night. That's right. So and don't forget to catch us every Monday on the Road to Rock radio every Monday, six o'clock, featuring one of our podcasts.

Find them at the Illinois Rock and Roll Museum on Route 66 website, Facebook page. And keep listening. Keep checking out our podcast.

Give us some reviews and let us know how you feel. OK, thanks for listening to everybody. Talk soon.