On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with singer-songwriter Coyle Girelli for a conversation about melody, singing, collaboration, and the experiences that have shaped his songwriting. We spend a lot of time talking about his album Out of This Town and its deluxe edition, a collection with an unusual history that stretches back roughly a decade and grew out of his remarkable songwriting partnership with the late Mac Davis. Coyle talks about meeting Mac after Mac saw him perform “Champion” with The Chevin on Letterman, and how their connection quickly developed into a prolific writing partnership. The songs often came together in an hour or two, but the experience had a lasting effect on Coyle. He describes his songwriting life as essentially “pre- and post-Mac,” crediting Mac with teaching him to pay closer attention to the craft and care behind every part of a song. We also get into Coyle’s wide range of musical influences, his obsession with melody, and the quality he hears connecting artists as different as Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Nirvana, Puccini, and Verdi: soul. For Coyle, great music ultimately comes down to sincerity, believing the song and communicating something genuinely human through it. Coyle also shares stories from his years of collaborating with other artists and songwriters, including Linda Perry, Amy Allen, LP, and others, as well as the unexpected journey of BTS recording one of his songs. We talk about his move from Yorkshire to New York, the pressures of working within the major-label system, his approach to recording vocals, and why he prefers to capture performances before overthinking them. We close with a fascinating look at Calm + Collected, the music group Coyle co-founded to support artists working in jazz, classical, ambient, wellness, and other listening spaces. That leads us into a broader conversation about streaming, the changing music business, artificial intelligence, albums, and why Coyle believes that no matter how technology changes, people will continue to need music made by other human beings. Key Takeaways • Coyle sees melody as one of the central elements of his musical life, both as a songwriter and as a listener. • Working with Mac Davis fundamentally changed the way Coyle approached songwriting, adding a deeper level of attention and craftsmanship to instincts he had already developed. • Out of This Town was never originally conceived as an album. It emerged naturally from Coyle and Mac spending time together and writing songs, some of which were completed in only an hour or two. • The album’s long journey ultimately led to Sun Records, a fitting home given Mac Davis’ connection to Elvis Presley and Sun’s place in music history. • Writing with artists and songwriters including Linda Perry, Amy Allen, and LP helped Coyle expand his creative vocabulary and reinforced his belief that every collaboration offers something to learn. • As a singer, Coyle prefers capturing vocals in one or two takes, believing that overthinking or oversinging can gradually diminish the performance. • Despite enormous changes in technology, distribution, streaming, and AI, Coyle believes the essential purpose of music remains unchanged: one human translating experience and emotion into sound for another human to receive. Music from the Episode Out of This Town - Coyle Girelli It Only Hurts When I'm Awake - Coyle Girelli Lost To the River - Coyle Girelli (with KT Tunstall) About the Podcast The Bandwich Tapes is a podcast about music, the people who make it, and the experiences that shape their creative lives. I sit down with musicians, songwriters, producers, and other artists for thoughtful conversations about craft, collaboration, careers, influences, and the stories behind the music. Connect with the Show contact@thebandwichtapes.com

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with Brian Sachs, drummer, songwriter, and co-founder of Mynd Reader, for a conversation about returning to music, discovering songwriting later in life, and learning to approach creativity with a different set of priorities. Brian’s first musical life took place in New York City with The Authority, a band that came up alongside the Spin Doctors, Blues Traveler, and Joan Osborne in the city’s club scene. After years away from making music, Brian eventually found his way back, but without the ambition and competitiveness that accompanied his younger years. With Mynd Reader, he describes making music from a place of gratitude, curiosity, and a desire to serve the song rather than himself. We spend a lot of time talking about craft. Brian explains how his background as a drummer shapes his songwriting, why new ideas need a safe collaborative environment, and how his partnership with Tonin allows fragile ideas to develop without being dismissed too quickly. We also get into his evolution as a drummer,  from progressive rock influences like Bill Bruford, Phil Collins, Keith Moon, and Stewart Copeland to discovering James Brown, funk, Latin rhythms, and a completely different understanding of groove. We also dig into Mynd Reader’s new EP, Sunday Drive, and the decision to record the band without a click, allowing the music to breathe naturally. Brian talks about working with Grammy-winning mixer Michael Brauer, the importance of Shelby Kemp’s voice and the lyrical content of the songs, and the band’s attempt to capture something timeless rather than simply make stripped-down versions of previously recorded material. At the center of the conversation is an idea Brian returns to repeatedly: serve the song. Whether he’s writing, playing drums, collaborating with another musician, or deciding not to play at all, Brian has learned that maturity in music often means knowing when to step forward — and when to leave space for somebody else. Key Takeaways • Returning to music later in life gave Brian a different perspective, replacing much of the ambition and competitiveness of his younger years with gratitude and appreciation. • Brian discovered songwriting after years of identifying primarily as a drummer, and his rhythmic background continues to shape the melodies and phrasing of his lyrics. • His songwriting partnership with Tonin depends on trust and a “yes, and” approach that allows vulnerable new ideas to develop before they are judged. • Brian’s early drumming influences included Bill Bruford, Phil Collins, Keith Moon, Stewart Copeland, and Ian Paice, but his time with The Authority introduced him to James Brown, funk, Latin rhythms, and a much broader concept of groove. • Playing alongside bassist Zach Jackson reinforces Brian’s belief that tone, feel, instinct, and listening matter more than technical display. • Mynd Reader recorded the six songs on Sunday Drive in roughly ten hours without a click, allowing the tempos to move naturally with the emotional needs of the songs. • Working with Michael Brauer helped the band approach Sunday Drive as something more than an acoustic reinterpretation. The goal was to create different versions of the songs built around Shelby Kemp’s voice, the lyrics, and an easy, timeless musical feel. Music from the Episode Still Uncertain - Mynd Reader Soundtrack of Life - Mynd Reader Mourning Light - Mynd Reader About the Podcast The Bandwich Tapes is a podcast about music, the people who make it, and the experiences that shape a creative life. Hosted by musician Brad Williams, the show features conversations with artists, songwriters, producers, composers, and other music professionals about their careers, creative processes, collaborations, influences, and the craft behind their work. Connect with the Show Questions, comments, or guest suggestions? contact@thebandwichtapes.com

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with drummer, recording engineer, and educator Joel Rosenblatt for a conversation that goes well beyond drumming. Joel has spent his career moving between remarkably different musical environments, including Michel Camilo, Spyro Gyra, Pure Prairie League, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Broadway productions including In the Heights and Hamilton, and countless recording sessions. We talk about the experiences that shaped Joel as a musician, including stepping into Michel Camilo’s band after a recommendation from Dave Weckl and suddenly finding himself in a rhythm section with Anthony Jackson. Joel shares what he learned about pocket, feel, and playing inside a great arrangement, and how those lessons changed when he joined Spyro Gyra and had to learn how to help build an entire musical arc over a vamp. Joel also takes me inside the making of Spyro Gyra’s live album Road Scholars, his approach to playing with percussionists, and why hearing everyone onstage is essential to being a good ensemble musician. We get into his time with Pure Prairie League, where a very different kind of music taught him about feel, simplicity, and connecting with an audience. We also talk about Joel’s work as a recording engineer and how working on the other side of the glass changed the way he hears his own playing. From recording drums at home to performing Broadway shows such as In the Heights, Mamma Mia!, On Your Feet!, and Hamilton, Joel explains why professionalism sometimes means bringing your personality to the music—and other times means playing exactly what the music requires. Most importantly, this becomes a conversation about identity and change. Facing significant back problems and uncertainty about whether he will be able to continue playing drums, Joel speaks candidly about what happens when the thing you have done for most of your life may no longer define what comes next. We talk about career transitions, relationships, aging, creativity, and the possibility that a musician's next chapter can look very different without being any less meaningful. Key Takeaways Joel explains how playing with Anthony Jackson reshaped his understanding of pocket and the role of the rhythm section. His transition from Michel Camilo to Spyro Gyra required learning how to create musical development over vamps rather than relying on the composition to provide the entire arc. Joel discusses the making of Spyro Gyra’s Road Scholars and why he personally listened through recordings from dozens of shows to help choose the performances used on the album. Great ensemble playing begins with listening. Joel explains why he wants to hear the entire band in his monitors rather than focusing only on his own instrument. Recording and engineering exposed details in Joel’s own playing and helped refine his relationship with time, feel, and the click. Broadway taught him a different kind of musicianship: respecting the written part, eliminating ego, and delivering the performance the production requires every night. Joel reflects candidly on physical limitations, aging, musical identity, and the difficult yet potentially rewarding process of reinventing oneself when life forces change. Music from the Episode Heart of the Night - Spyro Gyra Why Not - Michel Camilo Trio Shaker Song - Spyro Gyra No Strings Attached - Double B Double V About the Podcast The Bandwich Tapes is a podcast about the people who make music and the experiences that shape them. Hosted by musician Brad Williams, the show features conversations with artists, songwriters, producers, engineers, and other creative people about their careers, craft, collaborations, influences, and the realities of a life spent making music. Connect with the Show Questions, comments, or guest suggestions? contact@thebandwichtapes.com

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with James Woods for a conversation centered on a part of his creative life that may surprise people who primarily know him as an actor: songwriting. James talks about the remarkable burst of creativity that has produced more than 75 songs and a series of concept albums created alongside Shooter Jennings and Bob Wayne. We dig into his upcoming album, The Killer’s Wife, the single “The Hearts of Men,” and the real-life experience that became the starting point for the album’s fictional story. What interested me most was the difference James sees between acting and songwriting. As an actor, he spent decades interpreting someone else’s words and vision. Songwriting has given him the opportunity to begin with a blank page and say exactly what he wants to say. We talk about writing quickly, trusting instinct, revising individual words until they feel right, and what happens when a song seems to arrive almost fully formed. James also takes us inside the collaborative process with Shooter Jennings, Bob Wayne, and the musicians who bring these records to life. He describes watching players hear a song, make a chart, and begin shaping the music almost immediately — and how their individual choices can transform the emotional meaning of something he originally wrote alone. Ultimately, this is a conversation about creative second acts. James reflects on finding a new artistic path later in life, writing from personal experience, creating his own record label, and why he believes artists should look for ways to retain control of their work. For someone who spent much of his career bringing other people’s stories to life, songwriting has become an opportunity to finally tell his own. Key Takeaways • James Woods has written more than 75 songs and describes songwriting as an unexpected creative outpouring that emerged later in his life. • He sees a fundamental difference between acting and songwriting: acting is interpretive, while songwriting allows him to originate the words, ideas, and perspective himself. • His collaboration with Shooter Jennings began during the COVID era and eventually expanded to include Bob Wayne, with whom Woods developed an unusually fast and productive writing partnership. • Concept albums have become central to Woods’ approach. Rather than treating songs as isolated pieces, he likes creating records connected by characters, ideas, imagery, and narrative themes. • The Killer’s Wife grew from an experience Woods had as a young man, but he transformed that memory into a fictional narrative rather than attempting to document the actual people involved. • Woods places enormous value on the contributions of musicians in the studio, describing how players such as Aubrey Richmond, Jamie Douglass, John Schreffler Jr., and Ted Russell Kamp can dramatically reshape a song through instinctive musical choices. • Woods views this period as a creative second act and hopes his independent approach to making and releasing music can encourage other artists to find ways to maintain greater control of their work. Music from the Episode Song - Artist About the Podcast The Bandwich Tapes is a podcast about music, the people who make it, and the experiences that shape a creative life. Hosted by musician Brad Williams, the show features conversations with artists, songwriters, producers, composers, and other music professionals about their careers, creative processes, collaborations, influences, and the craft behind their work. Connect with the Show Questions, comments, or guest suggestions? contact@thebandwichtapes.com

On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes, I sit down with South Carolina country artist Kile Antone for a conversation about music, songwriting, faith, identity, and finding your way back to something you thought you had left behind. Kile’s path to country music has been anything but conventional. He began playing guitar as a teenager, but life eventually took him into law enforcement, ministry, and work as a paramedic. For nearly 30 years, he rarely performed country music in public. Then, a few years ago, he walked into an open mic with his guitar, so nervous he was physically shaking, and sang a few songs. That night started a new chapter. We spend a lot of time talking about how those years away from the stage now inform Kile’s songwriting. His song “Drink Some More” grew from a late-night message from someone going through a difficult moment and Kile’s own memories of growing up in a home affected by alcoholism and violence. We talk about protecting the people behind a song while still preserving its emotional truth, why a song doesn’t have to follow a prescribed structure, and how country music can say an enormous amount with very little. The conversation also moves into more personal territory as Kile talks about separating who he is from the roles he has occupied throughout his life. He shares a powerful story about being asked by a counselor, “Who is Kile Antone?” and realizing that pastor, police officer, and paramedic were answers to what he did—not who he was. That leads us into a discussion about music as a place where he can simply be himself, and about how age and perspective can change the reasons we make music in the first place. We also talk about performing solo versus playing with a band, learning to read a room, his Open Range Band and Stormfront Band, and the new opportunities that have emerged through his friendship and work with country artist Leon Everett. Kile also shares what’s ahead, including his first album, original songs, a duet with Leon Everett, and his recording of George Strait’s “Christmas Cookies.” Key Takeaways • Kile returned to performing country music after nearly 30 years away from the public stage, beginning with three songs at a local open mic. • His experiences in law enforcement, ministry, and emergency medicine have given him a deep reservoir of real-life stories and emotions to draw from as a songwriter. • “Drink Some More” was written in roughly 30 minutes after Kile received a late-night message from someone dealing with the consequences of alcohol and conflict. • Kile believes in protecting the identities of the people who inspire his songs while remaining faithful to the emotional truth of their stories. • His unconventional journey back to music has become as much about rediscovering his identity as it is about building a career. • Performing has given Kile an outlet separate from the weight and responsibility that have accompanied much of his professional life. • His growing musical career includes solo performances, the Open Range Band, Kile Antone and the Stormfront Band, recordings with Leon Everett, and work toward his first full album. Music from the Episode Drink Some More - Kile Antone   About the Podcast The Bandwich Tapes is a podcast about the people who make music and the experiences that shape the way they make it. I sit down with musicians, songwriters, producers, engineers, and other creative people for conversations about craft, collaboration, careers, influences, and the stories behind the music. Connect with the Show Questions, comments, or guest suggestions?  Reach out at contact@thebandwichtapes.com.