This episode features Ham Bagby, of Ham Bagby & The Siege and other ventures. He talks living and gigging in the Druid City for the past 15 years, being a good dad and growing up listening to Weird Al Yankovic and Prince while having an Episcopalian priest as a father.

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This episode features Callooh! Callay! singer/songwriter and Blaine Duncan and The Lookers guitarist Adam Morrow. He talks about playing guitar with his new band, finding new ways to distribute music, dating a band member and sticking around in the Druid City for the time being.

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(Photo by David A. Smith / DSmithImages)

This episode features Blaine Duncan, of Blaine Duncan & The Lookers. He talks about the evolution of his band, which has seen several different members come and go since it formed in 2007. He has a brand new album, called “When She Dies,” releasing May 1 and featuring members of The Dexateens and The Bear backing him up.

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First episode features Dexateens guitarist, singer and songwriter Elliott McPherson. He opens up about life on the road and talks about a brand new Dexateens album called “This Machine Kills Americana” that has already been recorded.

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The new “Ram It, Jam It” podcast series interviewing local musicians and other artists has launched on AL.com, and we’re thrilled about our first two guests Elliott McPherson and Blaine Duncan. Check them out on the blog!

The Tuscaloosa News reports that Steely Dan will play the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater Aug. 20 as part of its national tour.

Red Mountain Entertainment said sale dates and ticket prices have yet to be set.

(Photo by Kevin Griggs)

Abby GoGo made early noise in the Tuscaloosa music scene upon its formation roughly five or six years ago, but in the past two years, they decided their dreamy, self-proclaimed “shoe-gazing” sound wouldn’t really cut it anymore in the Druid City.

So they made way for Atlanta in 2007, where members Bon Allinson (guitar), Jon Allinson (guitar), Ian McDonald (drums) and Chris Vaughn (bass) found their voice would be heard a little more clearly. Ever the homebodies, the Abby GoGo guys have nothing against Tuscaloosa, not even its music scene. They even insist bands can thrive here, depending on the specific sound of the artists.

On Monday, Abby GoGo will return home for a gig at Egan’s, where they were regulars back in the not-so-distant past, where they will play alongside Atlanta buds Mermaids before both head out to Austin, Texas, to play the popular South by Southwest Festival. Guitarist Bon Allinson took some time to tell us what he and his band mates have been up to since they journeyed onward.

Ben Flanagan: What kind of feeling to get about playing Egan’s again, and more specifically, Tuscaloosa?

Bon Allinson: I always have fun playing Egan’s. We have been down a couple of times since the move. It’s a good stop if you are on tour. You can make some gas money and hang with some old friends. As far as playing Tuscaloosa, it’s cool to see my dad and stay at his house, especially in the summer when his pool is open.


BF: Compare the local music scenes of Tuscaloosa and where you are now. What are some things that your city is doing that Tuscaloosa could also do to improve the culture?

BA: Atlanta has a very healthy scene right now. It has a lot of bands and cool clubs, plus it’s a bigger city. I don’t think Tuscaloosa could ever keep something going because with the college people’s time is limited. The ones who start bands in college are gone in three years, and the ones who take it seriously are going leave for a better city. You could do great in a that town, just not with the music we want to make.


BF: What compelled Abby GoGo to leave Tuscaloosa in the first place? I know the band sort of went on hiatus there for a while and re-grouped. Does a bigger city just provide more opportunities for what you were trying to do artistically and commercially?

BA: Me personally, I had to move. I was 22 and had been there my whole life. We picked Atlanta was because we had friends there that were making cool music [All the Saints, Sovus Radio] that we would play with when they came through town. It just seemed like something was going on here, and we were right.


BF: Talk a little bit about the new album. Has Abby GoGo’s sound changed at all? If so, in what ways?

BA: We just put out a full length back in December. A lot of the songs on there were older. Some of the stuff we played in Tuscaloosa. But we are working on new stuff at the moment. It’s a lot heavier, more affected. That’s the stuff you will hear in the set we play now.


BF: Are you guys pleased with the response you’re getting in Atlanta? Has it been difficult finding an audience for what you do?

BA: We’ve been very pleased, and to be honest, it hasn’t been difficult at all. We’ve just been really lucky. We’ve played bigger shows. It’s just like a natural progression. We moved here to do this, and we’re just doing it. Once we started playing here, it just worked.

This Q&A appeared in today’s Tusk Magazine.

Look for a Q&A with friend Bon Allinson, guitarist and singer for Abby GoGo, who will play Egan’s next Monday alongside Mermaids.

Check it out this Friday!

Now that Tuscaloosa can sell alcohol on Sundays, that means bars and bands get another day to work. Egan’s got started yesterday with a Sunday Brunch Dance Party and Rock ‘n’ Roll Show, featuring Baak Gwai, Blaine Duncan & the Lookers and The Black Willis Band.

Our friends over at WellThatsCool.com posted the following video of Duncan, Baak Gwai’s Adam Pate and drummer Adam Ridgeway performing at the event.

Can’t wait for more Sunday shows.

Getcha pompadours ready! Bruno Mars and Janelle Monae will headline this May’s Jubilee CityFest in Montgomery. Impressive booking for the Gump.

How can Tuscaloosa answer?