Cody Kai Cast

Drummer and Austin music maker Austin Baker (@austinbakertx) is back for his third appearance on the Cody Kai Cast, and this time we're talking music, money, creativity, and the never-ending arguments that only musicians could take this seriously. 🥁😂 Austin breaks down the strange economics of Austin's live music scene, where some of the most accomplished players are struggling to make e...

After years of bringing other artists' musical visions to life, bassist and vocalist Montez Garner is finally putting his own creativity front and center! Montez joins Cody and Kai to discuss his journey from Florida to Austin, his experiences working alongside established musicians, and the decision to pursue his own original music after years of collaborating with others. Along the way, the...

Fan favorite Joel Turcotte returns for his record FIFTH appearance on the Cody Kai Cast, bringing another round of unfiltered opinions, hilarious stories, and spirited debates. Cody and Joel tackle some uncomfortable truths about Austin's live music industry, including underpaid musicians, venues settling for "good enough," cover bands playing the same tired material, and musicians w...

Kill Tony Golden Ticket winner Tony Scar joins Cody and Kai for Episode 86 of the Cody Kai Cast! At just 22 years old, Tony has already experienced a whirlwind introduction to the comedy industry. He shares how he earned his Golden Ticket after only six months of stand-up, how his life changed afterward, and some of the wildest experiences he's had along the way. From a billionaire's mansi...

Drummer Kevin Parm joins Cody and Kai for Episode 85, sharing stories from behind the drum kit and one terrifying experience that nearly cost him his life. Kevin recounts a motorcycle accident that brought him within feet of a 400-foot cliff, discusses the artistry of Ringo Starr and other legendary drummers, and explores the music and musicians that have shaped his perspective. The conversation a...

Comedian Kandyce August joins Cody and Kai for a hilarious, unfiltered conversation about stand-up comedy, motherhood, and the challenges of making it in Austin's comedy scene. Kandyce shares her experience becoming a mother at 47, her weight-loss challenge for another shot on Kill Tony, and her thoughts on controversial comedians like Patrice O'Neal. Along the way, the conversation takes...

Dr. Trent Morgan (@trentmorganmusic) joins Cody and Kai for a conversation that goes everywhere from guitar and improvisation to medicine, neuroscience, social media and sobriety. Trent talks about getting through medical school and a brutal surgical residency while realizing medicine wasn't ultimately the life he wanted. He explains why he chose to pursue music, how working as a physician now...

Drummer, singer and artist Gino V (@ginovmusic) joins Cody and Kai to talk about his journey from Louisiana to the Austin music scene and the lessons he's picked up along the way. From learning drums as a kid and playing with Wayne Toups to starting over in Austin, Gino gets into developing your own sound, learning to listen, knowing when not to play, performing under pressure, and why technic...

Kill Tony guitarist Matt Muehling joins Blake O’Neal and Nico Little for a deep dive into musicianship, obsession, competition, and Austin’s evolving music scene. We get into Matt’s journey from obsessively practicing guitar to playing Madison Square Garden with the Kill Tony Band , why performing at that level doesn’t make him nervous anymore, and why some of his favorite shows ever happened in A...

Austin’s own Bars Robinson joins Cody and Kai to talk about what happens when your comfort zone starts holding you back. From declaring that hip-hop has become “easy” and exploring new genres, to the realities of performing live, navigating haters, building a business, Austin’s music scene and staying authentic in the content era, Bars breaks down the mindset behind his next chapter. Along the way...

Austin musician Ruby Dice joins the Cody Kai Cast for a wide-ranging conversation about building a life in music, developing your own artistic identity, collaboration, comparison, failure, relationships, therapy, narcissism, psychedelics, technology, politics, and the strange experience of trying to remain human in an increasingly digital world. Ruby shares how losing her gigs during the pandemic...

Austin singer-songwriter Jo James joins Cody and Kai for one of the most wide-ranging conversations yet on Cody Kai Cast. Jo talks about his upcoming album Everything and Nothing, a project he describes as his most honest work yet—written without chasing approval, trends, or what he thought people wanted to hear. The guys get into songwriting, The Beatles, putting in the reps, why great musicians...

Reid Estreicher of Local Sets ATX and Austin musician Adam Knight join Cody and Kai for a wide-ranging conversation about music, creativity, community, resilience, and what it takes to build something meaningful. Reid breaks down the mission behind Local Sets ATX and why creating a platform for Austin musicians matters more to him than turning it into a paycheck. The conversation explores the chal...

Austin musician Jac Carson joins Cody and Kai for a wide-ranging conversation about life as a working musician, songwriting, creativity, comedy, and the culture that makes Austin unique. Jac shares stories from years of playing live on Sixth Street, including a memorable encounter with Gary Clark Jr., and gets into what performing constantly teaches you about connecting with an audience. The conve...

Austin singer-songwriter Ruthie Craft joins the Cody Kai Cast for one of our most honest and inspiring conversations yet. We discuss the realities of being an independent artist, balancing creativity with business, surviving a traumatic leg injury, PTSD, faith, sobriety, dating, social media, vulnerability, and the lessons that come from rebuilding after adversity. Ruthie also shares the story of...

West Texas Exiles frontman Daniel Davis joins the Cody Kai Cast for a wide-ranging conversation covering music, creativity, psychedelics, sobriety, AI, comedy, and what it really takes to build something meaningful as an artist. We dive into why chemistry matters more than technical ability in a band, the similarities between songwriting and stand-up comedy, Daniel's experiences with psychedel...

Singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur Jordan Cordel joins the Cody Kai Cast to discuss what it really takes to build a successful music career. From earning his MBA at UT McCombs to balancing artistry with business, Jordan shares his journey as an independent artist, the importance of professionalism, branding, networking, and developing your craft. We also react to his latest single, "Chocola...

Samantha Anne returns to the Cody Kai Cast for her first full-length episode to discuss building one of Austin's most recognizable creative communities through Lux Art Agency . We dive into authenticity in the social media era, why integrity still matters in business, the evolution of Austin's creative scene, collaboration over competition, producing large-scale events, supporting local ar...

Two years. Seventy episodes. Countless conversations. This special episode of the Cody Kai Cast is just Cody and Kai reflecting on everything that's happened since recording their very first conversations together in an apartment with a microphone and an idea. They look back on how the podcast started, the lessons learned from over two years of weekly episodes, the Austin music scene, viral po...

Austin hip-hop veterans Tee Double (@terranyjohnson) and Traygod tha MC (@traygodthamc) join the Cody Kai Cast for a deep dive into the culture, history, and artistry behind hip-hop. The conversation explores why hip-hop has more in common with jazz than most people realize, the unique creative energy behind Austin's live music scene, the evolution of freestyle culture, and what separates grea...

Delaware State Representative and comedian Madinah Wilson-Anton returns to the Cody Kai Cast for a wide-ranging conversation on stand-up comedy, politics, crowd psychology, audience connection, open mics, crowd work, authenticity, media, religion, and the similarities between making people laugh and earning their trust. Madinah shares insights from performing comedy across the country while servin...

Austin guitarist Dave Scher (@daveifyoulike) joins the Cody Kai Cast for a deep dive into creativity, improvisation, guitar culture, and life as a working musician in one of the greatest music cities in the world. Dave shares stories from the road with Eric Johnson , discusses sitting in with the Kill Tony Band , reflects on growing up in Austin's evolving music scene, and breaks down what sep...

ATX comedian Robert Tabet joins the Cody Kai Cast for one of the wildest conversations yet — covering Victor Wembanyama’s unreal NBA ceiling, Tom Brady, AI data centers, Epstein, internet surveillance, Gaza, conspiracy rabbit holes, modern dating, COVID narratives, and why society feels increasingly disconnected. The episode swings from hilarious sports debates to genuinely unsettling discussions...

Bassist/keyboardist Ejay Bedford joins the Cody Kai Cast for a deep conversation on Austin’s live music scene, San Antonio culture, D Madness, Kill Tony, Kanye West, AI in music, discipline, bass playing, and the spiritual side of live performance. From stories about playing with top Austin musicians to breaking down why great rhythm sections matter, EJ delivers one of the most insightful music co...

ATX rapper Coota Brown and DJ 912 Nari pull up to the Cody Kai Cast for one of the wildest conversations yet. From the Austin rap scene and why rappers need live bands… to Joe Rogan, Candace Owens, conspiracy theories, independent media, artistic integrity, and questioning authority — this episode goes EVERYWHERE. Topics include: Austin music culture Hip-hop vs live instrumentation Why artists des...