Why? Episode 129- Musician Damon Johnson

If you’re like us, you’re currently standing over the kitchen sink, watching the snow continue to fall, stuffing your face with Girl Scout cookies (Thin Mint, please) and contemplating how to get out the energy you’ve saved up during the pandemic now that Mother Nature has joined in making it hard for you to leave the house.

Thankfully, we have a solution. It’s Damon Johnson and the Get Ready’s new record, Battle Lessons. Maybe you haven’t heard of him. Trust us, Damon is an incredible guitar player with an incredible story.

He’s played with Alice Cooper, Sammy Hagar, Ted Nugent and, in what was the culmination of a life-long dream, Thin Lizzy. Well, maybe it wasn’t a life-long dream. Who could even dream of such things? Being in a band like Thin Lizzy, sure- but actually playing with THOSE guys?

But these opportunities haven’t all sunshine and roses, and there have been hard spots for Damon. But its those low points that have made him appreciate the success all the more. (Damon told us a story about his invitation to join Thin Lizzy that he hadn’t told anyone before… And it makes him all the more admirable.)

So, the backstory is great, but what about the new record that he’s released? Is it worth talking about? It is, and not for the reasons you’d think. Yes, Damon is an amazing guitar player, but Battle Lessons is a record built around great songs. And we talked about how important a well crafted song is and how shredding is nice, but it’s got to have something to go on top of.

Maybe you don’t own a Flying V guitar, and maybe you’re all out of Thin Mints. Lord knows both of those things are true for us. But listening to Damon talk about his story is a great encouragement to go forward and to try and to dream and to do stuff, even if the entire world is making it a little harder to do so.

And maybe, just for starters, the first step is putting on Battle Lessons, taking off your clothes, and turning it up loud. At a time like this, what’s more important that that?

For more information, you can check out Damon’s website, follow him on Facebook, Twitter or on Instagram.