The Holy Ghost Notes Podcast

87: Matt Garstka

On episode eighty seven of Holy Ghost Notes, Matt and Tim are joined by drumming legend, Matt Garstka of Animals as Leaders. Matt shares about his time at Berkeley, his practice vigor, his high-pressure upbringing, and his workout routine. He also speaks on practicing living in the moment and staying out of your own head, and opens up about his faith journey.

86: Dallas Taylor

On episode eighty six of Holy Ghost Notes, Matt and Tim invite Dallas Taylor (frontman of Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, ex. Underoath) after bringing him up in a recent episode. Dallas talks about his life threatening accident and the long road of recovery he’s been on, but also the perspective he’s gained along the way. He continues to share his thoughts and emotions as he looks ahead towards his first performance since the accident. Between the laughs, the chills, the surprises, and a role in Joe Dirt 2, Dallas bears his soul, and we all get to hang on for the ride.

85: Where Credit Is Due (5 Ways To Improve Your Drumming + Pride)

On episode eighty five of Holy Ghost Notes, Matt and Tim go down a rabbit hole about radio. Then they refocus and get into their drum topic; speaking on five ways (and then some) to improve your drumming, where they each take turns listing tactics that they feel are important when it comes to advancing as a drummer. In concluding the drum topic, the guys enter into their faith topic of pride and explore the gray area between confidence and arrogance. They quickly discover that there’s a lot more to pride than it simply “coming before a fall”.

84: The Hard Reset (Overthinking + Comparison)

On episode eighty four, the guys get off to a goofy start, Tim provides a solution for forgetting passwords, and the guys jump right into their drum topic; “overthinking". Tim takes it in a slightly different direction than Matt was envisioning and tries to sing like Tom Delonge. Matt kicks off the topic of “comparison” which leads them down a path of talking about motives, leadership, and a slew of other winding thought. 

83: Horsing Around Can Help (Balance + Feeling Defeated)

On episode eighty three of Holy Ghost Notes, Tim catches Matt off guard right from the start and they proceed to talk a little about being task oriented vs. time efficient in light of Tim's schedule. Matt shares a story of enlightenment while on the back of a horse, which dovetails into their drum topic, "Balance on the kit". Tim kicks off the next topic, "Feeling defeated" and opens up about what's been happening in his life and some weaknesses that he's recognizing in himself. The guys go on to discuss how to best prepare for and overcome the feeling of defeat in everyday life.

82: Love Lens (Branding Yourself + Maybe I’m Sick)

On episode eighty two of Holy Ghost Notes, Matt talks about tour heat and tour ice baths as the guys go on a tangent about sweaty palms and dropping sticks. Matt is apprehensive about the drum topic, but takes a stab at kicking off the thought provoking conversion around “branding yourself as a drummer”. The guys transition into yet another topic that Matt isn’t excited to tackle, and Tim shares of a recent humbling conviction leading to a deep and honest conversation around recognizing our imperfection and being open to receiving help.

81: Dango Cellan

On episode eighty one of Holy Ghost Notes, Matt talks about the current ABR tour and how touring has differed as a newlywed. Then the guys bring on guest, Dango Cellan (drummer for Scott Stapp of Creed, Amber Pacific, Sonic Flood and formerly of RED, SuperChick, Fireflight, and more). Dango shares about what a day in his life looks like, and gives some advice to drummers/musicians looking to pursue a career in music. The guys also talk about the importance of the Church, despite its many shortfalls, and Dango shares about his warped tour Bible study, an encounter with Fat Mike of NOFX, and sheds a light on his upbringing.

80: What’s the Rush? (What Makes a Pro? + Patience)

On episode eighty of Holy Ghost Notes, Matt and Tim express their gratitude around hitting eighty episodes and catch up about each other’s Fourth of July weekends. Tim talks about three qualities that he thinks will make and sustain a professional drummer/musician's career and Matt contributes his thoughts based on his experience as a professional in the industry. Then, the guys talk about the subject of patience - their experiences around it, the difficulty behind it, and the importance of practicing it. 

79: A Grain of Salt (Judging Drummers + Advice)

On episode seventy nine of Holy Ghost Notes, Tim talks about Stranger Things and tells a dad joke that goes over Matt’s head as they spend some time catching up. Then, Matt talks about his experience judging alongside Aaron Spears and Dave Weckl at a recent drum competition, which initiates the topic of "judging" other drummers. The guys round out the conversation by talking about how to give and take advice in many different aspects of life. 

78: Build Each Other Up (Like Riding A Bike? + Friendship Commitment)

On episode seventy eight of Holy Ghost Notes, Matt and Tim talk a little bit about slowing down and taking a break from social media. Then they compare returning to the drum kit to riding a bike and explore what it takes to develop muscle memory vs. mastery. Finally, the guys discuss the commitment that comes alongside friendship, and talk about a recent experience they shared which, in turn, inspires a challenge.