In music today, it’s not difficult to find an artist in one, two or even multiple music projects. In fact there are some who feel like to true breadth of a musician is to be in various projects at the same time. When we first crossed paths with Jaron Hall, we were watching him on lead guitar for the post punk band El Lago. As time went on we’d catch him with his psych band India Tigers in Texas. What intrigued us most about his playing was not just that he could play lead in two completely different projects, but that he could bring his own touch to both with ease. For those reasons and more we had him as a guest on our podcast Self Released Songs.

Born in a small town, Hall has been playing in bands since his teenage years. Learning classical guitar first, his skills took him on tour, on stages allover and into more places than most.After leaving his small town and his punk band behind for Austin, he soon found that getting a new project going was difficult, even in a place like Austin, Texas. While working a regular job, he took a break from music and just took in the sights. Catching bands that were making Austin the live practice space made an impression on Hall, especially when he caught The Black Angels.

Connecting with psych again, falling for the sounds he was played by his mother as a child, Hall found himself new outlets to still write and record. Leaving Austin for yet another small town before returning once again, his music and his relentless self-production took many turns before his relocation to Galveston. While trying out for the replacement guitarist in El Lago, the members told him of some guys he needed to meet. Within a couple of months he’d be fronting a band with the same people and playing in El Lago at the same time.

Meeting everyone who would be in India Tigers in Texas on a Halloween and then playing their first show on New Year’s Eve was a feat. Recording their debut release, some of which came from home solo recordings was something else. His work with Steve Christensen and how it almost was not to be was the stuff of legend. There’s more to the story in that when you listen to either band, if you listen hard enough you can hear those classical guitar touches. His style and his ear lend themselves to an artist who can cover multiple bases while leaving a part of himself in both.

The music of El Lago can be purchased here, the music of India Tigers in Texas can be purchased here as well. The podcast can be heard on this website or on all podcast streaming platforms. It can be supported at Anchor.

Image Credits: Photo by Catherine Stroud.