The High Stakes Podcast Interview: How I got into live looping, How I Tour...how heartbreak can cause a masterpiece

Christian Carrillo and I April 2025

HENDERSON, NV - I recently accepted an invitation from an old friend of mine Christian Carrillo to appear on his High Stakes Podcast. Christian and I met in a former life when we were both chest deep in the always exciting (yes...really) world of music retail at the Sam Ash Music Store in Las Vegas. My world was the band and orchestra department...and his was the pro audio department. Christian could also sell and support anything in the guitar department and drums as well. I was still six years away from discovering the looping world....and even further from my first time onstage with a mic in hand.

Life, love, and music tend to find a way..and often times catch us unguarded and usually unprepared for the moments that change our paths forever. Sometimes these paths wrought with tragedy, other times triumph. Christian was firmly embeded in both the recording world and performing til the wee hours of the morning...and I was cutting my teeth as a trumpet player at light night jam sessions and starting to pick up gigs here and there.

The day came when Christian came to work no more. To know him is to love him, and the amount of charisma Christian brought to the vibe of the store every day could power a rocketship, so when he resigned to move on...it was certainly a sad day for us all.

Boom....twenty years passes.

In mid March, I am gearing up to go on tour, and I get a message from Christian, "Dude...I want to have you on my podcast. How about the Friday after you get back?" I told him I'd be there. This podscast is as raw as it gets. Two long time friends that hadn't seen each other in forever and are quickly figuring out, that the more the world changes....true friendships stay the same and never fade from time or distance.

In watching this podcast, its so refreshing to see something truly organic and real unfold in lieu of so much of the manufactured content that muddies so much of the content landscape.

We would have gone for thirty hours straight if prior commitments hadn't capped out podcast at a trim two hours. Christian is a very successful and respected real estate agent now, and certainly keeps his music chops sharp....and me....well....you all know what I do.

Christian...you are one of one my friend. Thanks for having me.

Everybody else....enjoy the interview!

John Allen