The Gypsy Sons - Wash (2015)

Johnny "The Hammer" Aguon’s band, Dead White and Blue, which was on the brink of releasing its debut major label, Rick Parashar produced album, with MCA Record got lost in the shuffle when MCA was bought out, and a great majority of their cataloged acts were cut loose. For the next few years, he toured, recorded and performed in one band after another until he found himself owning and operating Selma Studios in Hollywood, California. After a few stints as a sideman and store owner, Johnny decided to take a new direction in music, and start up a hard-rock country band, he called The Gypsy Sons. The problem was, he needed to find like-minded musicians to help develop the sound of the band. Aguon, a Northern Virginia native who lived in LA, began to realize that perhaps coming back to his roots would be the best platform for such a band. After touring the west coast with his new act, Hammer began filling the calendar with east coast tour dates. However, unable to convince his rhythm section to make the trip, he was forced to find other musicians.

A few months later, The Gypsy Sons went to play in front of Sony Music executives at a showcase in Nashville, Tennessee with a country band fronted by Eric King, a VA native formerly from the blues act Eric King and the Thin Line who had drawn some interest from Sony. No deals were made for either band as a result of this showcase; however, it changed the course of The Gypsy Sons for good.

Fast forward 100+ shows and 100,000 miles…the band was taking a hiatus and looking for a drummer. Gies was depressed, King was burned out, and Aguon was starting up a side project called American Günn that he somehow convinced Gies to join him in. These times were jokingly referred to as “The Therapy Sessions.” American Günn arranged to rehearse at the brand new Crashbox Rehearsal and Recording Studios in Sterling, Virginia. Coincidently, Dave Maguire was the owner of Crashbox, and as fate would have it he became the drummer for The Gypsy Sons within a month. The rest as they say is history in the making.