Grand Rising at The Whisky: A Conversation with Austin Ingerman of Gunshine

Grand Rising at The Whisky: A Conversation with Austin Ingerman of Gunshine

There’s a particular electricity that hits the Sunset Strip right before showtime — that moment when the Whisky a Go Go shifts from history to immediacy, from legend to living pulse. On a warm Los Angeles night, just hours before taking the stage, guitarist and songwriter Austin Ingerman sat down with us backstage to talk about the long road from Florida bar gigs to arena tours, the birth of Gunshine, and the band’s explosive new album Grand Rising.

Ingerman carries the calm focus of someone who’s been in the trenches — from MI classrooms to European arenas — yet still radiates the excitement of a musician stepping into his own. What follows is a conversation about vision, grit, sharks (yes, sharks), and the relentless energy of real rock and roll.

You lived out here for a while and attended MI. What was your experience like living in Los Angeles, and what ultimately made you decide to move back to Florida?
It’s funny because I actually came from Florida when I moved to LA. I started playing in bars when I was seventeen — all cover‑band stuff — because Florida has a huge cover scene. It’s the whole spring‑break, party‑destination vibe on the Gulf Coast. Lots of beach towns, lots of music, so that’s really where I got my start.

But I was always into songwriting and originals. I kept seeing ads for MI, and it looked intriguing. I wanted a new challenge, so at twenty‑two I moved out to California. I spent three years here — 2016 through 2019 — and MI was incredible. I made so many connections. I met the producer who ended up doing all the Gunshine stuff, met people from different companies, and worked with amazing musicians.

During that time, I landed a touring gig with New Year’s Day. We went out with Halestorm, Godsmack, In This Moment — all arena tours. It was great. I did that all the way up until COVID. But I was a hired gun in that band, and as a songwriter, I always had a vision for my own thing. I had a sound in my head and a bunch of song ideas I wanted to get out, but that vision had to be put on hold while I was touring arenas. I couldn’t say no to that.

The experience gave me everything I needed to eventually start my own band. When COVID hit, touring stopped completely. I was never home anyway, so we decided, “Let’s just go back to Florida.” A few years later, we started Gunshine down there — and here we are now.

You mentioned earlier that you played here at The Whisky back in 2018 with Teenage Ritual, the project you did with Nikki Stevens. What was it like stepping onto this stage for the first time?
It was awesome. Nikki’s an amazing musician, and we had a really cool project. She’s still out there killing it. She gave me that opportunity, and it was definitely surreal because you hear so much about The Whisky — all the documentaries, all the history. I remember it being a fun show and a fun night.

During the pandemic, you released some solo music. What was it like putting out solo material during such a historic moment?
Yeah, I released a single called Everything Is Okay that I wrote with some friends. We had a different singer on it, and it felt like the right song for the time, so we put it out. I also released some instrumental music. If I did something solo now, I’d probably focus more on vocals because I’ve been working on them a lot since then. But at the time, it was great.

You mentioned New Year’s Day earlier. With Warped Tour coming back in a few weeks, did you ever play Warped with them?
No, I joined shortly after. It was the summer of 2018. My first shows with them were the Halestorm tours.

What was it like touring with New Year’s Day and playing those massive shows?
It was awesome. It gave me so much experience — just being around bands like Halestorm and seeing how they operate on the road. Every band we toured with was a class act. The shows were amazing. When we went over to Europe right before COVID, we played some of the biggest arenas out there — even bigger than a lot of the ones in the U.S. It was incredible.

Do you still keep in touch with Ash and the rest of the band?
Absolutely. We still talk. They’ll message me on Instagram or send a text. They were really excited and happy for me when I started Gunshine because I think they saw the vision I was trying to build.

Let’s talk about Gunshine. Your new album is called Grand Rising. Is there a story behind that title?
Yeah. We were in the middle of writing, and I was staying at my folks’ place in Pensacola. I’m actually living in Atlanta now, but I was down in Florida for a writing session with our singer. My now‑wife texted me “Grand Rising” instead of “Good morning.” It’s just another way of saying it, but we were in total creative mode, and it got my wheels turning. I thought, That’s pretty cool. And it just stuck.

Tell me about “Shark Lounge” with Michael Starr. How did that collaboration come about?
My dad actually told us the story of this place called the Shark Lounge — a wild strip club in Daytona Beach that eventually got shut down because of all kinds of crazy stuff: prostitution, drugs, underage drinking. Total chaos. But apparently it was a local favorite.

The whole gimmick was that the dancers performed on top of a live shark tank. And there were pregnant strippers, grandma strippers, even a stripper with a peg leg. It was like a real‑life Ripley’s Believe It or Not — that’s what our singer always says. And it’s all true.

It had this theatrical, Steel Panther‑ish vibe to it, so we figured, “Who better than Michael Starr to sing on it?” We reached out, he agreed, and he absolutely nailed it.

For people who aren’t seeing you tonight, what can they expect from a live Gunshine show?
Energy — a different kind of energy. We always add what we call a little stank to it. More solos, drum solos, extra moments. We push everything a little further than the record. The live show definitely takes on its own character. We love that part of it.

When you played here with Nikki, you were probably in one of the smaller dressing rooms. Now you’re on the main green room area. What goes through your mind being back at The Whisky?
It’s really cool, but honestly, we’re in game mode. We’re focused. You hope that by doing a lot of shows you build consistency and repetition, and you don’t let any moment feel too big or too small. You just stay locked in. But at the end of the day — you’re playing The Whisky. It’s iconic. We’re excited.

Are you involved with any other bands or projects outside of Gunshine?
Since I started this band, it’s a lot of responsibility getting it off the ground. So, most of my eggs are in this basket right now. Starting a band from scratch takes a ton of work to get it over the hill, so that’s where my focus is.

I do write other music that isn’t necessarily right for Gunshine, and I’m always working on things creatively, but Gunshine is the priority.

What do you hope the rest of the year — and the new year — brings for you and for Gunshine?
We’ve got a lot of touring coming up, so we’re staying busy. I just hope people come out to the shows. And of course, the record drops July 24th. We’re really proud of it. It’s a fun journey — lots of different kinds of songs — and I think people will take something unique from each one. We’re excited for everything that’s coming.

Who produced the record, and what was it like working with him?
Chris Collier — the guy I met in California while I was at MI. I’ve been working with him for a long time. I self‑produce a lot too. I try to get our demos about ninety‑five percent there in my home studio — interface, Logic, the whole setup.

Once the songs and demos feel really good, we go to Chris. He mixed and mastered everything. He’s incredible — he did the Mick Mars solo record, and he’s worked with Korn, Prong, Fear Factory, Lynch Mob, Whitesnake… the list goes on. He just makes songs slam. He and I co‑produced the record, and he mixed and mastered it. It sounds amazing.

We also did something different for a couple of tracks. Right before we started tracking, producer Brian Howes — who did the first two Hinder records (Lips of an Angel, Get Stoned) and has worked with Nickelback, Simple Plan, Daughtry — reached out and said he wanted to work with us.

So we flew to Vancouver and did “Goth Girl” and “Single Looks Good on You” with him. “Goth Girl” was the only song that wasn’t fully finished — we were about 75–80% there — and we completed it with him on the spot. That was a really cool experience.

Last question — do you have any messages for Gunshine fans who’ve been following you?
Yeah — just thank you. I appreciate everyone who’s taken the time to believe in the vision and what we’re trying to do. We really believe in real rock and roll with melody and energy, and I think people are picking up on that vibe. We’re grateful for everyone who’s been listening so far, and hopefully we keep bringing more people in. Keep up with us — we’ve got a lot going on.

In Conclusion

As The Whisky’s lights dimmed and the crowd pressed closer to the stage, Austin Ingerman stepped into the moment with the confidence of a musician who’s lived every rung of the ladder — from Florida bar gigs to arena tours to building a band from the ground up. Gunshine’s Grand Rising marks a new chapter, one fueled by melody, grit, humor, and unapologetic rock and roll swagger.

If tonight’s show was any indication, Gunshine isn’t just rising — they’re ready to ignite.

(Interview by Ken Morton – Photos by Scott Waters)

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