Josh Garza Making Waves in the Music Industry

Josh Garza, musician and drummer for the New York City–based rock band The Secret Machines, is constantly reinventing himself. 

The Secret Machines are a band that was originally formed in Dallas, Texas in 2000. Between that year and 2010, they made quite the impression for themselves in the worlds of alternative rock, space rock and new prog music.

They released three albums, four EPs and a wide range of singles prior to taking a break. Then, they would make their triumphant return to the music scene in 2020 with a new live album, a new studio album and a variety of shows on their touring schedule.

In 2007, a film came out named "Across the Universe." Directed by the esteemed Julie Taymor (the artist responsible for one of the biggest shows in the history of Broadway, "The Lion King,") the film was a celebration of the music of The Beatles.

What do these two wildly popular things have in common? They both feature the musical talents of the same person:

Josh Garza.

To speak to "Across the Universe," Garza (along with the rest of The Secret Machines) contributed three songs to the soundtrack. They participated in the creation of an instrumental version of "Flying," a traditional cover of "Blue Jay Way" and a performance of "I Am the Walrus" with the legendary Bono on lead vocals. The film would go on to earn almost $30 million at the box office.

But who is Josh Garza, what were his musical influences and what type of impact has he been able to leave on the industry during his long and storied career? The answers to these questions and more require you to keep a few key things in mind.

The Journey of Josh Garza: A Story Unfolds

Born in Dallas, Texas in 1976, Josh Garza developed a passion for music at an early age. It was when his sense of creativity and his musical aptitude began to take hold that he first heard the work of the great drummer John Bonham - he of Led Zeppelin fame. From that moment forward, Garza's path through life had been cemented - even if he didn't necessarily realize it yet.

For Josh Garza, John Bonham was more than just another drummer - he was someone who was a shining light through the proverbial darkness. Garza always believed that the way Bonham played his drums was just as impactful and influential as the way Hendrix played his guitar. This realization would slowly begin to fuel many of the musical decisions that he would make from that point forward.

Slowly but surely, Garza would start to put together a drum kit that matched Bonham's in size and configuration - one that included two 16" floor toms, a 14" rack tom, a 28" bass drum and more. He read that Bonham liked to tune his various drums really high, almost as if he were playing in a "Big Band" - so Garza began to do the same. If Bonham was the musician that he aspired to be, Josh Garza was well on his way.

Yet at the same time, Garza had the will of a true artist - someone who didn't necessarily want to imitate an idol, but to use what he could learn from that idol and build upon it. Indeed, John Bonham wasn't the end point of his musical prowess - he was the beginning. Josh Garza does not hide his Bonham influence, but when he plays he also does not sound exactly like Bonham.

Instead, he sounds like Josh Garza and he's enjoyed a tremendous amount of success as a result.

It was in 2000 when Garza got together with two other local musicians - Brandon and Benjamin Curtis - to form the band that would become The Secret Machines. Brandon handled lead vocals, bass guitar and keyboards, while Benjamin handled guitar and backing vocals. Garza, of course, took care of drumming duties. In just a bit over a year after their initial formation, the band recorded their first EP titled "My Ears Are Ringing But My Heart's OK." Then, they recorded the full-length album called "Luxury Or Whether It Is Better To Be Loved Than Feared."

Not too long after the release of the full-length album, the band would move from Dallas to New York City. It was here that they - and particularly Josh Garza - would make a significant impact on the music scene. By 2005, Garza had already won the Esky Award for Best Drummer from the experts at Esquire Magazine. In 2009, he was a "Featured Artist" in Modern Drummer Magazine thanks to his contributions to the craft. Note that this was a designation that he would earn again just a few years later in 2011.

Despite having then-recently announced a new album, The Secret Machines would go on to informally disband in 2010 - but that didn't stop the career trajectory of Josh Garza. Right around that time, he began to play a series of live shows with Diego Garcia - the former frontman of the band Elefant. The two would perform not only at esteemed clubs like the Mercury Lounge and The Living Room in New York City, but also in notable locations like The Standard Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida as well.

Also in 2010, Garza provided the drum tracks for John McBain - he of Monster Magnet fame. By 2011, Garza had formed a new band - EFG. They released their first EP in November of the same year and another EP by the following spring. To say that Josh Garza was able to keep busy despite the breakup of The Secret Machines is a little bit of an understatement. 

Josh Garza's Past Informs His Future

Since his career began in earnest over 20 years ago, the impact of Josh Garza has taken two forms. For starters, he was able to take his musical influences and put a unique stamp on them - creating a drumming sound that is instantly identifiable for those who are familiar with the artist. That's not something that is easy to do and indeed it's something a lot of people try and fail at in their lives.

Garza didn't want to die from his influences, but he wanted to use them to build something new - a goal that a lot of people can learn from.

Josh Garza's influence can also be felt in a lot of the decisions that he made throughout his career. He was hardly the only person who ever grew up wanting to be a successful musician - and indeed, he seemed to achieve that fairly quickly with The Secret Machines. When that band officially went inactive, that would have been the end of the story for most people. They would have felt like they had their shot, it didn't work out and now they were being forced to move onto something else.

Not Josh Garza, however. He managed to stay very active for the next decade (until The Secret Machines would eventually get back together and start performing again in 2020) because he didn't begin this journey for fame or fortune - he began it for the music. He began it because he couldn't help himself. This wasn't something he wanted to do - it was something he had to do.

That in and of itself is a critical lesson that more hopeful musicians could stand to learn and Josh Garza is the perfect example of how it can work out for people.