A name synonymous with progressive rock and unbelievable drum technique, Josh Garza has helped to pull The Secret Machines into the upper tier of classic hard rock and progressive acts. Borne from the streets of Dallas, TX, the Secret Machines would find their home and fame after moving to New York City and receiving a ringing endorsement from the legendary David Bowie himself.

Decades after their initial founding, the Secret Machines are back as a two-piece act split between original founders Josh Garza and Brandon Curtis. With new music on the way and touring acts to follow, now is the perfect time to get to know Josh Garza and the work he's done with the Secret Machines.

Building a New Sound

Josh Garza was born and raised in Dallas, TX. He was only a teenager when he first began to pick at the hobby of playing music. When guitar and bass didn't stick, Josh found himself increasingly interested in playing the drums. A cool uncle would co-sign with Josh on a Tama-branded set of drums and before anyone knew what was happening, Garza was learning to ply his trade from the comforts of home.

Of course, hard work would become the norm for Garza as he was forced to work for his uncle to pay off the debt, building on a transaction that would turn out immensely beneficial for him.

As a burgeoning musician, Garza was quick to find a hero to emulate while seated behind the sticks. Garza would fall in love with the electric skills of drummer John Bonham and soon he was trying to emulate the man in the way that he played.

Pointing to his drums, Josh explains, "The size of my drums has a lot to do with it."

Looking across his throne and assembled drums, it is easy to see how Bonham has influenced Garza and his work with Secret Machines. Garza outlines his kit by pointing to a pair of 16" floor toms, one tuned lower of course, alongside a 14" rack tom and a large 28" bass drum.

Garza said of his eclectic set-up, "I got the idea for the tunings on these big drums from reading that Bonham tuned his drums really high, like a big-band drummer."

As a soaring progressive rock musician, finding new sounds amidst the textured soundscapes and layered instrumentation is pivotal to the Secret Machine sound. Garza says of his sound, "My drumming doesn't sound exactly like Bonham - but it's from that same school."

Garza added, "One of my secret weapons is to dig deep, find the cannon sound, turn it up, and not be scared."

Establishing Secret Machines

Now considered one of the most sonically interested progressive bands of their generation, the Secret Machines weren't always a headlining act with a cerebral cult following. 

Instead, the Secret Machines was founded in Dallas after its members (Josh Garza, Brandon Kurtis, and Benjamin Curtis) had spent time on their own trying to develop their unique sounds. The bands that the group played with before founding Secret Machines included Comet, Captain Audio, and Tripping Daisy.

It wouldn't be long until the Curtis brothers would join Garza to establish their group in the early aughts. Within a year of their founding, the Secret machines would release September 000 and their critically acclaimed album Now Here is Nowhere. The latter album would feature a single titled 'Nowhere Again' that would appear in several promotional runs, including for the video game Driver: Parallel Lines.

Garza would create a unique sound that helped Secret Machines to escape the confines of the space and prog rock genre. Inspired by Bonham but relentlessly unique in his pursuits, Garza would establish an identifiable sound of his own.

Through his efforts with Secret Machines, Garza would go on to inspire musicians in bands like Kings of Leon and Silver Sun Pickups, the former of which Secret Machines was afforded a touring opportunity.

Building Something Bigger

After finding their sound in the streets of Dallas, Secret Machines would relocate to New York City where they would release their album, Ten Silver Drops. The record's release was marred by an unfortunate leak onto file sharing services. Despite this, the record was critically received and commercially successful, leading to a set of opening tour dates for U2, followed by an interview with David Bowie.

David Bowie, for those not in the know, had quietly been one of the band's most famous supporters. Penning a blog in 2004 on his personal website, Bowie would espouse the unique sounds offered by Garza and his group. 

Bowie wrote, "Nothing else comes close (to the Arcade Fire). Well, maybe 'Secret Machines' and their CD 'Now Here is Nowhere'."

While David Bowie's words were certainly ringing in their ears, he was far from the only major musician to stand up and endorse the group. Paul Banks, the lead singer of Interpol, would say of his experience watching Secret Machines, "I literally felt it was like a spiritual experience. That's worth many, many concert tickets to be able to experience something that visceral."

Ben's Departure; the Return of 2020

At the height of their popularity, Secret Machines would face its first and largest hurdle: the loss of founder Benjamin Curtis. Curtis would depart from the group in 2007 to pursue other musical avenues, founding the School of Seven Bells along the way. Five years later, Curtis would tragically pass away in New York City of lymphoma at the age of 35.

Brandon Curtis, brother to Benjamin, would say, "His approach to death, the way he lived his life, I was just in awe of it. He just gave me so much love and confidence."

Garza added a set of somber words by saying, "Until that moment, deep, deep down, I always thought we'd do something with him again."

In 2018, the band announced that it was going to return to the studio as a two-piece set. Brandon and Josh would begin recording drums in late January and by early 2020, the two-piece was ready to release their first new song in years. 

Awake in the Brain Chamber was released in 2020 with a limited run of 500 vinyl prints as well as sole digital availability. Two more EPs have followed in the intervening years while the group continues to ramp up their activities for a potential tour in the future. Most recently, former guitarist Phil Karnats decided to rejoin the band to bring the show back on the road.

Garza and Curtis were on the same page when Brandon stated, "I'm putting out this record because I want to, and Josh wants to. That's kind of a powerful place to be."