What Hooked Us

Welcome to The Hook.

Before we start interviewing musicians, artists, and creatives about the moment that changed everything — we’re going first.

In this debut episode, Jess and Johni introduce the concept behind The Hook and unpack what it really means to be “hooked.” Not just the lyric that sticks in your head — but the turning point. The obsession. The risk. The moment you realized normal wasn’t going to work for you.

We talk about why this show exists, what kind of conversations you can expect, and the stories we’re most interested in telling. From live performances to candid interviews, The Hook is about going beyond the bio and into the real reasons creatives do what they do.

Every artist has a hook.

This is ours.

Look us up or apply to be on the show:

Website: https://www.johniandjess.com/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61588050877252

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:04

Okay, so here we are. Brand new podcast, no plan B, just five. Caffeine or Espresso Martini, Bloody Mary. Mostly caffeine, depending on the night before. You're on the hook. I'm Johnny. I'm Jess. And if you're wondering what this is about, don't worry. We've thought about this a lot.

SPEAKER_01 0:25

Probably too much.

SPEAKER_00 0:26

Definitely too much.

SPEAKER_01 0:28

Let's explain this before people think it's a fishing podcast. To be clear, we do hope to be by a lake or a pond. Or the ocean at some point. But this hook is more about catching the music or the song.

SPEAKER_00 0:42

The canvas or the words. It's about you, the artist, and the story that got you on the hook. What keeps you there and what you're passionate about.

SPEAKER_01 0:50

Everyone knows your art, but do they know you? The struggles, triumphs, all that got you right here. We want to give you a place to pull up, reminisce, and play.

SPEAKER_00 1:03

And create and share. We want to promote you and support you. That's it, Jess.

SPEAKER_01 1:08

That's the hook.

SPEAKER_00 1:09

The hook is not just a catchy lyric, but what made you a creative person.

SPEAKER_01 1:14

It's the song that holds you, the idea you just can't stop thinking about.

SPEAKER_00 1:18

The painting you had to finish, even though you thought you were done.

SPEAKER_01 1:22

The first scene or the last scene and the story in between.

SPEAKER_00 1:26

It's about the moment you realize you're on the hook.

SPEAKER_01 1:31

We've both been around creative people for a long, long time.

SPEAKER_00 1:34

And the most interesting conversations never happen on stage.

SPEAKER_01 1:38

They happen after or before, or in the parking lot when someone's questioning their entire existence.

SPEAKER_00 1:46

Exactly. And nobody talks about the doubt, the ego, the insecurity, the weird obsession that keeps you up at 2 a.m. rewriting the same lyric.

SPEAKER_01 1:55

Or the fact that sometimes you play your heart out and your mom is the loudest person in the room.

SPEAKER_00 2:01

God bless the moms.

SPEAKER_01 2:03

We're not doing the standard. So when did you start interview?

SPEAKER_00 2:07

We want to know what hooked you.

SPEAKER_01 2:09

The first hit?

SPEAKER_00 2:10

The worst gig.

SPEAKER_01 2:11

The heartbreak song.

SPEAKER_00 2:13

The almost quit moment.

SPEAKER_01 2:14

The thing that made you think I could walk away from this, but I can't. Or want to give up everything to pursue your passion, like us, Jess.

SPEAKER_00 2:24

Because every creative has that point where logic says stop and something else says keep going.

SPEAKER_01 2:31

That something is the hook.

SPEAKER_00 2:33

So, Johnny, what hooked you? And don't give the polished answer.

SPEAKER_01 2:37

You know, when I realized my favorite part of a song or a show or a night out was all about the setting up, talking about it, what we're gonna do, and then getting down to setting it up. The creative process, knowing something big is about to happen. I love being there early. I love watching the artist create a beautiful painting or work through an amazing lyric or riff and hearing the stories after it's all completed. I wanted to be part of that. Behind the scenes, helping. A roadie of the airwaves, so to speak, if that makes any sense. As a longtime DJ and radio person, I played the music. Now I want to know the beautiful person that created it.

SPEAKER_00 3:18

Love that. It's never just I liked music, art, or a movie. It's always so much deeper than that.

SPEAKER_01 3:24

All right, Jess, it's your turn. What hooked you?

SPEAKER_00 3:27

Honestly, it's the stories. It's always been about the people and what makes them tick. The moment I realize the most powerful thing in the room isn't the performance, it's the vulnerability behind it.

SPEAKER_01 3:38

So here's what's coming: musicians, artists, entertainers, people building something from nothing. Live performances. Honest conversations always.

SPEAKER_00 3:47

Probably a little chaos.

SPEAKER_01 3:49

Comfortable truths.

SPEAKER_00 3:50

Or uncomfortable truths.

SPEAKER_01 3:52

If you're creative and listening to this, we want your story. The messy one.

SPEAKER_00 3:57

The real one.

SPEAKER_01 3:58

The one you don't usually have the opportunity to share. I'm Johnny.

SPEAKER_00 4:02

I'm Jess.

SPEAKER_01 4:03

You're on the hook.

SPEAKER_00 4:04

Make sure to follow us on social media at Johnny and Jess on TikTok, and you can find the hook with Johnny and Jess on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.

SPEAKER_01 4:15

You can listen to all our episodes on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, iHeart, or wherever you listen to podcasts.