Gus Englehorn grew up in rural Alaska, became a pro snowboarder, then led a life filled with fabulous, fantastical, fables, all to end up in Maui, Hawaii, as he turns this living tapestry of experience into psych-inspired pop ballads. Writing and performing alongside his partner in life and music, Estée Preda, Gus' song lyrics take about as many twists and turns as his finges around the jangly, fretboard of his guitar.
His new record, The Broken Balladeer, made in partnership with producer and founding member of the Butthole Surfers, Paul Leary, in Austin, also features industry legends Stuart Sullivan (Sublime, Meat Puppets), Howie Weinberg (Nirvana, Beastie Boys) and Kramer (Daniel Johnston, Ween). But is it possible to take all that fire on the road? What does it take an artist to translate full band studio songs to a paired down live format? How does a former athlete take care of their body on tour?
I love Gus' new record, and I obviously had a lot of questions for him. Here's our conversation.
Follow Gus Englehorn on Bandsintown and catch him live on tour in 2026.
Hypebot: Hey Gus, thanks for taking the time to answer some questions. Congrats on The Broken Balladeer! I heard the album was done in 6 days?
Gus: "Thank you! Yes, it was done in 6 days. It was our first record recorded in the USA. Texas, to be exact. This time we had the honor of working with the illustrious Paul Leary of Butthole Surfers’ fame. It was 6 days of pure bliss, and in the end, I baked a giant cake for everybody."
H: Do songs generally come to you fast while you’re writing or was this mostly because you were super prepared going into the studio?
G: "We always go into the studio very prepared. But this time, I was especially nervous to be recording with one of my heroes. So Estée and I practiced every day for a month before going in. We somehow managed to record 11 songs the first day."
We always end up improvising and adding a bunch of overdubs, if we get done with the basic tracks early enough. This time, we ended up messing around with a lot of things like bells, marxophones, jaw harps, B3 organs, Omnichords and adding Estée’s voice to almost every track. Regular kids in the candy store."
H: Do you find creative freedom in a space that exists between taking yourself seriously and throwing caution to the wind?
G: "I find depth on occasion, I’d like to think, through twists and turns. I don’t usually like when a song is all serious or all funny or all happy or all sad, but an amalgamation of all those things working together."
H: You enlisted some heavy hitters on this album to join in and lend their expertise to your artistry on this record. Do you hire band members to tour or just play as a skeleton crew?
G: "It’s just Estée and I. We perform as a duo, drums and guitar. And now, I’m trying to do a lot of things with guitar pedals, like strings and octave pedals for the bass. I dream of having a full band one day, but Estée and I move around so much, it makes it tough."
We recently moved to Maui, Hawaii, so now we have banished ourselves on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean far from most potential bass players."
"I have to do a lot of tap dancing on guitar pedals."
H: How do you prepare for tours usually, is it sort of the same old rehearsals or are there tech things you need to take care of, new arrangements, adding material to the repertoire?
G: "We usually practice about 10 times before we hit the road. Just so we know we have a certain amount of songs that we remember how to play. And then, when it comes to actually playing the show, I always write a little set list which I then completely ignore and chaos ensues. I really enjoy trying to read the room and improvising as much as I can. I usually get pretty carried away by it all."
H: What would you call your genre?
G: "I’m just not sure!"
H: Are there songs from either this or past records that trip you up playing live?
G: "Oh yeah, our live shows are riddled with mistakes. 'Better Watch Your Step' is one of the tougher ones. I have to do a lot of tap dancing on guitar pedals."
H: Is touring hard on the body for you? What do you usually do to keep in shape or stay healthy?
G: "It’s not too hard on the body so far. I try not to drink, and I sleep a lot. I end up doing a lot of jumping jacks before the show starts, if I’m feeling sleepy. I also do go on runs in the morning before a long day of driving. It all feels pretty safe after my last gig as a professional snowboarder where I would regularly maim myself."
H: And do you take steps to preserve your voice over the course of a length run of shows?
G: "Every morning I wake up and I let out a little cough and say to Estée ‘’I’m not going to be able to sing tonight’’ and she always laughs, but by the time the show rolls around, somehow, you’re usually ready to go. But I’m always worried about it. This coming up tour, we’ve got 15 shows in a row. I think the most I’ve ever done is 5. So we’ll see."
"For me, going on tour is just a big honeymoon with my wife; a honeymoon full of cheap motels, couches, and endless conversation."
H: Favorite city, festival, and venue to play. Go! Why?
G: "Probably Pies Pala Pop Festival in Rennes, France. Rennes is just a rad town. And they’re always very kind to us. I also love playing in Quebec City at The Pantoum. Québec is a really special city, full of music lovers. Also, I’ve only played there one time but Asheville, NC at Static Age was one of my favorites."
H: Do you think touring is essential for artists today?
G: "For us, it seems like the only consistent, reliable, and available outlet to get our music out there. And for me, going on tour is just a big honeymoon with my wife; a honeymoon full of cheap motels, couches, and endless conversation. I’ve seen so many places that I never would have seen otherwise. You listen to so much music. It’s really a big long fever dream by the end."
H: What’s your favorite post-concert food to eat?
G: "Poutine."
H: Spoken like a true Hawaiian.
Gus Englehorn 2026 Tour Dates
MAR 12-18 — Austin, TX @ SXSW 2026
MAR 13 — Austin, TX @ Freaky Friday III
MAR 14 — Austin, TX @ Valhalla
MAR 20 — Leipzig, Germany @ Noch Besser Leben
MAR 22 — Laval, France @ Bar La fosse
MAR 24 — Bruxelles, Belgium @ Cobra Jaune
MAR 26 — Tübingen, Germany @ Blauer Salon
MAR 27 — Mannheim, Germany @ Altes Volksbad - creative business
MAR 28 — Köln, Germany @ Radio 674FM
MAR 30 — Rees, Germany @ Haldern Pop Bar
APR 01 — Hamburg, Germany @ Hafenklang
APR 02 — Rotterdam, Netherlands @ Vessel 11
APR 08 — Toronto, ON @ Lee's Palace
APR 09 — Montreal, QC @ La Sala Rossa
APR 10 — Kingston, NY @ Tubby's
APR 11 — Hamden, CT @ Space Ballroom
APR 12 — Somerville, MA @ The Rockwell
APR 14 — Brooklyn, NY @ Zone One
APR 15 — Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie
APR 16 — Washington, DC @ Pearl Street Warehouse
APR 17 — Raleigh, NC @ Kings
APR 18 — Nashville, TN @ Eastside Bowl
APR 19 — Atlanta, GA @ The EARL
APR 20 — Asheville, NC @ Eulogy
APR 21 — Indianapolis, IN @ HI-FI
APR 22 — Chicago, IL @ Schubas Tavern
APR 23 — St Paul, MN @ Turf Club
APR 24 — Cudahy, WI @ X-Ray Arcade
APR 25 — Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom & Tavern
APR 26 — Ferndale, MI @ The Loving Touch
