We had the good fortune of connecting with Gage Hulsey and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gage, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Fortunately, there wasn’t much thinking when I started playing guitar, banjo, and shamisen for a living. Then there was even more “not much thinking” when I decided to invest a significant amount of resources into growing, breeding, and selling carnivorous plants, fish, and shrimp on the side.

My high school, Long Beach Poly, and jazz band director, Chris Stevens, really set me up for success by allowing students entry into the jazz program without auditioning. I did not play any music when I signed up, so I wasn’t about to land any audition! Furthermore, we were allowed to keep any pay we received from gigs booked through the school, as clients would call looking for cheap bands for local events. These factors partly motivated me to work hard at music and save money. It was also so very fun and rewarding to just play and learn in the program!

I didn’t think to myself that gigging would be my “business,” but here we are: essentially doing the same thing I started doing while in high school, albeit on a larger scale.

As for the flora and fauna–I started actually monetizing my lifelong obsession when I moved into my first apartment at age 22. It was a great space with other musicians. I only paid $650 per month and didn’t have a utility bill, so I hooked up tons of grow lights throughout my room and bathroom to grow plants, and freely watered without care. I owned like one towel at the time so I lined my empty bathroom cabinets with mylar (a reflective material) and installed some cheap lights and I think that was the best setup I’ve ever had in terms of plant growth.

There wasn’t a lot of risk and almost no overhead cost which allowed me the ability to invest in more plants, learn, and make mistakes. Again, no thinking went into this and I’m still doing it, and I love it more and more each day!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
The trajectory of my life changed when I first heard guitarist Django Reinhardt shortly after starting guitar. It was an instant “I-want-to-do-this-forever” kind of moment; truly an obsession. When I wasn’t listening for hours every day, copying what I was hearing on guitar, I was scouring the internet for players and materials who could show me how to do the obscure style authentically.

When Covid hit and I lost all my gigs, I dove further into carnivorous plants as well as aquariums. Every waking moment was spent scouring the internet for information or thinking about these two subjects.

Being fortunate to have the time to devote myself to this niche and my attention to details in this and other ventures is what sets me apart.

The Japanese concept of “kodawari,” or “lifelong pursuit of perfection,” has always fascinated me. Although I do not hold a candle to people like Jiro Ono (of “Jiro Dreams of Sushi”) I try to apply this principle to guitar, sarracenia hybridizing, shrimp-keeping, aquascaping, or whatever I might be into at any given time.

As for “lessons I’ve learned along the way,” I’d have to say finding something you enjoy enough to obsess over, and then finding other people who share your passion is crucial. The vast majority of my music gigs come from people who I would now consider near and dear to me. Many of my favorite plants and growing practices were shared to me by the same type of people in my life. (Thank you all!)

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I think my favorite spot in Los Angeles is The Magic Castle. I used to practice magic with the hope of being a professional magician before I became so invested in guitar. The performances here are truly spectacular and it can be a rare treat for someone visiting since it can be tricky to get tickets.

LA also has so many great retailers of fine Japanese clothing and thrift/vintage stores. Some of my favorite spots include American Rag and Wasteland. I always try to pop in since I’m already working in the area frequently, to search for that great piece at a bargain.

I would then of course ask around to see what great venues my friends are playing at for a fun show. One of my favorite spots is The Varnish in DTLA. I’ve had so many fun gigs and hangs there.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My long-time friend and gigging partner, Kully Stiles. When I think of the prerequisites listed above, the choice is obvious. Kully is a very hardworking, in demand, and dedicated bandleader and multi-instrumentalist in Los Angeles. We started playing professionally together as teenagers and he’s been integral in my career as well as many other people close to him. He’s the only person I know who could have a great gigging career as a jazz clarinetist, and decide he wants to be a successful full-time pedal steel player instead, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Website: GageHulsey.com

Instagram: @gageplayforyou @gagegrowforyou

Other: tiktok @gageplayforyou tiktok @gagegrowforyou

Image Credits
Brian Bixby, Spike Marble, Danielle Lewis, Bernard Serrano, Marc Gasway

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