Meet Joey Geisel | Musician & Multimedia Marketer

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

Hi Joey, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
After facing various episodes of burnout as a highly motivated multi-hyphenate artist, including severe depression for about 6 months of 2011, I knew something needed to change radically as I rolled rapidly towards my 30s. Billions of people around the world today are commanded by a kind and loving God to take a “sabbath” (one day off a week), and y’all for the first 30 years of my life I ignored Him like most of those billions do. But after I humbled myself enough to realize that maybe Jesus and the prophets were right about the sabbath like they were right about so many other things, my work life balance has changed for the better! Now I fight hard to take a weekly 24-hour period without doing anything related to my primary job, and as I do, my physical and emotional endurance is a lot more sustainable…just like obedience to the tithe, where 90% of my income goes farther than 100% could go if I was living for myself, I sacrifice one day of immediate gratification or productivity in favor of long-term health, and I hope I never look back.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As the son of a violinist and a playwright/director, I’ve never been much good at doing oil changes or accounting, but wow have we had a lot of fun! My mom and grandmother are the two toughest and kindest women I’ve ever known, not least of which because they taught me how to overcome the disabling collagen disorder we share, that basically leaves me (currently 38 years old) with the musculature of a 12-year-old and the balance of an 80-year-old. Despite our challenges and frustrating moments (years, decades…) all three of us had fulfilling careers in education and/or the fine arts, coupled with lifelong service to our local churches, and after encountering the strength of Jesus in my weakness, I am content. Most days. 🙂

I found my first friend group in theatre, and have been running production tech for paying customers since I was twelve years old. In middle school my uncle gave me a guitar that I somehow taught myself to play (vintage flower power stickers on the case and rusty strings from the same era). I have no other athleticism or coordination to speak of, but today if you put me in front of a guitar, bass, keyboard, or drumset, I can play all of them at a professional level, which is a supernatural gift that I don’t take for granted.

I was a grateful scholarship kid at TCC and then TCU, where I got my degree studying every aspect of audio/visual production that I could, which propelled me into my next two careers: 9 years as the tech director at Travis Academy of Fine Arts (while also teaching ~1,000 music lessons a year and creating many different music/tech classes for teenagers), and almost 9 years (and counting) working for my local church, where I currently serve as the pastor of prayer ministry and creative arts.

On the side, these years have included countless weddings and large events as a musician or DJ, over a hundred video productions for local businesses and non-profits like the Metroplex Women’s Clinic, Mosaic Academy, and Arrows International dance company, and recording sessions for albums, radio, and film.

To quote the great philosopher Nacho Libre, “My life is good…real good!”

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m a second-generation Arlingtonian (Arlingtonite? Arlingtonist?), and I love my city deeply. My best friend rarely has more than a weekend to give 🙂 so if Curt’s hypothetically visiting from L.A. let’s make it a great one: for Saturday breakfast we’d have to do the El Pepe burrito at Marquez Bakery, and while I’m there I’ll fill my arms with stacks of their delicious reject tortillas that aren’t perfect circles. For Saturday lunch I’d grab my wife and kid to join us at Mellow Mushroom for my favorite pizza in the world (I went to TCU, we know what’s good), including the tastiest dairy-free pie we’ve found for the two of them. After the food coma wears off, I’d take him rucking around Randol Mill Park behind our house, which is my favorite exercise these days, before we finish the day with warm cacao or Llano sweet red while I grill or smoke something that I found in the clearance meat bin at Tom Thumb.

Sunday if I’m not playing in the band we’d all go hang out with some of the people of Jesus while we get taught some life-changing Truth, and grab lunch at Chipotle where I do that hack where you buy a burrito bowl and some extra tortillas to make your own tacos and take the rest home (thanks for the tip, Officer Quintero!). Sunday afternoon we’d end up doing a puzzle with my 5-year-old where all the grownups struggle to keep up with him, and Sunday evening I’d do simple tilapia and bell peppers in olive oil with a fruit crisp for dessert.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Jesus Christ saved me from a hopeless future that all of my selfishness and mistakes would deserve, so he gets number one praise for anything good in my life…secondly my dad for sacrificing a full ride at TCU to work so many jobs to provide for my childhood, and my mom for giving up her career in the arts for decades to raise me and my sister. And thirdly to my pastor Gary Hutchison, my worship pastor Larry Gallas, and my childhood influencers at the Creative Arts Theatre & School (CATS), especially Kathey Ward, Gina Galante, and Michael Redden.

Website: https://joeygeisel.com

Instagram: @joeygeiselmusic

Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/joeygeisel

Facebook: https://facebook.com/joeygeiselmusic/

Youtube: https://youtube.com/joeygeisel

Image Credits
Wide shot, credit Chad Fenner (Concert Fotos)