My First Band Podcast

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160 – Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram Mar 25, 2022

Show notes

At just 23 years of age, budding blues guitarist Christone "Kingfish" Ingram has recorded with Buddy Guy and Keb Mo, performed alongside Jason Isbell and Samantha Fish, and released two well-received albums on Alligator Records. The latest of those albums, last year's 662, earned the axe-wielding wunderkind a Grammy nomination. Kingfish has already accomplished so much at a very young age, but it seems like even better things are on the horizon for the guitar virtuoso and captivating crooner.

On a recent day off during his "662 Juke Joint Live" tour, Kingfish spoke with My First Band host Tyler Maas about being back on the road again, how it feels to be up for another Grammy and what's ahead for him in terms of shows and new material. Over the course of the conversation, Kingfish talked about growing up in Northern Mississippi and being drawn to blues as a kid, sitting in with bands as a teenager, striking out on his own as an adult, some of his favorite experiences music has brought him so far, and goals he has for the years to come.

My First Band is sponsored by Mystery Room Mastering and Lakefront Brewery. The show is edited by Jared Blohm. You can listen to My First Band on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify and wherever else you get podcasts. You can also listen to rebroadcasts of previous My First Band episodes on WMSE every Wednesday from noon to 12:30 p.m. CST. Music used in this episode comes courtesy of Devils Teeth ("The Junction Street Eight Tigers") and Kingfish ("Long Distance Woman").

159 – The Dollyrots Mar 18, 2022

Show notes

During the band's 20-year run, The Dollyrots have released more than a dozen albums and EPs, played all over the world, performed with countless punk and rock and roll mainstays, and had their music featured on television shows and in films. Though the band itself has quite a long and interesting history, its founding members go back even further. Now back on the road in support of a new release — a 24-track collection of B-sides, rarities and covers called Down the Rabbit Hole — on Wicked Cool Records, the story continues for Kelly Ogden and Luis Cabezas.

Prior to a recent show at X-Ray Arcade, The Dollyrots welcomed My First Band host Tyler Maas into the band's RV to talk about Down the Rabbit Hole, the ongoing tour, upcoming European shows with Bowling For Soup and Lit, and the possibility their biggest hit is still to come. Over the course of the conversation, Ogden and Cabezas spoke about meeting in middle school, dating in high school, going to college together and starting a band, and moving to Los Angeles with no money and a bunch of exotic pets. Along the way, they talked about being featured in a commercial, their appreciation for people like Joan Jett and Steven Van Zandt, and how much they appreciate their drummer Justin, who also makes a cameo in the episode.

158 – Martin Defatte (Guerrilla Ghost, Triple Eye Industries, Tron Jovi) Mar 11, 2022

Show notes

Martin Defatte is a busy guy. The Milwaukee-based producer is one half of Guerrilla Ghost, an owner and co-founder of the Triple Eye Industries record label, and a web developer who helped build and maintain the archives at MKE Punk. In addition to that diverse collection of credits, Defatte also has a solo project called Tron Jovi, he's part of an experimental duo called M.Ape, and he's created dozens upon dozens of album covers. Long before he was making beats and releasing music from a wide range of Midwestern bands, Defatte was the bassist in a Racine punk project who took an interest in the relatively young field of computer design. Prior to the release of Guerrilla Ghost's Hell Is Empty And All The Devils Are Here, Defatte welcomed My First Band host Tyler Maas into his home studio to talk about the upcoming album (out April 15!), other releases Triple Eye Industries has planned this year and where his musical backstory begins. Over the course of the conversation, Defatte talked about his stint in Bound to One as a teenager, studying design in college, making fliers and CD covers for punk and hardcore bands, and getting back into the performance side of music after moving to Milwaukee. The interview also touches on the importance (and near extinction) of MKE Punk and the weird fact that Defatte and Maas share a birthday.

157 – Monica Martin (PHOX) Mar 04, 2022

Show notes

In her relatively brief career as a musician, Monica Martin has toured in Australia, New Zealand, around Europe and throughout the United States. She's performed on late-night television, shared the stage with world-renowned bands like The Head And The Heart and The Lumineers, and played a bunch of major music festivals. Though she's done so much already, Martin seems to only be getting started. The Los Angeles (by way of Wisconsin) singer-songwriter, whom you might know from PHOX, is now releasing music under her own name and preparing to release a new album. Recently, Martin spoke with My First Band host Tyler Maas about collaborating with James Blake, her plans for the future and everything that brought her to this point. Over the course of the conversation, Martin talked about the experience of moving from Chicago to the small Wisconsin town of Baraboo as a kid, reluctantly joining a band after high school and some of the most memorable and significant moments from her tenure in PHOX.

156 – Gareth Reynolds (The Dollop) Feb 25, 2022

Show notes

We're bending the show's format again this week by chatting about music (and more!) with Gareth Reynolds. Though the comedian, actor, writer and one half of The Dollop podcast is not a musician, My First Band host Tyler Maas was still excited to hear Reynolds discuss his listening and show-going past, what he's listening to now, and some of the parallels he feels musicians and comedians share.

Over the course of the conversation, Reynolds talked about his own comedic backstory, he shared anecdotes about memorable concerts he went to when he was growing up and he told a story of the time Andrew W.K. FaceTimed with his mom while on set. Along the way, Reynolds and Maas also talked about the state of the Green Bay Packers, bombing in Appleton and how there's no music festival quite like Summerfest.

155 – Erik Stenglein Feb 18, 2022

Show notes

For close to 15 years, Erik Stenglein has been the vocalist, guitarist and only constant member of Northless. During that span, the Milwaukee metal band has managed a number of sludgy and punishing releases that have earned the attention of respected music publications and listeners all over the world. With new members in the fold, a new album on the way sometime this year and shows on the books, it looks like there are a lot of exciting things on the horizon for Northless.

Prior to his band's March 11 show at Cactus Club, Stenglein spoke to My First Band host Tyler Maas about all those exciting developments and many of the projects that preceded Northless. Over the course of the conversation, Stenglein talked about growing up in the rural Wisconsin town of Hubertus, discovering Metallica at a young age, immersing himself in guitar, playing in a variety of grindcore and hardcore bands in his teens and early 20s, finding kinship in the Milwaukee music scene, and some of the most memorable moments he's experienced as a member of Northless. And, yes, the Ernest film franchise also came up!

154 – Mike Mitchell (Doughboys, The Birthday Boys, Love) Feb 11, 2022

Show notes

This week's episode features a fun conversation with actor and podcaster Mike Mitchell. Though "Mitch," who you probably know from his work on films like The Tomorrow War, TV shows like The Birthday Boys and the Netflix series Love, and as a host of Doughboys, is not a musician by trade, music actually plays a fairly significant role in both his career and his life in general. Recently, Mitch spoke with My First Band host Tyler Maas about some of his first musical discoveries and show experiences when he was growing up in Boston (well, in Quincy, the be exact), calling into radio stations to request songs as a teenager, his enduring love of Dave Matthews Band and Pink Floyd, and what he's listening to now. Along the way, Mr. Slice talked about some song-based sketches he was involved in as a member of The Birthday Boys (including the widely popular "Woosh" birthday song), the part music plays on Doughboys, the experience of acting opposite Jon Hamm and Eric Edelstein in an Eels music video, and his ongoing quest to get a song on the Billboard charts.

153 – Peter Mulvey Feb 04, 2022

Show notes

Over the course of his 30-year music career, Peter Mulvey has released more than 20 albums, written hundreds of songs, played thousands of shows all over the world, shared bills with a wealth of notable performers and helped to enact change though his efforts as an activist and environmentalist. Before the Massachusetts-based singer and songwriter was gathering experiences and sharing his perspective with audiences spread far and wide, he was a theater kid growing up in Milwaukee.

Prior to setting out on the road for a run of Midwestern shows (including a homecoming concert at The Back Room @ Colectivo on Feb. 17), Mulvey told My First Band host Tyler Maas about growing up on Milwaukee's northwest side, starting a band while attending college at Marquette, changing his artistic trajectory after busking in Ireland during a semester abroad, starting out in the Boston folk scene, the ups and downs of touring, and some of the standout experiences from the past 30 years. Along the way, Mulvey and Maas gush about how much they both like SistaStrings.

My First Band is sponsored by Mystery Room Mastering and Lakefront Brewery. The show is edited by Jared Blohm. You can listen to My First Band on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and wherever else you get podcasts. You can also listen to rebroadcasts of previous My First Band episodes on WMSE every Wednesday from noon to 12:30 p.m. CST. Music used in this episode comes courtesy of Devils Teeth ("The Junction Street Eight Tigers") and Peter Mulvey with SistaStrings ("Don't You Ever Change").

152 – Kev Marcus (Black Violin) Jan 28, 2022

Show notes

At this point in his career, it might take us less time to list the amazing things Kev Marcus hasn't done. As the violinist in Black Violin, Marcus has played thousands of shows all around the planet. He's collaborated with the likes of Alicia Keys, Wu-Tang Clan, Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz. He's helped produce music for Tom Petty, Lupe Fiasco and more. He's opened for Jay-Z, Kanye West and Akon. He's played on Broadway, been part of Super Bowl and U.S. Open performances, and entertained President Obama at one of his Inauguration Balls. In the process, he's also helped to change perceptions about what both classical music and hip-hop can be.

Before he was reaching listeners from all around the world, Marcus was a mischievous kid in Florida who was handed a string instrument and told to play. Prior to Black Violin's upcoming tour (which includes a Feb. 3 show at Marcus Performing Arts Center), the accomplished violinist spoke with My First Band host Tyler Maas about many of those aforementioned experiences, his musical start and how meeting his longtime bandmate Wil B in high school — coupled with some formative instructors and significant album discoveries in college — changed the trajectory of his life. Along the way, Marcus also talked about busking outside of Miami night clubs to build a following and book shows, winning Showtime at the Apollo, and the importance of showing kids that classical music can be cool.

151 – Linh Le (Bad Cop / Bad Cop) Jan 21, 2022

Show notes

As the bassist and co-vocalist of Bad Cop / Bad Cop, Linh Le has been part of some great releases, played to audiences all over the world and shared the stage with some of punk rock's biggest acts. Long before she was part of that beloved and accomplished band, Le was a gymnast in Rochester, New York, who took an interest in music after an injury suddenly threw her life for a loop.

Recently, Le talked to My First Band host Tyler Maas about her artistic outset, getting back on the road after a pandemic-prompted break and some of the significant experiences she's had along the way. Over the course of the discussion, she talked about learning bass as a teenager, playing in a few bands while living in Philadelphia, moving to California without a plan, the chain of events that led to her joining Bad Cop / Bad Cop and some of her favorite moments from her 10-plus years in the band. She also talked about her Bassists Against Racists organization and doled out a few accounting tips before episode's end.

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