My First Band Podcast

Latest Episodes:

140 – Amanda Huff (You Win!!!, Strangelander) Oct 29, 2021

Show notes

Amanda Huff likes to stay busy. The Milwaukee-based singer and songwriter is fresh off FIVE Summerfest performances, a bunch of other shows as half of You Win !!! and the release of a standout EP with Vincent Van Great. In the coming months, she will also have her outstanding voice featured on releases she can't even talk about yet. And that's not even factoring in her solo project and her work with Strangelander. Long before she was part of an eclectic and impressive collection of creative endeavors, Huff was a kid in Illinois developing her vocal talents and waiting for the right time to dive headfirst into the world of music.

Following an especially active artistic run, Huff recently found time to meet up with My First Band host Tyler Maas at Milwaukee Record headquarters. Over the course of the discussion, Huff talked about growing up in Aurora, moving to Milwaukee to attend art school, winding up in a few Riverwest and East Side bands, playing solo, and eventually becoming part of the aforementioned projects that she's still part of today. Along the way, Huff shouts out Eiffel 65 and Maas makes some regrettable puns.

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 Vincent Van Great and Amanda Huff ("Treats").

139 – Steve Rawles (Belvedere) Oct 22, 2021

Show notes

This week's guest is Belvedere singer, guitarist and founding member Steve Rawles. Since staring in 1995, the Calgary, Alberta-based band has shared the stage with many of punk rock's biggest names, released a number of great EPs and albums, and played more than 1,500 shows in more than 40 countries. After spending more than a quarter century traveling the world with Belvedere, This Is a Standoff and as a solo performer, Rawles has quite a collection of entertaining stories and important lessons he's learned along the way.

Recently, Rawles spent part of his two-day break between legs of Belvedere's ongoing Canadian tour speaking to My First Band host Tyler Maas about the band's new album (Hindsight Is the Sixth Sense), getting back on the road after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the perpetually touring outfit to stay home and plans he has for 2022 (and beyond). Of course, the interview also touched on Rawles musical start, including taking piano and trumpet lessons as a kid, beginning a label as a teenager, starting Belvedere with little-to-no expectations in college, and some of the best — and weirdest — moments from his decades on stage. Along the way, also talked about his Merit-Based Booking agency, some of his favorite places to perform and things he still hopes to do before his career as a touring musician is all said and done.

138 – Spike Slawson (Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, Swingin' Utters, Uke-Hunt) Oct 15, 2021

Show notes

As the singer of Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, Spike Slawson has toured the world, shared the stage and studio with some of punk rock's most legendary names, and helped to breathe new and unexpected life into some of pop music's greatest hits. Long before he was fronting one of the world's most accomplished cover acts and playing originals in bands like Swingin' Utters and Re-Volts, Slawson was a regular at early'80s punk and hardcore shows in his hometown of Pittsburgh.

Earlier this week, Slawson found some time during his tour with Violent Femmes and Flogging Molly to speak with My First Band host Tyler Maas about getting to hit the road with the Gimmes again, his recent work with Los Nuevos Bajos and Uke Hunt, and some of the formative musical experiences from his past. Over the course of the conversation, Slawson talked about some of the first concerts he attended, moving to a small California city called Davis at 16, winding up in San Francisco after high school, working in the shipping department at Fat Wreck Chords, and some of his favorite moments from his many years in Me First and the Gimme Gimmes and Swingin' Utters.

My First Band is sponsored by Mystery Room Mastering, Lakefront Brewery and Music Go Round Greenfield. 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 Los Nuevos Bajos ("Gema").

137 – Chris Vos (The Record Company) Oct 08, 2021

Show notes

As the singer and guitarist of The Record Company, Chris Vos has released chart-topping songs that have garnered regular radio play, had placement in television and on commercials, and even earned the band a Grammy nomination. During the group's decade-long run, they've toured all around North America and Europe, shared the stage with legends like Robert Plant and John Mayer, played some of the country's most iconic venues, performed on network television, and enjoyed a number of other experiences that extend far beyond their wildest dreams. With the blues-rock band about to hit the road in support of their third album (Play Loud, out today!), there's no better time to look back on their front man's musical past.

Prior to that tour, which kicks off at Milwaukee's Turner Hall Ballroom this Sunday, Vos spoke to My First Band host Tyler Maas about the process of recording the new album, his excitement to start touring again and the unexpected set of circumstances that turned The Record Company from a living room project into an accomplished band with fans all around the world. Of course, the conversation also focused on his musical start. During the extensive and uplifting interview, Vos talked about growing up on a rural Wisconsin dairy farm, starting a high school band, immersing himself in music after moving to Milwaukee, following his wife to Los Angeles and the classified ad that helped forge The Record Company and change his life forever.

136 – Wes Tank Oct 01, 2021

Show notes

Last year, Milwaukee-based musician, producer, actor and videographer Wes Tank went viral by rapping Dr. Seuss books over beats made by Dr. Dre. Those early pandemic videos garnered millions of YouTube views, earned oodles of press from renowned publications, led to Tank being interviewed on TV programs all around the world and eventually found the experienced rapper co-creating and hosting a Kidoodle.TV series called StoryRaps. Now less than two years removed from those first viral videos, Tank has found success as a children's entertainer and has even been able to perform his youth-oriented material in front of live audiences.

Shortly after his recent sets at Summerfest and a homecoming show in his native Dodgeville, Wisconsin, Tank spoke to My First Band host Tyler Maas about the unexpected artistic pivot his music took in early 2020, the amazing response to his videos, and everything that came before last year's breakout. Over the course of the conversation, the pair revisited past collaborations as office neighbors before Tank talked about discovering rap in a small Wisconsin town, formative projects he'd put on display in Milwaukee basements while in college, making music videos with Busdriver and Serengeti, recording and touring as WC Tank, the enduring creativity of Stumblesome, and much more.

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 Stumblesome ("Adultified").

135 – Paúl Rivera (La Armada) Sep 24, 2021

Show notes

Over the course of band's more than 20-year existence, La Armada has frequently toured throughout North America and Europe, shared the stage with legendary groups like Propagandhi and Sick of It All, built a passionate fan base composed of listeners from all around the world, released some powerful and altogether awesome material, and helped shine a light on some of the social injustices many people face. Even more impressive than what the veteran band has accomplished is what they gave up in order to make its two-decade run possible. Before earning a reputation as one of Chicago's (and the Midwest's) premier hardcore outfits, La Armada's members were living in the Dominican Republic, where they were setting up punk shows (in a nation enamored by merengue music) and preparing to move to the U.S. in order to take their artistic ambitions to the next level.

Recently, My First Band host Tyler Maas spoke to La Armada guitarist and founding member Paúl Rivera about his band's lengthy tenure, their new EP that's preceding what looks to be a busy 2022, highlights from his life on stage, and what he still hopes to do before his days as a musician are through. Of course, the conversation also turned to Rivera's musical origin story, which found him growing up in the Dominican capital of Santo Domingo, discovering punk rock as a kid, buying "a shitty guitar" and forming a band in his teens, and booking some of his favorite bands (Belvedere, Death By Stereo and Strung Out) to play in "The D.R." Rivera also talked about the band immigrating to the U.S. and struggling to settle into their new county before eventually finding their footing in the Chicago music scene.

134 – Alex Stoitsiadis (Dogleg) Sep 17, 2021

Show notes

This week's guest is Alex Stoitsiadis from Dogleg. The Detroit-based band has earned oodles of listener attention and critical acclaim with the release of Melee, their debut album that had the unfortunate distinction of coming out the same day the world essentially shut down. After 18-plus months of pandemic-related inaction, Dogleg is finally ready to get out there to play in belated support of that outstanding record.

A few days after turning heads at the Pitchfork Music Festival and a few days prior to setting out on a lengthy U.S. fall tour (including a Sept. 24 stop at X-Ray Arcade!), Stoitsiadis spoke to My First Band host Tyler Maas about the long road to the breakout record's release, the surprising response the album received and some exciting things that are on the horizon for Dogleg now that they can actually play live again. Of course, the conversation also turned to Stoitsiadis' musical past, including the role video games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero had on his musical exposure, meeting his future bandmates at a School of Rock camp, drumming in a duo called Sleeping Pilots in high school, and his decision to start a solo endeavor the world now knows as Dogleg. Along the way, Stoitsiadis and Maas also talked about their shared love of the band Bear vs. Shark.

133 – Adam Fletcher (The Copyrights) Sep 10, 2021

Show notes

This week's guest is Adam Fletcher from The Copyrights. In the nearly 20 years he's been the singer and bassist of the Carbondale, Illinois-based band, Fletcher has toured all over the U.S. and Europe, shared the stage with some of punk rock's biggest names, and put out six albums (in addition to a number of other EPs and splits). Following a seven-year gap between records, The Copyrights will release their long-awaited new album, Alone in a Dome, on Fat Wreck Chords in October. With an outstanding new full-length on the way and the band going back on the road soon, Fletcher has a lot to discuss in terms of new developments.

Recently, he did just that when he chatted with My First Band host Tyler Maas. Along the way, Fletcher also talked about his musical start in bands like Moloko Plus and The Last Laugh, formative experiences in the basement show and house show scene, notable moments from his present project's impressive two-decade run, and some things he'd like to do with The Copyrights before it's all over.

132 – Lillie Mae (Lillie Mae, The Risches, Jypsi) Sep 03, 2021

Show notes

When we say Lillie Mae has been playing music for most of her life, we mean it! The singer, multi-instrumentalist and all-around musical force has been performing since she was just 3 years old. Since traveling the country as a child to play concerts pretty much anywhere she could with her family band, Lillie has cracked the charts with a group she was in with her siblings, shared the stage with the likes of Jack White and Robert Plant, and wowed listeners all over the world with music she releases under her own name.

Recently, Lillie Mae was kind enough to chat with My First Band host Tyler Maas backstage before her set at Blue Ox Music Festival. There, she talked about getting back on the road, her appreciation for her unconventional arts-based upbringing, getting a crash course in the ins and outs of the music industry at an early age, and how session work helped open doors to the next stage of her career. Along the way, she also spoke about initially turning down an opportunity to record her first album with Third Man Records, the time Merle Haggard played her fiddle, the role her family continues to play in her music to this day, and what she's working on now.

131 – Steve Wynn (The Dream Syndicate, The Baseball Project) Aug 27, 2021

Show notes

Over the course of his extensive and impressive career, Steve Wynn has released more than 30 albums that are spread between his numerous projects. Along the way, he's performed to audiences of all sizes all over the world, toured with the likes of U2 and R.E.M., composed scores for television and film, and spent time on a major record label. He's seen all sides of the music industry in his decades on stage, and he wouldn't change a thing. Before he was releasing influential and timeless albums with The Dream Syndicate, having a successful solo career, and writing super-specific sports songs with The Baseball Project, Wynn was a kid — like, an actual child! — playing in short-lived adolescent outfits like The Light Bulbs and Sudden Death Overtime.

With more than 50 years of musical experience to his credit, Wynn has a ton of amazing stories to tell. Thankfully, he was willing to share some of them with My First Band host Tyler Maas prior to setting out on a U.S. tour next month. During their discussion, Wynn talked about his upcoming run of intimate solo shows (including one at URSA in Milwaukee on Saturday, Sept. 11) and his excitement to perform live again after a pandemic-prompted pause. Of course, the conversation eventually turned to Wynn's Los Angeles upbringing among other young artists, his formative creative years at UC Davis, the origin and immediate rise of The Dream Syndicate, The Baseball Project's upcoming album, highlights from his lengthy career, and his appreciation for every step along the way.

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