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").

My First Band Podcast

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

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. 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 The Record Company ("Gotta Be Movin'").

137 – Chris Vos (The Record Company)

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").

136 – Wes Tank

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. 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 La Armada ("Death On Replay").

135 – Paúl Rivera (La Armada)

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. 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 Dogleg ("Modern Language").

134 – Alex Stoitsiadis (Dogleg)

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. 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 The Copyrights ("Halos").

133 – Adam Fletcher (The Copyrights)

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. 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 Lillie Mae ("You've Got Other Girls For That").

132 – Lillie Mae (Lillie Mae, The Risches, Jypsi)

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. 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 The Dream Syndicate ("Tell Me When It's Over").

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

These days, Kevin Tully can be heard singing and playing guitar in Telethon, a Milwaukee/Chicago "hard pop" project that just released its fifth full-length. Before he was fronting the band responsible for Swim Out Past the Breakers — one of the best punk-adjacent releases of the year to this point — Tully was a curious kid in Delavan, Wisconsin, who was listening to CDs left behind by his older siblings and teaching himself to play a guitar he found under his sister's bed. Since that formative time, Tully has toured extensively, shared the stage with some notable punk and ska projects, and released dozens upon dozen of outstanding songs with some of his best friends. Prior to today's release of Swim Out Past the Breakers and next weekend's belated release show at X-Ray Arcade, Tully talked to My First Band host Tyler Maas about the process of writing and recording the album in 2020, the story behind the record's rather familiar name, and how it feels to finally be playing shows again. Of course, his previous projects (most of which featured other current members of Telethon) came up too. Over the course of the conversation, Tully opened up about his high school folk-punk band, formative concerts in rural Wisconsin legion halls and church basements, the project he dabbled in while away at college in Minnesota, his path back to music while living in California, and the start of the band that eventually turned into Telethon. 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 Telethon ("Selfstarter A.E.").

130 – Kevin Tully (Telethon)

Over the course of the band's 25-year run, Big D and the Kids Table has released nine studio albums, traveled the globe and earned a place as one of the planet's premier ska-punk projects. As Big D's lead singer, one of its founders and its last remaining original member, David McWane has seen it all. In advance of the band's forthcoming record, Do Your Art (available for pre-order on Side One Dummy, out Oct. 22), McWane talked about the new album and all that came before it. During the extensive conversation, McWane discussed some of Big D and the Kids Table's most significant moments, including numerous international tours and countless shows with some especially notable bands, and some of his early projects. Along the way, McWane talked about his years as drummer in bands like Twisted Reality and Spu, the start of Big D, his unlikely path to becoming a vocalist, and the importance of continuing to make art in a culture that seems to no longer value creation. 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 Big D And The Kids Table ("Too Much").

129 – David McWane (Big D and the Kids Table)

John Wozniak is the singer, guitarist and primary songwriter of Marcy Playground. Odds are you know him as the voice behind "Sex And Candy," the larger-than-life hit that topped the charts for much of the late '90s and earned his band a Platinum Record and worldwide acclaim in the process. Before he was writing songs the whole world would sing, Wozniak was a kid in Minneapolis who was learning the ins and out of the guitar and playing in a church band called Angels With Flaming Swords. Recently, My First Band host Tyler Maas spoke to Wozniak about Marcy Playground's incredible 20-plus-year run, what he's working on now and everything that came beforehand. Over the course of the interview, Wozniak talked about growing up in Minnesota, the process of writing and recording his Zog Bogbean solo project, his formative and life-changing move to Olympia for college, the process of getting signed to a major label deal, and the even-more-unfathomable occurrence of having the biggest song in the world after getting dropped from that major label. 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 Marcy Playground ("Good Times").

128 – John Wozniak (Marcy Playground)

This week's episode breaks format a little, as we shift the focus from music to the field of audio engineering and production with Emma Erdbrink. Though the profession is oft-overlooked, Erdbrink has quickly made a name for herself as the engineer and producer of such popular podcasts as Doughboys, High & Mighty and Marketplace. Long before she was responsible for the sound quality and many other behind-the-scenes aspects of some of your favorite podcasts, Erdbrink was growing up in New England and balancing her aspirations for vocal performance with an organic interest in recording. Recently, Erdbrink took some time away from putting together other people's podcasts to be a guest on ours. Over the course the fun and informative conversation, she told My First Band host Tyler Maas about her path to engineering, her college years and post-graduation internship, her decision to move across the country to pursue a career in audio production, and how a mixture of talent and random circumstance resulted in some amazing career opportunities. Along the way, Erdbrink also talked about the major pandemic-related adjustments her shows had to make last year, podcasting pet peeves and advice, what music she's listening to now, her plans to make a documentary about her brother, 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 Hannah Juanita ("Our Love Is Done").

127 – Emma Erdbrink (Doughboys Podcast, High & Mighty Podcast)

As both the bandleader and namesake of The Color Fred, singer-guitarist Fred Mascherino has released some great music and found a following with his well-received YouTube page. Though he is working on another The Color Fred album and aspires to release a new single every month of 2021, Mascherino is thankfully also willing and able to look back fondly at his previous projects. That extensive and impressive musical past includes a lengthy tenure in Brody, a handful of years fronting accomplished emo outfit Breaking Pangaea and an unforgettable stint with Taking Back Sunday. Recently, Mascherino spoke with My First Band host Tyler Maas about The Color Fred's modern-day plans and his years in each of those aforementioned outfits. Over the course of the conversation, Mascherino talked about growing up in a small Pennsylvania town, immersing himself in learning the guitar and playing bar shows all around the East Coast in high school as a member of Stickman. He also talked about his time with Brody and Breaking Pangaea, the process of joining and subsequently writing songs with Taking Back Sunday, his decision to leave TBS, his solo turn and experiences playing with Terrible Things and The Lemonheads. 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 The Color Fred ("Attention").

126 – Fred Mascherino (The Color Fred, Taking Back Sunday, Breaking Pangaea)

Robert Finley says he's gone from the cotton field to the Beverly Hills. At the age of 67, the veteran musician is finally earning some long-overdue attention on account of Sharecropper's Son, his new record that beautifully chronicles his childhood in the fields of rural Louisiana, the semi-recent loss of his eyesight, his unflappable faith and various other aspects of his incredible life. The autobiographical album, which was produced by Dan Auerbach, of the Black Keys, has received oodles of critical acclaim en route to landing Finley on the cover of Spin and on stage at Red Rocks Amphitheatre alongside Blues Traveler earlier this month. Though he's in a great place at the moment, it wasn't always easy for him. Not even close. Recently, Finley spoke to My First Band host Tyler Maas about his newfound success and the long, arduous and unlikely road that brought him to this prominent point. Over the course of about an hour, the singer spoke about growing up as the actual son of a sharecropper, his years as a builder, his path back to music when life threw him some curveballs and the opportunities that were born out of especially challenging circumstances. Finley did most of the talking in this one, but we wouldn't want it any other way. Get ready for some amazing stories about Finley's adolescence in the 1950s and '60s, the memorable walk to buy his first guitar, being discovered and appearing on America's Got Talent, and the process of making an album that both entertains listeners and serves as an insight into his personal history. 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 Robert Finley ("Sharecropper's Son").

125 – Robert Finley

If you're a fan of the power-pop genre, you're almost certainly also a fan of Kurt Baker. Over the past dozen years, the singer and songwriter has released a bunch of great records under his own name (and using the "Kurt Baker Combo" and "Kurt Baker Band" project names as well). He has also toured regularly, earned a spot on Steven Van Zandt's Wicked Cool Records label and relocated from Portland, Maine, to Madrid, Spain. As impressive as his solo career has been, it's only the tip of the iceberg. Recently, Baker spoke to My First Band host Tyler Maas about living in Spain for the past eight years, the process of making his latest album (After Party — out now!) and his performance plans after an isolated year-plus. Of course, the conversation also turned to Baker's musical past, including his early bands in Maine, playing and promoting shows at a formative local all-ages venue called The Well, and really going for it in his teens and early 20s with his band The Leftovers. Along the way, the power-popper talked about his first European tour, playing with The Queers and Tommy Stinson, and the time his band blew three amps just minutes before opening for The Offspring. 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 Kurt Baker ("I Like Her A Lot").

124 – Kurt Baker (Kurt Baker Combo, Kurt Baker Band, The Leftovers)

Each Friday, My First Band features a long-form interview with a different notable musician about all of the projects that preceded what you know them for. We discuss their musical origins, and we trace a few of their embarrassing high school bands and other associated bands that happened before they broke out. This show digs deeper than any Wikipedia page or band bio would ever dare to go. And, sometimes, the guests will even share some of their old songs. You can expect to hear a lot of interesting, informative and hopefully entertaining anecdotes about all of the bands along the way. My First Band is sponsored by Boulevard Brewing. It is hosted by Tyler Maas, of Milwaukee Record, and edited by Jared Blohm.

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My First Band Podcast

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