The Hang! As Seen On Almost Famous Magazine!

In this episode of The Hang!, host Scott Saldinger talks with Colm Gavin about music origins, creative flow, collaboration, mentors, and building a life around songs.
Colm Gavin is a Dublin-based singer-songwriter whose music blends contemporary folk, soft jazz, parlor-song charm, and classic storytelling. His work has reached listeners across Ireland, Europe, the UK, and North America, with songs praised by major artists and industry voices and released through BEO Records. Public profiles note that his early solo releases reached No. 1 on the Irish iTunes charts and that his music has been playlisted on radio stations in the U.S. and Canada.
This interview explores Colm’s childhood connection to music, the Orlando trip that opened his ears to Roy Orbison, The Carpenters, Springsteen, and classic radio, and how taking over his brother’s guitar lessons changed everything. Colm also talks about his teacher and mentor Peter Stanton, why practice and creativity should live in different rooms, and how collaboration turns a simple idea into something that suddenly exists.
Here’s what you’ll learn from Colm:
* How he found his way into music and songwriting* Why folk, jazz, theater, and parlor songs shape his sound* How collaboration helps songs grow beyond the writer* Why mentors, discipline, and flow state still matter
In this episode, Colm also discusses Live at Whelan’s, touring Ireland and the UK, writing for other artists, and why sincerity, preparation, and community remain at the heart of real music.
Subscribe to Almost Famous Magazine for more artist interviews, music stories, and conversations from The Hang!
#ColmGavin #irishfolkmusic #SongwriterInterview #irishmusician 
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Chapters:
00:00 Welcome to The Hang!02:15 Meet Colm Gavin03:00 How Music First Found Him05:23 Taking Over His Brother’s Guitar Lessons07:24 Early Influences: Dylan, Clapton & Cat Stevens08:46 Defining his Sound13:34 Where New Listeners Should Start15:32 Songs, Editing & Creative Flow17:46 Knowing When a Song Is Finished20:29 Practice vs. Writing Time23:05 Collaboration and Creative Alchemy26:06 Why No Artist Succeeds Alone28:45 Moments of Recognition and Self-Doubt32:07 Remembering Mentor Peter Stanton38:37 Touring, Ireland Shows & What’s Next45:23 Dream Collaborations: Randy Newman & Elton John48:40 Road Music, Asia & 80s Rock
 
The Hang! Podcast – Presented by Almost Famous Magazine
https://www.almostfamousmagazine.com

Soft Spot’s Gianni Carpanzano joins The Hang! to talk 1-800 Soft Spot, Temporary Bliss, heavy guitars, heartbreak, grunge, psychedelia, and the Stamford, Connecticut alternative rock scene.
In this episode, Gianni opens up about Soft Spot’s new EP, the band’s evolution, and how sad songs became something bigger, heavier, and more fully realized.
This interview explores how Soft Spot grew from a three-piece into a stronger four-piece with Will Vellek joining Gianni Carpanzano, Dave Eisermann, and Marc Marenco. Gianni talks about writing the songs for 1-800 Soft Spot in the same emotional window, why the EP feels more cohesive than This Will Make You Cry, and how the band is learning to capture its massive live sound in the studio.
The conversation also gets into heartbreak, emotional songwriting, voice memos turning into full songs, working with Trevor Aukenook, playing Toad’s Place, pushing into New York City, landing gigs, and why building real relationships still matters in the music industry.
Gianni discusses:
* How Soft Spot created the sound of 1-800 Soft Spot* Why Gianni writes from heartbreak, reflection, and emotional release* How Will Vellek changed the band’s live and studio chemistry* What it takes to book better shows and build momentum as an indie band
Subscribe to Almost Famous Magazine for more artist interviews, music stories, and deep dives with the bands you need to know.
#softspot #alternativerock #musicinterview #podcast #interview 
Band Camp: https://softspottheband.bandcamp.comYouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@UC5IymGottOizckxyxUgbbVA
Chapters:
00:00 Welcome to The Hang! with Soft Spot02:52 How Soft Spot Became a Four-Piece06:12 Building the 1-800 Soft Spot EP09:03 Heartbreak, Sad Songs, and Emotional Lyrics12:03 How Gianni Turns Voice Memos Into Songs14:58 The “Aha” Moment That Changed the Band18:08 Booking Better Gigs and Building Real Connections21:12 Hum, Catherine Wheel, Mastodon, and New Influences24:00 Shows, Covers, Vinyl, and What’s Next

In this episode, Texas-born, Nashville-based singer-songwriter Mary McGuinness joins Scott Saldinger on The Hang! to talk about the way music found her.
Mary didn’t grow up in a musical home, but she was always singing. Later, she discovered that music actually ran deep in her family, which helped make sense of the pull she had felt her whole life.
Her path has taken a lot of turns, from opera and Broadway to Americana, classic country, and Laurel Canyon-inspired songwriting. Through it all, Mary kept coming back to the music that felt the most honest to her.
We talk about her early life, her Korean and Irish-Scottish roots, the artists who shaped her like Johnny Cash, The Beatles, Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, and Paul McCartney, and the stories behind songs like “Love Child,” “Cascadita,” “Bounded Beauty,” “Double Vision,” and “Springtime Thunder.”
What You’ll Learn from Mary:
• How she found her way into music• Why Americana and classic country feel like home to her• The story behind “Love Child” and her new songs• How creativity, mental health, healing, and staying true to yourself all connect
If you’re into Americana, singer-songwriters, Nashville artists, roots music, or just honest conversations about what it takes to keep going as an artist, this one is worth your time.
Subscribe to Almost Famous Magazine, like the video, drop a comment, and support Mary McGuinness by streaming her music, buying the records, grabbing the vinyl, and seeing her live.
#MaryMcGuinness #americanamusic #singersongwriter #musicinterview #musicpodcast 
https://marymcg.com/https://www.facebook.com/MaryMcGuinnessOfficial/https://www.instagram.com/marymcguinnessofficial/

In this episode of The Hang!, Joomin Hwang talks about his journey from Seoul to New York City and eventually to Broadway.
Joomin grew up in South Korea and started breakdancing when he was 12. Years later, while performing in London, he saw Billy Elliot and something clicked. He saw dance, music, acting, emotion, and storytelling all happening at once, and it made him realize he wanted more than competition. He wanted a life on stage.
That decision eventually brought him to the U.S. at 29, without speaking English, to study vocal performance and chase a dream that probably sounded impossible to a lot of people.
We talk about his path to Broadway, including The Prom and the original Broadway cast of & Juliet, and what representation started to mean to him once Asian fans began thanking him at the stage door. Joomin also shares what it was like going through hundreds of auditions, dealing with rejection, staying grounded, and learning to think of dreams as something you do, not just something you reach.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
* How Billy Elliot changed the direction of Joomin’s life* Why representation on Broadway became personal for him* How he handled 500+ auditions and constant rejection* Why he created the Rule of Five Journal to help artists protect their mental health
If you’re into Broadway, musical theater, dance, acting, artist stories, or honest conversations about chasing something bigger than yourself, you’ll get a lot out of this one.
Subscribe to The Hang! for more conversations with artists from Almost Famous Magazine.
https://www.instagram.com/joominhwanghttps://www.joominhwang.com/https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7934697/
#JoominHwang #broadway #dancer #singer #seoul #musicaltheatre 

In this episode, Scott hangs with Hayley Cain, guitarist and frontwoman of Hayley and the Crushers, a Detroit-via-California band that mixes punk, surf rock, power pop, garage rock, and a whole lot of glitter.
Hayley talks about growing up on oldies radio, Elvis, The Beach Boys, the Go-Go’s, Ramones, Screeching Weasel, and the songs that made her want to pick up a guitar in the first place. She also gets into what it was like moving from California to Detroit, finding her way into a new music scene, and how Detroit helped bring out a different side of the band.
We also talk about “Jewel Case,” a song Hayley wrote almost 10 years ago. It started as a wild party anthem, but looking back now, especially after getting sober, the song hits differently. It’s funny, loud, catchy, and a little bit of a warning sign all at once.
In this conversation, Hayley gets into:
* How she found her voice through punk, oldies, and songwriting* Why Detroit changed the way Hayley and the Crushers see themselves* The real story behind “Jewel Case”* How the band wins over punk crowds, punk dads, and their cool daughters
This one is about growing up, getting honest, embracing the cringe, and making punk rock that’s loud, weird, catchy, and totally its own thing.
Subscribe to Almost Famous Magazine for more conversations with artists, bands, and the stories behind the music on The Hang!
https://www.hayleyandthecrushers.com/https://www.instagram.com/hayleyandthecrushershttps://www.facebook.com/hayleyandthecrushers @hayleyandthecrushers  
#HayleyAndTheCrushers #punkrock #glitterbombs #musicinterview #detroitrockcity 
CHAPTERS00:00 — Welcome to The Hang!01:30 — Meet Hayley Cain of Hayley and the Crushers02:55 — Oldies Radio, Elvis, Beach Boys & Finding Music05:47 — Learning Guitar, Ramones Songs & Early Songwriting10:37 — Cringe, Childhood Videos & Creative Freedom11:50 — Moving From California to Detroit15:07 — Earning a Place in the Detroit Music Scene18:22 — The Story Behind “Jewel Case”20:35 — Sobriety, Party Anthems & Taking Her Own Advice25:47 — Glockenspiel, Whimsy & Punk Rock Texture28:02 — Touring With Screeching Weasel30:34 — Punk Dads, Cool Daughters & Winning the Room44:15 — Hayley’s Dream Collaboration: John Doe of X47:12 — Artists Hayley Is Listening To Now51:19 — Supporting Hayley and the Crushers
The Hang! Podcast – Presented by Almost Famous Magazine
https://www.almostfamousmagazine.com

Allen Dobb joins The Hang! to discuss The Afterlife Sessions, Canadian folk music, Americana roots songwriting, and the emotional power of live acoustic recording.
In this episode, Allen Dobb shares the stories behind Ballad of Willie Holmes, At the Bridge, Afterlife Studios, and a lifetime spent chasing honest songs.Canadian folk, country, Americana, and roots singer-songwriter Allen Dobb brings a rare kind of clarity to this conversation — the kind that comes from growing up on a farm, hearing music through one television channel, discovering Gordon Lightfoot-style fingerpicking, and eventually finding his own voice through story, place, memory, and lived experience.
This interview explores how The Afterlife Sessions became a full-circle record for Dobb: an 11-song, all-acoustic album recorded live at Vancouver’s Afterlife Studios, the modern incarnation of the legendary Mushroom Studios. With upright bass, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, acoustic guitar, and live vocals captured in the room, the album strips away production excess and puts the focus exactly where folk music lives — on the song.
Allen discusses:
• How his rural upbringing shaped his folk and roots songwriting• Why The Afterlife Sessions was recorded with minimal overdubs• The personal family story behind “Ballad of Willie Holmes”• How “At the Bridge” speaks to connection, common ground, and humanity
Watch the full conversation, subscribe to Almost Famous Magazine, and support independent artists by streaming, sharing, and buying Allen Dobb’s music.
https://www.allendobb.comhttps://www.instagram.com/allendobbmusic/https://www.facebook.com/allendobbmusichttps://allendobb.bandcamp.com/album/the-afterlife-sessions@AllenDobbOfficial
CHAPTERS:00:00 — Welcome to The Hang! with Allen Dobb03:36 — Growing Up on a Farm and Discovering Music05:52 — Folk, Country, Reggae, Africa, and Americana Roots10:52 — Learning Guitar and Gordon Lightfoot Fingerpicking13:43 — Making The Afterlife Sessions Without Studio Tricks15:15 — Recording at Vancouver’s Afterlife Studios19:11 — The Story Behind “Ballad of Willie Holmes”23:07 — Choosing the Songs That Still Feel True29:12 — “At the Bridge” and Finding Common Ground37:18 — Dream Collaboration, Favorite Artists, and Final Reflections
#AllenDobb #TheAfterlifeSessions #FolkMusic #AmericanaMusic #Canadian #Canadianmusician

In this episode, we hang with Leo Mendez, vocalist/guitarist of Integra Pink, about how music found him through family records, baseball, drums, guitar, and the creative partnership he shares with his brother Bardo Mendez. This interview explores the band’s evolution from COVID-era home recording experiments to a boundary-pushing force known for high-energy shows, PinkTv, and songs that refuse to stay in one lane.
Leo opens up about writing “CURBSTOMP,” the emotional and political weight behind “Spiderman Piñata,” the influence of The Clash, Ween, cumbia, disco, hip hop, punk, and Latin music, and why Integra Pink wants to represent Chicano punk without being trapped by expectations.
Leo lets you in on:
• How Integra Pink built its sound from punk, cumbia, disco, and Latin roots• The story behind “Spiderman Piñata” and its message on ICE, faith, hypocrisy, and community• Why Leo and Bardo’s brotherly songwriting trust drives the band forward• How creative freedom, family influence, and live shows shaped Integra Pink’s rise
Watch now, subscribe to Almost Famous Magazine, and support Integra Pink by streaming the music, buying merch, and catching them live.
#IntegraPink #punkrock #punk #cumbia #chicano #Podcast #interview #musicinterview #chicanoart 
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Chapters:02:57 Meet Leo Mendez of Integra Pink03:00 How Music Found Leo04:44 From Baseball to Starting a Band07:09 Writing “CURBSTOMP”11:21 Songwriting With His Brother Bardo14:22 The Story Behind “1999”16:30 Building Integra Pink’s Genre-Bending Sound19:43 The Meaning Behind “Spiderman Piñata”48:38 The Advice That Changed Leo’s Music
The Hang! Podcast – Presented by Almost Famous Magazine
https://www.almostfamousmagazine.com

Shanna In A Dress interview, folk-pop songwriting, finding your musical voice, storytelling songs, fearless creativity, and indie artist authenticity — this episode of The Hang! dives deep into the creative world of one of folk-pop’s most original voices.
In this episode, Shanna In A Dress joins Almost Famous Magazine for a funny, honest, and inspiring conversation about songwriting, vulnerability, bike touring, creative identity, audience connection, and how musicians can stop chasing trends and start sounding like themselves.
Shanna In A Dress is a St. Louis-based folk-pop singer-songwriter known for blending clever comedy, emotional truth, and sharp observational storytelling into songs that make audiences laugh, cry, and feel completely seen. This interview explores how a poetry-loving kid, French horn player, and UVA student found her way into guitar, songwriting, and a life built around fearless creative choices.
Host Scott Saldinger talks with Shanna about the surprise college show that changed everything, why Ingrid Michaelson helped unlock her vision for live performance, and how songs like “Shitshow,” “Mmm That’s Hot,” and “Seagull” turn everyday moments into unforgettable stories.
Here’s what you’ll learn:• How Shanna In A Dress found her unique musical voice• Why storytelling is the key to powerful songwriting• How fearlessness can help artists take bigger creative risks• Why authenticity matters more than chasing the algorithm
This interview also dives into Shanna’s cross-country bicycle tour, her thoughts on time, manifestation, gratitude, online criticism, songwriting workshops, audience engagement, and the dream collaboration she wants to manifest with Taylor Swift.
For musicians, songwriters, indie artists, folk-pop fans, and anyone asking how to find your sound as an artist, this episode is a reminder that originality does not come from fitting in. It comes from paying attention, telling the truth, taking risks, and letting your weirdness become the doorway to connection.
Subscribe to The Hang! for more artist interviews, music stories, songwriting conversations, indie music discovery, and deep dives with the musicians shaping today’s independent music scene.
https://www.shannainadress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/shannainadress
https://www.instagram.com/shannainadress

In this episode, Fernando Perdomo joins The Hang! for a sprawling, record-store-rabbit-hole conversation about guitar, songwriting, production, prog rock, power pop, session work, and the obsession that turns a life in music into a full-time creative mission.
Fernando’s story starts in Miami, where a house filled with music, a classically trained Cuban mother, The Beatles, thrift-store records, and early guitar lessons helped shape a player who would eventually move between genres with rare fluency. From his first major break playing on Latin pop sessions to becoming an LA-based musician and producer, Fernando has built a career on curiosity, taste, and the ability to serve the song first.
This interview explores his work on Echo in the Canyon, his collaborations and connections with artists tied to Brian Wilson, Beck, Fiona Apple, Norah Jones, Regina Spektor, Cat Power, Jakob Dylan, Todd Rundgren, Dave Kerzner, and Marshall Crenshaw, plus the unforgettable story of stepping onstage with Yes to play “Roundabout” at the Alan White tribute.
Fernando also opens up about his prolific solo catalog, including his Waves and Clouds album-per-month projects, his progressive rock influences, his love of Peter Banks, Steve Howe, Andy Latimer, Adrian Belew, Todd Rundgren, and the thrill of discovering music that still sounds dangerous, human, and alive.
For fans of guitar-driven storytelling, progressive rock, power pop, music production, deep-cut record culture, and artist interviews that go far beyond the usual talking points, this episode is a front-row seat inside Fernando Perdomo’s restless musical universe.
https://fernandoperdomo.bandcamp.com/ @fernandoperdomomusic  https://www.instagram.com/fernandoperdomoguitarhttps://www.facebook.com/Fernandoperdomomusic/
Chapters:01:19 Introducing Fernando Perdomo03:05 Beatles, family, and the first musical spark06:40 Breaking into sessions and Latin pop success08:00 Moving to LA and Echo in the Canyon10:10 Touring with Marshall Crenshaw14:21 Playing “Roundabout” with Yes20:12 Prog guitar heroes and musical influences26:37 Dave Kerzner, guitar fire, and creative chemistry37:06 Releasing an album a month: Waves, Clouds, and beyond
#fernandoperdomo #guitarist #musicinterview #progrock #musician 

In this episode of The Hang! brought to you by Almost Famous Magazine, host Scott Saldinger sits down with Bruce Wojick, the singer, guitarist, songwriter, and roots rock artist behind Bruce Wojcik and The Struggle, for a deep conversation about music, songwriting, touring, survival, and the making of his latest album, The Hard Way.
Bruce brings a hard-edged roots rock sound shaped by classic rock, blues rock, Americana, and the kind of road-tested songwriting built for fans of The Black Crowes, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Rolling Stones, Blackstone Cherry, Kiss, Paul McCartney, and real guitar-driven rock and roll.
This interview explores Bruce’s musical journey from growing up in Niagara Falls, New York, discovering Kiss Alive, learning guitar, and writing his first songs, to playing in the 1990s band God’s Children, performing at CBGB's, showcasing for labels, and building a career through persistence.
Bruce also shares the story of Clear, the Buffalo-area rock band signed by Robbie Takac of the Goo Goo Dolls through Good Charamel Records, along with memories of playing The Viper Room, The Whisky, and major shows with legendary artists.
The conversation goes deep into Bruce’s solo career, Bruce Wojick and The Struggle, and the songs behind The Hard Way, including Louder Than Concord, Watching the Sky Turn Blue, The Hard Way, More Time, Yesterday Is Gone, Worried Sick, and Cheap Wine.
 
https://www.brucewojick.com
https://www.instagram.com/brucewojick