The Hang! As Seen On Almost Famous Magazine!

In this episode of The Hang, host Scott Saldinger sits down with Ick, a feral two-piece punk band from Modesto, California, whose sound pulls from hardcore, noise rock, sludge, and experimental punk without ever settling into one box.
Growing up just blocks apart, guitarist/vocalist Jackie Westcott and drummer Eli Alsop built Ick from friendship, frustration, and a shared belief that punk isn’t about perfection—it’s about doing it yourself and doing it honestly. The conversation traces their early influences, how being from a smaller Central Valley city shaped their independence, and why DIY culture continues to be the backbone of everything they create.
Ick opens up about their songwriting process, where riffs grow organically, lyrics come from lived emotion, and collaboration means trusting each other enough to challenge ideas without ego. Jackie discusses how writing becomes a way to survive heavy emotions, while Eli explains how simplicity, feel, and originality guide his drumming rather than genre expectations.
The episode also dives into Ick’s involvement with Doll Fest, a festival rooted in inclusion and community. For Ick, supporting diverse and local bands isn’t a trend—it’s a responsibility. 
This is a conversation about making music without permission, building community from the ground up, and trusting that if it’s real, people will feel it.
https://www.instagram.com/ick.official/https://ickofficial.bandcamp.com/album/ick
https://www.dollfest.net/Instagram 
Mexico City Pre-Party Tickets
Doll Fest Volume III in Mexico City Tickets
Doll Fest Volume II Pre-Party Tickets (Oakland) 
Doll Fest Volume II 
#IckBand #PunkDIY #TheHangPodcast #DollFest #UndergroundPunk #independentmusic #ick 
The Hang! Podcast – Presented by Almost Famous Magazine

In this episode of The Hang, we sit down with Oakland punk band Damage Party for a raw, unfiltered conversation about music, identity, and why punk still matters. This isn’t just a band interview—it’s a deep dive into how different musical paths collide to form something loud, personal, and intentional.
Each member of Damage Party brings a distinct background to the table, shaping a sound rooted in punk but stretched by lived experience, instinct, and experimentation. They talk openly about how their songwriting process works as a true collaboration—riffs, rhythms, and lyrics evolving together rather than following a rigid formula. Punk, for them, isn’t a costume or a genre checkbox. It’s about individuality, refusal, and creating space to exist loudly on your own terms.
The band also reflects on the power of live shows, where their music fully comes alive, and why community support is essential for artists trying to survive outside traditional industry systems. From the weight of language and naming to the idea that “your words are spells,” Damage Party unpack how meaning, chaos, and intention shape everything they create.
If you care about punk as a living, evolving force—and not just nostalgia—this episode shows why Damage Party is a band worth paying attention to right now.
https://www.instagram.com/damage_party/https://damageparty.bandcamp.com/https://www.youtube.com/@UCrKZnbabrg0_wX3aNa7Ppwg 
https://www.dollfest.net/Instagram 
Mexico City Pre-Party Tickets  
Doll Fest Volume III in Mexico City Tickets 
Doll Fest Volume II Pre-Party Tickets (Oakland)
Doll Fest Volume II 
#DamageParty #OaklandPunk #PunkRock #DIYMusic #WomenInPunk #TheHangPodcast #IndependentMusic
The Hang! Podcast – Presented by Almost Famous Magazine

In this episode of The Hang, host Scott Saldinger sits down with Taty Bloody Batty, frontwoman of Mexico City horror-punk powerhouse Bloody Benders. As part of Doll Fest 2026 coverage, Taty shares the story of how music found her before she was even born—shaped by early exposure to David Bowie, punk philosophy, and a lifelong love of horror culture.
The conversation explores Bloody Benders’ signature blend of macabre aesthetics, raw punk energy, and social urgency. Taty breaks down the band’s collaborative songwriting process, how their album 13 came together, and why songs like “Por Las Que Ya No Están” exist as both protest and remembrance amid ongoing violence against women in Mexico.
Taty also speaks openly about empowerment—why Bloody Benders want young women to feel rebellious, loud, and unapologetically themselves—and how punk remains a vital platform for resistance. Influences ranging from Alice Cooper to Riot Grrrl icons and horror cinema shape the band’s evolving identity, while their community-driven spirit continues to grow what Taty calls “the Bloody Benders monster.”
The episode closes with a look ahead to Doll Fest 2026, the importance of supporting female-fronted artists, and the vibrant, defiant energy of the Mexican underground punk scene.
YouTube Instagram
https://www.dollfest.net/Instagram  
Mexico City Pre-Party Tickets  
Doll Fest Volume III in Mexico City Tickets 
Doll Fest Volume II Pre-Party Tickets (Oakland)  
Doll Fest Volume II
#BloodyBenders #HorrorPunk #DollFest2026 #WomenInPunk #MexicoCityMusic #thehangpodcast #dollfest 
The Hang! Podcast – Presented by Almost Famous Magazinehttps://www.almostfamousmagazine.com

In this episode of The Hang, host Scott Saldinger sits down with punk icon Alice Bag, co-founder and lead singer of The Bags, for a deeply personal conversation about music, identity, and evolution. Raised in East Los Angeles, Alice reflects on a childhood shaped by sound, creativity, and a family that encouraged her artistic instincts long before punk gave her a name for them.
Alice shares how early performances helped her understand who she was—and why punk became the perfect outlet for someone who always felt like an outsider. She opens up about the profound influence of artists like David Bowie, whose openness around gender and self-expression helped her find confidence, clarity, and self-acceptance at a formative time.
The conversation moves through the early LA punk scene, the rise of women in punk, and why inclusivity and representation remain essential to the genre’s survival. Alice reflects on punk’s longevity, arguing that its power lies in its ability to evolve without losing its truth.
After living in Mexico City, Alice talks about how cultural shifts, daily life, and creative freedom have reshaped her songwriting. She also hints at new collaborations and a continued commitment to pushing her musical boundaries.
Honest, thoughtful, and energized, this episode captures an artist who never stopped questioning, creating, or believing in punk as a living, breathing force.
WebsiteInstagramBandCamp
Doll Fest
WebsiteInstagram 
Mexico City Pre-Party Tickets 
Doll Fest Volume III in Mexico City Tickets  
Doll Fest Volume II Pre-Party Tickets (Oakland) 
Doll Fest Volume II 

In this episode of The Hang, host Scott Saldinger sits down with Maria Chaos and Freya Yamamoto for a powerful conversation about music, representation, and building safer, more inclusive live events through Doll Fest. What began as a response to exclusionary festival lineups has grown into a femme-fronted, femme-owned, and femme-operated movement amplifying marginalized voices across punk, hip hop, and alternative scenes. Maria and Freya unpack how community feedback has shaped Doll Fest’s accessibility, affordability, and safety-first approach—without losing its DIY punk energy. The episode looks ahead to Doll Fest 2026 in Oakland and Mexico City, highlights artists like Wheelchair Sports Camp, DAMAG3, Bad Cop / Bad Cop, and icon Alice Bag, and underscores the role of Punk Rock Saves Lives in supporting mental health and community care. Loud, radical, and deeply human, Doll Fest proves that festivals can be fun and transformative.
Episode Highlights
• How Doll Fest was born from the need for real representation on and off stage• Why femme-fronted, marginalized voices are central—not supplemental—to the lineup• Building accessibility, safety, and affordability without sacrificing punk’s DIY spirit• Community impact moments, including The Femmes Are Giving fundraiser• What to expect from Doll Fest 2026 in Oakland and Mexico City• Genre-spanning artists and why intentional curation matters• The power of asking, showing up, and building spaces where everyone belongs
Website
Mexico City Pre-Party Tickets 
Doll Fest Volume III in Mexico City Tickets 
Doll Fest Volume II Pre-Party Tickets (Oakland) 
Doll Fest Volume II Tickets 
Instagram  
#DollFest #InclusiveMusic #FemmeFronted #PunkCommunity #MusicWithPurpose #lgbt #lgbtq 

In this episode of The Hang, host Scott Saldinger sits down with Chicago-based indie rock band Billy Joel Jr. for a candid, wide-ranging conversation about music, identity, and building a band in today’s ever-shifting industry. Far from a novelty name, Billy Joel Jr. is a deeply collaborative project rooted in honesty, texture, and a fiercely DIY ethos.
Frontman Ari Levin traces his journey from classical piano and immigrant-family expectations to writing emotionally direct indie rock songs, while guitarist Nate Perez shares how Latin rhythms, pop punk, and audio engineering shape the band’s sound both on stage and in the studio. Bassist Charlie adds a layer of dream pop, shoegaze, and classical discipline, giving the band its dynamic low-end depth. Together, they unpack how wildly different influences—from emo and Midwest indie to Middle Eastern rhythms—somehow meet in the middle.
The conversation also dives into mentorship, balancing day jobs with creative ambition, and why collaboration matters more than perfection. With their debut full-length You’re a Star out now and new material already taking shape, Billy Joel Jr. is focused on growing their audience without losing the soul that got them here.
Episode Highlights:• How the band formed and found its collaborative sound• The real story behind the name “Billy Joel Jr.”• Musical influences spanning emo, Latin music, dream pop, and indie rock• Why mentorship matters in the modern music scene• Balancing creative passion with day jobs• Inside the album You’re a Star• What Billy Joel Jr. is building
 
Bandcamp: https://billyjoeljr.bandcamp.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billyjoel.jr
Website: https://billyjoeljr.mmm.page/hello
 
#BillyJoelJr #IndieRockInterview #ChicagoMusicScene #TheHangPodcast #diymusic
The Hang! Podcast – Presented by Almost Famous Magazine

In this powerful episode of The Hang!, host Scott Saldinger sits down with Susan Wandishin, Senior Director of Operations at the Dear Jack Foundation, for a deeply human conversation about what young adults with cancer truly need beyond medical care. Every six minutes, a young adult between 15 and 39 is diagnosed with cancer in the U.S.—and many are left emotionally isolated once treatment ends.
Susan shares how Dear Jack fills that gap through wish-granting experiences, personalized letters of support, virtual community programming, and restorative survivor retreats. Founded by musician Andrew McMahon, the foundation was born from lived experience and built around the belief that healing the heart and mind is just as important as healing the body.
From unforgettable music-based wishes to simple handwritten notes that change mental health outcomes, this episode highlights the power of community, volunteerism, and showing up for others. Whether you’re a music fan, nonprofit supporter, or someone looking to make a real difference, this conversation shows how small acts can create life-changing impact for young adults navigating cancer.
#DearJackFoundation #YoungAdultCancer #CancerSupport #MentalHealthMatters #TheHangPodcast #Cancer #AndrewMcMahon
InstagramFacebook  Volunteer DonateMerch 
 
The Hang! Podcast – Presented by Almost Famous Magazine

In this episode of The Hang!, host Scott Saldinger sits down with Canadian singer-songwriter Nick Faye for a candid, wide-ranging conversation about music, mental health, and staying grounded in an industry that often rewards noise over nuance. Hailing from Regina, Saskatchewan, Nick has spent years crafting indie pop songs that feel less like performances and more like late-night conversations with an old friend—honest, reflective, and quietly powerful.
Nick traces his musical beginnings back to childhood lessons encouraged by his parents, before discovering songwriting at summer camps where music was celebrated as a shared language. That sense of community would later shape his artistic philosophy: making art for friends first, not algorithms. Throughout the conversation, Nick opens up about the chaotic yet rewarding process of creating his 2025 album Good Love, recorded across distances, life changes, and limited resources—an experience that tested both patience and mental resilience.
The discussion dives deeply into mental health in the modern music industry, particularly the emotional toll of social media, metrics, and constant self-promotion. Nick speaks openly about burnout, comparison culture, and the pressure artists face to turn themselves into brands rather than people. His perspective is refreshingly grounded: success isn’t measured in streams alone, but in meaningful connections, honest art, and personal well-being.Nick also reflects on prairie life and the unique challenges of building a music career far from major industry hubs. From watching friends leave small scenes to grieving creative communities that constantly shift, he shares how place influences songwriting and identity. Along the way, he highlights the importance of supporting local artists, touring communities, and showing up—whether that means buying a record, attending a show, or simply listening with intention.
The episode wraps with Nick recommending key entry points into his catalog, discussing artists who inspire him, and imagining future collaborations rooted in storytelling rather than hype. Thoughtful, funny, and deeply human, this conversation captures exactly what The Hang! is about: letting artists tell their stories in their own voice.
InstagramTikTok FacebookApple Music

In this episode of The Hang!, host Scott Saldinger reconnects with Nashville-based singer/songwriter Billy Harvey for a deep, unfiltered conversation centered around Billy’s powerful new album, Num. Returning as one of the earliest guests in the show’s history, Billy reflects on how time, parenthood, anxiety, and social unrest have reshaped both his life and his songwriting.
The discussion opens with the idea that “time is a thief,” a theme that runs throughout Num. Billy shares how becoming more aware of time’s passing has influenced the way he writes, records, and lives, especially as a father. The album explores vulnerability not as weakness, but as clarity—an awakening from emotional numbness into something more honest and activated.
Billy breaks down his creative process, describing Num as a layered work, crafted almost like a “Chinese box,” revealing deeper meaning with each listen. From the opening track “We Are the Aliens” to songs like “Anxiety Attack,” “Millennial Falcons,” and the title track “Num,” the album confronts modern overwhelm, social disconnection, and the desire for collective action.
Family plays a central role in the record, with Billy’s children contributing vocals and energy, blurring the line between personal life and art. This refusal to separate worlds is core to Billy’s philosophy—authenticity over performance, truth over polish. He speaks candidly about insecurity, self-doubt, and the emotional toll of making records, while also expressing an unshakable need to keep creating.
The conversation also touches on gender dynamics, empowerment, and Billy’s belief that society urgently needs stronger female leadership. He reflects on the importance of community, togetherness, and showing up for one another in an increasingly fragmented world.
Throughout the episode, Billy’s evolving relationship with music is clear: less concerned with industry outcomes and more focused on honesty, connection, and the timeless act of making songs that matter. Num is not just an album—it’s a reckoning, an invitation to wake up, and a reminder that music can still cut through the noise. 
 
InstagramBandcampTikTokFacebookApple Music
#BillyHarvey #Num #Songwriter #interview #nashvillemusic #thehang #thehangpodcast

In this episode of The Hang!, host Scott Saldinger sits down with Nashville-based singer-songwriter and producer Arily Michele for a deep-dive conversation that explores creativity, identity, and the cinematic forces shaping modern independent music. From her earliest memories of singing and writing music to developing her signature blend of neo-psychedelic pop, synth-forward soundscapes, and dreamy textures, Arily opens up about the lifelong relationship that music has played in her life.
Arily traces her musical origin story back to childhood, recalling how a single Kylie Minogue melody sparked an obsession with pop hooks, intervals, and melody that would later evolve into a sophisticated, emotionally rich sound. Influenced by powerhouse vocalists like Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston alongside synth-pop pioneers and modern dream-pop artists, her music balances technical precision with immersive atmosphere.
A major turning point in Arily’s creative development came through film scoring and cinematic storytelling. She discusses how studying film music sharpened her ability to evoke emotion through sound, shaping songs that feel visual, expansive, and transportive. That influence is especially evident in her darker recent work, including a haunting murder ballad inspired by an episode of The X-Files, where reversed synths, eerie textures, and operatic vocal layers collide.
Throughout the conversation, Arily reflects on balancing a modern music career with life responsibilities, advocating for independence, consistency, and the importance of earning listeners one by one. She speaks candidly about self-promotion, burnout, and why building a genuine community matters more than chasing instant metrics. The discussion also touches on mentorship, collaboration, and the personal relationships that have shaped her journey — including the importance of creative partners and educators who helped make a sustainable music career feel possible.
The episode closes with a look ahead to 2026, as Arily hints at new music, evolving themes, and deeper explorations of identity, self-acceptance, and cinematic storytelling. It’s a thoughtful, inspiring conversation about carving your own path, staying curious, and letting art evolve as life unfolds. 
WebsiteInstagramTikTokYoutubeApple Music
#ArilyMichele #IndiePop #SynthPop #NashvilleMusic #TheHangPodcast
The Hang! Podcast – Presented by Almost Famous Magazine
#TheHang #AlmostFamousMagazine #MusicPodcast #RockMusic #IndieArtists #BehindTheMusic #Songwriting #MusicianInterviews #PunkRock #ProgRock #Americana #MusicCulture #ArtistStories #CreativeProcess #LiveMusic