Soft Spot Finds Its Sound, Gets Heavier, In A New Era for the band with Gianni Carpanzano!

Soft Spot Finds Its Sound, Gets Heavier, In A New Era for the band with Gianni Carpanzano!

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.com YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@UC5IymGottOizckxyxUgbbVA Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to The Hang! with Soft Spot 02:52 How Soft Spot Became a Four-Piece 06:12 Building the 1-800 Soft Spot EP 09:03 Heartbreak, Sad Songs, and Emotional Lyrics 12:03 How Gianni Turns Voice Memos Into Songs 14:58 The “Aha” Moment That Changed the Band 18:08 Booking Better Gigs and Building Real Connections 21:12 Hum, Catherine Wheel, Mastodon, and New Influences 24:00 Shows, Covers, Vinyl, and What’s Next

Mary McGuinness, her journey from From Opera to Americana. Love Child and more!

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/

Joomin Hwang, Seoul Breakdancer to The Lights of Broadway!

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/joominhwang https://www.joominhwang.com/ https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7934697/ #JoominHwang #broadway #dancer #singer #seoul #musicaltheatre

Hayley and The Crushers Hayley Cain From California Glitter to Detroit Grit and more!

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/hayleyandthecrushers https://www.facebook.com/hayleyandthecrushers  @hayleyandthecrushers   #HayleyAndTheCrushers #punkrock #glitterbombs #musicinterview #detroitrockcity  CHAPTERS 00:00 — Welcome to The Hang! 01:30 — Meet Hayley Cain of Hayley and the Crushers 02:55 — Oldies Radio, Elvis, Beach Boys & Finding Music 05:47 — Learning Guitar, Ramones Songs & Early Songwriting 10:37 — Cringe, Childhood Videos & Creative Freedom 11:50 — Moving From California to Detroit 15:07 — Earning a Place in the Detroit Music Scene 18:22 — The Story Behind “Jewel Case” 20:35 — Sobriety, Party Anthems & Taking Her Own Advice 25:47 — Glockenspiel, Whimsy & Punk Rock Texture 28:02 — Touring With Screeching Weasel 30:34 — Punk Dads, Cool Daughters & Winning the Room 44:15 — Hayley’s Dream Collaboration: John Doe of X 47:12 — Artists Hayley Is Listening To Now 51:19 — Supporting Hayley and the Crushers The Hang! Podcast – Presented by Almost Famous Magazine https://www.almostfamousmagazine.com

Allen Dobb on Canadian Roots, Musical Truth and The Afterlife Sessions!

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.com https://www.instagram.com/allendobbmusic/ https://www.facebook.com/allendobbmusic https://allendobb.bandcamp.com/album/the-afterlife-sessions @AllenDobbOfficial CHAPTERS: 00:00 — Welcome to The Hang! with Allen Dobb 03:36 — Growing Up on a Farm and Discovering Music 05:52 — Folk, Country, Reggae, Africa, and Americana Roots 10:52 — Learning Guitar and Gordon Lightfoot Fingerpicking 13:43 — Making The Afterlife Sessions Without Studio Tricks 15:15 — Recording at Vancouver’s Afterlife Studios 19:11 — The Story Behind “Ballad of Willie Holmes” 23:07 — Choosing the Songs That Still Feel True 29:12 — “At the Bridge” and Finding Common Ground 37:18 — Dream Collaboration, Favorite Artists, and Final Reflections #AllenDobb #TheAfterlifeSessions #FolkMusic #AmericanaMusic #Canadian #Canadianmusician