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

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

Integra Pink - Leo Mendez on Chicano Punk, Creative Freedom and The Story Behind Spiderman Piñata!

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  Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/integrapink] Bandcamp [https://integrapink.bandcamp.com/album/pura-cura?utm_medium=social&utm_source=heylink.me] Chapters: 02:57 Meet Leo Mendez of Integra Pink 03:00 How Music Found Leo 04:44 From Baseball to Starting a Band 07:09 Writing “CURBSTOMP” 11:21 Songwriting With His Brother Bardo 14:22 The Story Behind “1999” 16:30 Building Integra Pink’s Genre-Bending Sound 19:43 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 on Folk-Pop Fearlessness, Turning Truth Into Music and Finding Her Voice!

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.shannainadress.com/] https://www.facebook.com/shannainadress [https://www.facebook.com/shannainadress] https://www.instagram.com/shannainadress