MN Music Note - EP 31 - From Teacher to Minnesota Music Advocate with Allisen Merrill

MN Music Note - Ep 38 - From Small-Town Minnesota to the Metal Stage: The Story of Slag

What does it take to keep a metal band alive when every show starts with a 3-4 hour drive? In this episode of The Minnesota Music Note, Will sits down with the members of Slag, a thrash metal band proving that passion, persistence, and a love for heavy music can overcome just about any obstacle. From growing up in small-town Minnesota to building a name in the state's underground metal scene, the band shares hilarious stories, musical influences, the challenges of life on the road, and what it's really like chasing a music dream far from the Twin Cities. You'll hear how Slag ended up in the same band, why they walked away from cover gigs to focus on original music, and how they've spent nearly a decade carving out their place in Minnesota's metal community. Along the way, they share stories about memorial shows, local music legends, songwriting inspiration, and the future of Minnesota thrash. In this episode, we talked about: • Growing up in Montevideo, Minnesota and driving hours just to play shows • How Slag evolved from a cover band into an original thrash metal act • The band's biggest musical influences, from Guns N' Roses and Pantera to Slipknot and beyond • Writing songs about everything from politics to dinosaur invasions • The reality of keeping a band together for nearly 10 years • Building connections in Minnesota's underground metal scene • Their upcoming music, future shows, and what's next for Slag If you're a fan of heavy music, independent artists, Minnesota's local music scene, or stories about musicians who refuse to quit, this is an episode you won't want to miss. 🎸 Watch now, subscribe to The Minnesota Music Note, and discover why bands like Slag are helping keep Minnesota metal alive and thriving. Resources: PodcastCrew website: podcastcrew.online The MN Music Note FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/minnesotamusicnote/ Email: william@podcastcrew.online

MN Music Note - Ep 37 - A Lifetime Of Metal, Guitars & Minnesota Music with Wally Borgan

Ever wonder what it takes to stay passionate about music after decades of gigs, bands, rehearsals, and changing trends? In Episode 37 of The Minnesota Music Note, Wally Borgan joins us for a raw, honest, and entertaining conversation about his journey through Minnesota's metal scene, from playing basement parties as a teenager to performing in tribute bands, creating wild metal versions of pop hits, and sharing his thoughts on where the music industry is headed. Wally opens up about how he learned guitar, the bands that shaped him, what keeps him motivated after all these years, and why he's currently having more fun than ever turning songs by artists like Madonna, Cher, Miley Cyrus, and Chappell Roan into heavy rock and metal anthems. In this episode, we dove into: • Growing up on Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, and thrash metal • How Wally taught himself guitar and developed his unique approach to learning songs • Stories from his early original metal bands and Minnesota's metal scene in the late 80s and 90s • Playing in Iron Maiden and AC/DC tribute bands and what goes into mastering iconic songs • The creation of Bad Bromance, a band that transforms pop hits into heavy rock and metal versions • The evolution of Minnesota's music scene and the challenges facing original bands today • Why great musicians never stop learning, practicing, and chasing the next challenge Whether you're a musician, music fan, or someone who loves hearing real stories from people who have dedicated their lives to their craft, this episode is packed with insight, humor, and decades of experience. Watch the full episode now and don't forget to subscribe for more conversations with the artists, venues, promoters, and personalities shaping Minnesota music. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe to The Minnesota Music Note, leave a review, and share this episode with a musician, gearhead, or music lover in your life. Resources: PodcastCrew website: podcastcrew.online The MN Music Note FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/minnesotamusicnote/ Email: william@podcastcrew.online

MN Music Note - Ep 36 - From Choir Boy to Rock Band CEO: Alain Nisam’s Wild Music Journey

What happens when a lifelong musician combines creativity, technology, business, and pure obsession into one project? This episode with Alain Nisam is an inside look at how Shredding Flannel became one of the most unique and ambitious live music projects in Minnesota. How do you turn a local band into a scalable music machine without losing the passion that started it all? From singing in the Metropolitan Boys Choir as a kid to building a 22-member live music collective, Alain Nisam’s story is wild. In this episode of The Minnesota Music Note, Alain shares how an obsession with music evolved into a career filled with songwriting, classical guitar, coding, entrepreneurship, sound engineering, and building one of the most organized live bands around. We dive deep into the origins of Shredding Flannel, the business side of running a band, building custom in-ear monitor systems, recording workflows, learning music before YouTube existed, surviving major lineup changes, and what it really takes to keep a modern live music operation running. This conversation is packed with musician stories, gear talk, tech deep dives, entrepreneurship lessons, and honest insight into balancing creativity with real life. IN THIS EPISODE WE TALKED ABOUT: • Alain’s early days singing in the Metropolitan Boys Choir • Learning guitar before YouTube and teaching himself by ear • Studying classical guitar, French, and advanced music theory • Growing up between Minnesota, France, Belgium, and London • Writing original music as a teenager • The story behind the name Shredding Flannel • Building a 22-member “band collective” that can play multiple gigs at once • Losing most of the band and rebuilding the entire project from scratch • Live sound engineering, in-ear monitors, and custom tech setups • Recording rehearsals and creating systems to train new band members faster • Balancing music, entrepreneurship, family, and burnout • Alain’s long-term vision for the future of Shredding Flannel If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe to The Minnesota Music Note, leave a review, and share this episode with a musician, gearhead, or music lover in your life. Resources: PodcastCrew website: podcastcrew.online The MN Music Note FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/minnesotamusicnote/ Email: william@podcastcrew.online

MN Music Note - Ep 35 - How James Flagg Took Tribute Bands to Another Level

What does it actually take to step into the shoes of bands like Tool, A Perfect Circle, and Alice in Chains… and make fans believe it? In this episode of The Minnesota Music Note, we sit down with James Flagg — the powerhouse vocalist and musician behind Minnesota tribute bands Mad Alice, 10,000 Days, and Stone and Echo. From learning drums on couch cushions as a kid to fronting some of the Midwest’s most respected tribute acts, James shares the wild, funny, frustrating, and inspiring journey that shaped him into the performer he is today. We get deep into the reality of tribute band culture, the pressure of honoring iconic music, chaotic road stories, the evolution of Minnesota’s music scene, and how one Facebook post changed the course of his career forever. In this episode, we talk about: - Growing up obsessed with drums and teaching himself music from scratch - His early bands and the evolution of Bubble Math - The truth about being in original bands vs tribute bands - The insane story of playing to an empty bar in Reno - How Mad Alice became one of Minnesota’s standout Alice in Chains tributes - Auditioning to become the singer of 10,000 Days - Why chemistry matters more than talent in a band - The creation of Stone and Echo, the A Perfect Circle tribute - Recording struggles, DIY albums, and learning music production - His solo project Jaunt and Ghost and love for 80s-inspired music If you’re a fan of Tool, Alice in Chains, A Perfect Circle, Minnesota music culture, or just love hearing real stories from musicians who’ve lived it — this episode is for you. Tune into the full episode now and get an inside look at the passion, obsession, humor, and hard work behind some of the Midwest’s best tribute bands. 🎙️ Are you part of the Minnesota music scene? If you’re in a band, running venues, organizing events, producing music, or helping grow the local scene in any way — we’d love to connect with you and potentially feature you on the podcast. Resources: More of James Flagg’s Performance Videos: 10,000 Days “The Grudge” at The Doghouse (James on Vox) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5grzSgMs1kE Season of the Fly (Original) Music Video “Safe?” (James on Drums and Vox) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZdVk7Tec7E&list=RDTZdVk7Tec7E&start_radio=1 Bubblemath (Original) Music Video “Everything” (James on drums and backing Vox) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtFw8H3AGtA&list=RDQtFw8H3AGtA&start_radio=1 Just & Ghost “Brand New Dawn” (James’ Original solo project) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lL1RU7sUrM&list=RD8lL1RU7sUrM&start_radio=1 Just & Ghost (Original) Music Video “Tomorrow’s a Thief” (From a sound track I did for a short film called “The Guilty Prince of Chinatown” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAsSMhrm0l4&list=RDMAsSMhrm0l4&start_radio=1 Modern Condition (Original) Music Video “Kings of Cool” (James on drums and Vox) Featuring Shawn Q Kroll (From The Hybrid Theory) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoKg-RlmGb8&list=RDeoKg-RlmGb8&start_radio=1 PodcastCrew website: podcastcrew.online The MN Music Note FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/minnesotamusicnote/ Email: william@podcastcrew.online

MN Music Note - Ep 34 - 100 Jams Later: How John Sonnek Built Twin Cities All-Stars

What started as a simple idea at Ziggy’s has now become one of the most exciting music communities in Minnesota. In this episode of The Minnesota Music Note, we sit down with John Sonnek to talk about the incredible rise of the Twin Cities All Stars jams, the musicians who found their confidence on stage for the very first time, and how a weekly jam session turned into a movement that’s connecting hundreds of musicians across the Twin Cities. From playing hair metal as a teenager… to building a community 425+ musicians strong… to creating opportunities for people who never thought they’d perform live — this episode is packed with stories, laughs, and a ton of heart. If you love live music, Minnesota music culture, or hearing how communities are built through passion and persistence… this one’s for you. In this episode, we talked about: • How the Twin Cities All Stars jam first started in Mexico on spring break • The story behind the very first jam at Ziggy’s • What it feels like to hit 100 consecutive weekly jams • Why the jam has become bigger than just one person • Stories of musicians performing live for the first time ever • John’s early days playing in hair metal and rock bands • The Minnesota music scene and why it’s exploding right now • Funny stories from gigs, broken feet, and falling off stages • How the jams are helping musicians find bands and lifelong friendships • Why music communities matter now more than ever Watch until the end for John’s advice to anyone sitting at home wondering if they should finally get on stage and play. 🎙️ Are you part of the Minnesota music scene? If you’re in a band, running venues, organizing events, producing music, or helping grow the local scene in any way — we’d love to connect with you and potentially feature you on the podcast. Resources: Twin Cities All Stars FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/twincitiesallstars PodcastCrew website: podcastcrew.online The MN Music Note FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/minnesotamusicnote/ Email: william@podcastcrew.online