First Spin

Theo Kandel on bowling, Miller High Life, and the upcoming West Coast tour

On this week's episode of First Spin, I chat with singer/songwriter Theo Kandel about his brand new album "A Horse Named Friday," his love of riddles, life in New Yo

verygently (Live at the Moroccan Lounge)

In this special episode of First Spin, I sit down with the three members of verygently (Tristan Bushman, Drew Erwin, and Joey Hendricks).  We chatted about the origin of

Danny Golden on Sobriety, Austin, and The Big Blue

In this episode of First Spin, Hayden sits down with singer-songwriter Danny Golden for a conversation about his new album, The Big Blue, and the life experiences that sh

Young Ritual on OCD, Substack, and the influence of Kings of Leon

This week I sit down with Dylan Grantham, who released music under the name Young Ritual. Dylan and I talk about his OCD, not rushing his music, and the trend away from s

Will McCartt on therapy, collaborating with Northwest Stories, and the influence of Gregory Alan Isakov

In this episode of First Spin, I sit down with indie-folk artist Will McCartt for a conversation about creativity, emotional vulnerability, and the process of finding you

Drew White on kindness, diabetes, and Concrete Americana

In this episode I sit down with Nashville-based singer/songwriter Drew White.  Drew and I talk about his fantastic 2025 release, Concrete Americana, life with missionary

Khatumu on racist kids, self-therapizing, and her upcoming performance at Bottle Rock

This week I sit down with the incredibly talented Khatumu. We talk about her experience of racism with a kid at work, how she passed time during covid lockdowns, the infl

American Fraternity on masculinity, LA Hedonism, and celebrating imperfections

This week I sit down with Noah Thomas who releases music under the name American Fraternity. Noah and I talked about his brief experience in Greek life, graduating colleg

Wesley Phipps on leaving Houston, driving to Ohio, and falling in love with Nashville

On this episode of First Spin, I sit down with Wesley Phipps, current Belmont University student who just released his first EP, "Worst Of It."  Wesley and I chat about h

HAFFWAY (Live at The Moroccan Lounge)

In this special, first-of-its-kind episode, Hayden sits down with HAFFWAY (Sam Westhoff) for a conversation before his headlining show at The Moroccan Lounge on February

Seth Beamer: "The Song Is In Control"

This week I sit down with Colorado-raised, Nashville-living, Montana-loving Seth Beamer.  Seth and I talk about his time in the Denver music scene, why he left for Nashvi

Tourneforte's James Uzzel on Myrtle Beach, Carolina Emo, and the Making of Make Good

This week I sit down with James Uzzel of the Carolina Emo band Tourneforte.  James details finding his people in the Myrtle Beach music scene (not as easy as you'd h

Emily James on oversharing, romance, and continuing Summer Nostalgia

This week I sit down with Emily James, who's breakout song 'Brooklyn' has been on nearly every playlist I've made in the last 3 years.  Emily opens up

Welcome Stranger on Craigslist, Fleet Foxes and their newest single “Won’t Be Around”

This week I sit down with Zach Sweeney and Alex Forsythe of the indie-folk group, Welcome Stranger.  We dive into the history of the band and the Craigslist ad that spawn

Ovven on the Peace Corps, OJ, and the influence of Wilco

This week on First Spin I sit down with Owen Burton, the creative force behind the band Ovven as he shares his journey from growing up in the Chicago burbs, his experienc

Nikki Falk on love songs, analog promotion, and the upcoming album Fighter Dog.

In this conversation, Nikki Falk, a singer-songwriter originally from Hawaii, shares her journey into music, discussing her move to California (by way of Australia), usin

Will Overman on divorce, Tik Tok kids, and the Somewhere Upstate Tour

In this episode, musician Will Overman shares his journey from Virginia to Nashville, detailing the challenges and triumphs of pursuing a career in music. Will opens up a

Range Life: recording studios, AI, and the influence of Phantom Planet

In this conversation, Mike Chiarappa discusses the evolution of his music project, Range Life, from a solo endeavor to a collaborative band effort. He shares insights abo

Gursday: slow pitch softball, Bogeyland, and the inspiration of Nirvana

Hayden interviews Danny and Jesse from the Long Island band Gursday about their origins, creative process, and lives outside of music. The conversation opens with the sto

Louis Metric on song titles, mountaineering, and the inspiration of John Mayer.

LA singer-songwriter-producer Louis Metric drops in for a freewheeling, funny, and thoughtful convo about art, algorithms, and why brunch might be the enemy of your creat