Hans Halstead discusses his new singles and the Minnesota music scene in episode 53.
The episode begins with host Mark Sterry welcoming Hans Halstead to the Minnesota Music Shakedown. Hans is zooming from Minnetrista, a suburb west of Minneapolis, and originally from Duluth. He mentions favorite Duluth bands like Charlie Parr and Trampled by Turtles. Hans attended St. Olaf College and got into music through choirs and Suzuki guitar training from first grade, which emphasized ear learning over reading music. He started writing songs in ninth grade after a friend's encouragement and released a debut EP in 2019. His influences range from classic rock like Bob Dylan and the Beatles to modern indie acts like Tame Impala. Hans describes his new singles 'Better in Your Arms' and 'Minnesota Girl' as indie country, inspired by personal experiences and a music video actress. The songs were recorded at Terrarium Studios in Minneapolis with engineer Jason Orris. Session musicians included drummer Noah Levy of the Honeydogs, bassist Jason Orris, violinist Sierra Hill, pedal steel player Joe Savage, and pianist Scotty Miller. Hans talks about his release show at the Phoenix on August 17th, which went well with help from local band Why Not. He has no upcoming shows booked but is considering venues like the Ice House or Green Room. Hans plans to release an EP by December, featuring the two singles and other tracks, with about 30 songs ready for release. He directs listeners to his Instagram and website for updates. The episode ends with promotional details for the podcast and a musical outro.
