The Minnesota Music Note

What happens when experienced musicians step outside their comfort zones, try something new, and discover a whole different side of performing? Michelle Hernick and Kelly Jantz join Will to talk about their musical journeys, how they found their way into the Twin Cities music scene, and why having fun and making music their own matters more than getting everything perfect. From playing together in...

What makes a band stick with original music, and what does it take to find your place in the Twin Cities music scene? In this episode of Minnesota Music Note, we sit down with Brian White and Gerhard Vogel of Caribou Gone to talk about the band, their musical influences, and what keeps them excited about making music. From the story behind their name and how they came together during COVID to thei...

What happens when you go from losing your voice to becoming a finalist on NBC’s The Voice, only to discover that the grind of being a musician never really ends? Singer-songwriter Kat Perkins joins the Minnesota Music Note to talk about her incredible journey from a small town in North Dakota to performing on a national stage, and what it takes to keep building a music career long after the spotli...

What happens when old friends reconnect, pick up their instruments, and discover they still have plenty of rock left in them? In this episode of Minnesota Music Note, we sit down with The Cyclones, a seven-piece classic rock band made up of longtime Anoka connections who reunited about three and a half years ago. From playing music in the early '80s to getting back on stage in their 60s, the...

What happens when a music teacher turns her love for helping kids into a space where young musicians can find their people, play loud, and chase their dreams? In this episode of Minnesota Music Note, we sit down with Jen Van Riper, better known as Miss V, the founder of The Flying V, a youth-centered, straight-edge music venue and nonprofit in Minneapolis. What started with buying instruments for...

What does it really take to turn a passion for music into a career that lasts? From touring with a record-deal band in the ’90s to building Rival 5 into one of the Twin Cities’ in-demand live acts, Tim Kletti has learned that being a great musician is only part of the equation. Behind every unforgettable performance are the business decisions, sacrifices, relationships, and relentless planning tha...

What happens when music follows you through every stage of life, no matter where you go? Joe Vitullo is a keyboardist and vocalist who has spent decades playing in bands, exploring different genres, recording solo albums, and building connections throughout the music scene. From learning piano as a kid in Philadelphia to playing paid gigs at just 15, Joe's musical journey has taken him throug...

He spent decades playing bass in church. Then, around 2020, he stepped into the local rock scene and never looked back. 🤘 What happens when a lifelong musician finally finds the rock scene he’s been missing? For Steve, it started with an open jam at Mad Mike’s and turned into new bands, lifelong friendships, and even meeting the woman he’d eventually marry. In this episode, we get into Steve’s jo...

What’s it really like making a living in music, both onstage and behind the scenes? Brandon has spent years working in live music, from touring with big names to playing bass in Seattle Rain. He’s seen a lot change over the years, especially when it comes to touring, live venues, and what it takes for musicians to get their music out there. We sat down with Brandon to talk about his journey in mus...

From his first drum kit to decades of playing live, Brant Jackson has built a life around music. In this episode of The Minnesota Music Note, Brant Jackson shares the stories behind his musical journey, from growing up in a musical family to playing in bands like White Squirrel and Audio Circus. He talks about building his own acrylic drum kits, the musicians who inspired him, memorable concerts,...

45 years. Countless shows. One hell of a ride. Bill Lindsay has been making noise with Twin Cities shock rock band Impaler for nearly 45 years, and he’s still not slowing down. From discovering Alice Cooper and KISS as a kid to forming his first bands, building Impaler from the ground up, landing a deal with Combat Records, and becoming part of the controversy surrounding the PMRC, Bill has lived...

What started as a one-off gig turned into System 13. System 13's Angela and Chaz sit down with Will to talk about how the band came together, the musical backgrounds that shaped them, and why they refuse to take themselves too seriously on stage. From Chaz starting guitar as a kid to Angela unexpectedly finding herself in a band, their stories are full of twists, laughs, and plenty of music t...

What happens when a kid obsessed with AC/DC grows up to become a fixture in the Minnesota rock scene? Danny Lee Jorgensen has one hell of a guitar story to tell. From air-guitaring in his bedroom and learning AC/DC riffs off DVDs to playing in multiple tribute bands, grinding at Mad Mike’s open jams, and now writing original music with Cursed by Lightning — Danny’s journey is all about chasing the...

What happens when one of the quietest guys in the room becomes a completely different person the moment he steps on stage? Dave Whitmer has spent more than 20 years navigating the Minnesota metal scene — from discovering Iron Maiden through a dubbed cassette tape to playing in Rising Fall, becoming part of the early Epicurean story, and now holding down bass in UXIA and Imaginarium, Minnesota’s Ni...

She’s been singing for as long as she can remember. 🎤 From singing little songs as a kid to performing church solos, joining her first band at 16, discovering Mariah Carey and learning how to really use her voice, Becca Christensen has spent a lifetime finding her place in music. In this episode, Becca gets real about growing up around music, finding confidence on stage, the bands and musicians w...

Some people play music. Kyle Bedbury builds his entire life around it. Drummer. Rapper. DJ. Producer. Guitar player. Promoter. Tour organizer. And somehow, he’s still finding more ways to stay busy. In Episode 64 of The Minnesota Music Note, Will sits down with Kyle Bedbury to talk about his nonstop journey through Minnesota’s music scene and how he turned a lifelong obsession with music into a li...

What does it actually take to build a metal band from the ground up? It’s not just writing heavy songs and playing shows. It’s finding the right people, surviving lineup changes, figuring out who you are as a band, and putting in the work long before anyone else is paying attention. Kalopsya takes us behind the scenes of that journey — from how the members found each other and the hilarious ways s...

Minneapolis is getting ready to raise some serious hell. On October 17, Minneapolis Valhalla Fest III takes over The Hook & Ladder for a full day of heavy music — 13 bands, two stages, and 10 hours of metal. And this year’s lineup is bringing some serious fire. Headlining the festival is Anders Colsefni, the original vocalist of Slipknot, performing songs from the Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat. and...

What keeps you playing music when the money isn’t always there, the gigs can be hard to find, and the years keep flying by? For Trent and TJ, the answer is simple: you just don’t stop. Trent and TJ have spent years playing in bands, writing music, jamming, recording, touring, and chasing that feeling you only get when you’re making music with other people. Their journey has taken them from local g...

What happens when music stops being something you want to do and becomes something you feel like you have to do? For Jared Willemsen, the answer is simple: you keep creating—even when the numbers don’t make sense, the path isn't clear, and success feels years away. Jared Willemsen doesn't fit neatly into one musical box—and he's not trying to. From Smile Bro and his alt-pop sound to...

What does it take for an all-women rock band to stay together, keep growing, and keep rocking for 15 years? For Rebel Queens, it’s a whole lot of grit, passion, and refusing to disappear. Rebel Queens have spent years carving out their place in Minnesota’s rock scene—and they’re not slowing down. In this episode, we sit down with Tiffany, Katie, and Lou to hear how the band came together, what ins...

What happens when one love of music turns into three bands, 21 musicians, and a whole lot of schedules to keep straight? This episode is a little different from our usual band conversations. Sarah “Tuni” joins us alongside fellow musicians Sarah Mies and Alex Santoni for a fun, candid conversation about being part of the Minnesota music scene from three very different perspectives. Sarah is involv...

What happens when you combine incredible live music with a mission to help homeless veterans? You get Tribute Fest. In this special episode of Minnesota Music Note, we sit down with Lou Campbell, the man behind Tribute Fest, to hear the story of how an idea born from one veteran’s struggle grew into an 18-year tradition bringing music lovers, tribute bands, volunteers, and veterans together in Dul...

What happens when a group of musicians meets at Rock Camp, decides to keep playing together, and somehow makes it all the way to the big stage? Halfway There is proof that you don't have to start as lifelong musicians—or even know exactly where you're going—to build something special. What started as a Bon Jovi tribute project grew into a high-energy 80s rock band that's now five ye...

What happens when you combine 90s rock, wild costumes, nostalgia, and a group of musicians who refuse to just stand on stage and play songs? You get Gen X. In this episode of The Minnesota Music Note, we sit down with members of Gen X, Brian, Ryan, and Kitty, to talk about the stories, personalities, and pure chaos behind one of Minnesota's most entertaining tribute bands. From rediscovering...