First Spin
Hey, I’m Hayden Thomas—musician, lifelong music fan, and the guy who still makes mixtapes for road trips.
First Spin is my weekly interview show where I sit down with emerging artists who I genuinely believe are doing something special. You might not know their names yet, but if you’re anything like me, you’ll want to change that.
This show isn’t about hype. It’s about real conversations—about the first gigs, the late-night doubts, the sound that finally clicks. It’s a space for new voices to tell their stories, and for all of us to listen a little closer.
If you’re always on the hunt for the next song that’ll mean something to you—welcome. You’re in the right place.
New artists. Real stories. Weekly drops. Let’s give ‘em their first spin.
Podcasting since 2025 • 32 episodes
First Spin
Latest Episodes
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 12, 2025. Sam talks about almost giving up, writing for himself, men...
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43:12
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 Nashville, writing for syncs, how Spotify numbers influence things and how ...
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47:38
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 hope), traveling to New Jersey to make albums, sustained growth vs. viral m...
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58:53
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 about the success of that song, her upcoming LP 'Summer Nostalgia' (and why it shares a ...
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45:55
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 spawned it, the process of writing songs, the influence of growing up in a...
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45:40