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.
First Spin
Andrew Patrick of The Carolyn: On DIY Punk, Orgcore & Not Giving Up
Andrew Patrick from The Carolyn jumped on the mic with me this week, and we got into a really honest, really funny conversation about what it takes to keep a band going when you’ve also got a day job, a life, and a limited supply of vacation days.
We talked about the band’s new single and upcoming album (which they announced literally right after we recorded), how they’ve never really followed the typical release playbook, and what it’s like trying to stay visible online without feeling like a walking algorithm. Andrew doesn’t fake it—he just tells it like it is. Which includes European fans who’ll give you a place to crash, feed you dinner, and then casually tell you your voice sucked that night.
We also got into the band’s sound, which pulls from a lot of directions without losing its identity, and the very unromantic origin of their name (it involves a dorm, some questionable decisions, and zero branding foresight). Somehow it all adds up.
Other things we covered:
- FEST in Gainesville and why Andrew would move there if he could
- The strange warmth of Florida punk
- Orgcore, sort of
- His love for Charli XCX (pre-brat, too)
- And a Florida band called Rutterkin you should definitely check out
I’ve been a fan of The Carolyn for a while, but this conversation made me appreciate what they’re building even more.
–– Hayden
Songs in this episode (in order):
Nosebleeds, A.M., Case Infinito
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Thanks for listening—see you next week.