Wall of Power Radio Hour – March 2, 2024

We had a great conversation with Minneapolis guitarist and songwriter Tab Laven. We talked about his early years in the Twin Cities, his work with Mary MacGregor and Michael Johnson, and his time in  Nashville where he met  Art Garfunkel who has toured the world with.  

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Wall of Power Radio Hour – February 17, 2024

We had a great time, with three special guests, saluting the late great Mojo Nixon. First up is Steve McClellan, the man who put First Avenue and 7th Entry on the map as he booked both venues for over 30 years. He talks about working with Mojo and Skid Roper in the early days. Next…

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Wall of Power Radio Hour – January 29, 2024

Paul Metsa had a blast interviewing his old buddy, and Midwest Classic Country Legend, about his 70 years of playing music. Sherwin has a great new 42 song double CD out called Sunday Drives with Mom and Dad, a collection of songs they would sing together while driving around in their hometown of Watertown, South…

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Wall of Power Radio Hour – January 20, 2024

Paul had a great chat with food critic, author and columnist Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl about her new book The Essential Dear Dara- Writings on Local Characters and Memorable Places, including shared memories of both coming of age on Ridgewood Avenue in Minneapolis, and the wonders of that gateway to South Minneapolis, and Minneapolis at large.…

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Paul Metsa with Matt – Holiday Shows 2023-24

Paul Metsa is an acclaimed Minnesota musician and Iron Ranger who hosts the Wall of Power Radio Hour every Saturday at 6 PM on AM950. He is an expert on Bob Dylan and recently co-wrote a book called Blood In The Tracks about the Minneapolis-based musicians who backed Dylan on his iconic Blood on the…

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Paul Metsa and Rick Shefchik with Matt – September 22, 2023

When Bob Dylan recorded Blood on the Tracks in New York in September 1974, it was a great album. But it was not the album now ranked by Rolling Stone as one of the ten best of all time. “When something’s not right, it’s wrong,” as Dylan puts it in “You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome…

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Wall of Power Radio Hour – August 19, 2023

We had a great chat with Chris Cunningham from the dynamic duo Storyhill who are hosting Storyhill Fest at Clearwater Camp from August 25-27. Chris told us how they came together in high school, and the highlights of their 30 year career together. they are taking a break after the festival, so this is the…

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Wall of Power Radio Hour – May 20, 2023

We had a great conversation with journalist, musician, author, and songwriter Jeff Slate. Jeff write for Esquire.com, Rolling Stone, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal (a great interview with Bob Dylan.) We talked about Jeff’s background, his own music, and his associations with some other great musicians.

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Wall of Power Radio Hour – May 6 2023

We had a great show featuring two musicians playing at Twangfest at Palmers Bar Patio on May 13, 2023. First up was John Magnuson (formerly of the Carpetbaggers) and Doug Collins (pictured here with his band The Receptionists.) Paul then ends the show with a tribute and personal remembrance of opening up for  his hero Gordon…

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Excerpts from Alphabet Jazz

Paul read several pieces from his latest book Alphabet Jazz- Poetry, Prose, Stories, and Songs and played a couple of his recordings as well. The book can be purchased at Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Alphabet-Jazz-Poetry-Prose-Stories/dp/B0BF2LST6B) or in the Twin Cities at the Electric Fetus, Grumpy’s Bar NE, and HiFi Hair and Records in Loring Park.  

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Previewing the Water Is Life Festival – August 27, 2022

Host Paul Metsa chatted with Winona LaDuke, founder of HonortheEarth.org about the genesis of the organization, their work, and the upcoming Water Is Life concert on Sept. 4, 2022 at Bayfront Park in Duluth, MN. Paul also chatted with Alan Sparhawk, founder and guitarist /songwriter for the Duluth band Low who is performing at the…

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Wall of Power Radio Hour – June 26 2022

We had a great chat with two of the best folksingers in MN Charlie Maguire and Pop Wagner. We talked about the great new Woody Guthrie book by Nora Guthrie and Robert Santelli as well as their upcoming show Woody Guthrie- Coast to Coast on July 16th at the Belvedere Room at Crooners Supper Club…

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Wall Of Power – March 5, 2022

We had a fascinating conversation with investigative reporter John Ramos about the mysterious “Mr. O” who, among other things, has been advising the Mayor of Two Harbors, MN about building a 400 million dollar underwater hotel. “Mr. O” runs a podcast and claims to be a Billionaire with 48 businesses, and 150 square acres of…

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Wall of Power Radio Hour – February 12, 2022

It was an honor to salute the life and legacy of Native American Civil  Rights activist and founder of the American Indian Movement, Clyde Bellecourt. We had great conversations with Lisa Bellinger, current head of AIM (whose mother Pat helped found it), longtime MN troubadour and activist Larry Long, and attorney Jacqueline Long who started…

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Wall of Power Radio Hour – January 29, 2022

We celebrated the life and legacy of MN comedian Louie Anderson with three close personal friends of his. We chatted with Lizz Winstead, founder of the Daily Show, who knew Louie from her start in the Minneapolis comedy scene, Journalist and author Marty Keller who got to be good friends with him, and Jeff Gerbino,…

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Wall of Power Radio Hour – January 22, 2022

Paul had a great chat with Marian Moore and Barb With, two woman involved with the Stop Line 3 protests, subsequent arrests, and the great new version of Down to the River to Pray by the newly reunited Woman Who Cook. At the end of the show, Paul was honored to play the worldwide debut…

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Wall of Power Radio Hour – July 31, 2021

We had a great conversation with many of the players that are involved with the Honeybee Festival taking place at the Oldenburg House in Carlton, MN on August 6-7, 2021. We started with Scott Lillo who is on the Board of Directors for the OACC.org (Oldenburg Arts Community and Conservation.) We also spoke with Jeff…

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Wall Of Power Radio Hour – May 15, 2021

We had a most delightful chat with Rev. Guy Drake, one half of the legendary Twin Cities duo Johnson and Drake. They have recently rediscovered, and are releasing, several of the records they recorded 50 years ago! Besides recording, they performed in concert with some of the top names in the business including Jim Croce,…

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Wall of Power Radio Hour – January 16, 2021

We had conversations with two great musicians, Ms. Dar Williams and Ellen Stanley aka Mother Banjo about a virtual event happening on 1/20/21 called Steps 2021 celebrating the Inauguration and an artistic way to move forward after the dark days on the steps of the Capitol on Jan. 2, 2021. Dar had great stories about…

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Wall of Power Radio Hour – December 5, 2020

WE had a delightful conversation with journalist and author Michael Tisserand this week. It included a great tale of him marching with dozens of others ACROSS the country protesting nuclear arms and energy. Along the way they bumped into musician Tiny Tim (Tiptoe Thr ough the Tulips) and we played a couple of songs off…

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Wall of Power Radio Hour – November 21, 2020

Paul had an incredible interview with musician Walt Rabideau, a rock and roller who started his career in Tomorrow’s Children, a band that started in Paul’s hometown of Virginia, MN in 1966. Walt tells the tale of his start with the Tomorrow’s Children, their gigs and recording 3 singles, before Walt moved to Haight Ashbury…

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Wall of Power Radio Hour – November 7, 2020

We had a great conversation with Stacey Marmolejo, CEO of School of Rock (based in Eden Prairie.) We chatted about how she discovered the School of Rock and bought and brought a franchise to Minnesota. She explains the various aspects of the school, talks about the hundreds of students that have studied there, and all…

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Wall Of Power Radio Hour – October 24 2020

I take the liberty of giving AM 950 listeners and Wall of Power Radio Hour fans an upcoming preview of the rerelease of my 1992 disc Whistling Past the Graveyard. It was procuded by Bucky Baxter (Bob Dylan, Steve Earle) who also played on it. It also features Garry Tallent (Bruce Springsteeen) and George Marinelli…

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Wall of Power Radio Hour – October 17, 2020

We had an amazing conversation with Northfield, MN native and Country Western star Johnny Western. Johnny grew up in southern MN, had his own radio and TV show at 17 yrs. of age. He put out 3 singles before he left for Holywood, California in 1954 at age 20. That began an amazing career in…

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Wall of Power Radio Hour – October 3, 2020

We had an incredibly fun chat with 93 year old songwriter and raconteur Mr. Eddie Pleasant. Eddie is a great songwriter who has had songs recorded by Kitty Wells, Faron Young, Lefty Frizell, Hank Williams Jr., and Hank Williams 3rd. We chatted about his life in music (he played the same Texas clubs that Willie…

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Wall Of Power Radio Hour – August 1, 2020

We had a great conversation with NYC songwriter and journalist Jeff Slate. We played several snippets of his 2 CD set (one disc of originals, one disc of Dylan covers.) We also chatted about his music history, and how he came to write a 10,000 word essay for the release of Bob Dylan’s More Blood,…

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Wall of Power Radio Hour – July 25, 2020

We had a great conversation with Professor Anne Margaret Daniel about Bob Dylan’s new masterpiece Rough and Rowdy Ways. Prof. Daniel is both a Bob Dylan and F. Scott Fitzgerald scholar, talks about both of them, their MN connection, and the poetic allusions in Dylan’s great new disc, among other things. Really fun show!

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Wall Of Power Radio Hour – July 11, 2020

We had a great conversation with Professor Anne Margaret Daniel about Bob Dylan’s new masterpiece Rough and Rowdy Ways. Prof. Daniel is both a Bob Dylan and F. Scott Fitzgerald scholar, talks about both of them, their MN connection, and the poetic allusions in Dylan’s great new disc, among other things. Really fun show!  

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Wall of Power Radio Hour – June 27, 2020

We had another great Checkpoint Charlie episode with the esteemed Charles Pierce, a writer for Esquire.com, about Bob Dylan’s new masterpiece Rough and Rowdy Ways. We chatted about Dylan, the new disc, and related stuff. Always a gas with Mr. Pierce!  

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Wall of Power Radio Hour – June 13, 2020

We had a fascinating interview with Mr. Aaron Dixon, author of My People Are Rising: A Memoir of a Black Panther Party Captain. He told us about his upbringing, his political awakening, his time in the Black Panthers, and his feelings about the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent worldwide protests. Highly informative and…

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Wall of Power Radio Hour – June 6, 2020

We had a wide ranging discussion with Professor Monte Bute (Metropolitan State University) about his leadership in the Anti-War demonstrations at the UofMN in the early 70’s. It included his early years (Red Wing Reformatory, Haight Ashbury) his political awakening and his take on the murder of George Floyd and the dangers of the Trump…

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Wall of Power Radio Hour – May 30, 2020

We had an incredibly informative conversation with Mr. Andy Mannix, the Investigative Reporter for the Minneapolis StarTribune since 2016. We focused on the murder of George Floyd, subsequent protests, police practices, Andy’s history, and more.

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Wall of Power Radio Hour – May 16, 2020

Another great episode of Checkpoint Charlie, featuring Mr. Charles Pierce- who Paul refers to as his psychological morphine drip for all things political. Charlie writes for Esquire.com and is one of the best political minds on the scene and a Wall of Power Radio Hour Listener favorite!

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Wall of Power Radio Hour – May 2, 2020

We have a really fun conversation with one of Paul’s favorite electric guitar players, Mr. David Grissom from Austin, Texas. We talk about his history in Austin, Texas, playing with Lucinda Williams, Joe Ely, and John Mellencamp, among other We also have the Worldwide Debut of his new record Live 2020. Turn it up!

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Wall of Power Radio Hour – April 25, 2020

We have a very informative interview with Dr. Jeff Balke, resident physician in the ICU Unit at North Memorial Hospital in Robbinsdale, MN. Jeff talks about the current pandemic, studying with Dr. Anthony Fauci at NIH in ’87-88 during the AIDS epidemic. Jeff also talks about working with Dr. Harry Jacob at the UofMN Hospital.…

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Wall of Power Radio Hour – April 18, 2020

We had a delightful and charming interview with songstress, guitar player, producer, and yoga instructor Ms. Molly Maher. We chatted about her ab-fab new record “Follow” and played several tracks off it. She talked about the record, her musical history, victorious bout with cancer, and more. We Love Molly Maher!

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Wall of Power Radio Hour – April 11, 2020

We had a great chat with legendary Philly DJ Michael Tearson. Mr. Tearson was recently cited in the Philadelphia Inquirer obit of producer and Philly boy Hal Wilner as a big influence on Mr. Wilner. We chatted about Hal, played a couple of tracks he produced and more. Michael talked about his own history, the…

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Wall of Power Radio Hour – March 28, 2020

We had a great conversation with author Sally Mann Romano about her new book and colorful life. She moved from Texas to California as a teenager and over the years hung out and became friends with Phil Spector, Frank Zappa, Janis Joplin and more while in Los Angeles. When she moved to San Francisco she…

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