Paul Metsa’s Wall of Power will bring together music, entertainment, and cool people from all walks of life.
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Paul Metsa is a legendary musician and songwriter from Minnesota. Born on the Iron Range, he has been based in Minneapolis since 1978. He has received seven Minnesota Music Awards and has played more than five thousand gigs, including forays to Iceland and Siberia.
Paul Metsa catches up with extraordinary guitarist and Minnesota native Jeff Dayton to swap unforgettable stories about spending years on the road as Glen Campbell’s right-hand man. They trade wild tales of scraped-together early gigs, ruining vintage guitars in junior high woodshop, and the fateful phone call that launched a massive touring career. They also…
Join Paul Metsa for a deep dive into Bob Dylan’s mesmerizing recent concert at the brand-new Mystic Lake Amphitheater in Shakopee, Minnesota. He’s joined by a stellar lineup of Dylan experts and lifelong fans—musician Robbie Vee, arts curator Colleen Sheehy, and veteran journalist Martin Keller—who share their honest takeaways and favorite moments from the historic…
Paul Metsa reconnects with longtime friend and newly retired reverend Guy Drake to swap incredible stories from his days touring alongside 70s legends like Earth, Wind & Fire, Linda Ronstadt, and Jim Croce. After four decades of writing hundreds of unreleased songs, Guy and his musical partner Tom finally have a brand new Johnson and…
Paul Metsa sits down with the incredibly talented Emily LaPlant and Liz Ashworth of the Americana duo LaPlant Road. The two multi-instrumentalists share the fascinating story behind their musical roots up in Grand Rapids, how a chance encounter brought them together, and the magic of recording their debut album, Finding Home, at the legendary Pachyderm…
Host Paul Metsa had a great chat with Dave Ahl (drummer) and Chris Osgood (guitarist) of the legendary Minneapolis punk band the Suicide Commandos in a salute to Steve Almaas (bass) who recently passed away on June 5th at the age of 69. They told stories of the band’s early days, playing at CBGB’s in…
Join Paul Metsa and renowned scholar Professor Anne Margaret Daniel for a lively, music-filled celebration of Bob Dylan’s 85th birthday. You’ll get to hear some incredibly fascinating stories about the legendary songwriter’s life, from his beloved dogs and underrated piano skills to a wild 25th birthday bash in Paris. #BobDylan #PaulMetsa #WallOfPowerRadioHour #AnneMargaretDaniel #BobDylan85 #MusicHistory…
Host Paul Metsa had a great chat with Kent Militzer who helped shepard Big Hopes for Mid-America, a great 30 song compilation of original modern protest songs by Minnesota artists. We also played several tracks off the record. (photo of Kent by Stephan Faerber) #MinneapolisMusic #PaulMetsa #ProtestSongs #MinnesotaMusicResistance #MidAmerica #HookAndLadder #LocalArtists #MusicCommunity #TwinCities #BigHopes
Host Paul Metsa had a great conversation with two founding members of the legendary Twin Cities celtic band Boiled in Lead, Todd Menton (guitar) and Drew Miller (bass). They chatted about the history of the band that was formed in 1983, their influences, great shows they have played and their new record Kings of the…
Host Paul Metsa had a fascinating chat with his old buddy Keith Secola. Keith grew up on the Iron Range and over the years became a leader in the Native Americana Music movement. He is a great songwriter who has won many awards over the years. He recently performed with the great John Densmore of…
Join Paul Metsa on the latest episode of the Wall of Power Radio Hour as he chats with Native American musician Keith Secola about his journey from the Iron Range to performing at the Olympics and major venues worldwide. The two discuss the inspiration behind Keith’s “Native Americana” style and the stories of resilience woven…
Host Paul Metsa interviews Twin Cities broadcast legend Mary Lucia about her great new book “What Doesn’t Kill Me Makes Me Weirder and Harder To Relate To”. It is a brilliant and harrowing tale of enduring three years of being stalked by one of her listeners on MPR’s The Current radio show. They also chatted…
Paul Metsa welcomes back the sharp-witted Charlie Pierce for another “Checkpoint Charlie” session, diving deep into the messy landscape of American politics and social upheaval. From the controversial operations of ICE in Minnesota to the corporate gutting of legendary newspapers like the Washington Post, they don’t pull any punches while dissecting the current state of…
Paul dives into a powerful conversation with legendary folk musician Charlie Maguire and author Steven E. Mayer about the resilience of the human spirit. We’re drawing parallels between the historic 1934 Minneapolis truckers’ strike, the Iron Range labor battles, and the current struggles for justice on our city streets. It’s an episode steeped in local…
Paul Metsa sits down with Vietnam veteran and legendary Twin Cities musician Ronn Easton to discuss his experiences during and after the war. Easton shares powerful insights into the challenges of returning home, his involvement with the organization Home of the Brave, and his perspective on the current political landscape in America. A few hours…
Paul Metsa is a legendary musician and songwriter from Minnesota. Born on the Iron Range, he has been based in Minneapolis since 1978. He has received seven Minnesota Music Awards and has played more than five thousand gigs, including forays to Iceland and Siberia. He lives in Northeast Minneapolis with his faithful dog, Blackie; a…
In this episode of the Wall of Power Radio Hour, Paul Metsa reunites with longtime bandmates Tim O’Keefe, Jack Pasternacki, and Joe Luoma to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their band, Cats Under the Stars. The group swaps stories about everything from jamming in high school and surviving freezing canoe trip gigs to what fans…
Legendary Iron Range band Cats Under the Stars are re-releasing their 45 RPM single “Louie, Louie” / “Blue Ghosts” from 1982 (recorded at the Children’s Theater studio) along with a previously unreleased rap song written by Cats guitarist Jack Pasternacki that Paul and Jack recorded in 1984 called “Under Grey Skies in the Buffalo Zone.” This release coincides with the band’s…
Paul Metsa interviewed two stalwarts of the Minneapolis music scene. First up is Edie Baumgart who just finished a great book called A Musicians Menu- a book of recipes from Minnesota musicians, industry folks, and scenesters. Then Paul has a great chat with bandleader Nate Dungan, whose band Trailer Trash is about to take their…
Host Paul Metsa had a very interesting show that commemorated the 50th Anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald. He spoke with his hometown friend Ray Fraboni who served on the Edmund Fitzgerald in 1969. He then told of the amazing night when he opened for Gordon Lightfoot in 1997 in Superior, WI where…
Join host Paul Metsa on the Wall of Power Radio Hour for a special episode debuting his new album, “Songs of Resistance and Resolve”. Paul delves into his 40-year catalog, sharing the personal stories and political inspirations behind his socially-aware songs written from 1984 to the present day. The show features tracks recorded with a…
Celebrate a Minnesota music legend! Paul Metsa, acclaimed musician, songwriter, and author, is marking his 70th birthday with a special benefit show for AM950. It takes place Sunday, November 2 at 7 PM at the Aster House in Minneapolis. The evening also serves as a CD release party for his latest record, Songs of Resistance…
Paul Metsa and Mr. Charlie Pierce, had another great chat in our semi-regular episodes we call “Checkpoint Charlie.” Charles Pierce writes a political column for Esquire.com, and Paul refers to him as his “psychological morphine drip for all things political.” Besides discussing the state of our once-great nation, Charlie reminds us of the origin of the…
Host Paul Metsa had a great chat with Ms. Ellen Stekert. Ms. Stekert has a long career as a folksinger, a folklorist, college professor and more. She’s had a fascinating life and recently discovered a field recording of the late great Reverend Gary Davis that she and friends recorded in NYC in 1951. Paul and…
