Zaq Baker is a musician and author and we got to talk to him about both endeavors today. Zaq is a delight and a great storyteller with a keen eye for detail and work ethic that you’d need to work on writing (and playing) music, novels and a musical! We talked about his debut novel, Unspectacular. It’s an interesting look at family and community through the lens of the music industry. Very fun to learn more about the process of writing the book.
We also checked out a few of his songs – including the most recent release, bri, which he wrote about love. I was delighted to have Langen Goldstien (Girl at the Rock Shows) cohost!
Big thanks to folks who sent us requests and recommendations for MN songs about hospitality. Check out the songs we played below or our aspirational playlist on Spotify.
| Artist | Song | Release |
| Zaq Baker | treadmill (feat. Corzine) | spearmint (neon redux) – EP |
| Zaq Baker | jetlag (feat. Maria Coyne) | spearmint (neon redux) – EP |
| Zaq Baker | bri | bri – Single |
| Fires of Denmark | Ready for Sleep | Ready for Sleep – Single |
| Kitten Forever | Chores | Semi-Permanent |
| Alpha Consumer | The Waiting Room | Gary Victorsen’s |
| Tina Schlieske | Hustlin’ Woman Blues | Evil Gal Blues |
| Mary Cutrufello | Sonic Girls | 35 |
| Golden Smog | V | Down By the Old Mainstream |
| The Carpetbaggers | Empties At My Feet | Country Miles Apart |
| Martin Devaney | Theme for an Anonymous Waitress | La Mancha |
| The Replacements | Here Comes a Regular | All for Nothing/Nothing for All |
| Soul Asylum | To My Own Devices | Grave Dancers Union / Let Your Dim Light Shine |
| Dessa | Crew | A Badly Broken Code |
| Prince | The Ballad of Dorothy Parker | Sign O’ the Times |
| The Replacements | Waitress In the Sky | Tim |
| Nato Coles and The Blue Diamond Band | Rudes and Cheaps | Promises to Deliver |
| Hüsker Dü | Diane | Metal Circus |
| The Shackeltons | Front Row Paul |
Mostly Minnesota 