Caleb Westphal is best-known for his amazing fish fry streak, which currently stands at 325 consecutive Fridays (and counting!). This impressive, hyper-specific, and unarguably Midwestern feat has earned the Milwaukee writer attention from national publications, a cameo on a fish fry-focused documentary, and—as chance would have it—a spot in a band. After mentioning his desire to play in a band in some of his weekly fish fry reviews on Milwaukee Record, a surf rock outfit called Devils Teeth gave Westphal a chance. A couple years later, the saxophone player is now a valued part of the accomplished outfit, and his fish fry streak is still going strong.
Last week, Westphal welcomed My First Band host Tyler Maas into his basement where (from a safe distance), they ate fish fry together before talking about the origin of his weekly ritual, his favorite haunts he’s discovered over the course of his six-plus-year odyssey, how he landed in Devils Teeth, and his extensive musical past. Over the course of the hour-long discussion, Westphal talked about buying his first sax at a rummage sale, how Christian bands like MxPx and Five Iron Frenzy were his gateway to punk and ska, his experiences in Fond du Lac bands like Offend Your Friends, and much more. They pair also talked about Westphal’s preferred fish preparation and sides. Oh, and if you’re reading this on the day the episode is released, today is Caleb’s birthday. Happy birthday, Caleb!
My First Band is sponsored by Mystery Room Mastering. The show is edited by Jared Blohm. You can listen to My First Band on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and wherever else you get podcasts. Music used in this show comes courtesy of Devils Teeth (“The Junction Street Eight Tigers” and “Speed, Power, Focus”) and Offend Your Friends (“Vacation In The Middle East” and “Olive Branch”).