This week’s guest is Sean Tillmann. You probably know him much better as Har Mar Superstar. The Minneapolis music legend has made a name for himself throughout the Midwest—and far beyond—with his entertaining and ever-changing material. He’s written songs with mainstream pop stars. He’s made cameos in films like Whip It and Pitch Perfect, on TV shows like Broad City, and he currently leads the “Skeleton Crew” on Netflix’s Mystery Science Theater 3000. Last year, he also found the time to start a great new project called Heart Bones. Before any of that, though, Tillmann was a kid growing up in the small town of Owatonna, Minnesota with an insatiable passion for music.

Prior to his performance at last month’s PrideFest Milwaukee festivities, Tillmann was kind enough to invite My First Band host Tyler Maas to join him in his car for an interview about his musical beginnings. There, Tillmann talked about winning the coveted “Ole Of The Day Award” from Taco John’s, his upbringing in a musical family, renting VFW halls and park chalets for shows in middle school as part of bands with names like Chinchilla Hardware and Loaded, getting serious about music in high school Calvin Krime (which toured with Fred Armisen’s band), as well as the unusual and unexpected turn of events that set Har Mar Superstar into motion.

My First Band is sponsored by Boulevard Brewing and 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”), Calvin Krime (“Die Beautiful”), and Har Mar Superstar (“Lady, You Shot Me”).