No Sleep Til Sudbury With Brent Jensen

One of Canada's greatest ambassadors, broadcasting icon and massive music fan Ron MacLean joins me on No Sleep 'til Sudbury this week. Like most Canadian sports fans I've been a fan of Ron's for decades, and it was my privilege to chat with him about the songs that make his skin vibrate.  In sharing his love for the songs that moved him over the course of his life, Ron offers the clever quips I've come to expect from him, along with some things I didn't, and I'm thankful to him for sharing so much more of himself beyond what we ordinarily see on television. In this episode, we talk about how he prepares for Hockey Night In Canada, Don Cherry having a 'little bone' to pick with Gord Downie at the Junos, a poem he wrote for Matt Mays, his hesitation to include a Loverboy song in his playlist, and why The Tragically Hip deep cut "The Wherewithal" is special to him. All this and a Tom Petty impression too. Brilliant.          MacLean's playlist: Santa Esmeralda - Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood Matt Mays - Take It

This week, friend of the show and entrepreneurial juggernaut Terry Moshenberg drops by the studio for his second kick at the NSTS can with an all-new batch of great tunes.    Over the course of our chat, Mosh and I talk about his latest capers, cannabis and 'little people' wrestling, Pink Floyd's crazy Billboard run, the power of nostalgia, Bob Dylan's electric period, the beauty of mistakes, and the mighty League of Rock.  Moshenberg's playlist: Pink Floyd - Money Bob Dylan - Sweetheart Like You Bruce Springsteen - Wild Billy's Circus Story Bruce Springsteen - Incident on 57th Street Van Morrison - Tupelo Honey Van Morrison - Coney Island Mark Knopfler - Sailing to Philadelphia Bruce Springsteen - Lost in the Flood  

This week on No Sleep 'til Sudbury we did things a little differently - we taped the episode live from former Triumph frontman Rik Emmett's home. Yep - Rik was gracious enough to welcome me in with open arms and cold beer, and he even sang and played some guitar during our chat.  Through 70 episodes of doing this show, I've been fortunate enough to enjoy some pretty incredible experiences. Doing Rik's episode was up there with the very best of those. He was a perfect guest - open, funny, engaging, musically savvy, and humble. His song choices were excellent, and his genuine sentimentality warmed my heart. You do NOT want to miss this episode.         Emmett's playlist:  Molly – Biff Rose Lullaby (Goodnight My Angel) – Billy Joel A four-way guitar instrumentals tie from Pat Metheny Scarlet Ribbons – as performed by Harry Belafonte Shadow of Your Smile – as performed by Tony Bennett

Back by popular demand, singer Suzi Kory returns to the studio for Episode 069 of the No Sleep 'til Sudbury podcast with a new batch of songs that make her skin vibrate.  This time around Suzi talks about sharing the mic with Steven Tyler, what her hidden agenda is in bringing in French songs, her plans to convert me into a hippie, Lana Del Rey's connection to Axl Rose, and why she's the Forrest Gump of rock and roll.    Kory's playlist: Kate Bush - Wuthering Heights Aerosmith - Dream On Celine Dion - Le Blues de Businessman Lana Del Rey - Ride Sarah McLaughlin - The Path of Thorns          

Talking with this week's NSTS guest Bob Mayo was a genuine pleasure. In this episode, Bob speaks honestly and courageously about his upbringing, and I commend him for that. He brings in the songs that helped him get through the difficulties he faced during his high school days, and speaks frankly and articulately about how they provided a sense of security to him as a kid.  A lot of my personal favourites get talked about, including Van Halen, Sabbath, Priest, and a heartbreaking story about making a friend through KISS, and I'm reminded of the similarities between us as we chat about these bands and what they can mean to people who truly needed them. Bravo, Bob.           Mayo's playlist: Cheap Trick – The House Is Rocking  Van Halen – I’m The One Black Sabbath – Black Sabbath Gillan – Mister Universe Judas Priest – Steeler KISS – I Want You / Take Me Motorhead – Too Late Too Late BONUS: Fleetwood Mac – Albatross 

This week I'm joined by Dr. Malcolm Galloway, a neuropathologist, musician, and actor from London, England.  I invited Malcolm on the show to expand the breadth of our consideration of music beyond the typical, in the interests of how we interpret it. In our discussion about the songs that make his skin vibrate, Malcolm intertwines the emotionality of music with the technical aspects that contribute to that emotionality, making for a very interesting conversation spanning Prog, David Gilmour's kidney disease, the criticality of musical timing, the Minimalists' impact on classical music, and ABBA.      Galloway's playlist: Warm Wet Circles – Marillion Eight Lines - Steve Reich Drowning - All About Eve The Rite Of Spring - Igor Stravinsky Quartet from the musical Chess Comfortably Numb - Pink Floyd

I'm joined this week by entrepreneurial juggernaut Terry Moshenberg, founder of The League of Rock.  Terry's a true blue old school rock and roll disciple, and we have a great chat about the Seventies, Mark Knopfler, the gypsy lifestyle, The 27 Club, John Holmes (not that one), the last real rock and roll band, and a true story Terry tells about running away to the Jersey Shore that could have easily been a Springsteen song.       Moshenberg's playlist: Little Feat - Spanish Moon Bob Dylan – All Along The Watchtower Bruce Springsteen – Lost In The Flood Bruce Springsteen – It’s Hard To Be A Saint In The City The Allman Brothers – Whipping Post Dire Straits – Telegraph Road Little Feat – Time Loves A Hero

Coney Hatch's Carl Dixon is one of Canada's most respected musicians, and he's also my guest this week on No Sleep 'til Sudbury. Carl is funny, humble, thoughtful, and sentimental, and it was a pleasure hosting him. I invited him to bring in his guitar and he did, treating us to a song from his new record to wrap up our chat.       Carl tells great stories from his days recording the first Coney Hatch record with Kim Mitchell producing, including how the solo from "Monkey Bars" came to be and who inspired the lyrics to "Devil's Deck". We also chat about his experiences fronting The Guess Who, his time serving as a musical Swiss army knife in April Wine, the horrific car accident which almost ended his life, and the songs that choke him up as he talks about them.  You don't want to miss this.    Dixon's playlist:  Grand Funk Railroad – Aimless Lady Foo Fighters – Learn To Fly Jethro Tull - Skating Away    Johnny Winter – Jumping Jack Flash John Fogerty – Almost Saturday Night Thin Lizzy – Fight or Fall Status

New York City author and singer/songwriter Chris Campion joins me on the show this week. Chris gets what we're doing on the show and he welcomes the result of his honesty - we have a laugh that his playlist is solely comprised of songs by middle-aged white men.   In this episode we have a great talk about the vitriol of YouTube commenters, our mutual fondness for "Send In The Clowns", electric convulsive therapy, Anne Frank, the two Aerosmiths, and how Rod Stewart navigated the 80s. He also does a mean Tom Waits impersonation.        Campion's playlist: U2 - The Electric Co. Neutral Milk Hotel - Two Headed Boy Tom Waits - Innocent When You Dream Wilco - Radio Cure      

Canadian rock singer Suzi Kory is a woman who goes after what she wants. And in NSTS Episode 62, you'll see that she gets it. Suzy drops by the studio to talk about the songs that make her skin vibrate, and she shares some pretty incredible stories in the bargain - meeting Axl Rose and Jim Cuddy, playing The Whiskey in Los Angeles, and her views on what sexiness truly is. It would be a mistake to underestimate this woman, friends.       Kory's playlist: Guns N’ Roses – Welcome To The Jungle Barbra Streisand – Make It Like A Memory Notre Dame de Paris – Bohemienne Stevie Nicks – Landslide Blue Rodeo – After The Rain  

It's my distinct pleasure to introduce this week's No Sleep 'til Sudbury guest, former Joydrop lead singer and current Sportsnet Hometown Hockey co-host Tara Slone. Tara joins me in person to talk about the songs that make her skin vibrate, and the result is a great discussion in which she graciously shares some fantastic stories, insights, and laughs.    In this episode T and I have an emotional chat about Bowie's final album, the soundtrack to her grade 9 crush, how Hall & Oates made a surprise appearance on her final playlist, the impact of The Ramones on her life, and the artist that she and Ron McLean both love. And if that's not enough, she even does a little singing!         Slone's playlist: George Michael - Father Figure David Bowie – Blackstar Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah Red Hot Chili Peppers – Knock Me Down Ramones – Rock and Roll High School Toto – Rosanna Pretenders – Middle of the Road Tom Petty – Only a Broken Heart Mew – The Zookeepers Boy Leh-Lo – 2 out of 3 Blinker the Star – Below the Sli

On the 40th anniversary of the release of the KISS solo records, friend of the show and KISS lunatic Chris 'The Pink Chief' Long joins me this week from Florida to talk about the songs from those records that make his skin vibrate (spoiler alert - they all do). I wisely limited The Chief to 6 selections, and here's what he came back with:   Chief's playlist: Paul Stanley - Tonight You Belong To Me Paul Stanley - Hold Me Touch Me Ace Frehley - Rip It Out Ace Frehley - Speeding Back To My Baby Gene Simmons - See You Tonight Peter Criss - I'm Gonna Love You     

Returning to the studio for NSTS episode #60 is former Jitters frontman Blair Packham, to cover off the songs we didn't get to during his first appearance in episode #58. Blair is a compelling guest for a lot of reasons, two of those being his great sense of humour and the visceral insight he provides while dissecting the songs that make his skin vibrate. During this week's chat Blair and I discuss the particulars of Squeeze's songwriting, the dark origins of MTV's Unplugged series, Blair's Jitters days playing alongside bands like Rheostatics and Blue Rodeo, and a reconsideration of Bob Marley.   Packham's playlist: Squeeze - Is That Love? Jules Shear - This Primal Fire Bob Dylan - It's All Over Now Baby Blue Bob Marley - War The Beatles - Hey Bulldog   

This week on No Sleep 'til Sudbury I'm thrilled to host one of my favourite guitar players from my early teen years, Autograph's Steve Lynch. Steve was one of the earliest innovators of fretboard tapping. After hearing Autograph's 80s megahit "Turn Up The Radio" in my car recently, I called Steve up to do the show and talk about the songs that make his skin vibrate.      Steve brings in some great tunes and recounts some cool stories from his Autograph days on Los Angeles' Sunset Strip, including how the band shot guns in the studio to incorporate into their snare drum mixes, and how Van Halen's tour manager warned Steve not to tap during their set because it was "Eddie's thing" when they opened for VH in 1985.  Lynch's playlist: The Rolling Stones - Sympathy for The Devil Led Zeppelin - Ramble On Charlie Sexton - Cry Little Sister Jimi Hendrix - The Wind Cries Mary  Small Faces - Itchycoo Park The Beatles - And I Love Her Led Zeppelin - The Rain Song    

Canadian veteran singer songwriter and former lead singer of The Jitters Blair Packham joins me live in the studio this week to talk about the multitude of projects he has on the go these days, and he brings in some great songs and tremendously thoughtful lyrical insights to chat about. Blair really gets the show's gist, and his perspectives bolster some great discussion. Blair and I talk about our common fondness for sad songs, our love for John Prine and Elvis Costello, the absurdity of musical guilty pleasures, and whether or not people will be talking about latest musical trend reggaeton in twenty five years. Probably not.   Packham's playlist: Steve Goodman - The Dutchman John Prine - Far From Me Elvis Costello - I Want You   Jennifer Warnes - Song of Bernadette Ron Hynes - A Good Dog Is Lost     

Seattle novelist and friend of the show Sean Beaudoin returns with more cool tunes in episode 57 of No Sleep 'til Sudbury. Sean consistently brings in really great songs, often by artists I've never heard of, so it's always great and very educational to chat music with him. Sean's songs all represent an individual theme and this time around, we cover musical plagiarism, selling out, platform shoes with fish in the heels, death threats from metal fans, and the potential for Sean to seek Canadian asylum. I'd happily offer it to him. Beaudoin's playlist: Joe McPhee - Shakey Jake Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Get Down Moses Bert Jansch - Black Waterside Truckfighters - Desert Cruiser Paul Pena - Cosmic Mirror    

It was my pleasure to host Grapes of Wrath vocalist/guitarist Kevin Kane in the studio for Episode 56 of NSTS. I really admired this band during my university years, as a lot of their songs really resonated with me and still do. Kevin still performs with Grapes, but is now also a member of The Northern Pikes, another great Canadian band. Kev and I have a great chat about the songs that make his skin (as he puts it) "wiggle", in addition to other things, such as how Steve Winwood got his Hammond organ sound, Jimmy Page as a hired gun, his obsession with the Stones' Exile On Main Street, why Chuck Berry records are scary, the making of the "All The Things I Wasn't" video, and what the four components of a classic album really are. And, as he often does, David Bowie works his way into the conversation.    Kane's playlist: Shack - Natalie's Party Talk Talk - Desire Go Betweens - Cattle and Cane Sloan - The Good In Everyone Queen and David Bowie - Under Pressure Roy Harper - Commune The Rolling Stones - Rocks Off

Bob Mayo joins me via Skype from the Boston area for this week's episode of No Sleep 'til Sudbury. Bob is the former bassist of thrash metal act Wargasm, and he writes an absolutely killer music blog called Mayonoise which I highly recommend. Bob discusses some impressive insights on Cheap Trick and the oft-overlooked depth of their lyrics. We also discuss Blue Oyster Cult's relationship with Black Sabbath, Dave Mustaine's attitude, our perspectives on AC/DC's formula, and why we'll be friends for a very long time.    Mayo's playlist: Motorhead - The Hammer Blue Oyster Cult - Don't Fear The Reaper Cheap Trick - Auf Weidersehen AC/DC - Gone Shootin' Megadeth - Holy Wars/The Punishment Due Budgie - Napoleon Bona Parts I and II Opeth - The Grand Conjuration               

My guest this week touches on all the aspects that make for a really great show - engagement, keen insight, great stories, interesting little known facts, honesty, and humour. CEO of content marketing agency Church + State with a background in comedy, Ron Tite brings in the songs that make his skin vibrate for a variety of reasons, and the result is an extremely enjoyable conversation.  Ron recounts a Johnny Cash show where he was too drunk to perform, Erica Ehm's take on The Barenaked Ladies, and the Beastie Boys' opinion of Slayer guitar solos being inserted into their songs. He also tells some cool stories about Bourbon Tabernacle Choir, Moby, and Eddie Murphy. Brilliant episode.      Tite's playlist: George Jones - Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes The Beastie Boys - No Sleep 'til Brooklyn She Stole My Beer - Sparks Off The Guardrail Luciano Pavarotti performing Puccini - Nessun Dorma Jason Mraz - I'm Yours  

NSTS episode 53 is part two of my chat with former Melody Maker journalist Chris Charlesworth. Chris has so many personal stories about rock stars like David Bowie that I just sit back and let him lay them all out. Chris talks about Bowie's death and what it was like to be his press officer, which ABBA member had stage fright, how the bass player is the secret weapon of most bands, and the celebrity he found himself sitting behind at Wembley during a Stone Roses show.      Charlesworth's playlist: David Bowie - Heroes ABBA - One Of Us REM - Perfect Circle Stone Roses - Ten Storey Love Song Gillian Welch - Elvis Presley Blues