No Sleep Til Sudbury With Brent Jensen

This year's Halloween episode guest is former Spoons and Honeymoon Suite keyboardist Rob Preuss. Rob took me to a studio on 72nd Street in New York City so he could play the spooky songs that make his skin vibrate on piano.  Rob is a ridiculously talented musician and an insightful mind. Rather than go through a specific list of songs, we go over some of the songs you'd expect and some you may not. And I learn a few things in the bargain - like the fact that the theme song from The Simpsons is basically the Devil's Interval, the degree to which Gene Simmons terrified Rob as a kid, and how changing the key of Spoons' Romantic Traffic can make it sound like a funeral dirge.       

Country singer songwriter Kelsi Mayne drops by the NSTS studios this week, and she brings guitar player Annette Haas along to play her latest single "Woman Waiting" live.  Kelsi and I chat about her favourite place to play in Nashville, what separates Nelly from other hip hop and rap artists, what she has to wear when she raps, who her famous 'home girl' is, and how alarmingly different audiences are to play for today. The internet is calling Kelsi Mayne Canada's next great country singer. Listen to these harmonies and you'll see why.    Mayne's playlist:  Wynonna Judd – No One Else on Earth Aretha Franklin – Never Loved a Man Little Big Town – Girl Crush Brothers Osborne – Shoot Me Straight Extreme – More Than Words Nelly - Country Grammar Justin Timberlake featuring TI – My Love

My pal Stephen Stanley is with me in studio this week, and I always love having him in. He was gracious enough to bring his guitar with him to play two songs from his excellent Jimmy & The Moon album - if you haven't heard it yet, you really must.  Mister Stanley brings in a collection of songs representative of his band's recent European tour. Some I knew, some I didn't, but I liked 'em all. Stephen shares his tour experiences through the songs, and it makes for a really interesting conversation. We also address the month-long 'self-prohibition' he imposed on himself following the completion of the tour, and the possibility of him breaking it after we wrap the episode. Will he, or won't he? Listen and find out! Stanley's playlist: David Corley - Zero Moon Prinz Grizzley - Irene Shane Joyce - The Spider Van Morrison - Song of Being a Child Bobbie Gentry - Ode to Billie Joe Kate Fenner - This Divorce Warren Zevon - Something Bad Happened To A Clown                  

The very talented Christina Martin drops by the NSTS studios with her guitar player Dale Murray this week to play tunes and talk music.  Christina's latest record Impossible To Hold is full of really fantastic songs, and she plays a couple of my faves live amidst chatting about Columbia House, Paul Westerberg, the night she became a vampire, what it was like to have Don McLean open for her, the power of Tom Petty's lesser known tunes, and the grading system her husband uses to rate her bottom.    Martin's playlist: Don McLean - Vincent Tom Petty - Room at the Top Shawn Colvin - Even Here We Are Annie Lennox - Love Song For A Vampire David Bowie - Where Are We Now Stevie Nicks - Stand Back  The Pretenders - I'll Stand By You  

This week on the show I welcome broadcaster and former educator Stephen Hurley to the NSTS studios. In addition to going through Stephen's skin-vibrating songs, our chat is centred around music education, and the fact that in schools, music is often a subject when it should instead be an experience.  I love talking music with guys like Stephen, because he's an old soul that truly cherishes music for what can be learned from it, and what it can tell us about ourselves. The highlights of our chat include critical points in music's evolution, Sting's bass lines, Elton John's piano playing ability, the importance of having a musical 'pusher', and our differing opinions involving Eric Clapton. Fun episode.    Hurley's playlist: The Eagles - Desperado Dire Straits - Sultans of Swing Vanity Fare - Hitching a Ride The Band - The Weight Neil Young - Long May You Run Looking Glass - Brandy Garfield - Give My Love To Anne Cat Stevens - Father and Son Eric Clapton - Lay Down Sally             

It doesn't get much better than this, folks. Coney Hatch frontman Carl Dixon comes back for his second episode, and who should turn up to sit in but our pal Canadian broadcasting icon Ron MacLean!      I love hanging out with these guys, and this episode was a real treat for me to do. Lots of laughs and so many great music and sports stories...Lee Trevino's response to Tom Watson's open fly, Gord Downie's surprise answer when he was asked if he was a poet or a rocker, the song that triggered Phil Esposito's trade, the challenges Alannah Myles faced on the road, and much more.      All this, and we wrap up with a Tom Petty group singalong with Carl on guitar. You don't want to miss this.      Dixon's playlist: Queen - Now I'm Here The Who - The Real Me The Black Crowes - Descending Alannah Myles - Sonny Say You Will Bob Dylan - Simple Twist of Fate Santana - The Nile 

Fleet-fingered Brighton Rock lead guitarist Greg Fraser calls into the show this week to talk tunes. Greg is an incredible player and a great dude, and our conversation was a lot of fun.  Topics of interest include technology's impact on today's music, our favourite Zeppelin tracks, the Sudbury-Soo rivalry, Al DiMeola, Steve Harris' favourite song, Michael Schenker's unique response to Greg's dinner invite, and hanging backstage at the Junos with Liona Boyd.        Fraser's playlist: Elton John - Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me Elton John - Your Song The Beatles - Yesterday Led Zeppelin - The Rain Song Liona Boyd - Air on a G String UFO - Love To Love UFO - Try Me      

The No Sleep 'til Sudbury podcast is back with the incredible and irrepressible Molly Johnson. She's got fire, she's got insight, and the lady has stories.  What a discussion - Molly talks to me about the American civil rights movement, what Aretha smoked, Rick James' real name, the politics of tuna, where Jim Cuddy got his voice from, how The Police formed, the genius of Gord Downie, and what all the greatest singers actually have in common (it's not what you think!)     Johnson's playlist: Mozart – Symphony 46 Measha Brueggergrosman – Hymn to Freedom KD Lang – Hallelujah Aretha Franklin – Respect  Miles Davis – Birth of the Cool Moe Koffman – Curried Soul Blue Rodeo – Try The Tragically Hip – Bobcaygeon The Staples Singers – Anything with Pops on guitar Neil Young – Harvest Moon     

If you're a fan of the show, this will be one of your favourite episodes. Singer and vocal coach Teresa Cirillo drops by the No Sleep 'til Sudbury studios for a very honest and personal chat about the music that makes her skin vibrate.   Teresa is enthusiastic, genuine, upbeat, and she doesn't hold back one bit. We talk about the peculiar coterie of characters that comprised Michael Jackson's entourage, what happens to women when Chris Isaak sings, how many octaves Freddie Mercury could cover, Simply Red's connection to her fear of death, the number of people who have cried on my show (including herself), and her Pitbull ban. To close out the episode, Teresa very vehemently invites Jann Arden to guest on No Sleep 'til Sudbury. So, Jann...what do you say?      Cirillo's playlist: Chris Isaak - Wicked Game Live - Lightning Crashes Simply Red - Holding Back The Years Kaleo - Way Down Jann Arden - I Would Die For You Queen - The Show Must Go On Michael Jackson - Human Nature Big Wreck - That Song Eros Ramazotti -

Ethnomusicologist, professor, and writer Gillian Turnbull is my guest on the show this week. Gillian is a fascinating woman with a powerful social voice, and she provides some great commentary with lots of laughs.  Tune in to hear about her boozy encounter with Jim Cuddy, her theory as to why Billy Joel doesn't get as much respect as Springsteen, her love for Rush, and her affinity for Neko Case's scatological emphasis - the lady drops an F-bomb with style.              Turnbull's playlist: Blue Rodeo - Cynthia Ian Tyson - Elko Blues Billy Joel - Scenes From An Italian Restaurant Bikini Kill - Rebel Girl Courtney Barnett - Pedestrian at Best Neko Case - Where Did I Leave That Fire Jason Isbell - Elephant NQ Arbuckle - Hospitals Rush - Working Man  Jim White & Aimee Mann - Static on the Radio Beyoncé & Dixie Chicks - Daddy Lessons    

My pal Ron MacLean comes back to the No Sleep ‘til Sudbury studios again this week to chat about ten more songs that make his skin vibrate. It’s an absolute joy to hang out with Ron - he’s funny, whip smart, super gracious, and he knows his music. In this episode Ron and I discuss his ritual for listening to music in the car, his affinity for Tom Petty, Todd Rundgren, and Carl Dixon, his Olympics exploits, the bond we share through an old French Canadian folk song, Blue Rodeo and smoked sausages, and why music is better when the mistakes are left in. Ron also opens up about Gerry Rafferty in a way I didn’t expect, but certainly appreciated. Great man, great storyteller. Great episode.   MacLean's playlist: Rod Stewart - Maggie May England Dan and John Ford Coley - Love is the Answer Gerry Rafferty - Baker Street Willie Nelson Merle Haggard - Pancho and Lefty Brandi Carlile - The Joke Boston - More Than a Feeling Talking Heads - What a Day That Was Tom Petty - Swingin' Catherine McKinnon – Dominique Blue Ro

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