No Sleep Til Sudbury With Brent Jensen

Bermudian songstress Heather Nova is my guest this week on NSTS. She grew up on a sailboat in the Caribbean, and her songs appear on the soundtracks of The Crow and I Am Sam, and on shows like Dawson's Creek. Her new record, called Pearl, drops on June 28. Heather's list is full of skin-vibrating tunes, and we chat about Kris Kristofferson's advice to Joni Mitchell, Heather's reggae musician brother Mishka, seeing Patti Smith live, Neil Young's guitar solos, and our introductions to Kate Bush. Next time she's bringing her guitar.     Nova's playlist: Jeff Buckley - Lover, You Should Come Over Neil Young - Like A Hurricane Patti Smith - Dancing Barefoot Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill Joni Mitchell - All I Want Radiohead - Fake Plastic Trees Mishka - Above The Bones    

This week on NSTS, the great Blair Packham returns to the show for his third time, and he brings his guitar with him. We have a lengthy chat about all sorts of things, including No Sleep 'til Sudbury's upcoming first-ever live audience recording at Hugh's Room in Toronto on Thursday, June 27 featuring Carole Pope and Rob Preuss (get yer tickets at hughsroomlive.com!) In addition to a great chat about The Boss, sticking it to The Man, how Tom Petty came up with "Swingin'" on the spot, heroin, and John Prine, he also performs a Springsteen classic, some of his own tunes, and a Dylan song to close out the show that chokes me up.     Packham's playlist: Bruce Springsteen - The River Tom Petty - Swingin' The Isley Brothers - Fight The Power Public Enemy - Fight The Power John Hiatt - Learning How To Love You

Singer songwriter Lily Frost is one in a million. She's funny, super talented, insightful, and an absolute blast to have on the show.  Lily's new record Retro Moderne drops June 7, and we chat about it before getting into the songs that make her skin vibrate, along with all the topics that arise from them - Joni Mitchell's grumpiness, The Dirts, Pinochet, guys who sing in falsetto, the Seattle Freeze, The Jerky Boys, and the criticality of 'the swell'. Then we talk about random unrelated stuff for the last portion of the show.     Frost's playlist: Jeff Buckley - Lilac Wine Jennifer Castle - Sailing Away Patrick Watson - Lighthouse Ray Lamontagne - My Own Way Lhasa de Sela - El Desierto Chopin - Nocturne #1 in B Flat Minor Frazey Ford - I'm Done Staples Singers - Will The Circle be Unbroken 

You won't meet many people more genuinely passionate about music than my pal and friend of the show Bob Mayo. He joins me from Massachusetts this week with a new batch of songs that make his skin vibrate, and as always, he enlightens me on a few things.       Bob can always be counted on to bring in fascinatingly obscure tracks, because he's a believer in us discovering music we may have never heard of. He also brings in a few of my favourites. On both fronts, the conversation is great - we chat about who REALLY plays lead guitar on the early Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, and KISS records, the most controversial Scorpions album covers, the hard rock band Billy Joel played in, Black Sabbath's creative challenges, the Golden Earring we didn't know, spaceships getting swallowed up by black holes, what the greatest rock song of all time really is, and so much more. I love talking to this guy.    Mayo's playlist: Golden Earring – She Flies on Strange Wings   Aerosmith – Combination     Rush – Cygnus X-1   Motorhead – O

I was delighted to be joined in studio this week by Chalk Circle vocalist and guitarist Chris Tait. I listened to him a lot as a teen (still do), so it was great to have him in for a conversation about his playlist AND my favourite Chalk songs.  I won't spoil it, but Chris does something really cool with his playlist here. Every song has a place on the list for a very specific reason, and I was impressed at how the whole thing was carried out. Great stories too, including the fact that he actually argued against having Chalk Circle's biggest hit, "April Fool" as a single - he didn't even want it on the album(!). Really great conversation.       Tait's playlist: Bay City Rollers - Saturday Night Led Zeppelin - Black Dog Rush - Working Man The Ramones - I Wanna Be Sedated The Skids - Into The Valley Echo & The Bunnymen - The Cutter Talk Talk - Life's What You Make It David Bowie - Space Oddity Matthew Sweet - Divine Intervention Blinker The Star - September Already Earth, Wind, & Fire - September Vullpe

Juno award-winning musician, producer, songwriter, and actor Marc Jordan joins me this week to talk about the songs that make his skin vibrate.  Marc has written songs for Rod Stewart, Diana Ross, Bette Midler, Cher, and others, and we talk about that and some other stuff too - like why we love the art that we do, the band he plays in with Murray McLauchlan and Ian Thomas, how "Walk On The Wild Side" is a missing link between musical genres, and his new solo record, Both Sides. Check it out at https://nosleeptilsudbury.org Jordan's playlist: Madeleine Peyroux - You're Going to Make Me Lonesome When You Go Rod Stewart - This Chet Baker - Almost Blue Marc Jordan - Walk On The Wild Side Renee Fleming and YoYo Ma - Mew York Tendaberry NIIA - Last Night in Las Felez  Tedeschi Trucks Band - Midnight in Harlem  

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome The Kings' guitarist and founder, Mister Zero!  Everybody knows The Kings megahit "This Beat Goes On/Switchin' To Glide". This week, band founder Mister Zero drops by to talk about how the song came together, why it's two songs in one, Bob Ezrin's contribution to the recording to the song, The Kings appearance on American Bandstand, the night he and Kings singer David Diamond were out with Blondie's Debbie Harry at an Iggy Pop show, who his favourite guitar player is, and so much more. Check it out!    Zero's picks:   Nat King Cole - Stardust Bruce Springsteen - Sandy (4th of July Asbury Park) The Beatles - She Loves You Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta Love Glen Campbell - Gentle On My Mind Frank Sinatra - One For My Baby Blondie - Rapture  

In episode 106, international woman of mystery Audra Santa makes her return to No Sleep 'til Sudbury. And, she brought an electric guitar and an amp with her! This time around, Ms. Santa and I chat about her upcoming gigs, her chance encounters with various Barenaked Ladies, the mystique of Kate Bush, Arkells' very noble Juno gesture, and the examination of her dark side. All this and a live performance too. You're welcome.  Santa's playlist: Tori Amos - Caught A Lite Sneeze Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill Barenaked Ladies - Lovers In A Dangerous Time Fever Ray - If I Had A Heart Arkells - Relentless Cubicolor - Mirror Play Haelos - Dust      

It was my privilege to welcome legendary Canadian musician Murray McLauchlan to the show this week. I grew up listening to his music, and he's an engaging conversationalist with some pretty terrific stories.  Join us as we talk about the unique musical charity Murray supports, the time John Prine opened up for him, his insightful interpretations of Ray Charles, his opinion of grunge, why Blossom Dearie always makes him cry, microwave popcorn, and how he, Jim Croce, Tom Waits, and his other musical counterparts of the day used to sit around trying to impress each other with new songs.                McLauchlan's playlist: John Mayer - In The Blood Tony Joe White - Polk Salad Annie Ray Charles - Come Rain or Come Shine Chet Baker - Little Girl Blue Blossom Dearie - Now At Last Bob Dylan - A Hard Rain's A Gonna Fall John Prine - Paradise 

Dr. Gillian Turnbull, professor and author of Sonic Booms: Making Music in an Oil Town, returns to the NSTS studios this week with a whole new batch of tunes to talk about. It's always fun to host Gillian - she's a really smart woman who really feels music.  Listen in as the good doctor discusses Kathleen Edwards' gift, the life of a cowboy, her love of yodelling, a topless Neko Case, who she wants to be when she grows up, and the time she made Jack White cry. And at one point, Gillian actually turns the line of questioning on me and things get kinda deep for a few moments. Fantastic conversation.     Turnbull's playlist: Cowboy Junkies - Sun Comes Up, It's Tuesday Morning (live) Kathleen Edwards - Maria k.d. lang - Big Boned Gal Suzy Bogguss - Night Rider's Lament Maggie Bjorklund - Insekt Calexico - Maybe on Monday Neko Case - Sleep All Summer Neko Case - Ragtime   

97.7 HTZ-FM music director and on-air personality Siobhan Woodrow joins me this week to chat about a most impressive list of skin-vibrating tunes.  The HTZ-FM website says she loves punk rock, and she clearly does - L7, Rancid, and Mr. Bungle grace her list - but it's balanced with songs by Stevie Wonder, Janis Joplin, and Lauryn Hill. She explains this perspective during our chat, in addition to talking about what it was like to have to announce the news of Chris Cornell's death on air, who her favourite singer is (you'll never guess), and why you never outgrow punk rock. All in suitably salty language. Woodrow's playlist: Patti Smith - Summer Cannibals L7 - Shitlist Stevie Wonder - Signed, Sealed, Delivered Janis Joplin - Turtle Blues Elvis Costello - I Want You Mr. Bungle - Pink Cigarette The Clash - Police On My Back Rancid - Nihilism Lauryn Hill - I Find It Hard To Say Amy Winehouse - Back To Black               

My guest on NSTS this week, singer Stacey Kay, is no stranger to the spotlight. She's advanced to the final rounds of America's Got Talent, performed live at Massey Hall with k.d. lang, and has been praised by the likes of Fergie and David Foster. She's also a proponent of positive body image and speaks on the topic at schools.  During our chat, Stacey tells some great stories about going viral with a rap in a Walgreen's aisle, how she really feels about Bob Dylan's voice, what an 11 o'clock number is, and the k.d. lang Coke can conspiracy. Great lady, great conversation.    Kay's playlist: Queen - Somebody To Love Travis Barker - Let's Go Alicia Keys - If I Ain't Got You Pentatonix - Natural Disaster Justin Timberlake - Drink You Away Etta James - I'd Rather Go Blind Christina Aguilera - Lady Marmalade     

Juno-nominated jazz songstress Barbra Lica joins me in the NSTS studios this week for show number 101. CBC Radio 2 recently called Barbra one of Canada's top female jazz singers, and you'll see why after listening to her perform at the end of this episode. Barbra brings with her a fine assortment of tasteful songs, some of which I've added to my own personal playlist. I've also been playing her single "You're Fine" lately, which comes highly recommended. Enjoy!    Lica's playlist: Corinne Bailey Rae - Put Your Records On Dala - Horses Melody Gardot - If The Stars Were Mine Rachael Yamagata - I'll Find A Way Gillian Welch - Barroom Girls Ella Fitzgerald - They Can't Take That Away From Me   Norah Jones - Carnival Town    

I thought it would be prescient to celebrate the one hundred episode milestone with a look back at some of the great moments that took place on the way to getting here. Of those there were many, and while I regret not being able to include them all, I did gather a good number of them for this special retrospective. There are laughs, tears, insights, insults, interesting facts, and some incredible conversation compliments of the wide array of guests I've been lucky enough to have - Stephen Stanley, Kelsi Mayne, Ron Tite, Tara Slone, Christopher Long, Rachel Sumner, Rik Emmett, Ron MacLean, Suzi Kory, Terry Moshenberg, Andrea Ramolo, Jay Jay French, Brad Jemmett, Kevin Comeau, Bob Mayo, Sean Beaudoin, Rob Preuss, Amy Sweezey, Phil Collen, Greg Fraser, Audra Santa, Jeffrey Lee Campbell, Alan Cross, and so many others.  THANK YOU for listening. I honestly could not have done it without you. Here's the next hundred, true believers.         

NSTS episode 99 features Ashley Jane and Timor Wientzek of folk pop duo In The City. It's always a treat to have organic musicians on the show, and these two did not disappoint. They were good enough to perform their current single "Best Time", a moving song about loss.     During their visit, we chatted about Ryan Adams covering Taylor Swift, Jon Bon Jovi's mp3 dilemma, Tragically Hip lyrics, Timor's emotional reaction to Joni Mitchell, the pros and cons of streaming, and why Ashley called me 'every musician's dream'. Awww!   In The City's playlist: Phoebe Bridges - Emotional Motion Sickness Joni Mitchell - Both Sides Now The O'Pears - Find the Sun Haerts - Your Love Big Thief - Shark Smile Big Red Machine - I Won't Run From It Barr Brothers - Defibrillation

The happiest person on planet Earth, singer Suzi Kory, returns to the NSTS studios this week to chat about all sorts of fun things.  It's always a pleasure to host Suzi, and during this episode she catches us up on everything she's currently doing - her foray into country music, the video shoot for her latest single Pretty Little Things, learning to play guitar, and who her girl crush is. Bonus: I tell Suzi a deep dark secret about Dolly Parton from my childhood.      Kory's playlist: The Dixie Chicks - Not Ready To Play Nice Miranda Lambert - Tin Man Elie King - Ex's and Oh's Little Big Town - Girl Crush Dolly Parton - Jolene      

This episode is definitely for the low-fi indie rock crowd. I travelled to Seattle late last year and chatted with co-founder of premier indie label Barsuk Records Barry Gordon at the Starbucks Center. My good pal Kevin 'Wyatt' Reid also drops in for a few laughs. Barry's music IQ is deep and sophisticated, and we talk about his role in discovering Death Cab for Cutie, watching Arcade Fire ascend to fame, loving The Smiths and Rush simultaneously, how to play 'guess-the Pitchfork-score', The Strokes as an opening act, and Bowie's unmistakeable influence on indie rock. It's fascinating to listen to Barry's musical acumen, coulda talked with him all day. Enjoy!    Gordon's playlist: Throwing Muses - Two Step Ramona Falls - Clover Sugar - Explode and Make Up Death Cab For Cutie - Company Calls Epilogue Maria Taylor - Xanax Morrissey - Southpaw David Bowie - Lazarus       

This week on No Sleep 'til Sudbury we welcome Canadian Folk Music nominee and super cool lady Andrea Ramolo. She's currently touring her newest record Homage, a collection of Leonard Cohen songs, and she was good enough to take a few minutes to chat with me about the songs that make her skin vibrate. Andrea is a self-proclaimed 'lover of the darkness' in music, and her playlist reflects it. We have an extended chat about Fleetwood Mac's drug of choice, the story behind her very personal album Nuda, the song she made a point of listening to every morning, whether music matters as much anymore, 'getting clear', and the brilliance of Ryan Adams. When she comes back, we're doing an all-Adams playlist. For real.                Ramolo's playlist: Janis Joplin - Kozmic Blues Jonathan Byrd - The Law and the Lonesome Fleetwood Mac - Go Your Own Way     I Will Give You Everything - The Skydiggers Sam Cooke - Bring It On Home To Me    Glory Box – Portishead     Oh My Sweet Carolina - Ryan Adams and Emmylou Harris     Be

Friend of the show and Brighton Rock guitar slinger Greg Fraser returns to NSTS this week, with quite a different batch of songs - this time around, it's all rock.  It's always fun chatting with Fraze, he's a great guy and he and I love a lot of the same music. We cover off the important stuff - his favourite KISS song, watching Poison's bass player get punched in the face, Eddie Van Halen's Frankenstein approach to building guitars, Buffalo's 97 Rock, how Brighton Rock's hits were written, Mick Ronson as a roommate, and how their record company always wanted Brighton Rock to be more like Honeymoon Suite. Fraze even finds a way to bend the show rules to slip an extra song into his list, that scammer. Very fun episode, check it out.    Fraze's playlist: Thin Lizzy – Warriors        Van Halen – Unchained Judas Priest – No Surrender      UFO – Only You Can Rock Me      Michael Schenker – Armed & Ready    KISS – Flaming Youth    Led Zeppelin – The Song Remains The Same (Special mention) AC/DC – Rock N Roll Da

Audra Santa caused something of a sensation on the internet recently. The video for her latest single "Afterglow" was censored by Facebook for 'failing to uphold advertising standards'. Of course, you can watch the video and decide for yourself.  Audra is a fantastic conversationalist with a strong female voice, and our chat continued long after the episode wrapped. What was captured on the actual show, you ask? The brilliance of Johnny Cash's "Hurt", sexual empowerment, Portishead's "Dummy", Thunder Bay, Audra's work in the Indigenous community, whether skipping the first two songs on Radiohead's "In Rainbows" is necessary, and the importance of reconciling spirituality and sexuality. And if that's not enough, the lady plays a song for you too. You're welcome.    Santa's playlist: David Bowie - Lazarus Johnny Cash - Hurt Madonna - Human Nature The Boudoir Project - Naked Portishead - Glory Box Foals - Late Night Daniel Johns - Preach Florence & The Machine - Big God Radiohead - Reckoner