No Sleep Til Sudbury With Brent Jensen

My guest this week is Brainsights CEO Kevin Keane, whose organization measures brain activity and more specifically, emotional and physiological reactions to stimuli. Fascinating stuff. Not surprisingly, Kevin also possesses a massive appreciation for the propensity for music to make our skin vibrate, and he shares some incredibly personal experiences he's had in this regard. Conversations like this one define why I do this show.           Keane's playlist: Van Morrison - Tupelo Honey  Elton John - Your Song Radiohead - High and Dry Simon & Garfunkel - The Boxer Pearl Jam - Black Fela Kuti - Suffering and Smiling 

The conclusion of my discussion with Twisted Sister founder and guitarist John 'Jay Jay' French airs this week, and what a discussion it was. His playlist is centred around John's summer spent in London in 1972 and the music he experienced there, but the span of our discussion is limitless.  We talk about motivational speaking, the similarities of our top five records, continued reinvention, the one question he would ask The Beatles, riding a stolen motorcycle on Broadway in New York in the 60s, his perspectives on previous Twisted Sister members who abused alcohol, the details behind each of the six beers he's ever had over the course of his life, and how The Rolling Stones and his other records got him through the day. He's also a stickler for music trivia, and he tests my knowledge on the British Invasion (spoiler alert - I fail).    French's playlist (Part II): Curtis Mayfield - Move On Up Curtis Mayfield - Super Fly The Temptations - Papa Was A Rolling Stone

He's back! Twisted Sister founder and guitarist John Jay Jay French joins me via Skype this week for part one of a very lengthy chat about all manner of musical things. In part one, John and I talk about the recording of Twisted Sister record Under The Blade at the site of The Battle of Hastings, best of Beatles versus best of Stones, his guitar collection, four hundred thousand dollar turntables, the summer he spent in England in 1971, and so much more. And that's only part one!   French's playlist (part one): The Rolling Stones – Brown Sugar Rod Stewart – Every Picture Tells A Story The Who – Baba O’ Riley    

Back by popular demand this week is insights guru, semiotician, and NSTS listener favourite Charles Leech!    This time around Charles uses the concept of synesthesia, which is the crossing over of intrapersonal senses, as a platform to discuss his musical insights. Once again, his perspectives and acumen are absolutely mind-blowing, to the point where you may find yourself mouthing the word 'wow' as you listen, likely more than once. Prepare to be fascinated, friends.          Leech's playlist: Heaven 17 - Let Me Go Journey - Don't Stop Believing Bjork - All is Full of Love Massive Attack - Unfinished Sympathy Michael Kiwanuka - Cold Little Heart     

Want to hear some incredible rock and roll stories from a guy who was right there, collaborating with The Pogues, Led Zeppelin, Talking Heads, and others? My guest this week is that guy, three-time Grammy winner and five-time Juno winner, mister Chris Birkett. Chris was the chap responsible for producing Sinead O'Connor's smash hit "Nothing Compares 2 U", after having worked with Steve Earle, Alison Moyet, Dexy's Midnight Runners, and David Bowie's producer Tony Visconti. The stories he tells during his visit are incredible - jamming with Jimmy Page and Led Zeppelin, the hilarious way he met Peter Gabriel, the recording technique Sinead absolutely hates, and so much more. Oh, and his band Love Affair is responsible for that megahit "Everlasting Love". You don't want to miss this.     Birkett's playlist: Love Affair - Everlasting Love Omaha Sheriff - Clothes Horse Sinead O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2 U Steve Earle - Johnny Come Lately Buffy Sainte Marie - Starwalker Chris Birkett - Be Creative (2019 remix)    

I'm thrilled to host the great Kevin Breit this week on NSTS. Kevin has played guitar alongside the likes of Celine Dion, Norah Jones, Marc Jordan, and so many others.  I was particularly happy to have Kevin in because he grew up in the same Northern Ontario small town I did a few years before, and after he left he was mythologized up there during my teen years. I really enjoyed the chat we had about his incredible and tasteful playlist. His musical acumen is staggering, his stories are fascinating, and his new record Stella Bella Strata is unbelievably good.      Breit's playlist:  Bob Dylan - Brownsville Girl King Curtis - Whiter Shade of Pale Randy Newman - Wandering Boy Rosetta Thorpe - Didn't It Rain Mary Gauthier - I Drink Hawksley Workman - We're Not Broken Yet Joni Mitchell - Sunny Sunday

Indie singer songwriter Jordan Paul is an exciting young talent with an awesome voice and smart songs, and he drops by the NSTS studios this week with his guitar.        In between performances of two of his songs, we chat about Indian classical music, Radiohead's lesser-known records, skateboard videos, his favourite musical moment, Mazzy Star, and what awaited him at a mysterious Starbucks meetup.       Paul's playlist: David Bowie - Five Years Bob Dylan - It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding) Sharon Van Etten - We're Fine Elliott Smith - Everything Means Nothing To Me Radiohead - Paranoid Android  Death in Vegas - Help Yourself Nat Bhairav - Hundstani Raag  

Singer songwriter Laura Repo drops by the NSTS studios this week with a vinyl copy of her new record This Is My Room. She also brought her guitar, and she treats us to a song from the album, "Too Soon To Miss You". Check it out.      Repo's playlist: Billie Holliday - I Thought About You Koko Taylor - Honky Tonky Liz Phair - Stratford on Guy Murray McLachlan - Down By The Henry Moore John Holt - Treasure of Love Joan Armatrading - Get in Touch With Jesus Dolores Keane and John Faulkner - Johnny Lovely Johnny   

Welcome back to my chat with storied drummer David Quinton Steinberg. Last week we didn't get to his songs, and so this week we get right into his playlist.  The insights continue, as David recounts his fondness for his favourite Beatles track, Stiv Bators' personal conspiracy theories, his first encounter with Frank Zappa, who the last real rock star is in his opinion, his chat with Gene Simmons, the grim details behind Rush's "Nobody's Hero", David Bowie's connection to punk, and David's "Karmic Boomerang" theory.            Steinberg's playlist: The Beatles - Penny Lane Badfinger - Baby Blue Frank Zappa - Peaches En Regalia David Bowie - Life On Mars Dead Boys - Sonic Reducer Rush - Nobody's Hero Blair Packham - Proof     

This week's NSTS guest has played drums with The Mods, punk legends Stiv Bators and the Dead Boys, and then Strange Advance and The Jitters. Now, he's Rush's lawyer. His name is David Quinton Steinberg, and he obviously has a lot to talk about.  Which is why this is only part one of our chat. We don't even get to David's songs until part two for all of the amazing stories and insights he shares about hanging out with Dee Dee Ramone, getting spit on during shows, playing The Horseshoe during The Garys era, and what it was really like to be at the forefront of the punk and new wave movement as it was unfolding. Don't miss this.               

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