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 – Orgasmatron

Montrose – Space Station #5

Ursa Major – Sinner

Scorpions – We’ll Burn The Sky

Black Sabbath – Megalomania

The Who – Won’t Get Fooled Again

Ramones – I Wanna Be Sedated

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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 record! 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

Vullpeck – Dean Town         

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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

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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

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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      

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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 

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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 chat with Gillian – she’s a smart woman who really feels music. 

Listen in as the good doctor discusses Kathleen Edwards’ gift, the life of a cowboy, her love of yodeling, 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 pretty 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  

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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

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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, how she really feels about Bob Dylan’s voice, what an 11 o’clock number is, and the k.d. lang Coke can conspiracy. Inspirational 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

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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

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