Happy New Year, friends. We’re back at it with none other than drum colossus Mike Portnoy, formerly of Dream Theater and now playing with rock supergroup Sons of Apollo.

Mike is an elite musician, widely considered to be one of greatest drummers in the world. He’s also a great guy and a super guest. During our conversation we geek out on Bowie, KISS, and Radiohead, and he shares his experiences playing drums for Twisted Sister, his theory about Rush fans, the recent spate of rock and roll deaths, and how Dream Theater was like a musical Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup.
 

Portnoy’s playlist:

The Beatles – A Day in the Life

The Who – We’re Not Gonna Take It/See Me Feel Me/Listening To You

David Bowie – Space Oddity

Yes – Heart of the Sunrise

Radiohead – Paranoid Android

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Alright, we’re doing something a little different tonight. Episode 41 is a previously unreleased, impromptu episode recorded during a night of drinking with my neighbour and close friend, mister Johnny Belton. The episode was recorded in early 2017 and shelved, but I decided recently it would be fun to put out there. We had a lot of fun doing it, so I thought the listenership may enjoy this organic, more informal version of NSTS. And hey – it’s Christmas.

On that topic, this will be the last episode to air before the holiday break – NSTS will return Tuesday, January 9 with a very well-known rock star guest.

I wish you the very best the holiday season can bring my friends, and I thank you sincerely for listening. Happy holidays!
 

Belton’s playlist:

Max Webster – The Party

Soul Asylum – Misery

Bruce Springsteen – Tenth Avenue Freeze Out

The Clash – Train in Vain

Frank Zappa – Why Does It Hurt When I Pee?

Living Color – Cult of Personality

The Rolling Stones – Waiting on a Friend

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Former Lowest of the Low frontman Stephen Stanley joins me on Episode 40 to do a Christmas edition of No Sleep ’til Sudbury. We chat about his new group The Stephen Stanley Band and their excellent new record Jimmy & The Moon, and then we get into the holiday tunes that make his skin vibrate.

Also discussed: the ironic fact that many Christmas songs were in fact written by Jewish composers, the amazing career of Darlene Love, and how Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmastime” continues to be reviled year after year. Poor Macca.

Stanley’s playlist:

Andy Williams – Sweet Little Jesus Boy

Barbra Streisand – The Christmas Song

Bob Dylan – Do You Hear What I Hear

Elvis Presley – Holly Leaves and Christmas Trees

John Denver – Aspenglow

Ray Coniff Singers – Jolly Old St Nick Medley

Sandler & Young – Hark The Herald Angels Sing

Darlene Love – Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)

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Joining me on the show this week is author and radio & television host of Living Fearlessly Lisa McDonald, who brings in all manner of musical genres with her No Sleep ’til Sudbury skin vibration playlist.

We chat about Led Zeppelin drum samples, the Radiohead Toronto stage collapse disaster (she was there), and lovely “Mimi on the Beach” composer Jane Siberry. All this in less than 25 minutes – Lisa could have brought in a second playlist!

Oh, and the name we can’t come up with at the beginning of the program? It’s Andrew Lloyd Webber.
 

McDonald’s playlist:

Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman – Time To Say Goodbye

Enigma – Return to Innocence

Tori Amos – A Sorta Fairytale

Radiohead – High & Dry

Jane Siberry – Love is Everything

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Everyone’s favourite curmudgeon Chris ‘The Pink Chief’ Long calls into the show – not to talk about songs that make his skin vibrate, but to share his view of the world from the DJ booth. He gets a pass for flouting the show format though, because music is still the theme, and the stories he tells about the people he’s interacted with as a DJ are so sad, bewildering, and compelling. People may open up to the bartender, but according to Long, they REALLY open up to the guy responsible for their soundtrack for the evening.

And in some cases, pull the odd gun on him.

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If you’re a Canadian music fan of my vintage, you’ll surely remember The Spoons and Honeymoon Suite. Rob Preuss played keyboards in both those bands, and he tells some great stories from those days in Episode 37 of No Sleep ’til Sudbury.

He joined The Spoons when he was only 15 (!), went on to Honeymoon Suite from there, and then later became the associate musical director for Broadway production Mamma Mia, and also played some piano in the Phantom of the Opera orchestra pit. During our conversation he stays true to the basic format of the show, talking about the songs that have made his skin vibrate over the course of his life and why. We also discuss our mutual childhood fondness for David Cassidy. Great guest, great chat.

Preuss’ playlist:

Honeymoon Suite – Bad Attitude

Billy Joel – Scenes From An Italian Restaurant

Helen Reddy – Angie Baby

Genesis – Deep in the Motherlode

The Partridge Family – Summer Days

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Episode 36 of No Sleep Til Sudbury takes place in Wilton, Connecticut, conducted from two comfy chairs inside the home belonging to my pally from the valley, mister Ian O’Malley.

I’d heard a lot of the hilarious stories from his VH1 days previously, but not these – among them his drunken nickname for Sting, Keith Richards’ preferred method of quaffing scotch, and Roger Waters’ rules when meeting fans. O’Malley is one hell of a storyteller, and he blends sentiment with humour without peer. You gotta hear this.
 

O’Malley’s playlist:

Pink Floyd – On The Turning Away

The Rolling Stones – Slave

The Police – Invisible Sun

Tom Petty – Wildflowers

Rush – 2112

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Want your mind blown? Listen to this episode.

Semiotic researcher Charles Leech drops by to explain how and why we get goosebumps when we hear certain songs, and how rock music almost didn’t exist if not for a guy called Palestrina.

Charles relates some utterly fascinating facts and logic surrounding the science of music in this episode. I’m still shaking my head.
 

Leech’s playlist:

Palestrina – Missa Papae Marcelli

Richard Wagner – Prelude, and Liebestod

New Order – The Perfect Kiss

Grouplove – Tongue Tied

The Beatles – She Loves You

Dear Rouge – Wanna Wanna

Silversun Pickups – Drained

Annie Lennox – Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye

Colin Hay – I Just Don’t Think I’ll Get Over You

Nick Drake – River Man

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Author Jamie Blaine is a guy I could talk music with for days and days. In Episode 34, Jamie and I contemplate Halloween and talk about some Halloween-ish bands and their music. You know – KISS, Alice Cooper, Marilyn Manson, and so on.

No real playlist this time, but the chat is great and gets a little deeper than I anticipated.

Happy Halloween!

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