Back in November when he was still known as Jordan Paul, Ellis Meek was scheduled to appear on the show as part of the NSTS Steam Whistle live on location series. He declined as a safety precaution, feeling slightly under the weather, but as it turned out Ellis became seriously ill with COVID.

This week he returns to NSTS to talk about his recovery, how his illness impacted him, and his new outlook on life.  Spotify – NSTS Episode 198 – Ellis Meek   

Meek’s playlist:

The Beatles – It’s All Too Much  

Lonnie Holley – All Rendered Truth

Harry Nilsson – One

Neil Young – Bandit

Jefferson Airplane – Today     

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Ray Coburn, original Honeymoon Suite keyboard player and current Roger Hodgson keys man, is my guest this week on NSTS, and we have a wonderfully giddy chat about our favourite music. 

We cover all kinds of ground in this episode – the genius of Brian Wilson, the peculiar ambivalence of The Carpenters, the spirituality of George Harrison, what it’s like to perform alongside former Supertramp frontman Roger Hodgson, the beauty of musical nostalgia, and so much more. And to close the show, Ray also very graciously asks what my skin vibrating songs are. Highly enjoyable conversation.      

NEW FEATURE! A Spotify NSTS playlist is now available to you so that you can listen to the songs as we discuss them. Here’s the link to this week’s playlist:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5A2fPMtOs5QMo5LQW1yCJO

Coburn’s playlist:

George Harrison – Isn’t It A Pity

Emerson Lake & Palmer – Endless Enigma and Fugue

Joni Mitchell – Court & Spark

The Carpenters – Goodbye To Love

The Beach Boys – Surf’s Up

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Goddo bassist, rock icon, and author Greg Godovitz is my guest this week on NSTS. His new book is called Up Close and Uncomfortable, reaching back to his earlier days before the musical career he describes in his first book, Travels With My Amp.      

Greg shares a few of his stories on the show, including his adventures with the Sinister Scout Master, his friendship with famed producer Eddie Kramer, his exposure to Black Magic in England, and much more. Up Close and Uncomfortable is available at Up Close and Uncomfortable (2020) | shopgreggodovitz. We also talk about his next book project, which I suggest should be called “The Third Verse Is The Same As The First” (Goddo fans will get it). 

Godovitz’s playlist:

The Beatles – Here, There, and Everywhere

The Kinks – Waterloo Sunset

The Beatles – In My Life

The Beach Boys – God Only Knows

The Rolling Stones – Time Is On My Side  

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

If you want to have a great chat about music, Montreal-based radio personality, podcaster, and musician Jeremy White is your guy. He’s my guest this week on NSTS, and it was a discussion I thoroughly enjoyed. 

Jeremy touches on all kinds of topics – how Yngwie Malmsteen almost killed him, the bionic ears of Mutt Lange, why Eddie Van Halen should never be called a shredder, how the 80s impacted KISS and Alice Cooper, and so much more. But most importantly, his outlook on music reminded me how important it is to be less critical and to just enjoy music for what it is – that a good song is just a good song.

White’s playlist:

Van Halen – Top of the World

Shania Twain – She’s Not Just a Pretty Face

Def Leppard – Armageddon It  

KISS – Unholy

Bryan Adams – Don’t Drop That Bomb On Me

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

I haven’t seen my pal, former VH1 veejay and current Q104.3 New York on-air personality Ian O’Malley, for more than a year. We decided last week we’d catch up via the show, and talk about the songs that have been making his skin vibrate lately given the current times. 

O’Malley can always be relied upon to bring some very compelling conversation, and some great stories too – this time around we chat about John Mayer, Judas Priest’s Rob Halford, and an incredible tale about Stevie Ray Vaughn.      

O’Malley’s playlist:

Stevie Ray Vaughn – Life Without You

John Mayer – In Repair

Judas Priest – Tyrant

Extreme – When I’m President

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Famed music producer Phil Spector died in jail a few days ago, and his legacy begs the question – was he a musical genius who committed murder, or a murderer who happened to be a musical genius? 

This week NSTS breaks down the bizarre life of Phil Spector, from the question of his parents being relatives, through his legendary successes as a songwriter and producer, his culture of abuse and cruelty, his alcohol and drug-crazed gun-wielding episodes in the studio, and his conviction for the murder of actress Lana Clarkson.   

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Given the interest in NSTS Episode 171, “Bizarre Musical Conspiracy Theories”, I elected to return to the territory this week and examine perhaps the greatest rock and roll hoax of them all – the ‘Paul is Dead’ conspiracy theory. 

Such an interesting phenomenon to delve into – the assertion that Beatle Paul McCartney secretly died in a car accident in 1966 and was replaced by a lookalike, with all kinds of hidden clues subsequently provided by the remaining Beatles on album covers and in song lyrics. This week’s episode looks at the most intriguing aspects of the theory, including the impacts the phenomenon would have on pop culture in the decades to follow.             

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

It’s my pleasure this week to host Kathy Valentine of The Go-Go’s on NSTS from her home in Austin, Texas to chat about her fantastic memoir All I Ever Wanted, and of course, the songs that make her skin vibrate. 

Kathy and I have a great down-to-earth discussion about the incredible events she’s experienced in life, both good and bad. She also shares what she had really hoped to convey in her book, how music helped her to feel normal, and how that unorthodox electronic handclap found its way into my favourite Go-Go’s song, “Head Over Heels”.            

Valentine’s playlist:

David Bowie – Rebel Rebel

Rod Stewart – Maggie May

Kenny Burrell – ‘Round Midnight

The Rolling Stones – Sympathy For The Devil

Sinead O’Connor – Nothing Compares 2 U 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Happy New Year everyone, good to be back. We’re going to kick the year off with a chat I had with a good friend of mine from England, bestselling author and editor of Bass Player magazine, mister Joel McIver.

Joel’s writing has appeared in Rolling Stone, Classic Rock, and loads of other publications, and in having written more than 30 books on bands like Metallica, Queens of the Stone Age, Motorhead, and others, often alongside members of those bands, Joel has earned the trust, respect, and friendship of countless musicians. In this episode Joel and I discuss his latest book project, an upcoming official biography of an Icelandic folk metal band called Skalmold. Fascinating, super interesting cultural learnings in this discussion. And at the top of the show, some great bonus stories about having completely unlimited backstage access at the very first Big Four show in Poland, hanging out with members of Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, and Anthrax.     

McIver’s playlist:

Skalmold – Skotta

The Beatles – Across The Universe

Hana – Chimera

Slipknot – Eyeless

Morbid Angel – Maze of Torment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

I had mentioned earlier that I left Rik’s house after taping this year’s NSTS Christmas special with almost four hours of material. After considering options, I decided to create THREE episodes, one more than the usual two we produce every year. So technically, we can consider this a bonus episode!   

This is just all fun, fantastic content. Laughs, insights, analysis, and intimate acoustic performances from Rik, including Burt Bacharach’s “Alfie” and a breakdown of Marcus King’s “Goodbye Carolina”, concluding with a composition of his own, “Cobalt Blue”. A perfect close to the year; regularly scheduled NSTS shows resume in January 2021. 

Merry Christmas everyone!   

Emmett/Jensen Xmas 2020 playlist:

Burt Bacharach – Alfie

Marcus King – Goodbye Carolina

Rik Emmett – Cobalt Blue 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS