Happy New Year! NSTS kicks off 2022 with music biz veteran and indie act champion Darryl Hurs. 

Darryl has been a massive supporter of independent artists for decades, and he provides some fascinating insights on today’s music industry and what it means to be an indie artist in the digital age. We also chat about grunge deep cuts, Eddie Vedder being the last surviving grunge singer, how U2 took over the world, and Prince as a guitar player. 

Hurs’ playlist:

Olivia Vedder – I Am My Father’s Daughter

Glen Hansard – Falling Slowly

Prince – Purple Rain

U2 – Kite

Temple of the Dog – Times of Trouble

Harm and Ease – Cut Me Loose

Alice In Chains – Nutshell

Pearl Jam – Indifference  

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

In this final No Sleep ’til Sudbury episode of 2021, I decided to share some of my favourites from the Christmas playlists heard in the Jensen house throughout the holiday season.

You may be surprised at some of these selections, particularly the very first Christmas album that plays every year as the tree goes up on the last Friday evening in November. Some surprises and a few facts behind the songs – like why “Peace On Earth” had to be written on the spot for David Bowie’s duet with Bing Crosby, the Christmas song that’s actually a protest song, and who was originally supposed the sing the female part of “Fairytale in New York”. 

To all my listeners and friends – the happiest of holidays to each and every one of you, near and far. Merry Christmas! 

The playlist can be accessed in Spotify here.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

This week marks the return of super awesome singer songwriter Christina Martin to the show. Christina’s new single is called “Stay With Me”, now available wherever you get your music.

Always a great chat with Miss Martin – this time around we cover the making of her new video for the single, the focus she’s placing on making her music more accessible to her fans with disabilities, how she accidentally met Patty Griffin, the lost art of being a pen pal, and how we’re going to get rich together.         

Martin’s playlist: 

Patti Griffin – When It Don’t Come Easy

Tori Amos – Baker Baker

Tina Turner – Simply The Best

Whitney Houston – I Will Always Love You 

Seela – Hard Times Hit

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Canadian 80s New Wave legends Martha Johnson and Mark Gane of Martha & The Muffins join me on No Sleep ’til Sudbury this week to chat about their new record, called Marthology: In and Outtakes.  

Martha and Mark are wonderful people with great stories. Topics discussed include The Wizard of Oz, seeing The Beatles live, how limitations create style, the time Chris Isaak wrote a song in a closet during a party, and the fascinating reason the chorus of “Echo Beach” is heard only at the end of the song.   

Martha’s playlist:

Laura Mvula – Green Garden

Bob Marley – Waiting in Vain

The Beach Boys – God Only Knows

Judy Garland – Over the Rainbow

The Beatles – Eight Days A Week

Mark’s playlist:

The Beatles – Tomorrow Never Knows

Jimi Hendrix – Voodoo Child (Slight Return)

Steve Reich – Music For 18 Musicians

Jo Stafford – The Nearness of You

King Crimson – 21st Century Schizoid Man

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

My guest on NSTS this week is Evan Denley, an up-and-coming Canadian folk rock singer-songwriter who’s been described as Bob Dylan meeting Dallas Green at a Neil Young show.

Evan’s second release of 2021, “Coming Undone”, was written in response to a culmination of two things – the breakup of his former band The Yonge Collective, and the threat of the oncoming pandemic. His new video for “Building Walls” is also available on YouTube. 

Denley’s playlist:

Lukas Nelson and the Promise of the Real – Entirely Different Stars

Boygenius – Salt in the Wound

John Mayer – Gravity

Hozier – Foreigner’s God

Father John Misty – Please Don’t Die

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

My pal Rik Emmett returns to NSTS this week for part two of our chat about his new poetry book Reinvention, and we cover a lot of ground indeed.   

As he did in part one, Rik shares some fascinating glimpses into his personal history via the new book, and this episode runs the gamut – dealing with the death of loved ones and with our own mortality, some lighter moments including a hilarious story featuring Coney Hatch’s Andy Curran, and even a live musical performance from the man himself. Go out and grab Rik’s new book of poetry Reinvention, you won’t be disappointed.  

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

He’s back! Triumph frontman Rik Emmett, and now Rik Emmett poet, takes over the No Sleep ’til Sudbury podcast for the next two weeks to talk about his new book of poetry, called Reinvention. 

This isn’t a rock star vanity project. It’s a personal, emotional glimpse into Rik’s life history and a look at the world from his perspective, written with tremendous candor. As always, Rik and I have some fun discussing the work – he plays and sings, and forces me to read one of my favourite passages aloud (I should have done multiple takes). 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Back by popular demand! The great Barney Bentall returns to NSTS this week to talk about his new instrumental record called RanchWriters, a collaboration with his Spirit of the West pal Geoffrey Kelly. 

There are hints of Joni Mitchell and Nick Drake on the new record, and Barney and I discuss how the project came together, the details of how it was recorded on his ranch, and how it’s a tribute to the memory to Spirit of the West’s John Mann. Barney’s skin vibrating songs are, of course, also included.   

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Last week we looked at Guns N’ Roses singer W. Axl Rose from a factual, historical viewpoint of his life and career. This week we go beyond that, and take a closer look at Rose from a more personal perspective. Not just as a musician, but as an influential pop culture icon. 

In other words, last week we talked what the music sounds like. This week, we talk about how it feels. 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

NSTS is back this week with part one of a two part series featuring Guns N’ Roses frontman W. Axl Rose, one of the intriguing, beguiling, and mysterious figures in rock and roll history.

In part one we examine the rise of Rose – how a delinquent kid from Lafayette, Indiana would lead a band of rock and roll street urchins on to absolute global domination, and all of the insanity that took place along the way. 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS