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This week on No Sleep ’til Sudbury I’m thrilled to host one of my favourite guitar players from my early teen years, Autograph’s Steve Lynch. Steve was one of the earliest innovators of fretboard tapping. After hearing Autograph’s 80s megahit “Turn Up The Radio” in my car recently, I called Steve up to do the show and talk about the songs that make his skin vibrate.

Steve brings in some great tunes and recounts some cool stories from his Autograph days on Los Angeles’ Sunset Strip, including how the band shot guns in the studio to incorporate into their snare drum mixes, and how Van Halen’s tour manager warned Steve not to tap during their set because it was “Eddie’s thing” when they opened for VH in 1985.

Lynch’s playlist:

The Rolling Stones – Sympathy for The Devil

Led Zeppelin – Ramble On

Charlie Sexton – Cry Little Sister

Jimi Hendrix – The Wind Cries Mary

Small Faces – Itchycoo Park

The Beatles – And I Love Her

Led Zeppelin – The Rain Song

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Canadian veteran singer songwriter and former lead singer of The Jitters Blair Packham joins me live in the studio this week to talk about the multitude of projects he has on the go these days, and he brings in some great songs and tremendously thoughtful lyrical insights to chat about. Blair really gets the show’s gist, and his perspectives bolster some great discussion.

Blair and I talk about our common fondness for sad songs, our love for John Prine and Elvis Costello, the absurdity of musical guilty pleasures, and whether or not people will be talking about latest musical trend reggaeton in twenty five years. Probably not.

Packham’s playlist:

Steve Goodman – The Dutchman

John Prine – Far From Me

Elvis Costello – I Want You

Jennifer Warnes – Song of Bernadette

Ron Hynes – A Good Dog Is Lost

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Seattle novelist and friend of the show Sean Beaudoin returns with more cool tunes in episode 57 of No Sleep ’til Sudbury. Sean consistently brings in really great songs, often by artists I’ve never heard of, so it’s always great and very educational to chat music with him.

Sean’s songs all represent an individual theme and this time around, we cover musical plagiarism, selling out, platform shoes with fish in the heels, death threats from metal fans, and the potential for Sean to seek Canadian asylum. I’d happily offer it to him.

Beaudoin’s playlist:

Joe McPhee – Shakey Jake

Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros – Get Down Moses

Bert Jansch – Black Waterside

Truckfighters – Desert Cruiser

Paul Pena – Cosmic Mirror

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It was my pleasure to host Grapes of Wrath vocalist/guitarist Kevin Kane in the studio for Episode 56 of NSTS. I really admired this band during my university years, as a lot of their songs really resonated with me and still do. Kevin still performs with Grapes, but is now also a member of The Northern Pikes, another great Canadian band.

Kev and I have a great chat about the songs that make his skin (as he puts it) “wiggle”, in addition to other things, such as how Steve Winwood got his Hammond organ sound, Jimmy Page as a hired gun, his obsession with the Stones’ Exile On Main Street, why Chuck Berry records are scary, the making of the “All The Things I Wasn’t” video, and what the four components of a classic album really are. And, as he often does, David Bowie works his way into the conversation.
 

Kane’s playlist:

Shack – Natalie’s Party

Talk Talk – Desire

Go Betweens – Cattle and Cane

Sloan – The Good In Everyone

Queen and David Bowie – Under Pressure

Roy Harper – Commune

The Rolling Stones – Rocks Off

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Bob Mayo joins me via Skype from the Boston area for this week’s episode of No Sleep ’til Sudbury. Bob is the former bassist of thrash metal act Wargasm, and he writes an absolutely killer music blog called Mayonoise which I highly recommend.

Bob discusses some impressive insights on Cheap Trick and the oft-overlooked depth of their lyrics. We also discuss Blue Oyster Cult’s relationship with Black Sabbath, Dave Mustaine’s attitude, our perspectives on AC/DC’s formula, and why we’ll be friends for a very long time.
 

Mayo’s playlist:

Motorhead – The Hammer

Blue Oyster Cult – Don’t Fear The Reaper

Cheap Trick – Auf Weidersehen

AC/DC – Gone Shootin’

Megadeth – Holy Wars/The Punishment Due

Budgie – Napoleon Bona Parts I and II

Opeth – The Grand Conjuration

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My guest this week touches on all the aspects that make for a really great show – engagement, keen insight, great stories, interesting little known facts, honesty, and humour. CEO of content marketing agency Church + State with a background in comedy, Ron Tite brings in the songs that make his skin vibrate for a variety of reasons, and the result is an extremely enjoyable conversation.

Ron recounts a Johnny Cash show where he was too drunk to perform, Erica Ehm’s take on The Barenaked Ladies, and the Beastie Boys’ opinion of Slayer guitar solos being inserted into their songs. He also tells some cool stories about Bourbon Tabernacle Choir, Moby, and Eddie Murphy. Brilliant episode.
 

Tite’s playlist:

George Jones – Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes

The Beastie Boys – No Sleep ’til Brooklyn

She Stole My Beer – Sparks Off The Guardrail

Luciano Pavarotti performing Puccini – Nessun Dorma

Jason Mraz – I’m Yours

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NSTS episode 53 is part two of my chat with former Melody Maker journalist Chris Charlesworth. Chris has so many personal stories about rock stars like David Bowie that I just sit back and let him lay them all out.

Chris talks about Bowie’s death and what it was like to be his press officer, which ABBA member had stage fright, how the bass player is the secret weapon of most bands, and the celebrity he found himself sitting behind at Wembley during a Stone Roses show.
 

Charlesworth’s playlist:

David Bowie – Heroes

ABBA – One Of Us

REM – Perfect Circle

Stone Roses – Ten Storey Love Song

Gillian Welch – Elvis Presley Blues

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If you want to hear some absolutely fascinating stories about Elvis, John Lennon, and the guys from Led Zeppelin and The Who, listen to this episode. Legendary Melody Maker journalist and former Omnibus Press managing editor Chris Charlesworth is someone who occupied the inner circles of many a rock star in the 60s and 70s, including those named above along with several others.

Over the phone from the UK, Chris provides some highly-detailed insights regarding his relationships with Pete Townshend and The Who, what it was like to FLY LED ZEPPELIN’S PLANE (!), and his experiences with John Lennon, including John’s phone call to Chris saying it was ‘Johnny Beatle’ calling.

Incredibly entertaining personal stories about rock’s largest legends, from an equally legendary rock writer. Do not miss this.
 

Charlesworth’s playlist:

Elvis Presley – Mystery Train

The Who – Substitute

The Kinks – Waterloo Sunset

The Beatles – Don’t Let Me Down

Led Zeppelin – Rock and Roll

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