It’s essential these days as an artist or band to have merch available. Not only can t-shirts and other apparel generate income for musicians, they’re also a great way to advertise. Yet with production costs rising and other issues coming up in the world of merchandising, things can be difficult for artists at many levels these days. MOD (Merch on Demand) is a platform designed specifically for music artists. Their mission is to revolutionize the way artists create, sell, and connect with their fans through merchandise. Here, founder Joseph Pinho takes us through the history of MOD, and the ways he hopes it will help musicians.

With BreakOut West only a few months away, we caught up with Programming Manager Liam Prost to chat about what’s going on this year at the music industry conference and showcase festival. BreakOut West’s 2023 edition takes place October 11-15 in Kelowna, BC. We hope to see some of you out there!

Brighid Fry likes to describe her Toronto-based outfit Housewife as a project comprised of anyone who collaborates with her—in Nashville, Los Angeles, and New York City-based recording studios, or on tour everywhere across North America. Right now, Fry has her sights set on the future, with her volunteer work with the musician-led activism group Music Declares Emergency, as well as the writing and recording of new music.

This week, we're joined by Richard Todd, guitarist and vocalist of Toronto progressive rock trio Redpath Traffic. Todd and his bandmates may range from their 50s to 70s, but they're out to prove that you can start a band at any point in life, and music isn't all about youth.

We have an interesting topic on today’s episode. As the label coordinator and artist manager at MDC Music, as well as production lead and showcase presenter for Breaking Sound, Tim Wilson’s life is fully immersed in music. Wilson is also a trained luthier, and back in his school days, delved into the topic of sustainability in guitar manufacturing for a term project. Here, he discusses the steps the lutherie industry can take to make the craft of guitar building more environmentally beneficial.

Aphrose puts a modern spin on R&B and soul with relatable lyrics and glittery melodies. The Scarborough native was raised by Trinidadian parents who owned a record store on Toronto's West side, exposing her to the Soulful delights of Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, and Michael Jackson. After Canadian singer-songwriter Chantal Kreviazuk heard her on the radio, she reached out to Aphrose directly and invited her to open for her and husband Raine Maida's Moon vs. Sun tour. In addition to her own music, Aphrose has sung backup for Daniel Caesar, Lee Fields & The Expressions, Jessie Reyez, and Charlotte Day Wilson. Check out our interview with Aphrose, and listen to her new single, "YaYa," now.

For our most recent issue of Canadian Musician magazine, Editor Matt Bauer chatted with Grammy-nominated house music producer and DJ Jayda G to talk about her newest release, Guy. Titled after her late father, Guy, is Jayda G’s most personal release to date. Known worldwide for her exuberant DJ sets, the Grand Forks, BC-born and London, UK-based writer, producer, DJ, environmental toxicologist, and broadcaster has crafted a vivid, danceable tapestry in tribute to her father Richard Guy who passed when Jayda was ten. Listen to the full interview here.

We're joined this week by HERDD, a Sudbury, ON-based electro-pop artist who is in the midst of perfecting his newest record. HERDD chats about the challenges of being sober in the music industry, what it takes to reinvent one's artist identity, being a perfectionist, and more. This interview explores some heavy topics, so listener discretion is advised.

This week, our gusts are Wallace da Silve, the promoter behind Nitro Funk, and Toronto artist Nick Souza. The two are part of a wave of Baile Funk in Canada. The high-energy music originated in Brazil and is amking its way into the global market, with some major stars getting in on the action.

This week, our guest is Music Publishers Canada (MPC) CEO Margaret McGuffin. In addition to chatting about MPC's work and what it is that music publishers do, McGuffin gives us the details on this year's Women in the Studio National Accelerator program. First launched the program regionally in 2019 and expanded nationally in 2020, this is the fifth cohort the Accelerator is supporting. It is designed to provide the group with opportunities for skills development and networking that they may otherwise be unable to access.

This week, we're joined by Toronto-based singer-songwriter Skye Wallace. Currently. Wallace is in the midst of preparations for the rest of her year on the road, while also working on new music. Here, Wallace discusses the differences between festival slots and headline shows, as well as learning to write with other songwriters and how it's enriched her music.

This week, we go all the way back to the beginning with B.C./Ohio-based duo Big Little Lions, who have recently released their seventh album and first concept album, AMPM. The duo explore the beginnigns of their work together and the discovery of their musical chemistry, and explain how they write, record, and rehearse from afar.

This week, we're joined by JUNO-nominated Indigenous Country artist and advocate, Desiree Dorion. Dorion discusses the meaning behind some of her lyrics and what it's like to put personal stories out into the world, and shares some insights on raising kids as an artist. Dorion recently released her fifth studio album, That's How I Know, featuring songs co-written with Crystal Shawanda and Dave Wasyliw (Doc Walker). Having appeared on Canada's Top 100 Country Charts a whopping six times, Desiree is celebrated for her exceptional storytelling ability and relatable songs. The album navigates a variety of themes, from dealing with a loved one's addiction, to exploring a crush and simply having fun. The title track from her latest project is a fun, upbeat song that celebrates love through actions, no matter how small.

This week, we're joined by guitar Workshop Plus Founder Brian Murray, who takes us through his years running the show. We explore the past, present, and future of Guitar Workshop Plus, and the past, present, and future of guitar music.

This week, we're joined by Mares of Thrace's Thérèse Lanz, who fills us in on her band's new music, touring plans, and much more. Mares of Thrace, the Calgary sludge/doom metal duo, is riding high after returning from a decade-long hiatus, and things just aren't slowing down. Also, for anyone wondering whether the band is looking for a bassist, the answer is no, and Lanz explains why here.

This week, our guest is Chris Tsujiuchi, one of the Artistic Directors of SING! The Toronto International Vocal Arts Festival, which runs May 29-June 4. This year, SING! will feature all kinds of a cappella arts, from broadway singing to beatboxing, and much, much more. Listen on to learn about what to expect at this year's edition.

This week, we catch up with North By Northeast (NXNE) President Michael Hollett ahead of this year's festival. NXNE takes place June 13-17 in Toronto and features nesrly 300 emerging artists. Listen on to hear about wehat went into NXNE building back up aftet the pandemic to come back stronger than ever.

Our guest this week is solo artist and TikToker Justus Hajas, a young shredder who has already amassed an impressive online following. Hajas takes us through his beginnings as a musician and content creator, his recent trip to NAMM, his endorsement with Ernie Ball, and more. He even critiques our host's guitar in a shout to one of his most popular series of TikToks.

So Fierce Music is a Canadian-based entertainment and education company founded by DJ/Producer Velvet Code. So Fierce is Canada’s leading record label home for 2SLGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Two-Spirit, Intersex, Asexual) creators. So Fierce Music’s non-profit organization, the YOU DO YOU Foundation supports 2SLGBTQ+ and QBIPOC (Queer Black, Indigenous, People of Colour) music artists and musicians with an opportunity create music and express themselves. We caught up with Velvet Code and artist Brayo Brians to talk about the work being done by the You Do You Foundation.

As we’re one week away from the Canadian Independent Musician’s Association (CIMA)'s first ever Make It Music summit, we caught up with CIMA president and CEO Andrew Cash to talk about the event. The Make It Music summit will take place April 25-26 at Toronto’s Offworld. Listen on to find out all about the event and what to expect.

This week, we're joined by Brandon Wolfe Scott, best known as the guitarist of Yukon Blonde. With a recently released solo effort, Scott has been trying out new, different things, and discovering more about his own musicianship in the process. Here, Scott talks about finding a balance between his work with Yukon Blonde and his solo endeavours, as well as some of his prized and coveted musical istruments and accessories.

Just ahead of the 2023 Juno Awards, we caught up with MusiCounts Music Teacher of the Year Award nominees Stephen Richardson and Heidi Wood, as well as MusiCounts' Nick Godsoe to talk what makes effective music education, and why it's important to have access to. Richardson is the music teacher for École St.Joseph School in Yellowknife, NWT, while Wood teaches at Joane Cardinal-Schubert High School in Calgary, AB. Godsoe is Senior Manager, Programs & Education for MusiCounts. The three each bring a unique perspective to this roundtable discussion.

PEI’s Sommo Festival boasts a massive line up for a first-year festival. With hopes to make it an annual event, Ben Murphy and his team at Whitecap Entertainment (the group behind the award-winning Cavendish Beach Music Festival) put a lot of work into the launch, and the festival will be taking place this July. Before starting on the panning, the team did a deep dive into what the community enjoyed about live music events and how they could make it the most enjoyable for all. Of course, everyone said the only thing they like better than live music is delicious food, so Sommo was born.

This week, we’re joined by Ernesto Cervini, one of Canada’s premiere jazz artists, who also runs Orange Grove Publicity. The drummer, composer, and bandleader chats about making a life and a living in the music business, and the literary inspirations behind his latest offering, 2022’s Joy. The Juno-nominated Joy was inspired by a series of book’s Cervini loves: Louise Penny’s Three Pines series. The album is a musical journey through the soul and heart of the series and the characters who inhabit it, guided by an adoring fan. Cervini’s music and personality beam with unbridled joy and this album is a true reflection of that.

This week, we're joined by Tim Chaisson and Jake Charron of Canadian pop-folk band The East Pointers, who recently received a JUNO Award nomination for Contemporary Roots Album of The Year for their EP, House of Dreams. In January 2022, the band suffered an unimaginable loss with the sudden passing of member Koady Chaisson, but Tim Chaisson and Jake Charron have continued to carry on and keep Koady’s spirit alive with the release of their recent album and more new music to come.

This week we are joined by Luc Lemay, lead vocalist and guitarist of the Canadian death metal band Gorguts. Originally from Sherbrooke, Quebec, Gorguts has been around since 1989, with Lemay as its only constant member. The band was in a years-long period of inactivity since 2016, but they've recently gotten back together are laying out plans for a new album, with some new shows announced coming up this spring.

It's obvious that online teaching saw a huge rise during the pandemic, and for some, it proved to be a more efficient model. This week, Teach Music Online's Carly Walton joins us to talk about what it takes to pivot to a new teaching and learning model, and explores the benefits of being an online teacher, but also the results students can see from learning at home.

This week, we're joined by Ottawa blues artist and Juno nominee Angelique Francis, whose latest album, Long River, is up for Blues Album of the Year at the 2023 Juno Awards. Francis delves into her writing process, shares her tips for keeping a neat schedule, and explores the themes of her music, as well as what it's like to be a true multi-instrumentalist and major award nominee. Francis is known for her eclectic mix of various musical genres including blues, soul, folk, jazz, gospel, and rock. She has shared the stage with or opened for a roster of well-known musicians such as Gary Clark Jr, Joe Bonamassa, Eric Gales, Keb’ Mo’, Jimmy Vivino, Beth Hart, Tom Cochran, Burton Cummings, Sugar Ray, and more.

William Carn is one of Canada’s leading contemporary jazz trombonists and composers. His latest release, Choices, is the culmination of over two years of work during the pandemic, and a major stylistic departure. With the help of Toronto producer HiFiLo (aka Todd Pentney), this recording was augmented, edited, and mixed remotely as well. The compositions on Choices were all inspired by various major events from the past two and a half years: the fear of the unknown, BLM and HK protests, the war in Ukraine, the passing of their beloved eldest cat, as well as general feelings of gratitude and love. The two central themes of this recording are reaction and reflection.

We delve behind the scenes on the making of many of the lyric videos we’ve all seen for some of our favourite songs, but probably haven’t thought too much about, as far as who made them goes. Lyric Vids is one of the music industry's leading lyric video production companies, with quite the portfolio under its belt. The 100% Canadian company has garnered more than 250 million YouTube views to date; and produced videos for some of the biggest names in music.

Today, we're joined by a stalwart Canadian musician, who is none other than Honeymoon Suite’s Derry Grehan. Here, Grehan chats about the process of making his new Godin Guitars signature model, as well as his practice routines, writing process, and new material. Honeymoon Suite, formed in 1981 in Niagara Falls, ON, is one of Canada's best-known rock bands, with hits like "New Girl Now," "Feel It Again," and "Burning in Love."

Today we have an interview with with Vancouver-based rock band Chase The Bear’s vocalist Troy Gilmore, as well as producer Danny Craig. Chase The Bear is set to release their debut album Honey on January 20, 2023 via Rock Is Dead Records. Honey was produced by Danny Craig, who is the co-founder of new Vancouver-based record label Rock Is Dead Records (the first-ever label to be distributed by 604 Records) and a member of Canadian rock band Default. Originally hailing from Fort St. John, BC, Chase The Bear includes vocalist Troy Gilmore, along with guitarists Leo Gilmore and Jordan Philips, drummer Connor Brooks, keyboardist Kevin Parker and bassist Braedan Royer. The act has performed over one hundred shows, including a sold-out show opening for The Trews at Vancouver’s Commodore Ballroom.

Today's guest on the Canadian Musician Podcast is Lindsay Schoolcraft, a JUNO-nominated singer, harpist, pianist, songwriter, and more from Oshawa, ON. In 2021, Schoolcraft took home the Oshawa Music Award for Artist of the Year, and she’s been releasing her own solo music since 2010, which blends symphonic elements with modern metal music. Schoolcraft is also always looking to further her musical education and knowledge, and even coaches other artists on how the music business works. Listen to hear Schoolcraft's thoughts on life in the music industry, her own development as an artist throughout her career, and how you can never learn too much, or even enough, about music.

On this week's episode of the Canadian Musician Podcast, we're joined by KEN mode vocalist/guitarist Jesse Matthewson, ahead of the release of the Winnipeg noise rock outfit's latest offering, Null. Matthewson gets candid about what life on tour is really like, what it takes to work together as a band, and how he keeps his performances consistent as he gets older. KEN mode, formed in 1999 by Matthewson, along with his brother, drummer Shane Matthewson, has released eight studio albums and done a massive amount of touring in their tenure as a band. They also took home a JUNO Award in 2012 for Metal/Hard Music Album of the Year for their album Venerable.

This week, we bring you our first episode hosted by Manus Hopkins, one of Canadian Musician's editors, who has taken up the mantle of podcast host from Mike Raine. We're sad to see Mike go and know he'll be missed, but the podcast will go on, and we hope you'll all continue to tune in each week. Today's interview is with Melissa McClelland and Luke Doucet, the husband-and-wife duo that forms Hamilton folk-rock band Whitehorse. Whitehorse's new album, I'm Not Crying, You're Crying, is out January 13. Here, Doucet and McClelland take us through the process of making new music together in lockdown, and share stories from throughout the band's career about how they became the group they are today. They even set the record straight about how they really chose their name.

So, this is it, Mike Raine’s last episode as host of the Canadian Musician Podcast. Mike kicks off the show by introducing you to Manus Hopkins, one of the editors at Canadian Musician who you’ll be hearing on the podcast from now on. And then, Mike shares his last interview for the Canadian Musician Podcast, and it’s a prime example of the type of conversation he’s loved having here. It is with Menno Versteeg, founder of Royal Mountain Records and former frontman of the band Hollerado. Menno – in his typical funny, honest, and self-deprecating way – tells the story of Royal Mountain’s creation and how it almost accidently grew into Canada’s best indie label, with an all-star roster that includes Alvvays, Mac Demarco, Orville Peck, PUP, and so many more outstanding artists.

On this week’s episode, Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine chats with Brad Simons. Brad is a man of many hats — he is a musician, computer scientist, Juno-nominated producer, and the owner of Edmonton-based studio and artist services company Velveteen Music. Brad tells Mike about his life in the music industry and the evolving vision for Velveteen Music and how he and his team are creating a multi-faceted company and studio facility that is geared towards helping indie musicians not just record music, but empower them with additional tools and content that are needed in the digital era. They also go down a rabbit hole of discussing the pros and cons of streaming apps and how the platforms could be made better for both music fans and the folks behind the scenes who help make the music.

Joining Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine on the podcast this week is Vanessa Thomas, who was recently tapped to lead Sound Royalties’ Canadian operation. Sound Royalties offers a unique royalty advance model for independent artists and small music companies. Vanessa is a respected Canadian industry expert with more than two decades of music industry experience, including six years running Canada’s Songwriters Hall of Fame as part of her work with SOCAN. Canada provides notable funding for the arts, but advances can still often be limited and capped. This is not always in line with the rapidly changing financial needs of the artist. The working relationship between Thomas and Sound Royalties aims to provide more nimble options to existing funding solutions that can help to build a more robust music ecosystem in Canada.

On the podcast this week, Mike Raine chats with award-winning artist agent and event promoter Paul Biro. He is the co-founder, president, and operating partner at the Sakamoto Agency, one of the top companies in Canada’s live country music industry. He has also helped lead Sakamoto’s expansion with the creation of the Sakamoto Music record label and GPS Promotions. Paul recently received his fourth Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) Award as the Talent Buyer or Promoter of the Year. The Sakamoto Agency also continued its CCMA Award streak after winning the Booking Agency of the Year award for the third year in a row. Paul takes Mike all the way back to his days as a truck driver and how that actually helped him break into the radio and music industry. From there, Paul discusses the creation and growth of Sakamoto Agency, his approach to artist relations, how to grow artists’ live careers, the future of radio, and a lot more.

This week on the podcast, Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine speaks with two rising Canadian rock bands who he’s become a big fan of, Goodnight Sunrise and Les Shirley. First up, Mike chat with Vanessa Vakharia and David Kochberg of Toronto-based band Goodnight Sunrise about their new album, ‘Against All Odds,’ and Christmas single, “Single All the Way,” as well as getting on streaming playlists and radio, album art, and, naturally, the classic Christmas rom-com Love Actually. Next, Mike spoke with Raphaëlle Chouinard and Sarah Dion of Montreal-based band Les Shirley. Their musical style is redefining the indie rock genre connecting the dots between 90’s grunge, 2000’s punk rock culture and catchy pop tunes. The girls are solid musicians with a flair for flaming hot melodies and bursting riffs. In 2019, they were named the best breakout band in the province at the Alternative Independent Music Gala of Quebec. Mike spoke with them on the day their new album, More is More, was released.

Producer and Toronto Raptors official DJ, 4KORNERS, tells his story, from journalism student to DJing NBA games and parties for A-list celebrities. He has just released his highly anticipated debut full-length album 4KORNERS of the World . This new album is destined to make waves not just throughout Canada, but around the world. In this chat with Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine, he tells the story of becoming only the second official team DJ in the NBA, the behind-the-scenes trick and stories, and a whole lot more. This is definitely a fun conversation!

On the podcast this week, Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine welcome David "Gordo" Strickland, one of the pioneers of hip-hop production and recording in Canada. He’s an Indigenous, Toronto-born and based award-winning engineer, mixer, producer and DJ. Known for being behind the boards on iconic hip-hop and R&B records for over two decades, his work has graced seminal tracks by the likes of Pete Rock, Erick Sermon, EPMD, Keith Murray, Redman and Method Man, to records by ground-breaking Toronto hip-hop acts, including Drake, k-os, Ghetto Concept, Jelleestone, Kardinal Offishall, Jully Black, and Choclair. David's two most recent collaborative albums, Spirit Of Hip Hop (2020, Entertainment One) and Spirit Of Hip Hop: Elements (2022), highlights some of North America's hip-hop progenitors and innovative Indigenous artists alike to share an embodiment of the teachings, art, traditions, and music of the community, aligned with his Indigenous heritage. In this chat, David tells Mike about how he got his start and built his engineering skills, being thrown into the fire as a newbie on an album by Saukrates, and working his way through the industry from there.

This week on the podcast, Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine welcomes Thompson Egbo-Egbo, a celebrated and internationally acclaimed pianist and composer from Toronto. His new album, What Remains, is out this Friday, October 28, via MNRK Music. Born in Nigeria, moving to Canada at age four, and learning piano at age six, there was concern that the renowned jazz pianist wasn't adjusting well in school. His mom decided to enroll him in music lessons. At Dixon Hall, a community centre down the street from where Thompson grew up in Toronto's Regent Park neighbourhood, he was able to take piano lessons at two dollars a session. Growing up in subsidized government development area of Toronto, Thompson was inspired by Dixon Hall’s mission to build a musical school gave neighborhood kids access of affordable music lessons. Thompson went on to earn degrees in music from Humber College, and music production at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, and has released numerous works and collaborating with some of the world’s most renowned artists. In 2021, Thompson portrayed a young Oscar Peterson in an episode of Historica Canada’s Heritage Minute, honouring the artist’s life and career. While he was set to cross the pond for a recording opportunity at Abbey Road Studios in London, UK, Thompson was still able to proceed in Toronto to write and record Oddly Familiar – an album released and archived with Audio Network’s sync library.

Joining Mike on the podcast this week is Josh Neuman, the president and co-CEO of MELON, a powerhouse metaverse game development studio focused on Roblox. Josh explains why Roblox offers a lot of untapped potential for virtual music events, as well as a platform for audience growth and engagement, revenue generation, and more. He also explains why he thinks a lot of metaverse music experiences are misguided. Before arriving at Melon, Josh was an artist manager for major artists like Tiësto and Fall Out Boy and and built major artist management firms. He also founded Recreation Worldwide, a brand creative agency and the THUMP EDM content platform, which were acquired by VICE Media in 2016. Josh has been at the intersection of celebrity culture, media, brands and marketing throughout his career and has architected some of the most innovative partnerships in the space. The development team at MELON has been behind numerous music events on the immersive game platform Roblox, having worked with artists including Tai Verdes, Ava Max, KSI, and Zara Larsson on their Roblox events, as well as experiences for clients like the NFL, Chipotle, and Mattel. In July, MELON announced a $5 million seed round, which included investment from the likes of Crush Ventures (the investment arm of Crush Music), Deborah Dugan (former CEO of Product (RED) and the Recording Academy of Music), Spencer Baim (former CCO of VICE Media), and Gene Salomon (partner at leading entertainment law firm Gang, Tyre, Ramer, Brown & Passman).

Back on the podcast this week is Music Canada CEO Patrick Rogers. With Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine, Patrick gets into the weeds and behind the scenes on Bill C-11, aka The Online Streaming Act, in which the federal government aims to bring streaming companies like Spotify and Netflix into the CanCon regulatory regime. Patrick has been one of the music industry representatives to testify before the Senate Committee on Bill C-11 and Music Canada has been vocally supportive of the Bill, though it also has a couple important concerns, which Patrick gets into. In this conversation, Patrick brings some fascinating and important insights based on his many years working on legislation in the federal government. Prior to joining Music Canada in 2016, Patrick worked in Stephen Harper’s Prime Minister’s Office from 2010-2013, and then was the Director of Policy for the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages from 2013-2015. Based on that experience, Patrick offers some insight as to why Bill C-11 is constructed like it is, for better or worse, and shares some anecdotes from his appearance in the Senate.

https://nwcwebinars.com/ Why do music supervisors choose the songs they do for TV shows, movies, and commercials? And how do those songs get licensed, and for how much? How do music supervisors even do their job? How do indie artists pitch to music supervisors? For Canadian Musician and NWC's free September 2022 webinar, Editor-in-Chief Michael Raine was joined by one of Canada's most esteemed music supervisors to answer these questions and lots more. They address all aspects of music supervision and sync licensing from both the artist's and music supervisor's perspective. This week on the Canadian Musician Podscast, we're sharing that informative conversation, including the audience Q&A. Cody Partridge is the President and Lead Music Supervisor at Pear Tree Music Supervision. With close to a decade of experience in the industry, his 150+ credits help demonstrate his versatility in navigating music clearances and placements over all forms of media. Cody prides himself on being an Indiana Jones of music clearances, constantly finding the hidden gems, and never allowing rights holders to go undiscovered. In addition, he is also well versed in navigating Unions implications when placing any affiliated recordings, assuring clients a pleasurable, worry-free experience in all aspects of authentic music use. Some highlights of his recent credits include: Letterkenny, Schitt’s Creek, and various advertising campaigns, including Telus, Canada Life, and Scotiabank. Cody is also on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Guild of Music Supervisors, and acts as the Treasurer. At the 2022 Canadian Sync Music Awards, Cody took home four honours for: Best Sync – Sports Program or Sports Promo; Best Sync – Soundtrack, Original Film or Episodic Series for Streaming Platform (for Letterkenny); Best Sync – Soundtrack, Episodic Series (for Letterkenny); and Best Sync – Scene, Feature Film or Documentary Film (for Wildhood).

First up this week, one of Canada’s leading experts on internet regulation and e-commerce law, Michael Geist, returns to the podcast to dissect Bill C-11, aka the Online Streaming Act, as Senate committees get underway. Geist, who often butts heads with the music industry, explains where there’s agreement and conflict between entertainment companies, streaming services, and the government with regards to the new law, how it could be implemented, which aims to regulate streaming services such as Spotify and Netflix in order to promote and fund Canadian artistic content. As well, guitarist, songwriter, and producer Jeff Gunn returns to talk about his own musical and professional evolution, music education, playing at Ringo Starr’s birthday party, and a lot more.

On the podcast this week, Canadian Musician Assistant Editor Manus Hopkins shares his recent conversation with Dallas Green and George Pettit from the mega influential post-hardcore band, Alexisonfire. This is one of the conversations with the band the Manus had for the latest cover story in Canadian Musician magazine. In it, George and Dallas talk about the band’s early years, their, breakup and time apart, their recent reunion and new hit album, Otherness (Dine Alone Records), and their influence on younger bands. Enter CM's Alexisonfire sweeps at pages.nwcworld.com/alexisonfire for a chance to win one vinyl copy of Otherness, one Otherness star t-shirt in a size of the winner’s choosing, and one Otherness keychain. Check out the full Alexisonfire story in the September/October 2022 issue of Canadian Musician, alongside other great features, columns, and more! CanadianMusician.com.

First up on the podcast this week, Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine chats with award-winning country artist Jason Blaine about his shift away from mainstream, radio-focused music to a more soulful alternative country sound with his latest album, Diamond in the Desert. It earned him a 2022 Canadian Country Music Association Award nomination in the Alternative Country Album of the Year category. Jason gets into the songwriting and recording of the new album, and also how he has managed the shifting expectations from fans and industry, as well as himself. The second conversation this week is with Rich Chambers, a rock and roll artist out of Vancouver who, after decades raising a family and in a professional academic career, has thrown himself into a music career. Rich wrote an interesting email to Mike that caught his attention, which Mike shares here and explains why he thinks Rich’s story will resonate with a lot of listeners. It’s an inspiring conversation about art, dreams, life, and growing older in this world of music.

Now 36 years old, and just a year removed from winning the Polaris Music Prize, Rollie Pemberton (better known as Cadence Weapon) is able to reflect on the significant highs and lows he’s had in his career. From a rap-obsessed Black kid in Edmonton who shared lyrics on early internet message boards, to a teenager with critically-acclaimed albums but stuck in an exploitive label deal, to an entrepreneurial independent artist navigating the business on his own terms, Pemberton has lived multiple lives in the music business and has the lessons to prove it. He shares his story and all the lessons learned along the way in his new book, Bedroom Rapper (Penguin Random House Canada). It’s both an illuminating memoir and a guidebook to the music business for independent artists. Here, Pemberton chats with Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief about his career and shares many great stories along the way.

First up on the show this week, Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine chats with Dynesti Williams, an independent hip-hop and soul singer who also works a financial coach. Dynesti tells Mike about growing up in a low-income household in Toronto and learning to use the programs that were available to young artists to further her career. She then discusses how that led her to a career in finance and the key lessons about money that she shares with other up-and-coming indie artists. The second interview this week is with Chris Cresswell of beloved Canadian punk band The Flatliners. They guys are back with their sixth LP, New Ruin (Dine Alone Records) and are also celebrating their 20th anniversary together. Chris and Mike chat about the band’s longevity and evolution, their relationships with each other and their fans, writing political punk songs, the advantages bands in Southern Ontario have over artists in other parts of Canada, and more.

Arcade Fire, Wolf Parade, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Feist, Tegan and Sara, Metric, Broken Social Scene, The New Pornographers, Peaches, Danko Jones, The Weakerthans, Alexisonfire, Kardinal Offishall, Fucked Up, and the list keep going and going. The early 2000s were a special time in Canadian music. It was a moment when the rest of the world really took notice of Canadian indie music. Suddenly, we were cool! And so, this week on the podcast, Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Michael Raine is joined by music journalist, author, and music historian Michael Barclay to discuss his latest book, Hearts on Fire: Six Years that Changed Canadian Music, 2000-2005. Barclay discusses the socio-economic factors that allowed for thriving music scenes all around Canada in those years, in the influence of Napster and file sharing, his own experiences interviewing bands and attending concerts in that era, the relationships between the bands, Canada’s perpetual inferiority complex when it comes to art, and more.

This week, Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine is joined by Morgan Hayduk and Andrew Batey, co-founders and co-CEOs of Beatdapp, a Canada-based company that is tackling the huge issue of streaming fraud. Morgan and Andrew reveal why they think the common estimate of $300 million per year in lost royalties is actually too conservative when it comes to music streaming fraud, and how their team of data scientist and engineers uses cross-platform analysis to expose fraudulent streams in the DSPs’ data. They also discuss how the fraudsters are operating, why it’s nearly impossible for a streaming service to find all fraudulent streams on their own, and the delicate politics involved in tackling the problem. This is a fascinating and important conversation that impacts everyone involved in the business of music rights.

On the show this week, Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine chats with Fabiana Claure, a concert pianist, entrepreneur, and business coach for musicians. Fabiana is also the co-founder of the Superior Music Academy in Miami and the former director of the Music Business and Entrepreneurship program at the University of North Texas. She tells Mike about why she left that tenure-track position to launch her current company and program, called the Musician’s Profit Umbrella. With it, she’s helped hundreds of musicians create businesses, gain employment opportunities, and launch their careers so, she says, they can live “the life of artistic realization, financial freedom, impact and fulfillment they crave.” For Fabiana, the goal is to help experienced musicians work smarter, not harder so that they can get out of the trap of simply exchanging time for money.

As an acclaimed and sought-after record producer and recording engineer, Kallie Marie has witnessed first-hand the opportunities and challenges that women in her chosen field face every day. In her new book, ‘Conversations with Women in Music Production’, Kallie interviews some of the most renowned women in audio and music production to reveal how they’ve navigated their careers. Ranging across both the personal and professional, the accounts collected contain varied viewpoints as well as many shared experiences, encompassing such topics as diversity, childcare, healthcare, pay equity, and the ways technological change is reshaping the industry landscape. In this episode of the podcast, Kallie joins Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine to share her own experiences as a woman in the professional recording industry, and what she heard and learned from others while writing her book.

In late June, the Canada's Parliament passed Bill C-11, commonly known as the Online Streaming Act. This legislation is something music industry groups like SOCAN, CIMA, and Music Canada have long lobbied for, and it could have a major impact on the country’s music, TV, and film industries. In broad terms, it updates the federal Broadcasting Act in order to apply a new version of CanCon regulations to streaming companies like Spotify, YouTube, and Netflix, and bring them within the CRTC’s regulatory regime. Current CanCon regulations have been in places since the early 1970s and force Canadian content quotas and an arts funding system on traditional Canadian broadcasters. Though the broad goals of Bill C-11 are made clear (which include significant monetary contributions from DSPs into Canadian arts funding bodies like FACTOR and greater promotion of Canadian artists on the platforms), significant parts of how this will be implemented is still widely unknown. And so, this week Mike brings back beloved broadcaster and music industry expert Alan Cross to chat about all this and what it could mean for both streaming companies and the music industry in Canada.

This week, Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine shares is entire conversation with heralded singer-songwriter Allison Russell, which was done for the cover story in the latest issue of Canadian Musician magazine. Not since Tracy Chapman has a Black woman taken the Americana world by storm like Russell has with debut solo album, Outside Child. But Russell is no newbie, as she’s two decades into her highly-regarded career. She began with the Vancouver-based folk group, Po’ Girl, then spent the last decade-plus touring relentlessly with her partner, JT Nero, in the group Birds of Chicago. But it’s the lushness and power of Outside Child that has catapulted her to stardom over the last year. The album has been a hit despite, or maybe because of, its difficult subject matter, which tackles Russell’s childhood of abuse at the hands of a racist adoptive father. Outside Child was released in May 2021, in part thanks to country star Brandi Carlile. Now, a little over a year later, Russell is contemplating what it means to be playing sold out shows, to have received three Grammy Award nominations, and have won a Juno Award for Contemporary Roots Album of the Year, a Canadian Folk Music Award for Contemporary Album of the Year, and the two top honours at the 2022 International Folk Music Awards. Plus, she’s currently nominated for Album and Song of the Year at the 2022 Americana Music Awards.

On this week’s podcast, we have a unique conversation where rising pop singer-songwriter Mathew V is joined by his influential agent, Tom Kemp, senior VP at the Feldman Agency. Together they discuss their respective career trajectories and how they’re working together to foster Matthew V’s rise. Having these two together, a rising artist and veteran agent, provides a very fascinating perspective on the current live music industry and how an artist works with their agent and label to build a career. Along the way, with Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine, they also get into some fun conversation about stage banter, livestreaming, and more.

First up on the podcast this week, former publicist and current creativity and personal branding coach Diane Foy walks you through the Media & Industry Attraction Playbook. With Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine, Diane shares her own story and then dissects the work she does with musicians to help them craft their story and image for the public. It’s intense, personal work that results in artists having a much deeper understanding of themselves as people and artists so that they can share their own story in a more effective and engaging manner. Following that, Mike chats with documentary director Pale Christian Thomas and associate producer Daniel Joseph about their new film, VanCity Raps. They tell the story of Vancouver’s hip-hop scene, which they were both central figures in, sharing the key artists who have shaped it, how it has evolved, and more.

About a year ago, SoundCloud began a fascinating and possibly industry-changing experiment by becoming the first streaming service to implement a user-centric royalty model, which they’ve termed “fan-powered royalties.” User-centric payouts, which essentially sends a subscriber’s money to the actual artists they listen to in a given month, has long been touted as a fairer and more artist-friendly economic model for the industry. So, for this week’s episode, Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine chats with SoundCloud’s VP of Strategy, Michael Pelczynski, about how the fan-powered royalties experiment has played out in its first year. What have they learned and it is really proving to be a better model for artists? And is there any chance at all that this could actually be adopted on a larger scale by the likes of Spotify and Apple Music?

On the podcast this week, Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine is joined by Luther Mallory. He’s an artist and performance coach specializing in stage psychology. Luther works with the Juno Masterclass and CMI's Artist Entrepreneur Program to help artists learn to let go of overthinking and obsessive judgment in performance. In this fascinating chat, Luther explains why he thinks there’s really just two kinds of artists, and how he works with them to bring out their best performance that is in line with their own style and personality. He helps them work through mental hurdles that diminish their ability on stage and become more captivating and engaging performers. He also explains what separates the very best artists he’s worked with, such as Haviah Mighty. Learn more at LutherMallory.com or DM him @luthermallory on Instagram.

Just ahead of his current U.K. and Europe summer tour dates, Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief caught back up with Alex Henry Foster. Because of the success he’s had as a totally DIY artists, and his frankness about the successes and struggles he had during his career, Alex is always a captivating and interesting person to chat with. Formerly the frontman for beloved Canadian alt-rock heroes Your Favorite Enemies, Alex has branched out in many directions in recent years, including releasing his debut solo album Windows in the Sky in 2018 and the live album Standing Under Bright Lights in 2021. His latest single is a cover of Lou Reed’s “Power of the Heart.” It’s been a hectic last couple years for Alex, with big highs and lows, and he opens up about the mental and physical exhaustion he’d driven himself to during the pandemic. He also discusses the costs and rewards of a high-profile DIY career, building a large and devoted fanbase and team around himself, often with many musical and business projects on the go.

On this week’s podcast, Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine is joined by Kim Fry, one of the organizers behind Music Declares Emergency Canada (MDEC). It’s the Canadian chapter of a global movement of people in the music industry working together “towards a carbon neutral future.” More than 200 artists have signed on in Canada, including Tegan & Sara, LAL, Sarah Harmer, Caribou, and members of Broken Social Scene and Tokyo Police Club. Kim, who has a background with Greenpeace and climate activism, is also the mother of Brighid Fry of the popular Canadian indie-folk group Housewife (formerly Moscow Apartment). Mike and Kim discuss MDE/MDEC’s formation, it’s approach to activism and making change, why and how artists should get involved with climate activism, even if they’re not “perfect” environmentalists, and what specifically the music industry needs to change in order to be part of the solution of halting climate change. For more about Music Declares Emergency, go to www.musicdeclares.net.

First up on the podcast this week, Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine chats with Jonathan Campbell and Mercedes Caxaj, two organizers of this June’s Global Toronto 2022 conference and showcase festival. The annual event, which is returning as both an in-person festival and an online conference, is rooted in creating a sustainable, equitable, and accessible future for the music sector. Jonathan and Mercedes discuss what specifically that means and outline the issues and topics of concern at Global Toronto (www.globaltoronto.org). Mike's second interview is with Re:Sound President and CEO Lou Ragagnin, who joined the performing right organization’s leadership just before the pandemic began. Lou and Mike discuss why Re:Sound is lobbying the federal government for two significant changes to the Copyright Act, which Lou says would help ensure a more fair and equitable system for music creators, and the likelihood in successfully getting these changes implemented. Lou also chats about his first two years on the job with Re:Sound during these tumultuous times.

Joey and David Landreth of acclaimed roots-rock band The Bros. Landreth join Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine this week for a wide-ranging chat about music and life. The guys’ recently-released LP, Come Morning, marks both a rebirth and refinement of the Juno-winning band's blend of North American roots music and harmony-heavy soul. In this conversation, they discuss their early years grinding it out as a touring band, growing up with a father in the music business, the growth of their sound and songwriting, and how them each becoming fathers has reshaped their perspective on life and prioritizing a music career. And at the end, they both happily geek out about their respective bass and guitar rigs.

For the January/February 2022 issue of Canadian Musician magazine, Catherine Harrison wrote a column called, “It’s Hard Out There for Musician: What Can You Do to Take Care of Yourself?” It was about the mental health issues that are predominant among working musicians, why the musician’s lifestyle makes these issues more likely, and what they can do to help themselves or find help. There were a lot of things in that column that Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine felt were worthy of a more in-depth conversation, and so he’s happy to have Catherine on this week’s episode to do that. Catherine Harrison is the president of Purple Voodoo Inc. and a board member with Over the Bridge, a Canadian non-profit focused on mental health issues and awareness in the music industry. Catherine is a human-centered leadership expert, author, certified professional coach, strategic connector-of-dots and successful entrepreneur. A multi-disciplinary artist, musician, and songwriter, she is also a fierce environmentalist, mother, recovering corporate animal, meditator, ardent roamer of paths, and lifelong learner. She is a strong advocate for human-centered practices in places of work, especially with respect to the current conversation about mental health and substance use. Resources mentioned in this week’s conversation: www.capsa.ca/peer-support/ www.camh.ca/en/health-info/guides-and-publications/digital-tools www.overthebridge.org www.unisonfund.ca/category/mental-health/ www.backline.care/support-groups/ www.wellnesstogether.ca/en-CA www.wellnesstogether.ca/en-CA/all-people-all-pathways www.catherineharrison.com/assk-signup/ Behindthescenescharity.org/mental-health-and-suicide-prevention-initiative/ www.bouncebackontario.ca/ www.cmha.ca/ Behind the Scene Therapist/Counseling Finder in Canada: Behindthescenescharity.org/mental-health-and-suicide-prevention-initiative/mental-health-resources/therapist-counseling-finder-canada/

On the podcast this week, Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine has a thoroughly inspiring and interesting conversation with Toronto soul-pop singer, songwriter, producer and director, Domanique Grant. She’s recently released part one of a new double EP, QUEEN/DOM. Grant’s life story and how she has shaped her art and career is a fascinating tale, and she really opens up about it in this conversation that is sure to inspire a lot of other indie artists. In addition to the music, Domanique is truly an enterprising artist with a lot on the go; to start, she has landed major sync placements with L’Oreal Paris, Unilever Brands (Dove, Vaseline, Shea Moisture) and more; led a sold-out TEDx Talk with a full performance; featured at Uganda’s Pepsi World AIDS Day for audience of 40,000+; has headlined her own shows and opened for TIFF film premieres to Mr. Vegas; Grammy Award-winning artists Eddy Kenzo and Wale; to being the featured performer at events including Black Diamond Ball Awards, the United Nations, and more. Domanique also produced RBC's The Imagine Summit, supporting artist-entrepreneurs in imagining beyond the limitations of the current global climate, by offering exclusive access to industry leaders, mindfulness training, and financial resources.

First up on the podcast this week, Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine is joined by rising country singer-songwriter Karli June, along with hit-making producer Karen Kosowski. They both discuss their respective (and very different) musical roots and how that has led them each to the world of radio-conquering pop-country and working together on Karli’s new EP, Where You Come From. As well, Karen also discusses her work with American country star Mickey Guyton, for whom she produced the majority of Guyton’s triple-Grammy-nominated album Remember Her Name, and is a co-writer on several of the album’s tracks. With Guyton, Karen has played the national anthem at the Super Bowl and the Grammy Awards, among other high-profile spots. After that, Mike is joined by Thérèse Lanz of acclaimed doom-metal duo Mares of Thrace. With the new album The Exile out on Sonic Unyon Records, she is back after a decade away from the music business. Their last album was 2012’s The Pilgrimage, which was shortlisted for Polaris Music Prize. Thérèse discusses what it’s like to return to the industry and release an album after a decade away from it, and how much the landscape and approach to releasing and promoting music has changed. Thérèse and Mike also chat home recording, songwriting, and how her other job as a video game developer inform her musical creativity.

On this week’s episode, Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine shares the full conversation he had with Darren "Young D" Metz and Quinton "Yung Trybez" Nyce of the acclaimed Haisla rap duo Snotty Nose Rez Kids for his cover story in the latest issue of the magazine. This career-spanning conversation follows their evolution as artists and people from the release of the first two LPs in 2017 to their latest masterwork, Life After, which was released in late 2021. In that time, they’ve twice been shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize and received wide-spread fan and critical adoration around the world. In part, that is due to their unbeatable ability to create songs that make you want to both dance and think. With Mike, the guys chatted about their Indigenous roots, making political music and who they’re speaking to with their music, addressing difficult personal issues, mastering their vocal dexterity, learning from fan criticism in their community, and more.

On the podcast this week, Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine welcomes one of Canada’s most respected radio promoters — Andrea Morris, the founder of AM to FM Promotions (www.amtofm.com). Andrea has worked in the radio business for over 30 years, which has taken her from being a radio personality in North Carolina to music director in Los Angeles to widely-respected radio promoter in Toronto. She’s worked with hundreds of artists, from major label household names to emerging indie artists across almost all genres. In this wide-ranging chat, Andrea tells her fascinating story and, along the way, explains how she does her job, how the business has changed, and how indie songs get on the radio. She dishes honest and hard truths for artists, and explains what they need to have, personally and musically, to be successful. It’s a fascinating, fun chat!

On this week’s episode, Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine welcomes back Keziah Myers, the Executive Director of ADVANCE, Canada’s Black Music Business Collective (www.advancemusic.org). For the Mike’s previous conversation with Keziah, check out the Aug. 4, 2021 episode of the podcast. In this follow-up chat, Keziah digs deeper into issues affecting Black professionals in the different sectors of the music industry, such as “box checking” and nepotism, as well as recruiting and hiring practices, training, the societal and media pressure for companies to improve quickly, using data to track change, and more.

First up on the podcast this week, Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine chats with Nigerian-Canadian musician Shopé, who won the 2019 edition of CBC’s Searchlight competition and was recently named one of the winners of the SOCAN Foundation’s 2022 Black Canadian Music Awards. Shopé embodies the new African aesthetic; globally minded, deeply rooted in tradition, yet steeped in the west. He shares his personal and professional story, from emigrated from Lagos to Toronto, to leaving university and a path towards a career in medicine to pursue music professionally. He shares what he’s learned about building a music career and multi-faceted brand, and what he’d like to teach other emerging musicians. Then, Mike chats with Phil Messier, the founder of Montreal-based sync licensing company Bopper. Back in 2013, Bopper set out to provide the advertising world with a pre-cleared music resource that is just as quick and instant as using stock music, but that provids higher-quality music and fairly supports the respective artists. Its model has proved popular with both artists and brands, with Bopper facilitating the use of songs in campaigns by TiKTok, Sephora, Maybelline, Toyota, and more.

On the podcast this week, Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine is joined by Cameron Chell, the executive chairman of CurrencyWorks and co-head of MusicFX, along with Billie Jo Aasen, the co-head of MusicFX and partner at Canada-based concert/festivals agency Crown & Ace. While NFTs have been at the centre of the tech and business conversation in the music industry for the last year or two, much of that conversation has hyped up the technology itself and also made some pretty wild claims about how distributive NFTs will be to the music business. What Mike appreciates about MusicFX is the refreshingly clear-eyed and practical approach it is taking to the NFT space. It’s keeping the focus on music fans, artists, and the relationship they have with each other, and NFTs are simply a practical tool in that equation. For example, they helped country star Parker McCollum create his VIP Cowboy Black Card, one of the world’s first fan club NFTs, which grants fans VIP access to events, access to private jam sessions, opportunities for meet and greets, and more by purchasing an NFT that became available on MusicFX. So, in this chat, Cameron and Billie Jo discuss NFTs, their approach to the market, removing the barriers to entry, and making that the overblown (and sometimes annoying) rhetoric around NFTs doesn’t scare off fans.

We all know that an artist’s finances are not like most people’s. Of course, this can make things like budgets and taxes more complicated and stressful. And while programs like CERB offered much-needed assistance to so many musicians in Canada, they’ve also created a lot of questions about taxes. So, for this week’s podcast, Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine is sharing a webinar he hosted in January 2022 with Sondra Gold, a Toronto-based accountant with a wealth of experience working with musicians and businesses in the music industry. While chatting with Mike and taking audience questions, Sondra discusses a wide range of topics related to how musicians can maximize their tax returns (including what they can and can’t claim as expenses), avoid unexpected tax bills, and keep their day-to-day finances is healthy shape in order to achieve their music career goals.

First up on the podcast this week, CityNews’ music and sports reporter, Lindsay Dunn (who was a guest on the Dec. 1, 2021 episode of the CM Podcast) has shared with us a special interview she did with none other than Toronto Raptors Head Coach Nick Nurse. Nurse, of course, is a musician himself and a massive music fan. Lindsay and Nick chat about his music-focused foundation for Toronto youth, his own history as a musician, the musical skills of a few Raptors players, and Nick’s impressive record collection. Then, Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine is joined by SongVest Founder and CEO, Sean Peace. SongVest is the first music marketplace to offer fans and regular investors the ability to purchase fractional shares of royalties from songs and artists. It’s a very interesting new venture, and one that promises capital to indie artists while allowing them to keep their rights. Sean and Mike have a fascinating conversation that unpacks this new form of music investment, and also discuss why the market for song catalogs has exploded.

First up on the podcast this week, Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine is joined by singer-songwriter Jadea Kelly. Originally from Ontario and now based in Los Angeles, Jadea is back after a few years away from music with her new LP, Roses. Her previous LPs saw Jadea become widely regarded for her voice and songwriting, so she explains why she needed to get away from recording music – and away from Toronto – in order to focus on her own physical, mental, and financial health. She discusses her songwriting, her time in Nashville, and why L.A. has become her new home, or a “gift to herself” as she calls it. She chats about the struggles that many artists face and why she wants to be open about her own. Then, Kevin Hearn joins! Though he is well-known as the multi-instrumentalist in Barenaked Ladies, he’s had a fascinating musical life that goes well beyond the pop-rock pioneers, including being the band leader for none other than Lou Reed. He has recently released a beautiful solo album of piano improvisations that has a unique backstory to it. Kevin chats about the new album, writing and recording with BNL, learning from Lou Reed, and more.

On the podcast this week, Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine is joined by Audioshake Co-Founder and CEO Jessica Powell. Audioshake is a new company that’s using advanced artificial intelligence (AI) to “demix” songs, essentially taking a finished track and deconstructing it into high-quality vocal and instrumental stems that can be used for sync licensing, remixing, and more. Powell is a very interesting and accomplished person in the business and tech world. She began her career in the world of music rights working for CISAC and eventually went on to the high-profile position of VP of Communications for Google. She is also a critically-acclaimed author and a lifestyle, business, and tech columnist for the New York Times, Fast Company, Wired, and more. Launched in July 2021, by musicians and former engineers and AI researchers from Google, YouTube, and Apple, AudioShake counts all three major label groups and several top publishers and indie labels among its customers. The company won Sony’s 2021 Demixing Challenge, beating out entrants from big tech companies and research institutes. AudioShake’s tech was also recently used by Green Day to recreate their lost masters to the song “2000 Light Years Away” so that fans could play along with the band on TikTok. Learn more at audioshake.ai and indie.audioshake.ai

On the podcast this week, Mike is joined by acclaimed songwriter and guitarist Brad Barr, who is best known for his Juno-nominated work in alt-Americana group The Barr Brothers. Brad and Mike discuss his entire musical career, from his early days in The Slip, he and his brother’s move to from the U.S. to Montreal, and their work together as The Barr Brothers. Then, Brad gets into the unique creation of his latest solo LP, the guitar-driven instrumental record The Winter Mission, including the gear used and the odd writing methods he deployed. Brad also tries to decipher his fixation with the number 216 and how that influenced the record.

On the podcast this week, Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Michael Raine is joined by Andre Kaden Black, who has a multi-faceted career as a producer, songwriter, musician, artist development, creative director, and more. With two decades of experience in the music industry, Andre has written for indie and major labels across Canada, Asia, and the United States, including Sony/ATV, Warner, EMI, Atlantic Records, Curve Music, 21 Entertainment, and Arista/BMG. He has also toured extensively across North America and Asia with artists such as Alicia Keys, One Republic, and Jason Mraz. Andre has been featured in Professional Sound Magazine, Canadian Musician, and has been invited to numerous major music conferences including Canadian Music Week, NXNE, The Shot, and Toronto's Indie Week, as a performer, panelist, and judge. In this wide-ranging conversation, Andre talks about what he learned as a songwriter during his years in Nashville, and compares that style of songwriting with his work as a pop topline writer. Andre and Mike also discuss artist development, creativity and work ethic, royalties and rights, and more.

When you have someone who’s had a remarkable life and career, and they’re also a fantastic storyteller and fountain of wisdom, it’s make for a fun conversation. That’s we have for you this week! Orin Isaacs is maybe best known for being the musical director of Canada’s longest running late night traditional talk/variety show, Open Mike with Mike Bullard, and since then he has become the country's most in-demand TV composer. If you’ve watched cable TV in Canada in the last two decades, you’ve certainly heard his work on shows like Big Brother Canada, Amazing Race Canada, Canadian Idol, The Launch, The Juno Awards, and many, many more. As a bandleader and musical director, Orin has worked with such superstars as Mariah Carey, George Clinton, Tom Jones, and Anne Murray. He’s also received a Harry Jerome Award for professional excellence, an Urban Music Industry Special Achievement Award, The Reel Black Award, and others.

Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine is bringing you two wonderful conversations this week! First up, he chats with Juno-nominated alternative pop/electronic artist iamhill. She’s a fascinating young artist whose work and insights span the world of music, tech, and business. She discusses writing and recording, her latest single “Side D,” the value of streaming playlists, and making visualizers for her latest music. Plus, her and Mike also get into a wider conversation about AI, NFTs, and more tech-oriented subjects, and her work during the pandemic for a digital rights technology company called Pex. After that, Mike shares a conversation he originally had for one of Canadian Musician’s sister magazines with maybe the world’s most famous concert lighting designer, Tom Kenny. His is a remarkable story, going from humble origins in Dublin through a meteoric rise to designing shows for musical legends (David Bowie, The Who, Eric Clapton, etc.) and massive TV audiences (NHL playoffs, MTV Video Music Awards, etc.). And it all began when he was barely into his teens and got asked to help out on some shows for a new local band called U2…

First on the podcast this week, Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine catches up with Robyn Stewart (4:00), the executive director and CEO of BreakOut West and the Western Canadian Music Alliance. Robyn fills us in on the plans for the upcoming (now online) edition of BreakOut West, and she also discusses some of the changes she’s seen in the industry during her half-decade in her current role. As well, we bring you a fantastic conversation Billy Talent’s Ian D’Sa (30:35) about recording, producing, and guitars, which was first heard on the new Professional Sound Podcast (www.professionalsoundpodcast.com). The podcast is hosted by NWC Assistant Editor Andrew Leyenhorst, who himself is an accomplished producer and engineer.

First up on the podcast this week,Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine welcomes back artist manager Steve Kenny (4:40). Steve is the co-founder of Traverse Music Management and he keeps an honest and insightful blog for indie musicians called The Ascender (www.traversemusicmanagement.ca/theascender). Mike and Steve chat about how managers themselves have been financially impacted by the pandemic, why he’s testing out a new project-based business model for artist management, putting more power back in the artist’s hands, and what a sustainable and happy artist career looks like today. Then, after his chat with Steve, Mike shares a short conversation he had for Professional Sound magazine with MCC Recording Studio Owner Dave Temple (42:15). Calgary-based MCC was recently named Recording Studio of the Year for the third time at the 2021 Canadian Country Music Awards. Dave explains how MCC has made itself into a destination for artists; and about navigating the challenges facing high-end, urban recording studio prior to the pandemic; how they’ve weathered the storm of COVID restrictions; the importance of “vibe” is making a studio successful; investing in new gear; and more.

It’s common knowledge that vinyl sales have been steadily rising for the last decade or so, with 2021 being another record year for vinyl in Canada with 1.1 million records sold. And it isn’t just boomers buying another copy of Abbey Road. Current artists of all genres are learning that vinyl is a reliable revenue stream and that there is high demand for it among young superfans. But does it makes financial sense for independent, emerging artists to sell their new music on vinyl? And, if so, what are the upfront costs, production timelines, personal time commitment, profit margins, and so on associated with it? Those are the questions Mike digs into this week across a pair of interviews. First, Mike chat about selling vinyl with artist manager Liam Killeen (5:25), who represents major indie artists like Ubiquitous Synergy Seeker (USS) and The Tea Party. Next, Mike chats with Taishi Fukuyama (37:10), the co-founder of Qrates, a vinyl crowdfunding platform and end-to-end solution for artists and labels that need short run and on-demand vinyl. If you’re an indie artist, or work with indie artists, and have thought about selling vinyl, this is the show for you.

On the podcast this week, Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Michael Raine chats with Godmode Co-Founder Talya Elitzer from her home base in Los Angeles. Founded by Talya and Nick Sylvester in 2017, Godmode is behind high-taste breakouts such as JPEGMAFIA, Channel Tres, and Yaeji, and their Los Angeles-based headquarters has been a secret creative hub for artists and producers like Lil Nas X, James Blake, Take A Daytrip, Aluna, Omer Fedi, Grimes, SG Lewis, Noname, Rodaidh McDonald, and more. In this wide-ranging conversation, Talya discusses her years working in A&R in the traditional record label system, which she likens to venture capitalism, and how that inspired her to take new strategic approach to working with artists at Godmode. She then explains her process for identifying talent and ambition, strategizing, career development, artist marketing, and more.

For this last episode of 2021, Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine shares a special keynote interview with Martin Atkins that was originally livestreamed in November during Indie Week 2021. Atkins’ three decades in the music business spans across genres, borders, and industries. Having experience in nearly every aspect of record production and promotion has given him a unique perspective not only on where the music industry is currently, but where it is going in the future. As a drummer, he known for being a member of Johnny Rotten’s Public Image Limited in the late’70s and ‘80s, and then for managing and playing with Killing Joke and touring with Ministry. In 1990, while on tour with Ministry, he formed his own band, Pigface. He also worked with Nine Inch Nails, performing on the Grammy award winning “Wish” and appearing in the “Head like a Hole” video. Martin began working on the business side of music in 1988 when he formed Invisible Records and then Mattress Factory Studios in 1996. Atkins wrote his book Tour:Smart in 2007 and has since spoken around the world at major industry conferences, universities, and organizations. Atkins currently teaches at Millikin University in Decatur, IL and acts as the Music Business Program Coordinator, leading courses on Touring, Advanced Entrepreneurship, Artist and Event Management, and Online Marketing. Needless to say, the stories and advice Atkins can offer to independent artists are endless, and this is a conversation really worth hearing!

On the podcast this week, Mike’s hears the stories and lessons of Geoff Kulawick’s life in the music industry. He’s the founder and president of Linus Entertainment, which now has exclusive control of a catalogue of over 2,000 albums, with the overwhelming majority by Canadian artists. Linus is also the parent company to Spring Hill Music, Stony Plain Records, and True North Records, which makes it one of the powerful players in roots music in Canada, representing artists like Buffy Sainte-Marie, Matt Andersen, Gordon Lightfoot, Bruce Cockburn, Fred Penner, Craig Cardiff, and so many more. Here, Geoff recounts his entry into the music business, why he opted to launch his own label just as Napster was decimating the industry, his philosophy on doing business and working with artists, and a whole lot more. Then, for the second interview today, Mike happens to chat with someone from the Stony Plain Records roster. That is, Mike McDonald of alt-country pioneers Jr. Gone Wild. He and his old friends are back with the first album of new material from Jr. Gone Wild in 25 years. McDonald chats about how the industry has changed, how the band naturally found its then-unique sound that combines folk, punk, and country; growing up as friends and artists; and more.

First up on the podcast this week, Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Michael Raine chats with music journalist and author David McPherson about the subject of his latest book – the legendary Toronto venue, Massey Hall. David shares stories and anecdotes from the book, his own memories from Massey Hall, and more. Then, Mike chats with independent singer-songwriter John Muirhead about how he funded his debut LP, Traveller, by playing backyard concerts and building a following on TikTok. John also discusses the album's inspiration and creation, the lessons he’s learned that could help other indie artists, and more.

On this week’s episode, Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine shares two fun and fascinating conversations, which are also quite different. So, first up, Mike chats with 604 Records Founder Jonathan Simkin alongside one of his young and rising stars, pop singer-songwriting Molly Annelle. Jonathan signed Molly to 604 when she was just 14-years-old and they recount the unlikely way that it happened. Molly, who is now 18 and studying the music industry at Ryerson University on top of releasing a new album, tells her story and what it has been like learning and navigating the industry at such a young age, and being mentored by other artists who’ve been through it before. By talking about Molly’s journey in music, she and Jonathan both share a lot of insights into the music business, the label/artist relationship, growing up and evolving creatively, and a lot more. Then, Mike’s second conversation today is with one Toronto’s favourite sons of R&B, Sean Jones. After weathering a serious health scare that threatened to ruin his singing career, he came back better than ever with his new album, Weekend Lover. The album sees Sean return to his first musical love, ‘90s R&B. Of course, he first became known as a member of the Juno-winning ‘90s R&B group, In Essence. Since going solo, be built very loyal following with his beloved, must-see residency at Toronto’s Casa Loma with the show ‘Soul in the City.’ He’s also done a musical campaign with West Jet, launched a success acting career on the side, and balances it all with parenthood. So, we know you’ll love this wide-ranging and insightful conversation.

First up this week, Mike chats with the three guys – drummer Adam Tune, keyboardist David Matisse, and turntablist Jr. Flo – who make up Juno-winning electronic group Keys N Krates. They guys discuss the making of their latest album, Original Classic, and then tell the story of how they found each other and how their music has evolved over the last decade. Mike also gets them to dig into their creative and recording process to find out how their unique sound gets crafted. The second interview this week is with City TV’s Music & Sports Reporter, Lindsay Dunn. If, like Mike, you’re as big a sports fan as you are a music fan, then this one is a fun change of pace! Within Canadian broadcast media, Lindsay may have the greatest job because there is no one else who gets to combine these two beats. She explains how she ended up covering both music and sports, and gets into how she picks her stories, and compares interviewing athletes versus musicians. Lindsay also offers advice for artists on giving a good broadcast interview, and she discusses her experiences with sexism and how it differs between the music and sports industries. Of course, there's also some Leafs, Blue Jays, and Raptors talk!

On this week’s podcast, Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Michael Raine is joined by acclaimed folk/soul singer-songwriter AHI (pronounced “eye”). His latest album, Prospect, is collecting great reviews, and in this conversation, he shares his interesting and enlightening journey to being a professional artist, which didn’t really begin until he was in his thirties. But now the Toronto-based songwriter is signed to the top roots-focused label in the U.S., Thirty Tigers (Sturgil Simpson, Jason Isbell, Avett Brothers), . AHI recounts the incredible series of events that led to his NPR Tiny Desk performance and then Thirty Tigers Founder David Macias signing him almost instantly. AHI also discusses the pros and cons of finding success in music at a relatively later age. AHI is full of wisdom and he shares it in this episode.

On the podcast this week, Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine chats with indie musician and industry expert Ari Herstand about making DIY music videos. Ari is a Los Angeles-based musician and the author of the Amazon best-selling book, “How to Make It in the Music Business,” as well as the founder of Ari’s Take Academy, which teaches immediately applicable tools and strategies with direct pathways to success for indie artists. In the conversation, borrowing from Ari’s own experiences making DIY music videos, he and Mike chat about the role of music video’s in today’s entertainment and music culture, practical tips for saving money on lighting/props/locations/etc. while still making high-quality content, and how that video content can be used in multiple places and ways. As you’ll hear, Ari isn’t just thinking about music videos on YouTube, but also how that content can be used for visual canvases on Spotify, Instagram Reels and IGTV, TikTok videos, fan engagement, and more. Ari also notes the commonly overlooked things that can ruin even a big-budget video.

On the podcast this week, Mike is thrilled to be chatting with SATE, who is one of the most captivating and interesting blues/punk/rock artists to come out of Canada in some time. Her new album, The Fool, is now out and she gets into the writing process behind it, and also discusses the therapeutic nature of songwriting, punk’s roots in the blues, how she doesn’t quite fit with any specific music scene, being a Black woman in rock, and a lot more. As well, she speaks openly and warmly about her mother’s influence on her life and career. Her late mother, if course, is the legendary Salome Bey, who is known as “Canada’s first lady of the blues.”

On the podcast this week, CM Editor-in-Chief Michael Raine is joined by SOCAN CEO Jennifer Brown. As you'll hear, while she represents a couple firsts for Canada’ performing rights organization – including its first female CEO and the first employee to be promoted into the role from within the company – it’s her familial attachment to its members that she emphasizes. Jennifer’s father, grandfather, aunts, and uncles made up the Family Brown band, which was one of most illustrious families in Canadian country music. “I know what it's like to make a living on royalties and how critical that is to making sure that your life's work is being fairly compensated.” So, in this wide-ranging conversation, Jennifer and Mike discuss her vision for SOCAN and how it differs in some important ways from her successor’s, as well as broader industry topics, like the politics of promoting Canadian content on streaming services and the pandemic’s impact on royalties. Jennifer also talks about SOCAN’s Equity Task Force, signing the Declaration to end anti-Black racism in the Canadian music industry, and its diversity review and recommendations from CPAMO.

This week on the podcast, Toronto-based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Kirty joins Mike to chat about balancing her solo career with being in beloved indie band the Fast Romantics, as well as her songwriting partnership with bandmate and partner Matthew Angus, recording, how songwriting changes with age, making music videos, the personal stories behind songs on her new album, We Are All on Fire, and a bunch more. As well, Mike catches up with Lucila Al Mar, an artist participating in Girls+ Rock Ottawa’s new LAUNCH // GRO Artist Development Program, and also a coordinator for GRO’s wonderful instrument/gear lending program. Lucila fills us in on the program and the value it’s bringing to emerging female artists, what she’s learned, and more.

This week’s episode is certainly a great one for any guitarists out there! First up, Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine chats with award-winning Canadian classical guitarist Emma Rush (3:45) about the making of her latest album, Wake the Sigh. It brings to light a collection of relatively unknown female-written guitar compositions from the 19th century, including works from Emilia Giuliani, Delores de Goñi and Julie Fondard — a professor of guitar in Paris, France. As Emma explains, putting Wake the Sigh together wasn’t as simple as listening to old recordings and re-recording them. No, she spent a couple of years researching these classical composers and uncovering their masterful compositions, which went on to inspire the 43-minute work. 14 of the 17 tracks were never-before recorded, so the Hamilton-based musician is technically the first to ever release them. As well, she recorded the whole album on a replica of a 19th century Stauffer guitar. After that, we share a special treat for any rock guitarists! Canadian Musician writer and guitar expert Hal Rodriguez chats with Big Sugar’s Gordie Johnson (25:00). Together they geek out about guitars and a bunch more. Gordie dishes on what he’s learned from hanging out with Rich Robinson (The Black Crowes), Warren Haynes (Allman Brothers Band), and Joe Satriani; and what it was like having Rush’s Alex Lifeson record parts for Big Sugar’s latest album, Eternity Now.

On the podcast this week, Mike is joined for a frank and insightful conversation with Colette Chand, also known as DJ Coco Fresh, who is the founder of a new Toronto-based company called 10TH FLR. It brings together artist managers, grant writers and consultants to work with musicians from all genres — focusing on grant writing, artist back end, marketing plans, rollouts, and tours. Colette has had a diverse and fascinating journey within Canada’s music industry over the last 10-plus years, beginning as a professional DJ in Vancouver and being mentored by DJ Starting from Scratch, to concert promotion, working with Universal Music Canada in promotions, and also specializing in grant writing, event promotion, artist management, and more. In this conversation, Colette shares her journey and lessons learned along the way, her mission for 10TH FLR, the key lessons independent artists need to learn quickly, the character traits that set the successful artists apart of the others, and a lot more.

On this week’s show, Mike is thrilled to be sharing his entire conversation with Kardinal Offishall, which was had for the cover story in the most recently issue of Canadian Musician magazine. There are not many people you can speak to for over an hour and still be left with so much more you want to ask, but Kardi is that kind of person. Of course, he’s one of Canada’s pioneering rap stars, with global success that spans more than two decades and huge hits like “BaKardi Slang," “Dangerous,” and “Body Bounce,” but he is also carving out a unique and influential role on the business side of the industry as the Senior Vice President of A&R at Universal Music Canada, and a board member at ADVANCE, Canada’s Black music business collective, chair of UMC’s B.L.A.C.K. Label Coalition (BLC), and Canada’s representative on Universal Music Group’s Task Force for Meaningful Change. In this wide-ranging conversation, Kardi discusses his approach to A&R and his thoughts on music analytics, how he and The Circle crew hustled and paved the way for other Canadian rap artists internationally, how Randy Lennox convinced him to become a label executive, what “meaningful change” in the industry really looks like, and a lot more.

This week, Mike is thrilled to welcome back to the podcast Haviah Mighty, one of the most exciting and acclaimed rapper-producers in Canada. Haviah’s last LP, 13th Floor, won the 2019 Polaris Music Prize and was the first rap album to do so. Because Haviah and Mike happened to be speaking the morning after Cadence Weapon won this year’s Polaris Prize, they begin by discussing the fact that there have now been three politically-conscious rap albums in a row win the prize and what that means. Haviah then discuss her own experiences during the pandemic and how that has shaped her own thoughts on how artists find validation online. That topic is at the core of her upcoming album, Stock Exchange, in a couple of ways. So, she digs into this new project and how it came together. Following the new conversation with Haviah Mighty, Mike also re-shares the wonderful conversation he had a couple months ago with Cadence Weapon about his album, Parallel World, which just won this year’s Polaris Music Prize as the best Canadian album of the year.

Joining Mike for this week’s podcast is Raine Maida. Of course, Canadian alt rock fans know Raine as the frontman for multi-platinum-selling band Our Lady Peace, but that is not the reason he joined the show. Instead, Raine is also heavily involved in the world of music business-focused technology, including being the Chief Product Officers for S!NG, which is one of the leaders in NFT market. So Raine and Mike chat about NFTs and the foundational blockchain technology behind it, and why Raine believes it could be a game-changer for protecting intellectual property to the benefit of artists, how it can curb the concert ticket scalping market, and other big questions like; what is the role of record labels if artists keep ownership of their masters? Needless to say, it’s a very interesting conversation…

Joining Mike for a wide-ranging chat on this week’s episode is chart-topping producer and engineer Scott Cooke, who is also the head of a fairly new Canadian record label, Local Hay. Together with his friend and country star Dallas Smith, Cooke launched the label in 2019 as a joint venture with American label Big Loud Records. In this interview, Scott discusses his transition from the artistic and technical side of music to the business side, and the various skills he’s had to learn on the fly. As well, he chats about finding and cultivating new artists, artist marketing, streaming analytics, and the benefits of working with an American label on this joint venture. As well, Scott reflects on how the music industry has changed over his 20+ years in the business, and what it was like to record one of the biggest bands in the world, Nickelback, in an era where major labels threw ridiculous amounts of money at albums (hint, it was awesome!).

First up this week, Mike chats with pop singer-songwriter Tyler Shaw about his new eponymous album, which is the culmination of the Tyler’s near decade of experience in the music industry. Even with a pandemic and new baby, Tyler is never slowing down.  Ever since his first album, Yesterday, and the Juno Award-nominated success of his sophomore disc, Intuition, Shaw has amassed more than 164 million streams globally, and his massive hit “With You” currently has 34 million views on YouTube. In this interview, Tyler digs into the creation and songwriting behind the new album, his experience as a Chinese-Canadian man in the music industry, fatherhood, and being a self-published songwriter. After the conversation with Tyler Shaw, as a bonus, Mike shares the “director’s cut” version of a video tutorial he created earlier this year for NAMM’s Believe in Music Week virtual event. It’s called “How to Get on a Streaming Playlists” and in it, as the name implies, Mike deconstructs Spotify’s playlist ecosystem and explains why and how independent artists get their songs the streaming giant’s playlists.

This week, Mike welcomes back to the podcast Erin Benjamin, the CEO of the Canadian Live Music Association (CLMA), which represents the interests of music festivals and venues, concert promoters, talent agencies, ticketing companies, and presenters. The last time Erin was on the show was November 2020 and a lot has changed since then regarding the pandemic and the state of the live music business. So, Mike and Erin discuss the current bumpy return of live music, the quickly-growing support for vaccine mandates and passports, how venues and other businesses are faring, current and future government supports, the federal parties’ election platforms, and how the tough economics of live music made this industry especially vulnerable, even during the recovery.

This week on the podcast, Mike has two wonderful conversations that both touch on the intersection of technology and songwriting, though in very different ways. First up, is a chat with Olga Vechtomova, a professor and researcher in the University of Waterloo’s Natural Language Processing Lab, who led a team that created LyricJam. It’s a real-time system that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to generate lyric lines for live instrumental music. Olga reveals how and why LyricJam was created, the potential for AI to both create music and be an aide to human music creators, and a bunch more. Then, the second interview is with John Williamson, the CEO and Co-founder of a company and online platform for personalized songs called Songfinch. The platform connects customers with songwriters to create personalized songs that mark an occasion, from a birthday or wedding anniversary, to even a breakup. John himself has had a very interesting career that spans the DIY indie music scene, working in music placements for Coca-Cola, and co-founding a once highly-publicized B2B sync licensing company. John tells his unique music industry story, and how those past lessons led to the creation of Songfinch. He then breaks down how the company works, how their songwriters operate, how the money is split, and a lot more.

On this week’s show, it’s an honour to have one of Canada’s finest-ever singer-songwriters, Murray McLauchlan, sit down for a wide-ranging and deeply interesting conversation. Murray is an inductee into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame, an Order of Canada recipient, and an 11-time Juno Award-winning artist. On his latest album, Hourglass, he challenged himself to look within and address issues pertaining to systemic racism, privilege, and economic disparity. With Mike, of course, Murray chats about songwriting and the process of writing Hourglass; what separates good political songs from the irritating ones; being in the legendary Yorkville folk scene of the 1960s and '70s; navigating the industry; what he’s learned from his wife, Denise Donlon, who is one of the most influential people on the business side of Canada’s music industry; and that time Stephen Harper had him audited for opposing the war in Afghanistan.

First up on the podcast this week, Mike chats with Elissa Lee, the Juno-nominated violinist and co-founder of the Big Lake Festival, which is taking place from Aug. 20-27 in beautiful Wellington, ON. Elissa and Mike discuss the experience of organizing a small music festival in the COVID age. Elissa digs into the mix of excitement and nervousness that goes along with that, the logistics of how they’re making it work, and more. Then Mike meets Bear Rinehart, the frontman of Grammy-nominated, Billboard chart-topping rock band NEEDTOBREATHE. Bear shares about the band’s experience living together and writing a new album during the pandemic, how they’ve built a rabid fanbase the old-fashioned way, the trouble with being called a “Christian rock band” despite trying to avoid the label, why his brother left the band, and a bunch more.

On this week’s episode, we share a wonderful conversation with Keziah Myers, who in March 2021 was appointed as the first Executive Director of ADVANCE, Canada’s Black Music Business Collective (www.advancemusic.org). With Mike, Keziah shares her own fascinating story of how she entered the music industry, beginning as a classically-trained pianist and university student in Waterloo who volunteered her marketing skills to help out a few friends who just happened to go onto be major stars, like Drake, Rich Kidd, and Boi-1da. She later left a promising corporate marketing career to jump back into the music business with no guarantee of a job or success. Needless to stay, her skills shone and she rose through the business, licensing, and marketing side of the music industry. Keziah digs into her own experiences, the formation of ADVANCE, its mission, and the various unjust challenges that Black professionals face in the music industry, from the big and obvious to the subtler.

First up this week, Mike chats with Brittni Noble, a professional songwriter and the founder of Canada’s newest boutique music publisher and sync licensing company, Be Noble. Brittni recounts her own experiences as a young songwriter working in the industry, what a good publisher should do for its artists, the pros and cons of major vs. boutique publishers, the licensing process for music in TV, and a bunch more. Then Mike shares a unique and quite varied chat he had with Kelly V and Anvil’s Steve “Lips” Kudlow, who together host the “Rockn Token Talkn” show. Kelly shares her harrowing personal health story, which has made her a passionate advocate for others suffering from rare illnesses, and also how it led her to a friendship with Lips and life in Canada’s heavy metal music industry. Lips, a truly wonderful character as you’ll hear, also has some great stories about the cult classic documentary ‘Anvil! The Story of Anvil’ and his life in the music business.

First up on the podcast this week, Mike is joined by Margaret McGuffin, CEO of Music Publishers Canada, and OBUXUM (6:15), a young and very hyped songwriter-producer whose album, Re-Birth, was nominated for the 2020 Polaris Music Prize. McGuffin and OBUXUM joined the podcast together to talk about a new career development program spearheaded by Music Publishers Canada for female-identifying songwriter-producers called the Women in the Studio National Accelerator Program. They discuss why women are underrepresented across the music industry, and in particular in studios, how to change that, and what this program is aiming to achieve. Then, the second interview this week is with Kaleb Hikele (38:40), main man behind the indie-folk project The Sun Harmonic. Kaleb shares some personal lessons and anecdotes behind his latest album, Coast to Coast, which like its name suggest, was recorded in unique fashion all across Canada. Kaleb experienced a lot of personal adversity prior to making this album, and his experiences offer valuable lessons for other artists. Also, hear his beautiful story about how he ended up playing the last song performed on stage at Massey Hall before its three-year closure.

On this week’s show is a conversation that Mike has been greatly looking forward to sharing. It’s with Trinidadian-Canadian author and artist Antonio Michael Downing, who in the music world currently goes by John Orpheus. At 46 years old, there is a suddenly a lot of interest in Downing’s story and art. His tough-but-extraordinary life and artistic career is memoir-worthy, for sure. And so, unsurprisingly his memoir, Saga Boy: My Life of Blackness and Becoming, has done well. The book examines his journey from Trinidad to the tiny northern Ontario town of Wabigoon at 11 years old, growing up there with his older brother as the only Black kids around, and being raised by a stern evangelical aunt. Art, especially music, became his mental and literal escape from that place. He makes his way to Kitchener and then Toronto, and along the way he tours Europe with Liam Gallagher legends, wears and discards various personas and genres – like the punk rock rapper Mic Dainjah, and the soul crooner Molasses – and refuses to grasp commercial success if it requires sacrificing his own vision. There are innumerable ups and down, revelations, and tough lessons learned along the path of his illuminating journey. In Saga Boy the book, Antonio Michael Downing breaks open his mind and heart to examine that story, and on Saga King the album, John Orpheus celebrates the place where the journey has brought him. Here on the podcast with Mike, he digs into his story and the extraordinary lessons and experiences he’s had.

First up on the podcast this week, Mike chats with highly-buzzed about Mohawk, Two-Spirited singer-songwriter Shawnee Kish (2:20). Shawnee has just released her debut, self-titled EP and in this conversation, she discusses songwriting, navigating the music business as a new artist, her decision to remain independent rather than sign to a label, and a lot more. Then, high-acclaimed veteran singer-songwriter Craig Cardiff (28:10) joins Mike for a wide-ranging conversation about the music industry, labels, being challenged to write more honestly by an elderly concert-goer, and a bunch else. To say Craig Cardiff is active as an artist is truly an understatement. While his latest LP, ‘All This Time Running,’ is his first album of new material in six years, he has independently released an astounding total of 25 albums and EPs since his debut release in 1997. He has been nominated for a JUNO award for Roots and Traditional Album of the Year for his 2012 album, Floods And Fires, as well as a Canadian Folk Music Award for Contemporary Singer of the Year, in the same year.

For our feature interview today, Mike is joined by Canada’s most famous music nerd, Alan Cross (42:00)! Let’s be honest, if you listen to this podcast, you don’t need an introduction to Alan. Being a big tech nerd in addition to a music nerd, and fascinated by the intersection of music and technology, Alan joins the podcast to discuss two big recent developments in the world of music sales and consumption, which the sudden proliferation of NFTs, as well as Apple Music’s jump into spatial and lossless music streaming. Alan discusses what these things are, and what it could mean in the near future for artists, fans, and the music business. But before that, the guys from super buzzed about Canadian rock and roll duo cleopatrick are here (3:05). These guys have very quickly gone from basement concerts in Cobourg, Ont. to major festivals, Spotify billboards in Yonge-Dundas Square, and major industry buzz. And they’ve done it while staying totally independent and following their own instincts. They are a fantastic DIY story that can offer a lot of insight and inspiration to other young artists. With Mike, Luke and Ian from the band discuss having their minds blown by Arctic Monkeys, rejecting record label offers, bluffing their way onto a major Spotify playlist, and a lot more.

On this week’s episode Mike is digging into the world of Canadian country rock! First up, Cory Marks (3:20) returns to chat about writing his latest Gold-selling single, “Outlaws and Outsiders” and album, ‘Who I Am’, which Billboard called a “long-awaited next-generation country rock record.” Mark discusses his years between albums and the changes he made to his career, the serendipity that led to working with famed producer Kevin Churko, and a lot more. Later, the guys from highly-revered country-rock trio The Road Hammers (28:00) join Mike to discuss songwriting, egos, what “country music” even means, and a lot more. An undeniable staple in Canadian country music, with over 25 million streams, five CCMA Awards and a Juno Award win; The Road Hammers are Jason McCoy, Clayton Bellamy and Chris Byrne. They formed in 2004 with a plan of making just one concept record, but more than 15 years later they can’t stop writing and playing together. With Mike, the guys explain what keeps them together and how the style and spirit of The Road Hammers has evolved.

First up on the show this week, Mike chats with musicians Michael Bridge and Kornel Wolak (4:10) about the virtual Bridge & Wolak Music Mentorship Program. Presented in collaboration with The Isabel Bader Center for the Performing Arts, Queen’s University, and the Dan School, the program is aimed at high schools students or parents of teenagers with aspirations of a music career. It teaches them what different careers in the music industry could look like and tackles the questions: “Can I be an artist?”; “Do I want to study music at university?”; “What does it take to be a professional musician?”; and “How do I make money with music?” www.bridgewolak.com/mentorship Then, Mike catches up with Stuart Chatwood (30:00), bassist and keyboardist for beloved Canadian rock band The Tea Party. The guys are back with new music, a new tour, and more. Mike and Stuart talk about the shifting band dynamics over the years, songwriting, and the how to react when fans just want to hear the old favourites. As well, Stuart also exclaims a bit about his work in the world of music for video games.

First up, Mike shares an interview he did a couple months back with Cadence Weapon for a feature article that appeared in the May/June issue of Canadian Musician. Cadence’s latest album, Parallel World, is a remarkable collection of songs that tackle politics, race, gentrification, the tech surveillance industry, and a lot more. But it’s also just some damn good music that is earning rave reviews. In this chat, Cadence Weapon discusses the politics and issues of the past year, why he had to make this album, the influence of classic politically-charged artists like The Clash and Public Enemy, why awards shows need to recognize a greater breadth of Canadian rap music, and a lot more. After that, Mike chats with the founders of Curbside Concerts. Last year, when live music suddenly shut down, musicians Matt Masters and Amanda Burgener found themselves in a panicked situation, with only about a month until their family of five ran out of money. Now, one year later, they have their own company, Curbside Concerts, with a loyal group of employees (with full benefits) and fans, and have created a whole new live music format that is bringing fans and artists closer together and doing remarkable things to keep money in artists’ pockets and in the community. And not only is it COVID-safe, they firmly believe and plan to make it bigger and better in the post-COVID world. As well, Curbside Concerts, which is a Calgary-based female and Indigenous-owned company (Amanda being a citizen of the Métis Nation of Alberta), is walking the walk when it comes to their values. www.curbsideconcerts.ca.

For this week’s episode, our friends at Indie Week/Indie 101 are sharing the keynote Q&A that Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief and podcast host Mike Raine conducted with Tim Westergren. Of course, Tim is the co-founder and former CEO of Pandora, and now he’s the founder of concert livestreaming platform Sessions. The new platform was launched with the mission of making livestreaming a more useful and lucrative venue for artists. With Mike, Tim discusses Sessions' design and formation, the effect of the pandemic on this burgeoning performance avenue, the economics of livestreaming, what role it will have once touring returns, and more.

How does physical health and diet, as well as mental health, affect musicians? And not just on tour, but also with their day-to-day creativity? To discuss this important topic, we welcome back Mike Schwartz, a.k.a. The Rock Doctor. He’s a musician-first health and wellness professional, educator, author and speaker. He wrote “The Musician’s Guide To Surviving The Rock Star Lifestyle” and created “The Music Fit Method”, and leads the Music Fit Collective. In this chat with CM Editor-in-Chief Mike Raine, Schwartz first tells the amusing story (he’s a pretty great storyteller as you’ll see) about how he even got into the niche field of musician-focused health, and then exactly why artists need to maintain good physical and mental health to stay creative. He also chats about how musicians can take agency of their lives, and the complex emotions they may feel as the pandemic ends and live music returns.

For this week’s podcast, we have two fascinating and very different artists from the world of country music. First up, from Alberta, Mike chats with D’orjay The Singing Shaman, who was recently nominated for Country Artist of the Year at the 2021 Western Canadian Music Awards following the release of her debut album, ‘New Kind of Outlaw.’ As a Black Queer woman (and literally a shaman!), D'orjay is passionate, vocal, and committed to bringing diversity and inclusiveness to country music. As she boldly states on the title track of her album, “I love country music, but will country music love me?” Then, joining Mike from the other side of the world is Andrew Farriss, the chief songwriter behind Australian icons INXS. He released his debut solo album in March, which is Farriss’ first country-influenced endeavor. In country music, he says he found the kind of storytelling that truly connects with his life. Farriss is one of Australia’s most prolific songwriters and in 2020, he was awarded the Member of the Order of Australia. INXS were also the recipient of multiple ARIA awards and were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame. Around the world, the band was nominated for a JUNO and multiple Grammys. With a career spanning 30 years, they have sold over 50 million albums worldwide, including a Diamond selling status in Canada. Outside of INXS, Farriss is an Australian Songwriter’s Hall of Fame inductee. It's no wonder how he has amassed around 250 songs over the years.

Our feature interview this week is with Canadian concert pianist and composer Martin Mayer, who’s had a fascinating career as a major star in China while being relatively unknown in his home country. Martin tells Mike his story and how a large and risky investment as a teenager kick started his music career, and then how that led to a chance email and his first major tour of China. It’s quite the story! But first, Mike meets Andrew Cash, the professional indie musician and former NDP MP who has been named as the new president of the Canadian Independent Musical Association (CIMA). Andrew discusses his time in politics and how the music industry can most effectively lobby governments, the state of Canada’s indie music sector coming out of the pandemic, and more.

When James “JC” Curleigh was hired as Gibson Brands’ new president and CEO in 2018, he was somewhat of a surprising choice to be the man who would save one of the world’s most iconic guitar companies from financial doom. Nonetheless, he has led an impressive revitalization of the brand. The proudly Canadian CEO opens about the current state of the guitar market, what he’s learned reviving iconic brands from being the president of Levi’s, how to get more women and artists of colour picking up guitars, how much stores need to adapt, and more.

On the podcast this week, Mike has an in-depth chat about loss and mental health, creativity, songwriting, guitars, and more with Alex Henry Foster of beloved Canadian alt-rock heroes Your Favorite Enemies. His latest solo release, ‘Standing Under Bright Lights,’ which just debuted at #4 in Canada, is a triple-record live album and DVD recorded on one special night at the Montreal Jazz Festival in 2019. In this conversation, Alex opens up about how losing his father led him on a two-year personal journey in Tangier, Morocco, where he had to confront a lot of his own demons. From that came his solo debut, ‘Windows in the Sky,’ which is totally unlike anything he’d done before in YFE. The one and only concert he did in support of that acclaimed record was multi-media experience that drew fans from all over the world for a very special experience. This is a truly wonderful conversation that covers a lot of ground, from the deeply personal to the fun and lighthearted.

For this week’s show, Mike has a fascinating chat about the electronic music business from an artist’s perspective with Canadian DJ, producer, and record label owner Joanne Hill – a.k.a Sydney Blu. Her second underground electronic album, ‘Conviction,’ was released in March, and she shares how her time in Berlin inspired the record, the genre’s history, and why different cities have different relationships with electronic music. Joanne also takes us through her fascinating career, from the underground electronic scene, to moving to Miami and immersing herself in the mainstream EDM world as a resident DJ at a major club, and why she became very frustrated and disillusioned and return to the underground electronic scene. Joanne also fills us in on the lobbying she’s led to get CARAS to recognize underground electronic music at the Juno Awards.

This week on the podcast, Mike chats about the interesting concept of ‘holistic artist development’ with Purna, is an Indo-Canadian artist, producer, mix engineer, songwriter, and holistic artist developer from Montreal. She tells the story of how the fraught person journey that led to her debut single, "Chemical Romance," also led her to creating this practice of holistic artist development, which is a practical and well-rounded approach to identifying what an artist really wants from their music and career, and then achieving it.

We’ve been excited to share this week’s conversation in its entirety! It is with the great Rufus Wainwright, who probably needs no introduction to most folks. He is, of course, the son of folk music royalty who then set out on his own and carved out a uniquely diverse and acclaimed artistic career that spans from pop to opera. In this conversation with Mike, which formed the basis of the cover story on Rufus for the March/April issue of Canadian Musician magazine, Rufus discusses his musical upbringing; the lessons he continues to carry from his mother, the late Kate McGarrigle; making his latest Grammy-nominated album, Unfollow the Rules; the rocky reception he received in his home city of Montreal after finding pop success in L.A.; his songwriting tendencies; and a lot more. It really is a wonderful conversation with one of Canada’s finest artists of the last couple decades.

It’s everyone’s favourite time of year — tax season! Okay, so not really, but Canadian tax deadlines are approaching and that’s important. So, joining Mike on this week’s episode are the folks from Gold Entertainment Accountants, who specialize in finances and taxes for musicians and others around the Canadian entertainment industries. From the firm, we have a trio of experts – Phil Goldband, managing partner; Peter Poulimenakos, senior partner; and Alex Schnob, staff accountant. Together, they share a wealth of insights and advice about finances for artists, how not to get in trouble with the CRA, things to be aware of on your taxes because of CERB and other pandemic relief programs, making sure you get all the money you’re owed, and more. Find out more about Gold Entertainment Accountants at www.rocknrollaccountant.com.

On the podcast this week, Mike’s welcomes back Simon Ward and Dave Ritter from folk-rock hit-makers The Strumbellas. Almost everybody knows these guys from hits like “Salvation,” “We Don’t Know,” and especially the inescapable single “Spirits.” They’re back with a new single, “Greatest Enemy,” which is the first release since they went on hiatus a couple years ago after Simon realized that the depression he had been dealing with for the past 15 years was no longer something he could deal with on his own. In this conversation, Simon opens up about that battle and the tough year he’s had, and why he defines “success” totally differently now than when he last chatted with Mike. The guys also dissect their songwriting and recording process, Simon reveals how he writes those big soaring choruses, and much more.

In the first conversation with this week, Mike chats with Paul Loeb, the founder of DropTrack, a platform that helps record labels, indie artists, and producers organize and promote their music. He also runs No Ego Records, an L.A.-based record label that helps musicians and content makers through cheaper licensing of their songs. With Mike, Paul discusses how artists can market their music, streaming playlists, sync licensing, and more. Then, the feature interview this week is with Hazel Savage, the CEO and co-founder at Musiio, a company that uses artificial intelligence to improve various aspects of the music industry. Hazel tells her fascinating professional story, which began at HMV stores in England before she joined Shazam in its infancy, despite having no background in tech, and from there she went on to Pandora, Universal, and more. With Mike, Hazel traces the use of AI in music, ponders its future, and more. It’s a very fun and interesting conversation!

On the podcast this week, Mike is joined by Michael McCarty, who spent at the last seven years as the chief membership officer at SOCAN following a legendary career in music publishing, as well as Juno-winning producer Gavin Brown (The Tragically Hip, Billy Talent, Three Days Grace). The reason they’re on together is because, along with their colleague Rodney Murphy, they’ve launched Kilometre Music Group, a new music rights management company with the stated mission of reclaiming “the financial rewards of the multi-decade worldwide 'Canadian music invasion' for the benefit of Canadian artists, investors, and culture." Given some of the mega-deals that have made headlines recently, with major stars like Bob Dylan and Stevie Nicks selling their song rights, McCarty and Brown discuss this exploding market for songs, as well as why Canada has punched above its weight for decades when it comes to writing and producing chart-topping hits, the dominance of BIPOC songwriters and producers, what they envision KMG’s role to be, and more.

On this week’s podcast, Mike has a great chat with Nigel Irwin, a Toronto-based Cree composer/artist who is also the co-creative director of Nagamo Publishing. Nagamo is the world’s first Indigenous-created production music library that spans all genres and nations. Its goal is to provide much-needed opportunities for Indigenous music creators to showcase their talents in the film and media industries. As this library continues to grow, Nagamo plans to also grow into the premier agency to connect with the leading Indigenous composers working today. In this wide-ranging chat, Nigel discusses the need for companies like Nagamo in the industry and the history of non-Indigenous artists making Indigenous-seeming music for TV and movies. He also explains the discussions happening in Indigenous artistic communities about the right and wrong ways to incorporate traditional Indigenous elements into contemporary music, as well as issues of cultural appropriation within different Indigenous musical communities. He also explains the challenges many songwriters with transitioning to composing production music, how the commissioning and payments work, and more.

“There’s going to be a big, big forced transitional change in the industry in this next two years,” says Camille Barbone in this wide-ranging and immensely interesting conversation on this week’s podcast. Camille is an entrepreneur, consultant, teacher, and coach for artists and companies. For starters, she’s the person who discovered, developed, launched, and managed the career of pop icon Madonna. Her diverse work experience includes positions at Columbia/Sony and Universal/Polygram. At Buddha/Arista, Camille specialized in A&R, and she has served as head of operations for businesses such as Open Door Online, one of the first music retailers to sell music via the internet. As well, she was VP of artist relations and later VP and GM for Aezra EMI Records, VP and GM of Winedark-Fontana Records, and president and CEO of Stadium Entertainment Holdings, working with artists such as Kanye West, Ludacris, Snoop Dogg, Kenny Chesney, and Keith Urban. Camille owned and operated Gotham Sound in NYC and Long View Farm Recording in Massachusetts serving major recording artists such as Aerosmith, The Rolling Stones, Collective Soul, and more. Believe it or not, her list of jobs and accomplishments keeps going! So, needless to say, there’s a lot of topics she can share insights on, and she does in this conversation!

First up on the podcast this week, Mike chats with Adrian Sutherland about his new solo music, taking on a new sound with the single “Respect the Gift,” songwriting, creating his own studio space in Attawapiskat, and more. Then, Mike catches up with Duane “D.O.” Gibson, the beloved rapper, motivational speaker, and co-founder of the Northern Power Summit. Duane discusses the evolution of Canada’s rap and R&B music scenes, the changing mentality within that music scene, and whether the support systems and industry infrastructure for rap, pop, and R&B artists is improving in Canada. As well, Duane discusses the need to raise more awareness and knowledge of Black Canadian music history, offers a wealth of valuable insights and advice for artists, and more.

First up on the show this week, Mike chats with Katie Munshaw of the critically-acclaimed, Juno-winning band Dizzy. Katie discusses writing, recording, and self-producing the band’s sophomore album, The Sun and Her Scorch, and the pressure they felt after the huge success of their debut LP. Katie also digs into songwriting, what she learned from more veteran acts while on tour, the band’s relationship with their label, and more. Following that, Mike has a very timely conversation with lawyer Paul Banwatt (who also happens to be the drummer for The Rural Alberta Advantage). Specially, Paul joins the podcast to talk about COVID-19 vaccines and vaccine passports, and what could or could not be expected of artists, crews, and fans when live music resumes.

First up, Mike chats with Steve Kenny (3:55), an artist manager, co-founder of Traverse Music Management, and author of The Ascender (Traversemusicmanagement.ca/theascender), a blog and newsletter for artists looking to grow their career in an effective and sustainable way. Steve recounts his winding path from musician to a corporate job and then into artist management. He offers a refreshing perspective and mind for the music industry and in this conversation, he discusses his belief that artists should actually focus more on the fans they have than on growing their fanbase, and that they should also focus on providing value for their audience rather than on “how can I monetize my audience?” Then, after his chat with Steve, Mike then shares the wonderful conversation he had with Canadian producer, platinum-selling singer-songwriter, and four-time CCMA nominee Tebey (34:40). Tebey first came to prominence as a songwriter for both pop and country artists. His pop credits include One Direction, Fifth Harmony, Flo Rida, Cher, and more. No slouch in the country music arena, Tebey has been nominated for four Canadian Country Music Awards, including Album of the Year for his 2018 hit EP, Love a Girl, and his hit single “Denim On Denim” was recently was certified platinum and he nabbed a gold certification for his co-write for “Just Got Paid” by Emerson Drive. He and Mike chat about writing his new album, ‘The Good Ones,’ the differences between writing country and pop songs, coming of age in the music industry, the fun and hassles of co-founding his own record label, dealing with the uncertainty of the near future, and more.

On this week’s podcast is a conversation Mike has been saving for a couple months and looking forward to sharing. That’s because once Mike had this conversation with musician and producer Billy Wild, he knew he wanted to write about this project, called Uninvited Guests, and its backstory for the magazine, which he did for the new January/February issue of Canadian Musician. For the album Uninvited Guests, Billy and other producers, rappers, and singers from his Toronto-based Division 88 collective dared to chop up some of Glenn Gould’s most iconic recordings and use them in hip-hop and R&B productions. Now, would Glenn Gould love or loath Uninvited Guests? Billy doesn’t know if the late, iconic Canadian pianist would love the music, but he’s sure Gould would love that the album exists. He also knows that Gould’s fans hate him, which he accepts with some bewilderment and amusement. But the making of this album, and just getting the rights to Gould’s music, was an eight-year journey that involved dealing with the Gould Estate, a major label, a change of publishers, and more. It’s a fascinating story and Billy is a fun storyteller.

This week’s conversation is certainly an important one, especially right now as artists are more reliant on income generated from their recorded music because there’s no tours going on. So, this week, Mike chats with two members of the Union of Musicians and Allied Workers who helped organize its ongoing Justice at Spotify campaign. Those are Boston-based musician, poet, and author Damon Krukowski (Galaxie 500, Magic Hour, Damon & Naomi), as well as Montreal-based drummer Salin Cheewapansri (Dominique Fils-Aimé). Together with Mike, they deconstruct the demands that UMAW and its supporters are making of Spotify in order to raise awareness and more conversation about the lack of money making its way back to creators despite the billions in revenue generated each year by the streaming giant. This is a spirited conversation about the economics and ethics of the streaming business model and how we can make the industry fairer. For more about UMAW’s Justice at Spotify campaign, go to www.unionofmusicians.org/justice-at-spotify. For more from Damon, check out his book, ‘The New Analog,’ at www.dadadrummer.com and his podcast series, Ways of Hearing, at www.waysofhearing.bandcamp.com. For more on Salin, go to www.salinmusic.com.

After little more than a decade together, and having achieved a level of worldwide success that is far beyond anything they expected, the Canadian electro-rock duo USS (or Ubiquitous Synergy Seeker) are calling it a day with one final album, Einsteins of Consciousness. So, joining Mike for this week’s episode are vocalist/guitarist Ashley Buchholz (aka Ash Boo-Schultz) and turntablist/hype man Jason "Human Kebab" Parsons. In this conversation, the two of them look back on their career and the art they made together and explain why now was the right time in their respective lives to move on to new experiences. Though the guys’ trademark goofiness certainly comes through in this chat, they’re also very earnest and open about how they’ve grown as people and artists over the years and how that led them to this decision. As well, Ash discusses in own battles with mental health and how he learned a key lesson for all songwriters: that there’s a difference between that’s not good enough, and you’re not good enough. Also, the guys talk about how social media changed the business for artists, the intense connection they’ve built with fans, and more.

“When something like that happens to you, I think you just get stunned,” Julian Taylor says on this week’s podcast about the immense loss that planted the seeds for his album, ‘The Ridge.’ “I just started reciting whatever was on my mind on a video on my phone as I walked through the forest. Then I looked at it and was like, ‘Wow, there’s something there.’” Taylor has been steadily releasing music since the late ‘90s, first as a member of the band Staggered Crossing and then with Julian Taylor Band and solo. So, it’s somewhat surprising that in 2020 he put out arguably his best album yet, and definitely the one that has earned him a larger audience and significant critical acclaim. His album, ‘The Ridge,’ which was released shortly after the pandemic began, was born of considerable personal loss, but its warm sonic character and deeply personal lyrics proved to be the right album for the time. It’s certainly one of Mike’s favourite albums of the year. So, in this open and honest conversation, Julian tells Mike about the painful writing process that resulted in ‘The Ridge,’ his experiences growing as a mixed-race kid in urban Ontario and rural B.C. and his family that inspired the songs, hitchhiking across the U.S., the weirdness of playing a drive-in concert, and much more.

For this last episode of 2020, Mike is joined by Forrest Eaglespeaker, the leader of Saskatchewan-based roots-rock duo The North Sound. They recently released their sophomore record, ‘As the Stars Explode,’ a deeply personal album that straddles two eras in Forrest’s life. Some of the songs were written while Eaglespeaker was in the chaos of alcohol addiction, while some in the more grounded and “new” life of sobriety. In this conversation, Forrest speaks honestly about those long struggles with alcohol, and the new experience of writing and performing sober. He also discusses a number of other topics, such as what it was like singing a song inspired by Colten Boushie’s senseless murder in front of a rural, all-white audience.

On this week’s show we have outgoing CIMA President Stuart Johnston joining Mike to talk about the widespread, and often uneven, impact the pandemic has had on Canada’s independent music sector. The basis of the conversation is a new report commissioned by CIMA and conducted by Nordicity that shows the Canadian music industry lost $280-million this year. Stuart explains how the indie sector, specifically, was affected, including the impact that no live music has had on indie artists and labels, which groups have been hit worst, and what it will take to recover post-pandemic. Stuart and Mike also discuss the pandemic’s impact on audience development, and the report’s finding that BIPOC artists and music entrepreneurs have not seen the same funding support as the rest of their peers. Suffice to say, this is an important conversation.

First up, Mike chats with Mattmac about his incredible story and music. He’s blind musician, singer, and producer from Garden Hill First Nation in Manitoba, and though still very young, Mattmac is gaining a ton of attention with his first album, 20/20. He’s been blind since birth, which makes the pop-trap production in music that much more impressive. Mattmac tells Mike his musical story and explains how he does what he does. Then Mike talks about the popular livestreaming platform Twitch with Toronto-based pop musician, songwriter, and producer Melissa Lamm (www.twitch.tv/melissalammmusic). Over the last couple years, while she struggled to gain traction on Spotify and other streaming services, Melissa found a lot of success performing live on Twitch. So much so, in fact, that she fully funded her latest EP and two singles through those online performances. With Mike, Melissa discusses what brought her to Twitch, how it works, and how she has been able to fund her music by finding an engaged fanbase on the platform.

First up, Mike has a lovely conversation with Samantha Martin (5:20) about her pandemic experience and making her latest, barn-storming record with her band, Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar. The new album, The Reckless One, was released in November via Gypsy Soul Records, and features swirling Booker T-inspired organ, a swaggering horn line and Samantha’s trademark hurricane-force vocals. With Mike, Samantha chats about their decision to focus on the European touring market prior the pandemic, the cost of touring the U.S., songwriting, singing in the studio versus on stage, what it was like to perform a livestreamed concert from a nearly-empty theatre, and more. After that, Mike chats with Rob Cyrynowski (42:20) about his unique COVID-safe concert series called Hotels Live. Rob is a veteran Canadian talent buyer, booker, and promoter who’s worked with such acts as Kiss, Def Leppard, Rush, Thomas Rhett, Rihanna, Pitbull, Tiësto, Bryan Adams, and The Tragically Hip. Calgary-based Hotels Live Canada has been offering some of the most fun, COVID-safe concert experiences throughout the summer and fall and will continue to do so in 2021. At these shows, fans are watching DJs and bands from the comfort and safety of their hotel room balconies. So far in 2020, Hotels Lives has organized 15 safe live concerts with 48 artists. For those shows, more than 1,350 hotel rooms were sold, with over 5,000 fans attending shows, and ticket sales grossed over $350,000, far exceeding what most concert promoters have been able to do in Canada this year. And importantly, there’s been zero COVID-19 cases traced to the shows. So, Rob discusses how this concert concept came to be, the lessons learned so far, and what 2021 holds.

We’ve got a fun chat on this week’s episode! Martin Popoff, the incredibly prolific rock critic and author, joins Mike to talk about the music, business, and legacy of Canadian icons Rush. Martin has written a three-book biography of the band, with the first two installments – Anthem: Rush in the ‘70s and Limelight: Rush in the ‘80s – now out, and the third book expected in the spring of 2021. Martin is obviously a massive fan of Rush and been covering them in his work for many years. With Mike, he discusses the evolution of the band’s style and musical legacy, how they conducted their business and stayed together for so long, why they never fell into the self-destructive pitfalls like so many of their contemporaries, and a bunch more. You know any conversation about Rush is a fun one, so enjoy!

In our two interviews on this week’s podcast, we’re looking at a couple unique ways musicians are approaching their careers, whether that’s financing or touring during a pandemic. First up, Mike catches up with singer-songwriter Michael Bernard Fitzgerald (3:00) to find out how he managed to keep touring for the greater part of this pandemic. His unique "Farm Tour", just like it sounds, he set up a tent and sound system on farms across Canada for a series of intimate shows unlike any other. Find out how he pulled it off, the rewards and headaches long the way, and whether it was financially viable in the end. Then Mike chats with Sound Royalties founder and CEO Alex Heiche (25:30). Since founding his company in 2014, Alex has become a go-to expert on music royalties, licensing, and specialty finance for music artists. He has presented on behalf of the Recording Academy and other music industry associations across North America and around the world. Since 2014, Sound Royalties has worked with artists such as Wyclef Jean, Pitbull, Rich Robinson (Black Crowes), Lil Wayne, DJ Khaled, Sonia Leigh, and others. The company offers royalty advances to artists that doesn’t require them to give up any publishing rights or ownership of their songs.

Junia-T’s story seems almost too perfect. After a decade of promising highs and frustrating lows, he was in a rut and feeling pressure to quit the music industry. At that moment he found himself in a life-changing creative environment and emerged two years later with Studio Monk, an album that sounds, simultaneously, so original and classic that he’s being showered in critical adoration and artistic admiration, including being shortlisted for the 2020 Polaris Music Prize. For the new issue of Canadian Musician magazine, the multifaceted producer-rapper-musician told Mike the full story. Here is that conversation.

Dave Guenette is a Canadian artist manager and label co-owner who has had an extremely fascinating life and career, though you won’t find much about him online. He is the co-founder of label and artist services company Pirates Blend, which has worked alongside Junia-T (who Dave has known since they were kids), A Tribe Called Red, Zaki Ibrahim, Saul Williams, Young Empires, and more. The label was co-founded with the members of Bedouin Soundclash, who Dave previously managed since they were all friends in university. Dave recalls chasing infamous artist manager Sol Guy to get his foot in the door and how that led him around the world at a young age tour managing for K’Naan and, as he says, the rest is history.

This week Mike welcomes back to the podcast Erin Benjamin, the president and CEO of the Canadian Live Music Association. The CLMA advocates on behalf of Canadian concert promoters, festivals, presenters, venues, agents, ticketing companies, industry associations, and suppliers. Mike and Erin spoke in late April about the immediate devasting impact the pandemic was having on the live music industry. Now, six months later, Erin is back to offer an update on how things have panned out, what the near- and long-term future looks like for the industry, why keeping the live music industry afloat is economically important, what venues are doing to facilitate live music, and more. To read the new report from the CLMA, City of Toronto, and Nordicity that Mike and Erin talk about, go to www.canadianlivemusic.ca.

First up this week, Mike chats with Ron Hawkins (2:50), an icon of the Canadian indie rock community and incredible songwriter who fronts The Lowest of the Low and Ron Hawkins & The Do-Good Assassins. Ron chats about recording the new Do-Good Assassins album, 246, on a vintage analog four-track recorder, shunning the option to release the album on a major label, the pros and cons of indie and major labels from his experience, the difference between good and bad political songwriting, and more. The second interview this week is with Peter Katz (36:00), an acclaimed artist and public speaker, who tells Mike about writing his new, poppier album, City of Our Lives, while recovering from a gruesome injury that nearly took away his ability to walk. Peter also discusses the decision to stagger the digital and physical releases of the album, finding an appreciation for the craft of pop music, making his online performances more interactive and engaging, his impressive livestreaming setup, how he got into motivational speaking, and more.

On the podcast this week, Mike welcomes Oliver Johnson, the founder of Soleil Sound (formerly – and still lovingly by many – called The Hive), which is a music and post-production studio complex in Toronto that has been an instrumental part of the Toronto creative community for more than 20 years. In fact, in a recent conversation, Polaris Prize-shortlisted producer Junia-T told Mike that Oliver is one of the unsung heroes of Toronto music community and credited the uniquely creative and collaborative environment at Soleil Sound for making it possible to create his acclaimed album Studio Monk. It’s for that reason that Mike reached out to Oliver to get the story behind the studio and find out how he created this unique space that has attracted K’naan, Glenn Lewis, and so many other beloved artists. Mike and Oliver also discuss the major financial challenges facing recording studios in major cities and a bunch more. Oliver is also one of the founders of Nagamo Publishing, is the first Indigenous production music library and composer agency. He encourages Indigenous creators to contact them if they’d like to get involved in production music industry and have their music licenced. More at www.nagamo.ca.

We’ve chatted on the podcast and in the magazine a few times about how companies use music, from restaurants to gyms to retail shops and more. Today, we’re focusing on how and why many of these same types of companies are using music videos. Our guest for this conversation is Luke White, the director of content at Loop Media, which provides customized music video channels for businesses. Luke is also the head of operations and marketing at U.S. label Parts + Labor Records, all on top of being a professional musician himself in the band Atomic Tom. Aside from simply what Loop Media does with music videos and how it does it, Luke and Mike also get into the ongoing evolution of music videos as an artform and marketing tool for artists, how curating music video playlists for businesses differs from song playlists, how indie artists can tap into this market, and more.

On the podcast this week we have Patrick Rogers, the interim Co-CEO and VP of Corporate Affairs at Music Canada. It’s a fascinating and wide-ranging chat as Patrick takes you behind-the-scenes as the music industry grapples with the scope of the pandemic and its conversations with government. Given his many years spent in the federal government, including being the Director of Public Policy at the Department of Canadian Heritage, Patrick offers a lot of insight into government’s decision-making during this dramatic time. As well, Patrick replays the conversations they had internally and with Abacus Data during the creation of, and when assessing the results of their public opinion surveys of music fans and professional musicians. Mike and Patrick then touch on some wider music industry issues, such as CanCon regulations for streaming and the future of ad-supported free music streaming.

For this week’s chat, Mike is joined by Glenn Peoples, the lead data analyst atBillboard. Glenn and Mike get into a fascinating conversation about how music fans’ listening habits have shifted during the course of the pandemic. They dissect early declines in streaming numbers and how it’s recovered, what genres have gained the most, the future of vinyl and CDs, the influence of smart speakers, and even if it would be in the interest of both Spotify and the music industry to phase out free, ad-based streaming. For anyone who listens to music, this is a fun chat!

For this week’s podcast we welcome back Darryl Hurs, the founder and CEO of Indie Week and CD Baby’s Director of Market Development for Canada. Darryl and Mike chat about Indie Week’s plans for a virtual artist-focused conference from Nov. 10-14, and then dig into a number of pressing topic and some good advice for indie musicians. Darryl explains how indie artists should be preparing for the eventual post-COVID industry, why he thinks that there will be a big return to focusing on local music, what he thinks the lasting impact of this situation will be on the music industry, and a bunch more.

This week, we're bringing you a special trio of artist interviews. Revered jazz vocalist Laila Biali joins us to discuss her re-imagining of the track "Revival" for her ongoing "Quarantunes" series, as well as the song's powerful and still-timely lyrical themes. We also touch on her latest LP, Out of Dust, her experience releasing and promoting an album amidst the pandemic, and how a bit of optimism can go a long way these days. Before that, we hear from Jeremy Drury about stepping out from behind The Strumbellas' drum kit (temporarily, of course) and into the spotlight with his debut solo LP, Company Store. Plus, a candid chat with multi-disciplinary artist Romana about the stunning, cinematic video for her powerful new single "Melanin," how her prowess as a visual artist permeates her music, and more. http://canadianmusician.com

For our feature interview this week, Andrew chats with Canadian country star Lindsay Ell, who followed up her breakout LP The Project with another hugely successful effort, Heart Theory, in mid-August. American Songwriter magazine called it a "career-altering album" in their high-profile cover story, and we ask Lindsay how she feels about the remarkable reception in addition to discussing the making of the record, balancing her prowess as a singer and guitarist in the studio and on stage, the increasing prevalence of Canadian country hitmakers, and more. But before our chat with Lindsay, Mike also caught up with the guys from Canadian country-rock band Petric. They talk about recording their latest single while being separated because of the pandemic, how they plan to release and promote their new EP, Flashbacks, and the coming full LP despite not being able to tour. They guys also chat songwriting, how they got endorsed by PRS Guitars, and more.

Coalition Music has partnered with the Aboriginal People’s Television Network (APTN) to launch Red Music Rising (RMR), an Indigenous music company that is the first in Canada to be owned, managed, and operated entirely by Indigenous individuals. On today's pod, we have Toronto-based artist manager Matt Maw of Chippewas of the Thames, who has been brought in to be the first leader of RMR. Matt and Mike discuss the mission and plans for RMR, how it came together, launching a music company at the difficult time, the lack Indigenous representation in the music industry, the problem with lumping a large and diverse group of artists under the banner of “Indigenous music,” and more. http://canadianmusician.com

We welcome the incomparable Kiesza to the show this week. Her brand-new album, Crave, is her first full collection since her breakout Sound of a Woman in 2014. In the years since, she's enjoyed some major successes, suffered a car accident that nearly ended her career - and her life - and had a tumultuous split with her record label. We talk about all of that, and how she's come out on the other side with newfound inspiration and a kick of creativity. Plus, we chat with Toronto-based artist Suzi Kory, who put on a DIY drive-in festival called Love Revolution just outside of the city in mid-July that, by all accounts, was a big success. We find out what inspired her to do it, how she and her team pulled it off, and get a preview of the next one she's working on. http://canadianmusician.com

In June, Montreal-based singer Dominique Fils-Aimé won the Juno for Vocal Jazz Album of the year for her 2019 LP, Stay Tuned! That album, which was also on the Polaris Music Prize short list last year, is the second in an ambitious trilogy that explores and embodies the history of popular Black music. Mike recently had a lovely in-depth chat with Dominque about the entire three-album project just as she was wrapping up the third album. They discuss the inspiration she’s taken from Black history and music, songwriting, how she’s coped creatively and personally with the pandemic, the therapeutic nature of protests, and more. http://canadianmusician.com

We've got a trio of short interviews on a few cool and compelling professional development opportunities for musicians. The idea is to share some different approaches to professional development and the many facets you can improve on. First, acclaimed composer Craig Dodge delves into his Ignite Your Music Career program, which shares tools and strategies to get your music placed in series, films, video games, ads, and other media, regardless of your instrument or genre. Next, multi-Juno nominee Alysha Brilla offers insight into her production-focused workshops, which she's successfully delivered for a myriad of artists from all over. They cover everything from beat-making to digital audio workstations and more. Finally, industry veteran Steve Waxman joins us again to talk about Collaboration Hub, a six-week program for musicians in any genre. It's an opportunity for artists to connect and help one another take the next steps in their careers under Steve's guidance. http://canadianmusician.com

Jarrel Young is a Billboard-topping, Toronto-based producer, beat maker, singer, and songwriter. As one half of the production duo Young Wolf Hatchlings, he’s worked with Fall Out Boy, David Guetta, Neyo, Jessie Reyez, Tory Lanez, and more. Now, under the solo moniker Jarrel The Young, he’s releasing a series of three EPs called VIRTUE that takes him in a deeper sonic and lyrical direction. In this wide-ranging and fascinating conversation with Mike, Jarrel discusses career highs and lows, finding success at a young age and then fighting to maintain that momentum, the surreal feeling of hanging backstage with David Guetta and then going back to a regular desk job, and more. http://canadianmusician.com

We’re sharing the full conversation Mike had a couple of months ago with acclaimed singer-songwriter William Prince, which formed the basis for our July/August issue's cover story. There's a lot that didn’t make it into the article, so we’re thrilled to be able to share it here. It’s a very wide ranging conversation that spans almost William’s entire life, from his musical upbringing with his minister/singer father in Peguis First Nation, studying to become a doctor while finding more happiness in music, developing his exceptional songwriting acumen, breaking into the music industry, making his albums, the pressure he feel as an Indigenous songwriter to write political songs, and a lot more. http://canadianmusician.com

Last week, a new non-profit advocacy group launched to champion the advancement of Black professionals in the Canadian music industry. ADVANCE, Canada’s Black Music Business Collective, aims to hold the corporate, private, and government sectors accountable in order to build a more equitable Canadian music industry that grants Canada’s Black music communities a fair and valued voice. Erin Lowers, a Canadian music journalist, DSP programmer at YouTube Music, and a founding member of ADVANCE, joins us to discuss how it came together, the obstacles that have faced Black professionals and artists in the Canadian music business, and more. www.advancemusic.org. Plus, Lorraine Lawson, one of Canada's foremost vocal coaches and the namesake of Lawson Vocal Studios (LVS), joins us to discuss the Becoming Emerging Artist Contest, a great opportunity for Canadian performers, and the Power of Performance workbook. You'll also get some artist development insights from someone who's coached the likes of Alessia Cara, Roy Woods, Scott Helman, and many other stars. www.lawsonvocalstudios.com. http://canadianmusician.com

Jordan Powley of the Feldman Agency, one of North America's top talent agencies and management groups, joins us with some insight on what's going on in the slowly-reemerging live music market these days. We talk about where the current opportunities exist for artists to get in front of the public, the viability of drive-in concerts and similar initiatives, the hardships straining Canada's music venues, and more. Then, we hear a snippet of our recent interview with Saskatoon-based funk rock band The Steadies, fronted by Wide Mouth Mason's Earl Pereira. Earl talks about how the band stayed busy during the pandemic - which included booking a small-scale summer tour out west. Read the full interview at: CanadianMusician.com/blog

This week, Mike has an interesting chat with Jacqui Louez Schoorl about the importance of song credits in the music streaming era and why it’s become oddly difficult to find them. Jacqui is the CEO and co-founder of Jaxsta, a site aiming to become the IMDB of the music industry, providing comprehensive song and album credits in a searchable and interactive database - and they're well on their way. Mike and Jacqui talk about Jaxsta’s creation, how a lack of credits is harming artists and industry professionals, difficulties with metadata, and more. Before that, we have a quick chat with Lindi Delight about a cool and timely initiative she has co-founded called Masks for Music, which gives artists and industry professionals or organizations an opportunity to sell KN95 and adjustable fabric masks to earn income or raise funds for a good cause. http://canadianmusician.com

Happy Canada Day! On today's show, we chat with Polaris Prize-winning hip-hop artist Haviah Mighty about the new video for her track "Thirteen," which dropped on Canada Day in tandem with a pair of live performances by Haviah for Toronto City Hall Live and CBC Music. Referencing the 13th amendment to the US Constitution that abolished slavery, "Thirteen" is a song about the painful journey of Black people in North America, with its the lyrics and accompanying illustrated video exposing the roots of systemic racism. We talk about the lyrics, the video and its "mini history lesson," and what's coming up for Haviah through the rest of 2020. Plus, the KoSA International Percussion Workshop and Festival has announced that it will be holding its much anticipated 25th anniversary edition online from July 6-10, 2020. This year’s confirmed faculty includes masters like Chester Thompson, John Riley, David Garibaldi, Bill Bachman, and more. We spoke with co-founder Aldo Mazza about what the KoSA experience is all about, the transition to delivering this year's edition online, highlights from the past 25 years, and more. http://canadianmusician.com

We're bringing you a trio of short interviews on this week's pod. We check in with pianist Michael Kaeshammer from his home on Vancouver Island to talk about his boost of creativity through self-isolation, how that output compares to his past work, his outlook on a post-pandemic music industry, and more. We also catch up with Pat Kordyback, the frontman of recently-reunited quintet Stereos. The band found success after winning the debut season of MuchMusic's DisBAND in 2008, then reunited in 2019 after nearly seven years of dormancy. We talk about what got them back together, the reception from the industry and fans so far, and more. Finally, we chat with Kirt Debique, the CEO and co-founder of SyncFloor, a new platform that helps content creators find music for their projects with robust search capabilities & one-stop licensing. http://canadianmusician.com

We're joined this week by Jon Corbin, an independent Canadian artist, educator, writer, poet, emcee, DJ, and speaker who writes about the intersection of faith, creativity, and race. Jon and Mike have an in-depth conversation about the anti-racism movement sweeping the U.S. and Canada, the right and wrong ways the music industry has reacted to it, how race and racism are discussed in music and society in general, and some of the obstacles facing Black artists in the Canadian music industry. https://joncorbinmusic.com/ https://canadianmusician.com/

Vic & KW of heralded Hamilton, ON-based doom/sludge metal duo Vile Creature are partners in music, partners in a vegan deli/bakery/market, and partners in life. We caught up with them in late May to talk about their new record Glory, Glory! Apathy Took Helm!, staying busy and creative through the pandemic, being able to make music together while most can't, what their live performances might look like going forward, and more. Before that, hit-making producer Rob Wells joins us to talk about the viral video he captained that features dozens of artists from Canada and around the world performing Journey's hit "Don't Stop Believin'" amidst self-isolation. We ask what drew him to the track, how he stitched all of the different performances together, and how artists can improve their own productions. http://canadianmusician.com

Remington Leith and Sebastian Danzig of much-loved, multi-faceted rock band Palaye Royale join us to talk about their career happenings since stealing the show at CMW 2015, from almost breaking up to selling out venues around the world. We also get into dealing with the pandemic shutdowns that cancelled their biggest tour yet, doing talk show-style livestreams from home, recording at AirBnbs, engaging their massive fanbase, and the making of their new album, The Bastards. Before that, Mike chats with Andrew Williams of the Alberta Electronic Music Conference and new Virtual Electronic Music Conference, the latter of which is happening for free online from June 4-7. They discuss the formation and programming of the virtual event for electronic artists and industry professionals, as well as how clubs are dealing with the pandemic, how artists have adapted, and more. http://canadianmusician.com http://canadianmusician.com/pushing

For today’s pod, Mike caught up with SOCAN’s former VP of Licensing and current interim-CEO Jennifer Brown to discuss the quickly-evolving world of rights and royalties for livestreamed concerts. Of course, since live music shut down a couple months ago, musicians have been turning to multiple livestreaming platforms to engage with fans, and hopefully also make a little money. But this huge and sudden shift towards livestreamed performances caught the music rights collectives, and the platforms themselves, off guard. With Jenn, Mike discusses how royalties for livestreamed concerts are generated and distributed, which platforms are even licensed to pay royalties for music, and what songwriters need to do to get paid. They also discuss the details of SOCAN’s new Encore! program, which is paying songwriters and publishers additional royalties for live performances on Facebook and Instagram. But before that, Andrew caught up with prolific singer-songwriter David Myles, who recently released his 12th studio album called Leave Tonight. David and Andrew chat about weighing the pros and cons of releasing new music during the pandemic, how he and other artists are keeping busy and generating some income in spite of it, and more.

This week, we welcome acclaimed singer/songwriter Whitney Rose, who has been lauded by Rolling Stone, Paste, and others as one of the top young talents in Americana. She and Mike chat about how the pandemic is affecting her creativity and career, including the sadness of not being able to open for Margo Price at SXSW. We also chat about writing songs while home alone and the making of her new LP, We Still Go to Rodeos, which she made with famed rock producer Paul Kolderie (Radiohead, Hole, The Pixies, Lou Reed). Before that, Vel Omazic tells us about Canada's Music Incubator's online mentorship initiative and other ways they're advancing the careers of Canadian artists and industry pros during and following this pandemic. http://canadianmusician.com http://canadianmusician.com/pushing

When someone makes a private copy of a song on their phone, computer, or blank CD, the music creator is entitled to payment. The Canadian Private Copying Collective thinks so, and the government thinks so, too. The problem is that the Copyright Act is antiquated and hasn’t kept up with technological advances, so musicians are being denied access to income that is rightfully theirs. CPCC Executive Director Lisa Freeman joins us to explain the situation and how artists and the industry can help to generate change. What’s at the root of a great song? What’s behind the making of a record, life on the road, and that mad passion for being the best? TALK! Conversations in All Keys, the new book from Bill King, has answers drawn from interviews with over 70 Canadian musicians, including Jann Arden, Bif Naked, Oscar Peterson, Jim Cuddy, Randy Bachman, Ian Tyson, Buffy Sainte-Marie, and more. He joins us to talk about some of those conversations, his experiences digging through his archives to find them, and more. Get a PDF version of TALK! at: https://musicbooksplus.com/talk http://canadianmusician.com

This week, we’re sharing the full conversation Mike had with musician and artist advocate Miranda Mulholland as part of his research for a new article on how the COVID-19 crisis is impacting the music business and what lies ahead. Miranda - who, in addition to being an artist advocate that works closely with all levels of government, is also one-half of the duo Harrow Fair – offers a revealing perspective on how artists are being professionally and personally impacted by the loss of live shows, gives a fascinating behind-the-scenes account of how government has dealt with the crisis, and discusses her own experience of releasing an album in the midst of all this. Read Mike's article, "Behind the Scenes as the Canadian Music Industry Copes with an Unprecedented Crisis," at: https://indepth.canadianmusician.com/its-impossible-to-imagine-behind-the-scenes/ http://canadianmusician.com

RadioClub is the brainchild of lifelong friends Shawn Desman and Tebey - two music industry vets with a long list of international achievements to their names. We get into what inspired this new collaborative project, why they chose to cover Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up" for their first single, the parallels between pop and country compositions, and more. Also on the pod is Dre Pao - an artist, TV and podcast host, and social media consultant who also helps young artists develop their own music careers. Mike talks to Dre about how artists can take advantage of prominent social media platform TikTok to engage with fans and boost their profile. http://canadianmusician.com

Veteran concert promoter, writer, broadcaster, artist manager, and TV producer Steve Warden joins us to discuss and flesh out some of the ideas he proposes in an open letter published by FYI Music News. The piece ponders on how musicians and the music industry can move forward during and after the COVID-19 shutdowns. We chat about the flood of free virtual concerts and subsequent concerns about devaluing artists’ performances, what a virtual tour could look like, what the industry needs to start putting in motion, and more. http://canadianmusician.com

Darren "Young D" Metz and Quinton "Yung Trybez" Nyce of acclaimed rap duo Snotty Nose Rez Kids join us this week. We chat about how they’re getting through the quarantine and the frustration of a cancelled U.S. tour. Then we get into the making of their new EP, Born Deadly, discussing the influence of Kobe Bryant (whose death inspired the song “Kobe Face”), as well as how they took their anger over the RCMP’s actions against Indigenous protesters in Wet'suwet'en territory, and across Canada, and put it into the raging new track “Cops with Guns Are the Worst!!!” Plus, influetial and innovative hip-hop producer David Strickland and multi-faceted creator Que Rock talk about their collaborations on Strickland's upcoming collection, Spirit of Hip Hop. Strickland addresses the truly stellar guest list he's assembled for the record - which includes Que - before we touch on some of the themes they cover, how categorization can be counter-productive in hip-hop, and more. http://canadianmusician.com

They're one of the greatest musical trios this country has ever produced. Tom Wilson, Stephen Fearing, and Colin Linden - aka Blackie and the Rodeo Kings - join us on today's show. Mike had the pleasure of sitting down with the guys in those glorious days before physical distancing became the new normal. In 2020, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings are celebrating their 25th year together, so of course we discuss that longevity and the unique chemistry they share, as well as the making of their new album, King of This Town. Tom also discusses the incredible personal journey he’s been on over the last seven years, and Colin and Stephen ponder it from their unique vantage point. http://canadianmusician.com This episode is sponsored by Bandzoogle. Try it free for 30 days and use the promo code “CMPOD” to get 15% off your first year of any subscription. https://bandzoogle.com/?pc=cmpod

This week, we bring you a special conversation with rap innovators Cadence Weapon, aka Rollie Pemberton, and Hua Li, aka Peggy Hogan, from the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. The two were part of the 20-day Banff International Songwriter Residency as a mentor and participant, respectively, and we dive into their experience, talk about the value of collaboration and idea-sharing, wax on the concept of "Canadian music," and more. Plus, shortly after Canada started taking COVID-19 seriously in mid-March, a group of Toronto creatives launched a livestreaming initiative called URGNT. The idea was to broadcast sessions with a diverse array of artists from empty Toronto venues, ensuring every stakeholder would receive some compensation for their work at a time they'd really need it. We speak with co-founder Mark Marczyk about how everything came together. http://canadianmusician.com This episode is sponsored by Bandzoogle. Try it free for 30 days and use the promo code “CMPOD” to get 15% off your first year of any subscription. https://bandzoogle.com/?pc=cmpod

Here's hoping everyone is holding up while holed up. On today's show, we bring you a candid conversation with Erin Benjamin, the president and CEO of the Canadian Live Music Association, discussing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the association's members and wider concert industry in Canada. Let's be clear: the situation is dire, and there's up-to-date data to prove it; however, the CLMA is working hard by advocating the government to recognize and help the industry through these hardships and has been making inroads. We get into these and other efforts the association is spearheading, including collaborations with fellow music industry stakeholders, and share tips on how anyone listening can take action. http://canadianmusician.com This episode is sponsored by Bandzoogle. Try it free for 30 days and use the promo code “CMPOD” to get 15% off your first year of any subscription. https://bandzoogle.com/?pc=cmpod

This week, we bring you a fun and interesting chat with Floyd Kane, the creator and writer of the CBC series Diggstown. Floyd and Mike chat about the use of music as a storytelling and emotional device in TV, how and when music comes into the TV writing process, how songs are chosen for the show, and some of the great independent Canadian artists whose music is featured in Diggstown. http://canadianmusician.com This episode is sponsored by Bandzoogle. Try it free for 30 days and use the promo code “CMPOD” to get 15% off your first year of any subscription. https://bandzoogle.com/?pc=cmpod

Mike sits down with visionary pop songwriter, producer, and singer Lauv, who has just dropped his highly-anticipated debut LP ‘How I'm Feeling.’ They discuss Lauv’s rise to hitmaker status for stars like Charli XCX and Celine Dion, and the transition to performing his own songs with the likes of Alessia Cara and BTS. He also delves into self-care and mental health and how his Blue Boy Foundation factors in. Before that, we chat with Marc Vincent, better known as Ruffsound. He’s one of the premier beatmakers and producers in the resurgent Quebec rap scene, working with lauded locals Loud, Koriass, and FouKi and international names like Dua Lipa and Black Pink. They get deep into the sound of Francophone hip-hop and why it's taken off in recent years, as well as Ruffsound's moonlighting in film and TV. http://canadianmusician.com This episode is sponsored by Bandzoogle. Try it free for 30 days and use the promo code “CMPOD” to get 15% off your first year of any subscription. https://bandzoogle.com/?pc=cmpod

Being a tour manager means being a logistics coordinator, accountant, event planner, human resources professional, crisis manager, and counselor. Everything that goes on during the tour - or leading up to it - runs through them. Really, it's one of the most important yet least-discussed jobs in the music business. That’s why Mike wrote a feature article for the March/April 2020 issue of Canadian Musician trying to make sense of tour managers’ responsibilities and share a few of their stories. One of those interesting and fun conversations for the magazine was with Erika Duffee, the go-to tour manager for Canadian pop-rock star Scott Helman and arena-filling Italian pianist Ludovico Einaudi, among others, which we share on today’s episode. You'll hear about the many facets of this odd role along with some great stories from the road and other insights. http://canadianmusician.com This episode is sponsored by Bandzoogle. Try it free for 30 days and use the promo code “CMPOD” to get 15% off your first year of any subscription. https://bandzoogle.com/?pc=cmpod

Canadian rock icons Glass Tiger and high-energy EDM duo Pineo & Loeb recently collaborated on a re-imagined version of the former's "This Is Your Life," featuring guest vocals from Matt Mays. Glass Tiger's Alan Frew and P&L's Mitch Pineo join us this week to share what initially brought them together, why they each wanted to work with the other, how the track was recorded and assembled, and more. Plus, get an exclusive scoop on their next collab: a fresh take on one of The Beatles' best-known songs with Frew once again on lead vocals. Plus, Andrew and Mike share SOCAN's preliminary data from 2019 and a slew of submission opportunities to perform at high-profile music festivals throughout 2020. http://canadianmusician.com This episode is sponsored by Bandzoogle. Try it free for 30 days and use the promo code “CMPOD” to get 15% off your first year of any subscription. https://bandzoogle.com/?pc=cmpod

Jordan Elliott (sometimes spelled Jordyn - you’ll hear why) got into the business of artist management when she was just 21 years old, signing a band to a major label contract while still in school. Since then, she’s continued on that path, working with artists like Meghan Patrick and Eric Ethridge and blazing a trail as one of the top female managers in Canadian country music. Jordan tells us the story of her fascinating career as she examines the unique relationship between artist and manager, discusses the obstacles she faced as a young woman in a male-dominated field, and a lot more. http://canadianmusician.com This episode is sponsored by Bandzoogle. Try it free for 30 days and use the promo code “CMPOD” to get 15% off your first year of any subscription. https://bandzoogle.com/?pc=cmpod

Severine Erickson is the president of the recently-launched Triple A Talent, a Vancouver-based artist management and booking agency specializing in the electronic music scene. Severine explains how negative experiences with agents inspired him and the other Triple A co-founders to start their own company with a plan to do things differently. Severine also discusses the unique aspects of being an agent in the EDM scene compared to other genres, the health of underground EDM in Canada, and more. http://canadianmusician.com http://triplea.agency/ This episode is sponsored by Bandzoogle. Try it free for 30 days and use the promo code “CMPOD” to get 15% off your first year of any subscription. https://bandzoogle.com/?pc=cmpod

Having and relaying a clear idea of your identity, image, and overall narrative is vital to developing and maintaining a devoted fan base in today's super-saturated music business. But what should you be focusing on, and how should it be presented to make the biggest impact with your audience and the industry? Music industry veteran Steve Waxman has shaped the careers of some of Canada's best-known musical exports and joins us with answers to those questions. We cite well-known examples like Billie Eilish, Lizzo, Scott Helman, and Brett Kissel, talk about the importance of goal setting, and touch on The Creationists - Steve's new podcast about people who create. http://canadianmusician.com http://imstevewaxman.com This episode is sponsored by Bandzoogle. Try it free for 30 days and use the promo code “CMPOD” to get 15% off the first year of any subscription. https://bandzoogle.com/?pc=cmpod

For her latest single, "Say Too Much," on-the-rise Canadian country singer/songwriter Karli June teamed up with an unlikely ally in pop/rock producer and All-American Rejects keyboardist Scott Chesak. But while Chesak's success as a songwriter and producer largely stems from projects with the likes of Panic! at the Disco and Weezer, his first foray into country has been quite fruitful. Andrew speaks with both artists about how they first came together, what drew Karli to the song despite the demo being straight-up pop, how the song evolved during their sessions, and lessons learned for both the emerging singer and touring vet throughout the process. PLUS, because it's #BellLetsTalk Day, we're re-airing Mike's interview with Royal Mountain Records' Menno Versteeg from this past summer about the label's mental health fund and why musicians are particularly vulnerable to mental health struggles. Check out Mike's feature on Music's Mental Health Crisis at: http://canadianmusician.com/features This episode is sponsored by Bandzoogle. Try it free for 30 days and use the promo code “CMPOD” to get 15% off the first year of any subscription. https://bandzoogle.com/?pc=cmpod

When Karen Allen told us about her book for musicians about the live streaming platform Twitch, she said: “I’ve been working in digital music for 20 years and have never seen anything so effective for artists.” That certainly piqued our interest. Lo and behold, there is a growing and prospering community of musicians on Twitch using the platform to engage new fans, turn casual fans into super fans, and make some good money doing it. Allen, a veteran of the digital music industry and author of Twitch for Musicians, joins us on today's show to explain Twitch’s evolution and how indie musicians can utilize it to great effect. This episode is sponsored by Bandzoogle. Try it free for 30 days and use the promo code “CMPOD” to get 15% off the first year of any subscription. https://bandzoogle.com/?pc=cmpod http://canadianmusician.com

Holy F** frontman Brian Borcherdt joins us to talk about Deleter*, the band's brand-new record that dives further down the rabbit hole at the intersection of technology and humanity. We talk about the evolution of their hybrid sound, how the various members' work playing in and producing other projects advances what they do collectively, and a lot more. Then, Mike has a fun and fascinating chat with Prism Prize Founder Louis Calabro about the industry and art of music videos. They talk about how the whole purpose of a music videos has evolved from the days of MTV and MuchMusic to the YouTube era, the democratization of video making, what makes for a good music vid, and more. This episode is sponsored by Bandzoogle. Go to Bandzoogle.com to try it free for 30 days, and be sure to use the promo code “CMPOD” to get 15% off the first year of any subscription. https://bandzoogle.com/?pc=cmpod http://canadianmusician.com

In December 2019, with just a few months left before he steps down from his post as president of Re:Sound, Mike had a wide-ranging chat with Ian MacKay about his 11 years with the performing rights organization that represents labels and performing artists. Ian discusses how Re:Sound’s mission evolved over the decade, how the rise of streaming and its ocean of data impacted its work, evolving relations between music industry organizations, Entandem’s performance thus far, and more. Mike and Ian also dig into the numbers, both positive and negative, from Re:Sound’s most recent financial report, discussing why domestic revenues have been flat while international revenue are increasing and whether music rights holders are owed more compensation for private copying. Plus, singer/songwriter Ed Roman joins us for a short chat about his single, "Stronger," his unique approach to lyric writing, and more. http://canadianmusician.com

Happy New Year and hope everyone has had a great holiday! Like we did last episode, and before we get back to our usual programming next week, we're switching things up for one more special episode with an interview that originally aired on The Music Life Coach Podcast, featuring host Jo Janzen interviewing Canadian Musician Senior Editor and CM Podcast co-host Mike Raine about his article, "Music Is Facing a Mental Health Crisis." With Jo, Mike discusses his research and reporting for the article, which examines the critical issue of mental health among professional touring musicians. They look at the alarming stats on musicians’ mental health and reasons they suffer from significantly higher rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts; the insights Mike gleaned from the musicians and experts he spoke with; and what can be done to address the problem at both the industry and personal level. Plus, Jo offers some insights and advice of her own, drawn from her experiences as an artist and those of some of her clients. Check out Mike's article, "Music Is Facing a Mental Health Crisis” Learn more about The Music Life Coach Podcast at: https://musiclifecoach.joannejanzen.com/templates/blog/podcast/

Happy Holidays! We're switching things up for this special episode with an interview that originally aired on The Music Life Coach Podcast, featuring host Jo Janzen interviewing Canadian Musician Editor-in-Chief and podcast host Andrew King about his article "The Era of the Artistpreneur." Andrew has valuable info for artists about what it means to be an entrepreneur in today's music business, how "do it yourself" doesn't necessarily mean "do it alone," how artists can assess risks and not let fear impede their decision-making, and a whole lot more. Plus, Jo offers some advice of her own, drawn from her experiences as an artist and those of some of her clients. Check out Andrew's "The Era of the Artistpreneur" feature at: https://indepth.canadianmusician.com/the-era-of-the-artistpreneur/ Learn more about The Music Life Coach Podcast at: https://musiclifecoach.joannejanzen.com/templates/blog/podcast/

For today's episode, Mike had a chance to sit down for a lively, fascinating, and fun conversation with Daniel Tate and Rob Bowman, authors of the brilliant new book The Flyer Vault: 150 Years of Toronto Concert History. Covering from the mid-1800s all the way to 2000, the book offers a comprehensive and incredibly interesting history of Toronto’s live music scene, all illustrated with images from Daniel’s massive collection of concert flyers spanning over a century – from minstrel troupes to Notorious B.I.G.’s only Toronto show, which almost caused a riot. If you have any interest in the history of popular music, you’ll love this fun conversation. http://canadianmusician.com

Ajungi – pronounced AH-YUNG-EE – is a Nunavut-based music collective made up of up-and-coming artists from across the territory. The concept was created by artist and entrepreneur Thor Simonsen, the creative director of Hitmakerz, an Iqaluit-based record label that delivers music workshops to remote communities across Nunavut and records, produces, and releases music by many Inuit artists. Simonsen joins us to talk about the project's inception and goals, what the workshops and recording sessions entail, how they benefit the artists' careers and communities, and a lot more. http://canadianmusician.com http://ajungi.ca

This week, we welcome Joanne Janzen, an Edmonton-based music life coach who also hosts her own podcast, fittingly titled The Music Life Coach Podcast. In this enlightening conversation with Jo, she teaches us what exactly a music life coach does and how she became one while also navigating her own career as a professional musician. We then get into career development, psychology, mental health, live performance, and how Jo's work differs from and complements that of an artist manager. She also gives us some tips on professional networking and developing a "personal mindset strategy" to propel your career forward. http://musiclifecoach.joannejanzen.com/ http://canadianmusician.com

We're thrilled to have both The Good Lovelies and Delaney Jane on this week's pod! Heralded folk/harmony trio The Good Lovelies just dropped their second Christmas collection, Evergreen, and are now set to embark on their annual holiday tour. We catch up with Sue Passmore to talk about the evolution of their acclaimed holiday show, the art of writing a quality contemporary Christmas tune, their Good Lovelies Forest initiative, and more. Then, the same morning that her debut LP, Dirty Pretty Things, dropped, Mike sat down with platinum-selling alt-pop singer/songwriter Delaney Jane. She discusses her journey from Toronto art school student to in-demand songwriter and rising pop star, recounts a chance meeting with a new neighbour that led to a very fruitful artistic partnership and high-profile writing gigs, and how that launched her career as a fully-independent artist. http://canadianmusician.com

Fresh from their panel at Indie Week’s Indie101 Music & Tech Conference, Mike sits down with Erin Kinghorn, the co-founder of playlist-pitching company Digital Promotions Group (DPG) Canada and founder of artist development company eEK! Productions. Together, Mike and Erin chat all about streaming playlists and how songs find success on them. Erin explains how the playlist ecosystems works, the data and analytics that matter, the differences between the various streaming platforms, how a playlist-pitching campaign works, how to measure success in this quickly-evolving sector, and a bunch more. http://dpgworldwide.com http://canadianmusician.com

AEMCON - the Alberta Electronic Music Conference - is Canada's largest professional gathering of electronic music industry insiders, bringing together those who want to learn, teach, inspire, connect, and dance. Five days of panels, workshops, and night events will showcase 125-plus artists and speakers, with over 3,000-plus attendees expected. The fourth edition of AEMCON takes place in Calgary from Nov. 13-17, 2019, and we've got Co-Founder Andrew Williams and Marketplace Coordinator Tyler Brown on the show to talk about the event and its unique programming streams like Addiction and Recovery, the DIY Feminist Resistance, and Dance Music as an LGBTQ Art Form. Then, we get into the state of electronic music in Alberta and Canada, identify some incoming trends that may inform future editions, and more.

Mike recently spent an afternoon in the workshop of one of Canada’s top luthiers, Linda Manzer, for a fun chat with her and one Canada’s top singer-songwriters, Stephen Fearing (Blackie & The Rodeo Kings). Together, they talk guitars (obviously), the role the instrument plays in their respective careers and personal lives, share some interesting stories, and get into the new custom Cowpoke guitar that Linda had just presented to Stephen. After the interview, Stephen gives the first-ever performance on the custom guitar. Plus, contributor Hal Rodriguez recently spoke with Wide Mouth Mason's Shaun Verreault on the band's new album,I Wanna Go with You, and the lap steel's central role in its composition. In this brief snippet, Shaun explains how he found and developed a fondness for the instrument. Check out the full Q&A at https://shorttakes.canadianmusician.com/wide-mouth-mason/ http://canadianmusician.com

Darryl Ballantyne, CEO of Toronto-based lyric licensing company LyricFind, joins us to discuss the quickly-growing business of displaying lyrics, from Google searches to merchandise and a lot more. We get into how the licensing deals for lyrics work and, yes, the legal dispute between Genius Media and Google that had LyricFind caught right in the middle. We also touch on a number of new initiatives that LyricFind has announced over the past year, including partnerships with fizy in Turkey, MPA/PMLL in the U.K.. and some Canada-specific content, like the funding from the Canadian Government to promote and export Canadian content through lyrics and lyric translations and to bring the stories found in Indigenous songs to all Canadians. That includes some interesting insight into the process of translating various Indigenous languages.

Cousins Adam and Cale Gontier of Saint Asonia join Mike to discuss their new sophomore album, Flawed Design. Hailed as a “supergroup" since dropping their self-titled debut in 2015 (Saint Asonia’s members have been in Three Days Grace, Staind, Art of Dying, Thornley, and more), Adam discusses early expectations for the group, songwriting, and how two significant life moments – the birth of his first child and entering rehab – influenced the new record. They also discuss mental health for musicians and whether the industry should provide more support. We then finish with an exclusive acoustic performance of their new song “The Hunted.” Before that, we chat with critically-acclaimed East Coast singer-songwriter Dave Sampson about his new EP, All Types of Ways. We discuss his life and career in the five years between his widely-praised debut LP in 2014 and this new project, navigating the music industry, his friendship and creative partnership with fellow Nova Scotian and Nashville hitmaker Gordie Sampson, and more.

The healing power of music is at the heart of The Awesome Music Project Canada: Songs of Hope & Happiness, which features intimate stories from Canadians of all walks of life - including Sarah McLachlan, Michael Buble, astronaut Chris Hadfield, Olympian Madeleine Thien, and NHL star Theo Fleury - on how music changed their lives. Rounding out the book are descriptions of the neurological research confirming that music is good for us and why. Robert tells us about the origins of the project, some of his favourite stories shared in it, the research the project will fund, and a lot more. Proceeds from The Awesome Music Project Canada will go to music and mental health research, starting with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Canada's largest mental health and addiction teaching hospital and one of the world's leading research centres. www.theawesomemusicproject.com.

Dave Cool, the director of artist and industry outreach at Bandzoogle, joins us to discuss the bankruptcy of popular crowdfunding site PledgeMusic and his company's subsequent move into the space. Bandzoogle is a Canadian company that operates globally and is known for its suite of website-building services aimed specifically at musicians. In June, Bandzoogle announced it was launching a crowd funding platform as part of its subscription services. That announcement, not coincidently, corresponded with the bankruptcy of PledgeMusic. Through the previous two years, PledgeMusic suffered a slow death, plagued by missed payments to artists and accusations of misspending by management, which raised many questions about the viability of the crowd funding model itself. So, with Dave, we get into the weeds about PledgeMusic’s collapse and why Bandzoogle thinks it has a better business model for it.

Josh Finlayson of heralded roots-rock outfit Skydiggers joins us to chat about the group's latest album, Let's Get Friendship Right. What started as a project based on the five stages of grief blossomed into something far more expansive and diverse. Finlayson tells us about how the album came to be, the significance of recording at The Tragically Hip's Bathouse Studio, how his creative partnership with bandmate Andy Maize has stayed so strong over the years, and more. Plus, Mike sat down with Kintaro Akiyama of Toronto's Birds of Bellwoods to discuss how songwriting works in a very democratic group and the evolution of their sound from straightforward folk-rock to incorporating more electronic elements, as evidenced by their new single “Easy." They also talk about the unique Rock the Rink tour, which finds Birds of Bellwoods sharing an audience with Olympic figure skaters like Tessa Virtue, Scott Moir, and Patrick Chan.

Danya Dixon is the new CEO of Canadian Music Week. Drawing on her 10+ years of experience with the country's marquee music industry conference and festival thus far, she's got some fresh ideas to ensure the event meets and exceeds expectations for its 2020 edition and beyond. On the conference side, she discusses the goal of reaching gender parity for invited delegates within the next few years and some of the timely and important topics they'll be focusing on with their programming. On the festival side, she says to expect an emphasis on quality over quantity with showcasing artists, discloses some of the specific genres they'll be focusing and expanding on going forward, and a lot more.

Tim Moxam has partnered with Toronto's StopGap Foundation, which builds ramps for community spaces to increase accessibility, and launched StopGap on Tour. Moxam collaborated with some fellow songwriters and crafters to build a series of special-edition StopGap ramps, pre-ordered and spec'd to accommodate the needs of non-accessible venues, cafes, record stores, and other community hubs that Moxam would be visiting on his recent East Coast tour. Hear about this cool initiative, how you can get involved for the future, and some of the peripheral benefits that come with it. We also chat with Michael "Wanz" Wansley, who spent his life as a working musician before a song he featured on from a local rapper blew up into a global phenomenon. The song was "Thrift Shop" by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, with Wanz's distinctive voice featured prominently in the chorus. That led to a whirlwind couple years for Wanz, allowing him to fulfill a lot of his childhood dreams, before the song receded in the public consciousness and he had to figure out life after sudden and short-lived commercial success. In this inspiring conversation, Wanz discusses life before, during, and after "Thrift Shop" and how it changed his thinking about fame and success in music.

Sarah Falzon, a Toronto-based entertainment lawyer with Taylor Oballa Murray Leyland LLP, joins us to chat about the recent slew of copyright infringement lawsuits hitting pop stars, including Drake and Katy Perry, as well as Taylor Swift, Sam Smith, and Ed Sheeran. As Sarah says, it seems like the floodgates have opened in the wake of the infamous “Blurred Lines” conflict in which the estate of Marvin Gaye successfully sued Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams for copying the “feel” and “sound” of Gaye’s 1977 song, “Got to Give It Up.” We discuss the details of the newer lawsuits that make them interesting and whether we really have entered a riskier era for songwriters. Sarah also explains if the U.S. lawsuits have any bearing on Canadian songwriters and the relevant differences between Canadian and American copyright law.

On today’s podcast, we have Sandy Graham, the woman who has had maybe the most diverse and interesting career in the Canadian music business. Sandy is currently the owner and editor-in-chief of Cashbox Canada, but over her roughly 40 years in the industry, going back to when she was a teenager, she has been involved in nearly every segment of this industry and has been a true trailblazer. She began in music retail, before being one of the first women to work at a major label in Canada. She’s been a radio music director, a venue owner – including of the Legendary Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto – a music journalist, and she’s even a choreographer, having choreographed the first ever halftime show at the Sky Dome. Sandy is also an artist manager and festival organizer. Like we said, she’s been involved in everything and we’ve wanted to have her on the podcast for a while to tell her story and share some of the insights she has gained along the way.

A group of high-profile Canadian musicians - including members of Three Days Grace, Billy Talent, Stars, Blue Rodeo, Serena Ryder, and more - recently came together as Artists for Sudan to record a new version of U2's classic "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and raise awareness of the human suffering in Sudan. Darcy Ataman, a co-producer of the track and the man behind activist organizations like A4A Records and Make Music Matter, discusses the origins of the project, how the star-studded lineup came together, why they chose this particular song, and a lot more. The track is available to stream and download at www.makemusicmatter.org.

This week, we welcome back Paul Shaver, VP of Music & Radio at Nielsen Entertainment Canada, for what's always a fun and fascinating conversation about Canadian music consumption data. Nielsen recently released its latest "Music 360 Canada" report, which provides a thorough look at music consumption trends. Paul and Mike get into the generational divides between teens, millennials, and their parents with regards to music listening habits, why radio continues to be influential in music discovery, streaming’s potential economic growth, how smart speakers could impact the music industry, the growing popularity of podcasts, and a lot more.

Should you sign that contract? Can you remix or cover any song you want? What’s a split sheet? Chances are you’ve encountered a few tough questions related to music law, and if you haven’t yet, trust us. You will. On this week's podcast, Canadian music lawyer Byron Pascoe of Edwards PC Creative Law walks us through general music law FAQs that will empower you to make good decisions. We also cover common music law agreements - from producer to management agreements - and related negotiation strategies and red flags. Whether you're just launching your career or scaling the summit to the top of the industry, you're sure to pick up some helpful tips. This episode is adapted from a recent music business webinar from Canadian Musician and NWC Webinars. To sign up for free webinars and access recordings of all of our previous sessions, visit www.nwcwebinars.com.

For our feature interview, Mike catches up with Ben Rayner (22:40), the long-time music writer and critic at the Toronto Star. He’s easily one of the best music writers in Canada and it’s obvious that his love of music, and writing about it, is as strong as ever. As local newspapers disappear and even the big newspapers like the Globe & Mail and National Post diminish their arts coverage and move music journalists into other beats, Ben is among the last of a dying breed. Mike and Ben chat about changing nature of music journalism in Canada and the decline of music coverage in newspapers and then get into what impact this could have on artists and the country’s music industry. But before we chat with Ben, we also meet up with Charlie Wall-Andrews (2:48), the executive director of the SOCAN Foundation. Charlie fills us in all the various grants and programs that the SOCAN Foundation has available to artists. Then she and Mike discuss the concept of corporate social responsibility, which is an area of particular expertise for Charlie, and how it applies to the music industry. www.socanfoundation.ca.

“I’ve never thought in terms of a ‘career.’ I’m uncomfortable with the word. I don’t use it because I’ve never approached what I do that way." One of the greatest Canadian songwriters of the last five decades, Bruce Cockburn, joins us on this week's podcast. An inductee into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame and member of the Order of Canada, Bruce is about to release his 34th (!) album, which is an all-instrumental collection entitled Crowing Ignites. In this wide-ranging conversation, Mike and Bruce chat about his earliest years as a songwriter and performer in Massachusetts and Ottawa, the first song he wrote that he knew was good, the generational crossover in his audience, his friendships and partnerships with his long-time producer Colin Linden and manager Bernie Finkelstein, songwriting (of course), and a bunch more.

Music Canada recently shared its latest report, “Closing the Value Gap: How to Fix Safe Harbours and Save the Creative Middle Class.” As the title suggests, the report examines the gap between revenues derived by online entertainment platforms - particularly YouTube - and the revenues returned to artists and labels, then offers five recommendations on how to address the issue. On this week's podcast, Mike and Graham Henderson, Music Canada's President and CEO, dive into the report before getting into some important big picture conversations about philosophical shifts in how music is paid for, how the industry can make its case to the public and government, and even some politics. Also, please visit www.friendsofjohncody.com and consider helping one of our own in dire circumstances.

Recognizing a need to develop new and valuable opportunities for female performing artists and music industry professionals, Ebonnie Rowe launched Honey Jam back in 1995 as an artist showcase and professional development program dedicated entirely to female performers. In the years since, she and her collaborators have worked tirelessly to encourage more women to step up and over the barriers limiting their potential and empowered them with the tools, knowledge, and skills to do so. This week, Ebonnie joins us to talk about the 2019 edition of Honey Jam, the progress we've made as an industry in generating representation and opportunities for women and other marginalized groups, and more. Then, Toronto-based artist Denver Haylee joins us to talk about her experience at Honey Jam 2018 and the progress she's made navigating the industry since. We also get into some of the challenges facing women - specifically women of colour - in Canada and share some ideas on how those can be overcome individually and collectively. If you're in or around Toronto, mark your calendar - the 2019 Honey Jam Concert happens Thurs., Aug. 22 at the Mod Club.

The Northern Pikes are one of the classic Canadian rock bands of the late '80s and 90s with iconic songs like “She Ain’t Pretty,” “Teenland,” “Things I Do for Money,” and “Girl with a Problem.” They’re back with a new LP, Forest of Love - their first new release in 16 years. Mike sat down with the full band, including newcomer Kevin Kane of Grapes of Wrath, to chat about songwriting, how making and releasing an album in 2019 compares to their past experiences, how age and maturity have altered their perspectives, and a lot more. Then, we catch up with the multi-talented (and ever-busy) Miranda Mulholland to chat about the Sawdust City Music Festival, running from August 2-4, 2019 in Gravenhurst, ON. Leading up to its third annual edition, Miranda discusses the realities of organizing and delivering a music festival in 2019 (a particularly timely subject), the event's growth in both size and ambition in the past three years, and more.

Ahead of their set at NXNE 2019, Mike caught up with Darren "Young D" Metz and Quinton "Yung Trybez" Nyce of acclaimed hip-hop duo Snotty Nose Rez Kids. Hailing from the Haisla Nation in Northern B.C., the Polaris Prize shortlisters are one of the most exciting groups in Canada, producing straight-up bangers that get crowds pumping while also going for the political jugular with impactful lyrics that shine light on the experiences of Canada’s Indigenous peoples. Here, the guys talk about finding their artistic and political identity, being a voice for Indigenous youth, and more. Plus, Mike Schwartz - better known as The Rock Doctor - joins us to talk about how your physical and mental well-being can affect your creativity, ability to perform, and more. He dispels some myths of the "rock star lifestyle" and shares some tips on how to turn anxiety into excitement ahead of a performance and ensure you're always on your A game. http://canadianmusician.com http://canadianmusicianpodcast.com

The Producer's Lounge is an initiative designed to elevate female and non-binary-identifying music producers, engineers, and mixers from B.C. The program brings participants into some of the province's top studios to work with and learn from some of the industry's best and brightest audio pros, including internationally-heralded studio vet Sylvia Massy (Johnny Cash, Prince, Red Hot Chili Peppers), Alysha Brilla, Rae Spoon, Elisa Pangsaeng, and others. Jane Aurora, the program's founder and an acclaimed musician, producer, songwriter, and engineer herself, joins us to talk about the initiative, some of the challenges these underrepresented groups face in launching their careers, and how they can be overcome.

Earlier this year, Toronto-based indie label Royal Mountain Records (PUP, Mac DeMarco, Alvvays, U.S. Girls) created a first-of-its-kind fund to support its artists’ mental health. Each act on the label now has access to $1,500 each – completely confidential and non-recoupable – to use on mental health wellness and addiction treatment. The label is run by Hollerado frontman Menno Versteeg, who joins us this week to talk about the fund’s creation and, more generally, mental health in the music community. Menno is open and honest about how his own history as a touring musician inspired the fund, and why labels, managers, agents, and others who earn their living off of musicians need to do more to support artists’ well-being. And since Hollerado just released their final album and will soon embark on their last tour, we also fit in a quick chat about the band.

In November 2018, Helen Murphy was appointed as the new CEO of ole Media Management, one of the world's leading music and entertainment content and services companies. On June 5th, ole announced a sweeping brand overhaul that finds the company blazing forward as Anthem Entertainment. Anthem is comprised of a music publishing division, record label, production music division, and an audio-visual secondary rights management firm. It counts offices in Toronto, New York, L.A., London, and Nashville. As Murphy shares in our interview, the new Anthem is entirely dedicated to talented creators working hard to make great art and great content. She tells Andrew what attracted her to this exciting role in the first place, how the first six-plus months of her tenure have transpired, and her plans to lead this dynamic and successful company into its new era. Plus, Mike shares some staggering YouTube-related stats and an opportunity for artists that carries a grand prize worth over $100,000.

Aerosmith. Nickelback. Skynyrd. Kid Rock. Alice Cooper. Roxodus Music Fest and its heavyweight lineup seemingly came out of nowhere and, considering it's a first-year festival, brought its share of skeptics with it. But that hasn't stopped the team behind this mid-July mega-fest from pushing forward with big plans and big ideas. This week, Roxodus co-founder and co-producer Mike Dunphy chats with Andrew about where this idea came from, how the lineup took shape and the challenges of attracting these artists to a first-year festival, how organizers from outside the music industry managed to bring everything together, and ultimately, how they're enjoying the ride so far. Roxodus happens July 11-14, 2019 at Edenvale Airport in Clearview Township, ON.

Playlist Push is a company that specializes in pitching indie artists’ songs to third-party Spotify playlist curators. George Goodrich, the founder and CEO of Playlist Push, joins us on this week's podcast to discuss how the streaming playlist ecosystem works and its growing influence in the industry. He explains the inner-workings of a playlisting campaign, the delicate relationship between playlist pitchers and Spotify itself, why certain songs succeed on playlists, and more.

Mike chats with David and Yael Penn, the co-founders of Hit Songs Deconstructed (www.hitsongsdeconstructed.com). HSD is a unique subscription service for songwriters, producers, labels, publishers, and others that offers insight into the craft and trends behind current hit songs using deep data and analysis. David and Yael talk about how the service and the vast amount of analysis provided evolved from a simple blog about songwriting before digging into today’s charts for some fascinating insights. Who’s the most successful producer and songwriter on today’s Billboard charts and why? What explains hip-hop's recent dominance? How are production and songwriting trends evolving? And if you want to write a hit song, what are some of the tricks? Find out...

Lowest of the Low have never been ones to dilute their music, emotions, or message on record, though their latest studio album, Agit Pop, is as powerful an offering as anything in their catalogue thanks to its overly political themes. Frontman Ron Hawkins joins us on this week's podcast to talk about the inspiration behind these new songs, how Warner Music Canada President Steve Kane endorsed one of its more controversial lyrics, how the geopolitical climate is affecting individual people in different ways, and a lot more. Plus, we chat with Dylan Bell, a co-artistic director with Sing! The Toronto Vocal Arts Festival, about what's in store for their 2019 edition, including special projects on the music of Leonard Cohen, the migrant experience, and more.

Jeremy Dutcher is many things: a young, queer, indigenous artist who created one of the most compelling musical works this country has been gifted in years. As such, he's also a Polaris Prize, JUNO, and East Coast Music Award winner. But perhaps most importantly, he's a conversationalist, sometimes in music, sometimes in speech, but always with pure intentions and an important message. In this wide-ranging interview with Andrew, he talks about the five-year creation of is heralded debut, Wolastoqiyik Lintuwakonawa; about how indigenous artists who came before him struggled to open doors he's been able to walk through; whether Canada is ready to engage in crucial conversations with its indigenous communities, and a lot more. Plus, we bring you an inside scoop on Entandem, the new joint project of SOCAN and Re:Sound.

The story of Kiana “Rookz” Eastmond’s life and career is both impressive and inspiring, but saying that is probably underselling it. She has gone from being a homeless, gay, black high-school dropout to being the founder and director of Sandbox Studios, an influential recording and artist services company, as well as the executive director of the Manifesto festival and arts organization. She is also one of the most important business people in Toronto’s urban music industry. But when you chat with Rookz, it’s easy to see how she did it. She’s tough and intelligent while also being passionate and compassionate. In this illuminating conversation, Rookz tells her story and shares her unique insights on Canada’s urban music industry. For any Canadian artist or industry professional in any scene, she is worth listening to.

Duane D.O. Gibson is a high-profile and prolific emcee with potent, often empowering lyrics. Look no further than his latest and eighth studio album, Second Home, dropping Friday, April 26th, for an example, though you won't only find his message of hard work, inclusion, and leadership in his songs; he's also an author and speaker who visits schools across the country to engage with young people through music in their own communities. D.O. joins us for a conversation about how he got onto the speaking circuit, how the messages he's sharing factor into his musical output, building an international network of fans and collaborators, and what people around the world are saying about Canadian hip-hop these days. He also shares some picks for emerging Canadian artists to check out.

This week, we catch up with Joe Solo, an acclaimed producer and songwriter and who runs music career workshops and programs for indie musicians. Joe first turned heads in the music industry 20 years ago as Macy Gray's producer and co-writer on her platinum-selling debut and has since earned credits with Michael Jackson, Fergie, will .i. am, Quincy Jones, and many others. He is also the founder of the Music Success Workshop, which offers courses and retreats for indie musicians that provide personalized music career advice, and is the CEO of Joe Solo Music+Entertainment. In this interview, Joe shares the story of his unique career and then we pick his brain for tips and insights on songwriting and forging a career in the music industry.

This week on the podcast, we catch up with Darryl Hurs, founder of Indie Week Canada and now also the Canadian representative for CD Baby. Darryl takes a look back at the founding and evolution of Indie Week, from a passion project to one of the premier events for indie musicians in the country. As well, we chat about how showcase festivals must evolve as labels change their approach to A&R in the digital analytics era and how young artists must now learn to be their own businesses. Darryl also shares some lessons he’s learned for artists on self-branding and marketing, discusses whether Toronto's Music City Strategy is working, and much more. Before that, we've got Toronto hip-hop wunderkind Haviah Mighty talking about how she and her team have been making noise and turning heads on their own terms. She previews her second LP, 13th Floor, which drops on May 10th and features collaborations with some known names as well as a pair of her siblings (talented family!). She discusses that challenges that go with earning your stripes in Canada's still-fledging hip-hop industry, how the current political climate is influencing her art, and more.

Anyone who’s ever met Richard Flohil knows he has stories for days and is more than happy to share them, as is the case on this week's podcast. Since moving to Canada from England as a jazz- and blues-loving teen journalist in the 1950s and then falling into the concert promotion business in the '60s, Richard has enjoyed a storied career as a concert promoter, publicist, music journalist, magazine editor, and general knows-everybody-type of guy in and around the business for over 50 years. He’s met and worked with countless great artists, like blues legends Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, Solomon Burke, and B.B. King, to more contemporary acts like Ani DiFranco and Serena Ryder. And did we mentioned he loves to tell stories? Sit back and hear a few of them in this career-spanning conversation.

This week, Mike sits down for a chat with Canadian hip-hop pioneer Maestro Fresh Wes. Maestro has just released a new album, Champagne Campaign, and is simultaneously celebrating the 30th anniversary of his ground-breaking debut, Symphony in Effect, and its hit single, “Let Your Backbone Slide.” Maestro talks about making Symphony in Effect and its impact, the evolution of Canadian rap, the ups and down of his career through the ‘90s and 2000s, and what it means to age in the hip-hop world. He also reveals which lyric Randy Bachman made him change before giving permission to sample The Guess Who for his classic 1998 song, “Stick to Your Vision.” Before that, Andrew chats with Alex Henry Foster from Iceland, where he's filming a special project for one of the tracks from his heralded debut solo collection, Windows in the Sky. The Your Favorite Enemies frontman has been very selective about interviews regarding this very intimate and personal projects, so we were privileged to delve into his writing process for the project, how it differed from his output with YFE despite his bandmates being involved, some of the very emotional content of the lyrics, and a lot more. Plus, did you hear that Warner Music Group signed an algorithm to a record deal? We've got some details...

Emmanuel Zunz is the founder and CEO of ONErpm, which he calls a “modern music company that is the future of the industry.” It’s an increasing major company that combines social media management and fan engagement, digital music distribution, and other services for artists. In this in-depth conversation, Zunz discusses artists’ best practices for YouTube, the fight between YouTube and the music industry, why he believes the major labels’ standard artist contracts don’t make sense anymore, how the artist/label relationship is fundamentally changing, and much more.

Mike recently sat down for a wide-ranging conversation with frontman and songwriter Simon Ward and keyboardist Dave Ritter of The Strumbellas, who are about to release one of the most highly-anticipated Canadian albums of the year. That album, Rattlesnake, follows their breakout collection, Hope, and its inescapable single, "Spirits." Simon and Dave discuss what it's like to write the follow-up to a global hit song and the goals they're setting this time around. Simon also opens up about his battles with stress and anxiety and the importance of addressing mental health in the music industry. And really, that's just the beginning as the conversation touches on all kinds of topics, from the intimately personal to widespread industry trends. Before that, Andrew speaks with Matt Ellis of Villages, a new folk-focused project from the four members of long-running indie outfit Mardeen. Matt talks about what informed the decision to start an entirely new band at this point in their careers, the similarities and differences between the two projects and their respective workflows, whether they've encountered any growing pains transitioning between two distinct styles, and a lot more.

Musician Dan Mangan and industry maven Laura Simpson have teamed up to launch Side Door Access, a new online service that connects artists who are eager to play shows with people who want to host concerts in unusual or non-traditional spaces - from homes to distilleries to auto garages. The platform isn't limited by genre, type of venue, or even the kind of performance, with spoken word artists, improv groups, and others able to take full advantage. Dan and Laura talk about how Side Door benefits its members and stakeholders, the unique aspects of the platform, its reception thus far, and how members have been using the platform in interesting and successful ways. Plus, Mike had a chance to sit down with East Coast guitar virtuoso & powerhouse vocalist Matt Andersen to chat about his upcoming album, Halfway Home by Morning.

This year, Music PEI is partnering with the ECMA to deliver its 5th annual Canadian Song Conference. This year, the event is focused on creating opportunities for artists and industry professionals in relationship to developing multiple revenue streams from songs, including licensing for various media and more. Part of this year's event is the Canadian Songwriter Challenge, which brings songwriters from across Canada together to collaborate on new songs and pitch the material to a group of delegates to generate business. Music PEI's Executive Director, Rob Oakie, joins us to talk about this year's iteration of this unique event, some success stories from previous years, and the long-term benefits these types of initiatives can have on artists' creative output and careers. Plus, hear about how you can get involved in future editions.

We've got a diverse trio of artist interviews this week, including a feature chat with Marianas Trench's Matt Webb and Mike Ayley. Over the last 12-plus years, Marianas Trench have amassed one of the most diehard fan bases in the country, and their shows have become arena-sized pop rock spectacles based around a unique blend theatricality, pop hooks, charisma, and top-level musicianship. The guys are gearing up for the release of their fifth album, Phantoms, and corresponding Canadian tour. We touch on a wide array of topics like the new album's concept, forming a personal connection with fans, touring now that they have families, bringing frontman Josh Ramsay's musical ideas to life, and more. As well, for those who didn't catch the CM Live sessions on Facebook, we're also sharing Mike's interviews with Alex Cuba and the Good Lovelies from the 2019 edition of Folk Alliance International in Montreal.

DMG Clearances works with some of the biggest artists, brands, and media on the planet, getting samples cleared and licenses in order for music used in a wide array of applications. Founder and President Deborah Mannis-Gardner, who will be presenting her own session on sample licensing at SXSW 2019, joins us for an introduction to this specialized arm of the industry. She discusses some of DMG's high-profile projects and clients, current and incoming trends facing the world of licensing and clearances, how the business has changed most significantly since DMG was founded in 1996, and some tough lessons that artists have learned by not taking sample clearance seriously enough.

This week, we welcome back CD Baby's Director of Marketing, Kevin Breuner, also an indie musician himself, to chat about music streaming’s rapid growth over the last 10 years and how it became the backbone of the recorded music business. We chat about streaming’s pros and cons for its various stakeholders, who benefits from the current model and who doesn't, and whether it’s ultimately been good for indie artists. Kevin also talks about the future impact of smart speakers on the industry and the potentially massive importance of Facebook and Instagram monetizing music.

Kate Cooper, a Montreal-based music producer for Shutterstock Music and PremiumBeat, joins us for a very useful conversation for any musicians looking to make some extra money. Kate explains the ins and outs of composing and recording for production music libraries. At a time when the demand for production music is soaring, making tracks that can be licensed for anything from movies to advertisements to YouTube videos can be an excellent source of income for any musician with the right skill set. Kate explains what that skill set is, the challenges composers face when transitioning from writing songs to production music, how the writing and submission process works, how to get a foot in the door of the industry, and, most importantly, how the money works.

It's becoming an annual feature on the pod for Mike and Nielsen Music Canada's VP, Paul Shaver, to nerd out on the trends and numbers found in Nielsen's annual year-end music report. We identify the music consumption trends that defined 2018 and get into some big questions about the present and future of popular music in Canada. Is rock's dominance officially over? Are we just seeing the tip of the K-Pop phenomenon? Why have movie soundtracks made a resurgence? How long can on-demand streaming continue to grow at this pace? And how much life does the CD have left? We get into this and a lot more...

Whenever issues of copyright arise in the Canadian entertainment industries, Michael Geist is sure to enter the conversation - and he’s not one to hide his disagreements with some of the music industry’s big players. The Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-Commerce Law at the University of Ottawa and a widely-respected expert on copyright law, Geist joins us for a wide-ranging conversation touching on a variety of issues affecting record labels, publishers, and music creators. We get into Bryan Adams’ arguments for the government’s Heritage Committee, including changing the reversion right to give creators their copyrights back in their lifetime, as well as whether it’s good or not that Canada has agreed to a copyright term extension. Geist then discusses how the new US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement affects the music industry and creators, why he doesn’t buy the notion of a “value gap” in the music business, and his criticism of the music industry's argument against YouTube.

The CCMA and SOCAN have joined forces for the first-ever CCMA Song Camp, which finds a group of 16 established Canadian artists and producers heading to the Dominican Republic in late January for a week of creative collaboration. It's an impressive list of talent, including the likes of Lindsay Ell, Deric Ruttan, Meghan Patrick, Tebey, and others. We had the chance to connect with CCMA President Tracy Martin and the one-and-only Lindsay Ell to talk about the initiative. Tracy discusses how the event came to be, how they chose the initial group of participants, how they'll measure the success of the outing, and a lot more. Then, Lindsay weighs in on her past experiences with co-writing and what she's hoping to gain from this unique experience. She also fills us in on some of the other things happening in her world in the coming months. Plus, at the top of the show, Andrew and Mike go through some of Nielsen's end-of-year sales and streaming data from 2018.

We're kicking off 2019 with a very special episode that features two high-profile creators: musician Jason Collett and writer/filmmaker Brian D. Johnson. The two recently collaborated as the co-producers of The Al Purdy Songbook, a special collection of songs and spoken word from some of Canada's best-known artists and writers inspired by the iconic Canadian poet. Brian and Jason discuss the process of bringing together such a diverse list of artists for the effort, including Bruce Cockburn, Sarah Harmer, Greg Keelor, the late Gord Downie and Leonard Cohen, and others, and how they organized those individual contributions to create a unique listening experience. They also talk about the synergies between music, film making, and writing, and how those various media impacted one another for this particular project.

Last week, Andrew shared his favourite interview of 2018, which was his conversation with Canadian music industry icon Sam Feldman. This week, it's Mike's turn, and he chose to revisit his discussion with rock and roll historian Rob Bowman from the Nov. 21, 2018 episode. Rob Bowman is the envy of every music journalist in the world. He got his start interviewing the likes of Frank Zappa and Pink Floyd when he was still a high school student in Toronto and, since then, his Grammy-winning career as one of the most respected music journalists and historians in the business has seen him interview just about everyone under the sun, in addition to being a music scholar at York University. In this interview, Rob recalls how he got his start interviewing rock stars when he was just 15, how he’s able to get folks like Mick Jagger and Lou Reed to sit down for the longest interviews of their careers, challenging Robbie Robertson on The Band’s history, criticisms of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (for which Rob writes the program and conducts the archival interviews with every inductee), the biggest “pinch-me” moments of his career, and much more.

Andrew and Mike look back on 2018 and share some of their favourite music, industry highlights, and more. Then, we revisit one of our favourite interviews of the year: Andrew's chat with Canadian music industry icon Sam Feldman. Sam is one of the best-known and most respected figures in the Canadian music industry, thanks in large part to his work with the companies - The Feldman Agency and Macklam Feldman Management - bearing his name. Over the years, he's played an active role in the careers of artists like Sarah McLachlan, James Taylor, Elvis Costello, Diana Krall, and many more. In this wide-ranging interview, he weighs in with his thoughts on the health of the live music business, how artist development has changed over the years, what it takes to make a mark in the industry in this day and age, and a lot more. Courteous and candid, he stresses that the music industry has long been susceptible to change and remains optimistic about the business and its potential for the time being.

We've got a pair of artist interviews for you this week, and once again, they come from opposite ends of the sonic spectrum. Having devoted the past few years to her acting career, appearing in shows like Travelers and Hell on Wheels, Mackenzie Porter has returned to music with her first new songs since her JUNO and CCMA-nominated 2014 debut. Speaking with Mike, Mackenzie talks about juggling her acting and music careers, writing in Nashville, why her 2018 release strategies are different than those from 2014, how streaming has impacted the film and music industries differently, and a lot more. Then, Andrew catches up with Dan Boeckner, frontman for heralded acts like Operators and Wolf Parade. Operators are about to perform a pair of sold-out shows in New York and Toronto comprised of tunes from one of Dan's other critically adored projects, Handsome Furs. He talks about the process of choosing an ultimate Furs set list, how it feels to revisit and dissect some of those songs, and how he compartmentalizes his creative process considering the various projects and collaborations he's involved with.

Andrew connects with Arkells frontman Max Kerman to chat about the band's latest album, Rally Cry. In addition to delving into some of the album's overtly political lyrical themes and why Arkells felt compelled to tackle them, they discuss the album's unique sonic character and how it evolved out of what they captured with 2016's Morning Report. Plus, hear Max's thoughts on the band's rise to headlining hockey arenas, their ongoing push into the U.S. market, continually trying to outdo themselves with each subsequent studio album, and more. Then, Mike catches up with Adrian Sutherland of the Indigenous roots-rock band Midnight Shine to discuss the band’s unusual formation, the financial and logistical challenges of a band where all the members live in different remote fly-in-only communities, and drawing inspiration from the land and culture of Northern Ontario. As well, Adrian explains why he made the “crazy decision” to leave a lucrative career as a CEO to pursue music full-time and talks about signing with high-profile agent Ralph James and working with musicians/producers John-Angus MacDonald (The Trews) and Tim Vesely (Rheostatics) on the latest Midnight Shine album, High Road.

LANDR, the innovative and oft-discussed instant mastering service, was recently ranked fourth on Deloitte's Fast 50 list of Canadian tech companies thanks to an average three-year growth rate of 9,875.3% (Yes, you read that right). LANDR CEO Pascal Pilon speaks with Andrew about that impressive tangent while also touching on the technology behind its flagship mastering service, successfully managing a team split between right- and left-brain professionals, how their service offerings and business model have evolved based on user and external feedback, and more. He also discusses how the company addresses criticism regarding the definition, process, and importance of mastering, and how their services are intended to fit into the ecosystem of music creation.

Rob Bowman is the envy of every music journalist in the world. He got his start interviewing the likes of Frank Zappa and Pink Floyd when he was still a high school student in Toronto and, since then, his Grammy-winning career as one of the most respected music journalists and historians in the business has seen him interview just about everyone under the sun, in addition to being a music scholar at York University. In this interview, Rob recalls how he got his start interviewing rock stars when he was just 15, how he’s able to get folks like Mick Jagger and Lou Reed to sit down for the longest interviews of their careers, challenging Robbie Robertson on The Band’s history, criticisms of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (for which Rob writes the program and conducts the archival interviews with every inductee), the biggest “pinch-me” moments of his career, and much more.

This week, a pair of artist interviews from opposite ends of the sonic spectrum. JUNO Award-winning, PEI-based trio The East Pointers have been making big waves in the roots music community with their infectious fusion of folk, trad, and pop sensibilities and thrilling live shows. Their latest album, What We Leave Behind, takes it further with the help of East Coast legend Gordie Sampson in the producer’s chair. The full band joins Mike to discuss their musical backgrounds, developing their sound, working with Sampson, dealing with critical folk and trad purists, roots music’s industry infrastructure, and more. Plus, we catch innovative electronic songwriter and producer Ryan Hemsworth to chat about Elsewhere, which Pitchfork says is ripe with "catchy, globe-trotting pop." Ryan tells Andrew about compiling a diverse guestlist of collaborators from around the world, finding common ground with other creators, how his Halifax roots may have seeped into his output, and more.

This week, we take an in-depth look at the past, present, and future of music streaming and its role in the music industry with Catherine Moore, musicologist and adjunct professor of music technology and digital media at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Music. We look at the very different ways the record labels reacted to two digital disruptions: peer-to-peer downloading and streaming. We also chat about how streaming has changed the economics of music, how it's changing music listening habits, the streaming services’ licensing deals with labels, whether Spotify and others can ever become sustainably profitable, and much more. We end by looking at some significant business moves the big streaming services have made recently and what this indicates about their plans for the future. Before that, we also check in with Andrew Williams, an Alberta-based DJ and promoter and also one of the founders of the Alberta Electronic Music Conference (AEMCON), which is holding its third edition from Nov. 15-18 at the National Music Centre in Calgary. We get a preview of the event and ask Andrew about issues currently affecting electronic musicians in Canada.

SOCAN recently made the major announcement that it had launched a new music services arm called Dataclef. The move follows a number of large moves by the music rights organization (MRO) in recent years, including the acquisitions of Audiam, MediaNet, Royalty Guru, and SODRAC, as well as its expansion into Los Angeles, Seattle and New York. This week, we invited Dataclef’s COO, Janice Scott, to explain exactly what this new company is, who it will serve, which services it will provide, and its role within the SOCAN Group’s ecosystem and how it is separated from SOCAN itself. We also ask Janice about the challenges faced by modern MROs in the era of mass data and an increasingly international and interconnected music rights industry.

We're bringing you back to Kelowna, BC, where the 2018 edition of BreakOut West took place from Oct. 10-14, 2018. We revisit some of our #CMLive interviews, including: Allan Reid and Alexandra Golden of The Juno Awards filling us in on what's in store for 2019; Dylan Villain of The Wild on the state of rock 'n roll in Canada and what it means for a band like his; Nuela Charles on the benefits of co-writing for different projects; Pimpton on making a mark in the music industry from outside of its major centres; and Like a Motorcycle on how the current political and social landscapes are seeping into their music.

On his latest offering, revered East Coast rocker Matt Mays has revisited and reimagined his 2017 LP, Once Upon a Hell of a Time. Aptly called Twice Upon a Hell of a Time, the release finds Mays and a group of close and trusted collaborators offering intimate, stripped-down takes of the more robust album tracks. He and Andrew dissect the process and talk about why he decided to tap one of Canada's top hard-rock producers for the project, bringing new musicians into the fold, how this exercise might inform his original songwriting going forward, and a lot more. As well, since the interview with Matt was a bit shorter than our usual feature interview, we're adding some bonus content. We have two short advice segments done at IMSTA FESTA Toronto with mastering engineer Noah Mintz and 604 Records Project & Licensing Manager, Kara Purto.

Robert Cribb Marco Chown Oved This is a conversation we’re really looking forward to sharing. Toronto Star investigative reporters Robert Cribb and Marco Chown Oved both join the podcast to discuss their joint investigation with the CBC into Ticketmaster’s deceptive sales practices, as well as its close business relationship with scalpers and how that has evolved. Robert and Marco, together with their partners at the CBC, have been investigating the ticket scalping industry for a couple of years, but a pair of stories they published about three weeks ago have really caused a lot of outrage among music and sports fans, and have also led to a class-action lawsuit and increased scrutiny from governments in Canada, the U.S., and Europe. In this extensive conversation, Marco and Robert take us behind the scenes of this investigation that has rocked the live entertainment industry.

It's a pair of artist interviews for this week's show. First, Royal Wood joins us to talk about the making of his latest album, Ever After the Farewell, and the life-changing events that inspired it. The album is the product of the emotional roller coaster Royal experienced between father’s death and falling instantly in love with his now-wife just a few weeks apart. As well, Royal explains the unique writing and recording process for this record, often recording songs the same day he wrote them, and the difference between co-writing for someone else versus himself. Then, Michael Kaeshammer, the critically-acclaimed Canadian jazz and boogie-woogie pianist and vocalist, chats about his latest - and 12th - release, Something New. He explains the different mindset he took for this self-produced effort, and choosing and working with its various guest musicians, including Randy Bachman, Colin James, Cyril Neville, George Porter Jr., and more. Michael also talks touring China, blending genres, making experimental music at home, and even cooking.

Mike sits down for an in-depth chat with Louis O'Reilly, the VP of country music powerhouse Invictus Entertainment and the manager for Brett Kissel and other country stars. They discuss the ins and outs of artist management and building an artist's career in the modern music industry, what informs Louis' decision to sign an artist, the transition into the streaming era, and what he sees as the four key ingredients for a successful career. As well, we have a bonus conversation with fast-rising country/roots/pop artist Don Amero, who discusses the creation of his latest album, Evolution, and the pressure of following-up the Juno-nominated album Refined that brought his career to another level. Don and Mike also discuss why Indigenous artists are, in recent years, receiving a higher level of critical acclaim and commercial success even though the deep well of artistic talent always existed in the community.

Sam Feldman is one of the best-known and most respected figures in the Canadian music industry, thanks in large part to his work with the companies - The Feldman Agency and Macklam Feldman Management - bearing his name. Over the years, he's played an active role in the careers of artists like Sarah McLachlan, James Taylor, Elvis Costello, Diana Krall, and many more. In this wide-ranging interview, he weighs in with his thoughts on the health of the live music business, how artist development has changed over the years, what it takes to make a mark in the industry in this day and age, and a lot more. Courteous and candid, he stresses that the music industry has long been susceptible to change and remains optimistic about the business and its potential for the time being. Plus, Andrew and Mike discuss the 2018 Polaris Prize winner and the joint investigation by the CBC and Toronto Star into TicketMaster's less-than-forthright business practices.

When Mark Howard was a teenager growing up in Hamilton, ON, his high school councilor predicted he’d be “nothing but a criminal.” Instead, Mark has enjoyed a legendary recording career, engineering and producing classic albums by Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Tom Waits, REM, U2, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Tragically Hip, Lucinda Williams, and many more. But in recent years, Mark has been battling for his life. In 2017, he was diagnosed Stage 4 melanoma and the time since has been more than challenging; however, thanks to some groundbreaking immune therapy research by a doctor at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto, things are looking optimistic for Mark. To give back, he has organized a star-studded charity concert for Oct. 6 at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto, which will feature Randy Bachman, Sarah McLachlan, Sam Roberts, and more. Learn more and get tickets at: www.roythomsonhall.com/tickets/mark-howard-grand-concert/. In this in-depth interview, Mark takes us through his entire career, and he isn't shy about sharing some very entertaining behind-the-scenes stories, like the time Daniel Lanois smashed a dobro in the studio out of frustration with Dylan, or when Mark got Neil Young back on marijuana.

In late August, BreakOut West made the formal announcement that it had reached its pledged goal of gender parity in both its artist showcase and industry conference programming - four years ahead of schedule. The event's 2018 edition, happening Oct. 10-14 in Kelowna, BC, will feature 50 per cent female/female fronted acts and 57% female industry professionals speaking during the conference. WCMA Executive Director Robyn Stewart joins Andrew this week to talk about that goal, any challenges it presented, and whether there's been pushback from any corner of the industry. They then talk about other initiatives happening during BreakOut West, like the many international export opportunities being presented and how events like BreakOut West continue to expand that aspect of their programming. Plus, hear Robyn's thoughts on the music industry's hot-button topics for 2018 and beyond.

Mike has a fascinating and wide-ranging conversation with Tamir Koch, the CEO of eMusic. eMusic launched in 1998 as the first legal, digital music store. As the industry pioneer and champion of independent labels and artists, eMusic serves 47 million music fans and has sold nearly one billion downloads. It relaunched in 2017, evolving from a discount digital music store into a full-featured digital music service. Now, eMusic is launching a blockchain-based platform that it says will include everything artists need to publish and distribute music and manage rights and royalties. Tamir and Mike go deep on why and how blockchain technology could solve a lot of the rights, data, and royalty problems facing the music industry and, conversely, the limits of this technology. Tamir also explains why he thinks the streaming market is unsustainable and that pure music companies, such as Spotify and Pandora, will not be able to keep up with the likes of Google, Apple, and Amazon unless something changes.

On this week’s podcast, we give a preview of Thursday’s webinar with long-time touring instrument tech Jeramy “HooGie” Donais. HooGie has spent the last 20 years on the road as a guitar/bass tech for Gob, Shinedown, Sam Roberts Band, Finger Eleven, Theory of a Deadman, Staind, Lamb of God, and many more. This Thursday, Aug. 23, he will join Andrew for a free webinar entitled “Keep Your Guitar or Bass in Top Shape.” To register, go to www.nwcwebinars.com. In this conversation with Mike, HooGie takes us through his career, starting as a wide-eyed 19-year-old on the road with Gob and how that snowballed into gigs with a wide array of other artists. He talks about maintaining his sanity and family life while travelling, some of the strangest things he’s seen musicians request, the importance of being a “good hang”, and what the typical day of a guitar tech looks like on tour.

Two weeks ago, performing rights organization SOCAN made the major announcement that it was merging with reproduction rights organization SODRAC. Now, for the first time in Canada, a single organization – SOCAN – will be able to license, track, and distribute all royalties for both music performing rights and mechanical rights. To explore the details of the deal and what it’ll mean for the organizations’ members, as well as the greater music rights industry in Canada, we caught up with SOCAN CEO Eric Baptiste. Eric discusses the nature of the merger, how it came together, and why previous efforts to bring performance and reproduction rights organizations in Canada closer together had failed. He also explains how the deal reflects the fast-changing nature of tracking performances and reproductions of songs in the streaming era, and then follows us down a rabbit hole of far-reaching questions about the global music industry.

This week, Mike chats with Amper Music CEO and Co-Founder Drew Silverstein. Amper Music is at the leading edge of the artificial intelligence revolution in music. Amper's AI is designed to instantly produce royalty-free production music that matches the length, genre, and mood that the user dictates, while also allowing the user to collaborate with Amper as if they're sitting in the studio with a composer. Frankly, the results are pretty impressive, and Amper is just one of many applications that are using AI to either assist creators or, depending on your perspective, replace them. "Our goal is to empower anyone around the world to express themselves creatively through music regardless of their background, expertise, or access to resources. As we become successful at that goal, it means that Amper should be involved in the creation and collaboration of every piece of music around the world," Silverstein says in this conversation, while insisting that AI-made music will eventually be indistinguishable from human-made music. What does this mean for musicians and the music industry? This conversation is a preview of an upcoming article in Canadian Musician magazine in which we address these questions. Before the interview, Mike talks about a new report from Citigroup that has the industry talking and validates musicians' concerns about getting their fair share of the money.

Canadian MC Shad joins us to talk about Hip-Hop Evolution, the highly-anticipated documentary series now on Netflix that he narrates and hosts. The four-part series explores the history of hip-hop from the late '70s to early '90s, taking viewers on the journey from DJ Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash, and Afrika Bambaataa, through Run DMC and Public Enemy, and ending with the rise of gangsta rap with NWA, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and 2Pac. Shad tells us about the making of the doc, recalls his conversations with hip-hop legends, and reveals he most surprising things he learned. Then, we speak with MC, author, and motivational speaker Duane "D.O." Gibson about his time in the Canadian and international music industry, developing an artistic identity, and coming into his own as a black Canadian artist with a unique background. He also tells us about his experiences speaking with students in schools across the country about history, culture, race, and more.

Are they a Newfoundland band or a band from Newfoundland? Heralded folk trio The Once find themselves wrestling with this and many other questions about their artistic and sonic identity, though that's not stopping them from making the music they want to make and subsequently watching their audience grow. Geraldine Hollett and Phil Churchill chat with Andrew about the unique, theatre-based genesis of their band, how they've made a name for themselves, their approach to live performance, and the making of their latest full-length album, Time Enough, which finds the group venturing into new musical territory with no regard for stylistic labels or confines.

On June 10th, Rachel Beck posted a message to her Facebook artist page announcing that she wouldn't be returning to her job as a schoolteacher in the fall, and would instead be dedicating her efforts to further developing her music career. The timing seemed fitting. Just three months prior, after closing the first chapter of said career as one half of heralded folk duo The Beck Sisters, she released her self-titled debut album to much acclaim, earning rave reviews and watching the single "Reckless Heart" climb to the top of the CBC Top 20. Here, the PEI-based artist tells Andrew about moving on from The Beck Sisters, finding her own sound for her first solo release, and what ultimately informed her decision to chase her muse and make music her full-time job.

Everyone’s favourite publicist, radio host, blogger, and social media personality Eric Alper (aka @ThatEricAlper) takes us through his remarkable music career, from starting his own label in the mid-‘90s to moving into PR and working with Smithsonian Folkways, Koch Entertainment, and eOne Music to then becoming his own boss. Through it all, he’s worked with countless artists, from the emerging to the legendary, including the likes of Ringo Starr, Ray Charles, Jerry Garcia, Nickelback, Sinead O’Connor, The Smashing Pumpkins, Steve Vai, Big Sugar, and many more. On top of his publicity work, Eric blogs at ThatEricAlper.com and is all over social media, with Billboard, Paste, and The National Post naming his as a major influencer. He also hosts That Eric Alper’s Show on SiriusXM. He tells Mike about his upbringing and why he has such a passion for music, how he got his start in the industry, some of his favourite artists to work with, and, of course, some talk about the evolution of social media.

If you create original music, SOCAN wants to put money in your pocket. It’s that simple. This week, SOCAN's Melissa Cameron-Passley and Aidan D'Aoust join us to simplify the world of performance and neighbouring rights and explain how SOCAN members can make sure they’re getting every cent they’re entitled to. We touch on how to become a SOCAN member, how the organization collects and distributes royalties, general info about royalty rates from various media, and more. Even if you're already a member, you'll learn about the inner workings of SOCAN and get tips on maximizing the money you're bringing in. This interview was taken from one of our free music business webinars presented by Canadian Musician and NWC Webinars. To access all of our previous sessions or to register for upcoming ones, visit www.nwcwebinars.com.

Despite taking place in a small community in Canada's smallest province, PEI's Cavendish Beach Music Festival has been attracting mega-headliners to its massive stage for 10 years running. This year's edition has expanded to four nights and beyond its typical focus on country music, with pop superstar Shawn Mendes headlining the final day of an event that will also welcome Luke Bryan, Brett Eldredge, Chris Young, and Dallas Smith. Jeff Squires, who heads up CBMF producer Whitecap Entertainment, joins us to discuss the various facets of organizing a festival of this scale, from choosing artists to liaising with the local community to, well, a pile of different things. He also tells us how CBMF has grown consistently during a decade that has seen plenty of ups and downs for major music festivals across the continent. Plus, we open the show with some great news from our friends at SOCAN that will be of particular interest to Canadian songwriters, composers, and publishers.

Toronto musician and Dandelion Initiative Founder Viktoria Belle joins us to discuss the tough topic of sexual misconduct at music venues and festivals. Viktoria is a survivor of sexual violence and founded the Dandelion Initiative (formerly the Sexual Assault Action Coalition) to help other survivors and address the problem with real solutions. The Dandelion Initiative provides training for venues’ staff to help them identify, prevent, and deal with sexual assault and harassment. Viktoria and Mike discuss the shocking prevalence of sexual misconduct in the live music world and the backlash she and her band first received when she began to publically address those responsible. Also, what role do artists play, both as potential victims of sexual misconduct and as influential players in these spaces? And how come of the dozens of bars and venues that signed up for the training, only a few have followed through with it? What does that say about how seriously venues are taking this issue?

Environmentalist, musician, and filmmaker Les Stroud has long used his groundbreaking TV show Survivorman as the principal vehicle to convey his message of celebrating and protecting nature. Now, he's combining his love for the environment with his other passion: music. On his fifth album, Bittern Lake, the Canadian singer-songwriter issues an urgent call for environmental preservation with a collection of original songs and covers by Joni Mitchell and J.J. Cale, produced by Mike Clink (Guns 'N' Roses, Metallica). Here, Les talks about his music career pre-Survivorman, which goes back to the '80s and earned him a publishing contract with RCA/BMG; however, disillusionment with the music industry led to him pursuing his passion for nature and survival. He also talks about the frustrating politics of environmentalism and why he feels the need to do things the hard way, be it on TV, in music, or in life - and why that doesn't always earn him friends.

Mike sits down with a figure of Canada’s musical and cultural history. Rupert Harvey is a guitarist and founding member of recently-reunited funk/soul/R&B band Crack of Dawn, who signed with Columbia Records in 1975, making them the first black band to be signed by a major record company in Canada. The group sold more albums and concert tickets in Canada throughout the ‘70s than Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees Earth, Wind & Fire. Rupert recalls the burgeoning R&B and soul scene in Toronto in the early-‘70s, how a group of teenage immigrant kids found each other to form such a unique band, and the shock of finding thousands of fans in Western Canada waiting for them outside of a venue. He also tells Mike about the thrill of signing with a major label, the divisions in the band that the label deliberately fostered, leading to their premature breakup, and why they’re now back together. And what would’ve happened if they stuck it out, considering they were on the verge of signing with Bob Marley’s management company at the time?

To say that Rick Barker has had an incredible life would be an understatement. Rick muscled his way into the music industry and ended up managing an unknown country singer-songwriter named Taylor Swift. With no experience, he navigated Swift’s meteoric rise from 2005 to 2008 before moving on to other label and consulting roles. These days, he is the social media mentor for contestants on American Idol and The Launch and manages Idol winner Trent Harmon. He is also the co-author of The $150,000 Music Degree and creator of The Music Industry Blueprint and Social Media for Music programs. Rick tells Mike about his journey from strung-out teenager to managing music's biggest star and shares valuable insights about artist management, building fan bases and revenue on social media, underappreciated career options for musicians, and why this is the greatest time ever to be in the music industry. And he certainly isn't short on opinions along the way.

This week, conversations with Lava Records CEO and A&R legend Jason Flom and Six Shooter Records Founder and President Shauna de Cartier - two professionals who come from different places but have carved out extremely successful careers in the label game. Six Shooter is one of Canada’s premier indie labels, with such acts as Whitehorse, The Strumbellas, Tanya Tagaq, Amelia Curran, and more. Shauna de Cartier discusses what it took to start a label, how she discovered and signed her first bands, the advantages the major labels have over indies, the economics of streaming, and more. Next, we explore the world of major labels with Jason Flom, the founder and head of Lava Records. He's signed countless major artists, including Matchbox Twenty, Stone Temple Pilots, Jewel, Simple Plan, Katy Perry, Lorde, and many more. Jason addresses the common criticisms of major labels, having an ear for A&R, how the business has changed over the course of his career, and why he’s still excited about new music.

Canadian Musician had a major presence at Canadian Music Week 2018 in Toronto, covering panels and keynotes, taking in showcases, and making connections across the conference. Of course, we also had a chance to catch up with some of the biggest and best artists performing throughout the event, including: Marianas Trench, Bif Naked, Shawn Hook, Ria Mae, FrancisGotHeat, Kandle, Jesper Kyd, and Sophia Radisch. Here, we share some short clips from the full interviews, discussing a myriad of diverse subjects like songwriting, live performance, beat production, landing endorsement deals, and more. You can find these full interviews and many others on Facebook at Facebook.com/cdnmusician or our YouTube channel at YouTube.com/norriswhitney. Artist interview times: Shawn Hook - 2:40 Kandle - 6:40 FrancisGotHeat - 11:42 Ria Mae - 18:15 Sophia Radisch - 26:40 Jesper Kyd - 32:00 Bif Naked - 43:15 Marianas Trench - 52:30

What if you could own more than just a CD or digital download from your favourite artist? What if you, as a fan, could invest in a percentage of that artist's intellectual property, and share the revenue generated by the performance and playback of their work? That's the idea behind Vezt.co, a platform that lets fans share ownership in songs by their favourite established and emerging artists. Steve Stewart is a music industry veteran. As the longtime personal manager for Stone Temple Pilots and a consultant that helped inked deals for a host of other artists, he's got a unique perspective on the business and used his experiences to co-found and develop Vezt. Here, he shares his thoughts on the music publishing model as it exists now, how Vezt could change that model for artists and fans, and more.

Suba Sankaran is pretty busy these days. In addition to a successful career as a performer with acts including Autorickshaw, Retrocity, and FreePlay Duo, she's also the co-artistic director of Sing! The Toronto Vocal Arts Festival. On this week's show, Suba joins Andrew to talk about the rising popularity of vocal music thanks to the success of media like Glee! and Pitch Perfect and artists like Pentatonix and Eh440. We also get into the unique nature of this increasingly popular but still remarkably tight-knit and collaborative musical community. Plus, hear how the 2018 edition of Sing! is coming together, and some of the innovative new artists and ideas to take in.

We had a wide-ranging conversation with Kevin Breuner, the VP of marketing for CD Baby and an independent musician himself. Since its inception 20 years ago, CD Baby has grown to become one of the largest distributors of independent music in the world and encompasses everything from CD and digital distribution to publishing, marketing, YouTube monetization, sync licensing, and direct-to-fan sales. Kevin and Mike look at the current state of the independent music industry, talking about how streaming can be helpful for unsigned artists and whether the common criticisms of Spotify are fair, how Netflix is changing publishing, why downloads are dying faster than CDs, Facebook's music plans, and much more.

Ahead of the first-ever Canadian Music Week Hackathon (May 8-9, 2018), Mike sat down for an in-depth conversation with music hackathon producer, tech expert, music industry consultant, entrepreneur, and investor Travis Laurendine. Travis explains how hackathons work and shares some of the best ideas and inventions he's seen come out of them. Mike and Travis then get into a forward-looking (and mind-bending) conversation about how bleeding-edge technologies - from blockchain and artificial intelligence to virtual and augmented reality - could radically change how music is made and the industry that supports it.

This week, we're exploring the collision of music and artificial intelligence from both the artistic and technical perspectives. First up, Mike speaks with Pablo Castro, senior software developer at Google Brain, a deep learning artificial intelligence research team at Google. Pablo and Google Brain collaborated with Montreal-based creative studio Art + Icons and its founder, Canadian singer/songwriter and Moist frontman David Usher, on a project called Lyric AI Assistant, an AI platform that creates personalized lyric fragments meant to inspire new ideas for songwriters. Pablo delves into how the project came together, how Lyric AI works, and how AI may further impact music creation and the industry. Then, Mike chatted with David Usher to get his perspective on the project and the intersection of art and technology in general. He and Mike discuss his work with Google Brain, but also get into a deeper conversation about the pros and cons - and even existential threats - of artificial intelligence and how it could have a massive impact on the music industry and the world at large.

Kuné is billed as Canada’s Global Orchestra - a collection of 13 extremely talented musicians from various parts of the world who are now based in Canada and have united to weave a unique sonic tapestry. On this week's show, we're speaking with Mervon Mehta, Executive Director of Performing Arts with the Royal Conservatory and the pioneer of the Kuné project. Mervon tells us about how this special collection of artists first came together, the process of finding common ground in song selection and arrangement, and where things are headed following the upcoming release of the group's self-titled debut collection via Universal Music Canada.

Mike reconnects with Sunrise Records Owner Doug Putnam to find out how his big bet on physical music has paid off. Mike and Doug first spoke about a year ago when Sunrise announced it was taking over more than 80 retail spaces across Canada that were left vacant by HMV's sudden closing. In under one year, Sunrise Records rapidly grew from a nine-store Ontario-based music retailer to nearly 100 stores across Canada. Doug explains why declining CD sales for new music is not a good indicator of the format’s overall health and how he was able to convince records labels, which lost a lot of money when HMV closed, to support his expansion. Doug and Mike also discuss the significance of big box stores like Best Buy dropping CDs from their shelves, how streaming influences in-store shopping behaviour, record release strategies, and more. Plus, Andrew and Mike share some thoughts on the 2018 JUNO Awards broadcast and performances, and see how they fared with their predictions from last week.

This week's show is all about The 2018 JUNO Awards. JUNOs/CARAS CEO Allan Reid joins us to talk about the first year of their partnership with the CBC, how they decide which artists will perform during the televised awards show, injecting diversity into JUNOs programming and the CARAS board, and of course, the Barenaked Ladies reunion for their induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. Plus, Andrew and Mike share some thoughts and predictions on some of the key categories, including Single, Album, Artist, and Group of the year.

Mike recently met up with acclaimed singer-songwriter Jeremy Fisher, who is back with a very different record. A new father, Jeremy’s latest album is Highway to Spell, which as you may have guessed from the title, is a children’s record. His last release, The Lemon Squeeze, featured the biggest hit single of his career, the collaboration “Uh Oh” with Serena Ryder. Here, he talks about following that commercial success with something totally different and how his management reacted. Jeremy also talks about how promoting a children’s record feels like a whole new world within the music industry, why he tried and failed to write children’s music before his daughter was born, his nervousness about performing for kids, and how becoming a father has changed his creative mindset.

[Photo: Our Lady Peace by Ashley Osborn] Our Lady Peace is easily one of Canada’s most iconic alt-rock bands, having released countless hit singles since their debut album in 1994, including instantly recognizable songs like “Starseed,” “Automatic Flowers,” “One Man Army,” “Somewhere Out There,” and many, many more. But they are not ones to rest on their laurels. The band is back with their first album in six years, Somethingness, which includes the popular single "Nice to Meet You." In this conversation, bassist and long-time member Duncan Coutts chats with Canadian Musician’s Michael Raine about writing and recording the latest album and how it felt different with new drummer Jason Pierce. Duncan also talks about frontman Raine Maida’s distinctive voice, which he calls “a blessing and a curse,” pushing new sonic boundaries, balancing old hits with new material, ‘90s nostalgia, and how they have kept it all going for 20+ years in an industry that has seen much upheaval. As well, Duncan explains why, even though many still think they're a major label act, these days, they're "as indie as any Toronto start-up band."

Glass Tiger are celebrating over three decades together with the release of 31, their first new studio album since 1991. Produced by Johnny Reid, the new collection includes stripped-down takes on 11 favourites from the band's back catalogue in addition to a pair of new songs. There are also guest appearances from an interesting bunch of collaborators including Julian Lennon, Alan Doyle, Susan Aglukark, Veronic DiCaire, David Maracle, and Johnny Reid himself. Founding member Sam Reid joins us to talk about how the new collection took shape, how the band has stayed together through some significant industry ebb-and-flow, and more. Plus, at the top of the show, Mike and Andrew talk about some industry reaction to the Liberal Government's 2018 budget and reveal the top 10 best-selling international artists from 2017 with a guessing game.

Juno-nominated producer, engineer, and songwriter Gus van Go has fingerprints on work by the likes of Sam Roberts Band, Arkells, Wintersleep, Priestess, and dozens more. This year, he notched another Juno nod for his work on tracks by Whitehorse and Terra Lightfoot, and Mike got him on the phone shortly after the announcement. In this candid interview, Gus talks about his unique approach to studio work, shares some cool stories from the past few years, and delves into the experiences of making the records that earned him his latest Juno nomination and will surely keep him in high demand among the best-known recording artists from Canada and beyond.

MeToo and #TimesUp are having a significant and, in many cases, encouraging impact on a number of professional circles, and the Canadian and global music industries are no different. This week, Mike once again catches up with Women in Music Canada Founder and Chairperson Samantha Slattery, who first appeared on the podcast last January. Since then, of course, there’s been a major and ongoing cultural conversation about the treatment of women in the workplace across all industries. Mike and Sam discuss how this is impacting the music industry and its history of sexism and sexual harassment. The conversation took place the day after multiple accusations surfaced involving popular B.C.-based pop-rock group Hedley and Samantha discusses the appropriate response by people, companies, and organizations in such situations. Mike and Sam also touch on The Recording Academy President Neil Portnow's controversial statement at the Grammys, the underrepresentation of women in the technical fields, and what systemic changes can be made to make the industry more equitable at the executive level and the benefits of doing so. At the top of the show, we also share a few timely opportunities for Canadian artists.

Darcy Ataman has been on dozens of missions to Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo with Make Music Matter, the organization he founded to help heal victims of sexual violence and other hardships in conflict zones through writing, recording, and producing music. Darcy joins us this week to talk about some of those experiences, as well as a recent partnership with Warner Music Canada that will help share this important and powerful music with a wider audience. We also talk about other parts of the world where Make Music Matter is looking to get established and share some ways for people to get involved. Plus, Andrew and Mike discuss the nominees for the 2018 JUNO Awards.

Every time you take the stage, you have an opportunity to make an impactful statement - a statement that could earn you hoards of new fans, drive sales of your music and merch, and open the door to dozens of future opportunities. An audience wants to see someone cooler than them doing something cooler than they're capable of doing. That requires a performer to be fearless in showing the audience who they really are. This week, in a show adapted from one of Canadian Musician's recent webinars, performance and stage psychology coach Luther Mallory joins us to help you break down any and all mental barriers and confidently deliver the performance of a lifetime every time you take the stage.

A music publishing company has launched a $1.6-billion lawsuit against Spotify, accusing the streaming giant of not getting the proper license needed to properly pay songwriters and publishers for millions of songs, including those by Tom Petty, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, and many more. The forensic analysis of the streaming and payment data used in this lawsuit was done by Jeff Price and his team at Audiam, the SOCAN-owned mechanical royalty collection agency. Jeff explains why Spotify was caught in this situation, how endemic this problem is, and why Canadian law has prevented similar lawsuits in this country even though the problem exists here as well. He provides the background on how Audiam was able to expose the problem with Spotify's payments (or lack thereof) and how that problem could be fixed – to the benefit of creators and recording artists in Canada and around the world.

Quebec-based media company Stingray kicked off 2018 with the announcement that it had acquired Qello Concerts, described by Forbes as "the Netflix of concert films and documentaries." The deal adds 2,000 concert films and music documentaries to Stingray's library, along with over 70,000 subscribers from more than 160 countries. Andrew speaks with Mathieu Péloquin, Senior VP of Marketing & Communications with Stingray, about the acquisition, as well as the company's approach to music curation, discovery, and compensation for creators. Hear about how Stingray supports Canadian music, including many independent and on-the-rise artists, with an opportunity to reach many of its more than 400 million users around the world.

Nettwerk Music Group's Terry McBride is a two-time Pollstar Industry Award winner for Personal Manager of the Year and a member of the Canadian Music & Broadcast Industry Hall of Fame. He a few friends started Nettwerk in his apartment in 1984 and built it into one of Canada's most successful artist management, publishing, and label companies. McBride takes us through his history in the Canadian music industry, from signing Skinny Puppy and Grapes of Wrath in the 1980s to discovering a teenaged Sarah McLachlan, weathering the storm of the post-Napster era, and more recently, finding global success with artists like Coldplay, fun., Passenger, and Father John Misty. He also sheds some light on how he made Mike Posner's "I Took a Pill in Ibiza" into an international hit song using analytics and other industry insights.

This week, in our first episode of 2018, we look back at the past year with Paul Shaver, the head of Nielsen Music Canada. Nielsen's 2017 end-of-year numbers reveal some interesting trends in music consumption in Canada, so Mike and Paul dig deeper into some of the facts and figures that defined the year. Paul also discusses the future of CDs, how streaming has changed the way we react to musicians’ deaths, and reveals that the music industry has reached a significant milestone in its battle to close the value gap. Before the in-depth conversation with Paul, Andrew and Mike discuss their favourite music and Canadian Musician stories of 2017.

We’re excited to focus on some fast-rising talent in our What’s Hot for 2018 show. In this episode, we’ll revisit some standout interviews from the past 12 months with artists that we think are on the cusp of breaking out big-time in the New Year. Join us for snippets from our chats with art-pop queen Allie X, Fast Romantics, kickin’ country outfit Nice Horse, Faith Healer, Cadence Weapon, the awesome Iskwe, and upbeat alt-pop outfit The Beaches.

Hard to believe it’s already time for our Best of 2017 show on Canadian Musician Radio. In this episode, we revisit some of the highlight artist interviews from throughout 2017, featuring a diverse mix of names including Paul Shaffer, Hedley, Kid Koala, Ria Mae, George Canyon, D.O.A., Madison Violet, and Gord Bamford. Hear stories like how Shaffer was inspired to get back into the studio after his stint with David Letterman came to a close, the inspiration behind Kid Koala’s series of shows that had everyone in the audience mixing on a mini turntable, and how Madison Violet had some surprise songwriting help from Sam Smith.

2017 has been a great year for The Northern Pikes and their dedicated fan base. In addition to reissuing a "super-sized" three-disc edition of their heralded 1987 release Big Blue Sky and embarking on a 30th Anniversary tour in celebration of the release, the band also announced their intention to put out a new album or original material. Mike speaks with drummer Don Schmid about those plans and a lot more. While many know him as the frontman of rock trio The Manvils, Mikey Manville is fresh from the release of his debut solo offering. The new album, Nocturne Only, showcases a wide breadth of musical and lyrical styles and influences and begs for repeat listens. Manville speaks with Andrew about the segregation between his band and solo work, how The Manvils' third LP is shaping up, and more.

We're getting into the holiday spirit this week as we welcome Heather Rankin and Sultans of String on the program. Heather Rankin is fresh from the release of Imagine, her solo Christmas collection featuring some holiday favourites and fresh new compositions. She talks about how the John Lennon song that inspired the album's name (and appears as its final track) is fitting for the holidays, how the season contributed to her and her family's musical upbringing, and more. Then, Sultans of String frontman Chris McKhool talks about his band's eclectic new holiday release, Christmas Caravan. We chat about how guest artists like Nikki Yanofsky, Alex Cuba, Crystal Shawanda, and Richard Bona were tapped for the collection, interpreting Christmas classics in various world music styles, and more. Plus, Andrew and Mike discuss their favourite contemporary Christmas releases, which may or may not include a rant on Mariah Carey's classic "All I Want for Christmas Is You."

We're thrilled to have industry icon Ralph James on the show. An inductee of the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame, James helped to launch APA's new Toronto office earlier this year after UTA ceased its Canadian operations. He tells Mike about his recent move, the health of Canada's live music market, how he recognizes talents like Marianas Trench and Nickelback early on, and a lot more. Miss Emily has been turning heads for years with her huge voice and unique foot-stomping hybrid of blues, jazz, and rock; however, her latest project, In Between - written and recorded with The Tragically Hip's Gord Sinclair and Rob Baker - is sure to propel her to a new plateau altogether. She tells us about the making of the album, the heightened emotions surrounding The Hip's emotional year, the story of how she accidentally ended up singing backups for Bruce Springsteen, and more.

Lemon Bucket Orkestra's new album, If I Had the Strength, follows their JUNO-nominated 2016 release Moorka with another intriguing dose of their international sonic mosaic. They call that mosaic "Balkan-Klezmer-Gypsy-party-punk" and talk to Mike about all of the album's moving parts, their heralded live show, and a lot more. Iskwé was named one of the Top 10 Artists to Watch by CBC Music on the back of a compelling sound that weaves her powerful vocals with dark, soulful R&B rhythms, electronic flourishes and trip-hop breakbeats. Her latest LP, The Fight Within, is a musical tour-de-force that explores some very weighty and topical themes, including various facets of Canada's troubled history and relationships with its indigenous peoples and communities. The artist speaks with Andrew about those issues and many others in this special interview. Toronto jazz pianist Teri Parker has released a debut album with her quartet called In The Past. We speak with the artist about how her various projects - including Toronto's top Radiohead cover band - complement one another, the musical synergy between the members of her quartet, how the album nods to works that have inspired her, and more.

PledgeMusic founder Benji Rogers is now one of the pioneers leading the charge of utilizing blockchain technology in the music industry. Some, like him, are leveraging the technology to empower current industry stakeholders; others see it as a major potential disruption. Rogers joins us to talk about his start-up, Dot Blockchain Media, the potential for blockchain in the music industry and others, and a lot more. With a catalogue of successful co-writes with major recording artists, Emma-Lee is now focusing her attention on her own music and career. Her latest EP, Fantasies: Volume 1, finds her incorporating elements of pop music into her country music foundation. She joins us to talk about the difference between writing for herself and writing for others, her new home in Nashville, and more.

Ria Mae has a brand new EP and is fresh off of a very special show during the 2017 Halifax Pop Explosion that saw her performing with Symphony Nova Scotia amidst her cross-country Scott Vs. Ria tour with our pal Scott Helman. The new EP, My Love, takes listeners on a journey from post-relationship heartache to healing. We chat with her about all of that and more. With Faith Healer's recently-released sophomore LP Try;-), Jessica Jalbert has formally welcomed Renny Wilson to the fold as a full-time bandmate. She speaks with Mike about the album, its creation at Wilson's Montreal studio, the musical relationship the two share, straying from the "folk singer" label, and more. Finally, Edmonton's The Royal Foundry is an art-pop quartet with the husband and wife team of Jared Salte and Bethany Schumacher at its core. The two tell us about how their personal relationship extends into the creative sphere, how their home city and its music scene has shaped their sound, and more.

Gord Bamford has plenty in store for early 2018, including his 29-date Neon Smoke Tour supporting the album of the same name. Gord joins us to talk about the record, including his collaboration with Blue Rodeo's Jim Cuddy for the single "Ain't It Grand," his current goals, and more. The Karpinka Brothers - Aaron and Shawn - are about as well-known for their warm personalities as they are their music, performing everywhere from nursing homes to dive bars. The band joins us to talk about the lyrical weight of ther latest album, Talk Is Cheap, how their creative partnership grew out of their familial one, and more. Finally, Lydia Persaud is a musician's musician with an impressive pedigree. She's a member of Dwayne Gretzky and The O'Pears and collaborator with the likes of Lee Fields, Jill Barber, Karl Wolf, Royal Wood, and many others. She talks about distilling all of her musical experiences into her debut solo EP, Low Light, and more.

Mike catches up with Great Lake Swimmers lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist Tony Dekker to see how they're progressing on their as-yet-untitled seventh album. As has become the norm for the band, they've once again selected a somewhat unusual place to record: a decommissioned church in London, ON. Tony talks about how the space has influenced the album and the unique approach he describes as "reverse engineering." He also discusses the life-changing experience he had onboard a ship sailing through the Canadian arctic as part of the Canada C3 Expedition. The Elwins just released their third LP, Beauty Community, and as vocalist/guitarist Matthew Sweeney shares, the record is the band's most collective to date. He discusses the decision to re-tap producer Derek Hoffman this time around, pushing into the U.S. market, and more. Finally, author Mark Kearney joins us to talk about his latest book with co-author Randy Ray, called As the Years Go By... Conversations with Canada's Folk, Pop & Rock Pioneers. He tells us about the process of revising dozens of interviews with Canadian artists from past decades to compile the unique collection.

It's been one hell of a year for Saskatchewan rockers One Bad Son. After seeing their single "Raging Bull" thrash its way up the rock charts earlier this year, the band is back with their latest single, "Scream for Me," which is proving to be just as potent. Mike chats with the guys about their brand new album, Made in the Name of Rock 'n Roll, always being on tour, and more. Glorious Sons frontman Brett Emmons makes it clear that you don't have to sound like you're straight out of the '70s to make great rock music, and that's something the band strived for on its latest album, Young Beauties and Fools. He also delves into the lyrics of the album, which mark something of a turning point for the singer. Finally, you may not be familiar with the name Donal Hodgson, though you're certainly familiar with his body of work. The longtime producer, recording engineer, and mixer was worked closely with the likes of Primal Scream, Tina Turner, and Sting, and speaks with Mike about the modern-day record business, some cool in-studio stories, and more.

Toronto's Legendary Horseshoe Tavern is celebrating its 70th birthday in 2017 with a string of special shows featuring the likes of Billy Bragg, 54-40, Hollerado, and D.O.A. We chat with Horseshoe owner Jeff Cohen about the venue's history, current relevance in Toronto's music scene, some of his favourite stories from over the years, and more. Then, D.O.A. frontman Joe Keithley joins us first to talk about the band's history with the Horseshoe, but then also about punk rock in Canada, politics around the world, and a preview at what's coming up surrounding the band's 40th anniversary. Lastly, Lindsay, ON's The Kents are set to drop just their second EP but have already landed on some pretty influential playlists and performed alongside the likes of The Trews, The Sheepdogs, The Strumbellas, and more. We hear about what's contributed to the band's trajectory thus far, the new direction of their upcoming EP, and more.

Acclaimed guitarist Jesse Cook joins us to talk about the writing and recording of his new album, Beyond Borders. He tells us about the evolution his style and why he is now incorporating more electronic elements into his music, his love of using a looper on stage and in the studio, and the evolution of digital sounds and tools in music making. He also talks about influences he's taken from musicians in different countries he recorded in, from Egypt to Columbia to Armenia. Then, Mexican-Canadian musician Boogát discusses why he and his family moved to Mexico to record his latest album, San Cristobal Baile Inn, and how the musician and studio cultures and mentalities are different in Mexico compared to Canada. He also talks about addressing social issues and his growing up in Quebec as the son of Mexican and Paraguayan parents.

On Sept. 28th, we're bringing you interviews with a pair of special Canadian songwriters. Hawksley Workman checks in to chat about honouring Bruce Cockburn at the recent 2017 Canadian Songwriters' Hall of Fame induction ceremony at Massey Hall. We also speak with the versatile musician and producer about how his jazz fusion musical foundation steered his songwriting, how failing to meet commercial expectations on his major label debut changed his career outlook, and more. And in something of a reprise from one of our favourite artist interviews of 2017, John Cody joins us for a quick chat over a cigarette about triumphing over challenges this year, and how he's currently putting music ahead of pretty much everything else in his life.

We've got a pair of the country's most buzz worthy bands in quirky indie pop outfit The Nursery and new wave fem-rockers The Beaches. Both have brand new albums and both are carving out niches in a competitive and over saturated music market thanks to killer branding and, of course, great music. Plus, Jessica Mitchell speaks ahead of her Massey Hall performance honouring Neil Young at the 2017 Canadian Songwriters' Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Finally, we also catch up with writer (and frequent Canadian Musician contributor) David McPherson to chat about his new book, The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern: A Complete History. It's packed with legends and lore about the iconic Toronto music venue and David delves into his adventures authoring the book over the past several years.

This week on CM Radio, Mike catches up with acclaimed rapper Cadence Weapon. The Toronto-based, Edmonton native recently released a new track titled “Don’t Talk to Me,” which will be taken from his upcoming fourth album. He chats with Mike about what he’s been up to since the 2012 release of his last album, the Polaris Prize-shortlisted Hope in Dirt City. Mike also finds out how Cadence Weapon became one of the most skilled lyricists and rappers in Canadian hip-hop, and also how spending time working on other art forms has made him a better musical artist. They also discuss the difficulties for hip-hop artists touring Canada and more. Mike also has a fun conversation with the Stacey Kay of the a-cappella sensations Eh440. Stacey talks about how they ended up on the bill for the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame concert at Massey Hall on Sept. 23, and her excitement for that star-packed concert. Stacey also reveals how Eh440 develop their parts and sounds in the studio and live in concert and talks about her transition from being a singer and rapper in a “traditional band” to an a-cappella group. They also discuss the lucrative university/college touring circuit, picking the right songs, songwriting, and more.

Alan Doyle joins us this week to talk about his brand new album, A Week at the Warehouse. As the name implies, Doyle and his band cut this album live-off-the-floor at the iconic Vancouver studio with mega-producer Bob Rock. We talk about why this was the best approach for these songs, his preference for co-writing, and a lot more. Then, with Paul Shaver, head of Nielsen Music Canada, we dig into the numbers in Nielsen's 'Live Music & Brands' report. Paul pulls out some of the more interesting and surprising findings from the report and also looks at what various stakeholders in the music industry, from indie musicians to major labels, can learn and use to better monetize their live music events. Finally, we catch up with Ty Baynton to talk about his latest single, "I'll Never Know," and the inspiration and writing process for others that will be on his next EP. As well, we learn a bit about Ty's musical upbringing in Waterdown, ON and what he has learned about performing from the likes of Blake Shelton, Gord Bamford, and Tim Hicks.

Our friends in Your Favorite Enemies are readying the release of their very cool boxset, A Journey Beyond Ourselves, featuring exclusive music, a book called chronicling the making of their latest album, and a lot more. We speak with guitarist Jeff Beaulieu about all that’s gone in to creating this very special package and its promotion, the band’s epitomizing of the term “DIY,” and more. (And stay tuned for an upcoming #CMPremiere with Your Favorite Enemies...) The Federal Government has just announced its launch of a consultation process to reform the Copyright Board of Canada. The consultations will run until the end of September and seek feedback from the public and major stakeholders on ideas to make the Copyright Board’s processes more transparent and efficient. Music Canada’s Graham Henderson joins us to talk about what this could mean for the music industry. Finally, rocker Luke Austin writes “real songs for real people,” drawing influence from the likes of Bruce Springsteen and Kings of Leon. He sits down with Mike to talk about the making of his latest record alongside Grammy-winner Vance Powell (Kings of Leon, Jack White), the success of his single “Long Road Home” on major streaming services, and more.

CD Baby's Kevin Breuner and musician Ari Herstand - who Forbes has called "the poster child of DIY music" join us to talk about Spotify, and more specifically, how artists can get their music onto Spotify playlists to boost their spins and exposure. They share tips on approaching influential curators, recognizing other opportunities on the platform, and more. Then, long-running Canadian hardcore outfit Comeback Kid are set to drop their sixth studio album, Outsider, and the beginning of September. We speak with frontman Andrew Neufeld about the band's sonic exploration this time around, the health of the Canadian punk and hardcore scene from one of its prime ambassadors, and more.

Australian rock icons Midnight Oil are back on the road for The Great Circle 2017 World Tour, in part to celebrate the release of some new box sets. We connected with founding member Jim Moginie (guitars, keys & vocals) ahead of their Canadian dates about the band's special relationship with Canada, the process of digging up rarities for the box set, and a lot more. The first two waves of bands have been announced for the 2017 Halifax Pop Explosion, and as usual, they offer an exciting and diverse mix of acts. Executive Director James Boyle tells us how they put together their lineups year after year, what goes into planning and staging an event of this scale, and more. With its 22nd annual concert set for August 24th in Toronto, Honey Jam is continuing its longstanding mission of fostering female music talent and providing those artists with education and opportunities. PhemPhat CEO and Honey Jam founder Ebonnie Rowe joins us to talk about this year's edition of Honey Jam and how, even though they've made great strides over the years, there's still plenty of work to be done bringing equal opportunity to the music industry.

In addition to having a new album in the works, the awesome and outspoken Dan Mangan has also announced a venture with partner Laura Simpson called Side Door Access, aiming to connect creators with dedicated followers in intimate settings. The project is still coming together, and Dan speaks with Mike about that and a lot more. The Man Who Carried Cash: Saul Holiff, Johnny Cash and the Making of an American Icon is a new book by Canadian author and journlist Julie Chadwick that explores the relationship between the oft-troubled country icon and his longtime Canadian manager, who ended their relationship at the pinnacle of Cash's success. The story is truly fascinating and unearths some unknown information about one of the most prominent musicians of all time with a few Canadian twists. Finally, after a successful run with celebrated rock outfit Tupelo Honey, Dan Davidson has embarked on a solo career in the country world - and wasted little time in making a name for himself. After a pair of successful singles, we check in with Davidson to talk about the transition from rock to country, his plans for future releases, and more.

Allie X (aka Alexandra Hughes) sat down with Mike to discuss her journey from Ontario-based music student and songwriter to being one of the most interesting artists in the L.A. art-pop scene. She explains how she met Canadian producer Cirkut and how that led to a publishing deal and then her Allie X persona, which blends sophisticated pop songwriting and visual art. Drawing comparisons to stars like Lady Gaga, her debut LP, CollXtion II: Unsolved, which continues the story of Allie X that began on her EP CollXtion I, is receiving rave reviews. Then, MUTEK Festival programmer Patti Schmidt gives Mike the lowdown on the most mind-bending and exciting Canadian and international artists that will be performing in Montreal next month from Aug. 22-27. She also gets into the nuts and bolts of how she does her job, explaining how the artist selection process works and what makes an ideal MUTEK program. Patti also gives her perspective on the health of the Canadian underground electronic music scene and why so many electronic artists leave North American for other markets, plus offers her perspective on gender equality in her scene. Finally, Katie Marie of high-energy country group Nice Horse joins us to chat about the band's quick rise to prominence, and announce that their single "Pony Up" will be an exclusive #CMPremiere from Thursday, Aug. 3rd at noon until it's serviced to radio on August 8th. Stream the track at http://canadianmusician.com/blog and listen here to learn how Nice Horse hooked up with mega producer Bob Rock (Bon Jovi, Aerosmith) and more.

In addition to performing as a solo artist and one half of Harrow Fair, recording with the likes of Great Lake Swimmers and Sarah Slean, playing on film and TV scores, owning a record label, and running a music festival (whew...), Miranda Mulholland has recently adopted the roll of artist activist. Following a much-discussed speech to the Economic Club of Canada, she's been featured in outlets like the Globe and Mail and Canadian Musician, talking about the struggles faced by artists in today's music industry. She joins us here to talk about just that. Plus, we've got a pair of singer-songwriter interviews with Edmonton's Martin Kerr, an artist who's achieved some truly impressive feats like selling out a show at Edmonton's Winspear Centre and opening for Sarah McLachlan at Rogers Place as an entirely independent artist, and Justin Giles, a finalist from CBC Searchlight 2017 (as chosen by our own Andrew King) and currently has a lot cooking for her career.

Two weeks ago, we dedicated our show to the brand new 50th anniversary collection honouring the one and only Stompin' Tom Connors, featuring interviews with George Canyon, Corb Lund, and Whiskey Jack. This week, we're revisiting that collection in a chat with Andy Curran of Anthem Legacy and ole Label Group, one of the architects of this special collection. He talks about how the album came together, what went into selecting the track list, and more. Mike recently sat down with one of the country's fastest-rising hip-hop artists, iLLvibe, and renowned artist and producer Myer Clarity. The two chat about their latest collaboration, We Are the Aliens, the state of hip-hop in Canada, and more. And finally, R&B singer Patrick Lehman joins us to chat about current projects, including the follow up to his Juno-nominated release Butchy's Son and songwriting sessions in L.A., Nashville, and his home city of Montreal.

We're bringing you a trio of artist interviews in what could be our most diverse episode to date. Kristian Montano, frontman of Toronto roots rock outfit Sun K, joins us to talk about the band's upcoming album that, like its predecessor, was produced by Sum 41's Cone McCaslin. Hear about the unique musical relationship between Kristian and Cone, how the band's sound has evolved from Kristian's early solo material, and more. Melanie Brulee is a true musical chameleon, singing in both English and French and effortlessly flowing from cabaret to pop to Americana and much more. She tells us about whether certain songs lend themselves better to one language or the other, how her hybrid sound earns attention at music festivals - like the upcoming Sawdust City in Gravenhurst, ON - and more. Finally, Vivek Shraya and a multi-disciplinary virtuoso whose body of work includes several albums, films, and books. Her work is critically adored and has done much to empower and advance the cause of several marginalized groups. She tells Mike about some of her major successes, unique struggles, and more.

In honour of Canada Day and the Canada 150 celebrations, this week's show is a special one dedicated to the quintessential Canadian troubadour, Stompin' Tom Connors. Anthem Legacy, an imprint of ole Label Group, is celebrating the 50th anniversary of one of the country's most prolific and icon artists with a release featuring 14 of his best-known hits along with four covers by the likes of Corb Lund, The Cuddy/Polley Family band, Whiskey Jack, and George Canyon. Join us as we chat with three of those artists - Corb Lund, Whiskey Jack, and George Canyon - about Stompin' Tom's legacy, his influence on so many Canadian songwriters, and the compilation's goal of sharing his iconic catalogue with a new generation of music fans.

We've got a rock-centric show featuring interviews with chart-toppers One Bad Son, the gritty & powerful Mise en Scene, and the boundary-pushing Pick Brothers. One Bad Son's Kurt Dahl joins us to talk about the overwhelming success of their single "Raging Bull," and how it might inform their future release plans. On that note, we also get some exclusive details on the band's upcoming LP, the highly-anticipated follow-up to 2014's Black Buffalo. Winnipeg duo-turned-trio Mise en Scene have just signed with Vancouver's Light Organ Records and are ready to drop their new LP, Still Life On Fire. We'll talk about how the partnership with Light Organ came to be, what informed the decision to bring on a third member, and a lot more. Finally, The Pick Brothers Band have been building a name for themselves in and around Toronto with a very innovative and eclectic brand of engaging rock music. We'll talk about how the brotherly bond extends into music, the importance of a good live show, and more.

Platinum-selling JUNO nominee Tim Hicks has blown up since earning the CCMA's Rising Star award in 2014. He's fresh from the release of a brand new live EP, recorded during his Shake These Walls tour, supporting the album of the same name. We chat with the rising country star about the new collection and how it came together, plus get a preview of his busy summer festival season. Speaking of summer festivals, Devin Cuddy has a few performances at the upcoming Sawdust City Music Festival, happening August 4-6 in Gravenhurst, ON. In addition to performing a solo set of his own material, he's joining his father and brother in The Jim Cuddy Family Band for the headlining slot. We chat with him about what he and his fam have in store for those performances, how far along he is with the follow-up to 2014's Kitchen Knife, and more. And finally, we checked in with our friends in BC's The Long War while they were recording at Metalworks Studios in Mississauga. A couple of months ago, the band won the 2017 CBC Searchlight contest and have since been taking advantage of the prizes and opportunities that came with it. We'll hear about what they've done - including writing sessions with Royal Wood at the Banff Centre - and what's still to come.

John Cody just released Hard Won, the last album that will feature his singing voice. The acclaimed singer, songwriter, and producer, who has collaborated with the likes of Tom Cochrane and Joni Mitchell, was diagnosed with cancer of the larynx and was told much of it would be removed, drastically altering and limiting his speech. Cody held off on the surgery as long as he could to complete the album, a tour de force that showcases his breadth as an artist and features a host of cool collaborations. He joins us to talk about the experience and what's on the horizon for him, musically speaking, in light of his declining health. Saskatchewan's Colter Wall sat down with Mike shortly after Steve Earle called him the best songwriter he's seen in 20 years. Wall opens up about how he developed his songwriting skills, why he wants to see "bro country" disappear, and trying to distance himself from the recognition that comes with being the son of Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall. Finally, musician and artist manager Amir Epstein joins us to chat about how, even though many eyes in the hip-hop world are currently focused on Toronto as a hotbed of fresh talent, the lack of infrastructure supporting hip-hop music in Canada - specifically radio stations that champion the genre - is hurting artists and preventing us from capitalizing on a major opportunity.

The CBC recently held a "preview day" for its upcoming season, and one of the big topics of discussion was the recently-announced return of The JUNO Awards to the national broadcaster. It seems there are big plans to develop more content in collaboration with CARAS the whole year round. At the event, Mike caught up with CARAS President & CEO Allan Reid and Mark Steinmetz, Senior Director of CBC Music, to chat about those plans and what they could mean for Canadian artists, insiders, and fans. An "apocalyptic-psychedelic afro-folk epic." That's how Nathan Lawr, the man behind the uber-cool project Minotaurs, describes his latest album, Aum. The project features a diverse and impressive list of collaborators, and Mike speaks with Nathan about how they landed at such a unique hybrid of influences. After years of keeping things intentionally cryptic, Vancouver's Cary Pratt is fully embracing his creative moniker of Prairie Cat with the aptly-titled new album, Prairie Cat Is Cary Pratt. He tells Andrew about how his newfound comfort in the spotlight and behind the mic influenced the composition of this latest album, and some of the other projects that keep him busy - including playing drums with supergroup Mounties.

Bishop Brigante is a veteran of Canadian hip-hop and legend in the battle rap world. Throughout his career, he's collaborated with the likes of Drake, Nate Dogg, MC Lyte, and Sticky Fingaz, and his new anthology collection Legacy revisits those singles and more from his nearly 15-year career. He joins us to chat about this latest compilation, his work with Canada's top battle league, King of the Dot, the current state of Canadian hip-hop - and reveals the title of his upcoming new LP for the first time! After taking the Toronto club scene by storm on the back of their debut EP in 2015, indie electronic duo Honey Beard are back with an LP that combines the dark, synth-based Brit pop of the early 80s with the modern stylings of acts like MGMT. We chat with the band about the evolution of their sound, where they fit into the Canadian music landscape, and more. Finally, Music BC has introduced a new initiative called Phoenix, an extensive training and professional development program to help music industry pros navigate the ever-changing landscape of the business. The program is for time-poor, mid-career music professionals looking to optimize their business models for growth, and we speak with Music BC Executive Director Alex Grigg about how it's come together.

Brenley MacEachern and Lisa MacIsaac of Madison Violet have had a string of bad luck that’s tested them as individuals and creative partners. Their latest album, The Knight Sessions, is a response to those hardships and finds the duo stripping down their sound to its barest bones. Hear about how they overcame their challenges through music, how Sam Smith influenced the composition of their single “We Are Famous,” and more. Montreal’s Matt Holubowski has earned some considerable success in the Quebec market on the back of his debut album, Ogen, Old Man, which boasted a raw, lo-fi sound that put strong focus on his storytelling. With his new album, Solitudes, he’s incorporated more colour and depth but maintained the same candour. He speaks with Mike about his relatively quick rise, the evolution of his art, and more. And CD Baby’s VP of Marketing, Kevin Breuner, joins us to talk about why this is the best time for artists to be releasing new music, and the tools they can take advantage of to get it heard and monetized.

Fred Penner is one of Canada’s most beloved entertainers, and he’s back with a new album called Hear the Music, which has earned rave reviews from Andrew's two-year-old son. It features quite the cast of guest collaborators, including Ron Sexsmith, Basia Bulat, Alex Cuba, Bahamas, Terra Lightfoot, The Good Lovelies, and more. Mike had a chance to speak with him about the new record and how it came together, the unique makeup of his audience these days, and more. Singer and socialite Eleanor McCain has covered some of Canada’s best-known songs on her sixth studio album, True North: The Canadian Songbook. It features the work of 14 arrangers, 28 guest artists, and 10 symphony orchestras from across the country. Mike finds out about what informed some of the interesting song choices, why she decided to take on such an ambitious project at this point in time, and more. Rahul Telang is a professor at Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Mellon University and the co-author of the book Streaming, Sharing, Stealing. He weighs in on the ongoing debate of music streaming and its compensation model, and how that’s affecting artists and the music industry.

At CMW 2017, well-known music journalist Karen Bliss of Samaritanmag.com moderated a panel called "Musicians & Charity - Finding a Way to Give Back." She and her panel of high-profile musicians and charitable partners talked about the synergy that can exist between artists and their causes, with mutual benefits abound. Karen and Plus 1 CEO and Arcade Fire violinist Marika Anthony-Shaw join us this week to chat about the topic and offer some advice on how musicians can make a difference while simultaneously promoting their work. We also chat with country-tinged singer/songwriter Kayla Howran about her latest album, produced by Colin Cripps of Blue Rodeo, and how her move out of Toronto and into the sticks is treating her muse these days. And finally, Brampton rock outfit The Sole Pursuit have overcome some significant challenges to get their music recorded and released. With their new album, Flower City After Dusk, they're ready to put their best foot forward and capitalize on some long-standing industry attention.

Paul Shaffer was one of the stars out for CMW 2017 and Mike had the chance to get some insight into life post-Letterman and his latest album, Paul Shaffer & the World's Most Dangerous Band. The album features guests like Bill Murray, Darius Rucker, and Shaggy, and of course, his longtime bandmates from The Late Show. Mike also had a chance to speak with Alan Cross, one of Canada's best-known broadcasters, on the ground at CMW. Hear discussion of some of the industry's latest trends from the man often at the source of identifying them. Young singer-songwriter Nolan Hubbard had the chance to travel to Nashville to work on his debut full-length, Luminosity, with some of Nashville's most seasoned studio vets and Canadian producer Doug Romanow. Hear about his experience in the studio and the discoveries it led to. And finally, Dylan Bell fills us in on details for SING! The Toronto Vocal Arts Festival's 2017 run, which includes a couple of Guinness World Record attemps, extensive educational programming, and more.

Ascot Royals have been carving out their niche in Canadian music for some time, supporting the likes of Big Wreck and Finger Eleven with their dancy brand of upbeat rock and earning some serious industry attention. The band was out for CMW 2017, working with live music producer and perennial festival favourite Tom Jackson to fine-tune their performance. We talk about their experience in the session, what's on the horizon, and more. Steph Cameron seemingly came out of nowhere with her debut collection, Sad-Eyed Lonesome Lady, to score rave reviews and a coveted slot on the Polaris Music Prize long list. Her brand new follow-up, Daybreak Over Jackson Street, carries the same brand of careful, compelling songwriting with bare-bones but powerful arrangements but with a fresh perspective. She tells us if there was any temptation to expand her sound the second time around and more. And finally, Mike had the chance to speak with LyricFind CEO Darryl Ballantyne at CMW 2017 about some improtant incoming trends in the music industry.

Did you know there's a program where guitarists and other musicians can gather to get first-hand instruction from the likes of Steve Vai, Robben Ford, Alex Lifeson, and many other of the world's top musicians? It's called Guitar Workshop Plus and it was founded right here in Canada. Walter Tavares joins us to talk about the program and how the 2017 guest artist lineup is coming together. Since winning the 2016 CCMA Discovery Program, Eric Ethridge's name has been on a lot of people's tongues. His single "Liquor's Calling the Shots" is garnering plenty of attention, and he's had the chance to perform it in some pretty high-profile settings. He talks with Mike about his contemplative and calculated approach to his career - including how he's been handling the incoming interest from record labels and other industry pros. And finally, congratulations to The Long War, who were recently named the winners of CBC's 2017 Searchlight competition. We catch up with the band en route to the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity to talk about their experience in the competition and what's on the horizon - considering they've been together for less than a year.

Mike chats with The Wooden Sky's Gavin Gardiner about the recording of their latest album, Swimming in Strange Waters, which sees the band exploring new, more psychedelic sounds. They also talk about beating a case of "demoitis" and whether he feels there is really a "Toronto scene" anymore. We also check in with Alejandra Ribera, who's currently overseas supporting her latest, This Island. She tells us about how moving to new cities - notably Montreal and Paris - and getting lost (literally) inspired her songwriting for this collection. She also talks about being too busy in her professional and person life to feel any pressure after winning the 2014 SOCAN Songwriting Prize. And finally, Marina Adam, the manager of the Ontario Music Office, fills us in on the Ontario Music Fund, whether it's having its desired effect, and why such government and industry financial support in the arts makes sense as an economic driver.

Joel Plaskett is one of Canada's most treasured songwriters, and for his latest project, he's teamed up with someone who's had a very impactful influence on him: his father. Bill & Joel Plaskett's Solidarity is, as Bill puts it, "a touch of the traditional mixed in with the new, and a lot of the unexpected, arrived at through experimentation." We hear about how the album came together, what these two musicians learned from one another during the process, and more. For her latest album, Natural Conclusion, Rose Cousins took a deliberate break from her active touring schedule and travelled to create, writing and recording in places like Toronto, L.A., Boston, Nashville, and Ireland. The goal, she says, was to connect with artists, writers, and producers to find new sounds with new people and create songs in new ways. She joins us to talk about those travels. And finally, author and musician Antonio Ponce joins us with some tips taken from his book, Don't Forget the Business in the Music Business.

Hey CM Radio listeners, Thanks for checking in for this week's show. Unfortunately we've had to postpone it this week, though it is for the happiest of reasons. Andrew and wife welcomed their second child into world on Tuesday! As such, a couple of the interviews we had planned needed to be rescheduled at the last minute. We'll be bringing you those conversations with Joel Plaskett, Rose Counsins, and Antonio Ponce in the near future. Until then, check back next Wednesday when we'll return to our regular schedule. Thank you for your understanding & congrats Andrew and Brit! Cheers, Mike Raine

Producer Kevin Dietz has once again offered his services to the winner of CBC Searchlight 2017, as part of our Canadian Musician Career Booster Prize Pack. Dietz is the head engineer at Mississauga's famed Metalworks Studios and worked with artists from Tom Cochrane and Randy Bachman to Alexisonfire and Silverchair. We'll talk about his work with last year's winner, Desiree Dawson, how artists can best prepare for a studio session, and more. Jerry Leger’s new album, Nonsense And Heartache, showcases a combination of primal rock and roll and raw, confessional balladry. The separation between the two is evident by the album’s title, and it is in fact two distinct collections of songs presented on two slabs of vinyl. In many ways, Leger’s artistic path has been leading up to this ambitious display of both sides of his musical personality, fueled by countless nights playing in Toronto bars with a loyal band equally committed to keeping rock and roll’s original flame burning. Apocalipstick is the follow up to The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer's 2014 release A Real Fine Mess, which received considerable recognition, including a Blues Album of the Year JUNO nod and win for the Blues Album of the Year and Alternative Album of the Year at the WCMAs. As the band explains, the new album came together "from the desire for companionship, the endless pursuit of tone, the strength and glue of family, and above all, the love and admiration for each other's skills." We'll unpack exactly what that means and what's to come for the duo.

It's been a big year for the members of Bleeker, who dropped their latest album, Erase You, at the end of 2016. It was their first since changing their name from Bleeker Ridge, first with Five Seven Music, and earned them a nod for Breakthrough Group of the Year at the 2017 JUNO Awards. CM correspondent Kim Pardy met with the band ahead of a recent tour stop to talk about how they're feeling about the ride. Plus, radio tracking and promotions company SpinCount is back as a Canadian Musician Career Booster prize partner for CBC Searchlight 2017. Company co-founder Kim Sinclair joins us to chat about a good radio campaign, how artists can maximize their changes at airplay, and more. Lastly, Kevin Ker of Epidemic Music Group joins us to talk about the community of Stoufville, ON's upcoming attempt to break the Guinness World Record for longest continual concert. Starting this Friday, March 17th and running for 16 continues days, the initiative is a massive undertaking with all kinds of moving parts. Hear about what's already gone into producing this feat, how the lineup came together, some of the surprises they have in store, and more.

The WayHome Music & Arts Festival recently announced its lineup for 2017 - its third-ever edition - and it's pretty massive, with headliners including Imagine Dragons, Frank Ocean, and Flume plus Canadian acts like Tegan & Sara, Death From Above 1979, Tanya Tagaq, and PUP. Ryan Howes, the creative director of WayHome promoter Republic Live, joins us to talk about the various marketing and promotional initiatives that go into staging a festival of this size. Consider it a great opportunity to get into summer festival mode a bit early and beat the winter blues. DJ Kav is in a unique position. In addition to being a music director and on-air talent with Calgary's 90.3 AMP FM, he also creates his own music, remixes popular tracks from all kinds of artists, and performs both solo and as part of the popular Drum N DJ duo. He offers insight into how his various industry roles intersect and a lot more.

Sunrise Records President Doug Putnam speaks with Mike about the company's takeover of 70 former HMV locations in malls across the country. Canadian folk icon Murray McLauchlan is set to release his 19th studio album, Love Can't Tell Time, on March 3rd. Murray speaks candidly with Andrew about how a trip to Italy rekindled his love of guitar, how the current political climate is creeping into his creative output, plus an update on the awesome Lunch at Allen's. From one of Canada's best-known singer-songwriters to one of its most promising, we chat with Montreal's Leif Vollebekk about his upcoming record, Twin Solitude, his jam-packed touring schedule for the first half of 2017, and more. And finally, Edwards PC Creative Law is back as a Canadian Musician Career Booster prize partner for the 2017 edition of CBC Searchlight. Lawyer Byron Pascoe joins us with some legal red flags to watch for.

Danko Jones hit several new highs with 2015's Fire Music and adopted the adage of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" with their upcoming release, Wild Cat. Once again recorded with Eric Ratz and a seemingly cemented lineup, the album is a tour de force of straight-up hard rock. Danko talks about the appetite for rock in Canada vs. other markets, some Canadian bands that could carry the torch forward, and more. Fast Romantics are readying the release of American Love, their new LP, and have dropped the first single called "Why We Fight." Main songwriter and frontman Matthew Angus talks about the album's political stance, how Canadians have a unique perspective on what's happening south of the border, and more. And finally, What's the Story Publicity Services is one of our Career Booster prize partners for CBC Searchlight 2017. Company founder Beth Cavanagh joins us to talk about the newly-formed company, the makings of a good PR campaign, and more.

Canadian pop star Shawn Desman has been relatively quiet on the musical front of late, but he's headed to Alberta for a few shows mid-February and checks in with us to share some hints of what fans can expect. We also get the scoop on upcoming new music, the Move dance competition and convention, and more. Nova Scotia's Dylan Guthro, Breagh Mackinnon, and Carleton Stone each set aside on-the-rise solo projects to focus on their new folk-pop project, Port Cities. In the months since, the band's popularity has skyrocketed and now they're ready to release their debut LP. We speak with Guthro and Stone about their formation, musical chemistry, huge success on Spotify, and what lies ahead. And finally, Toronto City Councilor Josh Colle checks in to talk about the string of recent small- to mid-sized venue closures and how the city is looking to address concerns from the music community.

Kid Koala’s Music To Draw To: Satellite is an uncharted musical journey for the iconic scratch DJ, producer, and composer - an expansive work of ambient electronic soundscapes and chilling ballads sung by Icelandic artist Emilíana Torrini. Mike chats with the long-running artist about the album's composition during the gelid Montreal winter, some of its lyrical content, and more. Plus, Kaneshii Vinyl Press is one of our Canadian Musician Career Booster partners for the 2017 edition of CBC Searchlight. Ghislaine Cormier tells us all about the new company's launch, their carefully considered business plan, why they set up shop in Prince Edward Island, and more.

In what's become something of an annual tradition, we catch up with Tommy Mac of Hedley to chat about what 2017 has in store for the band, as well as his studio production work and a lot more. The band's latest album is 2015's Hello, which means there's probably plenty in the works to whet people's appetite for album number seven... Plus, Canadian ex-pat Cory Churko has played violin and guitar alongside the likes of Kelly Clarkson, Shania Twain, and Elton John, but now, he's joined forces with two other influential Canadian musicians to pay homage to classic Canadian songs as Toque. Churko tells us about his union with drummer Brent Fitz (Slash, Alice Cooper) and Todd Kerns (Slash, Age of Electric), how they choose their sets, and some of the high-profile gigs they've already played. Sounds pretty cool, eh?

First up, Andrew chats with Stephane Chamberland, who is one of Canada's busiest and best-known drummers. In addition to playing live and in the studio with a myriad of well-known artists, he's also an educator, clinician, and author with a number of well-known titles to his name. He joins us to talk about the importance of an ongoing education as a musician, the value of networking for freelance musicians, and more. For second, Mike chats up with CCS Rights Management’s Creative Manager, Jordan Howard. CCS is celebrating its fifth anniversary this year and in that short time, CCS has evolved from the music publishing company into a full-service team that includes Dale Speaking (radio promotions), Indoor Recess (national publicity), Sinclair Creative Solutions (Marketing), Paquin Entertainment (booking), Rocksteady (film/TV placements), and Apollo Music (ad placements), as well as launching their management division with key artists such as The Balconies, Kayleigh O’Conner, and CAIRO. Mike and Jordan talk about the changing nature of music publishing in the streaming age, why CCS doesn’t want to be seen only as a Canadian company, and Jordan also weighs in on the music industry ongoing battle with YouTube over fair royalty payments, and much more.

We’re reaching into our Canadian Musician magazine archives and sharing an interview Mike did for a CM article on pay-to-play gigs with venue owner and musician Shawn Creamer. In addition to being a guitarist and singer with highly regarded alt-country band The Beauties, Shawn owns the renowned Dakota Tavern in Toronto, The Hayloft Dancehall in Prince Albert County, and the Whippoorwill Restaurant & Tavern in Toronto. The Dakota Tavern is a cornerstone of the city’s roots and country music scene and is a major supporter of up-and-coming bands. Shawn shares his candid thoughts on venues that force pay-to-play conditions on bands, something he loathes, and explains why it doesn’t make sense for either the venues or the artists. Plus, Alberta country duo The Orchard haven’t wasted any time making an indelible impression on Canada’s country music scene, and their upcoming album, The Great Unknown, will only push them further. We’ll chat about their time in the studio with Grammy-winning producer Jim Scott (Tedeschi Trucks Band, Marcus King Band), their musical kinship, and more.

Perhaps best known as a founding member of Blackie and The Rodeo Kings, multi-JUNO winner Stephen Fearing will release his ninth studio album, Every Soul's a Sailor, on January 10th. From the anti-Trump anthem "Blowhard Nation" to the haunting and ethereal "Gone but Not Forgotten" featuring Rose Cousins, these songs span a range of styles from folk to pop to boot-stomping roots. Mike will speak with him about finding a new sound thanks to some old friends, the reception of his first protest song in years, and more. Plus, we've got some intersting stats and figures about music sales in2016 from Nielsen Music Canada. Hear about Drake's golden year, how catalog music sales surpassed new music sales for the first time, and a lot more.

Denise Donlon is, simply put, a trailblazer and icon within Canada's music and broadcast industries. Her success spans decades and includes high-profile stints with MuchMusic during the station's heyday, captaining Sony Music Canada through the Napster Disruption, and leading the charge for the CBC's English services. She's also a champion for a number of important charitable causes, and discuss all of this and much more in her new book, Fearless As Possible (Under the Circumstances), available now. Join us as we talk about MuchMusic being the original social media, Ed the Sock's unpredictablility, the learning opportunities that came from facing the music industry's biggest crisis in history head-on as a label rep, and much more.

Fittingly, our final episode of 2016 is our What's Hot for 2017 special. Join us as we revisit interviews from our 2016 season of Canadian Musician Radio with some artists we think you'll be hearing a lot from in the new year, including BANNERS, Dilly Dally, Tasha the Amazon, Attica Riots, Jess Moskaluke, The Lytics, Neon Dreams & Youngblood. We're back on Jan. 3rd with our first episode of Canadian Musician Radio for 2017, featuring an interview with Canadian broadcast icon Denise Donlon. We hear about her time at MuchMusic in the station's heyday, her time at Sony Music Canada amidst the Napster disruption, leading CBC's English Language Services, and more.

We've had a great year on Canadian Musician Radio. We've featured interviews with some of Canada's biggest artists and delved into some compelling and hot-button issues with a number of top industry professionals. This week, in our Best of 2016 episode, we revisit some of our highlight interviews from the past 12 months. Join us for snippets with Hedley, The Strumbellas, Sam Roberts Band, Shad, Sum 41, David Clayton-Thomas, Dean Brody & Divine Brown. And come back next week for our What's Hot for 2017 special, featuring chats with Neon Dreams, The Lytics, Jess Moskaluke, Attica Riots & others.

JUNO nominees and CCMA winners Chad Brownlee and Tim Hicks are teaming up for eight co-headlining dates across Western Canada in 2017. The run of dates mixes Brownlee’s Hearts On Fire Tour with Hicks’ Shake These Walls Tour. Mike has a chance to sit down with the two of them about the trek and any surprises they have in store for fans, along with their thoughts on the growing Canadian country music scene and their parts in it. And Toronto pop outfit Liteyears talk about their latest EP, American Towns, and some of the cool creative initiatives they've designed around it. They also talk about finding the balance of virtual and personal connections in their lyrics and in how they engage with their ever-growing fanbase.

First up this week, Mike catches up with Hamilton, ON singer, songwriter, and guitarist Terra Lightfoot about what’s been keeping her busy since her breakout second solo album, Every Time My Mind Runs Wild, was released last year and what she has planned for a follow-up. As well, Terra and Mike chat their experiences at South by Southwest 2016, playing showcase shows in the middle of the night, and more. Our feature interview is a lengthy conversation Mike had with Music Canada President Graham Henderson about the disappearing middle class of creators and how musicians and other copyright holders got squeezed out of the economic equation in the digital revolution. Why did tech companies get subsidized and become extremely rich on the backs of creators and what can now be done about it. The conversation is based on a speech Graham gave at the Economic Club of Canada last month entitled “The Broken Promise of a Golden Age,” and also follows the formation of the coalition Focus on Creators, which sees Canadian musicians, authors, songwriters, composers, music producers, poets, playwrights, film composers, actors, directors, and other members of the creative class have signed a joint letter addressed to the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage, urging the government to put Canada’s creators at the heart of our cultural policy.

Chris Murphy is a busy guy. After a string of shows celebrating the anniversary of Sloan's One Chord to Another, he's back out performing with a pair of new projects, each full of recognizable faces. There's easy-to-love indie trio TUNS and the TransCanada Highway Men, a unique project where he, ex-Barenaked Lady Steven Page, Mo Berg of The Pursuit of Happiness, and Odds lead man Craig Northey trade off songs from their well-known catalogues. He touches on all of this and lets us in on the secrets of how he does it all. Plus, A Fat Wreck is a documentary about iconic punk label Fat Wreck Chords. While the label isn't Canadian, their catalogue contains releases from some important Canadian punk bands. We speak with lead writer Greg Pratt, based in BC, about the film and its Canadian ties - including the infamous NOFX/Propagandhi feud. And finally, with their unique mix of Inuktitut alt-country, throat singing, and reggae, the Jerry Cans are a distinctly northern, one-of-a-kind group. We speak with the band about their isolated surroundings, unique blend of influences, and their place on the map of contemporary Canadian music.

With a sound described as "what the '60s thought the future would sound like," Youngblood - aka Alexis Young - has been turning heads of late, including those of the judges who chose her as a participant of the 2016 JUNO Master Class. Her debut EP, Feel Alright, was created with Parker Bossley (of Gay Nineties, Mounties, and Fur Trade) and produced and engineered by Juno-nominated DJ, producer and Diplo collaborator Sleepy Tom. She talks about delivering a unique live experience, putting together her own supergroup, and more. Toronto-based MC Leondro has been carving out a name for himself in Canadian hip-hop while also lending his talents and efforts to causes close to him. He tells us how his unique background and upbringing contribute to his creative output, finding collaborators in and around the city, and more. And finally, Halifax's Dub Kartel aim to "raise up the standard of the dance floor" with their concoction of dancehall, reggae, pop, hip-hop, and all kinds of other influences. We speak with frontman Kyle McCracken about how their home city contributed to their sonic collage, their aspirations to push westward, and more.

JUNO winner Divine Brown is dropping a new EP in early 2017, and has given fans a taste of what's in store with "Love Alibi," a collaboration with Toronto electro duo Empire 80. She talks about adding new sonic elements to her established soulful sound, how her experience in musical theatre informs her career as a songwriting and performer, and more. Plus, they were cohorts for this year's edition of the JUNO Master Class program. Nova Scotia's pop/EDM hybrid Neon Dreams and Manitoba hip-hop outfit The Lytics join us to talk about their experiences, potential upcoming collaborations, and more.

While many know him best for fronting Moist and his successful solo career, David Usher does much more than music. He’s a best-selling author, speaker, entrepreneur, and currently runs Concordia University’s Human Impact Lab (http://humanimpactlab.com). His latest project, though, is a solo album called Let It Play that finds him not only covering some of his favourite Francophone artists; he actually reworks the songs in English while also offering a fresh take of his hit “Black Black Heart” en Francais. He talks about what first initiated the unique project, how his work in other creative streams affects his songwriting, and more. And keeping with the Francophone theme, we speak with bilingual troubadour Alexis Normand. In addition to being one quarter of quirky and quaint throwback act Rosie & the Riveters, she’s about to drop her second French language solo album. We speak with the Regina-based artist about her quest to break into the French Canadian market with the latest release and more.

Steve Berlin of Los Lobos tells Mike how the lack of a career plan has kept them together for over 40 years, how the success of "La Bamba" spawned some bad advice from those around them, and opens up about his experiences producing albums with The Tragically Hip and his ongoing friendship with Gord Downie. Plus, despite plenty of awards and accolades coming her way in recent years, blues-tinged country singer Crystal Shawanda says her career left her feeling like a "fish out of water." That's now the name of her new album, where the artist breaks free of other people's expectations and follows her mom's advice to make the music she wants to make. And lastly, pop artist Mirian weaves a world of eclectic sounds into an accessible and radio-ready pop sound. She talks about how her Syrian and Jordanian heritage coupled with life in Toronto has influenced her music over the years, and what fans can expect from her current Canadian tour.

Following a very successful summer festival season, Dean Brody is set to release his sixth studio album, Beautiful Freakshow. The album features his trademark vocal style and unique instrumentation that expands on previous explorations. Mike had the chance to sit down and talk about his approach to the album, its unusual title, the work that goes into maintaining and growing a career in Canadian country, and more. And about a month after his last album's release, Tomi Swick left his label. Now, after several years, he's back with Yukon Motel, which reaffirms the fact that he has one of the most powerful and soulful voices in Canadian music. He talks about channeling the likes of Sam Cooke and Otis Redding on the record, kickstarting his career once again, and more.

Slaves on Dope frontman and radio DJ Jason Rockman joins us to talk about the band's new album, Horse. He'll tell us about collaborations with guests likes of D.M.C., HR from Bad Brains, and Bill Kelliher from Mastodon, plus his thoughts on the heavy music scene in Quebec, how he and his bandmates balance the band with their jobs and lives, and share some helpful advice with those looking to make a career in music. Plus, Andrew is back from BreakOut West 2016 in Regina with a recap of the event, some advice from the conference, plus a chat with WCMA winners Northern Beauties. The band has only been at it a year, but already racked up plenty of acclaim and awards. Hear how industry events like BreakOut West have contributed to that success...

Best known for his work with Blood Sweat and Tears, Grammy-winning Canadian singer David Clayton-Thomas is about to release his latest solo recording. Called Canadiana, it's a collection of covers by an interesting array of Canadian artists including Rush, Gordon Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, and others. We'll hear about the process of reimagining these classics to fit David's one-of-a-kind pop, jazz, and blues stylings and why he decided to take on this unique initiative at this stage in his career. Plus, Desiree is a young artist with a border-defying sound that blends her Caribbean background with her British Columbian upbringing. She's currently at work on some new material at Mississauga, ON's Metalworks Studio as part of the Canadian Musician Career Booster package she won in this year's CBC Searchlight competition, so we'll check in on how the material is coming together and all the things she's been up to during her stay in Toronto.

Sum 41 is back with 13 Voices, their sixth full-length album and first since 2011's Screaming Bloody Murder. It marks many new looks for the long-running Canadian band, being the first album without original drummer Steve Jocz but also the first with original guitarist Dave Baksh in 10 years. Fans have already been receptive to the first singles and frontman Deryck Whibley chats with Mike about this exciting time in the band’s impressive career. Plus, PEI indie-pop quartet Paper Lions are fresh from the release of their latest album, Full Colour, and have celebrated that release with a hometown “Super Show” - reportedly the largest show ever headlined by a PEI band in the province’s history. We’ll chat with the guys about what it took to stage this monstrous spectacle and about taking Full Colour on the road across Canada as a self-managed, entirely independent band.

This week on CM Radio, Mike catches up Patrick Krief, who was a member of renowned Montreal indie band The Dears for over a decade. He is about release his solo double album, Automanic: Red & Blue. Krief says the project was inspired by the heartbreak, grief, despair, and fear that followed a devastating string of deaths in his life. He likens the vibes of the two records as Thursday night and Sunday morning: Automanic Red is Thursday night, the reckless kick-off to the weekend, while Automanic Blue is Sunday morning, filled with moments of sober reflection. After that, Mike shares a fascinating conversation he had with prominent entertainment lawyer and author Paul Sanderson while working on his latest feature article for Canadian Musician magazine, which investigates where revenues from on-demand streaming services, such as Spotify and Apple Music, are going in Canada. Mike digs deep into this topic, drawing on Paul's extensive experience negotiating record contracts with record labels and the two of them discuss whether the system is fair for musicians, who are the winners and losers, and what the future could hold for this important new medium that has completely disrupted the recorded music industry.

TUNS is a something of an "east coast indie rock super group," comprised of Sloan's Chris Murphy, Mike O'Neill of The Inbreds, and Matt Murphy of The Super Friendz. They certainly aren't being celebrated for pedigree alone, though, as their self-titled debut is a tour de force of straightforward indie rock. Mike chats with Mike O'Neill about what brought them together, what they were seeking from this new outlet, and more. Also, while at the Toronto Urban Roots Festival (TURF) on Sunday, Mike got the chance to head backstage and catch up with Canadian alt-rock icon Matthew Good. It's exactly a year since his latest album, Chaotic Neatrual, came out. Matthew reflects on that project with the benefit of hindsight, and also speaks about what it's like to play live when you know people want to hear the old hits, finding peace with his bandmates, social activism, and why he loved Gord Downie's politically-charged statements during the Tragically Hip's final show.

Dan Mangan came out of nowhere this summer with a surprise EP called Unmake, featuring some stripped-back and solitary songs in contrast of his full-band material on Dan Mangan + Blacksmith's 2015 release, Club Meds. We'll check to see if that's an indication of what's to come, teaming up with Tegan Quin of Tegan and Sara on "Forgetery (Redux)," and more. Plus, country music is booming and we're starting to see that on a whole new level here in Canada. Mike Denney, the head of MDM Recordings with a roster including Chad Brownlee, Jess Moskaluke, and Bobby Wills, weighs in on the current state of the industry, breaking into new markets, and more.

One of Canada's most respected MCs, Shad seemingly came out of nowhere to drop a new album under the moniker Your Boy Tony Braxton. Called Adult Contempt, Shad describes the record as a soft-rock homage to pop and rock from the '80s and '90s, ditching his stylish flow and clever wordplay for honest, straightforward musings about love, insecurity, and a lot more. We'll hear more about the project, plus what's coming up for Shad at the CBC and more. Plus, Irish singer-songwriter James Vincent McMorrow is fresh from the release of his latest LP, We Move. The album was recorded in Dublin, London, and Toronto, with a trio of well-known hip-hop and pop producers, including Canadians nineteen85 and Frank Dukes. He fills us in on how the project came together and we he tapped those particular Canuck collaborators.

Heralded songsmith Donovan Woods joins us this week to talk about the business of songwriting, whether that pertains to songs released under his own name - like those on his 2016 Polaris long-listed album Hard Settle, Ain't Troubled - and those he's had covered by the likes of Tim McGraw, Alan Doyle, and many others. Get a glimpse into his creative process and some attractive revenue streams available to artists. Plus, the 2016 Polaris Music Prize gala is happening Sept. 19th in Toronto, where the grand jury - including our own Andrew King - will decide on this year's winner from the 10-album shortlist. This week, Polaris founder and Executive Director Steve Jordan joins us to tell Andrew exactly what he's in for, plus muse a bit about the prize and Canadian music in general.

We've got a treat for Sam Roberts Band fans. A year after the release of their Counting the Days EP, SRB has announced that their upcoming full-length offering, TerraForm, will drop at the end of October. It was recorded at The Tragically Hip's Bathouse Studios with co-producer Graham Walsh (Holy F*ck), and Sam himself joins us to offer up a preview of what to expect, plus his thoughts on The Hip's farewell, music streaming services, and more. Similarly, Toronto's The Balconies are also returning with some new music in the fall. The self-produced rock opera, Rhonda, explores how Western culture's "forced ideologies and criticism impact the mind" through the lens of its heroic title character. Frontwoman Jacquie Neville and guitarist Liam Jaeger join us to chat about the record and some of the interesting instruments and techniques that went into making it.

Jason Blaine has been a busy man over the past 18 months. After being honoured with the most wins at the CMAO Awards and his third consecutive Airplay Award from SOCAN, he and co-producer Deric Ruttan are up for the Record Producers of the Year award at the upcoming CCMA Awards for their work on Blaine’s 2015 release Country Side. We’ll talk about some of the major milestones he’s reached in the past year, his charity initiatives, and what’s currently keeping him busy. Plus, Lindsay Hyslop is the manager of marketing and digital with RGK Entertainment Group and has some advice on digital tools and platforms to help artists from any genre promote themselves and their work.

Trevor Guthrie came back in a big way in 2014 thanks to his huge collaboration with Armin van Buuren. Ever since, the former soulDecision vocalist has continued his upward trajectory with his solo career, including more cool collabs in various genres. Mike had a chance to speak with Trevor about maintaining that momentum, his new musical identity, his latest single, "Wanted," and more. Plus, the Canadian industry has been abuzz about a cool idea coming from our smallest province. For the past several years, Music PEI has been hosting Showcase PEI, a unique event that brings industry influencers from around the world to the island to drive mutually beneficial business opportunities. Executive Director Rob Oakie gives us insight into this year's edition of the event, and how the model could be applied elsewhere.

How has country music – and Canadian country music in particular – evolved in recent years? Ron Kitchener, the head of RGK Entertainment Group and Open Road Recordings, speaks with Mike about the genre’s shift towards capturing a younger demographic, the rise of “anti-country” artists, and a lot more. Even if country music isn't your thing, it’s an interesting and engaging conversation about the music business. Plus, they’re our cover boys for the July/August 2016 issue of Canadian Musician and their new album Morning Report drops on August 5th. Hear parts of Andrew’s interview with Arkells frontman Max Kerman that didn’t make it into the story, and get your hands on that issue in the meantime!

It's been 15 years since Theory of a Deadman hit the scene as the first act signed to Chad Kroeger of Nickelback's 604 Records imprint. After a celebratory acoustic run in early 2016, the back is back on the road later this year while fans eagerly anticipate the follow-up to 2014's Savages. Frontman Tyler Connolly fills us on on how much longer they'll have to wait, how 2016 differs from 2001 for the band, and more. Plus, she's been writing and recording music since her early teens, but with the release of her long-awaited "alternative swoon pop" album, Time, in June 2016, Alexandria Maillot is cementing her artistic identity. We chat about the emotional and physical journeys - some very trying - that have brought her to this point.

Their 1988 album The Trinity Session is one of the most heralded in Canadian history, and now they're back on the road for a string of intimate evenings. This week, Cowboy Junkies' Alan Anton joins Mike to chat about the current tour, their ongoing legacy, a songwriting approach borrowed from Elton John,and more. Plus, after years working with one of Canada's best-known management firms, Tim des Islets launched his own company, Noisemaker Management, in 2015. We check in to see what the past 12-plus months have produced, his thoughts on some pressing issues, and more.

What's the most popular medium for music discovery in 2016? Just how popular are the big music streaming services in Canada? These and many more stats and trends were shared in Nielsen Music's 360 Canada Report, and this week, Nielsen Canada's Paul Shaver joins us to sort through the data and pinpoint some of the things that will have an impact on independent Canadian artists going forward. Plus, Jess Moskaluke was the CCMA Female Artist of the Year in both 2014 and 2015. She's currently pushing "Elevator," the third single from her 2015 EP Kiss Me Quiet, to radio and speaks with Andrew about what's kept her based in Saskatchewan despite all of her success, why she refuses to write music at home, and more.

Does that riff sound familiar to you? Timothy English, the author of "Sounds Like Teen Spirit" and one of the world's authorities on music plagiarism, speaks with Mike about the recent Led Zeppelin verdict, the Justin Bieber allegations, and many more instances of plagiarism - intended or otherwise - in popular music. Plus, Jessy Lanza has been one of Canada's most buzzed about new musicians and songwriters since the release of her critically-acclaimed debut album Pull My Hair Back in 2013, which was shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize and appeared on a lot of year-end "best of" lists. She has now released the follow-up to that success with this year's Oh No, and speaks with Mike about dealing with the fan and critic expectations that come with a successful debut album, as well as a wide range of other topics such as why she loves Japanese electro-pop, anxiety, and Canadian radio's "indie bullshit" obsession.

Bernie Finkelstein sat down with Canadian Musician Editor Andrew King during Music PEI's 2016 edition of the May Run Music Festival and Canadian Song Conference for the keynote address. Bernie was as candid and charismatic as always, talking about his history in the business, True North Records, his ongoing professional and personal relationship with longtime client Bruce Cockburn, and more, and we're sharing that interview with you! Plus, current tour mates Attica Riots and Bleeker spoke with Mike about their present happenings. Bleeker (formerly Bleeker Ridge) dropped a self-titled EP through Five Seven Music in the early spring while Attica Riots will drop their debut LP on the same label later this year. Both bands are finding their audiences thanks to hooky debut singles and both are likely to be staples at rock radio in the not-so-distant future.

Montreal International Jazz Festival Co-Founder Alain Simard sat down for a candid conversation with Mike shortly after his induction into the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame. He opens up on everything from his successes and struggles in the business to some differences between the music industries in French and English Canada and much more. Then, being touted as one of Toronto's most promising artists by the likes of Pitchfork and Spotify, Tasha the Amazon has a chat with Mike prior to her set during NXNE 2016. It's already been a big year for the "Patron Saint of Ruckus" and her rhymes; let's see what's in store for the second half...

Earlier in 2016, there was a lot of speculation over the future of NXNE. Since, however, the festival has announced its new format and much of its lineup, which includes the likes of Father John Misty and Ghostface Killah alongside Canadians like Dan Mangan, Mother Mother, Born Ruffians, and more. NXNE's Michael Hollett joins us to talk about the changes and how they'll impact the industry experience. Plus, Your Favorite Enemies are virtually clinicians in DIY. They own their own jam space and recording studio (which is actually a converted church), run their own record label, and ultimately, enable themselves to make full-time careers out of music. The envelope-pushing rockers share some of their secrets and tell us how it's done.

Leah Daniels was just named Female Artist of the Year at the 2016 Country Music Association of Ontario Awards, which is fitting because this week, she and CMAO President Bruce Good - a member of long-running Canadian country legends The Good Brothers - join us to chat about the association. From networking to problem-solving, Bruce and Leah weigh in on the value of a music industry association like the CMAO while sharing some of its upcoming initiatives. Also from the country realm, we have Calgary's Lindsay Ell on the program. She's opened for everyone from The Band Perry to Keith Urban to Luke Bryan to, yes, Buddy Guy. She's now based in Nashville, and Mike has a chance to ask her about her impressive career trajectory to date.

The Federal Government has pledged to inject $1.2 billion into cultural infrastructure in the coming years, and part of that is going to the CBC/Radio-Canada. Mike speaks with CBC’s Executive Director of Radio & Audio, Susan Marjetti, about what that means for programming and, specifically, Canadian music. And speaking of Canadian music, we also check in with a pair of Canada’s most blogged-about acts in relative newcomers Dilly Dally and alt-electro vets Holy F*ck. The former had a huge breakout year on the back of their album Sore while the latter is fresh from the release of their fourth LP, Congrats.

The music industry is often considered an "old boys club," but one Canadian organization has been working to change that. Women in Music Canada was established in 2012 with the goal of fostering equality in the music industry through the support and advancement of women. It's been (almost exactly) a year since they published their report "A Profile of Women Working in Ontario's Music Industry." We speak with founder & executive director Samantha Slattery about their efforts since. Then, featuring ex-members of Alexisonfire and Saint Alvia, combustible rock trio Say Yes are fresh from the release of their debut LP, Real Life Trash Mag. We speak with the band about how their previous industry experience bas propelled their new project to impressive heights relatively quickly. And finally, Desiree Dawson has been named the winner of CBC Searchlight 2016. She joins us from Jamaica to talk about some of the opportunities stemming from the victory and how she plans to carry the momentum forward.

We all know creators are seeking more compensation for streams of their songs. But what efforts are being made in Canada to make that a reality? Re:Sound President Ian MacKay gives us the lay of the land on the never-ending debate and a lot more. Plus, let's say things are starting to happen and your career is starting to take off. When should you consider getting legal advice to make sure all your ducks are in a row? How do you find the right lawyer for your needs? Edwards PC, Creative Law's Byron Pascoe - one of our CBC Searchlight Career Booster partners - has those answers and more. And finally, he's caught the attention of major influencers like Oprah Winfrey with his musical message of love and acceptance. We'll hear from Paul Luftenegger about making his musical dreams come true through hard work and good networking.

SOCAN brought in record royalties for its members in 2015, continuing a year-over-year trend. CEO Eric Baptiste tells us about the organization's current initiatives aiming to increase those numbers, its consistently slimmer operating costs & more. What do Nickelback, Tim McGraw, and Dallas Smith all have in common? For one, they all rely on Charlotte Thompson of Red Umbrella PR to promote their current happenings in the Canadian market. As one of our CBC Searchlight Career Booster partners, she'll give artists some insight into when they should consider taking on a publicist, what a successful campaign looks like, and what you need to have ready to make the biggest impact. And finally, PEI's Dylan Menzie has been turning heads in Atlantic Canada for a few years. He was in Toronto during CMW and had a few heavy-hitting industry folks at his showcases. He tells us about making a successful video on the cheap, his push into new markets, and more.

Having performed at several of Canada's biggest music festivals without an LP to his name, rising Canadian country star Jordan McIntosh shares his excitement about finally releasing his debut album, Steal Your Heart. It features work alongside a host of well-known producers and songwriters, and he'll tell us about the chance to road test many of these songs during his teens at the Boots & Hearts and Cavendish Beach festivals and on tours supporting the likes of Brett Kissell. Plus, Saskatchewan rockers League of Wolves find an ally in a former Sheepdogs guitarist Leot Hanson, who collaborated with the band on their latest EP, which was self-recorded in an old schoolhouse. We also have pop singer Alexi Couto on the program, offering proof that you can still put faith in your dreams.

On this week’s episode of CM Radio we’re honoured to have Claude Morrison, one of the founding members of iconic vocal group The Nylons, who are currently on their farewell tour after nearly 40 years. They’ve record hit versions of songs such as “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” “Happy Together," "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye." They have seven gold and platinum records and are undoubtedly one of the most successful a cappella group of all time. As well, we have Holly Nimmons, the executive director of the Coalition for Music Education, which is the creator of Music Monday. The year’s Music Monday event will happen on May 2nd and Holly is hear to explain what Music Monday is and also discuss the benefits of music education and how to be an effective advocate for music education in schools. We’re also join by Aaron Miller, an artist manager for Arts & Crafts and also a curator for Red Bull Sound Select, a unique Toronto-based organization supporting artists in a progressive way. Red Bull Sound Select provides a signal boost to Toronto artists by using the brand’s worldwide resources to elevate the artists beyond their Toronto neighbourhoods through track releases and performance opportunities. Lastly, we also have a brief conversation with HHB Canada Product Specialist Dave Misener, who will tell us about the Blue Microphones package they’re contributing to Canadian Musician’s Career Booster Prize Pack for the CBC Searchlight Contest winner, and also provide some microphone and recording tips.

You probably know him from his roles in shows and movies like The League and Let's Be Cops, or from his hugely popular parody songs; however, now, Jon Lajoie is putting his musical talents to more "serious" use with his indie folk project Wolfie's Just Fine, which we'll hear all about. We also catch travelling troubadour Corin Raymond amid his cross-Canada tour, talking about his latest release, Hobo Jungle Fever Dreams, and how the Canadian landscape seeps into his material. Vocal powerhouse SATE has a new release that showcases her brand of gritty blues-tinged rock through songs that were entirely selected by her fan base. Plus, our friends Terence Jack and ESMA join us ahead of a major cross-counry tour and huge CMW showcase, respectively.

Plants & Animals are back with Waltzed In From The Rumbling, which FILTER says is ripe with "cross-legged acoustic jams and staggering electric anthems." We chat about their unique take on left-of-centre symphonic pop and the extra time they took on their latest work. Nova Scotia's Erin Costelo also joins us to speak about Down Below, The Status Quo, her latest album that fuses her former retro-focused sound with more contemporary pop. Guitar Workshop Plus has just announced its guest artist lineup for its five 2016 sessions, and it includes some mammoth players like Robben Ford, Gary Hoey, Jennifer Batten, Victor Wooten, and more. We'll tell you how to get in on the action. And finally, photographer Neal Burstyn of Images with Impact joins us to chat about his role in our Career Booster prize package for CBC Searchlight 2016, plus he shares some tips to help bands produce better promo shots!

Those who have been waiting for something new from Canadian duo Digging Roots won’t be disappointed with their latest offering, For The Light. Inspired by their travels during four years of international touring, For The Light firmly inhabits roots and blues with a nomadic wanderlust. Husband and wife Raven Kanatakta and ShoShona Kish join us to talk about the collection. Heather Rankin is keeping quite busy these days. Best known as a member of Cape Breton’s Rankin Family, she’s fresh from the release of her debut solo album, A Fine Line, and will host the 2016 East Coast Music Awards gala alongside Ashley MacIsaac. She joins us to talk about her experience creating her first solo offering and more. Toronto-based musician and producer Angel join us to talk about the various projects he has on the go under his Invisible Werks banner. Plus, we check in with Sarah Konowal of Metalworks Institute, which is offering up access to some of their Online Certification Courses as part of our Career Booster Prize package for CBC Searchlight 2016.

In the second part of our Best of SXSW 2016 coverage, Mike sits down with The Strumbellas, Fast Romantics, Milk & Bone, and The Wet Secrets in Austin. We've also got snippets with Polaris Prize founder Steve Jordan and producer Kevin Dietz, the head engineer at Metalworks Studios and one of our Career Booster Prize partners for CBC Searchlight 2016. All of our full interviews from SXSW, including last week's guests The Trews, Paper Lions, and Whitney Rose, can be found on our YouTube channel - http://youtube.com/norriswhitney

There was a strong Canadian presence in Austin for SXSW 2016, and Mike was in the thick of it all. He brought back interviews with the likes of The Trews, Paper Lions, Whitney Rose, and eOne Music Group President Chris Taylor, so we're happy to bring you Part 1 of "the best of the fest." Also, we check in with Giancarlo Gallo of Metalworks Studios, one of our CBC Searchlight Career Booster Partners, for some info on the studio and tips about making the most of your studio recording time.

Just how did Wintersleep get Rush's Geddy Lee to perform on their brand new album, The Great Detachment? Wintersleep frontman Paul Murphy tells us about that and a lot more about their stunning new collection. We also catch up with Ron Hawkins, who in addition to his work with The Lowest of the Low has recorded some very impressive solo releases, the latest of which is Spit, Sputter & Sparkle. Finally, Kim & Kevin Sinclair of SpinCount, a CBC Searchlight Career Booster Partner, tells us about their world of radio tracking and promotions.

Pavlo has a lot of exciting things on the go for 2016 already. In the past year, the Canadian guitarist has toured the world, partnered with both Jose Feliciano and The Tenors, and filmed a concert in his parents' birthplace in Greece. He's got a new album out March 18th as well as the Live In Kastoria DVD, which is airing as his second PBS special across North America. Also, CBC Radio 2 Drive host Rich Terfry (aka Buck 65) tells us more about CBC's 2016 Searchlight Contest, featuring some massive opportunities and really impressive prizes. He's even got some helpful tips to get you further in the competition...

The Sheepdogs dropped their latest full-length, Future Nostalgia, in the fall of 2015. Since, they've racked up a nod for Rock Album of the Year at the upcoming JUNOs, embarked on a cross-country tour, and will surely be fixtures on the festival circuit this summer. Do they prefer festivals or packed clubs? We'll find out... We also catch up with BC's Rococode, fresh from the release of their sophomore LP, Don't Worry It Will Be Dark Soon. The album was recorded in an off-the-grid cabin and finds the band going deeper down the EDM rabbit hole - to great results.

The Zolas join us fresh from a trek overseas to talk about their upcoming third LP, Swooner, dropping March 4th via Light Organ Records. This time around, the band dove headlong into vibrant, experimental pop and we'll discuss what informed the sonic shift. Then, we speak with Montreal-based MC Bless, whose latest LP is Spoils of War. After a few stints with major labels and tours alongside the likes of Eminem and Gang Starr, Bless started his own entertainment imprint and has been making impressive strides on his own ever since. Finally, we've also got Toronto-based melodipunk act Like Pacific on the show. The band is currently out on the Alternative Press 2016 World Tour, performing to hundreds or thousands of fans at each date. We'll talk about their recent surge of success and more.

Steven Page joins us to talk about his upcoming solo release, Heal Thyself Pt. 1: Instinct - a cathartic return to music for the well-known artist. The album was co-produced by Page himself along with Craig Northey, whose band The Odds performs on most of the tracks. We also speak with Jim Bryson, whose new album Somewhere We Will Find Our Place drops on Feb. 19th. The album features collaborations with Charles Spearin of Broken Social Scene and Do Make Say Think, and Jim tells us how it differs from his last offering, 2010's The Falcon Lake Incident.

Michael Joseph Nelson, much better known to the world as BANNERS, joins us for this week's show. Originally from the UK but now based in Canada, BANNERS draws influence from artists ranging from The Beatles to Arcade Fire and has been drumming up a lot of buzz through his infectious single, "Shine A Light." We also speak with New Brunswick-based songwriter and guitarist Chris Colepaugh, who fronts Chris Colepaugh and the Cosmic Crew. Their latest release is called RnR and draws inspiration from the stripped-down rock of years past. In addition to his own project, Chris also regularly performs with bilingual icon Roch Voisine.

Stefan Babcock of heralded Toronto punk outfit PUP joins us to chat about their upcoming sophomore effort. The band just dropped "DVP," their first new song in nearly two years, which will appear on the upcoming LP - the one that Billboard calls one of its most anticipated of 2016. Mike also sits down with Jett Pace of Vancouver's Old Man Canyon. The band emerged on the alternative scene in early 2013 with the debut EP Phantoms & Friends. Their first full-length, Delirium, just dropped mid-January.

We were fortunate enough to sit down with Hedley bassist Tommy Mac down in Anaheim during The NAMM Show 2016. He fills us in on the upcoming tour supporting their late-2015 release, Hello, as well as some of the other creative projects he's got underway and the importance of having several irons in your creative fire as a music professional. We also caught up with Liam Cormier of Cancer Bats during the UK leg of the band's tour support last year's Searching For Zero. In addition to questions about working with producer Ross Robinson and recording a Joel Plaskett cover at Joel Plaskett's studio, he tells us about his fundraising campaign for the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation. Liam's shaving his head later in February, so donate to a great cause here: http://www.thepmcf.ca/Home

This week, Mike has a pair of interviews with two of the country's most revered guitarists and songwriters with very unique styles. Matt Andersen's upcoming release, Honest Man, drops at the end of February. It's the follow-up to 2014's Weightless, which saw him sell out Toronto's iconic Massey Hall alongside many other new career highs. Then, recent Latin Grammy winner and Grammy nominee Alex Cuba joins Mike to talk about his latest, 2015's Healer. In addition to music and songwriting, the Cuban Canadian also speaks about what an improved relationship between the U.S. and his native land could mean for arts and culture.

54-40 frontman Neil Osborne joins us to chat about the band's latest album, La Difference: A History Unplugged, a collection of acoustic reworkings of some of their best-known songs to mark their 35th anniversary. He also tells us about the new music in the works. Then, we have one of the most recognizable voices in the Canadian jazz community as Emilie Claire Barlow joins us to talk about her latest album, Clear Day, an ambitious collaboration with Metropole Orkest and a host of other musicians.

Longtime Honeymoon Suite frontman Johnnie Dee joins us for our first show of 2016. The rather candid interview discusses the new material the band currently has in the works, their plans for the first part of the New Year, and some of the other endeavours keeping Dee & his bandmates busy. Mike also has details on some showcase opportunities for Canadian artists and discusses the pending $150-million lawsuit against Spotify that could have some major ramifications for artists all over the world.

In our final episode of the calendar year, we look back at interviews from 2015 with on-the-rise artists that are poised to explode in the new year and beyond. Join us as we revisit talks with the likes of Alyssa Reid, Grandtheft, Ben Caplan, Palaye Royale, Grand Analog, Rosie & The Riveters, Cold Creek County, and Highs. Thanks for your support throughout 2015, and join us for new original episodes in the new year, featuring the likes of Honeymoon Suite, 54-40, Emilie Claire Barlow & many more.

Welcome to Canadian Musician Radio's Best of 2015 episode. We're looking back at some highlights from the past 12 months, including interviews with a diverse list of top artists like Randy Bachman, k-os, Molly Johnson, Magic!, Finger Eleven, Jesse Cook, Billy Talent, and Paul Brandt. Of course, you can check out the full interviews with these artists and many more by going through the Canadian Musician Radio archives. We appreciate your support throughout 2015 and look forward to bringing you more great interviews, industry updates, and more in the New Year!

We (and our readers) were fortunate enough to have Rush grace the cover of our November/December 2015 issue, talking about their recent R40 Tour and its impact on their legacy. On our last "new" episode of 2015, we'll have some of the unused portions of Andrew's interviews with Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson for your listening pleasure. We also have Billy Wild of Uninvited Guests on the show, who was commissioned by the estate of iconic Canadian pianist Glenn Gould to remix his recordings and rebrand him for a younger generation. He'll talk about his work and the controversy it has stirred up among the purists.

In a preview of our first issue of 2016, we've got Monster Truck and Protest The Hero on this week's show. The former will drop their highly-anticipated sophomore LP, Sittin' Heavy, early in the new year. We chat with the band about how their meat-and-potatoes hard rock sound has evolved between the two releases, how these new tracks will enhance their live show, and more. Then, we speak with Canadian metal outfit Protest the Hero about their new subscription-based delivery platform for their new 6-song EP, Pacific Myth. It's a fresh idea in a time that needs fresh ideas, so we'll see where it came from and how it works.

We speak with country music innovator Corb Lund about his new collection, Things That Can't Be Undone. As we've come to expect of this off-kilter troubadour, the album is an ambitious, diverse collection of songs chalk full of sonic surprises. A longtime flagbearer for Canadian hip-hop, Prevail is one of the founding members of Swollen Members and also has some solo material to his name. His latest project is a collaboration with Neph called Alpha Omega. We speak with the MC about the new initiative and how it differs from the rest of his output.

Canadian pop songstress Alyssa Reid joins us to chat about her upcoming release, Phoenix, which finds her temporarily abandoning the polished pop sound for a barer, more intimate acoustic style. Then, Marie-Helene Delorme, much better known as Foxtrott, speaks with Mike about her debut LP, A Taller Us, which follows the heralded 2012 EP, Shields. Finally, on-the-rise country artist Jason Benoit tells us about his successful summer and what's on the horizon for 2016.

Boasting one of the most recognizable voices in Canadian rock, Glass Tiger frontman Alan Frew joins us to talk about his new solo album, 80290 Rewind, a collection of covers of iconic songs released in the 1980s. Then, we've got a pair of east coast acts with new albums to talk about. Cape Breton-via-Halifax rock duo The Town Heroes have a new release, Please, Everyone, that follows up the very successful ECMA-winning Sunday Movies. And the ever-animated Christina Martin chats about the pop influence on her latest collection, It'll Be Alright.

Canadian guitar virtuosos Pavlo and Remigio Pereira (of The Tenors) recently teamed up for an album called Guitarradas. Mike had a chance to speak with both of these talented instrumentalists about the project and everything that went into it, their musical chemistry, and a lot more. We also speak with JUNO-winning vocal powerhouse Simone Denny about her new release, The Stereo Dynamite Sessions Vol. 1, which showcases a rather diverse range of influence. Previously, Denny was the voice of celebrated Canadian pop outfit Love Inc.

Though he's already amassed over 50 million plays for his remixes and original material, Grandtheft opens up about his first "formal" collection, the Quit This City EP. We also speak with Zach from Vancouver indie pop outfit The Zolas about the band's latest release, Wino Oracle" - a teaser EP featuring three tracks from their upcoming full-length. mFinally, we speak with Jason Burns, the founder of Burnt Tree management who, along with clients including Hey Rosetta!, Rich Aucoin, and Plants & Animals, has just joined Arts & Crafts' management division.

This week, we're more than thrilled to have k-os join us. The MC/songwriter/producer discusses how rediscovering pop music influenced his work on his latest album, the excellent Can't Fly Without Gravity. Also, New Brunswick rockers The Motorleague offer insight into the writing behind their latest album, Holding Patterns, produced with Eric Ratz (Big Wreck, Monster Truck, Billy Talent). Finally, Ontario metal outfit Odium chat about how lineup changes shaped the sound of their punishing new release, Terraform.

On-the-rise country outfit Cold Creek County joins us to chat about their upcoming album, Till The Wheels Fall Off, on Sony Music Canada. The band is making a lot of noise at country radio and are sure to be a huge live draw. Then we chat with Edmonton-based songwriter Ken Stead about his latest, Fear Has No Place Here, and the tour dates supporting it. Coldjack vocalist John Fraser joins us to chat about the band's genre-mashing sound and hard-hitting live show. Finally, Mike Homewood joins us to chat about Toronto's hottest new country club, the Boots & Bourbon Saloon.

Mike sits down with Canadian MC Madchild who, in addition to his work with Swollen Members, has enjoyed plenty of success as a solo artist. His most recent work is Silver Tongue Devil, which dropped in July 2015, and he's kept busy since then with some interesting and diverse projects. Set to deliver the keynote address at IMSTA FESTA Toronto on Oct. 17 in Toronto, producer Jimmy Douglass has been a bona-fide hitmaker for four decades, having worked with everyone from ACDC to Jay-Z. Then, we speak with Allyson Baker, an Ontario native, about her San Fran-based outfit Dirty Ghosts, whose latest synth-punk encrusted LP, Let It Pretend, is available via Last Gang Records. Finally, we've got blues guitarist Juan Barbosa talking about his latest genre-mashing album, this year's Soulbot 6000.

Millions of people know Jill Hennessy from her starring roles on programs such as Crossing Jordan and Law & Order; however, her latest project is a musical album - her second, in fact - called I Do. The album showcases her storytelling abilities, blanketed in tasteful light rock and we delve into the release with Jill. Then, we have Saskatoon-based quartet Rosie & The Riveters, whose music, like everything else about them, pays homage to the '40s while simultaneously bringing attention to great causes anchored in women's rights. Finally, Toronto jazz vocalist Monica Chapman joins us to speak about her current and upcoming recordings, a special show at Toronto's Jazz Bistro, and the city's jazz community in general.

Ian Thornley, the man behind Big Wreck and Thornley, is dropping a solo release called Secrets under the moniker Ian Fletcher Thornley on Oct. 30th, showcasing a raw, intimate side of this Can-rock icon. We chat about the project and other things he has on the go. Keeping it rock, we also have Toronto's Poor Young Things, whose EP Force of Nature is dropping via Noisemaker/Pheromone on Oct. 9th. Produced by Gus Van Go and Werner F, it delivers euphoric guitar pop from this on-the-rise quintet.

Canadian guitarist, composer, and producer Jesse Cook joins us to chat about his chart-topping latest release, One World, and his subsequent performances in support of it. Join us as Mike gets candid with the JUNO winner. Also on the show is Emilie & Ogden, the collaboration of songwriter and vocalist Emilie Kahn and her harp. Her traditional folk sound, accompanied by drums, bass, and electronic elements, draws comparisons to the likes of Feist and St-Vincent.

Luke Lalonde of Born Ruffians joins us to chat about the Toronto indie stalwarts' upcoming album RUFF, dropping Oct. 2nd through Paper Bag Records. There are also some cool promo initiatives surrounding the release, and we get the inside take on those. As for The Sole Pursuit, after scrapping an entire album over conflicts with a former manager, the band came back swinging with the release of their debut LP, Infinite Regress. We catch up with frontman Kyle Dawe during the band's east coast swing.

It's been awhile since anyone has heard from The Dears, at least formally, but band frontman Murray Lightburn joins us to talk about the group's upcoming release, Times Infinity Volume One, plus their 20 years together. We've also got Canadian country artist Wes Mack on the show. Fans might recognize him from his TV roles in Smallville and Heartland, but in addition to his screen appearances, Wes has been gaining popularity as an artist and is set to drop his debut LP, Edge of the Storm, through Universal Music Canada.

Joining us this week is Adam Gontier of Saint Asonia. After spending over two decades fronting Three Days Grace, he's now joined in Saint Asonia by current and former members of bands like Staind, Finger Eleven, Stereomud, and more. Their self-titled LP has been turning heads and it likely won't be long before these guys are headlining arenas. Then, we catch up with Ryan Blake of The Road Heavy just in advance of the band's Devil's Grin tour through the Maritimes. The last time the band hit that market, it was in support of GnR alum Gilby Clarke. Also on the show is Toronto's The Joy Arson, who recently took part in the "comeback edition" of Generation Next Live, presented by Canadian Musician and 94.9 The Rock.

This week, we catch up with Young Empires bassist Jake Palahnuk about the band's highly anticipated new album "The Gates," set to drop Sept. 4th. It's the follow-up to the hugely successful and well-reviewed breakout EP, "Wake All My Youth." And fresh from a trek overseas, we've got Montreal's Katie Moore. She's well-known for her first two LPs and collaborations with the likes of Patrick Watson and Plants & Animals and returns with her new LP, "Fooled by the Fun."

Kenny Bridges of Moneen joins us this week, speaking about the band's reunion for a few summer shows as well as his solo output as Br/dges, which offers a different sound from what people may have come to expect. Also, Canadian country artist Steve Rivers talks about his latest album, No Boundaries, as well as his experiences in Nashville thus far and what's keeping him busy this summer.

The Tea Party are set to reissue The Edges of Twilight in advance of their upcoming Canadian tour. We chat with the band about their longevity and what fans can expect from the upcoming dates. We also have Halifax's The Stanfields, who will cap off a busy summer of performances with their new album, Modem Operandi - a nice mix of boistrous rock and traditional Maritime music. Finally, PhemPhat's Ebonnie Rowe chats with us ahead of the 20th anniversary of the Honey Jam Showcase, looking back on the legacy of this empowering event and what's in store for 2015.

Dean Brody and Paul Brandt. Two names synonymous with Canadian country. They're getting ready to hit the road this fall on the Road Trip Tour, and we've got both of them on the show. Dean chats about his latest release, Gypsy Road, which has already amassed a bunch of CCMA Award nods, while Paul speaks about his latest four singles and a special upcoming vinyl release that will defnitely appeal to die-hard fans. Plus, we've got Calgary artist Raghav, whose single "Until the Sun Comes Up," featuring Nelly, supports good vibes and a good cause.

It's been five years since Finger Eleven dropped Life Goes Electric, so a lot of people - us included - are pretty excited for the release of Five Crooked Lines at the end of July. For this one, guitarist James Black tells Canadian Musician Radio the idea was to go back to basics and capture the essense that the band exudes from the stage. We've also got Toronto vocal powerhouse SATE on the show. After having sung backup for many of Canada's top artists, she's breaking out with a fresh sound of her own - rooted in blues, punk, rock, RnB, and a lot more. Lastly, our Canadian Artist Spotlight Song of the Week is "All of Me" from Calgary's Open Sails.

This week, we've got feature interviews with country singer Jason Benoit and jazz guitarist Thomas Carbou in addition to some interesting figures from Nielsen Soundscan on the state of the Canadian music industry halfway into 2015. Benoit was recently announced as the winner of the CCMA's Atlantic Canada Discovery Program, only to be nominated for the Rising Star Award of the 2015 CCMAs weeks later. It's been a busy summer for the native Newfoundlander, and we talk about his success thus far and how his singles like "Gone Long Gone" came together. As for Carbou, Mike spoke with him ahead of a performance at the 2015 Montreal International Jazz Festival. Named as one of Montreal's top guitarists to watch, his style is sure to impress. He and David Binney chat about some things they have underway. And don't miss our Canadian Spotlight Song of the Week from North Sydney, NS's City Walk. The track is called "Summer," and it's a great tune worthy of the season after which it's named.

This week's show features a great interview with the one and only Harry Manx from this year's edition of the Montreal International Jazz Festival. He and Mike have an insightful conversation about things past and present. Canadian Musician and GigSalad are presenting a free seminar in Toronto on July 18th called "How to Get Gigs that Pay Real Money." Among the panelists are GigSalad's Mark Steiner and Benjamin and Mia Hackett from Hamilton, ON-based duo Azalea. We've got all three here, speaking about their respective careers and sharing a few tips for artists looking to land some new, good-paying gigs. http://canadianmusician.com/realmoney

This week's show features a pair of artist interviews from the 2015 Montreal International Jazz Festival alongside a CM Academy chat with Roni Feldman of Roni Feldman and Associates, a meeting and event planning firm, talking about some unique opportunities for musicians. Molly Johnson is a member of the Order of Canada, heralded for both her music and philanthropy. Mike speaks with the icon about her career, current happenings, and much more prior to her sold-out performance at Club Soda. Ross Burns of Gypsophilia sits down with Mike during the same event to talk about the band's eclectic style and a lot more. Finally, a panelist at Canadian Musician's upcoming seminar, "How to Get Gigs that Pay Real Money," Roni Feldman shares insight into great-paying opportunities for musicians and what they can do to land and make the most of them.

Happy Canada Day! We've got something of a stacked lineup for this week's show, featuring a trio of interviews from the recently-wrapped NXNE 2015, plus a spokesman for this year's edition of RBC Ottawa Bluesfest. On the ground in Toronto, Mike had a chance to catch up with Toronto industrial punk-gazers Odonis Odonis, Nova Scotia folksmith Ben Caplan, and singer-songwriter Devin Cuddy of his namesake trio. Also, Mark Monahan, the executive/artistic producer of the annual RBC Ottawa Bluesfest, talks about this year's lineup, their focus on nurturing local talent, and a lot more.

Canadian Musician Radio is nothing if not diverse, and this week's show is proof. Canadian hip-hop pioneer Saukrates speaks with Mike prior to his performance at Burlington's Sound of Music Festival about what he's currently got on the go, the state of Canadian hip-hop, and a lot more. We've also got songwriter and producer Murray Daigle of MDS Recording, speaking primarily about the composition of "Together We Are One, the official anthem of the 2015 PanAm Games kicking off in Toronto in July. Finally, we've got Laurent Saulnier, the VP of programming and production for the Montreal International Jazz Festival telling us all about the 36th edition of the fest and some of its behind-the-scenes happenings.

Welcome to a relatively diverse episode of Canadian Musician Radio. Joining us this week is Esma, a Toronto-based pop artist who's been turning plenty of heads in the last few years. She's shared stages with some monsters like Jadakiss, Jay Sean, and LMFAO and worked alongside some top producers from the hip-hop realm, including Fingaz (Snoop Dogg) and fellow Canuck Rich Kidd (Drake, Busta Rhymes). We'll chat about her current projects and some tips for networking and navigating the industry. We've also got Matt Epp, the Winnipeg-born, Toronto-based singer-songwriter whose latest album, Ready In Time, marks a sonic departure from his more folk-inspired back catalogue. We talk about his work with producer Rusty Matyas (The Waking Eyes, Imaginary Cities) and some of the other things on the horizon. Finally, we have Aldo Mazza, the man behind KoSA, a Montreal-based percussion institution celebrating the 20th edition of its annual Workshop, Fetsival, and Camp in July. We talk about his history with the organization and some of the initiatives planned for the future.

If you’re a country music fan, this is the episode for you. We’ve got a big slate of four country artists this week. We kick things off with Alessia Cohle, who has been chosen as the first featured artist as part of Steve’s Music and the Boots & Bourbon Saloon’s “Steve’s Supports Country” campaign. Alessia is about to release her debut EP, Let’s Get Gone, and her first single, “Sunday Shoes,” is making waves on radio. Next up with Paul Malysa who won CM’s CMAO Road to Independence Sweepstakes. Paul talks to Andrew about his experience and lessons from the conference as well as his own music career. To close out the show, we have one rising star and one established star of country music that are currently on the road together on the Outlaws & Outsiders Tour. Cory Marquardt tells Mike how he went from being a junior hockey player and a fighter jet pilot in training to playing in front of thousands of music fans opening for Toby Keith and working with some of Nashville's biggest writers and producers. Aaron Pritchett has been one of the genre’s most consistent hit makers over the past 15 years or so, with such songs as “Hold My Beer,” “Big Wheel,” “Let’s Get Rowdy,” which have all been gathered together in his new greatest hits collection, Body of Work. Our Canadian Spotlight Song of the Week is “Madly, Deeply” by Toronto-based country artist Melonie Ungar.

After the usual bits and news from around the industry, including an audio clip in which Randy Bachman definitively proves what the infamous opening chord is to The Beatles' “A Hard Day’s Night,” we kick off the interviews with The Road Heavy’s Ryan Blake, who joins Andrew on the phone from Nashville where the band is currently recording. Also, we have the last of our Canadian Music Week interviews, this one with Luke Austin of the Toronto-based Luke Austin Band. Luke discusses recording in Nashville with producer Vance Powell, visiting Third Man Records, touring on a train made famous by the Grateful Dead and Janis Joplin in the film Festival Express, and more. Lastly, we have Mercedes Arn-Horn of Courage My Love. The band has been up to a lot since being on the cover of Canadian Musician magazine a couple years ago. They’ve just re-issue their EP “Becoming” and are hard at work writing and recording their next album. Our Canadian Spotlight Song of the Week is “Joey Ramone” by Montreal’s The Magic Man.

We've made it - our final Best of CMW episode, featuring a pop-tastic trio of artist interviews plus an insightful CM Academy session. Join us as Mike and Katlyn check in with currently-exploding fashion-art rock outfit Palaye Royale, "Don't Fight The Music" man Virginia to Vegas, and London alt-pop trio Ivory Hours. Plus, Mike Tanner, Toronto's Music Sector Develpment Officer, talks about some exciting things currently underway for the live music industry in Toronto - and how some of their practices can benefit other centres.

For the first time in a long time, it's both Mike and Andrew at the mic taking you through this week's episode. It's also the second of three "Best of CMW" episodes, this one focusing on some of the indie rockers we caught up with during this year's festival. Our pal Katlyn speaks with Montreal dream pop trio Caveboy and 2015 ECMA Album of the Year winners In-Flight Safety while Mike sits down with Saskatoon's Slow Down Molasses and Erin Benjamin of Live Music Canada. Plus, we'll also hear the track "Smile" from Moncton's Open Strum in our Canadian Spotlight. Check back next week for the final CMW installment, featuring the likes of Palaye Royale, Virginia to Vegas, and more.

This is the first of our Best of CMW episodes, and I suppose this one could unofficially be called the Dine Alone Records round-up. Dine Alone is celebrating its 10 year anniversary this year, and as such, founder Joel Carriere anchored a special panel during the conference to talk about the ups and downs of the last decade in the label game. Mike caught up with him before the round table to talk shop, and it's a great interview. For musical artists, we've got both Monster Truck and Single Mothers on this weeks show - both blowing up, both Dine Alone bands. The former is working on the follow-up to 2013's hugely successful Furiosity while Single Mothers are still riding the attention surrounding their debut, Negative Qualities. We've also got the boys in Billy Talent, who may not be a Dine Alone band, but considering their history with the likes of Alexisonfire, Moneen, Cancer Bats, and the gang, could be considered extended family. Plenty more from CMW coming up. Enjoy!

We've got plenty of Canadian Music Week content coming your way in the next few weeks, but this is where it all starts. Our two musical interviewees - Halifax rock outfit Gloryhound and Hamilton, ON songstress Terra Lightfoot - are performing at this year's edition of CMW. The former dropped their latest disc, Loaded Gun, produced by the one and only Garth Richardson (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rage Against The Machine), last year, and since they've hit the road with the likes of Deep Purple, Theory of a Deadman, and many more top-tier touring acts. As for Lightfoot, in addition to her work with Dinner Belles, she's been amassing plenty of attention for her solo material and is directly supporting Daniel Lanois at his sure-to-sell-out CMW showcase at the iconic Horseshoe Tavern. Keep an eye for both. And finally, to prep us for the big closing weekend of CMW, we speak with festival director Justin Kwan about the new and special initiatives planned for this year's edition. Enjoy!

It's a pleasure having I Mother Earth's Brian Byrne on the show, especially since we get to chat about the band's upcoming appearance at the Unison Jam on May 6th at the Phoenix Concert Theatre. The money raised during the initiative, which also features the likes of Finger Eleven, Kim Mitchell, k-os, Jason McCoy, The Trews, and many others, will go to the Unison Benevolent Fund and help those in the music industry during their time of need. As for IME, they're currently promoting their hot new single, "The Devil's Engine" at radio. Fans will also have a chance to hear it from the stage during some summer performances, including a slot at WTFest in Brantford, ON on June 13th. We also have singer/songwriter/guitarist Salvatore Costa on the show, speaking about his project Smashing Satellites. The band's EP debut, SonicAluzion A-Side, dropped last fall and the buzz has been building quickly. Smashing Satellites is taking part in the May 8th edition of Generation Next Live during Canadian Music Week. We'll chat about the show and the band's impressive success of late.

Welcome! We're stoked to have Joel Plaskett back on the show, this time discussing his most recent release, Joel Plaskett & The Park Avenue Sobriety Test. It touches on his solo acoustic side, his guitar rock work with the Emergency, his happy-go-lucky rhyming talents, carefree memories of growing up in Nova Scotia, and a little bit of anger at the forces making life tougher these days. There are many moments that draw on previous classic Plaskett, from beloved albums such as Three and Ashtray Rock, right back to his Thrush Hermit days. And there are new sides to his sounds as well – Joel like you’ve never heard him. Of course, we'll also have our Canadian Spotlight Song of the Week, which comes to us courtesy of Kaylan Mackinnon.

Montreal's Suuns are dropping their latest project, titled Suuns and Jerusalem in My Heart, on April 14th. These seven songs are the result of a seven-day studio stint in which the four members of Suuns and Jerusalem in My Heart's Radwan Ghazi Moumneh set out to make and record music with no preconceived notions of what might come out. We speak with Suuns guitarist/bassist Joe Yarmush about the collaboration as well as the upcoming release from Suuns themselves, expected early 2016. DIlshad Burman is the award-winning host of V-MIX. Airing Tuesdays on Omni 2, V-MIX is Canada’s first national TV show covering contemporary South Asian artists and music videos, while also providing indie Canadian musicians and amateur performers a platform to showcase themselves. Some of the celebrities featured on V-MIX have included Panjabi MC, Black Eyed Peas, Snoop Dogg, Lil’ Jon, Karl Wolf, Moby and many more. We'll chat about how bands can make their most of a TV appearance and much more.

This is a fun one. Mike dropped into Revolution Recording in Toronto, where Billy Talent guitarist Ian D'Sa was in the producer's chair while Australian rockers The Lazys were on the other side of the glass. Mike had a chance to sit down with them between sessions to chat about the project, production work, and get some updates from Billy Talent as well. We'll also hear about a great initiative called Guitars 4 VETS. The name is self-explanitory and it's a great cause we can all get behind. Of course, we'll also have the usual Canadian music industry round-up and our Canadian Spotlight song of the week, submitted as always via Reverbnation.

Another big show this week, with back-to-back episodes featuring four interviewees. Secret City Records' Daniel Isaiah discusses his latest work, Come Into Gone. Though Isaiah has spent considerable time in Europe and the U.S., and is known in some circles as much for his award-winning short films (under the name Daniel Schachter), CIG is a distinctly local work. The new album was written in his cozy Mile End flat, in a 10-foot by 10-foot room with a perfect view of Mont-Royal, and a little piano in it hauled over from Halifax, on which many of the songs were composed. Isaiah had never taken this approach before, but through it he found chords that he wouldn’t have on his usual guitar. And though writing the songs took considerable time, not much rehearsing or preparation went into recording them. The looseness of the recordings works so well precisely because the songs are so well crafted. We also catch up with 3/4 of the bill for the April 2nd edition of Generation Next Live at The Phoenix in Toronto in electro-rock four-piece DLV, alt quartet The Control Room, and upbeat indie pop trio Goodnight, Sunrise. (Rebel Hero, the fourth band on the bill, was on last week's show.) If you're in the Toronto area, consider checking it out. www.generationnextlive.com.

Lots to talk about in this episode, with four - yep, four - interviewees. Thomas D'Arcy's latest full-length, Fooled You Twice, dropped in early March and since, it's been getting a lot of positive attention. New Canadian Music, for example, said, "Pop craftsman Thomas D'Arcy is at his melodic and catchy best on second solo record Fooled You Twice." Mike chats with Thomas about the album and a lot more. Luke Nicholson's Frantic City is his most poignant album to date. Having written the majority of material for this record while touring away from his new born daughter, one can hear the love, and maturity in both his lyrics and delivery. He's also launched an interesting new contest we'll chat about. Mike also catches up with Toronto's Rebel Hero, a funk-rock trio with an impressive resume that's taking part in the April 4, 2015 edition of Generation Next Live at the Phoenix. Finally, we speak with musician, engineer, producer, and studio owner Mike Saracino about his new initiative, The Globe Series, which takes him around the world to record on-the-rise musicians and spawn international collaborations.

Eighteen years. Twelve albums. Two gold records. Thirty-plus transatlantic treks. Fifteen Top 40 singles. Arena tours across 11 countries with Guns N Roses. A video trilogy starring Elijah Wood and Ralph Macchio. A feature- length documentary. An oral-history biography. Personal invites from Lemmy to join Motörhead on the road (and on water, for the 2014 Motörboat cruise). For most bands, that would amount to a hell of a career. For Toronto trio Danko Jones, it’s called “warming up." The band is fresh from the release of Fire Music, produced by Eric Ratz (Billy Talent, Monster Truck, Metric) and featuring 11 fresh tracks, and is now amidst a slew of global dates. As for Faith Healer, led by principal songwriter Jessica Jalbert, following the success of 2011’s self-released solo debut, Brother Loyola, the introspective songwriter set to work on penning another collection of inward looking dream pop played with laid back bravado. Engineered under the masterful watch of whip-smart producer—and fellow Mintie—Renny Wilson, the two bonded over their mutual affection for dreamy ‘60s garage rock and swaggering ‘70s singles while in the studio. Hinting at a slightly spacier sound, Cosmic Troubles will arrive March 31st. Finally, CM contributor Michael Saracino speaks about his new initiative, The Globe Series, which finds the musician and producer travelling to different cities around the world - from Vancouver to Sydney, New York to London - filming local songwriters and aiding in their long-distance collaborations.

Two duos and a trio on this week's show, and all from the west coast. Humans create indie-electronic music that also possesses a distinct darkness to it. Focusing on the performance ideals of modern greats like LCD Soundsystem or Jamie XX, Humans are able to impress audiophiles with their technical skills while still stirring up action on the dancefloor. The band is gearing up for a big year, with some major festival dates already announced. Since their debut EP in 2012, Calgary’s High Kicks have been steadily building a following around their lively, stripped down live set. While the duo of Danny and Matt could easily get by on teen dream/heartthrob status alone, they instead have taken it upon themselves to prove that there's still a place in Calgary's heart for true rock 'n' roll. Finally, Edmonton's White Lightining are fresh from the release of their EP 1979, produced with Howard Redekopp. We'll chat about the sonic shift between their debut full-length and latest EP and what's in store for 2015.

Grand Analog is a raw collective of seasoned record collectors, musicians, and self-described beat junkies with music described as “a beautiful mess of rap’n’roll, dub, and soul.” Their latest release, 2013's Modern Thunder received critical acclaim upon its release and led to the band signing with Jillionaire of Major Lazer's new label, Feel Up Records. As for The Good Boys, this three-piece focuses on music’s golden past by nurturing the sounds and aesthetics of early innovators like The Beatles and The Beach Boys. The Good Boys celebrate a time when a dapper group of men dressed in suit jackets and neckties could turn a room of well-behaved teenagers into a teeming frenzy.

We're all about Generation Next Live (http://generationnextlive.com) on this week's show, which features interviews with The Mohrs, The Rathburns, and Dead Projectionists. All three bands are set to take place in the March 5th edition of GNL, happening at The Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto. The Mohrs' latest is called "Kings Of Nowhere," produced in rural Ontario at Hawksley Workman's studio with the man himself. As for The Rathburns, they'll be releasing their upcoming EP at this very show. There are plenty of video teasers online to get you caught up.. Finally, the Dead Projectionists just signed on with The Agency Group and relaunched their website in anticipation of what's sure to be a good year.

There's Magic! in the air and on the airwaves this week, as we speak with band frontman Nasri about the band's hugely successful year, including their pack-leading five JUNO Award nominees. This will be a bit of a preview of our full feature story on the band in our March/April 2015 issue. Also, we'll be speaking with Beautiful Nothing about their self-titled album, knack for creating cool videos, and their slot on the Generation Next Live showcase on March 5, 2015.

Prince Edward Island is in the spotlight this week on Canadian Musician Radio, as we have two huge talents from Canada's smallest province. Catherine MacLellan has had an impressive month, being nominated for a pair of JUNO Awards along with some nods for the 2015 East Coast Music Awards on the success of her independently-released latest album, Raven's Sun. We'll speak about the release and the accolades it has garnered, along with what she's currently got on the go. Also, we'll speak with fellow Islander Tim Chaisson about the upcoming Canadian release of his new LP, Lost in Light. Tim's fresh from yet anouther successful tour of Australia - his sixth in the last few years - and has a number of Canadian dates on the horizon.

This one should be fun... Limblifter is back with in 2015 with Pacific Milk, their fourth full-length effort - and first in over a decade. The album lives up to the Limblifter name, with the snappy hooks and engaging alt-rock melodies fans have come to expect plus some itneresting sonic progression. We'll speak with frontman Ryan Dahle about this latest effort and how it fits in with the band's back catalogue. Also, we have Toronto's Highs on this episode. They've turned a lot of heads with just a single EP to their name. Fresh off of a tour of Canada's east coast, Mike speaks with the band about their current happenings and future aspirations.

This week on CM Radio we have one of the true legends of rock and roll, Randy Bachman. Bachman, of course, rose to international prominence as one of the leaders of The Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive, writing countless hits across multiple decades, including "These Eyes," "American Woman," and "Takin’ Care of Business." He is now forging ahead into 2015 with a brand new project billed simply as BACHMAN. Joined by a virtuoso rhythm section with Anna Ruddick on bass and Dale Anne Brendan on drums, the trio’s debut effort, entitled Heavy Blues, will be available worldwide on April 15, 2015 through Linus Entertainment/eOne Music Canada. Before that, we will be speaking with two of the excellent bands that will be taking part in the second edition of Generation Next Live (www.GenerationNextLive.com). We have Ryan Abramowitz of The Unchained, an instrumental groove rock band from Toronto who is making a name for themselves for that stellar live show and for their latest project,Lost in the Music. As well, we have Ashley Curtis, lead singer of Affinity, another band gaining buzz in the Toronto live rock scene and a breakout act at last year’s Indie Week. Their excellent debut EP, Consequences Pt. 1, came out last year and Ashley says that have new material in the works that they will be showcasing at Generation Next Live on Feb. 5 at the Phoenix Concert Theatre.

We're thrilled to have Dallas Smith back on the show this week. Since we last spoke, Dallas's career has exploded on the back of his late-2014 release Lifted. Its debut single, "Wastin' Gas," has garnered plenty of attention, and we caught up with Dallas on the eastern leg of his most recent Canadian tour to chat about his last few months and what's on his horizon. Then, one of the bands announced for the second edition of Generation Next Live (http://generationnextlive.com) is Say Yes. Formed with former members of Alexisonfire, Jersey, and Saint Alvia, the trio has a hard-hitting brand of in-your-face alt rock that's sure to impress. We chat with the guys about what they've got slotted for 2015.

G'day, mates. This week, we're checking in with our pals in Paper Lions - the first-ever musical guests on Canadian Musician Radio back in 2013 - who are currently touring in the land down under. We'll chat with the band from the other side of the world about their first tour of Australia, some of the cool experiences they've had thus far, and more. And leading up to our first-ever edition of Generation Next Live, happening Jan 23rd at the Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto, we've got The Bleeding Lights and Breached, the latter of which is headlining the show as the official launch of their interactive music video which was shot at that very venue last year.

Happy New Year, everyone. Our first episode of 2015 is a special one, as we're bringing you all the details about a brand new initiatve from Canadian Musician in partnership with 94.9 The Rock and The Phoenix Concert Theatre. Generation Next Live is a unique concert series showcasing the best Canadian Indie bands. Each month, a team of industry experts will choose four new Indie acts to perform on the legendary Phoenix stage. Not only will this showcase give featured bands the chance to expand their following, connect with industry VIPs, and build a solid future for their talent, but it’s YOUR chance to support your favourite band as they build their groundwork in becoming the future of Canadian music. Get the details at http://generationnextlive.com. First, we'll chat with Redd from The Phoenix about the initiative itself and what people can expect from it over the course of 2015. Then, we'll have two of the four bands set to perform the inaugural show on January 23rd - Blind Race and Lost Cause.

Happy (soon to be) New Year! For our final episode of 2014, we're looking ahead to the next year of music by revisiting some of our interviews with artists that we think you'll be hearing a lot of in 2015. Tune in to hear snippets from our conversations with the likes of Alert the Medic, Dallas Smith, Kalle Mattson, Trinity Bradshaw, Ben Stevenson, High Valley, Kandle, and Dear Rouge. We appreciate your support and look forward to bringing you more great content in 2015, with our first post-holiday episode premiering on January 7, 2015.

Happy Holidays, folks. For our second-last episode of 2014, we're revisiting some of our favourite interviews from the past year of Canadian Musician Radio. Tune in to hear snippets from our conversations with Bruce Cockburn, Lights, Doc Walker, Karl Wolf, Moist, The New ographers, Serena Ryder, and Slash. We appreciate your support and look forward to bringing you more great content in 2015.

This week's show is our last regular episode of 2014, as Christmas Eve will be our "Best of Canadian Musician Radio 2014" edition, followed by our New Year's Eve "What's Hot for 2015" edition. Closing out 2014, we've got both Street Pharmacy and Trevor Guthrie on the program. Ryan Guay, the mind behind Street Pharmacy, is set to drop his next full-length, Pharmanomics, in early January 2015. The album takes influence from the worlds of reggae, rock, ska, and early hip hop and features collaborations with a cool list of producers, including ex-illScarlett members Johnny Doherty and Will Marr, Gavin Brown (Billy Talent, Metric), and Adam Tune (Keys N Krates). As for Trevor Guthrie, after first coming into the industry with soulDecision in the mid-'90s, the well-known songwriter and performer has seen his solo career take off since 2013, after he was featured on Armin van Buuren's track "This Is What It Feels Like" and Markus Schulz's "Until It's Gone." Mike catches up with Trevor about his current projects and what's in store for the new year.

We're bringing you three interesting interviews on this week's show, including a pre-show chat with synth-rock duo and Peak Performance Project winners Dear Rouge plus catch-ups with Justin Evans of MixGenius and Ian MacKay of Re:Sound. After signing with Universal Music Canada earlier this fall, Dear Rouge are getting set to drop their debut full-length, Black to Gold, in early 2015. The band had a great 2014, as in addition to the signing, they commaded attention and earned a heap of new fans through their energetic performaces on club and festival stages alike. Also, Mike catches up with Ian MacKay, the President of Re:Sound. Re:Sound represents and safeguards the rights of its artist and record companies and ensures that they are fairly compensated for the broadcast and public performance of their music in Canada. Especially topical in this talk are MacKay's comments on the future of music streaming royalties in Canada. And finally, Justin Evans of MixGenius speaks with Mike about the incoming paradigm for music production. Services like MixGenius provide instant audio production tools to help musicians on a budget add some impact to their output. Find out more about the company and what these services might mean for the industry.

Mike Raine had the chance to take in the 2014 edition of M for Montreal at the end of November, which featured a great lineup of bands - from last week's featured interviewees BadBadNotGood to the likes of July Talk, The Dying Arts, and more. In this week's edition, we've got interviews with many of those artists - The OBGMs, Betty Bonifassi, and Lydia Ainsworth - speaking to each about their time at the festival and other current affairs. Also in this episode, we speak with Brian Murray, the organizer of Guitar Workshop Plus. GWP offers sessions in Toronto, Vancouver, and for the first time next year, San Diego, where students of any skill level come together in a cool and relaxed environment to study guitar, bass, keyboards, drums, and voice. Each year, attendees get to learn from and interact with some of the world's most heralded musicians, including previous guest artists Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Rush's Alex Lifeson, and a whole lot more.

This is one for the musos. We've got interviews with two very talented, innovative, and remarkably unique acts - jazz/hip-hop crossover BadBadNotGood and the lively symphonic Sultans of String. BBNG is set to drop Sour Soul, a collaboration with the one-and-only Ghostface Killa of Wu Tang Clan, early in 2015. The band is amidst a string of festival dates, getting young music fans into what's traditionally been a niche genre thanks to a youthful energy and abandonment of genre limitations. (Last time I saw these guys, they had a room of a few hundred moshing - yes, moshing - to jazz music - Andrew) As for Sultans of String, they've got a string of high-profile shows coming up in late November, including a date at Toronto's pristine Koerner Hall. The group's latest release, Symphony!, is a cool project that involved a number of high-profile Canadian musicians, and we'll see how material from that will translate to the stage for these upcoming shows. Finally, we'll hear the latest about the National Music Centre in Calgary, including the construction of some state-of-the-art studio spaces.

It wasn't that long ago that we last had Roch Voisine on the show, but since then, the much-loved Canadian icon has released Movin' on Maybe, his first English album in 12 years. The album comes after a fairly busy summer for the artist, so Canadian Musician's Mike Raine speaks with Vosine about what's kept him busy in the interim, what fans can expect from his latest release, and more. www.rochvoisine.com As for Kandle, after a very successful cycle supporting her first EP, the young singer-songwriter has dropped her debut full-length, In Flames. We speak with the young artist about her musical growth between the two albums, growing up in a musical family, and more. www.kandlemusic.com Plus, don't miss the third edition of our Canadian Arist Spotlight.

A great double-header this week on Canadian Musician Radio. We've got High Valley, the hot Canadian country duo comprised of brothers Brad and Curtis Rempel. The group's latest release is County Line, which has earned comparisons to the likes of Rascal Flatts but also established these guys as a force to be reckoned with. www.highvalleymusic.com. Then, we've got Ontario-rooted rock outfit The Mandevilles, fresh off the release of Windows & Stones, produced by the one and only GGGarth Richradson (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rage Against The Machine). The record is full of soulful, powerful rock that harkens back to the masters like Tom Petty, The Boss, and Mellancamp but with a fresh twist. www.heymandevilles.com. And for a diverse trifecta, DJ Sara Simms speaks with CM Radio about her latest project, The Future Prophecy - a graphic novel and concept album series featuring DJs as the heroes and villains. The popular EDM performer will speak about the inspiration behind the project, some of the ways fans can get involved, and more. www.thefutureprophecy.com.

Please join us for this very special episode of Canadian Musician Radio, dedicated to the one and only Bruce Cockburn. A Canadian songwriting icon, Cockburn has just released his brand new limited edition box set, Rumours of Glory. Sequenced as a companion piece to his published memoirs, this limited edition 9-disc set includes 16 rare and previously unreleased songs along with Bruce’s first live DVD. It includes 117 songs, a previously unreleased live concert DVD filmed during three shows in 2008, and a 90+-page book featuring rare photos, extensive track information, and liner notes by Nicholas Jennings. We'll speak with the artist himself about his longevity in the industry, his approach to writing now as compared to that of his formative years, and a lot more. ALSO, as an Exclusive Offer for Canadian Musician fans, use the discount code CM15 and get 15 per cent off the Rumours of Glory Limited Edition Box Set by visiting: http://bit.ly/1wzwGzU.

Glory Under Dangerous Skies is the brand new record from Moist - their first together since 1999's Mercedes 5 and Dime, and man, is it ever good. We catch up with the band and talk about their decision to reunite, some of the new elements they've incorporated into their sound, and how they're going to win new fans while appeasing those that followed them religiously during their hayday. Then, we'll have Toronto's Ben Stevenson, whose debut EP, Dirty Laundry, drops Nov. 4th. While it may be Stevenson's first self-branded release, he's no stranger to the scene and has collaborated on productions with the likes of Boi-1da and Vinylz. We'll speak about his new release and the aspiration he has for his new solo venture.

This week, we're bringing you a special roundtable interview with the artists on the upcoming Bands On The Run Tour - Doc Walker, The Road Hammers, and Blackjack Billy. Doc Walker is dropping their eighth studio album - appropriately titled The 8th - on Oct. 21st, featuring the already-hit singles "That's How I Like It" and "Shake It Like It's Saturday Night." It's the band's first full-length without longtime member Murray Pulver, so we'll talk about readjusting to life on the road and how the new material will take shape on the stage. As for the Road Hammers, their record Wheels has been doing well since dropping earlier this year. Frontman Jason McCoy talks about some of the differences between performing as a member of the trio vs. his solo tours and a lot more. Noll Billings, vocalist with Blackjack Billy, also weighs in on the band's experiences in Canada thus far and what they're anticipating for this upcoming run with their friends. Finally, in CM Academy, we speak with James Boyle, the current executive director of the Halifax Pop Explosoin, who's getting ready for his first run at the helm. The lineup this year features acts like Against Me!, Danny Brown, and our Nov/Dec 2014 cover artists, Zeds Dead. We'll chat about what's going on leading up to this edition and what fans should be looking forward to.

Our post-Thanksgiving program (Canadian Thanksgiving, that is) features two great Canadian acts from different ends of the stylistic spectrum. Victoria Banks is fresh off the release of Indigo, her third studio album, a collection of songs stemming from bare-bones midnight recording sessions in her attic. In addition to her own multi-award-nominated releases, Banks is a staff songwriter at Nashville’s RareSpark Media Group with a catalogue that includes hits for the likes of Sara Evans, Jessica Simpson, One More Girl, Doc Walker, and Johnny Reid As for The Meds, the PEI-based rock outfit has been touring the country on the back of their debut full-length, South America. Theirs is a sound that blends easily-accessible mainstream rock with a folky, poetic vocal style and plenty of substance. The album was co-produced by Matt Mays and Colin MacDonald of The Trews.

Lights is back with her third full-length offering, Little Machines - a gleaming, groundbreaking, generously tuneful slab of brightly hued 21st-century techno-pop brimming with songs so immediate and timelessly pure of heart that they feel like old friends on delivery. We catch up with the singer to talk about her latest release and some of the things she's got on the go surrounding its release. We also have Amos the Transparent and the Luke Austin Band on the show. The former is dropping their LP, This Cold Escape, on Oct. 7th. The record is dubbed as a "loosely biographical rock opera" by the band, and it is one of the group’s most accessible and emotionally-bare releases to date. As for the Luke Austin Band, they've been earning accolades for their rowdy alt-rock sound with the kind of intensity and harmony that reminds people of musicians like Bruce Springsteen, Kings Of Leon, and The Killers. They've got an upcoming EP that will feature the hit "Long Road Home."

The one and only Kinnie Starr has just dropped her latest LP, From Far Away, via Aporia Records. We had the chance to speak with the longtime music maker, producer, advocate, and all-around artist about topics like our dwindling natural resources, her spot on Dr. David Suzuki's Blue Dot Tour, the struggle faced by First Nations people in Canada, and of course, how her music weaves it all together. Next is musician and author Robert Freeman. Classical music should be a vital part of our culture, yet too many orchestras and opera houses have closed down, and it has become increasingly difficult for students with a music degree to find work! As former director of three of North America's top music schools, Robert Freeman identifies what needs to be done to turn this around in his newly-released book, The Crisis of Classical Music in America.

This week's show is a bit of a stylistic roller coaster, featuring performer/songwriter John Southworth, Quebec-based hardcore outfit Obey the Brave, and Kingston rock quintet The Glorious Sons. Southworth is set to drop his latest LP, a double album called Niagara that's divided into a Canadian and American side, at the end of September. We speak about how the album took shape as well as some of his other artistic endavours and how they correlate. Obey The Brave, comprised of ex members of Blind Witness and Despised Icon, released their second full-length effort Salvation mid-September. We speak with vocalist Alex Erian about the band's progress since their debut, Young Blood, as well as the current state of the hardcore scene. Finally, the boys of Glorious Sons are fresh off the release of their debut full-length The Union, produced in tandem with John-Angus MacDonald of The Trews and the one and only Gavin Brown (Billy Talent, Three Days Grace). We get the scoop on the band's success thus far and some of their upcoming plans.

We're going international this week on Canadian Musician Radio, and who better to have on our first such program than the almighty Slash. With his single "World on Fire" setting rock charts ablaze, the iconic guitarist speaks with Andrew just one day following the release of the album of the same name - his latest solo offering with Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators. We'll talk about the record, his trademark guitar sound, and why Canada is so significant to his music career Also on the show is American folk/rock outfit Trampled by Turtles, who speak with Mike fresh off of the release of Wild Animals, their seventh studio offering. With traditional instrumentation and a fresh ear for contemporary melodies and hooks, the band has been racking up high-profile festival billings and plenty of industry attention in recent years.

Care Failure and the Die Mannequin boys are back with a new EP and its lead single, "Suckerpunch," makes it clear they mean business. We'll speak with Care and see what's coming up from Die Mannequin leading up to and following the EP's release later this month. We'll hear the song "Luv is Lonely" from LA's Shirley Levi in our International Artist Spotlight and fill you in a bit about Shirley's career thus far. Then, we also have Jenn Essiembre, Creative Manager with ole, the world's fastest-growing rights management company. She'll give us some insight into music publishing in 2014 along with some details on how an early-twentysomething comes out of school and lands a gig travelling from Toronto to L.A. with a hugely successful company.

It's indie pop week for Canadian Musician Radio, and we're reaching from sea to sea for this one. From BC, we've got both Prairie Cat and Shimming Stars, and then from PEI, we've got Coyote. We'll speak with all three about their recent and upcoming releases and see where the similarities and differences lie as far as their approach to writing, performing, and building a career in music. The brainchild of frontman and pricipal songwriter Cary Pratt, Prairie Cat is fresh off the release of Who Knows Where To Begin? The touring band features a few familiar faces from the west coast music community and we'll chat with Cary about his songs and how they come to life on the stage. As for Shimmering Stars, they're even fresher off the release of their second and latest LP, Bedrooms of the Nation. The album integrates elements from across the pop, noise, punk, and experimental spectrums - The Pixies, Flipper, Yo La Tengo, Women, and Nirvana running head into The Beach Boys, Phil Spector, and 50s/60s AM radio. Finally, the cats in Coyote have their first full-length dropping in the coming weeks, and in addition to the unique sound they've crafted, we'll speak about their adventures as a band thus far - which most recently included the theft and recovery of close to $10,000 worth of musical equipment.

We've got a great pair of aritst interviews this week, and they certainly contrast as far as musical styles go. First up, we bring you a conversation with on-the-rise country performer Trinity Bradshaw. A native of Prince Edward Island, Trinity now calls Calgary home and has been garnering a lot of attention and accolades of late. She's performed the Viper Room in LA, the Bluebird in Nashville, and major Canadian country festivals like the Cavendish Beach Music Festival, Big Valley Jamboree, Boots and Hearts, and Calgary Stampede. We'll speak to the Alberta CMA nominee about the year she's had and what's coming up on the horizon. Then, switching gears, we've got one of Canadian rock's hottest acts, Saskatoon's One Bad Son. Over the past couple of years, the band has had multiple radio hits, toured alongside Buckcherry, Three Days Grace, and Monster Truck, and is currently prepping for an upcoming Fall 2014 release. We'll chat about the progress on that and what fans can expect from the four-piece powerhouse.

We're back this week with an interview with Karl Wolf, the Lebanon-born, Montreal-based singer, songwriter, and producer who's just about to drop his fifth solo release, Stereotype. He's had a great few years riding the success of his last two releases, Nightlife and Finally Free, which spawned singles like "Afrika," "Hurting," and "Ghetto Love." We chat with him about the new album, some of his upcoming colloborations, wearing the hats of performer and producer simultaneously, and more. Also, Ottawa's Arboretum Festival has put together a killer lineup for its 2014 edition, featuring the likes of Kevin Drew, Constantines, Hilotrons, and Chad VanGaalen. We catch up with the organizers of this on-the-rise event and talk about the things that go into staging a production of this sort, along with the aspects that make Arboretum particularly unique.

Canadian rock outfit Theory of a Deadman are fresh from the July 29th release of their latest album, SaVages. Mike Raine had the chance to speak with frontman Tyler Connolly about the album, their progression over the years since releasing their self-titled debut in 2002, their success outside of Canada, and a lot more. And in CM Academy, we speak with Aaron Bethune, the author of the new book Musicpreneur: The Creative Approach To Making Money In Music. We'll speak about the book and some of the ideas in it. An early review from our friend Eric Alper at eOne Music Canada reads: "It's tempting, when you go into the music business, to think that all you have to do is write a great song. That certainly helps. It's also a necessity to know all aspects of the industry, so you're able to tackle any challenge you face. This book might just be all you'll need to read."

We're really glad to have Bahamas - aka Afie Jurvanen - on this week's show. Bahamas is set to release his third album, Bahamas is Afie, on August 18, 2014 via Universal Music Canada and Jack Johnson’s Brushfire Records worldwide. The album title even is a big part of the story here - a symbol of Afie taking ownership of the name Bahamas. It’s a self titled record of sorts, that for lack of a better term is kind of a revealing moment in his career which has come with some high acclaim both here in Canada and the US and overseas. The music is expansive, thoughtful, full of huge catchy hooks that are at the same time beautiful and a really fun listen. He also unleashes some incredible guitar playing to boot. Be sure to keep an eye for that... We've also got an interview with Nathan Gill, frontman of Charlottetown rock outfit The North Lakes, talking about the band's in-the-works third release. They've had a busy summer, performing tracks from 2012's stellar Grand Prix at fests like Evolve and Big Red Music Festival. And on that note, we also catch up with Jeff Squires and Alex Douglas, two of the organizers behind Big Red Music Festival, which this year brought massive acts like The Killers, Death Cab For Cutie, Marianas Trench, Sam Roberts Band, and Lights to Canada's smallest province. Join us for a quick peek behind the scenes of yet another great Canadian music event.

We're quite honoured to have Jack Long, the founder of Long & McQuade Musical Instruments, Yorkville Sound, and Traynor Amplification on this week's show - especially because, in addition to pioneering three brands that are probably recognizable to every musician in the country, was also just named to the Order of Canada for 2014 alongside peers like Rick Mercer and Chris Hadfield. We also have an interview with Halifax-based celtic rock outfit The Stanfields. The band's official video for "Hard Miles" was just released and they're about to embark on a fall tour, primarly covering their home province of Nova Scotia. They're a riotous live band and have contributed to Canadian Musician in the past, so we're happy to have caught up with them at the Toronto Urban Roots Festival to get a glimpse at what's coming up for their camp.

Another Wednesday, another edition of Canadian Musician Radio. With all of these great summer festivals and tours, we've been able to deliver a heap of artist interviews, and this week is no different. Join us as we catch up with Juno-winning six-piece "folk popgrass" outfit The Strumbellas, singer-songwriter Astrid Young (also the half-sister of the one and only Neil), and Ryan McCambridge. The Strumbellas are playing summer festivals across Canada and the U.S. this summer, continuing to promote the sophomore album, We Still Move Dance Floors. While its predecessor, My Father and the Hunter, was nominated for a Juno Award for Roots & Traditional Album of the Year in 2013,We Still Move Dance Floors actually took the trophy earlier in 2014 and was recently long-listed for the 2014 Polaris Music Prize. They're more focused than ever now, and we'll find out why. Musician, composer, actor, author screenwriter, and sommelier Astrid Young released her fourth solo record, One Night at Giant Rock, at the end of June. In a special performance, Young is kicking off her "psychedelic acid folk" tour in southern Ontario in late July and will work her way west. The album, featuring Victor DeLorenzo of the Violent Femmes is a collection of songs that reflect her personal discovery of the karmic meaning of all her relationships. She speaks about the long gaps between records, some of her other musical endeavors, and more. Finally, in addition to being a studio engineer who's been the right hand man of producer/engineer David Bottrill (Peter Gabriel, Tool, Dream Theater), Ryan McCambridge has been making music under the moniker of A Calmer Collision. We talk about the sonic balance he's struck between modern rock and electronica as well as how his experience in the studio informs his work as a musician and more.

So many great live music festivals and events happening this summer from coast-to-coast has seemingly translated to an overload of artist interviews on Canadian Musician Radio. This week, we speak with three highly-touted acts from rather different scenes: Halifax-based troubadour Adam Baldwin, Montreal folk quartet The Barr Brothers, and riff-driven rock duo PS I Love You. Andrew caught up with Baldwin just before his (terrific) performance at Charlottetown's Big Red Festival while Mike had a chance to speak with the other two during the 2014 run of NXNE. Of course, Andrew and Mike will also have a run-through of the latest news from in and around the Canadian and international music industries. We look forward to having you join us!

Canadian Musician's Mike Raine was on the ground for NXNE 2014 earlier in the month, and from that, we're pleased to bring you another show full of artist interviews. First, Mike speaks with Montreal-based songwriter Ian Kelly, whose latest release, All These Lines, has benefitted from widespread acclaim. Take a look at the year he's had and what's in store for the rest of 2014. Then, we'll speak with recently-announced Polairs Prize long-lister Kalle Mattson (it's pronounced Kale), who had actually just received the Polaris news minutes before sitting down with Mike. The Ottawa resident's Someday, the Moon Will Be Gold is a thing of brilliance and its first single, Pick Me Up, is a perfect summer jingle. Expect plenty more from this young man in the near future. Finally, we're happy to bring you an exclusive interview with The Wilderness of Manitoba. They dropped The Leslieville Sessions EP last year and are currently busy prepping something new, so we tried to get some insight into what fans can expect. That and a whole lot more...

This week on Canadian Musician Radio, we're very excited to chat with Serena Ryder, whose career has exploded in the last year and a half following the release of her mega-selling fifth LP, Harmony. The album went platinum in Canada and spawned two massive singles in "Stompa" and "What I Wouldn't Do." Earlier this year, Serena earned Artist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year honours at the JUNO Awards, which she also co-hosted. Talking to Mike, Serena looks back on the whirlwind year she just had, how expanding her sound beyond to her folk roots led to her success, and what she has in the works as a follow-up to Harmony. Meanwhile, Andrew caught up with Paul Luftenegger, who has finished recording a huge project and album titled Diamond Light with Arun Chaturvedi. Paul uses his music to promote peace, love, and harmony and has worked very closely and continues to be a guest speaker and volunteer/contributor with the 'Canadian Mental Health Association' (CMHA). Paul has been a featured singer/songwriter by Songwriters Association of Canada for his work with Suicide Awareness and Social Change Songwriting. His career also includes partnering with international charities to advance social awareness issues advancing equality and human rights for all people of our World. Paul has also been honoured by Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne for his work with Suicide Awareness. Finally, while at the Sound of Music Festival in Burlington, ON, Mike spoke with the girls in The Beaches. Despite just getting out of high school, The Beaches of been generating some huge review and industry buzz for their brand of no-holds-barred garage rock. The Beaches have charged into 2014 all guitars blazing with a three week tour of the UK supporting ex Distillers front woman Brody Dalle, and the release of their second EP, Heights, which was released on May 5th.

We're all about the music this week. We've got three artist interviews lined up for the show, and they couldn't be more diverse. First, we'll chat with Toronto-based performer-songwriter Patrick Ballantyne. In addition to being a past CM contributor, Patrick has co-writing credits on successful tracks by the likes of Big Sugar and The Trews. Earlier this month, he released his latest solo collection called Days of Rain. We speak with Patrick about his songwriting success, how this album fits into his body of work, and a lot more. A former member of BKS and Love Inc., Simone Denny is a powerhouse vocalist in the pop/dance/house realm. She's fresh off the release of "Your Love Fades Away" - the first single from her solo album "The Stereo Dynamite Sessions, Vol. 1." We'll chat about her career to date and how that's led her to where she is now. Finally, we're stoked to have Dave1 from hugely successful Canadian electro-funk duo Chromeo on the show. He'll be speaking about the band's latest full-length release, "White Women," how the Internet has contributed to their success, and their plans for global domniation.

Our pals in The New P0rnographers (that's a zero to try and fool BlogTalkRadio's automatic sensor) are back with a new record, set to drop late August. It's called Brill Bruisers, and we're more than excited to have the band's frontman, Carl Newman, on the program to talk about the band's fifth full length. The band has a fall headlining tour across North America on the books, though that follows a few summer festival dates - some of which are north of the 49th, like Pemberton, Riot Fest, and Sonic Boom. Can't wait to have some new tunes from these guys, though "Together" is still holding us over... Also, we've got both Luci Tremblay, Communications Manager, and Louis Bellavance, Program Director, from the Quebec City Summer Festival (Festival d'ete de Quebec) speaking about all the work that goes in to pulling off this massive event each year. The 2014 edition is running for 11 days and features headliners like Lady Gaga, Billy Joel, The Killers, Bryan Adams, Journey, Queens of the Stone Age, and deadmau5, to name just a few.m

We promised plenty of summer festival-themed content for June, and we're starting off on a high note with this week's show. Three Days Grace have a new album in the works, but will be spending part of the summer headlining major festivals like the Quebec City Summer Festival, Heavy MTL, and more. We'll chat about what fans might expect from their set lists, how the transition with new vocalist Matt Walst is treating them, and more. Then, in CM Academy, we'll be speaking with Haydn Watters - one of three organizers of Riverfest in Elora, ON. The musical lineup for this year is quite exciting, with the likes of Blue Rodeo, Serena Ryder, Arkells, Charles Bradley, Dan Mangan, Elliott Brood, and Young Galaxy all taking part. What's more impressive, though, is how much the event has grown in stature since even just last year. Haydn will fill us in on the behind-the-scenes efforts that go into organizing and logistically planning this kind of event. Sure to be insightful for anyone in live even production.

We're proud to be doing our rock and roll duty with this week's show. Mike has a chance to chat with the one and only Kim Mitchell - songwriter, killer guitar player, radio host, and a whole lot more. His latest release is 2007's Ain't Life Amazing (it is), though he's out on the road right now for a string of dates and you can hear him regularly on Q107. One particularly funny anecdote involves the ever-talked-about Bob Dylan. Tune in for that. Then, in the return of CM Academy, we'll speak with Aaron Jensen, the artistic director behind the third annual edition of Sing! The Toronto Vocal Arts Festival. Acts like The Nylons, The Kinsey Sicks, Alan Frew of Glass Tiger, Dan Hill, and many others are part of the programming, which includes not only a capella performances, but also daily workshops on vocal technique, the busienss of music, and more.

We had so much great content from Canadian Music Week that we figured we'd double down and bring you another best-of full of interviews from this year's showcasing artists. This time around, we've got on-the-rise rock trio The Balconies, BC-based folkies Good for Grapes, country singer Jason Hastie, bouncy indie pop outfit BESTiE, and Toronto newcomers The Cruelty Party, featuring Alphonse Alixander Lanza III of Azari & III. There's something for everyone, musically speaking, plus all the goods from around the industry - including more summer festival talk. (This summer is going to be an absolute blast for music fans.)

We're fresh off of a great run at Canadian Music Week 2014, where Canadian Musician had the chance to take in plenty of panels and sessions during the day and musical showcases at night. We also connected with a slew of the artists performing during the 2014 festival, and are happy to bring you some highlights of those interviews in this week's show. We'll check in with the likes of Magic!, Gloryhound, The Flatliners, Kristina Maria, T.Nile, and more, plus share some highlights from the event and give you a run down of the latest industry news from across the country and the world.

This week's show happens to coincide with the 2014 edition of Canadian Music Week, which is set to take over Toronto with some performances by massive acts like City & Colour, M.I.A., Tegan and Sara, and a whole lot more. Our first guest, taking the floor for CM Academy, is Luther Mallory of BandLimbo.com. A musician, artist manager, label owner, and a whole lot of other things, Luther launched Band Limbo just a few weeks ago to offer practical, real-world advice for independent artists to help them navigate the ever-changing industry. His latest post is actually a short little rant for bands looking to make an impact at CMW 2014. Our feature artist interview this week comes from a CMW showcase artist, Sony Music Canada's Current Swell. The Victoria, BC-born indie rock outfit JUST dropped their fifth studio album, Ulysses, on May 6th, and it's already made an impressive impact. Mike speaks with the band about the project and where they're headed for 2014. Cheers to a successful Canadian Music Week; we'll be back in coming weeks with plenty of content from the Canadian music industry's Mecca.

You may remember the three smiling faces of our pals in Courage My Love from our July/August 2013 cover. We took a risk putting an up-and-coming band front-and-centre, but our staff and contributors have a lot of faith that this young trio is armed with all of the goods - talent, drive, and business savvy - to make a real impact in the Canadian music industry. They've done right by themselves (and us) since then, landing a JUNO nod for New Group of the Year, landing some dates on the almighty Vans Warped Tour, and released their EP "Becoming" through Warner Music Canada. We'll talk about what's next for the band, leading up to the release of their full-length, which is sure to elevate them to another new plateau. We also have eOne Music Canada's Secret Broadcast, whose new LP "Filthy Souls" was recorded at Robert Lang Studios in Seattle, WA with Grammy Award-winning Producer Adam Kasper (Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age, Nirvana) and mastered by Bob Ludwig (David Bowie, Paul McCartney, Rolling Stones). That interview culminates in an exclusive performance of the band's song "More Than Friends." Tune in and give it a listen.

Greetings, and thanks for checking us out. This week, we're happy to bring you a special interview with a true Canadian music icon, Roch Voisine. He's fresh off of the release of an all-English greatest hits collection, "My Very Best," which also features four new tracks, including "Living Out My Dreams" - the Canadian Olympic Committee's anthem for the 2014 Winter Games. His career of entertaining audiences in two languages spans more than 25 years, so Mike had plenty to ask about during their conversation. Also, we've got Anthem/SRO Management's Tyler Tasson on the episode. She works closely with acts on the Anthem/SRO roster - Rush, Big Wreck, The Reason, and The Tea Party among them - and helps create opportunities for them. She'll tell us how she worked her way into the business, some of her professional highlights thus far, and more. Mike and Andrew will have a few things to talk about, too.

For this week's show, we're stepping out of the pop realm and into the jazz and classical worlds with two world-renowned performer. First, Montreal-based solo pianist Mark Pinkus speaks with CM Radio about his latest recording, The Peace Messenger. Mark has nine solo piano releases that have taken him around the world to perform. His career is primarily self-driven, so we'll get an idea as to the kind of work that goes with that. Kiermyer is an iconic Canadian jazz drummer fresh off the release of his latest recording, Further, which features Azar Lawrence, Benito Gonzalez, and Juini Booth. He has performed with the likes of Pharoah Sanders and been heralded by outlets including The Village Voice, Entertainment Weekly, and more. He and Mike speak at lengths about his latest recording, the modern jazz scene, and more.

It's Smith week on Canadian Musician Radio as we welcome two accomplished yet stylistically contrasting artists to the show. What's more, we also have a candid conversation with music publicist and Canadian industry icon Richard Flohil, plus some goodies from East Coast Music Week 2014 and more. The founder of Richard Flohil & Associates has been an instrumental component to the careers of a plethora of successful artists, from k.d. lang and Colin James to Serena Ryder and Justin Rutledge and well beyond. He's received numerous awards and honours from the likes of SOCAN, the CASBYs, and was just named the recipient of the 2014 President's Choice Award from Folk Music Ontario. Join us as we take a look back at Richard's decades in the business. Then, we'll catch up with Dallas Smith who, after 10 years fronting Canadian rock outfit Default, has released a solo country EP called "Tippin Point." We'll talk about the transition from one genre to the other and get some insight into his creative process, among other things. We're also very pleased to have Maritimer Meaghan Smith on the program. After a JUNO win for her major label debut, The Cricket's Orchestra, Smith took a few years off to prepare her next release, Have A Heart, set to drop April 22nd. The single of the same name is out now and doing very well at radio. We'll get the scoop from Meaghan on her sonic shift, upcoming affairs, and a whole lot more. We'll also have some news and updates from ECMW, plus a handful of interviews for later in April, so keep an eye on the page!

Yes indeed, we've got an interview with Ian Thorney of Big Wreck, speaking about the band's upcoming fourth studio album and second since they returned in 2012 with the mighty "Albatross" after a 10-year gap. We had a chance to catch up with Ian just prior to "Albatross" dropping, so we'll see what's been happning with the guys since then. In CM Academy, we'll be speaking with Ebonnie Rowe, the founder of Toronto-based female talent showcase HoneyJam. Ebonnie and HoneyJam have been instrumental in propelling the careers of a number of female musicians, and has worked with the likes of Nelly Furtado, Jully Black, Michie Mee, and a host of other Canadian music stars. As always, it's a pleasure having you listen.

Gordie Johnson of Big Sugar and Grady fame joins us on this week's show. Big Sugar is set to return to the spotlight with the release of "Yardstyle" - 13 tracks of languidly-paced, percussion-heavy acoustic reggae. The album is set to drop on April 15 thorugh eOne, and Gordie fills us in on the approach taken for this release and other things he and the band have going on for the first half of 2014. Also, we're thrilled to bring you a CM Academy session with songwriter Ralph Murphy, who has penned hits with the likes of Ronnie Milsap, Randy Travis, and Shania Twain. He'll give us some tips taken from his songwriting bible, "Murphy's Laws of Songwriting" on what goes into writing a hit.

Third show of the month, three great interviews. We'll start by chatting with Andrew Seale who, in addition to performing mini folk symphonies under the moniker Revelstoke, is a freelance music journalist for a myriad of publications, including ours. We'll talk about pitching projects, interview etiquette, and more. Then, we've got an interview with Kevvy Mental, the frontman of quirky pop-punk-post-prog-pretty much everything outfit Fake Shark Real Zombie from Vancouver. The band just re-released its first two recordings and, between that and his own production and scoring work, Mental has a lot to talk about. Our International Artist Spotlight shines on the Gypsy Jug Band from Chillicothe, OH, whose eclectic brand of "Appalachian Rock" combines unique elements from various genres to create a very communal, feel-good energy. Get some background info and a taste of the band's track "Sugarloaf Mountain." Finally, we'll speak with our friends in Sam Roberts Band, fresh off of the release of "Lo-Fantasy" and a few shows at SXSW 2014. The band has been slated to perform the 2014 edition of Osheaga, the Toronto Urban Roots Festival, and more, so we'll chat about the album and the upcoming opportunities to give people a taste. It's a fair departure from their previous output, but then again, so was each record before it.

This week on CM Radio we're very excited to catch up with Mac DeMarco. His last album, 2012's "2," garnered some rave reviews from outlets like Pitchfork and was long-listed for the Polaris Music Prize thanks to its beautifully poetic lyrics, shimmering guitar leads, and drowsy-but-delicate songwriting style. His latest, "Salad Days," drops at the foot of April and already has a lot of people eagerly anticipating its release. As well, in the CM Academy hotseat is Leo Da Estrela, managing partner and creative director at Monteral-based Couture Media. The company specializes in in the curation of specialized radio for businesses of all types, from cafes and restaurants, to waiting rooms and clothing stores. Leo tells us about what businesses are looking for in the music they play and how artists can tap into this vast marketplace for added revenue and exposure. We'll also be playing our International Spotlight song of the week, "Time to Pretend," which comes to us out of Peshwar, Pakistan by Jehangir Aziz Hayat.

Happy March, everyone. Our first show of a diverse month of CM Radio is pretty diverse itself. We're excited to have R&B recording artist JRDN on the show. Originally from Halifax, JRDN has spent the last several years touring behind 2007's "No Dress Code" and 2010's "IAMJRDN." Now, he's pushing the recently-released "JRDNEP," featuring the single "Can't Choose" with our pal Kardinal Offishall. We've also got Dan Moxon of Vancouver's Bend Sinister on the show, talking about his band's (fabulous) new record, "Animals," which drops March 11th through File Under: Music. We'll chat about the new release, recreating some pristine piano sounds on the road, and how scoring films translates musically to output from an indie rock band. Finally, Ryan Schroeyens, a founder of the Canadian DJ Show, will be on to speak about the event and its first edition in Calgary, happening in May 2014. The Toronto show will also return in the fall, and we'll try and get details on what people can expect from each.

We're sending out a happy 10th anniversary to our friends at Last Gang Entertainment, the label/management company/publishing firm founded by Chris Taylor that's largely responsible for launching the careers of acts like Metric, Mother Mother, Chromeo, Crystal Castles, and many more. We'll speak with Chris about the company's first decade in the business, the day-to-day operations of a label in this day and age, and a whole lot more. We'll also be catching up with the fellas in Tokyo Police Club, who are about to drop Forcefield, the follow-up to 2010's Champ and third studio LP. We'll find out what the band's been up to over those four years, see what's on the horizon, and of course, get the scoop on what fans can expect from this anticipated new release. Let's roll...

Happy post-Valentine's Day, folks. In this week's show, bring you some R.O.C.K. in the form of an interview with Monster Truck guitarist Jeremy Widerman, a good friend of the magazine and absolutely phenomenal writer of riffs. We chat about the band's success on radio, their tours with the likes of Alice in Chains, Deep Purple, Buckcherry, and The Sheepdogs, and what it's like pushing into new territories. We're also happy to have Nick Whitehouse on the show, who designs the ligthing looks for major tours by artists like Kanye West, Jay Z, and Beyonce. Most recently, he took on the design for Justin Timberlake's 20/20 Experience tour, which Mike had the chance to see (lucky fella). We speak with Nick about some of the things that go into a design for a show of this magnitude - a cool look "behind the scenes," or more fittingly, "above the stage." And in our International Artist Spotlight, we'll hear a track from U.K. synth/new wave outfit Jupiter in Velvet. The band lists acts like Bowie, Duran Duran, and The Killers among its influences, and there's a good reason why. The track will get at least a toe tapping.

We're getting aggressive this week with two of Canada's longer-running "loud" bands - Winnipeg hardcore outfit Comeback Kid and Burlington's post-hardcore heroes Silverstein. Comeback Kid are ready to drop their first full-length in five years on Distort Entertainment/Victory Records. The album is called Die Knowing, and we'll get a peek at what fans can expect in comparison to CBK's cherished back catalog. As for Silverstein, the band released This Is How The Wind Shifts exactly a year ago and are currently on the road across Canada. We'll see what they have in store for 2014 and beyond. Finally, CM Academy is in session with Liana Tassone of music publishing house Third Side Music. We'll talk about getting songs placed in films, TV programs, video games, and ads, and about networking with pros in that side of the business.

We're coming to you live from Music PEI Week 2014 with a great bunch of guests from different arms of the business. First, we'll be speaking with Jeff Leake, the Director of Music Programming at Sirius XM Canada, who'll have some tips for musicians on how to capture the attention of people in such a role. Then, we'll speak with PEI performing songwriter, fiddler, and all around nice guy Tim Chaisson about what's keeping him busy about a year following the release of his album, The Otherside. Finally, we've got producer Gavin "Golden" Brown, who's had a hand in monster albums by the likes of Three Days Grace, Billy Talent, Metric, and more. He'll speak about some tricks of the trade and the current state of his business. What's more, we'll have Mike Carver of Music PEI and the band North Lakes on co-hosting duties. Just swell.

We're happy to have Matt Webb from Marianas Trench on this week's episode, discussing both his upcoming solo release and high-profile main project with Mike in our feature interview. We'll also speak with Ryan MacDonald from on-the-rise Halifax rock outfit Alert the Medic, who are set to travel to Toronto in the coming weeks to record their second full-length album - and first in five years - with producer and former Our Lady Peace guitarist Mike Turner at his Pocket Studios. CM Academy this week will feature Pipe & Hat Records founder Tim Jones offering tips on topics like album release parties, track order, album art, and a lot more. As always, happy to have you with us.

Another week, another great show. It's been awhile since we've had a CM Academy session, so this episode, we've got Doug McClement of LiveWire Remote Recorders, a company that does high-quality location sound recording for bands like Rush, Billy Talent, and Elton John and events like the JUNO Awards and Grey Cup; he'll talk about how remote recording can be of benefit to musicians of any level and talk a bit about today's recording technology. Then, we've got an interview with the still-on-fire Glorious Sons, a Kingston, ON-based rock outfit that's been accumulating some serious attention with their EP "Shapeless Art" and its huge single, "Mama." Hear all about the band's romance with "liquor, women, and rock and roll." Finally, Matt Andersen, one of the East Coast's most accomplished musicians (and that's saying a lot), will chat about his latest recording and upcoming tour - which has him poised to sell out Toronto's iconic Massey Hall.

Talk about diversity. On this week's show, we bring you artist interviews with three very distinct, very discussion-worthy artists. First, we'll speak with Dan Doiron, one of the Maritimes' premier blues guitarists who's about to head to down to Memphis to compete in the International Blues Challenge alongside his three bandmates. We'll also talk about the band's latest release, From Deep Inside," and a whole lot more. Following that, we've got South Asian/Canadian songstress Prita Chhabra speaking with Mike about her latest record "Aaja (Come To My Heart)" and some of the opportunities surrounding it. And finally, we'll speak with one of our favourites - Vancouver garage rock duo The Pack a.d., one of Nettwerk's latest signings and a band poised to have a pretty good run in 2014 with their brand new record, "Do Not Engage." Truly something for everyone here, so we'll look forward to having you join us!

Happy New Year, folks, and welcome to the first "regular" edition of CM Radio of 2014. If you've not checked them out yet, hit the archives or the iTunes store to access our special holiday editions of CM Radio. On Dec. 25th, we revisited some of the highlights of our first year, including interviews with major names like Avril Lavigne, Metric, Blue Rodeo, The Tragically Hip, and many others. Then, on January 1st, our show looked back at some of the "on the rise" acts we spoke with in 2013 that we think are going to make an impact in 2014. For this week's show, we've got our Jan/Feb 2014 cover artists, The Trews, talking about the making of their fifth full-length record. You can get the full story in our feature article when the issue drops, but listen in for some additional info on the recording, their work with Gavin Brown, and more. It's a double dose of East Coast artists, as we'll also be speaking with the very young and very talented Molly Thomason, whose new album "Columbus Field" is sure to turn some heads - especially for fans of Tegan and Sara, Sleater Kinney, and Neko Case. We're very happy to have you with us as we kick off 2014 on Canadian Musician Radio!

Happy New Year and welcome to 2014! This special episode will feature some of the interviews from our first year of CM Radio with on-the-rise artists that we think have big things in store for 2014. Tune in for snippets of our chats with artists like July Talk, Metz, The Balconies, Paper Lions, David Myles, Lindi Ortega, Pear, A Tribe Called Red, and a bunch more. Let's start the new year off right.

Happy Ho-ho-holidays! our Christmas Day episode (which you can take in at your leisure over the holidays in our archives or via iTunes) will feature some of the highlights from our first year doing CM Radio. From Avril Lavigne to Blue Rodeo to Metric to Dean Brody, we've interviewed our share of major artists. This will be a great opportunity to catch up on some past episodes, or if you're new to CM Radio, this is your ticket. Cheers to 2013 and a Happy New Year!

This will be our second last episode of 2013, so we're leading up to our "Year in Review" episode on Christmas Day in style with a very insightful interview with music author Martin Melhuish. His latest title is "Oh What A Feeling - A Vital History of Canadian Music, the Next Generation" and the title makes it clear what to expect. Melhuish has also written the offical biographies of acts like Bachman Turner Overdrive, Supertramp, and a whole slew of others. Whether you're feeling nostalgic or want to hear about some exciting emerging Canadian artists, be sure to tune in for our talk with Martin. We'll also have Swiss-Canadian singer Rykka on the show, fresh off of her 2013 Peak Performance Project win. We'll chat about her experience with the Project and a whole lot more. Finally, Montreal-via-Toronto artist Alan Snoddy, a former guitarist with Stars, has a brand new EP out called "Shot of Rhythm," which features a monster list of guest collaborators - members of Steve Earle and the Dukes, Blue Rodeo, Sam Roberts Band, Sloan, and Serena Ryder.

It's a pretty diverse trio of interviewees taking part in our Dec. 11, 2013 show. First, we'll speak with Kurt Dahl - a well-known entertainment lawyer and also the drummer for on-the-rise rock outfit One Bad Son. Dahl has launched an interesting website at LawyerDrummer.com, sharing valuable information from his perspective of being a working musician with an intimate knowledge with some legal issues faced by artists today. Pear is a country duo comprised of two major musical guns-for-hire (who also happen to be husband and wife) that are currently touring in support of Johnny Reid on his massive Christmas tour and are gearing up to release their second full-length record. Finally, we'll catch up with Eva Avila, the winner of the fourth season of Canadian Idol who has been working hard to stay in the spotlight and is looking forward to a new EP dropping in Spring 2014. The current single, "Bitter Meets Sweet," is rising the ranks at radio and we're excited to see what's coming next.

The Not Guilty Tour is making its way across Canada to close out 2013, featuring the Tragically Hip's Paul Langlois promoting his latest LP, "Not Guilty," alongside Kingston, ON's Greg Ball and Pete Murray, visiting from Australia. We'll be speaking with all three gentlemen from a stop on the trek to talk about the outing, their latest respective releases, hearing what it's like for an Aussie to tour in a new market, and of course, get a quick update on what's happening with Canada's favourite rock band, The Tragically Hip. Looking forward to having you join us.

We've had the chance to speak with some major country stars over the last few weeks - Gord Bamford, Deric Ruttan, and Dean Brody - which is great, but this week, we're going to the other end of the spectrum... Protest the Hero are fresh off of the release of their fourth full-length studio album, Volition, which was entirely crowd funded through a MAJORLY successful IndieGoGo campaign (over $340,000 raised from an initial ask of $125,000). The band is back on the road for the first time in awhile and touring with a new drummer, so we'll get the latest from that camp. Before that, though, we've got AL the Yeti Bones from Windsor, ON stoner rock band Gypsy Chief Goliath. He'll talk about the band's international successes despite little press coverage here in their home country, plus his thoughts on the "stoner rock" label and a lot more. Plus, in CM Academy, we'll talk with Aven Hoffarth, a Ryerson University student who, along with a group of peers, is putting together the Wired City Music Festival - a one-night event in downtown Toronto with artists like Bruce Peninsula, Union Duke, and KC Roberts & The Live Revolution. We'll get first-hand info on what it's like putting together an event with a fresh slate. Looking forward to having you join us!

November has seemingly been Canadian country month for CM Radio, and this week's show is no different. The prolific Dean Brody is set to hit the road in the new year in support of his latest full length, "Crop Circles," on the Crop Circles & Tractor Beams tour with Cassadee Pope. Mike will speak with him about this latest release and the work that went into it. Before that, though, we'll speak wtih PEI singer/songwriter Dennis Ellsworth about his latest, Hazy Sunshine, recorded at The Hip's Bathhouse studio with Josh Finlayson of Skydiggers at the helm and an impressive group of musicians.

This week's episode will feature interviews with on-the-rise country star and songwriter Deric Ruttan as well as global-flavoured string group Sultans of String. Ruttan is fresh off of the release of his latest album, "Take the Week Off," and has also penned massive hits for the likes of Blake Shelton, Eric Church, and a slew of other major names. He'll talk about the recently-wrapped Your Town Throwdown tour alongside some other hot Canadian country acts and a lot more. Meanwhile, Sultans of String have relesed their fourth studio album, "Symphony!," recorded with Canadian orchestral musicians and due for an official release with an anticipated performance at Toronto's stunning Koerner Hall.

Last week's show was a monster and this one is no different. Two great Canadian artists, two brand new albums. We'll speak with Blue Rodeo about their latest release, "In Our Nature," which was recorded at vocalist/guitarist Greg Keelor's country home. Fans awaiting the interview should check out CM's Blue Rodeo Sweepstakes at http://canadianmusician.com/bluerodeo for a chance to win a Hagstrom acoustic guitar signed by the band, all 13 of their studio albums, and more. JUNO-winning MC Shad just put out his fourth studio album, "Flying Colours," and CM caught up with the master lyricist at the 2013 edition of the Halifax Pop Explosion to chat about the release, Canadian hip-hop in general, and more. Finally, we'll speak with newly-appointed Music Ontario Executive Director Scott Honsberger about the new music industry association and his plans for it.

This is a BIG one, folks. We've got international superstar Avril Lavigne speaking about her upcoming self-titled fifth full-length release, as well as some insight into her live shows, some reflection on her early career, and more. We also spoke with Canadian country star Gord Bamford, currently touring with Reba McIntire in support of his upcoming release Country Junkie. Gord also just donated $100,000 to 10 children's hospitals across Canada - what a stand up guy. Finally, CM Academy is in session with the gents behind Cloud Empire - a new Toronto-based music consulting company with a whole slew of services on offer. The company was launched by some industry vets who've propolled the careers of the likes of Protest the Hero, Lights, Abandon All Ships, and Closet Monster.

Mike was out at the CASBY Awards in mid-October thanks to our pals at 102.1 The Edge and Corus Radio, so in addition to seeing performances by acts like Hollerado, Mother Mother, and Serena Ryder, he also had the chance to catch up with Said the Whale and Walk Off The Earth, both of whom have been enjoying a ton of on-air success of late.

We have a double dose of artist interviews in this week's show, as Mike speaks with Jacquie Neville of Toronto-based rock trio The Balconies. The band has spend the lion's share of the last year on the road and are currently crossing Canada and the US with a string of shows. Then, Andrew catches Jay Malinowski, frontman for the reggae rock trio Bedouin Soundclash, who's preparing for the release of the debut from Jay Malinowski & The Deadcost called "martel," based on the life of one of his actual ancestors. We'll also speak with Cristina Fernandes, the founder of Listen Harder, a publicity company based in Toronto that's propelled the careers of artists like The Lumineers, Tokyo Police Club, Monster Truck, City & Colour, and a long list of others. She'll talk about effective publicity campaigns, how to recognize the need for a pro PR campaign, and more.

This week's episode is a special one - especially if you're a fan of the multi-talented Hawksley Workman. To kick things off, Andrew and Mike will round up the latest news and interesting stories to have hit the wire in the last week. Then, we have PEI singer/songwtier/stand-up gal Ashley Condon in the hot seat for CM's 20 Questions. Ashley just received her second Canadian Folk Music Award nomination, this one surrounding the release of her second full-length, This Great Compromise, proudced by CM contributor David Francey, an acclaimed writer in his own right. Then, CM Catches Up With... Mr. Hawksley Workman for one of our most in-depth and explorative interviews yet. We'll talk about his latest work, the one-man show "The God That Comes," along with a bit about his on-the-rise side outlet Mounties, plus things like music journalism, extracting joy from everyday life, and plenty more. It's a long one, but should be a lot of fun...

Welcome to yet another edition of Canadian Musician Radio. We have a pretty diverse bunch of interviewees this time around. First, we'll speak with Sean Kelly, who currently plays guitar with Nelly Furtado and has also performed with and written for a long list of notable artists. His project "Metal On Ice" features stories from some Canadian heavy metal greats. For CM Academy, we grabbed The Agency Group's Adam Kreeft at Showcase PEI 2013 to chat about how artists can make a lasting impression at showcase events and festivals, and also about proper follow-up. Finally, CM Catches Up With... Nashville-via-Toronto rockabilly phenom Lindi Ortega about her move to the US, her chameleon-like approach to touring, and of course, her upcoming record, "Tin Star."

We're very excited to have Mike speaking with Peter Dreimanis, one half of Toronto-based gritty blues/rock act July Talk. The band's self-titled has been turning a LOT of heads over the last several months, and their live show is making those heads spin like crazy. If you haven't heard them yet, check out the videos for "Paper Girl" and "Guns and Ammunition" and then tune in for some insight from someone behind the songs. Also, we'll be speaking with live production professional and frequent CM contributor Mark "The Drifter" Desloges. Mark has toured with acts like Cancer Bats, Classified, Johnny Reid, and a slew of others. Lately, he's been rigging up video walls and lighting for major acts as part of the Tour Tech East team. He'll have some inside info on life behind the scenes on major events for anyone thinking of getting into tech work.

In this week's episode, we'll chat with Brendon Saarinen of Toronto's Still Life Still. The band's latest record, Mourning Trance, just dropped via Arts & Crafts and has a notably different tone to that of their debut. We'll speak about what informed the shift, the band's experience with Arts & Crafts to date, and plenty more. But before that, our friend Josh Hogan will play double-duty, first in the hot seat for CM's 20 Questions as the lead vocalist of Halifax metal outfit Orchid's Curse, then as our CM Academy prof as the Co-Owner of Red Tentacle Music Solutions. Thanks for checking us out!

Western Canadian blues/country crossover artist Little Miss Higgins will be speaking with us about her latest recording, Bison Ranch Recording Sessions. The album features her band, dubbed with Winnipeg Five, and is full of lush arrangements and multi-part harmonies all recorded in an old barn in rural Manitoba. We'll also speak with Shawn Bradley, Fadernoise.com recording engineer and author of "The Other Side of the Tracks" recording blog on CM's Blog Central, about the continually shifting paradigm of home recording and some tips on getting the most from your home studio set-ups.

Andrew and Mike are together again, chatting about Mike's upcoming trip to Northern Ontario with ArtsCan Circle - an organization that brings music and art to underpriviledged residents of remote Canadian communities. We'll Catch Up With... French-Canadian songstress Lisa LeBlanc, where we'll talk about her terrific self-titled record, summer performances, working with Karkwa's Louis-Jean Cormier, and much more. And in our CM Academy session, we'll speak with Heather Gardner of Vapor Music, a Toronto-based music licensing company, who'll talk about what a music supervisor does and how you can network with people in that role in hopes of landing a placement for your work in a film, TV, or gaming project.

Toronto rock outfit The Darcys have a new record dropping in September, so Mike will be speaking with Wes Marskell about the release, expected through Arts & Crafts, as well as the band's other current affairs. Also, Raoul Juneja, otherwise known as Deejay Ra of nationally-televised entertainment program V-Mix, will speak to Mike for CM Academy about how artists can lock down potential television opportunities and make the most of them - whether it's an interview or performance. Plus, plenty of other news from the Canadian industry and updates on some of your favourite artists and events.

This will be a big on for fans of seminal Canadian indie rockers The Dears. Murray A. Lightburn has an upcoming release called MASS:LIGHT that's very different from anything The Dears have put out, but nonetheless brilliant in its sonic textures and arrangements. We'll preview some music and get the lowdown from Murray on the record and many other things music-related. CM Academy will feature Jonny Stevens, the Executive Director of the Halifax Pop Explosion, talking about the newly-announced lineup for the 2013 edition, plus some inside details about the logistics of planning a festival of that scope and also some tips for bands Showcasing at industry events. There'll be plenty more and we'll look forward to having you join us.

Looking forward to have you join us with Mike back from his 2-week getaway. In this installment, CM Catches Up With... the Maritimes' music man, Mr. Joel Plaskett. We'll chat about what's been happening since Scrappy Hapiness, including some high-profile summer shows. We'll be speaking with producer/engineer/mixer Dan Weston, whose credits include work with Attack in Black, City & Colour, Sirah, Flo Rida, Shad, Classified, and a whole slew of others. He'll talk about life on the other side of the studio glass in 2013. Finally, our friends in Toronto metalcore outfit Partycat will play CM's 20 Qs, which I'm sure will be a good time. Cheers.

We're very pleased to have Tom Wilson, the man behind LeE HARVeY OsMOND and one third of Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, joining us on this week's episode. Tom speaks to Mike about his latest endeavours, the success of LHO's "The Folk Sinner," and plenty more. We'll do CM's 20 Questions with on-the-rise country/pop artist Livy Jeanne and also talk about the really cool anti-bullying initiative she's championing in the Alberta school system. Finally, we'll be speaking with Jason Murray of Black Box Music. Jason manages artists like Classified, Shad, and Livy Jeanne and also runs the Black Box Recordings imprint with Ian Stanger. He'll fill us in on developing new artists and the opportunities currently available in the industry.

Lots of Polaris Prize talk lately, and this week isn't much different. We have Chris Slorach from short-listed noise/hardcore/grunge/awesome outfit METZ chatting with Mike about their self-titled effort, what it's like joining the ranks at Sub Pop, and a whole lot more. CM Academy will feature Eric Alper, the head of Label Aquisitions for eOne Entertainment Canada, the imprint that's been booming lately and plays home to some monster acts from here and aborad, talking about what he's looking for in upcoming talent and how a relationship with a label like his comes to be. Plus, CM plays 20 Questions with Alec O'Hanley of The Danks, Alvvays, and formerly Two Hours Traffic, and Andrew shares bits of what's circulating out in the industry of late. Let's rock...

In this episode, Broken Social Scene founder Brendan Canning speaks with us about his upcoming solo album, "You Gots 2 Chill," and his other creative endeavors post-BSS. CM Academy will feature Scott Emslie, the man behind Wet Ape Productions and the upcoming Center of Gravity Festival in Kelowna, BC. In its 6th year, the festival will feature acts like Tiesto, Kaskade, and Canadians like Lights, Keys N Krates, DVBBS, and more. Find out the kind of work and planning that goes into an event of this scale. Finally, expect the latest from around the Canadian industry and some other fun tidbits. Looking forward to having you listen.

Andrew and Mike will be back in the saddle for this one following Andrew's return from Quebec City. We'll chat with sonic innovators A Tribe Called Red about their second Polaris Prize nod and what they've got on the go for Summer 2013. We'll also chat with Toronto photographer Neal Burstyn, who's done all kinds of shoots for musicians - including a whole host of Canadian Musician cover shots - as well as architectural shoots, sporting events, and much more. He'll offer some tips for musicians on getting the perfect promo shot and the process behind it. As always, we'll also have the latest from around the industry and a few surprises. Join us!

Andrew will be checking in from the Festival d'ete de Quebec in Quebec City, with a MONSTER lineup of artists from Canada and abroad. Get a sample from our interview with live trap trio Keys N Krates, which we'll have posted very shortly. Then, Metric's Jimmy Shaw will be on the show talking about what's happening this summer with the band and what fans can expect as far as new material. We'll also have Liam Killeen of Coalition Artist Management, who reps the likes of Faber Drive, U.S.S., These Kids Wear Crowns, and Greig Nori. He'll talk about the right time to seek out a manager, how the band/management partnership works, what makes it successful, and more. Plus, CM's 20 Questions with a special guest and more news and facts from the Canadian music industry. Join us!

One for the rockers... First up, Don Levandier from Moncton's The Motorleague will join us for CM's 20 Questions. The band has a new album out now through Sonic Records. CM Academy will feature our friend and contributor Kit Watson of RockItGirl Group. Kit will offer up some tips on fine-tuning your social media presence - which platforms to use, how to make the most of them, and more. Then, CM Catches Up With ... Chris Cresswell of The Flatliners! The band has a new disc dropping this fall and are just about to embark on a full Canadian tour, so we'll get the latest from that camp. Should be a lot of fun, so join us!

A great episode this week featuring interviews with a pair of intriguing ladies and a new segment. First, we put Mike in the spotlight for our first edition of CM's 20 Questions - quick snappers ranging from "favourite Neil Young song" to "coolest guitar of all time" and a whole bunch in between. Expect more of these with some recognizable characters down the road. Our CM Academy segment features Kim Sinclair of SpinCount, a radio tracking and PR firm that's worked with everyone from Joel Plaskett to The Flatliners to David Myles and more. She has the scoop on what radio tracking is all about and how you can gain some traction with the medium. Finally, CM Catches Up With ... Martha Johnson, the frontwoman of seminal Canadian new wave act Martha and the Muffins, who's just recently released an interesting collection of solo material, much of which was co-written with our friend Ron Sexsmith. Don't miss it!

More music, more fun. Mike checks in from NXNE 2013 with Jose Contreras, the longtime frontman of By Divine Right, while Andrew chats with Audio Blood Media founder Sari Delmar. With a slew of heralded albums like Mutant Message, Bless This Mess, and Good Morning Beautiful to his name, Jose has also shared the prestibious BDR moniker with the likes of Brendan Canning (Broken Social Scene), Brian Borcherdt (Holy F*ck) and even Leslie Feist. Sari, on the other hand, is the publicity princess who propels acts like The Balconies, Paper Lions, Raine Maida, and Wildlife onto the national stage. We'll also discuss the 2013 Polaris Music Prize long list and have plenty of other goodies on offer.

This should be a fun one. First, we'll have all the info to get you prepped and primed for NXNE 2013. Then, we'll speak with New Brunswick-based burgeoning troubadour David Myles and Warner Music Canada's Head of A&R, Ron Lopata. In our CM Academy session, Lopata will share some insight into how labels like Warner are nurturing talent - and what you need to do to get to that level. Even if a spot on a major label roster isn't what you're after, you'll still need studio-ready material to make an impact in this business. Then, Myles will speak about his latest double-disc "In The Nighttime," working with fellow Maritime music man Classified, and much more. Be sure to Subscribe to our channel to get regular updates on our upcoming shows, including guests, co-hosts, and informative content! http://canadianmusician.com

Join us on June 5th for an all-new broadcast featuring Canadian country music icon Michelle Wright and NXNE's Music Programming Manager, Crispin Giles. Wright is one of the most successful Canadian country recording artists of all time, with a pile of awards and nominations to her credit. Mike caught up with her at the recent Country Music Association Awards of Ontario gala, where she also performed. We'll get the scoop on what she's up to. Then, Andrew will be in session in CM Academy with Giles, who'll be speaking about how artists can make the most of an opportunity like a NXNE showcase slot and much more. We'll also have the latest from around the music industry and some fun tidbits for you to chew on as well. Be sure to Subscribe to our channel to get regular updates on our upcoming shows, including guests, co-hosts, and informative content! http://canadianmusician.com

We're pretty excited for this one. We'll have Mike speaking with Blue Rodeo's Greg Keelor from the Country Music Association of Ontario Awards. Keelor is performing at the show with Travis Good of The Sadies, and apparently the two have something special on the go. We'll get the lowdown from Greg and, of course, an update from the Blue Rodeo camp. Also, Andrew sits down with producer, songwriter, and artist developer Brian Howes, who'll offer some tips on fine-tuning your craft and getting poised to capitalize on opportunities. Brian has produced work from Nickelback, Simple Plan, Hedley, and a plethora of other platinum-sellers, so he knows a thing or two. We look forward to having you join us!

**Call-in Number Disabled** Our second episode will feature plenty of content from the Vancouver Island Music Business Conference, hosted in the Comox Valley from May 15-20. We'll have a CM Academy session with entertainment lawyer, author, and Music BC Executive Director Bob D'Eith, we'll be Catching Up With ... Ryan Guldemond from quirky pop quintet Mother Mother, and have plenty more from Andrew's travels to the West Coast. We'll also check in with Mike back in Ontario and get the latest news and trending topics from the industry, plus highlights from the May/June 2013 issue of Canadian Musician. Tune in, and follow us to get more updates on our future broadcasts.

**Call-in Number Disabled** Welcome to the first-ever edition of Canadian Musician Radio! We'll be broadcasting every Wednesday at 8 p.m. EST and delivering you the same kind of insightful, informative, and entertaining content you've come to expect from Canadian Musician magazine. In this episode, we have a CM Academy segment with Jim Norris, the publisher of Canadian Musician, sharing tips from his popular "Self Promotion 101" seminars. We also have some highlights from the May/June 2013 issue of CM, the scoop on some upcoming industry events, and some insight on current topics making waves in the music industry. Then, CM Catches Up With ... PEI indie pop outfit Paper Lions, who've recently launched their own record imprint and co-founded an alternative music festival set to debut in their home city of Charlottetown this fall. Thanks for listening and stay tuned each week for much more!