EP 174 | Martha Wainwright

September 18, 2021

hello

For some artists that’s an eternity. For Martha it’s called “having a life”.

The life included the breakup of her marriage. Fighting for custody of her children. Opening a bistro that became a studio. Having to justify being a female artist who’s also a mother. The feedback was “surely you can’t be both”?

The album is called Love will be Reborn which is exactly what happened to Martha. The songs that followed the writing of the title track reflect exactly what happened in the 5 years between releases. Produced by Pierre Marchand. You just know this is good.

It’s her very best work yet. Songs like Justice, Body and soul, Hole in my heart, and Love will be reborn. We’ll include them all in the podcast.

This conversation is not a Q&A. It’s me engaging Martha and getting the hell out of the way.

Love the woman. Love the music.

It’s Martha Wainwright people. Listen up.

EP 173 | David Gogo

September 12, 2021

hello

Silver Cup is David Gogo’s 16^th full album …

Feels like he’s shifting gears on his 59 1/2 Mustang.

Gone are the amps and electric guitars.

This is a rootsy acoustic Dave GoGo but pushed and supported by producer Steve Mariner and great session players.

Silver Cup is released October 7^th and Dave will guest on Mulligan Stew CKUA Radio Saturday, October 8^th.

This is an advance listen and Dave’s tales to how the album came together during the lockdown. Also the stories behind the songs and the tour dates.

We play you

Silver Cup

Never gonna change

Top Shelf

EP 172 | Ed Robertson talks BNL’s Detour de Force

September 4, 2021

hello

The Barenaked Ladies 16^th album is called Detour de Force. More wordplay from a band that majors in it. Right?

I knew this album would be different when I saw a track written by bassist Jim Creegan called Paul Chambers. Who writes a pop song about a legendary bass player (Kind of Blue) as a metaphor?

Ed himself wrote the amazing Live Well, a song about his childhood filled with his Father’s alcohol abuse and how he overcame the trauma.

The album ends with the outstanding Kevin Hearn track called Internal Dynamo. It’s about planets generating their own magnetic fields. Not your basic pop/rock fodder.

It starts like something Pink Floyd might have left us with but 2:40 into the 5-minute track the music shapeshifts into Rage Against the Machine and then ends with a Beatles White album feel.

EP 171 | Remembering Charlie Watts and The Last Waltz. Plus My Name is Suzie Ungerleider

August 28, 2021

hello

Every once in a while all of the planning goes OUT THE WINDOW.

This week’s Podcast for example.

I always knew there would be a complete interview with Suzie Ungerleider (Oh Suzanna). Her new 10^th album is called My Name Is Suzie Ungerleider and the story behind the title tells quite a tale.

The music is the best she’s ever released. So, the complete interview and tracks as well. Suzie closes the podcast.

Also this week, I was doing interviews with Barney Bentall, Colin Linden, and Russell Broom about their involvement in Remembering The Last Waltz. Four nights of celebrating The Band’s Last Stand almost 45 years ago.

Sept 2 & 3 Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium

Sept 9 & 10 Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium

Before we shared memories of The Band we talked about the passing of Charlie Watts. Legendary drummer for The Rolling Stones. His effect of The Stones and on us is remarkable considering how quiet and gentle he was. As large and loud as all The Rolling Stones were, it was Charlie that held it all together, on stage and off.

So..we start this Podcast by remembering Charlie Watts, then The Band, and celebrating Suzie Ungerleider. Busy week.

Cheers Charlie..

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EP 170 | Vince Ditrich – The Liquor Vicar

August 21, 2021

hello

Vince Ditrich has been a pal for many years. Lives in the neighbourhood but we spend 20 years bumping into each other. Me as a broadcaster and VJ. Vince as the drummer of legendary Celtic/punk band Spirit of the West. SOTW is no more. They lost their leader, the brilliant John Mann to Alzheimer’s. Here’s to you John.

Vince has been writing for years – with an on line column called Random Note Generator. Now comes his first of three books about Tony Vicar. Failed rock star and his crazy circle of friends and enemies.

Enjoy!

Liquor Vicar takes place in a fictional town on Vancouver Island called “Tyee Lagoon”.

Tony Vicar, a life-long local and wannabe rock-star, well past his shelf life for achieving any success, and not particularly musically talented anyway.

He is reduced to DJing rural weddings and for an extra hundred bucks throws in an Elvis impersonation. He becomes dark and cynical at the state of his life and career, but at his worst moment meets Jacqueline O’Neil, known by all as Jacquie O.

He gets a job working at ‘Liquor’, the only liquor store in Tyee Lagoon, owned and operated by a crusty character nicknamed Ross Poutine. Poutine’s trademark mangled grammar and mysterious goat-like odour give him a unique identity in the town.

After a rotten dinner date, the curmudgeonly Vicar and his bubbly date Jacquie come across a terrible car wreck on the road home. Vicar gives aid and everyone present seems to think he has miraculously brought one of the victims back to life. Word gets out about Vicar’s miraculous roadside ministrations and almost immediately he becomes a celebrity; after a little national and international attention his fame skyrockets, leaving him confused and questioning everything about his life. He never saw himself getting famous for THIS reason! It’s the first of three Liquor Vicar books.

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EP 169 | Dan Mangan

August 13, 2021

hello

The final interview from the 2021 Calgary folk music festival.

Dan Mangan – artist, entrepreneur, father, husband, and surprisingly a great middle-distance swimming champion.

Two time Juno winner

Dan’s most recent album was More or Less. (2018)

After many years of small venue performances, Dan co-founded Side Door Access with Laura Simpson.

“We believe artists deserve more control and fewer gatekeepers, and that an empowered arts community will produce the most interesting, diverse and daring ecosystem of expression”

What started out as a local support system for artists (and audience) was completely re-arranged to bring music to all of us during the pandemic. Everyone involved at Side Door was swept along by a flood of requests and opportunities. Including Dan Mangan.

Now he’s seeing light at the end of the Covid tunnel and can start to pick up the remnants of his music and performing career.

When we talked a couple of weeks ago, Dan was getting ready to engage in his first public performance in many months at the Calgary Folk Music Festival.

Dan and I cover some of the above and more. You can look forward to a steady flow of songs and albums to come from Dan in the next year and a half.

This is the complete interview.

Thank you Dan!

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EP 168 | Tom Wilson

August 7, 2021

hello

Tom Wilson. A true rock and roll Rennaisance Man

Rocker. Roots shapeshifter. A folkie and a punk.

Singer, songwriter, author, and Mohawk Warrior.

This time around we talk about getting back on the road after the Pandemic. The many projects he set in motion once he was locked down.

The most interesting thought Tom shares is that he’s “ not that guy anymore”

Writing different songs that will take him in a new direction.

Will we follow? Let’s find out.

And a lovely human being.

Tom Wilson is our guest this week. The complete interview.

EP 167 | William Prince

July 30, 2021

hello

If you happen to be out of the country or sleeping or bowling with your co-workers you may have missed the first of four outstanding Mulligan Stew Podcasts last weekend.

The first was Frazey Ford. Still to come Dan Mangan and Tom Wilson. This week our guest is William Prince.

You may have discovered William via his first album Earthly Days (2015) or the follow-up

.(2020)

His career was just leaving earth’s orbit when the pandemic struck.

William talks about how his songs take shape, his love of Johnny Cash, Country Charlie Pride, Kris Kristofferson, and the words of his Father about “how you speak – is how people will treat you”

And trust me – when I ask William Prince (Peguis Nation) – about the shame in Canada surrounding the Residential School deaths on children pulled from their families, Williams Words will ring through your heart and your head.

Ladies and Gentlemen – a speaker of the truth. William Prince

EP 166 | Frazey Ford

July 23, 2021

hello

Frazey Ford.

In a music business filled to the brim with coulda, shoulda and woulda’s – Frazey Ford is the real deal.

Her latest album is U kin B the Sun

Behind a singular voice..as comfortable on a folk festival stage in Calgary as a jazz festival stage in London (2 nights) ..she is a joy to hear and behold.

Frazey has overcome.

Family dynamics, bullying and abuse, the recent loss of 2 family members, and a male-dominated music business.

The first of four outstanding podcasts – we begin this journey with Frazey Ford.

Next week William Prince

EP 165 | Greg Keelor-Jim Cuddy Mashup

July 16, 2021

hello

It’s not often that we double back on a previous interview.

There has to be something interesting that makes them candidates.

What we have here are two separate interviews with the co-founders of Hall of Fame/Juno winning band Blue Rodeo, plus Greg Keelor and Jim Cuddy both have solo careers on the go.

I talked to Greg in March and Jim 3 weeks ago.

I decided to cut the two interviews together to see how the responses and stories matched.

Have a listen. It’s an interesting mashup.

Blue Rodeo plays the Calgary Stampede Saturday, July 17

And The Jim Cuddy Band play the Calgary Folk Festival Summer Serenades on Prince’s Island Park Friday, July 23

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