EP 140 | Sam Pollard MLK / FBI

January 23, 2021

hello

MLK/FBI is an essential expose of the surveillance and harassment of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Rev King was called by the FBI “the most dangerous” Black person in America” The expose was undertaken by J. Edgar Hoover and the U.S. government. The film is based on newly discovered and declassified files, as well as revelatory restored footage. The documentary explores the government’s history of targeting Black activists. Directed by Emmy® Award-winner and Oscar®-nominee Sam Pollard, MLK/FBI recounts a tragic story with searing connections to our current moment. Remarkably, this story from the mid-60’s civil rights conflict has relevance in our headlines today.

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EP 139 | MLK / Art Bergmann

January 15, 2021

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What a Time.

Covid19. Political Balance of Power

Friday was the Birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Monday is/was Martin Luther King Day in America.

At the same time, punk pioneer Art Bergmann discovers he’s an inductee for The Order of Canada.

This week on the Mulligan Stew Podcast we celebrate both.

Sam Pollard is a well-respected editor and film director. He’s been part of Spike Lee’s films having edited Mo Better Blues, Clockers, etc.

When he read that the FBI files on Martin Luther King Jr were being unsealed he realized he had the subject of his next documentary.

While Dr. King was talking and walking for civil rights in the USA the FBI, lead by J Edgar Hoover, was spying on Dr. King. They were looking for any information that would discredit his legacy. As Dr. King won the Nobel Peace Prize he was being labeled “the most dangerous negro in America” by the FBI.

It’s possible his verbal opposition to the Viet Nam War may have led directly to his assassination.

To recognize Dr. Kings Birthday and National Day we’ve included just a couple of minutes of Sam Pollard’s commentary. The complete interview will be posted next week.

Art Bergmann is a Canadian punk pioneer. His bands and songs were pointed, angry, and loud.

But what he was railing against were First Nations rights, aboriginal education, and health. Police misconduct. Politics. Organized Religion. Governments of all stripe.

As the Order of Canada press release noted “for his indelible contributions to the Canadian punk music scene and for his thought-provoking discourse on social, gender and racial inequalities”

Art hasn’t slowed down either.

His new album Late Stage Empire Dementia is about to be released. We’ll play two tracks plus Bound for Vegas.

Ladies and Gents, we are thrilled to present – Art Bergmann. Order of Canada Inductee.

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EP 138 | Chef David Hawksworth

January 9, 2021

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Chef David Hawksworth has released his first cookbook. Hawksworth. The CookBook

Yes, it has incredible recipes but the stories of places and kitchens, victories, and defeats run throughout the pages.

It’s a great read. It was/is an amazing life.

David grew up on Canada’s West Coast but hit the road teaching himself how to cook (never a good move)

In London, David worked for the legendary Marco Pierre White (who trained Gordon Ramsay, Mario Batali, and Shannon Bennett). After nine years in London, Hawksworth decided if he wanted to see 40 and realize the dream of his own restaurant he would have to return to Vancouver.

Finally in 2011, after many many months of planning, David opened Hawksworth. It was an immediate hit and named restaurant of the year in 2012 by Maclean’s magazine, and consistently ranked as one of the best in the country. David and his team also opened Nightingale in 2016 in Coal Harbour, and two Bel Café locations, plus a catering arm.

This podcast has a lot of his life story included but keep in mind, he’s still writing new chapters.

This interview and book are not really about that he’s doing all these amazing things, it’s about HOW he did it – WHY he did it – and answers the question – at what price?

He was very well served by adding Chef Stephanie Noel and Journalist Jacob Richler to his team. Well done you two.

At one point we talk about chefs and cookbooks that influenced him. Then we talk about all the future chefs who will be influenced by this book. We welcome David Hawksworth and his first cookbook. HAWKSWORTH. The Cookbook

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/568438/hawksworth-by-chef-david-hawksworth-with-chef-stephanie-noel-and-jacob-richler-foreword-by-chef-philip-howard/9780525610090

EP 137 | A dozen interview guests who all made the CKUA Top 100

January 2, 2021

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There are a few times over the path of a year that shows create themselves.

This is one of those shows and it was perfect for the podcast.

Our guests leave us with comments about how their songs got written and how albums got made. How they survived Covid19 lockdowns, the loss of stages and tour dates, the JOY of staying home and rediscovering family life. Statements were taken from various interviews over a wild and dark 2020.

These were many of the albums that listeners repeatedly told us got them through a lost and lonely year.

Every one of these artists made the CKUA Radio Top 100 album list and one of them – Frazey Ford – was the #1 album of the year. (most spins over the year)

https://ckua.com/read/top-100-albums-of-2020/

Frazey Ford (Vancouver)

Margo Price (Nashville)

William Prince (Winnipeg)

Ron Sexsmith (outside Toronto)

Roy Forbes (North Vancouver)

Andy Shauf (Toronto)

Mike Plume (Edmonton)

Corb Lund (rural Alberta)

Nathaniel Rateliff (Denver, I think)

Bahamas (Halifax)

Elvis Costello (Vancouver Island)

Tami Neilson (Auckland NZ)

Happy New Year – all of Y’ALL

EP 136 | Christmas In The Round 2020

December 18, 2020

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Christmas is all about traditions.

Handed down from generation to generation.

The December 19th edition of the Mulligan Stew Podcast is all about traditions.

In the late ’70s at CBC Radio in Vancouver producer, Susan Englebert created a holiday show called Christmas Jam

Singer/Songwriters sitting around a studio – playing songs and telling tales.

We lost Susan Englebert oi Cancer and really this show is meant as a tribute to her.

Flip the calendar to 2020 and you’ll find – in the studio – two of the original “jammers.”

Shari Ulrich and TDMulligan. With Barney Bentall. Bill Henderson and Murray McLauchlan.

Each with their own career. Each friends with the other.

Barney and Shari on Bowen Island – just outside Vancouver

Bill Henderson – on Salt Spring Island – outside Victoria

And Murray McLauchlan in Toronto.

Please join us for Christmas in the Round Year 4

EP 135 | Alan Doyle

December 12, 2020

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Hello Friends…

Thank you for subscribing to Spotify or Google Play or Apple Podcasts.

Then the Podcast comes to you automatically. Like heartburn after a hotdog.

The guest this week is a delightful man Alan Doyle.

I give him a bit stick by reminding him that he’s been called “beloved” in some articles.

We’ve been friends a long time which is tough to do because he’s in the Maritimes in the very far East and I’ve always been on the West Coast

So maybe we see each other once/twice a year.

Now that he’s not touring for a while he’s turned his considerable skills to writing another book.

His third is called All Together Now (A Newfoundlander’s Light Tales for Heavy Times)

The tales come from his imaginary corner stool in his local bar – The Duke.

On the set of Robin Hood. The Russell Crowe film. Conversation with his son Henry in the car. (I’ll play the role of Henry, he’ll play Alan Doyle)

His strong connection to his Maritime fans in Alberta.

Alan truly misses “the road”. Lots of stories there.

The man is a natural-born story-teller. Come along, you’ll see.

Here’s the complete interview with the beloved Alan Doyle

EP 134 | Elvis Costello

December 5, 2020

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Hands up – is there anyone out there who hasn’t heard of Elvis Costello?

Not many of you. And I’m worried about those of you over there.

Right from the first notes, he’s staked his claim as a singular artist.

He was following nobody.

Elvis rose to prominence on the strength of three albums. One after the other.

My Aim is True, This Year’s Model and Armed Forces.

Never afraid to speak his mind or get in trouble for it he was branded a troublemaker. That got my attention right away.

His latest album is Hey Clockface.

Photo by Diana Krall

Recorded in Helsinki Finland and Paris France.

The Paris session was an amazing 9 songs in 2 days.

Elvis adlibbing his way through lyrics while being accompanied by French Jazz musicians, also adlibbing.

In several cases, Elvis spoke the words rather than sing them.

There’s a nod to Fats Waller & Tin Pan Alley.

There are elements of rap, hip hop, 1920’s Ukulele Ike traditional jazz songs, crooning like a Mel Torme session, and much more.

This is the complete interview. Wherein he talks about his new musical A Face in the Crowd, now stalled because of the Pandemic, and sings a song from the musical.

The re-release of Armed Forces, the possibility of working again with Nick Lowe, a fantastic story of Chuck Berry and Leonard Cohen.

His life growing up in England.

And a bag load of other moments in his life.

We welcome Elvis Costello to The Mulligan Stew Podcast

EP 133 | Sandra Oldfield, Kurtis Kolt, Rhys Pender. Helping Restaurants and Wineries in the year ahead

November 29, 2020

hello

You may have noticed that our Podcast has a subtitle

Music. Film. Food. Wine. Those are the subjects I keep coming back to.

We do lots of music and film and some food but the wine pods have been few and far between. That’s going to change.

The stories and interviews that stand out for me are the interviews affecting people everywhere.

This week it’s how we – the food and wine fan – can support our local restaurants and wineries, cideries, breweries, distillers.

The pandemic has caused many restaurants to close or hold on for dear life.

Wineries will disappear over the next year. The same with brewers, cider makers, and distillers.

I really wanted to hear from three voices that deal with this community every day. The question – what can we do. How can we help?

Sandra Oldfield – 20 years a winemaker and X-CEO of Tinhorn Creek Winery. Now head of Elysian Projects, assisting and guiding wineries and restaurants.

Kurtis Kolt – Wine writer, judge, and educator. Many years in the restaurant business in downtown Vancouver.

Rhys Pender – Master of Wine, Winemaker at Little Farm Wines. Educator via WinePlus. A calm voice inside all the noise.

EP 132 | Daniel Lanois Interview

November 20, 2020

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We’ve been long-distance friends since the ’60s but like many, I’ve followed his amazing career.

Best known for his producing work on landmark albums like Joshua Tree, Wrecking Ball, and Time out of Mind. His work with Peter Gabriel, Neville Brothers, EmmyLou, Willie, Robbie Robertson, Neil Young. Tinariwen etc earned this praise from Rolling Stone Magazine.

“His unmistakable fingerprints are all over an entire wing of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”

In April he releases his next solo album Heavy Sun with a joyous/soulful band that blends gospel call and response, soul harmonics, and deep grooves. The intent is to “lift people’s spirits”. Lifted mine.

Because the album doesn’t drop until April 2021 this interview covers the first single (under a) Heavy Sun. Then Daniel takes us through his work with Leonard Cohen, Robbie Robertson, and that moment when Bob Dylan walked in on a Neville Brothers Yellow Moon session to hear their version of With God in our side.

EP 131 | Geeking Out on Island Pinot!

November 18, 2020

hello

The Stew Podcast has a subtitle

Music. Film. Food. Wine. Those are the fields where my interviews come from.

Lots of music.

Increasing film conversations.

The Food file is getting thicker

But I’ve been shortchanging the Wine stories.

I do many wine features for Tasting Room Radio but the podcast interviews have to be special.

This week it’s a complete geek out on Point Noir.

The most complex grape on the planet. Growers call it “the heartbreak grape”

It requires care, time, and attention to detail with no guarantee that the wine will be drinkable after a year of growing, harvest, and cellaring.

Great Pinot loves certain growing conditions found in France, German, New Zealand, Chile, and California/Oregon in the USA.

Now, because of global warming, it may become Vancouver Island’s turn. The winemakers of VI have long talked about such a possibility. Now they’re certain.

This gathering all took place at this year’s Victoria Wine Festival.

It started with a panel discussion and ended with a one-on-one group gathering (with masks) outside in the courtyard.

Mike Rathjen – Winemaker. Rathjen Cellars (Saanich)

Daniel Dragert – Winemaker Kutatas (koo-ta-tass) (Salt Spring Island)

Dan Wright – Winemaker Unsworth (Cowichan Valley)

Layne Craig – Winemaker 40 Knots (Comox)

Brent Rowland – Winemaker Averill Creek (Cowichan Valley)

Mike Neirychlo – Winemaker Emandare (Cowichan Valley) and panel host

Please remember, these are WINEMAKERS who love to geek out on Pinot.

IF you ever wanted to know more about the heartbreak grape this is your Podcast.

If you have a comment or opinion let us know…and Please subscribe on your favorite platform.

We’ll just “show up” after that.

NEXT week artist/producer/writer Daniel Lanois.