EP 261 | Bruce Allen: The state of todays music business, his roster and another birthday!

June 24, 2023

hello

On the occasion of Bruce Allen’s birthday, I thought I’d sit down for an early morning Zoom call.

Bruce has a roster of talent that plays the World’s stages, so you can find him at 8 am just finishing a call to South Africa.

He’s a full-speed guy. Never outworked, no matter what the project.

In over 50 years Bruce has become one of the best artist managers in the entire music business. Bruce Allen Talent.

After a start with BTO, Bruce decided to take a chance on a young singer/songwriter Bryan Adams. They agreed to be a team with a handshake and started to make music history.

His roster now includes legend Anne Murray, Michael Bublé (there’s a story), Jann Arden, mega-producer Bob Rock and his first band in a while The Offspring.

In the 23 minutes that I have his attention, Bruce tells tales about

The state of the current music business..

The loss of Gordon Lightfoot

Bryan Adams – his place today

Jann – she’s busy Mully

Michael Bublé – we trade Bublé stories. Love it

Bob Rock and Gord Downie – amazing story

The Offspring – first band he’s signed in years.

The Loss of our dear friend – Red Robinson DJ Legend.

Enjoy Big Bad Bruce. Next Week and very special feature on the early rock life of Red Robinson. His last two interviews.

EP 256 | Bruce Allen on Everything & Doug Cox on Van Island Music Fest.

May 20, 2023

hello

Welcome to the Victoria Day May Long Weekend Edition of the Mulligan Stew Podcast..

And because it’s a long weekend, we have a longer podcast – two of them actually.

Starting things off is the birthday boy Bruce Allen – One of Canada’s most successful talent managers EVER!!

Bruce and his world-class team are responsible for planning, leading and supporting the careers of Bryan Adams, Michael Buble, Bob Rock, Jann Arden and The Offspring. When you do get the attention of Bruce – Watch Out! You can fire questions off in every direction. The thing is you have to be prepared to have the answers smack you upside the HEAD.

I wanted Bruce’s thoughts on the loss of our mutual friend Red Robinson – The Last DJ. And the loss of Gordon Lightfoot as well.

Then we talked about the state of today’s music business. Like throwing a steak to a pit bull.

Bruce then launches into an update on the 2023 years of Offspring, Jann, Bryan, Michael and Bob Rock.

Rock has released an album with the late Gord Downie of The Tragically Hip. It’s amazing. Bruce has that story as well..

Happy Birthday Happy Bruce!!

Bob Rock interview to follow soon.

The second interview is with Doug Cox, the artistic director of the Vancouver Island Music Festival. July 14-16 in Courtney/Comox.

Every year I’m fascinated by Doug’s artist lineups.

This year the headliners are Sarah McLachlan, Rickie Lee Jones and The Bros. Landreth. He asked Roy Forbes to return to his BIM character and revisit the tracks from his Thistles Album.

Two legends. Dave Alvin and Jimmy Dale Gilmore with The Guilty Ones.

Here’s Doug Cox with backgrounds on all those artists and more.

NEXT WEEK – The Artistic Directors of Folk Festivals in Calgary, Winnipeg, Vancouver and Canmore. PLUS Terry Wickham reveals his lineup for Edmonton Folk Fest.

Have a memorable weekend – tdm

Mulligan Stew May 20th 2023-Special Guests Bruce Allen and Doug Cox

May 20, 2023

hello

Have yourself a great Long Weekend

We have two guests and wall-to-wall music, hand-made for a superb Saturday in May.

First guest in Hour Two is Doug Cox artistic director of the Vancouver Island Music Festival.

July 14-16 in Courtney-Comox.

Doug is also a well-known performer and through the performing year, shares stages with some of his festival guests.

The stellar line-up this year includes

Rickie Lee Jones

Bros. Landreth

Sarah McLachlan.

Dave Alvin, Jimmy Dale Gilmore and the Guilty Ones

Roy Forbes, recreating his BIM album Thistles

AV and the Inner City

Galactic

Angelique Francis and many more.

www.islandmusicfest.com

NEXT WEEK on The Stew– Artistic Directors from Folk Festivals in –

Vancouver/Canmore/Winnipeg & Calgary. Together in one discussion.

and Terry Wickham takes us through the Edmonton Folk Fest Line Up

Second guest is Bruce Allen – celebrating his 79^th Birthday this weekend.

Bruce is the manager of Jann Arden, Michael Bublé, Bryan Adams, The Offspring and Bob Rock.

We’ll talk briefly about how Bob Rock and Gord Downie ended up creating the album Lustre Parfait together. It took 7 years.

Both complete interviews can be heard on the Mulligan Stew Podcast and seen on the terrydavidmulligan You Tube Channel.

We also celebrate the birth date of Joe Cocker and remember drummer Roger Hawkins from the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. (Percy Sledge/Aretha/Wilson Pickett)
New music from Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton, Rhiannon Giddens, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats, Bruce Cockburn Matt Anderson, Natalie Merchant, Rodney Crowell, Galactic, Kurt Elling and Charlie Hunter.

PLAYLIST:

Mulligan Stew Van Island Music Fest	also Bruce Allen on Bob Rock & Gord Downie	Big bag of Saturday night tracks
Moon River	Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton	single
You’re the one	Rhiannon Giddens	You’re the One
Buy my round	Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats	Buy my Round
Stack – O – Lee (live)	Dr John	Live at Montreux Jazz 86
Tennessee Jed	Levon Helm	Dirt Farmer
The Stew with TDMulligan	Coming UP – Vancouver Island Music Fest	details mulliganstewdotca
On a roll	Bruce Cockburn	O Sun O Moon
Rollin’ down the road	Matt Anderson	Big Bottle of Joy
It’s only rock and roll (live)	The Rolling Stones	Totally Stripped
deane house	river cafe	Thank you both
Feeling Alright (live)	Joe Cocker. Mad Dogs & Englishmen	Mad Dogs and Englishmen – Live Fillmore East
Respect	Aretha Franklin	I never loved a man
Mustang Sally	Wilson Pickett	Best of
When a man loves a woman	Percy Sledge	Best of
In Hour Two – Doug Cox brings the music	and Bruce Allen brings the stories	Mulligan Stew – CKUA
Wrap it up	Kurt Elling. Charlie Hunter. Nate Smith	Super Blue: Guilty Pleasures
Liquid Spirits	Gregory Porter	Liquid Spirits (deluxe)
Tchompitoulas	Galactic, Eric Gordon	Tchompitoulas
Tower of Babel	Natalie Merchant	Keep your courage
Lucky	Rodney Crowell	The Chicago Sessions
Coyotes Banff	supporting ckua for 25 years	coyotesbanffdotcom
Doug Cox – Artistic Director	Vancouver Island Music Festival	July 14-16
Broken Heart	Sarah McLachlan	Shine On (deluxe)
Doug Cox Interview	Vancouver Island Music Festival	July 14-16
Thistles	Roy Forbes (BIM)	Thistles
Doug Cox Interview	Vancouver Island Music Festival	Complete interview on Mulligan Stew Podcast and tdm YouTube
Highway 61 Revisited	Dave Alvin	From an old guitar
Doug Cox – VanIslandmusicFest	complete interview on Mulligan Stew Podcast	-and tdm you tube channel
What in the World	The Bros. Landreth	Come Morning
They can’t take that away from me	Rickie Lee Jones	Pieces of Treasure
Mulligan Stew Year 27	Terry David Mulligan	Coming UP – Bruce Allen
The safest day of the year	Gord Downie and Bob Rock	Lustre Parfait
Bruce Allen Interview	Happy Bruce – a drive thru interview	Talking about Gord Downie and Bob Rock
There goes the Sun	Gord Downie and Bob Rock	Lustre Parfait