Dan Mangan released his 7th album, Natural Light, last Friday.
A year ago, Dan Mangan asked the players in his road band to join him at a cottage to demo the songs for Natural Light.
These players would likely not be in studio when he rerecorded the songs.
However, after recording the first song – It Might Be Raining – they looked at each other, laughing. It was pure magic. The room worked, the band worked and the songs really worked
They did two songs the next day and 2 more the third day. Four songs the 4th day.
The demos in the cottage became the album Natural Light.
Our interview covers a lot of ground. Dan opened up about his highs and lows. At one point, he was not being able to find a label that believed in his music.
He made a decision not to let anyone mess with his dreams, so he started his own label. Dan says, This is the very best music he’s ever made.
He brings tales of acceptance and rejection. Of finding a balance between his dreams and his family.
It Might Be Raining – was written for his children in preparation for the world he/we were leaving them. The songs bring Hope.
I believe Natural Light to be one of the albums of the year.
The first hour of Saturday’s Stew has a donor Father who lost his son. Bo’s birthday would have been Sunday the 28th. (Born 1992)
The entire family seemed to move to the words and rhythm of music from Day One. Bo took great joy in going to live concerts.
All were fans of CKUA and loved attending the Edmonton Folk Music Festival.
For Bo and family/friends we played –
Solomon Burke, Booker T, Alan Toussaint, The Hip (they saw the last 2 Edmonton shows)
The Glorious Sons ( Bo thought he was going to a gospel show)
And because he and they were big Corb fans..
Corb Lund gets two plays. One with Ian Tyson. ( Bo’s and his Father saw Corb and Ian live in Victoria.)
New music from Tyler Del Pino from Winnipeg (check him out), Mono Neon with Mavis, Zack Bryan and Springsteen, Neil Young and Crazy Horse from Early Daze Album.
In Hour Two we salute the front-line firefighters. In the West, especially north of Edmonton, Northern BC and Jasper with
Robert Plant, Tedeschi Trucks, Mumford and Sons, Natalie Merchant and Bob Marley and the Wailers
We also salute the great Michael Bloomfield Born July 28 1943 in Chicago.
And on the Mulligan Stew Podcast, the first interview The Grapes of Wrath have done together in 10 years.
They are playing on Saturday, Aug 3 at The Filberg Festival in Comox. Then sold out shows in the Maritimes, September 26th at Sherwood Park, Sept 27 at Vernon and Sept 28 at Dream Cafe in Penticton
Kevin Kane, Tommy and Chris Hooper, the original guys, can lay claim to the longest-running original band members in Canada.
They’re also celebrating the 40th anniversary of the release of their first EP on Nettwerk.
Shawn Hall – The Harpoonist. Currently a solo artist without long-time partner the Axe Murderer.
Shawn has a new album coming out later this summer but he’s about to drop his first single –Good People. Co-written and produced by Gordie Johnson from Big Sugar.
Good People was heard first time anywhere on last year’s Juno Couch at CKUA. Shawn joined musical forces with Diggin’ Roots and they rocked The Couch.
This is a drive-through interview because the rest of it will he heard when the album drops later this summer.
Harpoonist is coming our way. May 1 Wise Hall Vancouver. / May 2 Kelowna/ May 3 Nelson/ May 4 Calgary/ May 5 Lethbridge/May 7 Red Deer/ May 8 Edmonton.
Followed by Saskatoon/Regina/Winnipeg
The second guest is Afie Jurvanen – more famously known as Bahamas!
A fascinating artist and human. Never satisfied to remain in the same groove or attitude. What’s constant is his ability to create memorable songs, surrounded by sonic texture that is his territory alone.
You know it’s him as soon as you hear the song.
He’ll be doing summer festivals and supporting his album Bootcut– a heavily inspired classic Country record which has recently seen his catalogue surpass a billion streams. He was awarded a pile of gold/platinum/double platinum singles while attending the JUNOs this year. . Rolling Stone covered Bootcut saying that a Canadian indie rock kid made one ofNashville’s most Country records of the year: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/bahamas-bootcut-country-music-album-nashville-1234826097/
Oh..and he was featured on The Bachelor and released an album on Valentine’s day called Repackaged Love Songs.
And best of all, he’s guesting on Mulligan Stew Saturday 4 Pacific / 5 Mtn at CKUA RADIO ckua.com
The complete interview can be found on Mulligan Stew Podcast and the video version on the terrydavidmulligan YouTube Channel
Feb 9th Alan Doyle releases his next album Welcome Home
Feb 10 he guests on Mulligan Stew
“I have always struggled with the middle ground. I love playing live so much and I have rightly been accused of writing songs more for concerts than albums. Most people who come to my shows want that kind of night out. So, I have overlooked the lower and slower: The lower part of my vocal range and the slower songs. I’m letting myself do that for the first time on this record.”
Alan’s 6th solo album and 20th of his career. Alan is celebrating 30 years in music.
He’s been co-writinbg songs for Welcome Home with Donovan Woods, Jimmy Rankin and actor Oscar Isaac.
Alan starts a 45-night North American tour Feb 20 with 2 nights in Kelowna.
Feb 29 – Edmonton N Jube
March 1 Calgary S Jube
March 9 Massey Hall
Alan Doyle is a first-class storyteller who takes us through the songs and stories.
We talk about Tell Tale Harbour the play he produced.
Also was totally involved in The Tribute to Ron Hynes Album
And he has yet another best-selling book coming.
The beautiful Alan Doyle and his beautiful, beautiful band charging into 2024. At CKUA
Colin Cripps is one of those musicians/artists who may never receive the full spotlight the lead singers get but if you ask that artist in the spotlight, they’ll tell you they wouldn’t be in the studio or out on stage if Colin wasn’t there with them step for step.
In other words, invaluable.
Currently, he’s a member of Blue Rodeo and The Jim Cuddy Band.
He’s played with and produced Crash Vegas and Junkhouse.
Produced and written with ex-wife Kathleen Edwards, Tom Wilson, Colin James, Headstones, Sarah McLachlan, Bryan Adams.
Many many more credits can be found online.
Speaking of online, Colin is a Guitar Geek and he lives in a World where other guitar geeks compare notes on guitars and gear.
They all speak another language ..about tone and bridges and strings and colors. They go crazy for colors.
Colin has some 40-50 guitars.
Each brings something different to music.
Colin takes us through the differences and who played what on which records.
Jeff Beck. Eric Clapton. Keith Richards. The Beatles. Elvis Costello. Metallica. Jimmy Page. Hank Marvin. Mark Knopfler. Cliff Gallop.
It’s time to Geek OUT !!
Colin talks about and shows/plays these guitars
1955 Fender Telecaster in Sunburst (Keith Richards. Jimmy Page)
1963 Fender Stratocaster in Fiesta Red (Hank Marvin. Jimi. Mark Knopfler)
1964 Gibson SG Standard in Cherry Red (Colin’s Fave)
1962 Epiphone Casino in Royal Tan (The Beatles made them famous)
1958 Fender Jazzmaster in Roman Red (Elvis Costello. Only 4 in this color)
1958 Gibson Explorer. The Holy Grail of originals. James Hatfield’s is worth 1M.
From a family in the deep south that grew cotton. Sam would work in the fields with African American pickers. They brought their songs with them and Sam grew to love the music.
He worked his way through radio and played a mix of black and white music that he loved.
When he started Sun Records in Memphis..it made perfect sense that he would record Jr Parker, Howling Wolf, and Charlie Rich side-by-side.
Then he went looking for a white singer who shared his love of black music and found him in ELVIS.
When I had the opportunity to visit Sun Records Studio…I just sat there and tried to imagine the history bouncing off the walls
So years later, I find myself at the opening of the Rock Hall of Fame in Cleveland in 1995. Sam Phillips is being inducted and comes into the press room to speak with journalists and reporters as a group.
I waited until the very last question and asked him this question…
“Sam. They have recreated your studio here in the Hall. But how do they recreate the magic, the creative juice that connected in your original rooms? The incredible spark that happened between you and Elvis. How does that get captured here?”
His answer just blew me away… The other voice you hear is Mary Wilson from The Supremes.
The other guest visit is with Colin James and Jeff Healey…many years ago at MuchMusic in Toronto.
Just jamming in the studio. A Jimmy Reed song. I told the guys I’d give them 5 bucks each if they worked my name into the lyrics.
A Great jam, both guys solo on their acoustic guitars – Five bucks later it’s followed by a giggle.
This was pure magic..still is!
Here’s the long weekend music list – goes well with burgers.
OH…the Podcast is Cheech and Chong. Years ago, back in Vancouver where it all started for them.
A year ago, Dan Mangan asked the players in his road band to join him at a cottage to demo the songs for Natural Light.
