The second of two parts featuring stories about bands and signings and concerts and clubs and events that went down in New York City, as we flashback to CBGB, and Central Park, and stories of artists including a former Playboy Bunny, a band of Dolls, plus rats on the west side, bed bugs up town, and more nods to Bowie, who in his own words tells of the why he loved living there, just like his New York pal John Lennon had, plus Ramones, and Sid Vicious, and KISS, and Aerosmith and Lou, too. Are you tuning in? Why wouldn't you. Come along for another trip to New York City. 

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The last time we did a 90 minute world album premiere special was with David Bowie, and I can tell you this session with Justin often moved me in similar ways, in both the stories and the new music. Here's a man from Toronto who himself has negotiated major changes and overcome obstacles and found so many better ways forward. His growth as a recording artist, engineer and producer has been immense. This record is a profound work. Come along for the ride, as we dig deep into Justin Rutledge's 10th album, “Something Easy”, moving through the record cut by cut with stories behind each song, plus Justin picks up his guitar and plays a live performance of “Head for the Hills”.

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The first of two parts on New York finds a London Ontario, Canada band delivering one of the finest of New York anthems from the late seventies, and how and with whom the Beatles got high with a little help from their new friend, and a story about two shy souls named Smith and Hendrix, hanging together on the stairs of Electric Lady Studios, plus Lennon, Bowie, and the duo originally known as Tom & Jerry.  If you know that last bit, you win our undying admiration.  Let's go, to New York City.  

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Songs this time that were born out of necessity, chance, in teenage bedrooms, and rooftops, and during jams, rehearsals, sound-checks, and at least one song, over drinks. An episode of happy accidents that didn't result in baby showers.

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This time we'll put some fun between your legs -- some “wind therapy” as they say. Here comes an episode featuring motorcycle anthems, mostly.  We'll hear memory from RUSH drummer/lyricist Neil Peart about his motorbike riding adventures, and his influence on one of Jeff's bike choices, and the storied history of Woods' rides.  And hear music from The Byrds, Steppenwolf, Prince, Richard Thompson, Neil Young, The Allman Brothers, and more.

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Sometimes there's themes that bear repeating. And this is one of those. Cover versions you mightn't expect, or haven't heard before, or will be thrilled to hear again. Songs that popped for me. With 3 set ups from my chat in 2012 with Carlos Santana on 3 he nailed with Chris Cornell, Scott Weiland and Joe Cocker.  Luther Wright and the Wrongs inspired this episode, so they're back with a Pink Floyd gem, and Bowie with a tribute to Nina Simone, and how about Aretha's cover of a song by the Band! All here, and some bonus podcast only content, of the weekly radio series show. Enjoy.

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There's something about the sound of the instrument, smallish in size, that adds something special to select rock songs. It's Italian. It has strings. It's part of the lute family and has a long neck and and rounded body. Most often played with a pick, it typically has four courses or sets of 2 strings, tuned in unison and making it an 8 string instrument, and when you put two strings close together like this, you get more volume because of the strings vibrating against one another.

The mandolin would be put to use in European classic music, and in American folk and bluegrass music. And then thanks to Led Zeppelin, in rock music too. Not just them, but a raft of bands in the seventies, eighties and nineties, each of which is revealed in this episode of so-called mando-music.

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Jeff prompts 15 rockstars to tell us what their favourite Beatles songs are and why? Featuring some incredibly honest and well thought answers from: Paul Rodgers, Joe Walsh, Colin James, Randy Bachman, Nick Gilder, Kim Mitchell, Moe Berg, Joe Perry, Jim Cuddy, Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi, Serena Ryder, Rick Jackett of Finger 11, Jeremy Taggart of Our Lady Peace, and BUBBLES from TRAILER PARK BOYS. Do you remember the band he, i.e. actor Mike Smith, was a part of? Find out in this 25 minute podcast version of Woods' weekly radio show.

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Jeff takes you back to the early months of 1973 and the music that was both new in record stores and on turntables and 8-tracks, and on the hipper radio stations. This is the first of a 4-parter of recurring episodes celebrating the best of '73. 

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Remember “World Album Premiere” radio specials? This is just like that, but only available as a podcast as Jeff welcomes the return of the uniquely voiced sweetheart of an artist who debuted on Records & Rockstars in Episode 56 (Oct 2020). Mattie Leon brings his acoustic guitar, and an elpees worth of tunes produced by Mark Howard (Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Willie Nelson, The Tragically Hip), and Mattie and Jeff dig into the songs with stories behind them, featuring four cuts directly off the album, and Mattie plays two more key cuts live at Jeff's Wild Woods Blue Studio. Hailing from Hamilton, Mattie is a craftsman on guitar and piano, with sensibilities informed by the songwriting of the sixties and seventies. His voice, whether soaring or soulful, is his own. At his side is Mike Leon, Mattie's drummer and longtime collaborator. Together, they've become a captivating example of the unique thing that happens when siblings share the studio or stage.

Mattie, Mike and longtime bassist, and multi-instrumentalist Nelson Sobral (Episode 72 March 2021) did things the old fashioned way; recording everything together in the same room. The result is ‘Backroad Medicine’, out March 2023 on Castlemore Records.

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