I woke up Autograf's Mikul and Louis from a nap when I met then at the hotel. In fact they asked for another quick 15 minutes of sleep before we chatted.

Chicago indie dance band Autograf is three guys: Mikul Wing, Louis Kha and Jake Carpenter. Autograf started as a Chicago art collective modeled after Andy Warhol's legendary New York Factory scene. While working on art installations, Autograf made a few bootleg remixes (including 50 Cent, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and the Temptations) to fuel parties at their Future Factory space. These remixes became incredibly popular and soon offical remixes followed which eventually led to Autograf releasing original material.

Louis and Mikul were still groggy and disoriented when I woke them up the second time, but we had a great chat. How did an art collective become a dance act? What does the band mean when they tell each other to "bask like a lizard?" We start with the most important question: If Autograf is three guys, and Louis and Mikul get the two beds in the Autograf hotel room, where does the third man sleep? Listen to our chat.

Tracks played on the show...

1) Autograf, Future Soup EP (2016) "Future Soup" (featuring Patrick Baker)

2) 50 Cent & Lil Kim "Magic Stick" (Autograf bootleg remix)

3) Autograf, Metaphysical single (2015) "Metaphysical" (featuring Janelle Kroll)

4) Marvin Gaye "Grapevine" (Autograf bootleg remix)

5) Autograf "Dream" (Robotaki remix)

6) Autograf "Dream" (original) single

7) Autograf Future Soup EP (2016) "Heartbeat"

NO songs CANCON

I met up with the core of Monomyth, Josh Salter and Seamus Dalton right before the annual Mint Records Ridiculously Early Christmas Party in 2015. They wanted me to hold this interview until their new record was ready to come out. Finally the new record, Happy Pop Family, comes out November 4, 2016 on Mint Records. Why'd it take so long? Josh and Seamus moonlight in slacker-rock band, Nap Eyes--Josh is Nap Eyes’ bassist and Seamus is the drummer.

When I hung out with Josh and Seamus, they were staying at a secret band house in East Vancouver. I walked in the door and my jaw dropped: there were crushed PBR cans all over the living room, covering the table, floor and couches. So we each cracked open another beer and started to talk. Josh and Seamus were just the right kind of buzzed for a hilarious conversation.

Tracks played on the show...

1) Monomyth, Saturnalia Regalia (2014) “Pac Ambition”

2) Monomyth, King, Does This Not Please You? (Behold the Power) (2013) “Cigarette”

3) Monomyth, Monomyth (2012) “Feeling”

4) Monomyth, Saturnalia Regalia (2014) “Theme From Monomyth”

ALL songs CANCON

I met up with the core of Monomyth, Josh Salter and Seamus Dalton right before the annual Mint Records Ridiculously Early Christmas Party in 2015. They wanted me to hold this interview until their new record was ready to come out. Finally the new record, Happy Pop Family, comes out November 4, 2016 on Mint Records. Why'd it take so long? Josh and Seamus moonlight in slacker-rock band, Nap Eyes--Josh is Nap Eyes’ bassist and Seamus is the drummer.

When I hung out with Josh andSeamus, they were staying at a secret band house in East Vancouver. I walked in the door and my jaw dropped: there were crushed PBR cans all over the living room, covering the table, floor and couches. So we cracked open another beer and started to talk. Josh and Seamus were just the right kind of buzzed for a hilarious conversation.

Tracks played on the show...

1) Monomyth, Saturnalia Regalia (2014) “Pac Ambition”

2) Monomyth, King, Does This Not Please You? (Behold the Power) (2013) “Cigarette”

3) Monomyth, Monomyth (2012) “Feeling”

4) Monomyth, Saturnalia Regalia (2014) “Theme From Monomyth”

ALL songs CANCON

Ra Ra Riot started out as a baroque pop or orchestral pop band fronted by singer Wes Miles amazing voice. In 2013, the band released Beta Love, a record which left the baroque pop sound behind and went in a new direction, towards something more electro pop. As you can imagine, Beta Love was polarizing and not popular with a small but vocal segment of the band's fanbase. I enjoyed Beta Love and was very interested to hear what the next step in the band's evolution would sound like. In early 2016, the band released Need Your Light.

I hung out with the band's singer Wes in Ra Ra Riot's busy tour van and we talked. What is the unlikely secret from Wes' past in school? What was it like working with Rostam Batmanglij (from Vampire Weekend) on the new record? How did the band navigate the rocky waters of change and growth? Which is Wes' favorite track on Ra Ra Riot's first record The Rhumb Line? How much does Wes love U2's 1991 album Achtung Baby? You have to listen to find out! (I even get him to sing a bit.)

Tracks played on the show...

1) Ra Ra Riot, Need Your Light (2016) "Water"

2) Ra Ra Riot, Need Your Light (2016) "Absolutely"

3) Ra Ra Riot, The Rhumb Line (2008) "St Peter's Day Festival" (mp3)

4) Ra Ra Riot, Beta Love (2013) "Beta Love" (background)

5) Ra Ra Riot, Need Your Light (2016) "I Need Your Light" (mp3)

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Most people think that Canadian indie rock band Walter TV is what Mac DeMarco's touring band does when Mac is not around. But Walter TV started as three friends who like to make music together: Pierce McGarry (vocals, guitar), Joe McMurray (drums) and Simon Ankenman (bass). It can get confusing since at times Mac DeMarco writes and performs in the band (see the video for "Puka Shell Necklace" for an example) and only Pierce and Joe play in DeMarco's touring band.

I hung out with Pierce and Simon one night behind East Vancouver venue The Lido and tried to figure things out. Is Mac DeMarco in Walter TV? How did the three guys in Walter TV meet? (Hint: it involved a "rock star walk" on peyote.) Which band member was discovered in a nest of rats under a bridge? What do the guys in Walter TV have in common with Britney Spears? Which flavour does Pierce like to vape? When have Pierce and Simon felt the most alive while on tour? You'll have to listen to this interview to find out.

Tracks played on the radio version of the show...

1) Mac Demarco, 2 (2012) "Freaking Out the Neighbourhood" (background/partial)

2) Walter TV, Blessed (2015) "Paranormal Witness"

3) Walter TV, Blessed (2015) "Tall Mountains"

4) Walter TV, Appetite (2013) "Puka Shell Necklace"

5) Walter TV, Blessed (2015) "Punk Song"

6) Walter TV, Blessed (2015) "Neighbour"

All Songs CANCON

Most people think that Canadian indie rock band Walter TV is what Mac DeMarco's touring band does when Mac is not around. But Walter TV started as three friends who like to make music together: Pierce McGarry (vocals, guitar), Joe McMurray (drums) and Simon Ankenman (bass). It can get confusing since at times Mac DeMarco writes and performs in the band (see the video for "Puka Shell Necklace" for an example) and only Pierce and Joe play in DeMarco's touring band.

I hung out with Pierce and Simon one night behind East Vancouver venue The Lido and tried to figure things out. Is Mac DeMarco in Walter TV? How did the three guys in Walter TV meet? (Hint: it involved a "rock star walk" on peyote.) Which band member was discovered in a nest of rats under a bridge? What do the guys in Walter TV have in common with Britney Spears? Which flavour does Pierce like to vape? What's the difference between living in Vancouver, Montreal and LA? When have Pierce and Simon felt the most alive while on tour? Why are these guys such fan's of Sarah McLachlan? How many times does local indie rocker Malcolm Jack crash the interview? You'll have to listen to this interview to find out.

Tracks played on the extended version of the show...

1) Mac Demarco, 2 (2012) "Freaking Out the Neighbourhood" (background/partial)

2) Walter TV, Blessed (2015) "Paranormal Witness"

3) Walter TV, Blessed (2015) "Tall Mountains"

4) Walter TV, Appetite (2013) "Puka Shell Necklace"

5) Walter TV, Blessed (2015) "Punk Song"

6) Walter TV, Blessed (2015) "Neighbour"

7) Sarah McLachlan, Surfacing (1997) "Witness"

All Songs CANCON

About a half an hour before my interview with Edmonton indie pop singer-songwriter Calvin Love, I got a text. Calvin needed a hook up. (Later, he'd confide that this was his first time asking an interviewer for some assistance.)

Which song did Calvin write while on the toilet? How does he escape the everyday routine? Which Calvin Love song is a love story involving a robot? And most importantly: Did I hook Calvin up? You'll have to listen to find out!

Tracks played on the show...

1) Calvin Love, Super Future (2015) “I Wanna Know”

2) Calvin Love, Super Future (2015) “Automaton”

3) Calvin Love, Super Future (2015) “Daydream”

4) Calvin Love, New Radar (2012) “Treasure Hunters” (partial/background)

5) Calvin Love, Super Future (2015) “Calls From Jupiter”

ALL songs CANCON

I hung out with indie rock, post punk band Born Ruffians in an undercover car garage one summer day while we were both at the Banff World Media Festival. We chatted as a mysterious wind-born fluff swirled around us, invading this small town in the Rockies.

Which band member does an impression of Donald Trump? How does music change for a band when they go from fan to working musician? Which band members still play in their family's annual Christmas song circle? Could Born Ruffians make a record about being a cool suburban dad? Who in the band suffers from "demoitis"? You'll have to listen!

Tracks played on the show...

1) Born Ruffians, Ruff (2015) "We Made It"

2) Born Ruffians, Ruff (2015) "Eat Shit (We Did It)"

3) Born Ruffians, Birthmarks (2013) "Needle"

4) Born Ruffians, Say It (2010) "What to Say"

5) Born Ruffians, Ruff (2015) "Shade To Shade" (partial)

6) Born Ruffians, Ruff (2015) "Don't Live Up"

All songs CANCON

I hung out with indie rock, post punk band Born Ruffians in an undercover car garage one summer day while we were both at the Banff World Media Festival. We chatted as a mysterious wind-born fluff swirled around us, invading this small town in the Rockies.

Which band member does an impression of Donald Trump? How does music change for a band when they go from fan to working musician? Which band members still play in their family's annual Christmas song circle? Could Born Ruffians make a record about being a cool suburban dad? Who in the band suffers from "demoitis"? You'll have to listen!

Tracks played on the show...

1) Born Ruffians, Ruff (2015) "We Made It"

2) Born Ruffians, Ruff (2015) "Eat Shit (We Did It)"

3) Born Ruffians, Birthmarks (2013) "Needle"

4) Born Ruffians, Say It (2010) "What to Say"

5) Born Ruffians, Ruff (2015) "Shade To Shade" (partial)

6) Born Ruffians, Ruff (2015) "Don't Live Up"

All songs CANCON

The Elwins make incredibly upbeat pop music. And when you meet them, you can understand why. I hung out with The Elwins on one rainy Vancouver evening. We huddled together under the awning of a closed coffee shop outside CBC Headquarters. You can hear the rain pour down in the background as we chat.

Which member of The Elwins kicked another member out of their high school band? What part of a tour is the worst part for The Elwins? Which Elwins song has a reference to King Kong in it? What would an “edgy” Elwins song sound like? What are The Elwins watching in the hotel room these days? How does the band deal with their need to reproduce? You’ll have to listen to find out.

Tracks played on the show...

1) The Elwins, Play For Keeps (2015) “So Down Low”

2) The Elwins, Play For Keeps (2015) “Show Me How to Move”

3) The Elwins, Play For Keeps (2015) “It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over”

4) The Elwins, And I Thank You (2012) “Come On Out” (partial/background)

5) The Elwins, And I Thank You (2012) “Are You Flying With a Different Bird?”

6) The Elwins, Play For Keeps (2015) “Sexual Intellectual”

ALL songs CANCON