John Grant is known for his staggeringly honest songs about coming to terms with self-destructive behaviors, self-doubt, ex-lovers, and relationship implosions. He released his latest record, Love Is Magic, in October 2018. He's heading around the world on tour. Catch him when he comes to your town.

I hung out with John Grant one sunny day in a stinky Vancouver alley. He was wearing a baseball cap with "GLOOM" on it, but I managed to make him chuckle once or twice.

Which song on Pale Green Ghosts is about coming to terms with his HIV status? Does John Grant have a songwriting process? How did John Grant go from working on his first solo record with Texas folk rockers Midlake to moving to Iceland to work with electronic music producer Biggi Veira? Which song on Pale Green Ghosts is John's favorite? How did John Grant get pop legend Sinead O'Connor to sing on the record? Which 90s band would John like to influence his 90s record? Why does John want to go to Cedar Point, Ohio? You'll have to listen to find out!

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

1) John Grant, Pale Green Ghosts (2013) "Pale Green Ghosts"

2) John Grant, Pale Green Ghosts (2013) "Ernest Borgnine"

3) John Grant, Pale Green Ghosts (2013) "Blackbelt" (background)

4) Sinéad O'Connor, How About I Be Me (and You Be You)? (2012) "Queen of Denmark" (John Grant cover) (background)

5) John Grant, Pale Green Ghosts (2013) "Glacier"

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John Grant is known for his staggeringly honest songs about coming to terms with self-destructive behaviors, self-doubt, ex-lovers, and relationship implosions. He released his latest record, Love Is Magic, in October 2018. He's heading around the world on tour. Catch him when he comes to your town.

I hung out with John Grant one sunny day in a stinky Vancouver alley. He was wearing a baseball cap with "GLOOM" on it, but I managed to make him chuckle once or twice.

Which song on Pale Green Ghosts is about coming to terms with his HIV status? Why is John a big fan of Earnest Borgnine? Does John Grant have a songwriting process? How did John Grant go from working on his first solo record with Texas folk rockers Midlake to moving to Iceland to work with electronic music producer Biggi Veira? Which song on Pale Green Ghosts is John's favorite? How did John Grant get pop legend Sinead O'Connor to sing on the record? Which 90s band would John like to influence his 90s record? Why does John want to go to Cedar Point, Ohio? You'll have to listen to find out!

Tracks played on the podcast edition of the show...

1) John Grant, Pale Green Ghosts (2013) "Pale Green Ghosts"

2) John Grant, Pale Green Ghosts (2013) "Ernest Borgnine"

3) John Grant, Pale Green Ghosts (2013) "Blackbelt"

4) Sinéad O'Connor, How About I Be Me (and You Be You)? (2012) "Queen of Denmark" (John Grant cover)

5) John Grant, Pale Green Ghosts (2013) "Glacier"

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Some bands like to do all their interviews "in character" and this makes the chats SUPER FUN. The conversation ends up becoming a game of chicken where we see who can make the other laugh first and break character.

I had a few beers in the van with White Cowbell Oklahoma members Clem C. Clemsen and South Paul Jones when the band stopped in Vancouver celebrating their 15th anniversary tour. Never heard of WCO? Well the band is wildly popular in the Toronto area and has a devoted global fan base. The many many members of Southern fried boogie rockers White Cowbell Oklahoma have earned a reputation for their bizarre, outrageous and very memorable stage shows. I suspect many many more years of hard drinking and hard living are in store for White Cowbell Oklahoma.

Did the band start after members ate some hallucinogens? What erotic German gift did South Paul and Clem get their band members to celebrate 15 years together? What's the weirdest thing to happen to the band on stage? Which WCO track was inspired by mind altering drugs while watching a Disney film? What is the White Cowbell Oklahoma cocktail recipe? How does the band negotiate "alone time" while on tour? Which song is the band's answer to Kenny Roger's "The Gambler" and Johnny Cash? Who is White Cowbell Oklahoma's arch enemy? Which band members would Clem and South Paul choose as their prison brides? You'll have to listen to find out!

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

1) White Cowbell Oklahoma, Buenas Nachas (2012) "Get Back to the Grove"

2) White Cowbell Oklahoma, Cencerro Blanco (2003) "Monster Railroad"

3) White Cowbell Oklahoma, Cencerro Blanco (2003) "Shot a Gamblin' Man"

4) White Cowbell Oklahoma, Buenas Nachas (2012) "Flush in the Pocket"

ALL songs CANCON

Some bands like to do all their interviews "in character" and this makes the chats SUPER FUN. The conversation ends up becoming a game of chicken where we see who can make the other laugh first and break character.

I had a few beers in the van with White Cowbell Oklahoma members Clem C. Clemsen and South Paul Jones when the band stopped in Vancouver celebrating their 15th anniversary tour. Never heard of WCO? Well the band is wildly popular in the Toronto area and has a devoted global fan base. The many many members of Southern fried boogie rockers White Cowbell Oklahoma have earned a reputation for their bizarre, outrageous and very memorable stage shows. I suspect many many more years of hard drinking and hard living are in store for White Cowbell Oklahoma.

Did the band start after members ate some hallucinogens? What erotic German gift did South Paul and Clem get their band members to celebrate 15 years together? What's the weirdest thing to happen to the band on stage? Which WCO track was inspired by mind altering drugs while watching a Disney film? What is the White Cowbell Oklahoma cocktail recipe? How does the band negotiate "alone time" while on tour? Which song is the band's answer to Kenny Roger's "The Gambler" and Johnny Cash? Who is White Cowbell Oklahoma's arch enemy? Which band members would Clem and South Paul choose as their prison brides? You'll have to listen to find out!

Tracks played on the podcast edition of the show...

1) White Cowbell Oklahoma, Buenas Nachas (2012) "Get Back to the Grove"

2) White Cowbell Oklahoma, Cencerro Blanco (2003) "Monster Railroad"

3) White Cowbell Oklahoma, Cencerro Blanco (2003) "Shot a Gamblin' Man"

4) White Cowbell Oklahoma, Cencerro Blanco (2003) "Put the South in Your Mouth"

5) White Cowbell Oklahoma, Buenas Nachas (2012) "Flush in the Pocket"

ALL songs CANCON

Howler was an indie rock band from Minneapolis, Minnesota. The band quickly received international acclaim, most notably from legendary UK music magazine NME, which named Howler their No. 3 Best New Band of 2011 and included lead guitar and vocalist Jordan Gatesmith in their 2011 Cool List. This led the band to getting signed to Rough Trade Records.

When I hung out with the band, they were at an interesting place. Lead singer Jordan Gatesmith had recently caused an uproar when he trashed his local music scene by saying, "They'll really build up these bands...that I will hate.... And then, of course, nothing will happen outside Minneapolis for them." And the band had just released World of Joy--the first record after all the UK hype.

Going in I knew this would be a fun chat. Jordan is a smart guy and talking with him would be combative and hilarious. (Howler have now disbanded. Jordan Gatesmith has since moved to LA and started a new project called Wellness.)

What's it like to survive the hype? How did Jordan make up with the Minneapolis scene? What is everybody's star sign? What's the band's drink of choice? What happened when the rest of the band crashed the interview? How does the band balances influences with finding their own sound? What music does the band love but you can't tell from their music? What's the weirdest thing the band has done to impress a music hero? Which band member had to leave to call his girlfriend? You'll have to listen to find out.

Tracks played on the radio edit...

1) Howler, World of Joy (2014) "Don't Wanna"

2) Howler, World of Joy (2014) "Indictment"

3) Howler, World of Joy (2014) "Al's Corral" (background)

4) Howler, America Give Up (2012) "Told You Once"

5) Howler, World of Joy (2014) "Drip"

NO songs CANCON

Howler was an indie rock band from Minneapolis, Minnesota. The band quickly received international acclaim, most notably from legendary UK music magazine NME, which named Howler their No. 3 Best New Band of 2011 and included lead guitar and vocalist Jordan Gatesmith in their 2011 Cool List. This led the band to getting signed to Rough Trade Records.

When I hung out with the band, they were at an interesting place. Lead singer Jordan Gatesmith had recently caused an uproar when he trashed his local music scene by saying, "They'll really build up these bands...that I will hate.... And then, of course, nothing will happen outside Minneapolis for them." And the band had just released World of Joy--the first record after all the UK hype.

Going in I knew this would be a fun chat. Jordan is a smart guy and talking with him would be combative and hilarious. (Howler have now disbanded. Jordan Gatesmith has since moved to LA and started a new project called Wellness.)

What's it like to survive the hype? How did Jordan make up with the Minneapolis scene? What is everybody's star sign? What's the band's drink of choice? What happened when the rest of the band crashed the interview? How does the band balances influences with finding their own sound? What music does the band love but you can't tell from their music? Which Howler's song is Jordan's least favorite? What's the weirdest thing the band has done to impress a music hero? Which band member had to leave to call his girlfriend? You'll have to listen to find out.

Tracks played on the podcast edition...

1) Howler, World of Joy (2014) "Don't Wanna"

2) Howler, World of Joy (2014) "Indictment"

3) Howler, World of Joy (2014) "Al's Corral" (background)

4) Howler, America Give Up (2012) "Told You Once"

5) Howler, World of Joy (2014) "Louise"

6) Howler, World of Joy (2014) "Drip"

NO songs CANCON

I hung out with the UK post punk band Cymbals one hot summer night in 2014. Sweat dripped down our foreheads and we drank ice cold beverages to keep cool backstage while the opening act completed soundcheck. It was the last show of a North American tour. The band was equal parts excited and exhausted.

As the band would later reveal "2014 was a really intense year. One-by-one the other guys in the band couldn’t face it anymore, so we widened the family, met new people and worked with them, until they had to move on and then we worked with others. It was hard on a personal level, but as a band, it also felt like a kind of chrysalis." Cymbals would continue as Jack Cleverly and Dan Simons after some soul-searching.

Why did vocalist/guitarist Jack name their record, Age of Fracture, after the history book by Daniel T. Rodgers? How does the band like being described as having "rough edges"? How did the band write the record while keeping full time jobs? What does it mean when the band says they need to become more ruthless as songwriters? Does the band have two to three versions of each song laying around? You'll have to listen to find out.

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

1) Cymbals, Age of Fracture (2014) "The Natural World"

2) Cymbals, Age of Fracture (2014) "Erosion"

3) Cymbals, Age of Fracture (2014) "You Are"

4) Cymbals, Age of Fracture (2014) "The End"

NO songs CANCON

I hung out with the UK post punk band Cymbals one hot summer night in 2014. Sweat dripped down our foreheads and we drank ice cold beverages to keep cool backstage while the opening act completed soundcheck. It was the last show of a North American tour. The band was equal parts excited and exhausted.

As the band would later reveal "2014 was a really intense year. One-by-one the other guys in the band couldn’t face it anymore, so we widened the family, met new people and worked with them, until they had to move on and then we worked with others. It was hard on a personal level, but as a band, it also felt like a kind of chrysalis." Cymbals would continue as Jack Cleverly and Dan Simons after some soul-searching.

What was the highlight and challenge of the tour? Why did vocalist/guitarist Jack name their record, Age of Fracture, after the history book by Daniel T. Rodgers? How does the band like being described as having "rough edges"? How did the band write the record with full time jobs? What does it mean when the band says they need to become more ruthless as songwriters? Does the band have two to three versions of each song laying around? You'll have to listen to find out.

Tracks played on the podcast edition of the show...

1) Cymbals, Age of Fracture (2014) "The Natural World"

2) Cymbals, Age of Fracture (2014) "Erosion"

3) Cymbals, Age of Fracture (2014) "You Are"

4) Cymbals, Age of Fracture (2014) "Like An Animal" (partial/background)

5) Cymbals, Age of Fracture (2014) "The End"

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Do you remember the movie School of Rock? The 2003 comedy directed by Richard Linklater with Jack Black playing a down and out rocker who poses a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school who helps his students learn to rock? The members of The Skins know this story well--they graduated from the program that the film was based on.

The Skins are a five piece, made up of Bayli (vocals), Kaya (bass/vocals), Daisy (guitar), Reef (drums), and Russ (guitar/synths). They hail from New York City and formed in 2011 when the band were teenagers.

I hung out with the band backstage while they were on tour with Jake Bugg. At the time, the band had only released a few singles--and the classic rock influences were really apparent. Since we talked, they released a more mainstream pop radio-friendly record, Still Sleep (2016). They are currently managed by Adrian Grenier (the actor who played Vince on HBO's Entourage).

How do you take a perfect selfie? Which song was influenced by Jane's Addictions song "Stop"? What was it like to go to the real "School of Rock"? Why would the band prefer music journalists not focus on their age? What's each member's track of the day recommendation? What typical teenage experiences have The Skins given up to pursue their dreams? Which song has a Black Sabbath inspired riff? You'll have to listen to find out.

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

1) The Skins, self-titled EP (2012) "Summertime"

2) The Skins, unreleased "Killer"

3) The Skins, unreleased "Dead Hands"

4) The Skins, unreleased "Surf"

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I hung out with Glassnote Records singer-songwriter Tor Miller one summer night in Vancouver's Gastown by the railroad tracks. The trains are a constant noise in the background. This is a fun interview because we talked about his song "Follow Me," which still hasn't been released.

Tor Miller is a young guy who loves the past and making his music sound like all the classic records that he's listened to all this life. He left university when Glassnote Records wanted to sign him--the same record label as Mumford & Sons, Phoenix, Childish Gambino and Chvrches. His latest record, Surviving The Suburbs, just came out and he'll be coming to your town soon on tour.

Which celebrity does Tor get mistaken for? Which baseball player does Tor admire? Did the girl in his song "Hold the Phone" forgive Tor? What is the weirdest thing that's happened in an audience which Tor has been on stage? Who does Tor play when he wants to get romantic? What do we talk about while we wait for the trains to pass? You'll have to listen to find out!

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

1) Tor Miller, Headlights EP (2015) "Midnight"

2) Tor Miller, Headlights EP (2015) "Hold the Phone"

3) Tor Miller, unreleased "Follow Me"

4) Tor Miller, Headlights EP (2015) "Now And Again"

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