The Megablast Podcast

Martin and Jason deconstruct Tintin, arguably animation's first global role model. But is the intrepid boy reporter guilty as accused: sexist, racist? Are women justifiably under represented in the Tintin canon? Do we admire the curiosity and retreat from the conceits? Was Tintin a visionary, a freedom fighter for whom the Nazi and fascists agendas were non-starters? Is he still the hero he once was, and should parents want to acquaint their children with Tintin's legacy? In this conversation, Martin and Jason share personal views and their knowledge of the Boy Reporter for his first 20 years up to the early 50s.

Join the author of 'The Ugly' as we go toe to toe on the Freedom Convoy, philosophy, and the war in Ukraine. What are the differences between Buddhism and Christianity? How is Asia different from Europe and America? What is the pecking order of the different slavic nations? Alexander digs deep and Jason tries to keep up, see if you can! :_)

Travel back in time as Robert and I discuss the unimaginable poverty of Montreal during the transition from the Victorian to the Edwardian era. We also delve into the complex ways in which our cherished city differs from that era to our own, as well as what resonates today. Also the genesis of the St. Pat's annual parade. A must listen for Montrealers of any age,as well as history buffs from all socks and walks of life, and those already familiar with or planning to explore our beautiful and culturally diverse city,

Nota Bene:During the conversation, Robert was not sure if there was mention of St Patrick's day. After checking the historical record, he discovered that there was indeed a parade in 1901.

Did the #metoo movement go too far? What do gender and sex mean in 2022? From Jian Ghomeshi to Will Smith, what has been happening to masculinity and femininity while no one was looking? Liz and Jason dissect these issues and much more -- and how Red China fits in. 

Never mind the bollocks - here’s Jason and DJ Martin Deck going toe to toe about which Canadian city produces the best music: Montreal, Toronto or Detroit? They figure it out. And finally: what is reggae and punk? Where did they come from? Martin’s expertise shines and Jason guides the talk to an interesting conclusion about Caribbean, Canadian, the UK and modern pop music. ‘

How close were we to disaster during the Oka Crisis of 1990? Hear Albert describe how he and photographer Robert Galbraith literally did what the Canadian Military brass claimed was Mission Impossible: they boldly snuck through no-man’s land with a camera, and then made two award winning films about it. What is ‘laughology’ and how did the the 1965 Tanzanian laughing epidemic start? Hear Albert talk about going  the to make his documentary on the subject. Also discussed: wokism, the clash of generations, and how much talent there is yet to be tapped into. Albert waxes poetic while Jason tries to keep up in a deep dive that flies by.

It's been 30 years since his Juno award winning album was released. Is there a life after fame and misfortune? Living in the fast lane as a rocker in Montreal to making a life as a musician and content producer in Ireland: the secret of transitioning. Sonny talks about his life as a musician growing up under the shadow of his father Sonny Greenwich Sr., regarded as one of the great jazz guitarists of all time. He was nominated for Juno award for most promising group of the year and Bootsauce had multiple gold albums in Canada and many awards.

Music is your friend... until the end. TAZ and Jason go head to head on everything from drummers Keith Moon and Charlie Watts to what the complexities of the Beastie Boys and Les Colocs. TAZ expands on ways of getting to a deeper understanding of music by listening to it and how that leads to further musical disovery (what TAZ calls the 'discovery phase'). Both share their takes on the collective (un)conciousness of Québec and how it relates to music through such artists as Plume Latraverse, Les Colocs, and Leonard Cohen, and how that music allieviated homesickness while living broad for both TAZ and Jason.

Lead singer of the 222s, Montreal's first punk band, Chris tells it the way it was: life in the fast lane with the beautiful and the damned; with a nod to Bowie, the tranny, bi drug scene, the music racket, from basement bacchanalias to the corner vomitorium, and against all the odds and oddballs, the inimitable Chris Barry isn't dead.

Is Haiti on the verge of collapse? Is it a failed state? What are the consequences for the Dominican Republic of the instablity in Haiti? What are the effects of the many thousands of Haitian migrants living in the DR? How effectively are they integrated into Dominican society? Join Milton and Jason on a deep dive discussion into the current state of affairs and the historical background.