Records & Rockstars

Here's some hints as to the albums in the spotlight this time: Red & Blue, Blue Collar, The Exorcist and Richard Branson's Virgin. If that doesn't pique your interest, who are you even? ;) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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”. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Now the conclusion of this 5-parter that started in the decade in which rock and roll was born in the U.S.A. And then the 1950s gave way to the British invasion, and then the seventies and eighties, and then the broad term Classic Rock, would slowly let in another decade. We love the 90's, because much of it sounded rather unlike MOST of what had come before, and much of it was entirely inspired by what had been. So, a review of the nineties and Jeff summarizes what happened to music, starting with Napster. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This time a 2022 Juno nominee, and Maple Blues Female Vocalist of the Year, Emily Fennell, better known as Miss Emily, with more of her trademark “electrifying roof-rattling performances”, the “soul-blues dynamo” comes with guitar in hand and joins Jeff for conversation and performances live on record, live at Wild Woods Blue, and from the studio from her latest acclaimed album, “Defined by Love”. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The fourth of five parts in Jeff's dive into the evolution of classic rock takes us back to the decade of incredible diversity in music -- the one in which video did NOT kill the radio star, but did see the reinvention of many. How do you sum up a decade in 20 minutes? Very carefully. Enjoy. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jeff's investigation into the Evolution of Classic Rock, that began with and predated the 1950's in part 1, and the 1960s in part 2 , now dives into the 1970s in part 3. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The fifties behind us, this time the evolution continues in the decade that introduced The Beatles, Stones, The Who, The Kinks, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, and so many more, as artists in England looked to America, picked up their guitars and played, and then got an a plane, to come over show us what they'd learned. The British Invasion this time. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Truth be told, radio helped, through its too-tight playlists, all but ruin the format, turned genre, "Classic Rock". And that's where the former iteration of Records & Rockstars came in. It was 2001 we created "The Legends of Classic Rock", designed to go deeper musically, and tell the stories behind the music. 22 years later, the series continues, with records we came to love and the stories around the artists who made 'em. And so comes the first in this four-part series, condensing decade by decade, how rock would evolve, beginning in Part 1 with the birth of the baby born of the blues, called Rock 'N' Roll. We think you'll enjoy this 25 minute podcast version of the weekly radio show. I mean, who spends two days cooking up a 25 minute podcast? Woods does. Weirdo. In a good way. Here's how he sounds with a wicked head cold. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Another podcast version of the weekly radio show - this time nothin' but songs for your baby, baby, spanning 1935 to now. Soul, blues, torch, twang, Rock 'n' Roll, Motown, British Invasion, southern troubadours, Heartbreakers, and even a guy named Theodore, all singing sweet sweet songs for baby. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The evolution of this Canadian band from trio, to foursome, with the addition of Marek Barlow on lead guitar, takes what was a good time, and propels it to a seriously dangerous funk flavoured boogie time rock and roll machine. Their front man Dave Loopstra is back to talk behind the other guys back, with compliments and studio recordings that rock. Dave pulls out his banjo and drops a couple live performances too. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This ain't no frat house bro' party. This is music and music history with stories about musicians and albums and songs, in an episode with nothing but cold shots. Think Stevie Ray and hazy shades of winter and listen in. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.