Bedouin Soundclash | Memory Is What You Know
Hidden Track
Twenty-five years ago, Eon Sinclair and Jay Malinowski met by chance while moving into the same student dormitory. The ska/roots/reggae band that they would form emerged from Kingston – not the one in Jamaica, but the one in Ontario, home to Queens University. Eon and Jay had envisioned very different futures for themselves before Bedouin Soundclash took off, turning them into Juno Award winners and genuine hitmakers. Bedouin Soundclash have always followed their own rhythm, spinning heady successes into a record label of their own, Pirates Blend Records. In this Hidden Track Session, we...
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Tami Neilson | Light Up the Night
Hidden Track
In 2007, Canadian-born country & soul singer/songwriter Tami Neilson moved to New Zealand to marry the love of her life. In this Hidden Track Story, she shares that journey and her dreams of joining the galaxy of true country stars. Neilson’s new album, Neon Cowgirl, is inspired by experiences touring North America over recent years — including the title track, which pays tribute to a genuine giant neon landmark in Nashville, an iconic and richly symbolic figure which "lights up the sky", as Tami sings. Tami Neilson shares the journey of her non-overnight success. She’s lived the...
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Steve Marriner | Hear My Heart - Live
Hidden Track
Blues and roots musician Steve Marriner is an accomplished singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist. In the spring of 2025, he brought all that talent and his band to the Beresh Arts Den at CKUA to launch his new album, Hear My Heart. This episode of the Hidden Track podcast case was captured live, and you will hear this artist pour his heart out for a rapt audience of CKUA community members. CREDITS Host: Grant Stovel Associate Producer: Scott Zielsdorf Executive Producer: Arianne Smith-Piquette Senior Producer: Jasmine Vickaryous Theme Music: Doug Hoyer Session...
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Jeremy Dutcher | Full Circle
Hidden Track
For six seasons we at CKUA have had the opportunity to connect with a wide range of inspired artists, from Albertan expat sensation Feist, to folk/punk firebrand Frank Turner, multi-JUNO Award winning rock band July Talk and homegrown hip-hop great Cadence Weapon, to name a few! For episode 100 of Hidden Track, we cycle back to the guest who joined us for episode one — two albums later, multiple Juno Awards and Polaris Music Prizes later - and for us 99 episodes later — we’re thrilled to be able catch up with the true Hidden Track original, and an original in so...
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Reuben and the Bullhorn Singers | All These Roads, All These Rivers
Hidden Track
A few years ago, Calgary musician Reuben Bullock invited the band the Bullhorn Singers to the stage at the Calgary Stampede. This sparked a collaboration which led the musicians to form Reuben and the Bullhorn Singers. Now they have debut album called All These Roads. In this episode of the Hidden Track podcast, they will share music and stories, and you’ll hear a performance recorded live at the Beresh Arts Den at CKUA's Edmonton building. The Hidden Track podcast is a CKUA production, made possible by the generosity of our donors. Thank you for your support! ...
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Amy Millan | Easy Now
Hidden Track
Amy Millan is a Montreal-based artist who has been working at a full-on sprint pace with her main band Stars for more than two decades. She's also kept herself busy as a prolific contributor to Broken Social Scene. He musical life includes numerous collaborations. But this spring, at long last, Amy Millan released her first solo album in fifteen years, I Went to Find You. In this Hidden Track Story, find out how friends and collaborators have helped this talented artist find harmony and use her voice in new ways. CREDITS Host: Grant Stovel Associate...
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Rose Cousins | Believe in Love
Hidden Track
Rose Cousins is an artist who seems to possess amazing access to pure feeling. She is capable of heartbreaking tenderness one moment, and side-splitting hilarity the next. On her new album, Conditions of Love Vol. 1, she explores a full range of emotions, and she re-connects with the piano, an instrument she first played as a child. In the newest episode of the Hidden Track podcast, Rose Cousins talks about creativity, love, and the human condition. She also shares beautiful performances of three songs from the album: “Borrowed Light,” “K’s Waltz,” and “I Believe in Love (and...
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Captain Tractor | It's Gold Gold!
Hidden Track
Looking back on 30 years of Captain Tractor's hugely successful, beloved classic album East of Edson, practically everything about it seems unlikely. They came together as a bunch of theatre and music school kids, and became known all over Canada. With the release of that record, the band also hit upon a signature song that remains a buzz track to this day. Enjoy their chat with CKUA’s Grant Stovel in this episode of the Hidden Track Podcast. Learn more about Hidden Track at ckua.com/hiddentrack. CREDITS Host: Grant Stovel Associate Producer: Scott Zielsdorf Executive Producer:...
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Starpainter | Live from Cold Bones
Hidden Track
Cold Bones Fest was the site of this edition of the Hidden Track podcast, and Lethbridge band Starpainter takes centre stage. Starpainter is a favourite on the CKUA airwaves, and they have been outspoken about their support of the CKUA community. Their latest album, Rattlesnake Dream, has received international acclaim, with one of its tracks being named #1 Song of the Year by Americana and UK. They also had the opportunity to tour Japan for the first time. Enjoy this edition of the Hidden Track podcast, which was recorded live at the Drumheller Legion during Cold Bones Fest. ...
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Alan Doyle | Great Big CKUA
Hidden Track
Canadian icon Alan Doyle shares his fascinating musical journey in this episode of the Hidden Track podcast. From his humble beginnings in Petty Harbour to performing on global stages, Doyle's narrative is filled with heartfelt reflections and vibrant storytelling. He discusses his evolution with Great Big Sea, his solo career, and his ventures into theatre and writing. He talks about his educational background, influences such as Ron Hynes, and his new introspective album, Welcome Home. Listen for an engaging tale of music, humility, and gratitude, and enjoy a bonus acoustic...
info_outlineInspired by the energy, the soul and the message of classic ska, The Slackers have truly become legends themselves over the past 33 years.
They first came together in New York City back in the early '90s, and studied at the feet of the masters, including members of Jamaican ska originators the Skatalites, who had relocated to the States.
The Slackers rose to prominence alongside a wave of ska-oriented artists who came to fame in that decade, in what became known as "Third Wave Ska".
However, long after Third Wave hitmakers like The Mighty Mighty Bosstones had sort of faded away, The Slackers remained true to their roots, and have continued to craft vibrant, original and important music for the past 33 years and counting.
Lead singer/ lyricist/ multi-instrumentalist Vic Ruggiero and sax player David Hillyard have been doing this a long time. So, it's remarkable how much freshness and sense of purpose they perpetually bring to everything they do.
The band's now legendary series of livestream concerts from New York during the early days of the pandemic are a great example of how they continue to lead the musical charge with imagination, originality and a sense of community. That run of livestreams eventually led to the Billboard chart-topping album Don't Let the Sunlight Fool Ya, along with a series of reissues of their past discography via Pirates Press Records – also home to punk and ska luminaries like Rancid, the Aggrolites, and Subhumans.
Long after the days of those global livestreams, The Slackers continue to connect globally with fans across the world. Alberta is a shining example of this. The band is very well-loved here, and both Vic and David have plugged into the scene here for music projects of their own, performing and/or recording with Albertan luminaries like Jory Kinjo and Audrey Ochoa. But there hadn't been a proper Slackers tour through Alberta in seven years! At least, not until June of 2024, when they played sold-out shows in Edmonton and Calgary- which represented the last of the tour dates they had to postpone back in 2020.
Befor playing those shows though, they kicked off their Alberta tour with a stop at CKUA studios for this epiosde of Hidden Track Stories!
They shared an insightful, fun, heartfelt conversation about their roots, their latest record, and what drives them to create meaningful music about... stuff.
The Hidden Track Podcast is made possible by the generosity of our donour community. Thank you for your support!
Host: Grant Stovel | Producer: Scott Zielsdorf | Graphics: Craig Taffs | Music: Doug Hoyer