EP 355 | Western Folk Festival Artistic Directors Cage Match 2025
Mulligan Stew
It's Festival Season. One of the very best times of the year. Sun, relaxed lifestyle, friends, family and FESTIVALS. Jazz, blues, rock, roots, pop, French. Everything !! Especially Folk! There are many folk festivals where you'll see and hear all of those artists. The barriers are well down. If it's music and engaging, then it all fits. "An artistic director is a leader in arts organizations who shapes and guides the creative vision" . This is the second year we've had an Artistic Director Cage Match. All four AD's exchanging comments and suggestions about who's coming and...
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EP 355 | Western Folk Festival Artistic Directors Cage Match 2025
Mulligan Stew
It's Festival Season. One of the very best times of the year. Sun, relaxed lifestyle, friends, family and FESTIVALS. Jazz, blues, rock, roots, pop, French. Everything !! Especially Folk! There are many folk festivals where you'll see and hear all of those artists. The barriers are well down. If it's music and engaging, then it all fits. "An artistic director is a leader in arts organizations who shapes and guides the creative vision" . This is the second year we've had an Artistic Director Cage Match. All four AD's exchanging comments and suggestions about who's coming and...
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Count Me In Documentary on drumming and drummers-Interview Director Mark Lo
Mulligan Stew
Mark Lo (Director/Producer) has worked in film and TV for more than 20 years. First, as a music agent and supervisor, collaborating with composers and artists to bring music to picture and then as an Executive Music Producer Mark recently produced and directed the feature music documentary Count Me In. A celebration of drummers and their unique ability to drive generations of music. I love being a drummer. Everyone thinks you’re dumb. What they don’t realise is that if it weren’t for you, their band would suck. – Dave Grohl Eat drums! Eat...
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EP 553 | Podcast guest is the fantastic singer, songwriter - Mike Farris.
Mulligan Stew
Mike's new album is called The Sound of Muscle Shoals. He's waited almost 20 years to round up the next generation of Swampers and record at the world-famous FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals. Wow - was it worth the wait? Mike Farris lives and sings The Sound of Muscle Shoals. The sound is a mix of blues, soul and country. The NY Times called it Indigenous American Music. The same sound that came from Etta, Aretha, Boz, Paul Simon, Wilson Pickett, Neil Young, Percy Sledge, Bob Dylan, Peter Gabriel, The Staple Singers and many more. Long before heading for FAME studios,...
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EP 352 | Robert Schwartzman and Colin Bluntstone interview HUNG UP ON A DREAM: THE ZOMBIES DOCUMENTARY
Mulligan Stew
60 years later, we welcome Colin Blunstone - Lead singer of The Zombies How is it possible that an English band that was part of the British Invasion of the early '60s is still being played and referenced in 2025? The band was The Zombies. The two leaders were songwriter and singer Rod Argent and lead singer Colin Blunstone. They had three world hits. A fourth hit the charts after they had broken up. Many years later, they were inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame in Cleveland. I always loved the sound of the Zombies—a singular mix of rock, blues and very cool jazz. In a sea of...
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EP 351 | Dan Mangan and new Album 'Natural Light'
Mulligan Stew
Dan Mangan released his 7th album, Natural Light, last Friday. A year ago, Dan Mangan asked the players in his road band to join him at a cottage to demo the songs for Natural Light. These players would likely not be in studio when he rerecorded the songs. However, after recording the first song - It Might Be Raining - they looked at each other, laughing. It was pure magic. The room worked, the band worked and the songs really worked They did two songs the next day and 2 more the third day. Four songs the 4th day. The demos in the...
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EP 350 | Guest Joel Plaskett and new album 'Songs From The Gang'
Mulligan Stew
We met over coffee on the streets of Victoria to talk about Songs from The Gang - A Celebration of Joel Plaskett. A #1 LP on the CKUA Top 30. His music friends recorded covers of his songs and kept it a secret for a year. Anyone who knows the music business will admit that is a minor miracle. Joel's Gang included Sloan, Alan Doyle, The Sheepdogs, Matt Andersen, Jenn Grant, etc. Joel's stories just spilled out - one after the other.
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EP 349 | Kevin Hearn. Stories of Portland Parish Pianos/ Gord/Leonard & Lou
Mulligan Stew
Most music fans know Kevin Hearn as the pianist and songwriter for Barenaked Ladies. Few would know that Kevin was the band leader for Lou Reed for 7 emotional years. Or that he fought a battle with leukemia for many years, even while touring with BNL. Gord Downie knew all those stories when he asked Kevin Hearn and Kevin Drew to help him prepare for live performances of his final music project - Secret Path! Because he had just been down his own darkened path , Kevin Hearn was able to bring comfort and strength to the recording of Gord's final songs. Kevin...
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EP 348 | Kurtis Kolt on new “Crafted in BC” wines and Launches 2025 Top Drop in Van/Calgary
Mulligan Stew
We're featuring Wine Educator and Event Creator Kurtis Kolt . Top Drop 2025, his sensational small wine fest runs next week in Vancouver and Calgary. Wine Educator, judge and Event Co-Ordinator Kurtis Kolt. His thoughts on 2025 Washington Grown/Crafted in BC Wines His impressive Top Drop Events this coming week in Vancouver and Calgary. Kurtis Kolt is a Vancouver-based wine & hospitality consultant who writes about wine, presents seminars, hosts events, judges' competitions, works with restaurants on their wine programs, and so on. Kurtis...
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EP 347 | Help Erin (re)Build a Life Worth Living
Mulligan Stew
info_outlineOne of the true pleasures of a lifetime in music and broadcasting is connecting with artists at the very beginning of their careers.
If the connection is a strong friendship, emotionally you get to go along for the ride.
On the downside, you must be prepared to lose those friends along the way through attrition, lifestyle and medical issues.
I’m pleased to say Colin James has given all of us a great ride.
8 Junos, 31 Maple Blues Awards, Induction into the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame, Order of BC and turning 60 years old with 21 studio albums under his belt.
Colin has played his way through an amazing collection of audiences. Starting with Stevie Ray style Texas blues, then blues rock, big band swing, roots, Americana and all the way back to blues.
What a Ride!!
Following a stellar concert at Massey Hall, Colin is on a Canadian tour now and he’s heading our way. With the wonderful Terra Lightfoot!
Feb 26 -Grey Eagle Calgary
Feb 27 – N Jubilee Edmonton
March 1 – Orpheum Vancouver
March 3 – Royal Theatre Victoria
March 4 & 5 – Port Theatre Nanaimo
Colin is a master storyteller.
This time he has tales of recovering from a road accident on his scooter in the USA. Damage to his foot and fret hand slowed him down considerably. He has stories of becoming what he dreamed of as an 8-year-old and the biography he’s almost finished writing.
The complete interview can be heard on the Mulligan Stew Podcast and the terrydavidmulligan YouTube Channel.