Toronto Mike'd: The Official Toronto Mike Podcast - Ben Rayner: Toronto Mike'd Podcast Episode 1826

Episode Date: December 29, 2025

In this 1826th episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike catches up with Ben Rayner in New Brunswick. Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Palma Pasta, Ridley Funeral Home, Nick Ainis, RetroFestive.ca and RecycleMyElectronics.ca. If you would like to support the show, we do have partner opportunities available. Please email Toronto Mike at [e-mail].

What's wrong, Homer? This place is so strange. Mike, I'm ashamed to admit it to another guy, but I'm scared. We all get scared once in a while. Maybe I can help you. Homer, the two of us need to look no more. We both found what we were looking for. With a friend to call my own

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Welcome to episode 1,826 of Toronto Mic. An award-winning podcast proudly brought to you by retrofestive.ca, Canada's pop culture and Christmas store. Save 10% with the promo code FOTM for a limited time. Great Lakes Brewery, order online at Great Lakesbeer.com for free, local, home delivery in the GTA. Palma Pasta, enjoy the taste of fresh, homemade Italian pasta and entrees from Palma Pasta in Mississauga and Oakville. Visit palmaPasta.com for more. FusionCorp's own Nick Aeini's. He's the host of Building Toronto Skyline and Building Success,

two podcasts you ought to listen to. Recyclemyelectronics.c.c.a.committing to our planet's future means properly recycling our electronics of the past. And Ridley Funeral Home, Pillars of the Community since 1921. Joining me today, making his return to Toronto-Miked. it's Ben Rayner Let me bid my mother and my daughter and the dog away Okay

Or put them on Well we might be able to get you Maybe I didn't get my kids Polly's been on before right At Christy Pits Yeah I was thinking The camera Is there like a lens cap on this?

Maybe maybe Is there anything blocking the camera Like a lens cap or something There okay There is Sorry I'm paranoid I like my Grinch. Oh, you think people are watching you.

Oh, I like that sweater. The Grinch. There we go. That's better, right? Happy to see you, man. Quick question. When you were growing up, like, did you like the Michael Jackson song, Ben?

No, it was kind of the vein of my existence, to be honest with you. Did people sing it to you? It haunts me to this day. They used to play it at a number of places. We'd be played at school dances. They used to play when I was, have a man at the cop's director show up there on the damn fourth in Toronto it would often get played

people would often remark on it you've played it you've mocked me with it I've definitely played it yeah but I always think of the guy in the insane asylum with Homer remember Homer had a pink shirt yes Lisa it's your birthday right right right which by the way is the only Simpsons episode you cannot stream on Disney Plus really yeah really they took it off

but there is a like he sings like the guy who thinks he's Michael Jackson sings Ben but he changes it to Homer yeah yeah no one of the only two uncredited guest appearances on the census Dustin Hoffman's is the other one yeah of course he was credited as a chivier for you there today brother well that's an easy one for me uh he was credited as sam a tick sam a tick like semitic so sam etic and he played lisa substitute i like that one a lot actually might be my favorite episode of all time is Lisa substitute? I go with Bobo the bear

season two. Yeah. I'm fond of the Burns' bear. That's like the Citizen Kane tribute or whatever. But my daughter

who's nine, how old is Polly? Polly will be nine in a couple days. Do you want to say hi really quickly? Yeah, of course. Hang on.

Let's just get this out of the way. Let's see Polly. You want to come say hello to Mike? I need... Because it's almost her birthday. You can measure

happy birthday. Polly's going to be nine. Mike's daughter is nine. Come on. Hey, okay, so, Polly, do you remember, can she hear me? I'm on the outspeakers, right? Okay. Yeah.

Do you remember being on Toronto mic when I recorded at Christy Pits at that Maple Leafs baseball? I think yes. Because I got a giant, you got me a giant freezy. Oh. I'll tell you, remember. Where's the dog? All right, the whole fan. Let's shut the dog out.

You can talk to Mike for a second. Okay, well, just to correct Pauly, we call those jumbo freezes, okay? They're not giant freezes. They're jumbo freezes. Yeah, well, I'm from the UK. They're giant over there. Okay. So, Polly, did you have a good Christmas?

I had a great Christmas. Okay. And how's daddy doing? He looks good. Your daddy's getting younger, I think. Yes. I feel younger. This one keeps me young.

We're actually in my mom's office right now. We're visiting the grandfather. Where is that New Brunswick? Yeah, there's a really embarrassing picture of me behind my daughter's hand. Oh, my God. So what happened? Did you get contacts? Because you're wearing glasses in that picture?

Yeah, I've been wearing contact since that was 15 Keep my, these beautiful green eyes Can't be batted at single ladies without All right, you want to say bye to Mike Okay, good to see you Good to see you, good to see you I took the liberty of getting a can of beer representative of the two provinces

I know I don't have a delicious Great Lakes I see you have I have a good robot Diablo from Halifax And the traditional New Brunswick drink I now fine so I can have a beer with Have a beer with me man Because I just want to catch up

But are you in New Brunswick right now I am at my mom's place In St. George And today we're going to Fredericton Because I think I've told you I've been basically looked at I managed to live Pretty comfortably

Taking care of other people's pets Since May So I'm going to Fredericton To look after a cat and a dog For a few days And probably's coming alone And because my friend Sandy Has a beautiful apartment

They're going to Toronto They're coming to your neck of the woods Wow. So we were going to hang out in a beautiful mid-century modern apartment on the river in Fredericton for New Year's and hang out with a big fat cat and a big dog and actually be a father or daughter in a place that's not a hotel or someone else is, you know, without somebody else nosing around, which is a rare thing because I've basically been a nomad since April 30, which I kind of enjoy. I got to say, it didn't mean being away from poly for long stretches. is, I don't mind it. It's like being on tour. It'd be nice to make some money again. You know, it'll come.

Okay, so obviously we have some ground to cover, Benjamin. Do you mind if I call you Benjamin? I feel like you're now Benjamin. My mother calls me Benjamin. You're welcome to. She's in the next room. I would get her on later. What's your mom's name? Barbara. Barbara. Okay, I like that. Okay. He was a news reporter. This is her office. My dad was a music teacher.

So you can see I became a music journalist purely through biological determinists means. Well, can you tell me what outlet was your mom a news reporter for? I don't know if I know this. She worked for the Telegraph Journal for a while. She worked for the Gander Beacon back in Newfoundland for a while. My parents met working for the Cambridge Evening News

back in England. And my mom is like a local legend. See if I have a copy of it. Because they just rebooted it as a free thing. The St. Craig Courier, where a young Ben Rainer spent two summers working in St. Stephen New Brunsett.

It was an international newspaper because St. Stephen's on the border was Callas. I know these are spelled Calais and Saint Croix, but down here, it's St. Croix and Callis. It took us a while to get used to it when we moved here, but that's the way it works. Learning so much already, Ben. Okay, so I'll have some questions, but we're in this period. I guess what's it like for you? I mean, you don't have a gig right now, right? No.

I mean, I knock out the odd freelance thing and the odd bio. but I and I I have a can't talk too much about the other things I'm doing it's not like they're paying me

so I haven't signed any NDAs but I well then you can talk about them yeah yeah that's why I don't want to jinx them too much but I was

I we had a my good friend Matt and I had a surprisingly healthy response to this UFO thing

we pitched which I won't go into great detail about because I won't rip anyone ripping me off because no one has done it. And that's still in front of people. The last time I talked, that was the first day he was taking it in front of some networks

and it's not dead. Which is interesting to me because that's my first venture into the, I mean, I've done like online shit, but so that thing's still alive, but the same friend because one of my other passions

with which everybody is quite familiar is horror movies has invited me in on a pretty cool project to do with that genre as writer and you know I probably corporate

so none of this pays yet but I've been spending my days working on this and they're both kind of dream projects. The UFO thing went further than I thought it would for like a first pitch. It was all my idea. I was just like, no one's done this. We finally got to know from a couple of people,

but they were like big networks. They were like salmon it for a while. So that's cool. But this other thing is I would basically brought in to kind of broaden the cast list and because of my, I'm not modest necessarily about my skills as an interviewer. Much like you, I'm a pretty good interview.

So that thing has been my, like, basically of my job lately. Like I, I, because obviously this time of year, there's not a lot of freelance going around because everyone's on holiday. Right. So I've been going to like the Halifax Central Library to the top floor, which is overlooks the harbor. It's called the Sunroom. And just working away pretending I'm like a movie executive in this Penthouse suite.

And it's actually really fun. Like, it doesn't feel like work. And that's, I mean, I've been lucky my whole life to have jobs that don't feel like work. This is by long game plan to avoid having a job that feels like work. Right. Because it's time to start applying for jobs that will feel like work. You know what I mean? Right.

It's been long enough. Like, could you, could Ben Raynor even work as like a waiter or a bartender or? I mean, I ran a record job for four years. I think I could work as a bartender. It's very similar. You know, like, it's a lot of talking, I would always do this, kind of mop the counter. Right. Right.

People would talk to me. Like, coach. A lot of people who just come into chat and they're a certain type, mostly male. And lonely. Yeah, because you just do a lot of listening, right? And then you'd be good because you would do, you would listen. And then you would have an interesting anecdote because you're well versed in a lot of interesting realms.

Like, I just feel like... So, okay, so before I get too far from this, I got a note. So I said, okay, Ben's coming back on the show. And there were so many notes of people who just wanted to wish you the best, Hamilton, Mike, wishing the best for him. A lot of people who heard episode 1765,

which I'll get back to in a minute. But this guy, this person named Hazardis, it's a good handle. You can steal it if you want. That's pretty good, actually. A good DJ name. Just, yeah, well, maybe he is a DJ. I don't know.

Just wishing. Ben the best. And honestly, I hope he starts his dog walking business. So have you thought at all about the dog walking business? I have thought about the dog walking business. I've actually looked into it because I love it. And that's what I've been doing. It's walking dogs. And that's what I'm going to be doing for the next few days. I've just spent an hour and a half in the rain and the marsh with my mom's dog under great protest. But It's, it's, it's very, I don't know, man, like, it's very low stress for me. I like dogs.

I'm always, I'm good with pets. Like, I've been taking care of pets off and on for months now. It's been great. It's allowed me to live rent-free in a number of places, which is awesome. And yeah, I wonder how one starts a dog walking, but I'm not much of an entrepreneur. No, no, but I think it's like gigs, but. I think this one's easier than you think. think because it's kind of low overhead and there's not a lot of like because it's dogs it's

not like you're opening a daycare for kids or something where there's all this like legal stuff and certification or whatever so i think you just literally start putting up flyers and doing a word of mouth thing and just start building clientele like you make up rates you find out what's a fair rate and that's the rates or whatever and then i think you just sort of do it and maybe you have one dog or two dogs and then maybe it becomes three or four and then maybe you decide what's your cap or whatever and I think you just sort of do it now I ran into a guy

literally walking 10 dogs on Halifax Common a few weeks ago and I stopped it said I think you have the best job I mean that's a lot of crap to pick up a lot of craft you would love it you're used to shoveling shit yeah that's right that's what I did as a journalist for 25 years

no I think about it it's fun man it's kept me saying like I'm usually really you know I've talked about it I get really depressed at this time not necessarily Christmas I don't mean that but I

although that was the time of my little breakdown but usually when the clocks go back and everything is weird and this year I'm not and it's because I'm you know mostly unemployed

but at the same time it's I'm out being active and doing stuff and that I realized well I knew that a long time ago but I think of Toronto I was getting trapped

my own head a bit too much. And also, we just working too much. We talked about it was like working around the clock and just living for my time with, I'm gesturing this way because I can hear my daughter in the next room, living for my time with her, which I still do. But it's, it's just, it's, it feels different. And also like, this project came in at the right time where I'm like, oh, that's fun. I'll do that. Thank you.

so I actually feel there was some interest in it already and I think the idea is to aim a bit higher than what we had in our lap so that's something to look forward to I can work retail if I have it I don't mind it like I just want to do stuff I'm bored

I'll put it that way and the writing is sporadic these days the dog walking thing which you enjoy doing is a low stress It gets you walking, it gets you of animals who you love, right? But this is sort of like, it doesn't prevent you from doing these things. Like you mentioned, the UFO thing or the, what's the other one again? Something to do with horror. Horror, okay.

The horror. Who my two favorite things. Yeah. Well, yeah. And you can probably throw a third in there. I feel like maybe music or something, since you are Ben Rayner from formerly of the Toronto Star. But I don't know. I'm not here to tell you what to do, except that a lot of people responded.

when we talked about that they like a light went off in their head and said that's what Ben should do yeah no I feel that I mean it's I grew up doing that you know we had we always had at least two dogs mostly setters which do require a fair amount of walking so I like it that's I just want to get some

freezing rain to walk my mom's dog for an hour and a half because I need to be outside like that's the other thing we were my dad's yesterday I never doing crafts So I can't handle that. I need to be outside. I can't sit still. Like, it's just the way I am. You know, you like it.

You know what? I get it. I feel we're similar that way. The dog is desperately trying to get in the door right now. The dog, by the way, I don't care if there's dog noises around you. And I don't care if there's a dog on your lap. Like, what's the name of this dog? This is Jenna.

Let's see if Jenna wants to come. Yeah, like, this is not the CBC, Ben. Yeah. No, I think she was there, but she's not there. We're talking about Jenna. That's all. Yeah, okay. Okay, so Jenna.

Jenna, I'm like, all right, Jenna might come in. Okay, what kind of dog is Jenna? Jenna is, hang on. Jenna is a pit bullerics. Oh, there she is. Okay, that's a, okay, there you go. That's a real dog. And here's Polly coming back.

Okay. There is Polly coming back. All right. What's Polly good for you? That's something else. It's a real pro operation today. What is that a Pikachu? What are we looking at here?

Is that a... What is that, Polly? A blog. It's called Gummy. All right. take, right, go away, both of you. So, right off the top, Ben, Polly looks like happy as a, you know, a pig and shit there.

Like, Polly's happy, but you sound and look very good. And you do know some people were worried about you after our last chat. Yeah, I mean, I was really worried about the fall. Because I, like, my friends always check in. I mean, I just seems very self-serving or self-fitting. It's not because I'm very lucky. but it's the time of year when the clocks go back

I get worried and my friends start checking in on me and I have friends I check in on too because we are we in the depression community look out for each other

and this year it's good God like I just I don't know man I don't I miss friends and I miss some things about Toronto

but I think I felt unhealthy there like I started feeling healthy there obviously my daughter is in Dartmouth too so that that would have been too much I think after a year of fighting an eviction rather unfair eviction

and then going to court to have access to Polly maybe in Toronto get her like you know you can have her for a month in the summer I couldn't do that I need like we've always been half and a half it was a weird fucking Christmas actually because I didn't see her on Christmas Eve

or Christmas Day this year but I did bargain this And she hasn't been here in New Brunswick since she was two. So she's here in the town where I grew up. We're going to go to Fredrickton for a day. We're going to come back down on the third because that's her birthday. I have a little party here and then go back to Halibax, Dartmouth. So that's the most concentrated daddy-daughter time I've had in a while.

And it was, if I can lie, there's a bit of a, a little bit of a conflict with mom. And I, and I, not my mom, the mom. or she's like oh I don't let it get too much for polly and I'm like you've had her for like five six weeks when I haven't seen her at all it's time you know like it's yeah and that's that's the tough thing about this situation you've been to it like it's just like you with my ex just like you don't understand what it's like to say goodbye and it's like okay I'm going back to your brother's like I'll see you in a month you know I I don't want to have to do that again it's not at the point yet where I'm like, shit, I got to look for a job in St. John or Prederton.

Those would be the choices because I have friends in St. John or Frederickton. Moncton would make me blow my brains out right away. Although I do have friends there. I apologize for all of you. I don't understand Moncton completely, except for the people. Predicton is a bit sleepy, but nice, and I have some really good friends there. And St. John, I have a soft spot for St. John, because it's tough as nails and kind of gritty and has a drug problem.

And I can understand all that. um so but it's not at that point yet um and i'm i'm really lucky that i have um well my friend dennis and his wife koreen and there's some max have been i'm like the fons in their basement i really am like i come and go i walk their dog i take care of the dogs um but but it's just they've been so sweet to me and my friends have been so sweet to me so i i i'm i'm fine like i'm in a good position it's not like I'm living on the street and I and I don't have to rush like I'm lucky that I've worked a long time at several jobs so you know I can I'm okay right now and it's not like I have to bust out a tent or anything so I don't know I don't feel self-pitying

or awful or anything or isolated um it's like if I'm going to I get depressed. I isolate myself. It's easier to do that in Toronto when I could just retreat into my empty apartment. Whereas I don't really have that option here. So I think that's actually good for me. There's dogs that need me and my friends are looking out for me. There's a dog going berserk in the other room, right now.

I think that's very good for you, Ben, because you can't, like you said, you can't just go into the basement and hibernate. You need to get out there. And we know that that's good for your mental. Forget your physical health. Of course it's good for that. But it's good for your mental health. It's a fiddle these days, too.

I've got to say. I've been really good days because all I do is like hiking. Well, there's, I say this about biking and the same as true, of course, for walking and hiking, but, and being any outdoor activity, really. But, like, you don't, don't underestimate the, yes, there's physical benefits, but the mental benefits are immense as well. Well, also, it's, I think, not being bound to, like, a regular schedule and kind of being able to work on my own time, which I could sort of do at the star, couldn't do as much when I was like shackled to a shop eight hours a day. At this time of year, it's like if the sun is shining, I'm going to go outside for a few hours. I can work at night. You know what I mean? This can get done if it's a

freelance piece or whatever or it's, you know, proposals or scripting or whatever. That can be done at night. So it's nice out and the sun is there. I just, you know, I just. go out in the sun you know and if that that's been the advantage to kind of not being bound to 35 hour work week for months it'd be nice to be bound to a 35 hour work quick although like I said I was used to the arrangement sorry I worked nice so if I wanted to not work until 6 o'clock because I was going to see the food fighters or whatever I didn't have to and maybe that wasn't a weird adjustment besides like making half a much money

and having a shit boss but I've had shit bosses before though so that I don't work. Yeah, I mean... No, I feel good. So Ben, I do look a bit younger. Well, it's just that you kept your pigmentation in that beard and hair and it makes you look younger.

Like, I'm just like very impressed. You're not dying over there, are you? I mean, you know... That's right. Yeah, this is it for me. I'll take this moment to my no I like I'm I like I don't smoke anymore I mean I still have my gummies and stuff but I I I don't I mean I'm out here I don't you know I went I went to Toronto for three raves and eight days at the end of the

summer so I still like to have fun once in a while but I don't feel compelled to to be at something all the time you know what I mean the opportunities aren't there I'm not at shows four or five nights or week dropping 40 bucks a night on beer you know it's just it's it's a different lifestyle i don't mind it i mean i'm 50 years old 51 um me too ben hey we look good do you agree we look good i think i think we're hot hot a f and by the way when i said you're not dying over there i need to make sure you know i was actually referring to dyeing your hair no look at this this is all rainer Yeah, because, I mean, I realize after I said the sentence, like, shout out to rid the funeral.

This toque's very well. I'm going to put this one up. Look at you. All right, so can I reset? Like, can I just set it up by letting the listeners know? I'm worried somebody won't realize this is actually a sequel episode. You can't just watch, you can't watch Godfather 2 until you watch Godfather 1. Yeah, yeah.

So this is actually like Daddy's Home, too, that you can pick out. Yeah, right? Yeah, maybe. But there are some sequels. You've got to watch the first one. Okay. So this is one of those. So in September 2025,

you and I talked on the phone. I remember the wind and the connection. You were in Halifax Harbor or something. But this was... Yeah, I was down by the dingle. Right, right, right. And I'll tell you more on the other end. I'll just read the description.

So... Northwestern. So people should listen to episode 1,765. And all I wrote for the description was, Mike checks in with Ben Raynor to see how he's dealing with life's curveballs. So here, we're not, if people haven't heard that episode, just how succinctly and pain, painless would it be? For us just quickly, like bullet form, what were these curveballs that you had to face? Like, okay, so maybe I'll give a shot.

Okay, and if it's triggering, let me know, we'll move on. But so the Toronto Star, long before this, I guess, the Toronto Star basically, cut all these entertainment writers and you lost your full-time gig at the star, right? Yes. Well, no, I lost my mind. It took a leave and I just never went back. I knew my job

was on the five, I can't talk about the shit now. We knew they were going to kill the entertainment section, but they wouldn't actually tell us. We were down to like four or five writers and three or four, you know, it was just, everybody else had one meeting. We heads that was just like you might want to think about the buyout deadline whatever that was

the day I had my little breakdown actually or I just never went back um the beginning of my little break that's one my daughter bless her heart she looked two at the time was like daddy's work makes him sick that's why it doesn't get out of bed but it was just like you knew it was coming they wouldn't tell you they wouldn't tell you before the deadline for taking a buyout uh I got around that by just having a little breakdown um and then I was just happy because I was raised my daughter we were staying up on the Duffman Great Highlands with my friend Nancy living in the woods.

I thought we'd go for a week, then we'd get crazy. We'd just stayed up there for like four or five weeks. So I was just outside all day with my kid. And then when we came back to Toronto, we just kept her out of daycare. And I wasn't working. I was on leave. And I just said, you know what?

Fuck it. I'll take the, I'll take the mother. I was still open. So I was ahead of a year and a half basically is a full-time dad. A good eight months where I was just a full-time dad. And my ex worked for kids' health phone. My friend was like seconded to the

malinks and disaster management. It was just like, get her out of the house. Just two. Almost three then. So we just go outside and play all day and that continued when we got back to Toronto because I'm not a stay-at-home guy. I was like, I'm going out.

So we just roamed an empty city all day. You saw my Twitter feed back then and stuff. That's just like, where do you want to go? Black Creek. All right. Put her in the stroller. Where do you want to go today? I know we wind up in like Eglinton Flats and stuff. Just roam in the city and she'd nap for a couple hours that was that age so Daddy could go to a craft brewery, have himself a gummy in the morning and go me in the

house. You know, this is not children's aid and eat. call it's responsible parenting um but it was just really therapeutic so that was good and then yeah i went i got my other dream job after working as a music critic i started working for cop's records and that was super fun went up like managing the damn force shop in toronto um and then the wheels just started to come off i the day after i ran an unsanctioned spread UFOs because as you know UFOs are my passion in the Toronto Star where they called me

paid me higher than my usual rate you want to write about UFOs fuck yeah I do I was having a conversation with my friend Sean who's shacked up with my ex-sister and they have a kid nine weeks behind Polly so they're basically sisters and I was like you know what I think my life is okay I jinx myself Mike I was like

I'm not paying as much in taxes I took a pretty hard hitting income but if I do enough freelance kind of levels out I'm happy and like that that night my ex is like I'm not happy and split up so that was the first thing

I had a real conflict with my boss the owner of cops records like a real conflict he does not like me and I don't I'm not a I'm too punk I'm I fucking push back so that got to be problematic and that was grinding me down

and I obviously I was like working all the time I wrote about this working all the time managing a shop eight hours a day freelancing at night to try and like keep it level which was dwindling because nobody has any money for that and living for the weekends with my daughter when I definitely was like Saturday and Tuesday there's no work gets done that's Polly time

unless Kylie Minogue comes to town but it was just like I'd know life my friends never saw me drinking way too much if I go right down the hole I can spiral into drugs for a few days so it just got bad not to the point

where I wanted to kill myself again but it just was time to go and on the same day I walked out of my job and said I'm not coming back 45 minutes later I got my eviction judgment because that was the other wrinkle right my ex was the leaseholder

and when she has to get off the lease my landlord of 23 years wanted to raise the rent almost $8,000 a year which was insane because I was already paying double rent right I wasn't splitting it with anybody anymore so I fought it and we actually thought we'd win

and we didn't but so the first day of spring within 45 minutes I walked out of my job lost my apartment so I was like I think I need to move to the East Coast but where in this scenario does your ex wife tell you or your ex I guess just your ex

partner you weren't married right you were just common law. No, we were common law. I mean, we were essentially after 22, 23 years. So at what point does she say to you, I'm moving with our daughter to the East Coast?

That was the threat all along. And I, at one point, said I would fight it when I thought I wanted to stay in Toronto. But after getting beaten down by that whole eviction thing, I was spending a year. like I was so stressful

like I was really thin I was throwing up after meals I couldn't sleep it was kind of in a haunted apartment too right like a place that we live forever um uh

so on the day of the hearing I just I said I was like you know what if I lose this apartment I'm just going to move these ghosts and I didn't go as well as I thought so as I walked home I was like

I think I'm moving back to and I knew because my ex I knew my daughter told me well before she did had rekindled an old romance in Dartmouth

what was going to happen so I rather than fight it in court I spent $15,000 or $16,000 I don't have right on on that so instead I walked away with the rent

my landlord rejected. It probably incriminated me, but there's no small claims court jurisdiction outside of Ontario and wherever I live now. So I used that to move and got the hell out of here. So that's the background. So that all happened. And then you mentioned you wrote about it in the Star,

but you came on Toronto, Mike, in September episode 1765. Did anyone, because you have a lot of people who love you, Like, after I published that episode, the number of people I heard from, and I mean, even people, like, I think Karen Bliss came over after that and talked about you. And a lot of people who just, they give a fuck about Ben Rayner. Did anybody reach out to you and say anything regarding maybe you should ask Mike to delete that episode or anything? Like, did you ever have any regrets about recording that episode? I'm an open book.

Like, that's why therapy doesn't work for me. It all comes out. I'm honest. That's what I went through. too like it's a pretty that's why I wrote about it a lot I know a lot of people who've been through the same thing and it's like I was hard done by I was making an okay living you know I thought I was secure

in a place that I'd probably dumped at least a quarter mill into right over 22 23 years the guy pretended to be my friend come over at Christmas sat in my living room that previous Christmas when I was alone just like go, it's so tragic. You know, I'm just glad you have a roof. He's German, so I do.

Right. It's just, I did the accident. I just glad you have a roof over your head. And then in the moment, he could cash in. He did. I was just like, that's a shitty thing to do. And that was kind of why I thought it was just, this is a moral thing. Like, I thought you were a bud.

I know I've been giving you money, you know. So essentially it's a prostitute. And he behaves like a prostitute at the end. not to dis prostitutes because he's far worse. Prostitutes are actually earning an honest living and I support sex workers, so I don't support them financially, but I support what they do.

Yeah, it was just like, it left a bad taste in my mouth. And, you know, Toronto, you're lucky. You're at, I was in New Toronto, but I felt like my neighborhood was just not my neighborhood anymore. Like I ran down at St. And it was, I just felt like I wasn't,

I could go to the communist daughter on and off I stole my local and I love everybody there but like on the weekends I'm just like oh my god these kids are wearing clothes worth more than I making a month and strutting around I'm just I don't know this is happening it's happening to many a Toronto neighborhood

where any new person to you know enter the neighborhood is rich yeah like because you can't I've seen it in Halifax too like Halifax is Halifax has a huge we talked about a lot little bit last time. Halifax is a huge, almost brought population now. And they just knocked down all the

camps, like, didn't Toronto. So it's out of sight out of mind, you know? Are they building, like, new shelters? The shelters are overwhelmed. I, like, I made a point a couple of people I got to know at one of the camps near my,

just by virtual walking dog. Same thing happens when I go to Freckoning. They all know me because I'm not with dogs and I'm friendly. and it's i don't know where they all went like i used to see them every day i the mayor said they were all offered spaces but you know it's the same thing in toronto not everybody wants to go to a hotel out for the airport and sit in a room alone so piss me off i thought about doing that actually i've talked to people about it um because it's something i care of and now that i'm essentially homeless i would do that i would do outreach work on not

thought about it because I um it's just like I'm a I'm a very empathetic human being I guess you'd be good at this Ben you'd be good at this you could do both you could have the dog walking business and you could do the outreach yeah homeless walking and dog outreach we say on house now Ben I don't know if you got that memo I've been I used the expression I don't know if it ran I just wrote a piece another piece about it for the star but they got got less I don't want to talk about that but I'm kind of sick of the freelance life. I like writing. I'm very good at it. I know that. But I, it's becoming more and more thankless. And I, I grow weary of it, which is why this film project appeals to me. Can you tell me as a, I've never written freelance? So I have no idea. But I do know, like, I had Karen Bliss on the show since you've been on. Karen's had a hard time. We've talked about it. Karen and I've talked about it too. It's hard to find it for what we do, especially music journalism. That market is.

sad if there's even a market. If you could even terminate a market. Here's my question. So, if you write a piece for, you know, Canada's most circulated newspaper, I think it still is, right? Toronto Star? Or the Globe? No, no. The globe might have been close to it.

I don't want to, like, fully my old employees. All right. So it's one of the most, one of the two, anyway. It was formerly Canada's largest daily news. Definitely was when I was growing up, that's for sure. Okay, so what did they pay? Are you allowed to disclose? what kind of cash you get if you write any article for the Toronto Star?

I mean, it depends. It's usually, for most freelance stuff, I think. It's usually the, I mean, I don't want to jinx some of my rates. But I, for newspapers, $354,500. I'm not going to, not going to blow the bio rates. I was braced for a lower number I'll be honest no I know and that's pretty good man

I've done stuff for blogs where it's like you're like I've done cover story like I remember doing cover story for Accelerator and my friend Ken who was the managing editor there just to do on junior boys too was like cover story cool with me and you know electronic group he was like do you want to get paid 200

I think it was 200 250 US for something and probably never get paid but I was like that's a car an accelerator i'll do it because they were going down i never did get paid but i i've i've yeah like for some of the blog stuff and the online stuff it's pretty dire and i've i had to break up with a friend actually because i did a couple of things or his website to kind of lend it legitimacy or more legitimacy it's not like it's not a little my name has some valley least it used to um it does

And I was going to cut my rate until I was like, at the end of this. I was like, do you want, I'll just, what do you want to say, 150 a piece? You know, just keep a foot in a, it's fun, it's fun to do. He's like, oh, I can't pay you. I've had a really bad year. Like, do you think I haven't had a really bad year? Right. There's value there.

So can I throw another thing at you? I think you're up against that a lot. Like, I've told you before, I spin, never, I, a couple of things to get a balance, spin right never paid me because they got bought or whatever um remember that magazine gasoline in Toronto I did three cover stores for them and that motherfucker never paid me now or Karen or my friend John Deccal actually ask us all about that um what else but it's just so many it was such a round of like doing magazine pieces and and it's like it's cool now I have something substantial to show my daughter when I'm old and say look these are magazines because that's what I read when I was growing up

but like Rolling Stone and spend. And none of them ever paid. So it's irritating. Also, the chase is irritating. But you're, so you're Ben Raynor. There's no way you can demand 50% up front and 50% upon completion.

Yeah. I don't think it works out. I'm so naive. Hey, so can I throw one more thing at you before I ask you the next pointed question here on Toronto, Mike? So, yes. Like, what you,

you're a great writer. You love writing about, be it music or UFOs. or horror. I've got to be careful I say that word. But like, what about a substack

where people who want to support you give you X dollars a month or whatever? Like, I'm thinking of Michael Barclay, okay? Michael Barclay does a great job on his substack and he makes money through his substack.

Like, what if you did that? Yeah, no, I've been told by a number of people that do. You have to be at it all the time. And I feel like you have to come at it from a comfortable place. But you could be at it once a week,

because you're a busy man, you're a father, you're walking dogs, you're walking the earth. You can just, you know, you just say, I'm going to publish something, whatever,

just could be a stream of consciousness. But back in the day, when, like, you know, music blogs were a thing. It's like a lot of these guys worked in IT, so they were just at their computers all day,

or you're Alan Cross, and you can, you have the luxury of, like, you're a syndicated show or whatever. But you're on your computer all day. And that's, I think that's the way you can make something like that work

is if you're constantly given people content. With the sub-sac stuff, it's just, I don't know, it takes time. I don't really have the luxury of time now. But I have thought of using this time to finally get some other writing done. So I am supposedly talking to a literary agent in the next week or two. So that's something that, I'm glad to hear this.

Here, are you friends? Are you friends with Barclay? Yeah, I know, Marco. Because he writes the odd book here and they're very good books. And he, I think at some point I had a conversation with him about me writing a book. But really, who am I to write anything? Ben Rayner needs to write the book. I haven't told this for, well, I've been told that I should do a book.

how long I live in Toronto 27 years 20 yeah well maybe that's something you can do while you got these other

what do you put in the fire against stokes in the fire what do you put in the fire thank you waiting that down the fire you stoke the fire well actually that is putting an iron in the fire there

that is putting an iron because I was going to say while you have so many stokes in the fire and I'm like no that's not the expression you got irons in the fire okay so technically that yeah

I guess that's more More of a, more of a metallurgist kind of expression. That's like a blackqueat Pioneer Village thing. What do you call it? What do you call a guy the hammers on an anvil? I'm losing it. Oh my God. That's a lifetime of pop right there. Anyway, you know a guy who works metal. A metal worker.

Metal works. I think that's, I think that's Gil Moore's studio. yeah. Hey, Triumph are doing something weird, man. Like, triumph? I think the guy, I think two of the three main guys, so Rick Emmett and Gilmore will be in this concert tour with, like, guests. Like, who's the guy from Bon Jovi? Mr. X? What's his name? I'm terrible. Not the other guy. Some, some ex, some, anybody. But this is a guy who quit, like John Bon Jovi's former. Yeah. Why are our memories such shit today? I know what you mean. Yeah, anyway, my point is that the thing was share. I know that. I think he briefly did it share.

Well, she, okay. Well, who didn't, right? But did you ever date share? Yeah, not yet. She's going on tour in 2026, the same year she treats 80. She's done like five farewell tours now. She once tweeted at me, actually. I was just making fun of this.

Like, I wasn't dissing the show because as you know, I've very gauged taste. I was thoroughly enjoying it. Yeah. But I think some of the fans mistook. my tone for being able. And I got a tweet from Cher saying, I was just trying to show these people a good time. You know what?

I'm so uptight. Something about effect. It was like a life moment. She probably, share probably thought you were Eddie Vedder. Yeah, that's right. It happened again. Did I tell you this happen again? I told you about the car pulling you a stop at the intersection in Hamilton where the guy,

like the window comes down. The guy was like, holy shit, brother. You look like Eddie Better. It just happened to me in Halifax. were they two attractive women actually were like did you never tell you you look just like Eddie Better and I was like yes

Ben you texted me in real time I think every time somebody says you look like Eddie Vedder I get a text from you yeah because you're the one who rides it hard I ride it hard because I'm looking now I just reorganized so you haven't been in the basement in a while because you're in New Brunswick or

wherever the heck you are but I'm everywhere I just reorganized my TMDS basement studio and put up shelves with my my lovely wife, Monica, and I put vinyl and stuff, and I have the binoral vinyl staring right at me, so shout out to Eddie Venter here.

I mean, like I said, I said this to you, I think the first time we actually met, if you, people want to mistake me for a sensitive surfer poet, I'll take it. Oh, yeah. I think I'm better looking than it. There's only one American I actually want to talk to on Toronto Mike these days,

and his name is Eddie Vedder, so there you go here. But, okay, I got more questions for you, my friend. So, that's going to crack. Well, crack a beer now. We'll pretend it's a fresh craft beer from Great Lakes Brewery. I love Great Lakes Brewery. I will give me if you, but if you can't get your hands on a crisp, delicious, Great Lakes Lager, or the sexy Octopus wants to fight IPA.

And you're in Nova Scotia. Might I respect, I recommend the Diablo Mexican lager by good robots. It's pretty tasty. Okay. I'm still loyal if I could get you out here. Can you get Great Lakes outside Ontario? You used to be able to, but not anymore. So I have brought this up with Troy Birch because when I started the Great Lakes sponsorship of Toronto, Mike, 10 years ago, there were a couple of places in Halifax, but now it's just Ontario.

It sucks. I've said this to you many times. It's not a false thing. Great Lakes is my go-to brewery. I had Bellwoods at the end of my street. if you need a second job to drink there. Right. Hey, one quick note there,

and it's kind of a plug, but it's true. I had a family gathering for Christmas, and we ate delicious palm of pasta at this gathering. Like, we had this chicken parm and this penet with rosé sauce that my nine-year-old loves and lasagna and, of course, the garlic bread. And everybody raved.

Like, this is, like, forget, you guys are doing it wrong with this turkey. dinner thing man like get palma pasta to basically cater your events and you can thank me later absolutely delicious and they do amazing job so i just want to say much love to the good people at palma pasta it is good i've i've ingested a few of their lasagnas after you're praying on your show i'll support mich in the we had ham for christmas with my friend dennis well that's very traditional and there's a place for ham of course but this christmas we went uh italian okay and just call me Toronto Miguel.

What is the Italian equivalent? Is it Miguel or is it, is it Miguel? Miguel sounds more Spanish. Okay, what's the Italian, Michael? I should know this, right? Michaela or Miigla or I got to Google this one later. I'm not waiting into this and being called a bigot. An anti-Italian, you can't.

Although I feel like that's fair game. Like, to be honest, like I think we're allowed. They already brought off the Godfather. Oh, yeah. I think it's fair game. I don't know. But I love Italians and I love Italian food

and I love everybody. You know that Ben. Okay, so let's just let me cover some ground here. So, I got notes after your appearance in September from people who literally

were offering you like a room in their home or a couch in their, like did you take anyone up on these? I went and met Glenn for the first time who sent me because he's in St. John.

I'm pointing this way because St. John's that way. And I was like, dude, you want to go for a beer I'm in New Brunswick and we went to I went out

I did indeed went out crashing on the couch because we got quite drunk and I'm going to see them I think on him and his lovely wife

at Ashley on New Year's Eve and Frederick got I someone I just met over the phone or email like we didn't really

know each other and I was like do you want to go for a beer I'm in St. John and they want to coming down here to St. George and hanging out

for a day for the pub I made two new friends, thanks to that podcast. And actually, I had some people reach out and offer me, like, yeah, like places to live and ridiculous financial health and stuff. It's like, I'm not on the street. Thank you. But, yeah, it's sweet. I mean, people, my opinion, I treat everybody with kindness and expect kindness in return, which is why I have a very bad temper.

because when people are idiots I don't like it probably why I'm unemployed and live alone but I I think there is an inherent this is me maturing

I've come to realize that I think there is an inherent goodness in people and most most people just want to do good things you know what I mean? Both people are a lot hard I think you're calling because I my friend who I've been staying with

in Halifax, and he's just like, but you do this for me. And I'm like, I know, we're still like, you know, I've been here on and off for months. Like, I don't want to be in the way. He's like, you know, like, it's okay. You do this like, but I, it's just, it's, it's neat when, when, when shit doesn't quite go your way, um,

people are nice. I know that's a very right way to put it. I'm surprised at how nice people are. Well, another of my favorites. We talked early at the top, I think, of our favorite Simpsons episodes. And one of my all-time favorites is the streetcar named Marge. And you got the song, You Can Always Rely on the Kindness of Strangers. Okay.

So I just want to make sure you know that of all the, and I did a lot of episodes in 2025. My goodness, this is going to be episode 1820. I think. I did a lot of episodes. How many of you've done this? Well, our last episode was 1765 and that was only September and I'm on 1826.

Well, you do good work, Michael. Well, you know, I won a Canadian podcast award. I don't know if you caught wind of that in New Brunswick. What? In New Brunswick?

No, I mean, I didn't know if it made... That's a bad joke. I was going to say, if I made the news over there, but anyways, I digress. I don't want to talk about me. This is about Ben. But I'm just,

Just letting you know there was more reaction on good and bad, but more reaction to your episode, which was just a phoneer in September to catch up with you. There was more reaction to that, I think, than any other episode of Toronto-Miked in 2025. Well, I could, same time, I could see, like when I wrote, obviously, the piece about leaving Toronto and getting evicted, and it's very polarizing.

people are well too fucking bad and you know or yeah I've been through that and I think it's just like went down a nice middle ground where a lot of people can relate to this situation

I ran into my friend well I want to say her name I'm a friend who played in a fairly well-known band in Toronto she just moved to Sackville it's the same thing same thing happened I have another friend who's moving to Sackville from

she's out Stowville way but same thing just can't afford to live like even in stowville you can't afford to live in stowville anymore and it's not like either than we're living the high on the hog one was a musician and doing like homeless outreach and stuff and washing dishes to get by and it's just like at a certain point it just became untenable and I think that was I missed Toronto was my home for 27 years um it just became this thing where I felt when I've said this to other people, but when you're a certain age, all your friends have houses. I know, I sacrifice a lot of that because I wanted to travel when I like music, you know, going to, you know, it's just different life stuff. I never respired to that shit.

I still don't, probably why I'm no longer with my partner because you want to the house and blah, blah, blah, you know, and it's just like, I don't care. I don't need that. I would sleep on a pile of rocks and twig. It might happen, yeah. But I just found like the materialist side of Toronto was kind of crowding me and a lot of my friends out where you, you feel like, and I don't, again, I don't care about that show. I never aspired to have a money. I've never had a great deal of money.

I go up, this isn't the original house because mom tore it down and replaced her to the module home. But I go up here in this very spot with a single mom, and we lived below the poverty line. She was making 16 grand, you know, a year working for a newspaper. supporting two boys once my dad when my dad left and and eventually quit that job to go work for an mLA here uh the late greg thomas even though she wasn't conservative and greg was a good guy he's like barb you want a job paid her a living wage she gave up her career in journalism for a few years to put her boys through high school um and i'm glad i got that gene i'm glad i didn't get the i'm gonna go do my own thing gene i got them my mom's conscientious pay

parent, Jean. And that's why I've done everything I've done this twice now. I've, you know, I quit the star basically because I knew Polly needed a dad when everything was shut down and during COVID. And, you know, when her mom says you wanted to move out here, it's like, I'll just do it for my kid. And I think, you know, you've done it. You've got, you've got four kids. You know, do it for your kids. Everything I've done is basically motivated by my kid. I get it. I get it. I get at 100% man. I get it. I know it. I lived it. And one thing I can tell you because I just had Christmas with all four of my kids, they grow up so fast. Like you got little nine year old, well, she'll soon be nine years old, Polly. And then you're going to blink your eyes and she's

going to be like, I'm going to the University of Toronto for university. And she's going to go move into Toronto. And you never, I'll just say, you never know what the future holds. You may end up back in Toronto at some point as a healthy, you know, 60 year old. fit, healthy, Ben at 60, back in Toronto. Like, who knows what's going to happen? You just got to keep on, keeping on. Yeah. Now, I, right now, I remember my friend Betsy Powell,

who I used to work for the star. Of course. She interviewed, I can't remember if it was Roger Waters or David Gilmore. Well, Waters is the Nazi. I have a good Waters story video, which I'll tell you off to this. I don't know he's a Nazi but now that's going to get me cancelled I said it not you

yeah well no but saying he's not a Nazi some people up I don't know that I mean definitely played with a lot of Nazi iconography besides the point but I remember Betsy I think it was him or Gilmore when they they did an interview and he said after they did Dark Side of the Moon or the Wall I can't remember which one. He always felt like he was moving away from a point rather than moving towards a point.

I've still never felt that way. Like, when I left the start, it was the right time to leave the start. I've been there for 22 years. I did a really great run. I did some pretty good work, I think. But I never felt like I'm not that guy trading on past, you know? Oh, that used to be someone. That's not the way I think.

And right now I actually feel like I'm moving towards something. I had like a bit of a fallow beard. it was fun running a record job, don't get me wrong. But I feel like my, you know, you have periods where maybe you just need a break from, to the recharge your creative energies. And I feel like I'm moving towards something right now. And it's kind of cool to be in that position because it's exciting again. And I don't, like I said when I was, it was really in a rut in Toronto.

And it sucks. I love Toronto, but I was worried about myself and no friends are worried about me, but wasn't being healthy. I was depressed, and I can get worse and worse, and I could have these brief flashes of joy, you know, on Saturday night, Sunday, Monday night, and then crash on Tuesday morning when I dropped Polly off at school. Ryan was just like this awful waveform. right now I know I did the right thing and trying to stay close to my kid I made a lot of sacrifices and I think karma is real energy I you know I

and I'll do it I'll work in a fucking hardware store to be close to Polly that's that's the thing I like having her in my life um it's a nice I've met cute single mom you know that's like there's like I don't that's a big thing too it's like I wasn't

I wasn't able to, like, date or anything in Toronto. It was like, all my time I spent working or with, like, an eight-year-old. It's like, that was my, that was my free time. So it's been interesting to dip a toe in the, in the, oh, my God, there's a lot of cute single moms in my father's new school. I'll put it that way. Well, are you seeing anyone right now? Are you just sort of enjoying the company of many of?

No, no, I'm not. Honestly, I've been like a single dude for a couple of years. I have a brewing, a brewing friendship, we'll say, with one of Polly's class. It's mostly, totally, totally embarrasses and terrifies Polly on her class. What is your job as a dad if not to embarrass your children? So they're horrified that we are fond of each other, but they can suck it up because we're lonely, old people. They'll get over it. Trust me.

I've been there, too. Yeah, exactly. They'll get over it. It's just trying to find time to go out. I'll tell you this story. The headstones are down. And they're buds. I did publicity material for the new record and like a long-form video.

It's actually pretty fun. You and I've known each other where I would like each other. and just did a piece for the Star Honor, actually. And we, she managed to manage to get a night away from the kids. She's got $3.00. Can I get the kids, send them to the former, the ex-mother-in-law is going to go see the head.

I was like, do you want to go see the head? So does it that night? Yes, we're going to have a grown-up date night. Finally, no kids. the ex-mother-in-law was very late coming to pick the kids up first it was going to be noon

it was going to be two or three see where this is going Hugh was sick Hugh Dillon leasing her the headstands was sick so they flip the bill so it's headstones at seven finger 11 at 830 which I want nothing to fucking do

although I did give it a try I gave them three something I'm still right about that man Tea Party later on long gone so I'm like I got to go, like I got to go. I'm sitting in the bar in Dartmouth, waiting for it.

And she's like, I'm like, I'm going to go to the show. Come meet me afterwards. Or like, I'll leave your name of the door if you want to stay for the tea party. Suppose you have one that's a soft spot for a couple of tea parties on. In fact, Finger 11 was in the middle of there. It's just an insult to humanity. I tried. I tried, Finger 11.

They were in the basement, by the way. Just, you know, they're lovely people. They are. I've met them. Lead guitarist and the lead singer were here. and they were the nicest guys. They're super nice guys. I've met them.

And they know I've insulted them. But it's just not for me. I'll put it that. It's not for me. It's so not for me. I tried again. I tried many times back the day, it's the 25th anniversary.

I tried three and a half songs. Fuck this. This is not for me. Just not for me. Everybody else enjoy it. I'm not judging you. Not for me. They are a nice guy.

So like, the head sounds finished. I'm texting. I'm like, hey, come. give finger a little chance. Nothing. I'm like, she's falling asleep. She's falling asleep. She's falling asleep because she has three kids and another.

And I'm just like, she's asleep. You never sleep. I'm fine. I wait. And I wait. I wait. I wait in the bar. And I was like, oh, that's that. And I'm on my way back to my friend's place. I got them. Oh, Jesus Christ. I fell asleep. I lost my night with my kid. And it's like, that's what you're up against, Mike, as a single. parent, you know that, especially two single parents. I knew. I was like, my text was,

I guarantee you're asleep right now. I didn't hear anything. It's like, I know you didn't ghost on me, because this was your idea, and you got rid of the kids. I know you hate yourself. There's been a lot of self-loathing. Hey, quick aside is, that tour that you're describing, it came to this

new venue by the Woodbine racetrack. I forget what they call it. Casino? Yeah, right. That same tour was going there. I came this close to seeing that concert, which was going to be, yeah, Finger 11, Headstones, and then the closer was Tea Party.

I almost went, but I did not go. The ancestors were still good, even though he was clearly, I mean, the last tour, when that record was the one before, flight risk, might have been their best record. Like, I love that album.

It was like the show at the Phoenix. Right. They were like a hard. hardcore band for a bit of it was really good can i ask you a question about music real quick here so what do you think about these like i'm going to call headstones i'm going to call them a legacy band okay i'm looking at a bunch right now i seem to be stuck in the 90s myself so like when a legacy band like a sloan or a headstones puts out new material and people like you the people i trust who know their music you and bariclay and everybody you guys tell me that hey this might be their best material ever but

let's be honest for a minute that everybody just wants to hear unsound or cubically contained or whatever. Yeah. But the actual new headstones which has like Dallas Green from sitting in color,

Alexis Ophire on a only hand symmetric. I've said this. It's almost like it would have been a logical sequel to the 90s records. Like teeth and tissue, picture of health. What's the other one?

I know the three. I know the big ones. Yeah. The C. And this is like, this would have fit very nicely in that continue. It's really good. It's really good. It's among their best work.

And I don't know that anyone pays much attention to it. But they are still making good stuff. And they don't have to. Like he was a fucking movie star, like a TV star. Absolutely. The other guys have other stuff going on. They don't have to make records that good. They don't have to go out and play these shows and play them that well.

So it was good. I was alone. He was sick and it was because it was a truncated opening set instead of the middle one

right it was just like a greatest hit thing I don't think they touched the new record but the new record's really good

okay would you uh would you ever be able to put a word in with Hugh Dylan to visit

the TMDS basement studio at some point if he's in town I think he honestly he's a great duty I think he'd be up to it if he could

slot it in right the man rigorously schedules moment of his life. He's a busy guy, but just put in a word that he almost came on

and then I think the PR person chose like, I don't know, breakfast television over me or something and I got like last minute. It's like, I was actually hoping to see the guys while they were in Halifax

because they're good dudes. But when someone's sick, I think they just got the hell out of that. Well, famous thing, so I produce a disappointing night for everyone. I'll put it that way. He's a little cute redhead single mom.

Oh, that's amazing. I like it just, We could have a dating podcast with Ben Rayner. We can cover all this good. I don't know, a non-date podcast with Ben Rainer. I think 2026 is your year, but more than a moment. But I produced the Humble and Fred show,

and the Headstones would play, for example, at the horseshoe. They'd play a Humble and Fred Christmas party in like the early 90s or whatever, early to mid-90s. And the story that they love to tell is that, and this is before he cleaned up and he's sober now. But he wouldn't go on state. It would be seven in the morning or something, but he's not going on state. until somebody scores him some weed like this is like a mandatory prerequisite for the early to mid-90s Hugh Dillon so he's I think weed was the least the least in his

concerns well you know I cleaned it up for the uh Lauren Honickman said I should just clean it hard to get me to do anything without a bit of weed I get it I get it hey so here because you've been amazed I barely honestly Mike I barely smoke weed anymore like cigarettes are long gone I buy my gummies. I like my gummies, but it's interesting having clean life. Well, I was going to ask you like, so I will say this. Okay, we share everything. So after that episode we did in September,

there were multiple notes from listeners who said you should delete it because I think he's high. And I listened to it. I listened to it again, so we're going to, before you say anything, I listened to it, I was there for the chat, it seemed fine. And then I listened back as if I were a, you know, a concerned listener or something. And honestly, you sounded like Ben fucking Rainer. Like, I never for one second thought you were high.

And I'm here to tell you. I might have smoked a joint. Okay, so you might have smoked the joint, which is, you know, I feel like, do we even, you know, that's, I think people thought. I was also yelling into the phone on a beach in the wind. So you were of sound mind and body when we talked on that day in September. I knew it. I had, you know, we had a beer. You had a beer and you had some weed.

And I think that just means you're a fucking punk, uh, Ben. you know, living the life. Okay, so... Yeah, not like I'm waking up and doing both loads of cocaine or meth. Right. Not anymore. Not anymore.

So you're... I don't think I ever did, though. It sounds like, sounds to me, and you're eating all right? Like, you're not, you're not... Anorexic or anything here. You're eating your... I'm a very good cook, actually.

Okay, so I feel good about Ben Rayner in 2026. So here's a quick, quick hits on this on our way out here. One is, did you, Ben Rainer, a Merry Christmas. Yeah, I'm not right Christmas. It's weird being away from my kid for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but I'm now having a Merry Christmas. Look, I'm wearing my Grinch shirt, which you probably can't see.

I'm actually wearing layers of Grinch shirts. I've got an orange one underneath. Well, I'm recording this video, so everybody listening to the podcast can find this video on the Toronto, my YouTube channel. Yeah, I, yeah, it was all right. All right, but you know, I know what that's like. You want to be with Polly, and you couldn't be of Polly, but I, I'm here to tell the world and that right now you're with Polly.

I saw Polly, you know, an hour ago. And she looks like a happy almost nine-year-old who's with her daddy, who she loves very, very much. So, yeah, we, sorry. No, I was going to ask us, is Pauly happy? You can ask her. I think she is. Let me just yell.

Paul, are you happy? Do you want me to bring you a yogurt? I don't need a yogurt. Do you want to take about it, Mike? Tough kidding questions for the nine-year-old. Yeah. There you go. You want to say?

Hey, Polly, are you happy? Yeah. Yeah, you look happy to me. That's my little angel right there. Happy and healthy, and you've got a great daddy who loves you. Yeah, no, we're pretty tight. This one and I. We're friends.

do you want to wish her a happy birthday and I'm just going to let Paul Polly, I have a nine-year-old daughter okay, so your daddy and me we will both have nine-year-old daughters for a few months here a very happy ninth birthday

to Polly. Have a great birthday. Thank you. Oh, what a sweetheart. Okay, so final question, Ben, on our way out here. You've been amazing. Thanks for coming in, sweet.

This is a real pro-operation. At least we're not. At least I'm not yelling into a phone on a windspoken. No, this is much better than last time. I think that added to the people were really concerned because it sounded the audio wasn't good, but I can say somebody did

clean it up with AI and said you can use this and I listened to the AI version and I said, I prefer, I preferred the crappy audio we had on the cell phone because it felt more authentic to the moment. Like I didn't want to clean up. I thought I found a nice secluded spot and it was just like

massively windy on that one that one scratch beat. And I walked around, I told you I walked in circles and it was like, what the hell is going on? It's been eating everywhere. No notes, I wouldn't change a damn thing. But how do you feel about 2026?

Are you positive about Ben Rayner in 2026? Yeah, I'm pretty positive these days, which is a fucking weird thing for me because I'm not generally over. Or I haven't been. So I think that's progress. I was very negative for a while. for longer

I think than I realized I don't know I think I've like self-therapize my way out of it but yeah I'm actually like I said I'm excited for a couple of these things I'm working on again it'd be nice that they paid but

it's a long game and it's nice to have something creative to do and I didn't have time to do much creative when I was like kind of stuck in an eight-hour loop all day and you know I could pitch some freelance and get that done but actually just taking myself somewhere every day because I need I'm not good in like the way I've always worked

I'm way better if you put me in like backstage at a Metallica show or in a pub I can get shit done and I get shit done fantastically well because I focus. I know it's my ADHD but I if I have a lot of background noise and hustle and hustle I can tune in.

So the idea of me being independently created in like my own space doesn't really work because I'll just get up and make a curry. You know, I haven't a chai tea in a while. I think I'll go to the shop and get some chives. So

right now having a couple of things to work on and just dragging my ass somewhere different every day and sitting down and focusing in for a few hours is actually really fun and I and I it's nice to know I still like writing because I didn't for a long time

and I'm not going to talk about it because it hasn't run yet I've had a couple of really unpleasant experiences writing lately and people are too tight-assed and gutless to run some of my stuff and I do real but it pissed me off

and it soured me on it again so I'm I'm looking forward to having some other outlets for my creativity and also looking forward to having a few days of my kid

around her ninth birthday right now I'm so happy that you get to do that and it gets easier I promise you that and just know that so many people listening to this

conversation right now no one love you they love you they care about you can we reconnect maybe in a few months can we touch base again I you know what first next trip

because flare flare to Toronto was super treat that's why I came but when Polly was still there came back why I came back for three rives

and it is because old ravers got a rip I will let you know because we should kick out the jams next time I'm in Toronto I feel like

and not talk about this shit because I am tired of talking about it. Not with you. I'm just, I don't like it being like everything's all about me. No, I would love to kick out the jams with you. Like, honestly, if you have a spare, I don't know, 90 minutes in Toronto and you can make your way to South Atobico,

we kick out the jams, we crack open a great leg's beer. I give you a lasagna. We do it right, brother. Yeah, yeah, yeah. A lasagna fight. Frozen lasagna fight. Shout out to Garfield. Do you have a favorite album this year, by the way?

So on her way out, I was going to ask you, I honest to God, I don't know what this says about me, but Dave Hodge comes over and he tells me his hundred favorite songs of 2025, and there are 100 different artists. And I wondered to myself, like,

am I, like, when did I stop listening to new music? Like, I'm embarrassed. My daughter, my 9-year-old is playing the new Taylor Swift all the time. I heard it this morning. Pretty good. Better than the last one. I like Taylor Swift.

I thought Midnights was amazing. no i have no i got no qualms of taylor you know i like the pop yeah like she's great and i hear a lot of it in this ophelia song and all these they all sound very pleasant to my ears and it's very lovely but can you tell me what new music i should be listening to i cannot i love the new wetleg record moisturizer it's bonkers and everybody i play it too loves it too it's like back to front it's perfect i was worried they were going to be one of those english fans like Ikara Colt or dodgy or

Elastika, whereas the first album's amazing, a couple years go by, the second record's a wreck. The new wet leg, I think, is better than the debut. It's so, so good. And it's like, even visually, too, because they've always

been kind of like a 360-degree art project, and the videos are always fun. Rion, the lead singer, has embraced being a rock star. And they're matching out But, you know, it's just good shit and, like, anthemic, girl-powered, queer-powered pop. And I, that one is still taking over, taken over my entire, like, year. It's like, nothing else really compares to it for me this year. I tried to this, like, I love that fuckers record last year.

I love the new fucker's single with Tiga. But the, anybody asked me, the wet leg. The wet-like, the head sounds record's really good, too. actually i'll say should look at my buddy wolfgang webb's record like he he's made two great albums that have gone completely unnoticed the new one got quite a bit of international attention uh called the lost boy it's ridiculous i'm just like i can't believe i did the bio for the last two albums can't get any interest from like domestic media right um but he's like a dear friend of he used to play in a band he doesn't like me saying the name of the band but i'll call it super halo

they were kind of like a nine-ish nailsy thing the end of the night is one of the first friends i made when i moved to tron and we've always were both old bravers we know each other really well and a couple of years ago he made a record and he asked me that camera about the title the first one it's going to bother me now um far my notes but the new one the lost boy he asked me to do the bi again i'm just like holy fucking shit man it's like nick kate Tom Waitzee, Love and Rocketsy, Gauthie. It's amazing.

Nobody knows it, and he's in Toronto. You should hear that. People should hear that record. Wolfgang Webb, two W, two Ws, two Behees. It's fantastic. It's a really good record. I'm glad you're sharing the love on that one. But one last question here,

music related, before we say goodbye, is that everyone except for Dave Hodge, actually, everybody I listen to about new music is telling me, I should be listening to geese. It's, yeah, it's good. The friend I will be hanging out with in Fredericton for the next couple days.

He's been pushing it on me. I get it. I don't know with my cup of tea, but it's interesting and it'll grow on, yeah. Okay. But, yeah, it seems to be the consensus one, but... Yeah, it seems a consensus one, but Dave Hodge did not put it on his top one.

for what it's worth. But it does seem to be the consensus number one if you're listening to like indie rock in 2025. No, but there was always my like when I would do my top 10 or my top 20 at the star

or even both when I was on the Polaris jury, right? Mine were never the same as anybody else's because I like Carly Ray Jepson and Carly Minogue and that kind of shit. So there was always that weirdness. But then the bands that I like, you know, I love that band Dog Day

from Halifax. Sorry, there are buds in my... But that stuff never seems to cross. Like, I was always very distrustful. You go on pitchfork at the end of the year, and you look at... There's a herd mentality amongst critics.

And they tend to fall in line. And I was... I'm not that guy. I think the wet-leg one is fairly popular in this year, though. You know, I hear a lot of good things about it. He seems to be the consensus one. They seem to be enjoying, like, a early radio-heady kind of thing.

I don't know. I got to give it more listens. I bought my kid, one of the JBL clip speakers, which are pretty cool because a couple of my friends have them. So I would, like, a couple of my old raver friends who would bomb around the island listen to house music all summer when I was there. So I got her one of those. So I'm actually interested in her blasting her playlists at me

because I've discovered, like, Olivia Dean through her. Olivia Dean's grade, you know. So my kid is now teaching me, shit. I'm sure as your kids are teaching you. Oh, amazing, amazing. love this chat man I love how well you seem to be doing and again keep on keeping on

people love you Ben so thanks for this today I love you too brother you're a good man and I love doing this show anytime I will kick out the jams with you next time in Toronto there are a couple of

rave type happenings I might try to make it up too in March dude I can't wait so we'll kick out the chance thanks for having me on dude And that brings us to the end of our 1,826th show. Go to Torontomike.com for all your Toronto Mike needs.

Consider becoming a Toronto mic patron. Just go to patreon.com slash Toronto Mike. Much love to all who made this possible. For the last time, oh, the second last time, I get to say thank you to RetroFestive, It was amazing spending a couple of months talking about the wonderful people at Retro Festive. Shout out to Tie the Christmas Guy. Great Lakes Brewery.

They'll be back for 2026. Palma Pasta. They're back for 2026. Nick Aienes, he's back in 2026 and we'll have a new podcast I'll be telling you about. Recycle My Electronics.C.A. They're back for 2026. and Ridley Funeral Home, they're back for 2026.

Listen to Brad Jones's excellent podcast, Life's Undertaking. See you all. Wednesday. When my special guest is Matt Schichter, he's the director of the new CFNY,

the spirit of radio documentary that's airing on TVO. Don't you dare miss it. Some of the genes. Subdivisions. Subdivision. Subdivision. All right?

I don't know. I'm gonnae. I'm going to be the I'm going to be. I'm going to I'm going to I'm a lot of

I'm a We're going to be able to be. Thank you.