Toronto Mike'd: The Official Toronto Mike Podcast - Bob Willette: Toronto Mike'd #618

Episode Date: April 13, 2020

Mike catches up with Bingo Bob Willette who has recovered from COVID-19.They then kick out 10 forgotten jams.

No more games is about positivity and positivity is not about being soft. It's about being smart you sucka I'm in Toronto where you wanna get city love I'm from Toronto where you wanna get city love I'm a Toronto Mike, you wanna get city love So my city love me back, for my city love Welcome to episode 618 of Toronto Miked A weekly podcast about anything and everything Proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery A fiercely independent craft brewery who believes in supporting communities, good times, and brewing amazing beer.

Palma Pasta. Enjoy the taste of fresh homemade Italian pasta and entrees from Palma Pasta in Mississauga and Oakville. StickerU.com. Create custom stickers, labels, tattoos, and decals for your home and your business and the keitner group they love helping buyers find their dream home text toronto mike one word to five nine five five nine in fact do that to get the zoom link to their virtual open house next Saturday. I'm Mike from TorontoMike.com

and joining me is the Program Director for 102.9 K-Lite in Hamilton and 105.7 Easy Rock in St. Catherine's. Bingo. Bob. Willette.

Good day, sir. Good to hear your voice, Bobby. Now, I could hear like R2-D2, a little bit of like R2-D2 in the background when I was doing that intro. I wonder what that's all about. But that's, we make do with what we can, right? During these. Oh, yeah, there was a little uh little uh little digitization there but that's all right i mean you had to break your rules you were no phoners no uh i know you were

all live in studio only right i've been uh breaking my rules like a mofo yeah uh i hate this but no kidding like i want bob my buddy bob to be sitting right there so i can just you know reach out and touch your hand if it gets emotional but look first and foremost how are you and the family doing during the covid19 pandemic how you guys doing good well the you know the cole's notes version of it is we were in cuba from March 12th to the 19th. And March 12th was kind of the tipping point day. We were in Cuba by 9.30 that morning. And that was the day.

The day before that, I was in meetings all day with my superiors having conversations like, can we operate a radio station with 50% of the amount of people? Can we operate a radio station with nobody in it? And that started the very next day i was gone i was in cuba so then the saturday the prime minister says come home we did our due diligence we talked to air canada we talked to our travel agent i'm actually instant messengered with my member of parliament who i'm friends with uh on on facebook show it out shout out your mp who is it oh nathaniel n Nathaniel Erskine Smith. He's a backbencher.

He's on a lot for the liberals. He is, he's just, he's in his second term. He wrote, he wrote that big Justin Trudeau wave in. And I, you know,

I'm not a card carrying anything, but I tell you what, this guy's amazing. If you're in beaches, East York, Nate's your guy. He's awesome. And he,

so he was like, he told me what he was like register as a canadian abroad and uh you know because i can't do much more but give you advice but he was great he got so we did everything we came back on the third the following thursday we started our self quarantine um and we were very diligent about it eight days in i started to develop uh symptoms i got a fever and a dry cough and i uh so i went here and also in east door to marty garon i called telehealth and they said you got to go get go to the uh testing center i went to the testing center they uh considered that i went through everything very much like uh the opening

scenes of a horror film and uh you walk in and uh anyways i a, I was a presumptive case. And I was off work for one day. I was quite sick for three days. You know, no, thankfully no real breath, you know, no real breathing issues, but I had to quarantine from my family for another 14 days in my basement. Wow. Okay. I have questions. Did you get a test? So no. So this is before the,

this was like a week before the whole thing about Ontario not doing enough testing. They said, given your situation, basically, we're not going to waste a test on you because we,

because you've traveled, because you have two symptoms. You do have a fever. You do have a cough. We're not going to, we're not going to do it. We're not going to, we're not going to test you. We're not going to test you.

So I just remained a presumptive case. And I was pretty sick, man. I don't know if I had it, but it was different than anything I've ever had. That's for sure. Now, because you weren't tested and they just said you probably have it, act as if you have it, correct me if I'm wrong, but you don't show up in the statistics. Like if we see, you know, 5099 positive cases you're not one of them it's interesting at the beginning

they were including uh positive and presumptive tests presumptive uh test presumptive cases in the beginning with the stats i don't know if they do now to be honest now i was i've recently spent some time in a hospital and I overheard doctors having a conversation, literally laughing out loud at the reported number of cases. And I was listening very closely because they were in the other room,

three of them, I think, having a conversation. And the vibe I got was that, take the number you hear about on the news and times it by 10. Wow, that many, eh? Crazy. And then you start thinking about it okay you start break how many like let's assume you're not on the stat sheet let's say you didn't make the stat sheet let's right because my understanding is not getting a test means no positive which means i don't think ontario reports i think they're just reporting positive test

results so if bingo bob if i may call you, if you don't end up on the stat sheet, how many other bingo Bobs do we have in this country? Like I, and then forget the number of people who don't show symptoms at all. Right. There's like a lot of people who never show a symptom for this thing. Like I would, I would say that 10 times number that sounds like that. Yeah, we should, we should probably. Yeah. So scary times. So did anyone else in the family get symptoms?

No, everybody's been fine. The kids were good. My wife was a saint, feeding me through the doggy door to the basement. Oh, yeah. Yeah. And taking care of the kids. Well, she works at the AGO. She's working from home.

She's the director of exhibitions at the Art Gallery of Ontario She's the director of exhibitions at the Art Gallery of Ontario, the associate director of exhibitions at the Art Gallery of Ontario. She's been working full-time while also trying to operate, you know, a kindergarten and grade four class, right? Right, right, right. Yeah, forget that. Like, anyway, forget that. Firstly, your wife, who sounds like she's an angel uh and seems cultured and smart uh so good on you because you're not worthy of that no no i'm batting way out of my league man

don't worry i know humble and fred remind me of that all the time don't you worry well those guys are also doing the same but um so i'm glad no one else had symptoms and it's i'm glad you didn't get the respiratory thing because it sounds like whenever i read the stories, that's what I'm afraid of. Like, I don't want that respiratory issue. Obviously, that sounds like where it gets really scary. So as I said, the cough was pretty horrible. It would wake me up in the night. I took one sick day because I, too, am working from home.

I basically slept for 72 hours after I kind of started to develop to develop. I basically slept for 72 hours after I kind of started to develop the, but then kind of lived on Tylenol and Buckley's and just tried to ride it out and was pretty good within about eight, eight, nine days from the beginning of the cough. And I won't judge you like I won't beat you up for going to Cuba because I do remember how quickly things evolved. Yeah. I remember a conversation with my daughter on the 11th. So you left on the 12th, right? Left on the 12th. Okay. Cause 13th, of course that's Friday. That's the last day of school. That's how we know this. So on the 11th, I had a conversation with my teenage daughter, uh, where she was going to spend March break going to Myrtle beach with her, uh, her friend and her friend's family. And I had a conversation on the 11th,

which I repeated something I said the previous weekend, which is, you should not leave this country right now because look at these numbers in Italy. And I showed her a chart, like this is Italy. And they're three weeks ahead. And this is where I think the US, I remember having that talk. And then I remember on the,

this is real boring detail for everyone but us, but I don't care. On the 11th, I remember like her saying oh, dad, I think it'll be fine. And then me saying, I don't think you should go. I said, I'm this close to putting my foot down where you can't go. And then she came to me on the 12th and said, daddy, you're right. I've told my friend I'm not going. By the way, that friend went.

Oh, they did? They went, but my daughter was not on that in that car and i think uh only a few days later someone else went who wasn't related to the family and that person's mother uh regretted the decision to let their so so i mean sure but i know how quickly things change like i think if you were leaving on the 13th you might not have gone you're absolutely you know what you are probably 100% right. 9.30 in the morning, we were in Cuba already. Like, we left at 6 a.m.

So, like, we were already on the beach by noon. And then everything, it just seemed like everything happened. The stuff that we were talking about the day before it worked seemed so remote. And then it all just happened. When did the NBA announce

they were shutting down? Do you remember? Right around that same time. Yeah. I don't think, I don't think they, I think they had shut it down before I left to be fair, to quote letter Kenny, to be fair, to be fair. Okay. Well maybe now I will judge you for leaving. I feel like that was your, uh, that was my thing. Yeah. Judge away.

That was the moment. But you know, you know, there but for the grace of God goes, so, So bingo, Bob and the family go to Cuba. Was it a good trip? You know, I was saying it's very odd because as soon as the Saturday comes around, it's like, okay, well, we don't want to be quarantined here. We don't want to be left here because they're not going to let us stay at the resort on the beach. You know, that's not going to happen. We're going to end up in some hospital or something or some hotel in havana or something like that but uh so i mean it was beautiful the weather like i was a in a place called ko santa maria which was just gorgeous like probably the best

beach i've ever been on in my life but there's a very there was a very strange uh feeling hanging over the whole resort i mean the resort's like 98% Canadians, right? And we're all gathered around my Bluetooth speaker on the beach as I'm streaming CBC News or CTV Newsnet or whatever it is, trying to figure out what's going on and how are we getting home. So it was not without its stresses. Glad you're back and safe. And you did your 14-day quarantine when you got back, and I guess that's well over now.

Oh, yeah. Well, yeah. Did the, did the eight, the eight of the 14 got the, uh, got the,

the, got the, got, got the presumptive case and then did another 14 alone. Just came out last Friday. Okay, good. Welcome back.

Well, not that there's anywhere to go, but it's good that you're back now. Since you were last on Toronto, Mike, uh, in fact, I'm wearing the shirt from like the last time you were on,

I think the last place I worked update us on your Mic'd, in fact, I'm wearing this shirt from the last time you were on, I think. Yes, you are. From the last place I worked. Update us on your professional status. I know I put it in the intro, but tell us, why did you leave Oshawa's The Rock? And where are you now? And how's that going? So, yeah, 94.9 The Rock. I was there for pretty much four years or so as the midday host and music director. And it was great. I loved it. Small company, Durham Radio. You know know not a lot of room for growth uh i enjoy i love you know i love me my rock and roll music and i love interviewing you know i got to interview some pretty amazing trans canada highway men was a was a trip and like gavin

rossdale from bush and all these got to do some really really cool things and hang out with some really cool people. Go ahead. Did you, oh yeah, I see. I should let the people know, even though you can't see Bob on Periscope,

you see a beautiful photo of you. Where's that photo from? Oh, that's New York city. Uh, the, um, May of,

uh, the year I turned 40. So four years ago, um, 2000 or two, uh, 20, uh, I'm 44 now. So four years ago, um, 2000 or two, uh, 20, I'm 44 now.

So, well, yeah. So you can see me. I'm it's New York city. I was going to see Pearl Jam at Madison square garden. So you can see me. So you can see,

I was itching to say something. Did you get all four of the trans Canada highwaymen? I was the very first person to interview all four of them at once. So just a few days ago, uh, I, I, I was the very first person to interview all four of them at once. So just a few days ago, I was on the call. I wasn't the interviewer, so I can't say this was a Toronto Mike. It was an episode of Not That Kind of Rabbi with Ralph Ben-Murgy. It was Ralph and Stephen Page for an hour.

And it was really interesting because they go way back, right? So it was just interesting. And then now I'm working on steven page and toronto mike but it was it was thanks to steven's manager cynthia is how it happened and uh i was the first one they hadn't even done a show they'd only done one show at jackson triggs winery at that point and i got to uh go into sloan's private uh rehearsal space in the west end of Toronto. And all four were there. And I interviewed all four of them probably still available at 94.9,

the rock.com or dot FM at the rock.fm. I believe the interview is still there. Dave McDonald, a photographer to the stars shot it. It was great. Who is your favorite? I'm putting you on the spot, but if you had to pick one of those trans Canada highway,

cause all four are amazing, but if you had to pick one, I was a huge bare naked ladies fan. I was a massive bare naked ladies fan massive bare naked ladies fan pursuit of happiness was a little bit like a little bit young for me like you know like i'm an adult now i was 86 87 i was still only 10 or 11 at the time right bare naked ladies gordon is a transformative album for me i love that album do you know what uh what that album who that album is named after specifically Specifically? Which Gordon? No, I don't. I believe it's Stephen's dad who had the middle name Gordon and who also happens to be

Steve Simmons' uncle. Oh, that's weird. So Gordon, which is a great album, absolutely, was named after Steve Simmons' uncle. Alright. So there you go. Yeah, love the chance. The only one I haven't talked to, uh,

is, uh, Craig Northey. Uh, where does he live? He, is he a West coast guy? Craig's a West coast guy.

Yeah. So, and he's a, he's a super nice guy, kind of quiet, but also really funny. I really enjoyed talking to him cause the odds, uh,

you know, some of the music I have on my, uh, my jams today, it would have could, could fit into the odds as forgotten jams. I would say that these things that were big when they came out and then all of a sudden just radio kind of disappeared. Okay, good. You're such a professional. You just did that. Good. I'm glad.

So yeah, tease what the heck we're kicking out again. So you kind of just did it, but be specific. So these are songs that were big and then forgotten by radio? What are these? Kind of. You had said, this was your idea, by the way. I have no memory of this. Yeah, you said, let's kick out the jams again sometime.

I said, sure. What do you got in mind? You're like, I don't know. Maybe let's dig deep. Let's do some forgotten jams. So I kind of set the rule that all of these songs were, at least at one time, maybe not that they were, except for one, maybe were all top 40 in their respective genres. They were all top 40 hits, except for one, I think might not have been. And it's just something that I from my childhood that I thought you as a Torontonian might remember. number but um but but so the idea is these were songs that were on the radio all the time and then you know as somebody who is in radio now knows that you know things like like music testing and

uh you know and you know million dollar share points and you know radio stations take less and less chances with the music they play now for a whole bunch of reasons uh so a lot of these songs unless you were a fan of the band, you're not hearing them anywhere. Now on that note, cause you're a radio guy and radio doesn't take risks like it used to. Am I right to assume the only show we have left that's kind of plain, whatever the hell they want is Strombo Sunday night show. Well,

yeah. And I mean, that's not even, that's public. That's not, that's not private radio, right? So that's apples and oranges. Yeah. Strombow's the only guy who's kind of free

form, free flowing, doing what he wants. Now you, people do that every day with their own playlists on Spotify and on Apple music, you know, people are free flow free, you know, they're free flowing their, their own stuff all the time. But yeah, I don't know of anybody in commercial radio who is picking all of their own songs. Okay. So I'm looking, we're going to kick out the jams a little more catching up though, because,

uh, you used to work for Bernie Finkel. No, you almost worked for Bernie Finkel. Right. Yes. See, I took a note on that one.

Right. So you had Bernie on and I said, Hey, I almost worked for him. I should, I interviewed with him. I don't know if I almost worked for him. There was a,

so I spent, um, nine years, almost nine years with Evanoff Radio Group, again, a smaller radio company. And while I was there, always looking for the next opportunity, which at that time did end up turning into another radio station, which was my short stint at Virgin Radio in Toronto as a music director. But before that, I decided to kind of reach out and talk to some record labels.

And I had some interviews with True North. I had some interviews with Arts and Crafts, a record label as well. They were looking for radio promo people. So the idea is you take your, you know, as a music director and a program director, you have these record reps come to your radio station, sometimes virtually, sometimes in person. They, you know take give you tickets to concerts come on out and see

our new artist and uh i interviewed for true north uh while i was at evanov radio group i interviewed with arts and crafts with jeffrey remedios who is now the uh like way high up in uh bell he's my boss's boss's boss's boss, I guess. Or yeah, no, he's with universal music now. Sorry. I'm thinking of Randy. That's where Ivor Hamilton is,

right? Yeah. I was at universal. Yeah. So Jeffrey's at Jeffrey is, is that universal? Not a bell. That was silly.

So I was with Jeffrey remedios with at arts and crafts, arts and crafts, of course, is a stars and feist and all those broken those. Broken Social Scene, that's them. And Bernie's labeled True North with, oh gosh, Barney Bentall and a whole bunch of very cool Canadian acts. Don't forget Bruce Colburn. I didn't get the jobs. Bruce Colburn, of course, yeah.

So I interviewed, but I didn't get those jobs. I've stayed in radio the whole time. I've never gone to the other side, to the record side yet. You never know. And you're enjoying what you're doing now at the Hamilton and St. Catherine stations? Yeah, they're both Bell Media stations, and I'm on a contract. I spent this last summer doing Afternoon Drive on 97.7 Hits FM from the White House of Rock in St. Catherine's, which was a lot of fun. on 97.7 Hits FM from the White House of Rock in St. Catharines,

which was a lot of fun. And then now I'm on a Matt Leaf cover for the program director for those two radio stations until September. And man, oh man, it's not like it's been, it's not like it hasn't been busy. It's been great. You know what? It's AC radio. Adult contemporary radio is not the adult contemporary radio

that you and I grew up with, with candlelights and wine and, you know, and all that stuff. It's, it's a lot of fun. It's dynamic. And, uh, man, it's, uh, I got a pretty big team. I got, I think I got nearly 20 people who report to me. So it's, uh, it's a lot of fun. else in common, I guess, is a way to put this in that Humble Howard tells me that I'm the ninth producer of the Humble and Fred show. Yes. Congratulations. Thank you so much. Thank you. Now I have the list

of the nine. So I'm going to go one by one and I just need you to say whatever you can about the person. And I'm dying to know what you have to say about this first name because this is the name that I don't know at all. But the first producer of the Humble and Fred show was

a guy named Greg Williams. Never met him. That's all I got to say. I don't know. It's like, what year is that? Like, I was in high school at the time. 89? I was in elementary school still so okay i didn't i never met the guy he was long gone by the time i got in okay the second producer of the humble and fred

show was a guy named dan duran a mensch he's a good guy dan's a great guy you know that's where we first met at dan duran's house that's right that is right yeah dan you know what dan is dan and howard obviously go way, way back. And Dan's always been great to me. I just saw him when I made a hip surprise appearance on the show a few weeks, a few months ago, I guess. And I like Dan. Dan's a great guy. His kid is unbelievably talented as an artist.

You know what's funny is that his kid, Colton, was good buds with my kid. is that his kid, Colton, was good buds with my kid. They were in the same class at Humbercrest before Dan moved out to the Kawarthas or wherever the heck he went. Yeah. In fact, they were in Beavers together, and we would go on these father-son camping trips, and Dan would be the father who got up early to make coffee for the other dads. Nice.

There you go. See, told you a mensch. What a good guy. All right. Next producer was a guy named Jason Barr. coffee for the other dads nice there you go he told you a mensch what a good guy all right next producer was a guy named jason barr jason barr is the guy who i learned from he was the producer of the show when i walked in as an intern off the street and uh here's the thing that you nobody will ever think about jason because he plays such a curmudgeon in real life um is he thanked me every day i came in when i was working

for free at the end of the shift every day and i don't he doesn't even remember doing it he goes that doesn't sound like me whenever i bring it up to him but he said to me he says to me every every day he said to me thanks for coming in thanks for helping did he say it in a scottish accent he did not no i was very disappointed to find out it was fake when I walked in there back in the day, late 90s. Have you heard from him since he left Hits FM for Ottawa? Yes, he just wrote recently on my Facebook that I am a giant infant. It's like good or bad, I don't know.

Okay, the next producer is a guy named Jeff Domet. Chicken Shawarma. Also, the reason that I became an intern was because Chicken Shawarma moved on to go work on Live in Toronto, and I replaced him. Was he there with Kim Hughes, or was he there with Strombo?

Both. A lot of FOTMs are being mentioned here, by the way. Much like yourself, Domet decided to leave the country for March break as well. Yes, he did. You selfish bastards. Former Humble and Fred producers are just very selfish and careless. On that note, so yesterday was Easter,

and I took a selfie with the two little ones who did the Easter egg hunt because the two big ones actually hid the Easter eggs. Don't tell anyone about that. Spoiler alert. The two little ones, I just took a selfie on my front porch because I needed some light and I just did a quick selfie. Some guy on Twitter at first is like, social

distancing question mark? I wrote back, huh? He said, this better be an old pic or i'm an asshole okay yeah and then i could be an asshole for many reasons right but that's not one of them right and then and i couldn't tell i was really confused even though i shouldn't spend time because there's always a bunch of crazy like whatever i should but i but i was found it interesting that like he must know people who live together can be uh closer than two meters especially if

it's a four-year-old and then my wife pointed out she thinks it's because i look so damn white and morgan looks like she's maybe filipino and she thinks yeah she thinks that guy thinks it must be a neighbor like he doesn't realize it's my kid because it doesn't look like me because your children look ethnic and you look translucent right right right so then i think there might be a lot of maybe there's a lot of validity there this guy just didn't see that that could possibly be my kid because it looks like it's a different race maybe i i try not to get into the uh what makes people on the internet click or tick i mean well that's, that's probably smart. Okay.

So after Jeff Domet, that was a quick tangent after Jeff Domet, the producer is the final terrestrial radio only producer of humble and Fred, uh, some guy named Bob Willett. I sunk the ship. Um, yeah,

you know, I think I was the longest running though. I think Phil might have me beat now, but I think, no, but Phil doesn't have that title, you know, like Phil doesn't longest running though i think phil might have me beat now but i think no but phil doesn't have that title you know like phil doesn't that's why i have the title because howard i know i know i don't care actually that title like confuses me actually but uh so you're the guy who takes them to mix 99.9 and you're you get fired with them from mix 99.9. Yeah, eventually. So what happened was in 90, whatever it was, then when we went to Mojo Radio 2000, I guess,

I was an associate producer of the Humble and Fred show. And I was the on-site producer for Martin Streak's live day or club gigs, as you know. So I was working during the week on the Humble and Fred show and in the weekends in the clubs. And then when the opportunity to go to Mix 99.9 came i went from being associate producer to technical producer jeff domette was the producer uh he was the guy booking the guests and scheduling the show and then when we left so that was all within chorus all the same company and then when we left chorus to go to standard radio uh jeff uh stayed uh and uh i went with humble and fred as the full producer of the

Humble and Fred show for two years. And then one year of the Humble Howard morning show, because Freddie was let go before the rest of us. Right. So that, that ends that radio. And then they come back in podcast form, a guy named Jason Kinder.

He's a nice guy. He looks a bit like Bob, John Tesh. Yeah. Kinder was a good dude. Kinder's a good guy. Then the first, first female or the first woman,

uh, producer, uh, uh, Eileen Ross. Eileen is funny. She started, I met her,

I think first at standard radio. She was a creative writer there. She's great. She now lives in, uh, Oshawa, uh, has three kids.

And then, uh, Amanda Barker, who, uh, does a lot of different things. She shows up in ads all the time and then me so that's uh something we now have in common bingo one of many things we have in common you're the east you're the west version of me and i am the uh east version of you so we won't hear any pearl jam songs because uh there are no forgotten pearl jam jams so that's right. They're all

unforgettable. We're going to kick it off but first, it's kind of sad that I have to do this because you're not here and who knows when we'll next see each other. But if you were here, I'd give you a six pack of Great Lakes beer. I'd give you a frozen lasagna from Palma Pasta. I'd give you a Toronto

Mike sticker from Sticker You and I would encourage you to text Toronto Mike to 59559 with any GTA real estate questions or to get the link, the zoom link for the very safe virtual open house. I attended the first one on Saturday. It was Saturday at noon and there were a bunch of FOTMs on there. And it was very interesting and informative because you do a virtual walk through a house and you get the price and you talk about the neighborhood.

It's just interesting, but not a lot east of Yonge. But if you're interested in west of Yonge, there's a lot. So Bob, you might not be as passionate about that. But that's what I would do if you were here, but you're not here. Well, you can leave it on your front porch for me.

My dad lives in Hamilton. He's got some doctor's appointments coming up. I got to take them too. So, you know, you can, you leave it out front for me. I i will totally do that man all right let's kick out the first bingo bob forgotten jam so we'll let it play a bit and then when i see you have you're ready to talk i'll bring it down and then we'll hear your beautiful voice sure I know it's not always a party Living with a guy like me

Who's always in outer space Maybe I don't know what's good for me I never thought a girl like you Could ever change my ways. All right. Nice. Yeah, we're not even going to get to the chorus in this. Maybe I'll bring it back when the chorus part comes in.

Your call, your call. Talk to me, Bobby. How is this a forgotten jam? And remind us what we're listening to here. Okay, so this is a C-Spot run from Montreal. I started with some CanCon just to, you know, buck the trend of radio. Never start with CanCon.

But so this wait list, Chris Brodbeck, I think it's Brodbeck or Brobeck, is the lead singer. He was a really good guy. Big friend of the Humble and Fred show. Came on one of the Humble and Fred Christmas shows from the Horseshoe. They covered You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch. And always stood out to me.

Here's why I included this. This song in 99 was massive. Played all the time on the edge in Toronto. I can't speak to other radio stations, but I would imagine other alternative stations at that time would have been playing it a lot in Canada. And in fact, in the top 102 of 99, the end of year chart that used to get put together by Neil Mann. Which I loved. Yeah, uh, which I loved, which I loved. Yeah. I love them all.

And, uh, and Johnny O, John Osborne was the assistant music director there. Um, the, uh, they would put these together and this,

this song finished 42nd overall as in the top 102 of the whole year for 99 ahead of, of like Moby, ahead of, you know, like big, big artists like Cake at the time, Sarah McLachlan and Blur. This finished ahead of them, but nobody's playing it anymore. No alternative radio station, maybe in Montreal, I don't know, but is playing it in their gold category.

Do you think that's because it sounds like a lot of songs that are superior to this one? Did you notice how many songs it because it sounds like a lot of songs that are superior to this one? Did you notice how many songs it kind of sounds like? In the meantime, there's a bunch of... Yeah, it's a compliment. But when the songs kick playing, other songs are in my head. I don't know. Maybe it's reminiscent of superior songs. But you think the CanCon factor would would would cause it to get

played in this country right yeah i mean i like i've never been a programmer of an alternative radio station so i don't know what i haven't done a lot of testing of gold uh you know music testing of gold can con and i don't i don't know if there is a lot of testing i just thought this is a forgotten song it's a song that was played a lot on the radio for sure in toronto at least and i know this is an international you know pod no it's called toronto mic so who cares about the rest fair enough fair enough fair enough uh but yeah so that's why i included on it and i think it's a catchy tune yeah it sounds a little bit like you know a tall buckman song or a uh bad day or whatever it sounds like a whole like uh space hog space hog it's got yeah definitely got some Space Hog in

there, which I think was also a 99. So, yeah, it was good. Good choice. You're right, because I don't hear it anymore. And in fact, yeah, it's you're right.

That would be I think that's a great example of a forgotten jam, a jam that was all over the place in the in 99 and is now nowhere. So shout out to C Spot Run.

I don't think they had a second hit, right? It's debatable. I'm sure they'll tell you. They had a couple others. Well, if you have to think about it, that's the answer. The answer is no. Fair enough.

And here's a jam. I'm excited to play this jam because I love it. Here we go. Mr. Cab Driver Don't stop to let me in Mr. Cab Driver Don't like my kind of skin Mr. Cab Driver

You're never gonna win Mr. Cab Driver won't stop to pick me up Mr. Cab Driver, I might need some help Mr. Cab Driver only thinks about himself Here we go. Here we go, Bobby. I love this bass line. This is reminding me what a good jam this is.

Great jam. It's my favorite Lenny Kravitz song. Oh, it makes you wait a bit. That's right. Okay. At some point it's going to... You're waiting for the big... Let me... All right, Bobby.

Tell us, how is Mr. Cab Driver by Lenny Kravitz a forgotten jam? So this song was released in 1990 and off Lenny's first album. And, you know, I just find if you turn the radio on, you can still hear lots of Lenny Kravitz. You hear tons of Lenny Kravitz, but you don't hear this. No. You don't hear this. And I think this is my favorite song. You hear tons of Lenny Kravitz singles on the air all the time, especially the American Woman cover, because that counts as Capcom.

And so you hear tons of lenny and there's so many lenny singles that you can uh that you can come that you can call from but this just never gets the the do that it's deserved it deserves if you ask me i think this this for me is one of his one of his best songs ever i mean his uh the singles he had is just ridiculous. I mean, so many singles that you can choose from. The greatest hits alone, which was released in the early 2000s, which I think all of us had.

Everybody had that. But I mean, it just doesn't get any airplay. Mr. Cab Driver. Oh, Bob, here we go. Hold on. Pause. Oh, here it comes. Oh, man. oh man yeah dude your favorite song wait this might be my second favorite i think i think i prefer let love rule because that was let love rule is great also off the same album

first single off that album right that was his first big single and that's why i think i love it like it was like what is this i remember listening to it on q107 and being like what the hell is this i love this i just love this song and like i said and it's just not you know you're gonna hear american woman you're gonna hear uh rock you might even hear rock and roll is dead but you're definitely gonna hear are you gonna go my way like are you gonna go my way is like it's like, like we've killed it. Radio's killed that song. And yeah, I think there's so much more from him. I just happen to love this song.

I just, I love the groove of it. And I just, unless you're a Letty fan, you're not hearing it. Another good choice, but you're good at, you know what? I'm actually going to pat myself on the back and say, what a great idea. And you're the right guy for this. Like, cause you're so immersed in the world of radio and you understand what a great idea. And you're the right guy for this. Because you're so immersed

in the world of radio and you understand what's getting played, what's not. And you're a fan of this. You're a fan of a lot of the same music I'm a fan of. So it's like...

I think so. I think we have similar tastes. I assigned this task to the right guy is what I'm telling you. Thank you. And we're going to go right into your third jam here.

Yes. We'll take a little left-hand turn here. It wasn't my intention to mislead you It never should have been this way What can I say? It's true, I did extend the invitation I never knew how long you'd stay When you hear temptation come It's your heart that takes Bingo Bob. And we all fall down Down the toilet door

Bingo, Bob. This is bringing me back. A little Martika action for you. You know, it was interesting. So this one came out in 89. So I'm like 13, 14 years old at the time. It's a massive, massive song. This chick, sorry.

She was on a kids show called Kids Incorporated. Of course I remember. I do, totally. And also, I think chick is okay, right? I think so, yeah. I mean it in an endearing manner. All right. This performer, it's fine.

You can email me at my Bell Media account if you want to make complaints. Sexist pig. This is the number one song. Billboard number one, hot 100 for a couple weeks. Massive, massive song. The only way people are hearing it now is if they hear it in the Eminem sample and that's it. Otherwise, where does

this song belong on radio? Because remember earlier I said AC radio, adult contemporary radio isn't what it used to be. There's no place for power ballads like this. Who's playing this. Nobody's playing. Cause there's no R and B element to it. Right.

Like it's missing like a TLC or whatever. Yup. Yeah. It's a pop. It's a straight ahead power pop ballad. Uh, not unlike say I could include like the bangles eternal flame. I think they're very simple.

Who's playing those songs. Nobody, nobody's playing those songs. And unless you, you know, and that's why, unless you're building your own playlists on Spotify or Apple Music or whatever you might have, even the lists that are being built by your algorithms, you're not going to pick that one up if you want to hear it. This was a massive, massive song.

If you were a teenager in late 80s, early 90s, this is a huge song. It's played at all your dances. Like there's a guitar solo here. You hear this? Yes. Yeah, where are you going to... There's nowhere for this on terrestrial radio in 2020.

And you're right. You nailed it with the fact that my teens know this song because it's embedded in a popular Eminem song. That's the only sample. That's the only reason. Oh, man. Martika. I didn't even know Martika was American. I guess I should have known that.

Do you remember Kids Incorporated? The Saturday morning cartoon? The Saturday morning kids show? I remember it existing. I just don't think I spent much time watching it, but she was Gloria, right? I see that now. Yeah, she was on that show did you watch okay yeah i had a crush on it now this is an important time to mention i have a couple of years on you bobby maybe i was uh

in maybe i was too old maybe the kids incorporated it's true it's true it's you know what's amazing so i started high school in 90. I've had this conversation with a lot of people who are again, a couple of years around me. So the idea of starting high school in 90, finishing in 94, finishing grade 12 and 94, the difference of what I went into high school with musically and what I came into out of high school with musically is a grunge happened, right?

And then the East coast, West coast rap thing happened all in there. And so as opposed to somebody who started in 86 and left in 90, it's all the same. It's still all just hair metal. Nothing changed. You're right. Between 90 and 94,

worlds exploded musically. And now that you're hearing you talk, we're not that different in age because if you start high school in 1990, I start high school in September 89. Yeah. It's only one grade. It's one grade.

One grade. But it makes a difference. I got friends of mine who were, or if they had an older sibling as well. The older sibling always helps when it comes to the music knowledge. Do you have an older sibling? I'm an only child, sir, which explains a lot. Okay. Because I don't have one of those either.

Okay. This is some more CanCon. Let's kick this one out. only child sir which explains a lot okay because i don't have one of those either okay this is uh some more can con let's let's kick this one out Give me a kiss Give me a kiss I want to find out what I missed Don't leave me now Don't leave me now Don't leave me at a time like this Boasters of blue Look just like you Snapshot on a magazine

Now all the rage Turned back the page At one time you were just like me Here in Team Lando Team Lando Team Lando Team Lando I love this song, Bob. It's a great one.

1987, the first hit, first single to the Northern Pikes from Saskatchewan. And it was, I remember it being everywhere. This is, you know, growing up in Toronto, listening, you either listen, you know, some people listen to CFNY. You know, there were Trump people. But CFTR, 680 CFTR was my station when I was a kid. Tom Rivers and Mike Cooper. And it was the legendary Top 40 radio station. And they really, they captured Top 40 in that great way of if it was a hit, they played it.

Didn't matter if it was a rock song, a pop song, an whatever it doesn't matter i love 680 it's uh it was my favorite so uh this was on it all the time um i need nicotine for full effect i was you know i was just a kid and i just just loved it and uh again it's case. You might hear this here in Toronto on a station like Boom 97.3 every now and then as a Spice track. You might hear it every now and then, but it's never going to be, you know, it wasn't their biggest hit.

Their biggest hit was She Ain't Pretty. And that came out in 90, a few years later. I just, this is another one of those songs that has no home on traditional broadcast. There's no radio stations playing. G107 is not playing this song. Who's playing this song? Nobody.

Nobody's playing this song. Pardon me? Another good choice. Nobody is playing this great jam from 1987. Another forgotten jam. Very well done. And you're right. The biggest hit is She Ain't Pretty.

And I believe this is correct. I think it's correct. You know how the waitress changes face with that animation? Of course. I believe. I hope I'm right about this. I think that was inspired by Large Marge in Pee-wee's Big Adventure. Yes, that's right.

Tell them Large Marge sent you. That's funny I think so I feel like I've heard that story somewhere but Northern Pikes did you ever see Northern Pikes in concert I don't know if I I don't think I have actually to be completely honest I don't think I have

they always reminded me of Grapes of Wrath oh for sure yeah yeah I just saw Grapes of Wrath open for the Watchmen in saw grapes of wrath open for the watchman at the in your neck of the woods bobby danforth music hall music hall do you remember when we could go out to concerts and uh hang with thousands of people you see that article today fall of 2021 oh because we have to wait for the um vaccine they're saying there's a, and it was in the New York Times basically saying this is just one expert's

opinion, but it's definitely everybody's caught onto it. I think we're going to bring in normalcy in these phases. And I think that's probably a, you know, I think the final phase doesn't kick in until a certain percentage of the populace gets that vaccine. So you need it to be available, which they said 12 to 18 months. So that already pushes you into 2021.

And then, you know, you got to start doling it out. You know, you can't, the whole country can't go to shoppers the next day or whatever and grab this thing. So yeah, kind of weird, eh? It's pretty crazy. But I think before then, we'll be able to have a guest on toronto mic'd in the

tmds studio i feel like we'll phase it in like yes agreed agreed all right another bobby forgotten jam this one builds and i'll say this one really is forgotten because i forgot in this one well this would have been a saturday night live from the phoenix beginning first couple hours I just got made of a top-notch I just got made of a top-notch I just got made of a top-notch I just got made of a top-notch I know this Beatles song. This is a Beatles song, right? Yeah, I know. Of course, I do remember this.

Absolutely. It's got a shoegaze vibe to it. It's got Beatles song, right? Yeah, I know. Of course, I do remember this. Absolutely. It's got a shoegaze vibe to it. It's got, yeah, definitely. It's from London. It's Koola Shaker's name of the band. The song's called Patva. 96 is the year.

They had a bigger hit in Canada with, I think, Mystical Machine Gun later on on their second album. This was their debut album. The album's called K. And it was their first single. It went top 10 US modern rock charts, this song did. And where does Coolest Shaker live now? Who knows? So it's just a song that I remember. And obviously, formative years for me would be those mid-90s, early 90s, late 80s stuff, stuff when you really start discovering music. But I remember loving this song and going to the clubs before I was even producing them and hearing this on the live day airs from various clubs and whatnot. I'd argue a lot of big music

fans would struggle to name the artist and song title. They're going to hear this. Like I hear it and I recognize it, but if you'd put a gun to my head and said, who is record, whose song are you listening to? I'd be dead right now. Yeah.

I mean, I, yeah, probably, probably. I mean, I was a little closer to it cause I would have been in the clubs while we were playing them at some point, especially mystical machine gun.

But I picked this one cause I liked it better. Yeah. And this is top 10. It didva? It did finish top 10. It did finish, it was a top 10 song on the Modern Rock Chart. Oh, and then, oh, I was also,

because you are a CFNY guy, 1996 top 102 albums. Number one was Smashing Pumpkins, Melancholy and Infinite Sadness. Number 35 was Koola Shaker, K. So, also a hit, I would say. that's right in my wheelhouse too I was as you know I was listening a lot back then okay just between the kill joys and

the Watchmen brand new day there you go oh my friend I love to kill joys when Dana Levinson from CTV came on I played Dana because that's a killjoys jam, right? Dana. And she had never heard it before. And I was blown away by that factoid here. All right.

All right. All right. So Kulishakur Tatva. I googled it. Tatva means something in Sanskrit. Of course it does. I'm not on drugs right now to figure it out though. It's a very trippy tune. I like it a lot.

Okay, here's a little teaser. I'll do a little teasing. So you know I've been doing these FOTM, kick out the jams. Pretend you know, I've been doing these FOTM, kick out the jams. Pretend you know, even if you don't, because it makes me feel good. I do know. I haven't sent you any, but I do know. You should send me one. So, I think I dropped, I know I dropped episode, I dropped

volume five on the weekend. Hawksley Workman is on this thing. Kish kicks out a jam. Nice. Yeah. And Bill King and FOTMs. And I'm working, number Nice. Yeah. And Bill King and FOTMs. And I'm working, number six is coming. And number six

will feature a song from this band, but it won't feature this particular jam. But let's kick out another CanCon classic. I think my list is 30% CanCon,

I think. Hey there, pretty girl, can I kiss you? All you've said to me, I think I'll miss you. She said no one can kiss me Kiss me while people scream. They're screaming for me. One gun added on to the one gun. One gun added on.

One gun added on to the one gun. One gun added on. Hey, now now pretty girl what is with you 5440's one gun i would call this a forgotten jam because this was this video was like an earlier much music staple like it was that they had their can con to fill and i just remember seeing this video all the time just before this is like 87 i guess so before lovers in a dangerous time to barbican ladies in 90 like but i likened it to that like it was if you threw much music on and steve anthony or erica m or michael williams were all there you they were probably christopher ward they were probably throwing the 5440 one gun i agree with you in fact at some point when much music became part

of my cable package like it wasn't the beginning i wasn't part of that but it was like at some point that and tsn were added to a different tier like 87 maybe i don't know around then but um the first video i ever saw on much music in my own home was One Gun by 5440. And you're telling me, Mr. Radio, that this is not a jam that you're hearing on radio. Like you're not going to hear this on Boom or Q107 or anything like that? You know, I don't think you'll hear it on Q. I think a guy who you should try to get on, I don't think you'd ever do it, though, is Wayne Webster, who is the music director at Boom 97.3.

Why wouldn't he do it? He's just a piece of really soft-spoken guy. Maybe he would. He'd be great. Wayne was the music director at Q107 and Chum FM in the early 80s. He's worked alongside of Gary Slate. And he was at Mix 99.9 when I was there. He launched Virgin here in

Toronto Wayne is a genius when it comes to being a music director Wayne was you know while David Marsden was getting all this cred for being really cool and going and playing all these and as he should playing all these great uh brick pop albums and whatnot in the early 80s Wayne was doing the same thing on Chum uh when they were at FM goal goal you know an fm station before am kind of you know 10 50 went to oldies wayne was doing amazing stuff but wayne was going to the record peddler and buying stuff and putting it on the air before anybody else as well he's a great really smart guy he so he might have this song in as a spice track every now and then if you're going to play a 54 40 jam though you're probably not picking this one? There's a few jams ahead of it.

Way bigger hits. I mean, you're going to go something from Smiley Buddha Cabaret or Trusted by Millions. You're going to do Ocean Pearl. Ocean Pearl is a big one. Blame Your Parents, Sheila, Nice to Love You. Huge, huge songs, right? I Go Blind. I Go Blind, of course, the Hootie version,

made it famous off the Friends soundtrack, the CD of all the fine music from Friends that we had. I don't know if you're... Actually, if you wanted to be on, I would give you the Zoom link. There's a top secret Zoom link, and I would actually share it with you. That's how much I value your insight into things. But every Friday after Hebzion sports, I've started, I do a, it's every Friday during the pandemic.

I have a zoom call with people including Stu Stone and Cam Gordon. And we have thematic jam kickings like this, actually a lot like this, except lately we've done a lot of covers. Like we did Canadian. So like I'm thinking the, the, the hoodie, I go blind would be a great example of a Canadian song covered by a non Canadian artist, which we did actually, but nobody kicked that one out. But if you wanted that, if you were around on a Friday at like 10 30 and you wanted to pop on Ian

service, who helps host, not host the way I'm hosting, but hosting it like a file gets hosted on a server he's been sitting in on these Zoom calls I shared the link with him but just let me know buddy because these are a lot of fun yeah sounds fun and now we're going to explain why did I open what was with that cold open

before the theme song let's play another Forgotten Jam No More Games is about positivity. And positivity is not about being soft. It's about being smart. You suckers.

Suckers. We're trying to put us down and keep us down for the past five years. I'm going to tell you what, we ain't going out like that. You think this is a love song? Wrong. The NKOTB is too strong. it's a long intro it's a long intro am i allowed to say it sounds really good in the headphones. Yes, sure. Of course. Sounds great. That samples you. It is long. And by request, you're smart to ask for the remix because, of course, there's the album cut,

which is not nearly as fun as the kids get hard mix we're listening to right now. That's right. But it's still going strong. be honest with me bob uh do you because i as i'm listening to that intro i can hear in my mind we're five bad brothers from the bean town land right like do you have it all memorized oh well i will i will uh i will go public with something for you during this that i've never gone public with. My very first real concert was Skydome 1990. The step-by-step

tour. I was 14 years old and went with my girlfriend who was 13. We were picked up and dropped off in a minivan and that was my first real big concert. It was a New Kids on the Block concert. But you were how old? 13, 14 14 i was 14

no shame in that buddy that was it i can remember going in heavy d and the boys opened heavy d passed away you know that right that's a terrible i liked heavy d not at all unexpected though let's be honest he had a weight problem right yeah that's the name okay so like is any kids in the new kids on the block getting uh getting played anywhere no they don't get airplay of any kind because they're too they're like but yeah they sell arenas and stadiums all around the world nobody plays any of them this song when it came out i just remember the donnie walbert rap yeah i remember me and my buddy just thinking it was hilarious said we wouldn't last. Said a time will pass.

Said we're just a flash. But we're still kicking. Ah! I remember it well. Is that the one where he says the five bad brothers from the Beantown land? That's the exact same one. Yeah, yeah. That's at the end of that rap.

Okay, well, I'll raise up the volume for the rap. But please continue. Yeah, yeah, please do. The sample of the drum sample, which is that Bel Biv Devo Poison sample, that same drum, but please continue. Yeah, yeah, please do. The sample of the drum sample, which is that Bel Biv Devo Poison sample, that same drum, that's great. I mean, Bruno Mars just used it in 24 Karat Love. It's the exact same sample.

It's like there's a whole documentary. the quickness as I kick this. I'm on a mission, so listen as I dismiss all this negativity by taking a stand because we are five bad brothers from the Beantown land. No sellout, so get the hell out. We do it our way. Who gives a damn about what critics say? Said we wouldn't last, said our time would pass. We're just a flash, but we're still kicking through. The D-O-N-N-I-E

the W-A-H-L to the B-E-R-G has spoken and now the game's but six. And to the B-E-R-G-S. Broken. And now the game's my six. And to the non-believers, I say peace. Stop playing those games. Wow. Wow. You can agree whether or not it is a current jam, but it is a jam.

It was a jam at the time. And yes, pop music and boy band music is divisive. But that's a catchy tune. And again, this is the remix, which came off a special New Kids on the Block remix album. They remixed a bunch of their hits. And the album version is no fun. This is the fun version. This is the fun version.

This is the version that was the hit. I mean, it was the video. It was on much music all over the version. This is the hit. This is the version that was the hit. I mean, it was the video was on much music all over the place. It was a hit. What was the video where Donnie Wahlberg is wearing the Public Enemy t-shirt?

Is that Step by Step? I think that might be Hanging Tough. Is that this one? Hanging Tough? I don't think it's that. I think because Hanging Tough is like the first.

You think it was Step by Step? Step by Step was a lot of, oh my, you know what? I think you're right because it was concert footage and him in a Public Enemy shirt playing basketball.

Wasn't he on a motorcycle or something? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because this is around the time that Eddie Furlong wore a Public Enemy t-shirt throughout Terminator 2. Yes.

Like, the P.E. as a sign of rebellion had a moment there in like 1990 or so. Like, this was your sign of rebellion. But good choice. I enjoyed so. This was your sign of rebellion. Good choice. I enjoyed hearing this again. I have not heard this

30 years. Yeah. Pretty close. That was my point. That was my whole point. You challenged me to come up with things that are forgotten. Well, this was forgotten. These guys are five bad brothers

from the Beantown land. Amazing. And you're right. They do sell at arenas because nostalgia is a potent drug. And there are, dare I say, mothers. Mothers, yeah. 30-somethings and 40-somethings

who all get together and suddenly they're like 12 and 13 years old again. Yep, bringing their kids to the shows. And that's priceless. All right, we're going to change it up now. So we had our... We're taking another left-hand turn. I remember this jam.

Here we go. And this is appropriate considering what day yesterday was. So let's kick this out. Well, I love a rainy night. I love a rainy night I love a rainy night I love to hear the thunder Watch the lightning

When it lights up the sky You know it makes me feel good Well, I love a rainy night Such a beautiful sight I love to feel the rain on my face, taste the rain on my lips, in the moonlight shadows. Sunny day, cause I love a rainy night. Yeah, I love a rainy night. Well, I love a rainy night.

Bingo. Do you know why I said it would be great, appropriate for yesterday? Well, cause it rained yesterday. Nope. It's far more clever than that. You ready? Okay. Because his name is... Oh, Eddie Rabbit because it was Easter. Eddie Rabbit and yesterday was Easter. Wow. Well done. How is it that I've never

worked in radio? I should be on K-Lite or whatever you got going on there. Come on in. You can work from home like the rest of my crew. Just give me one shift. I just want one shift on K-Lake. Yeah. All right. We'll talk about it. All right. Talk to me about this jam. I remember well. This is before your time, right? This is early 80s. Am I right?

1980. I would have been about four years old when this came out. But I grew up in a household. My mother loved country music. She still loves country music. And her parents loved country music. And they, my mother loved country music. She still loves country music. And her parents loved country music. And they were my intro to country music. They always had CFGM on in their house all the time. CFGM 1320. It had an old AM station in Toronto that was the country station. And so I know country music very, very well.

I have an appreciation for classic country. New country is not my favorite thing, but there's a fiat song here and there that's decent. But this song, this song, Eddie Rabbit's I Love a Rainy Night, 1980, was the number one song on the country chart. It was the number one song on the pop chart. It was the number one song on the adult contemporary chart. It was played everywhere. This is a massive, massive hit. And it is, I would say,

arguably completely forgotten. Outside of people who know it from then. You're right. Because where is it now? You're right. And he passed away recently and then it all kind of flushed back to me because I remember it from the early 80s.

But you're right. If I didn't remember it from the early 80s, I would never have a clue who the hell Eddie Rabbit was or what this rainy night was all about. You're right. Yep. didn't remember it from the early 80s, I would never have a clue who the hell Eddie Rabbit was or what this Rainy Night was all about. You're right. Yep. So it's a forgotten gem.

It's a huge gem. This song was massive. Massive. Number one across the board. Number one in like several countries. And you know what? It's a catchy pop tune, man. No doubt.

No doubt. Absolutely. In fact, it's a rainy night tonight. I'm going to sing this because I think it's raining right now and it's going to be a rainy night. Because you love a rainy night. Did Bingo sing this because i think it's raining right now and it's gonna be a rainy night you love a rainy night did bingo bob because we have the same uh history and everything did bingo bob listen to the uh the the episode it wasn't an episode it was a mini little like 10 minute thing i did with my mom when kenny rogers died no i didn't i uh i didn't have

the opportunity to i was a huge kenny rogers fan as well um we had that very same album i think the greatest hits album we had all kinds of we had that we had the gambler album the vinyl i have uh my grandfather's eight tracks including some kenny rogers eight tracks so in the new edition what's that uh kenny rogers and the new edition he has some great like really cool psychedelic rock tunes in the set in the late sixties, early seventies. It was pretty cool stuff. Sorry,

Bob, I only know the one album and it had a lady on it. Anyways, you got to listen to this call with my mom. When I play lady, you got to tune in. I'll send you the link, but,

uh, we played, uh, at my grandpa, at my, uh, at my grandfather's funeral, we played a Kenny Rogers song.

we also, this is a different grandfather, but, but we also played Stompa Tom's hockey song. So it was, it played a Kenny Rogers song. We also, this is a different grandfather, but we also played Stompa Tom's hockey song. So it was a different kind of funeral. Absolutely. Okay. Here's another forgotten jam. This is the one that may not be considered a jam. This one might not be a hit to some people. There's a lot of people who are never going to hear this song. No me a death, no me a death, no fun dem a worry, no fun dem a worry, some a dem a fret, some a dem a fret.

Me got this tapa, tapa, tapa, tapa, tapa, tapa, tapa, to every DJ dem a be talk to me proper. Me come a dance hall, me a go kill you with the lingua, can a cut your rank, I a full of stamina. Anyway, me go laud the roots and culture, one man me praise a the almighty judge. Judge a give me strength and him give me the power, that's why he cut the ranking, full of stamina. Thank you. Yeah. Okay, no one played this in Toronto. Yeah, not on the radio, but in the party, in the high school dances where I went to school. I grew up in East End, Toronto. I grew up with a whole bunch of Jamaican kids and a bunch of all of us. We would have.

So this came out in 1991, I guess. And you might have heard this well since then i can guarantee i know you would have heard this on uh like a dj danny d mix uh way back wednesday mix or something on z103 because this song had uh had um a ground swell because this is around the same time that Shaba, right. By the way, this is Cutty ranks. Then the song is called stopper Shaba ranks. Of course, more popular dance hall,

Jamaican reggae performer who had like a twice my age and girls. This song I say was forgotten again, probably not known. So I've probably broken the rule for this one, but this song was massive. My high school dances were all dancehall reggae it was there was you had to fight to get one rock song on it was it was a huge fight in my school i love hearing this because it's like you're the east coast version of me we didn't i didn't have that uh great like i didn't get that i love dancehall reggae especially like like Shabba Ranks or Super Cat or whatever.

In fact, spoiler, I'm kicking out a Super Cat song on Friday. But I said too much. But one of my favorites. But no, our dances were all like the cult. Oh, see, my school was all urban. So we were listening. It was all my high school, all every dance. You couldn't get a rock song on.

The rock stuff was at the talent shows. You'd have the rockers would be doing their stuff at the talent shows. But the dances were all hip-hop. Well, it was called rap then. It wasn't quite hip-hop yet. I mean, not in Toronto. It was all rap music. And it was all dance hall.

Dance hall, massive, massive dance hall. And this was one that was huge. And I don't know how I ever got a copy of it, but I had it. And I still would drop it every now and then at a different party. Do you want to shout out the name of your high school? Sure. I went to St. Patrick's Catholic Secondary School on the Danforth, near Danforth Tech. It used to be years ago, it was Lake uh lakeview public school and the catholic board

bought it and uh man it was uh we were there i was uh i was on the eight-year program but i fast tracked it was done in six so we still had grade 13s then i spent a lot of time in high school yeah but you called you called it like i did we called it oac we didn't call it yeah yeah yeah so you know what anyway so that was that one i know i know that's a little bit of a a little bit of a stretch when it comes to but it's still a jam i think whether or not i know i loved hearing it and it was great to hear it just especially since i don't think you'll ever hear uh cuddy ranks come in after eddie rabbit like it was great to transition my whole point i was a little worried about how crazy this is, this list is,

but I'm actually, I'm liking the way it's feeling and that's, I'm really liking how we're ending it. And you're going to submit a jam for a future volume of FOTM KOTJ. And what I like about that is you really do. You'll come off like a tool song and then you'll kind of come into like, uh, Christopher cross or something like it actually is neat.

I really like it. I might be in the minority here, but I like a jumbled potpourri of genres. I like to... I used to DJ in clubs a lot. I used to DJ at the Zen Lounge or the old Zoo Bar on Queen West. And when I DJed in the

parlor at the Phoenix, dropping 80s tunes all the time, my whole thing was hard left turns. But that was one way of doing it and then the other way is finding those those connector tunes like how do you connect those two with a song and i you know there was a there's a whole bunch of people used to come out uh when i dj'd on friday nights at the at the zen lounge which is now a shopper's drug mart on queen west um and i just had so much fun it was uh we had so much fun playing all kinds of crazy different music all the time all right we're gonna kick out your last jam here we go and

recently kicked out when elvis and i did uh we kicked out the charity jams so okay and it was i don't know how long did you feature this yeah so i featured this one but please uh people want to hear your your your unique take on the whole. So we're going to kick out this great jam and you're going to talk about it. And then maybe before we leave, you can give me any tips on how to successfully produce the Humble and Fred show. Oh, sure. So you can think about that. But let's dive into this final jam here. Who knows good or do ya? Band! It's straight up madness everywhere I look Used to be a straight-A student

Now he's a crook, robbing people just to smoke a shoot-up Used to have a crew cut, now he's a poop-butt Dropped out of school and he joins the neighborhood gang Hanging on the street selling cane to his own people Now when I say people, I mean color You a stupid mother f***er I'm trying to stress the fact that you're dumb. Get yourself presentable, son, and just come.

Together you're better, cause pretty soon it's gonna be too late. A message from King T. the Great. Sisters, since we are the mothers of this earth, it's time we start being good mothers from the birth of our children. No time for sleeping, teaching them to fight and win. For the right reason, it's your time, it's your life, live it. Proud to be black, young, and gifted. Limited by the knowledge of taking the right reason it's your time it's your life live it proud to be black young and gifted limited by the knowledge

of taking the right route gang violence needs to be wiped out A-L-M-I-G-H-T C-N-D-Z-I-R-E we see the F-U-T-U-R-E should be a positive thing

body and soul and you we're in the same gang one in the same everyone came in the same chain scored with the same aim, brain, games

and names and I can listen to the whole thing it's pretty long but yeah let's hear your voice bobby the west coast rap art all stars uh horrible name bad name they could have come up with a better name uh this came out in 1990 east versus east coast versus west coast but mostly a lot of the west coast it was the the crips and the bloods killing each other in the streets. And featured on this song is just about every big rapper ever from the West Coast. That was just Ice-T on there.

Tone Loke, Young MC was on there. Yeah, this is Tone Loke right now. Yeah, there you go. Who is actually way more hardcore than you think when you hear his story. He was legit, man. Sure, he's wild thing and funky cold medina that guy was legit though i gotta do some tone low homework but uh yeah it's great to

hear his voices so this so this came out in 90 i remember recording it on cassette off of 102.5 magic 102.5 out of buffalo when i heard it i just thought it was so cool uh it features the digital underground who are my favorite hip-hop uh group of all time um i just love everything everything they did so we're uh where tupac got a start tupac did indeed get a start he was in the same song video he was in a bunch of videos a bunch of different raps but sex packets was their first in 89 that's one excuse me mister we haven't eaten any Yo, man, don't go pulling on my jacket, okay? Cool. Just trying to get your attention so you can take a look at this invention.

You're pulling out my party tricks. I usually go to the one that samples the Diana Ross song, the really freaks of the industry. Okay, can I tell you what I go to? I might have the 12-inch on the desk. No, I don't. I love dropping rhymes from Do Whatcha Like. Do Whatcha Like's great. Yeah, yeah. I have the 12-inch

single, and I love the breakdown, and it's like, if you're listening to this at a block party, beep! We will now allow the group to continue, so you can continue. Yo, homegirls, for once, forget you got class, see a guy you like just grab him in the biscuits and then later on humpty dance he comes back and says i'm the one

who said just grab him in the biscuits right you do know why right that do what you like was the first single i had okay well makes sense i was i had the 12 and single for do what you like that's for sure what you like was was originally the label, Def Jam, wanted Do What You Like to be the first single. But a DJ in New York City listened to the B-side, which was Humpty Dance, and Humpty Dance became the big hit. Okay, I didn't think I knew that.

But I don't think it was Def Jam. I feel like it was Tommy Boy. Oh, you know what? You are correct. It is Tommy Boy. Wrong logo in my head. Because I can see the cassette and the Tommy Boy logo. You know I'm an executive producer with Tommy Boy Records, right?

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. No? Yeah. When I was with Proud FM, we did a mix album on their silver label, their sub-label. Tommy Boy's sub-label is called Silver Label. They're sub-label. Tommy Boy's sub-label is called Silver Label. And Kashmir Ray, my DJ at Proud FM, put together a bunch of songs that I helped him put together, including some CanCon.

And it was released as a CD. I am listed as the executive producer of that CD. That's amazing. That's amazing. A lot of great stuff came on Tommy Boy back then. I remember I had a lot of Tommy Boy stuff. But we just heard, just to tell you,

we just heard, go ahead. Oh, no. Let me tell quickly that Dr. Dre and MC Ran and Eazy-E from NWA just dropped their verse and that was a big deal. Yes, and we're talking over it. Look, here's the thing. If you want to go watch this,

watch the YouTube video of them all performing it together at Arsenio Hall. There's a YouTube video out there of all of these amazing rappers all doing this song on Arsenio Hall live. I remember watching it that night on WUTV Channel 29 when it came out, and it blew my mind. And this was, the East Coast one came later or first? The one of Public Enemy.

I'm not even familiar with it. It's great, too. Yeah, come on. You got to listen to the charity jams. Oh, here's the Digital Underground. Hold on. Wow, wow, wow, wow. Bob, did you know that Humpty Hump and Shock G were the same guy? I just had this conversation with some people.

Yeah, I was aware, yes. He just put on glasses and a big nose. I know. And he started talking like this. I once got busy in a Burger King bathroom. Like I said, they were my the first album

Sex Packet, second album is Sons of the Pete. Got them both. I have every lyric somewhere in this skull of mine do you want to do some same song with me? yes can you name the movie? what movie was that?

Demi Moore and Dan Aykroyd yeah it was a terrible terrible movie but it was a good but that's the one that's where Tupac comes in and he goes when I climb around when I climb around with the undergroundac comes in and he goes, when I climb around, when I climb around with the underground girls, you should frown, see me down.

When I come around, ask me if they can kiss me, harass me. Anyway, I'm messing it up. But that was the first Tupac flow, if you will. Yeah. Shit. Yeah. And there's some Eazy-E here in the background. Rest in peace, Eazy-E.

That's what they say. They saved Eazy for the last. I'm pretty sure Eazy comes in last. You see where I'm at here. Yeah, here we are. We're closing up here. And then a little, a sliver of Humble and Fred talk and then we'll

do this again. See how long this pandemic goes. Okay. So let me just say thank you because I don't even know where you would hear a charity jam so dated like that like it's not like we're hearing a lot of we are the world like those have sort of aren't they time stamped in history where they i'm not sure like the only one that gets played is do they know it's christmas that's the only one because it's there's always christmas because you're not

going to hear you're not you're not going to hear elton john's thing for Diana. Candle in the Wind version. Because it's so of its time. I feel like that stuff. Although, I wouldn't mind hearing the Northern Lights. What was the Canadian version? It was actually better than We Are the World. Tears Are Not Enough. That's a fine tune.

Yeah, and it's a great video. Because you've got Neil Young and Corey Hart and the rockin' Ronnie Hawkins is in there. It's fantastic. In fact, we're going to close with a different Ron Hawkins in just a moment, but any advice. So for how many years did you produce the humble and Fred show? I'm going to say, if you include the associate producer days, uh,

eight, close to eight. Wow. Okay. Maybe, maybe seven. Yeah. Eight,

eight, seven or eight. Now rest assured they don't listen to this podcast, so they're not going to hear these words like that. so don't worry about any offense being taken by anybody is there anything you want to like any tips or anything that you want to pass on uh since i'm now whatever okay whatever howard is obsessed with just let him go because howard that doesn't do anything like like half-assed. Howard does everything 120%. If like when he wanted to become a pilot,

he had to become a pilot faster than anybody ever. He had to become a pilot who was IFR and BFR and twin and night rated, whatever he's into, just let him have it and let him talk about it. Cause otherwise there's nothing he's like that. He's, he's single-minded and, and it's probably what makes him such a great broadcaster.

Right. When he got into wine with jeff merrick for example he was like making scrapbooks of wine labels like it was a big deal yeah he does nothing he does nothing halfway he's a full-on he there's no there's no he has no hobbies because his hobbies become obsessions right well here's an interesting because i agree if i've noticed that from working with him the past uh whatever 13 years or whatever 14 years but what uh is interesting is he he wanted to go and get into cycling in a big way and every day for weeks he would call me up and ask me what do i need what kind of bike like long lots of stuff and i'm like oh and it's not that you know you're over

complicating it you just get a bike and you go or whatever but he's like oh he wanted to buy the accessories he got a deal on a bike and he rode it home he told me all about the ride he was even recording this with an app and then he went for a ride like the next day in the neighborhood where he lives now and i believe this is now we're going back three summers ago i think i don't think the bike has been touched since like he just decided he loves things until he doesn't then they're dead to him now he'll go back to it like golf he went away from golf he was over golf for a while but now you know golf is but you know he just everything's 100 with him it's the number one thing about him if you know that about him i can remember when he you know when howard wants to get into shape he doesn't just want to get into shape yes that's all he

talks about is getting into shape and eating healthy. I remember the first time I came into the Humble Impression, maybe the second time, as an intern. I went down and got coffees at J.J. Muggs in the Eaton Center. I came upstairs with a blueberry muffin for myself and a coffee. To which he basically took 16 sugar packets and threw them at me and said, You might as well just be eating these. He was like, what are you doing eating those? And he just threw 16 sugar packets in my face. So if you know what to expect, then nothing will surprise you.

Good tips, Bobby, and good jams and good times. Thanks for having me. I'm glad you no longer have the COVID and that the family is healthy and safe. People can get me at Bob Willett on Twitter. Please follow me. You've never heard this show. I do that right now. Okay, all right.

Bob, you've never heard the end of a Toronto Mic'd episode because right now I say, after listening to a little bit of Lois DeLoe, I say, and that brings us to the end of our 618th show. You can follow me on Twitter. I'm at Toronto Mike. Bob, now you tell us the Twitter handle. At Bob Willett.

At Bob Willett. Willett spelled just like Gillette, but with a W. Just like Gillette, but with a W. Just like Gillette, but with a W. Bob Willett. Our friends at Great Lakes Brewery are at Great Lakes Beer. Palma Pasta is at Palma Pasta.

Sticker U is at Sticker U. And the Keitner Group are at the Keitner Group. See you all next week. and accelerated by Roam Phone. Roam Phone brings you the most reliable virtual phone service to run your business and protect your home number from unwanted calls. Visit RoamPhone.ca to get started.