Toronto Mike'd: The Official Toronto Mike Podcast - David Aaron: Toronto Mike'd Podcast Episode 1640

Episode Date: February 26, 2025

In this 1640th episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike chats with David Aaron, a Toronto vinyl junkie, record store geek and independent record store owner before working for record labels, radio, the Junos, and oh yes, he's a musician, producer and private music teacher. He also gets Toronto Mike'd and the TMU. Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Palma Pasta, Ridley Funeral Home, and RecycleMyElectronics.ca. If you would like to support the show, we do have partner opportunities available. Please email Toronto Mike at [e-mail]

I just want to say how important I think this podcast is, because in a world where we are distracted and we are divided and there's so much hate, I don't mean to take it over the top here, but this is the kind of thing that brings everything together. I'm listening, I'm thinking of like all the people I've known, all the things that people have given me, all the things that connect us in general. I mean, Toronto is such an incredible place. It's such an important place historically and artistically and on so many levels. And you have this thing that is a unique idea because it brings all these things together and it makes you want to like bring all these ideas

and people and histories together and that's no small feat. Welcome to episode 1640 of Toronto Mic'd. Proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery A fiercely independent craft brewery who believes in supporting communities, good times and brewing amazing beer. Order online 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. RecycleMyElectronics.ca, committing to our planet's future, means properly recycling our electronics of the past.

Building Toronto Skyline, a podcast and book from Nick Ainiis, sponsored by Fusion Corp, and book from Nick Aynes, sponsored by Fusion Corp, Construction Management Inc. And Ridley Funeral Home, Pillars of the Community since 1921. Joining me today, making his Toronto Mic'd debut, is saxophone player and composer David Aaron. David, welcome to Toronto Mic'd. Thank you.

Thank you so much. What a pleasure it is to meet you. I'm worried that people will see the name David Aaron and they'll be like, who the hell is that? So- I say that. So I'm sure other people are gonna say that as well. Well, you're in good company. So right off the top, tell me your claim to fame here.

You're a saxophone player and a composer. Tell me a little bit about David Aaron, and then we'll dive into your connection to many an FOTM and your life and times. All right. Well, I mean, now I am a saxophonist, composer, producer, music teacher, blah, producer, music teacher, blah, blah, blah. Is that all?

Is that all? And then about 10,000 other things. But, uh, originally I was a music geek. Well, I still am a music geek, thankfully. Um, but in all my time in Toronto, I was an obsessed, out of control music geek and worked at several record stores. I worked at Peter Dunn's vinyl museum when

starting when I was like 16 years old, worked at a few chain stores in town, Music World, Sunrise. And then I, and then eventually opened up my own store, which was called Flip City which was at right beside the Cameron House. So on Queen Street there. Or 18 Queen Street right by Spadina. So that yeah so that was so like I say just obsession and music I was thinking you know what there's that line from the movie High Fidelity where he says something about I'm an appreciator of music. And I'm like, that's kind of what I always was. I love that movie. I love that movie. But I loved even more. I love the book.

Yeah. You know what? I always have to say that I had my record store, Flip City, when that book came out. And I literally had so many people say, you need to read this book, this is you. And I was like, oh, perfect, fantastic. And then I read the book and I was like, that's not quite a compliment as much as I love the book. I don't know how much is. Well similarly, I'm not gonna be,

I'm not as a smarty geek as you, okay? We'll get into this. But I had people tell me, so Nick Hornby wrote this book and it took place in England, not America, like the movie. And I was told, hey, Mike, you always make lists. Like I was full of lists and they said, oh, you'll love this. It's like pop culture lists and music and stuff. And they were right.

But what do you think about this, David? What if, and if you don't want me to, that's cool. But could I read the email you sent me, the initial? OK, so this is how we're going to set the table and we're going to get into it. OK, now it's funny, I'm reading your email when you're here. So I won't do an imitation of you. I won't even remember reading and doing the email. That's why my label is called short memory records.

It's not even a joke. OK, well, then you're on the wrong program. We need to have a long memory on this program. All right. We'll join you here. No, I'm good, I'm good. Okay, so this is what David Aaron sent me out of the blue one day.

Have really been enjoying the show lately and my apologies for not getting into it sooner. So periodically as I read this, I will pause and people will tell my tone when it's me talking and not you, But do you know what your gateway was to the Toronto Mike universe? Like, do you remember what episode drew you in? You know what, I, it was something that was vaguely on my radar for a very long time,

but I just never picked it up and started. And then once I started, it was out of control. And now I'm- Well, it's like smoking, right? Exactly. Once you start smoking, you're in big trouble. Exactly. I would prefer Toronto Mike to smoking. Thank you very much.

Much healthier for me. We need more time to do further studies to find out what is worth for you. Okay, so, and do you remember, oh yes, you apologize for not getting into it sooner. Listen, I'll just say no apology necessary. Better late than never. Now you're in the club. I'm going to finish reading the email, but do you live? Where was where do you live? Right now? I live in Queens, New York. Okay, so I okay. So

that's quite the drive for you. But you know what? You're not the only one who drives from Queens, New York. Rob Bruce drives from Queens, New York once a month. But his mom was in Burlington, but we'll just add my parents live right down the road. So I'm here. I'm actually here all the time. Okay. Well, this is in your email actually. So let me come on. I might get back to the freaking email here. Okay. Though I definitely heard of it before. Of course you've heard of it. I'm like it's like Roger Rick and Marilyn. You might not have tuned in, but you know who Roger Rick and Of course. It's amazing that we've never met because I am friends with dozens and dozens of FOTMs and I'm from literally right around the, right down the

street in Mimico. Okay. I won't hold that against you. You know, there's new. I'm proud of that regardless of how others feel. Well, you, Brendan Shanahan, all the greats are coming from Mimico, but back in the

day, the Mimico New Toronto battles were pretty damn epic. Wow that's true. Anyway thanks for all your great interviews I'll definitely keep listening I still have tons more to get through I'm still trying to just get through the episodes of people that I know which is gonna take a while if you ever want to chat I'm sure I could fill in all kinds of blanks about the Toronto music scene I started as a Toronto vinyl junkie then a record store geek vinyl museum and chain stores Then as an independent record store owner flip city on Queen Street and then worked for record labels BMG

radio ciut Juno-judge I gotta find out about that series producer improv at the Kiber. Is that how you say it? Kiber, yes. Okay. Halifax. DJing amongst other things. And I'm now a musician, producer and private music teacher. So I definitely have a couple of stories. Cheers. And that's you, David Aaron. So I get this email and I'm like, yeah, if you're in MIMICO, visiting the parents, get your butt over here. We'll have a little chat. Just find out how you're connected to all these FOTMs and find out a little more about you.

So that's why you're here today. Well, you know what? I gotta say that, so since I sent that email, I've listened to several more of the shows. And I gotta say that, first of all, every time I listen to a show, especially somebody I know or somebody or Somebody that I just really really love. I mean there's lots of people who I really really love. Maybe I met them briefly

Maybe I haven't And it just my head is spinning just because there's so many stories and I'm I keep feeling like oh wait I have a story but I'm like wait. I'm not on the show And you're talking to the you're talking to your smartphone or whatever. And it's not hearing you. Exactly. Which is calm. Okay. Well, that's you're listening the same way the the the Blair Packham's and the Alan's Wig's listen right there. They want to contribute their part. And I'm glad you're here. So I don't even know where to begin. And maybe I should just let you guide me. But could I ask you about

playing with Jeff Healy who's not an FOTM but his drummer was an FOTM who's no longer with us. Shout out to Ridley Funeral Home but I was a big Jeff Healy fan. Yeah me too and you know what it's kind of it's one of those stories that it's not really a story I just kind of threw it in there I threw it in my list just so that you would have some name recognition. Well here's the reality of that story. I just kind of threw it in there. I threw it in my list just so that you would ask. Just for some name recognition. Well, here's the reality of that story. Did I play in his band? No, I never did.

Did I play with them? Technically, yes, I did play with them. Did anyone know who he was at that time? No, they didn't. So basically, so I went to Roe York Collegiate, and then I switched after my second year because it actually turned into the Topical School of the Arts and because at that time I was like I'm not an artist I have no interest in being an artist I'm gonna change schools little

did I know that years down the road I would anyway so I switched to Richview Collegiate and Jeff Healy was at Topobicoke Collegiate just down the road. Now I started becoming friends with a few of the people at Richview who were the musicians. These were people who at 18 they were already like professional level musicians. One of which actually owns the music studio over by Kipling, the music school, which is amazing. Wow. Ed Leitner.

Anyway, so they would have like a weekly jam and Jeff Healy would stop in and play with them among other people. And it did happen that I actually played with them. I actually didn't play saxophone, which is what I play now, but I actually played keyboard, I think the time that I played with them. Okay, shout out to Rob Pruse, who I already brought up. Now it's a second mention for Rob, who was the keyboardist with spoons.

Ah, so there you go. But it's interesting, so I did play with them, and then cut to a couple years later, I'm working at the Vinyl Museum on the Yonge Street store. Somebody comes in, puts up a Jeff Healy poster, and I'm like, wait, I know that guy. He was the guy who used to come in who was unbelievably amazing. Well, you can't miss him, right? Because he's visually impaired. So, and was he playing the guitar on his lap?

Ah, he was. Okay, so that was the signature Jeff Healy style was to play the guitar on his lap. But then he came in with the posters and I was kind of like, I know this guy, we played together, we jammed in the music room at Richfug Legion. And of course, then a couple years later, I was like, oh, okay, now I know who this guy is. Oh yeah, with Confidence Man and See the Light, his great cover of While My Guitar Gently Weeps.

And his radio show, I mean, unbelievable knowledge. I mean, he made me look like I knew nothing about music. He had like an unbelievable collection. He had, I heard something about how he has all these like original pressings and this whole library that he owned, it was yeah, pretty unbelievable. Lost him far too soon. Absolutely.

Buried at Park Lawn Cemetery. Oh really? I've seen his gravestone there. Oh I didn't know that. Yes sir, yes sir. Okay so again if I miss anything important, it's all important of course, but if I miss anything you can always jump in, but you know I recently did a, what did I do, I moderated a panel discussion in the Red Room at the Masonic Temple because Gary Taup put out a book. So Gary's there, the other Gary Cormier is there.

There's a bunch of cool cast there, Jeff Silverman and Colin Brunton and Ivor Hamilton. And it was a great day. I recorded it, it was recorded for me and I dropped it in the Toronto Mic'd feed. You'll eventually get to it, I suppose. But you did work with the Gary's right at some point? Well, the Gary's sold tickets at Flip City.

So, so basically as long as we have Flip City, almost that whole time they were selling tickets and at that time, yeah, it was, it was pretty crazy because I would go to most of the shows. So I was pretty much going to shows like almost every day of the week and thanks to Gary. And actually I did buy the book and it's unbelievable. It's so beautiful, the Gary book. Actually I helped him a little bit with the book

he did before that, the graphic novel, which that was really cool. And I helped him a little bit with that. And then we kind of just helped get it around. But as far as, yeah, the new book is so beautiful and such a great story. And I mean, because most of it happened before I even started going out to shows

because of my age, which is something I can't change. Good luck with that. It's just amazing hearing all those stories and hearing kind of the stories of all these bands coming up and all these bands that ended up being some of the best bands on the planet. And you're too young to claim you saw the police at the Horseshoe Tavern. Definitely. Well, Gary always jokes that jokes that if if everybody who says they were at those shows were actually there, it would have been like 5000 people at each show.

Instead of like 12 people. Exactly. Yes. You know, I think at that event I moderated, I think I asked him to definitively like because I've heard people say anything from like, I don't know, eight to 20 people. And I think he gave me the number. I just can't remember what number but it was something like 12 to 15 people or something. But many of them were like employees.

Like they were, you know, unpaid, like the Garys for example. But- Yeah, no, they're, yeah, they're definitely, you know what, I listened to the, I listened to one of the Gary Top episodes and I think, I think I was surprised that it was more than I thought it was,

cause I thought it was only like 12. And I think he actually said it was more. Oh, he said it was higher? Yeah, I think it was- That it was more than I thought it was because I thought it was only like 12 And I I think he said it was higher. I think it was that number a little bit higher not yeah not hugely a huge one the flexible reality of the Number of attendees at the yeah, the the police show at the horseshoe Tavern. Okay, definitely before my time Well in this time and which we're speaking now There's been a lot of noise fairly recently about SNL turning 50 And then I don't know did you catch any of this any interest at all in the 50th anniversary of Saturday Night Live? I did watch it actually the other night with my parents. It was interesting, but I didn't really enjoy it

Okay, so but I love star Saturday Live. I really love it. So you didn't you thought they should have done a better job for the whatever they called it the reunion show or whatever they called it. And who am I to say I'm not a comic or actor any of those things. It's not like I could do any better. But yeah, I don't know. Well, what did you think of Mike Myers returning and doing a coffee coffee talk with me. That was great. That was fantastic. And do you have any relationship at all with, I'm just moving it closer to the mic, but do you have any

relationship with Mike's brother Paul? I have a great relationship with with Paul. I actually saw him not that long ago. He came and we walked around New York City and we had a lovely time. It had been a while, cause when I was here, and especially when I had my sore, I saw him all the time. He actually, when I started studying

at the Venture School of Music, which is, if you have a chance, you should have my old teacher, Larry Bodner on the program. Cause he's like this jobbing musician who's literally known everybody in the music business in Toronto forever. And so anyway, when I was studying at Venture, my second recital, Paul and I did a duet

of an Elvis Costello song who we're both unbelievably obsessed with. Right. And so, yeah, so I've known Paul a long time and we are co-existing as obsessed music geeks. And I actually recently unearthed the demo that we did for CFNY. We submitted to do a show called A Slight Interlude, named by Sean Cullen. We were, it took us forever to find- That's FOTM Sean Cullen. Exactly, which I did listen to

and that was a lot of fun too. But we were looking for a name for our, not to be, I mean, we were working on doing a demo. And we talk in late 80s, where are we the timeline with the CF and why show that you? 990 maybe okay. It was while I had my store just before it went 24 7 grunge Exactly. It was yeah, it was early But and but it was actually around the same period that he had that they were playing wonder where you are tonight by the Gravelberries love that's like literally

several times a day. So, and so I just recently listened to it and he is amazing on it. He obviously, I just said to him recently, he has the gift of the gab and it was obvious from very, I did not have the gift of the gab. I- Sounds so good. Sound pretty good in my headphones right now, David.

Okay, good. We'll see. But can I ask you about this demo? So you. Yeah, sure. So was this for like, I don't know, was Scott Turner still there? Like, is this for like some foreground programming or something? We wanted to do a show about pop power pop basically, and the history of power pop like

we in the demo, we talked about Elvis Costello, we talked about Art Bergman, we talked about Richard Thompson, and we kind of back and forth and it was kind of because we spent a lot of time just kind of hanging out and talking about music and just kind of theoretical and philosophical and we're like hey what if we do this on the radio and we should do it on CFNY and Paul always dreams big. We're like, hey, let's do a demo. And then we never heard anything. So you didn't get a no, you just got no reply. We just got nothing. As far as I remember, I don't believe we got a no.

So what format did you say you recently discovered this? So it was on a cassette. So do you have that cassette? I do, but nobody's ever gonna hear it because nobody's ever gonna hear it because it's Paul is amazing on it. I am not amazing on it. Okay, so you wouldn't send me an MP3 I could insert right now.

Actually, I did ask Paul about it. He's on vacation right now. So as I haven't heard back from him, but for now I'm gonna say that people will not hear it, but they will know the story. They will know that it exists. And they'll know that if you want to hear that in its greatest form, listen to Record Store Day podcast by Paul Myers, because you'll hear what it's supposed to sound like. Jared Sissling That's fascinating. Yeah, if I did get a hold of this audio, I would definitely insert a little clip right now

So we'll see right. Okay, so that's like, you know 89 to well I guess you're at the venture school of music 88 to 94 and then did you mention your recital with Paul Myers that say what? I did. Yeah. So yeah, we did almost blue Okay by Elvis Costello and like I say we are both obsessed with Elvis Costello. And like I say, we are both obsessed with Elvis Costello. And I'm not giving away anything about him. He said that enough times, including to Elvis himself, which he's interviewed several times. But yeah, and that was my second recital. So like I say, yeah, that was a while ago. Amazing. Now I'm going to drop a couple more FOTM.

Again, we're gonna be using FOTMs as like tent poles or whatever as we kind of cover your life and times. Because you did mention one a moment ago that I'm gonna revisit in a second. But first, Kip Harness and Ron Sexsmith. Yes, actually another one that I have a tape of. I used to play with Christopher Warren. I don't know if you remember, you know, Christopher Warren, he's kind of a folk rock local guy.

He used to have a band called the Warren Commission, because that's very clever. And, and so we, I played with him for a while and he's actually come to New York and I played with him there as well. I played with a lot of great people because of him, because he knows all kinds of people. We used to play at Free Times Cafe, played Say What, all kinds of, all over the place. But we did one show at CIE, or sorry, at Say What, and it was with Kip Harness first. And then I think we were on,

and then Ron Sexmouth played. And actually, you know what? Quick Ron Sexmouth story. Yeah, I always have time for a good Ron Sexmouth story. I don't, he may remember me, he may not. I've met him several times. Obviously we played a show together. But there used to be these after hours parties at, I think her name was, people called her Kiesh Lorraine. People will know her.

She was on Queen Street. She had a clothing store Used clothing store. She recently passed. She did recently pass her brother. Oh My goodness, I want to say Jim slow tech But if I get this wrong, it'll be really embarrassing for me and for everyone involved But I feel like that Jim slow tech who's an FOTM and wrote for the Sun that that may have been his sister. Ah okay yeah she was somebody she knew everybody she was so engaging she had her hands in so many different pots but it's so what I was gonna say was I went to she had these amazing like after-hours parties or booze cans I guess is what we called them back then.

But she had one over her store and she had like this amazing like two or three levels above her store and all tons of people really, I met amazing people that was one particular night. And there was one room that was completely empty and Ron was playing all night long, just solo. And that's all he did. And there was one point,

it was like literally two or three in the morning. And I was relaxed and I sat down and everybody left. And I literally sat at one end of the room and Ron was at the other end of the room and nobody else was there for literally like half an hour. So I pretty much got like a private concert from Ron Sex Smith. And again, like John, Jeff Healy years later, it's like, oh, look, look at that. It's like, here's.

All right. I have a message for Ron Sex Smith if he's listening in Stratford, Ontario. So, Ron, you've been on Toronto Mike twice now. I've never met. I've never met him. Really? So, Ron, this is it. I'm just letting you know, even MP Marcy Ian, who initially came on Toronto Mike via zoom, because she was very busy in Ottawa, but they pro rogues parliament. I don't know if you heard that. So she's an, I told her if she wants back on, she's in the basement. She was in the basement recently. I'm telling the great Ron Sexsmith, if he wants a third appearance on Toronto Miked, he's visiting the

basement. Excellent. Very clear about that. I'm stern and fair. Thank you. You dropped the name of another FOTM moments ago. You said Sean Cullen. So please tell me about your relationship with Sean Cullen. How much time do you have? I'll make time for this. That guy's one funny sob. Well, you know what, I actually I recently was chatting with Greg Neal, who was also in Corky and the Juice Pigs. So first of all, so when I was when I had Flip City, I loved Corky and the Juice Pigs. I just, I couldn't get enough of them.

And I became friends with the manager. Well, at that point there was actually two managers. And there was also somebody else who was working at the office. I think her name was Zoe. Hi Zoe, if you're out there, it's been a long time. Anyway, so it was like a whole kind of thing. So I started like helping them kind of promote

the Corky and the Juice Pigs and I would go to every show and I started becoming friends with the guys. And I was saying to Greg Neal recently, I was just chatting, because I think he's like, I forget where he is, he's either in like Australia or New Zealand now. Anyway, I said to him how influential they were to me as a band because their whole thing was like they had these amazing sketches, but they were improvisers.

Like all of them were unbelievable improvisers, but obviously especially Sean, you let him loose and it's, it really is unbelievable. So I mean, as an improviser, which is part of what I do now, he was in, they were all, but Sean especially was incredibly influential to me, just because what he's doing is just so, I don't know, it's amazing. I mean, it really is like other level. He's like a jazz musician.

He's like a brilliant classical soloist. It's it's really astounding. And there's things that he does where he just improvises. And he just goes and you're just stunned. So well, I'm going to second that emotion. Sean Cullen, super talented, funny dude. No, absolutely. Oh, actually, sorry. Quick story. I did the year after I moved to New York, I came back and I did I used to do volunteer work and I did a benefit for the volunteer organization in town. And Sean, thankfully agreed to host it. And he hosted it as Dame Sibyl Thorndyke. Oh, this is for distress center benefit, the distress center benefit. And Paul Myers played he did a solo set.

Actually Larry Bodner played from Adventure School Music. A couple other people played as well. I'll have Larry, I'm going to put this on the record right now. Larry Bodner, I would welcome as a guest on Toronto Mite. Well, he's yeah, he's the stories he has are endless and very important to the history of Toronto, especially in jazz and blues. Because he actually used to play with like Down Child Blues Band. He played with UB 40, Muddy Waters. He's played with everybody. He studied in New York. He was in LA for a while.

So, but I mean, he's back here and he still has his school. So anyway, oh, so the recital, Sean was unbelievable that night. He just improvised all night, and kind of did all these back and forth. We actually did like one of my pieces, and he improvised over it, and yeah, it was just incredible. And you were doing publicity for Corky and the Juice Pigs in the early 90s.

Yeah, for a number of years. Just because I had so much respect for them and just love what they did so much. Well, they were great, right? I mean, I know they did the... It was the Corky and the Juice Pigs, they were the Mad TV. They were on Mad TV for a while, right?

They were, yeah, they did a few of those later, yeah. Like I remember thinking now just Corky and the Juice Pigs. They had the Die, They Must Die, The Pandas Must Die. The Pandas Must Die, right? But the one I always liked most was the Remember, like the REM style. And it was just, it was a great song. It was like, it was funny, but it was a great song.

No, absolutely. Well, that's the thing is, yeah, actually I did listen to that podcast with the podcast with him on it where he talks about that. And I think he mentioned that Michael Stipe wasn't crazy about that. Michael Stipe needs to get a sense of humor. Come on, buddy. It's just Yeah, that was actually I think that's when I was working on with them was

just when they put that record out or shortly before. And I'm wondering, like, where did I discover that? I'm guessing much music must have aired a video for that. That's where I'm thinking I must have heard it. Like where would I hear it? Like CFNY wasn't playing Remember. No I know that. It's gotta be much music. Well uh Gay Eskimos was played a lot both on CFNY and on Much Music and I'm assuming that Panda, well Pandas was played everywhere for a while. Yeah that did really really well Actually, if you have a chance, listen to their song pickle from their buck, a song cassette, it's it's I think it's on Spotify and it's on a few of the streaming platforms, but it's you really get to hear

his like all of their like improvisations. It's it's really great his like all of their like improvisations. It's really great. Now again, I'm going to be skipping along here as we drop more FOTM names, but one more name and then I'm going to sort of let you take us because I'm hoping I get the story of you as a Juno judge. But Bob Wiseman, Bob Wiseman, I had an hour with him in this basement. Have you got to that episode yet? I have, yes. Okay. And I was honored because I don't think many people

are getting an hour with Bob Wiseman to be honest. No, no, that's a huge thing. The fact, I was actually amazed that that was on there and absolutely I listened to it earnestly. And yeah, Bob's an interesting cat. No, I love Bob. He actually, the last time my band played here, I play as a trio and Bob actually played with us.

The last time we played here at the Trans Act. I just love Bob. His playing, he's such an interesting guy. He's so knowledgeable. I actually, I have a million stories because he's stayed with me several times in New York. And actually a quick story. He played at CBGB's gallery once and he was staying with me.

And afterwards we went to, I'm not gonna tell any other New York stories, but this is, this is a Canadian, technically this is a Toronto Canadian story. So we did that and then we went to this place afterwards which now I'm forget forgetting the name very hip downtown Lower East Side Club and Bob and all of his friends all these weird people were showing up. So I end up I connect with this one guy and we literally start talking for like an hour.

And this guy is like so knowledgeable about music. He's so open. He's such a nice guy. I'm just like, this is like my new best friend. And I step away, I step over to Bob and he's like, you know who that is, right? And I'm like, no, but he's, he knows everything about music.

And he's super nice and super knowledgeable. And it's like, that's Daniel Lenoir. Wow. He's like, he's my neighbor. Wow. I was like, Okay, well, that explains a lot. There's a guy I want to get on Toronto mic'd Daniel Lenoir. Absolutely. Got a dream big, right? Yes. By the way, Bob Wiseman, who I found him very interesting, very interesting to have that conversation because he's such a kind of a true artist. And then I kind of, you know, I'm in the room with him. That's

what I like about in person versus like remote or whatever. And I can sense, I can sense he doesn't want to talk Blue Rodeo. Okay. And then I, but of course I'm going to ask him about, you know, he leaves Blue Rodeo. And we have that conversation and you could tell he doesn't really want to talk about it, but he does speak to it. And then just like fairly recently, I finally get Greg Keeler on the program. So, of course, I asked Greg about Bobby Wiseman who left the band and I thought Greg Keeler had a was very like he shared a lot of the blame in that and I felt Like it was a very thoughtful

Answer from Greg and regret from Greg about how they parted ways back then. Hmm. Yeah, no I'm it's I I remember seeing them when I around the time I first met him We actually we had a mutual friend that interestingly had nothing to do with music. It just happens we were both friends with this person. And shortly after that I went to see them perform at the Convocation Hall. And I just walked away like he was just so dynamic and so in like what he was playing. Like he had his funky keyboards and like all colorful and everything. And I just walked away going, wow, that's really interesting. Oh, and actually I was, I, I think you mentioned to him something about Diamond Mine. And I recently,

for sure I would. Yeah. And I recently had a conversation with him about it and how much I love that song and how important I thought that was to feature him and his gifts and to bring pop and that together. I mean, I think that's a really important track. That's my all time favorite Blue Rodeo song. Yeah, I might agree with you on that. And I told Greg just as much, if you go back to that,

when you go get to that Greg Keeler conversation, that's my favorite. Yeah, I love that song, it's beautiful. And yeah, and like I say, and you played part of it, but if people listen to the entire song and the whole keyboard solo, I mean, it really is something special. And it works so well with the tune

that even if you're not into whatever it is, it's like, you're gonna enjoy it. Because it makes sense. See, I'm sure I would have played more of it if he had been more into talking about Blue Rodeo. Like I'm sensing move on from Blue Rodeo, but of course I can't quite move on yet because I'm a little stubborn that way.

So I think I just truncated what I played and then we moved on to his other art. But very interesting, now I'm just going back for a moment because that scene, that early 90s scene with Corky and the Juice Pigs, as I recall it now, it seemed to be almost like a cluster of almost comedic music. Like I would throw in this pile Moxie Frubus and even- That was a little bit after.

It wasn't. Moxie Fruvis and even a little bit after. I was a tiny bit after. Yeah. I that there was a cassette that came out and it was, yeah, you can talk to them about the whole Moxie Fruvis Corky and the Juice Pigs, look people bare naked ladies. Oh, that's it bare naked ladies.

Yeah. I was all part of that. Like when I had my store, there was the yellow, I mean the Corky and the Like when I had my store, there was the yellow, I mean the cooking juice packs, pigs had the cassette, the bucka song. Yeah, there we go. So I'm just showing David my look people, small fish, big pond. We had that front rack at Flip City. Okay. So yeah, but that's exactly the scene. So that feels like that was like in the early

nineties. Well, Bear Naked Ladies was doing silly stuff, you know, comedic stuff. And Moxie Frouvis was, you know, doing sillies once I was the King of Spain and all this stuff. And it felt like it was, and then it just felt like that was sort of a cluster of, you know, comedic rock bands coming out of Toronto. Absolutely. Well, and you know what, Another story, interesting, another FOTM, another one that I listened to recently, like all these people, like James B and the Verbans and the Look people and all these people, it's all connected.

And the interesting thing, going back to my memory, sometimes I have a hard time remembering what actually happened and what didn't happen and who knows and who doesn't know. And it's interesting, I recently sent a note to Chris Brown and because I saw a picture online of him in New York and because I'm so out of it sometimes. I think Kate lives there, Kate Fenner. Oh does she? Okay. I think she lives in New York. Well so I saw he was there and I was like, oh I was kind of like, I don't know if you remember me,

blah, blah, blah. It's like, if you're in New York, it's like, I'd love to play with you, I'd love to get together, whatever. But I'm thinking to myself, am I imagining things? I mean, I'm sure, I know I met him, but it's like, did I really know him? Did I, and he responds with,

oh, of course, I know who you are, blah, blah, blah. We know each other. And I've had a couple conversations like that recently where I don't know because I know my perspective and I know I love their, whatever they're doing, their art, but I never remember, oh, well, did I have a real relationship with them of some kind? It's hard to tell if it's two ways.

Exactly. This is a one way street. Exactly. Oh, you know, well, I'll tell you another memory thing. Actually, I'll tell you two memory things. One is I recently had a friend of mine who said, oh, you remember when Mike Myers used to do Wings World at Second City? And I was kind of like, oh, yeah, I'm sorry, I never got to see that.

I used to go see Second City all the time. She's like, what are you talking about? We went together. I was like, no, I didn't. I never got to see that. I used to go see Second City all the time. She's like, what are you talking about? We went together. I was like, no, I didn't, I never did. And she was like, yeah, we were together and he did Wayne's World. And I was like, okay, well, that's news to me. But the other one was another friend of mine recently.

One of the bands that the Gary's used to do that we sold tickets for was Jane's Addiction. And I said to my friend, I was like, you know what? They played several times, we never went to see them. I really should have like got off my butt and gone to see them. He's like, what the hell are you talking about? We went together twice.

We went to the Morrissey for drinks before. It was at the concert hall. Both times, they were both amazing shows. And I'm like, okay okay you know what that's what that's why my label's called short memory records I'm sorry oh that is too funny so this happens a lot because uh Wayne's World the most successful Saturday night live movie of all time in terms of box office and my favorite too and I love it but you know Wayne Campbell Wayne's

world was a solo effort on Second City like there was no Garth character so Garth I guess said Saturday Night Live young Mike Myers wanted to do Wayne's world and they said okay but you got to bring on a second like a veteran or somebody like more seasoned here at SNL and he AI he picked Dana Carvey because Dana Carvey was the the best there I suppose, the best man on the scene. And I feel like I have heard this recently and I hope it's accurate. But when they went to make the movie, so The Wayne's World was a successful segment, a skit on Saturday Night Live, and they were going to make a movie about it. And I don't think Wayne wanted Garth in the movie.

I think this was like a bone of contention between Dana Curvey and Mike Myers, that Mike Myers wanted to do it solo, but they said, no, Garth is part of the Saturday Night Live skit. It's gonna be Wayne and Garth, and then the rest is history. But I think this was an issue

between Mike Myers and Dana Curvey, because that's what I think. And then I think there's another just on the side note because I was listening to a podcast about this as well recently. I believe that the character Dr. Evil, which Mike Meyers had for Austin Powers, was essentially Dana Curvey's impression of Lorne Michaels. So Dana Curvey wouldn't mean a lot of people did an impression of Lorne Michaels But Dana Carvey would do that reverse pinky thing. So it was like basically Mike Myers takes the Dana Carvey, but then you know prints money with it on awesome powers And I think Dana Carvey had some resentment because he never had a big film career Like you can't really point to a big Dana Carvey film moment.

I mean, great on Saturday Night Live, although notably absent from this reunion special, but apparently he was sick. But never had a, never broke into film. There is no Dana Carvey film that you can point to that was good. Well, you know what? It's interesting because I think you've covered it a couple of times

and I've heard and I think you've gotten some good stories. And actually after I listened to, which one was it? I listened to one of the podcasts where you were talking about Mike, and then I went back and I listened to, there's a podcast with David Spade and Dana Carvey and Mike, and they tell some really amazing stories, including stories about Mike being in England.

Actually, I did go to see, there was a show with him, what was his, Mike and his friend Neil, they did a show at the theater at just south of Bathurst and Queen and that was really cool. That was kind of at the end. And this is around the time when Christopher Ward would bring on Wayne Campbell, City Limits or whatnot. It was probably, no, that was, this was a little while after. This was like 93, 94, something like that. Okay. Cause, okay. So this is after he went to Saturday Night Live.

Yeah, yeah, he had already been. He had kind of brought it back and I think, yeah, and I think he had already been, I think Paul Meyers talks about it in your podcast about him working with Neil and a few other people and whatever. Now it's interesting, I had Paul Meyers on the program, he was in California, we did it remotely and and I didn't even have the nerve to ask Paul to see if his brother Mike would come on Toronto Mike. But I have had a couple of visits from Sir Jerry Levitan who lives nearby, and it turns out Sir Jerry Levitan is very close, dear friends of Mike Myers,

and Sir Jerry promises me, and I don't have any high hopes here or not, I doubt this would ever happen, but Sir Jerry has promised he will do his very best to get Mike Myers to do a Toronto Mike episode. I don't see any reason why he wouldn't or shouldn't. I'm no Dana Carvey, so we'll see, we'll see. Cause I mean, basically-

I'll put a good word in for you. Put in a good word. And then maybe the, I mean, I don't even care. I want to talk about everything before Saturday Night Live. You know what I mean? Like all my questions are about Second City and the city limits and everything. And of course he was in an episode of The Littlest Hobo.

We need to do 90 minutes on that, right? Okay, that's what we're here for. At least 90 minutes. Well, I might, you're right. I might do two and a half hours on Mike Myers on The Littlest Hobo. Actually, can I bring, I'm just gonna jump around. We're just shooting the breeze here.

I'm not even recording, David. Say anything. No, well, it doesn't matter. It's totally fine. I was gonna say, well, here's the problem with listening to your show is that I keep wanting to interject things. And as I'm remembering those times where I'm like, okay, I'm gonna interject it now,

now I'm gonna interject it. So you had Ted Walsh on, okay? Who I don't believe that I've ever met him, but I'm a huge fan. I grew up listening to the Comedy Bowl. I used to tape the Comedy Bowl every week and he even made fun of me on one of the episodes because I requested something.

I think I sent him a letter. I said, could you please play the entire Albert Brooks album, A Star is Bought, which at that point I hadn't found a copy of since then I have, thank you. Thank you very much, because that's the kind of obsessed record collector that I am. Thank you very much, because that's the kind of obsessed record collector that I am, although not as much anymore. Anyway, so anyway, I used to listen to Comedy Bowl

like every week. He called me Seaweed Breath, I said, because I live on Lakeshore Boulevard West, and I said, could you please play A Star is Bought by Albert Brooks? And he said, could you please play A Star Is Bought by Albert Brooks? And he said, definitely not. He said, blow off seaweed breath. I thought that was the most beautiful thing in the world.

But no, I always loved him. I actually do have a copy of his vinyl album, which I bought originally when it first came out. And I, contrary to him, who he was saying all these things about that album, I thought he was a rock star. And I thought, of course, a billion people have bought this album

because he's one of the biggest comics on the planet. Because I was, like I said, he had this show. All the people that you know in our FOTM, they're all the people I grew up with who I just thought were amazing. And they were in a whole other realm. You had Chaz Lotharon. Very recently.

Who was, that was such a bizarre experience listening to that episode because I grew up on the All Night Show and all of those shows and all of those episodes that he had are like in my brain so deep that, and when I saw him on Good Will Hunting, that was just like the crossing of like the most bizarre things on the planet.

That was the weirdest. So you were there for the all night show, which doesn't last very long. It doesn't last very long. Like a year maybe, I can't even remember. What a great show, oh my God. Well, you know, I mentioned that panel discussion for Gary Topp and Jeff Silverman was one of the guys on that panel discussion

I didn't even know that until you pointed it out. Yeah. No, that's really interesting. Yeah, so Jeff Silverman Yeah produce the produce directed whatever he gave birth to the all-night show on CFMT And I gotta say fairly recent in my memory So there's a bit of recency bias, but I absolutely loved my chat with Chaz, Chuck the security guard, if you will. Oh, yeah. No, you've had an amazing episode with him. And like I said- I like this episode, David.

You just tell me all the great episodes of Toronto Mike, and I just listen back. And I go, oh yeah, that was great. Can I tell you something about Toronto Mike that you may or may not know? Of course. I just want to say how important I think this podcast is, because in a world where we are distracted and we are divided and there's so much hate, I don't mean to take it over the top here, but this is the kind of thing that brings everything together. Like I say, I listen to, as I've been listening, they're trying to catch up on the episodes,

I'm listening, I'm thinking of like all the people I've known, all the things that people have given me, all the things that connect us. And I mean, there was something Paul Meyer says on your episode that I thought was interesting where he kind of was, I mean, I'm paraphrasing here, but he kind of said that Toronto was such an important part of his upbringing and his

just becoming everything that he has become. And I must concur with you, Paul, on that because, and of course, Paul was a part of that for me specifically, but just in general. I mean, Toronto is such an incredible place. It's such an important place historically and artistically and on so many levels. And you kind of, you have this thing that is a unique idea, because it brings all these things together. And it makes you want to like, bring all these ideas and people and histories together. And that's no small feat, seriously.

Well thank you for the kind words, I wish I had you on years earlier, this is wonderful and it was not even an idea, like it just sort of naturally evolved this way and primarily because I wanted to have deeper conversations with people than you might get in, you know, mainstream media or other places. I wanted to go deeper and longer. And I'm a curious cat. So there'll be scenes I knew very little about, and then I'll have someone on who will tell me about the scene and they'll tell me about other people from the scene. And then I'll have this like desire to have that person over to explore something even

deeper and then they'll reference somebody else so you know, I had Chaz Lawther aka Chuck the security guard on Because of my Congress because I missed the all-night show. I was too young for the all-night show I wasn't allowed to stay up all night at that time. Okay, but I had because I had Jeff's Silverman on so Jeff Silverman led to Chuck the security guard and why did I have Jeff Silverman on. So Jeff Silverman led to Chuck the security guard. And why did I have Jeff Silverman on? Because of Gary Topp. So, and it's all connected.

You can keep going. And now here you are and you'll be telling me and you've dropped a name I haven't had on and now I'm gonna wanna talk to that gentleman. And that's how it works here. It's just a curious cat who knows how to record audio on his mics. And I am glad there are people like you out there who appreciate it, because heck, I like I would do

it without the recording part. I want to have these convos. Well, but for someone like me, I hear it. And I think it's something greater than that. It's something bigger than that, because it really is something that connects us all and brings us all together and makes us appreciate those things that are out there that should be appreciated that sometimes are forgotten. And I gotta say, listening to the episodes, the few that I've listened to so far,

it's like it brings back all these ideas and thoughts and memories and all these things. And it inspires. So, I mean, it's interesting you say that it wasn't a set idea that you're like, okay, I'm gonna have this idea and let's run with it. It kind of happens organically, which that's kind of the best way that it can be.

That should be the only way that it is. In the beginning, getting biblical with you now, okay, in the beginning, I think I was primarily interested in talking to sports media people, because I loved in the 90s, I listened to I mean, CF and why was my go to station for music. But I listened to a lot of the fan 590. Previously 1430. I love my blue J's. I still do my blue. Hello, I'm taking a break from the J's. But that's between me and the J's. I still do my blue. Hello. I'm taking a break from the J's but that's between me and the J's The leaves, you know, it's very personal. I can't talk anymore. Don't ask me any further questions about this We're on a we're on a break. We're on a break. Okay, but basically I would I wanted to talk to Ron McLean I wanted to talk to Jeff Merrick. I wanted to talk to Elliot Friedman go on and I wanted to talk to Jay and Dan

Okay, I want to talk to I wanted to talk to Mark Hemsher So these are the people I wanted to talk to and as Dan. Okay, I wanted to talk to Mark Hemsher. So these are the people I wanted to talk to. And as time, and then a lot of radio people too. I wanted to talk, I wanted to have Humble and Fred on. I wanted to talk to Ted Wallace and I wanna talk to radio people. And then it was really heavy on all that. But as time went on, I realized the sports media people,

all the low hanging fruit had fallen. And I don't wanna go through big cable companies and beg them for permission. So they might grant their property, their talent, which they think of as property. They might allow them to go on this fiercely independent podcast that they can't control, okay? So I'm like, I'm tired of wondering

whether this person can come on, will bell media allow this person to come on? Will Rogers, uh, allow this person to come on? I'm like, I'm done with that. I want to talk, I want to talk to Charlie Angus. Okay. I want like in Charlie Angus, I'm dropping that name on you intentionally because he has promised he's coming back just to talk

about the Toronto scene. Like he's going to talk about the Toronto of yesteryear. That sounds like it's a similar period that you miss. Well you know what I think independent is the important word here because to me independent was always the biggest goal. I mean for me like when I opened my store Flip City it's's like, it was about being independent. It was about sharing the music that we wanted to share in the way we wanted to do it and be involved with like parts of the scene

that we could do just because we love doing it. And it was the same thing. Like I used to work with CIUT. And I always, at that time, I always felt that that was really important. It's funny because you keep talking about the lowest of the low. And I used to be the producer for the Thursday

about town on CIUT. And I remember the lowest of the low being on. And like them at that time, there were like a million independent bands who would play Clinton's or they would play ultrasound or whatever. And then most of them would just kind of go away. I mean, all of them were really good. I really enjoyed all of them. But Lois and Lo was one of these that came on and they kind of did their thing and it was an indie band or whatever. And then next thing you know, they're like big rock stars.

And speared my butt. And they were popular front, right. And then popular front became lowest of the low. Quick little anecdote, because you were talking about Chris Brown earlier. And to be specific, I think he likes to be called Christopher Hugh Brown. Okay. Make sure we don't confuse him with any other musical Chris know, I don't know. He kind of flips around with those the naming. But Chris Christopher Hugh Brown from the Tabernacle Bourbon Tabernacle Choir, he was in this basement a little while back and he was sitting beside two people, Stephen Stanley and Ron Hawkins. So the fact that I have this, you know, I can get Chris Brown,

Stephen Stanley and Ron Hawkins to be here together and to perform live and to chat it up. Like I'm glad I started this thing because that's kind of a wild moment unto itself and a shadow to low so low. I still close every episode of this podcast with Rosie and Grey from Shakespeare, My Butt. Although it has recently morphed into a cover

of Rosie and Grey, but it's still Rosie and Grey I think that was actually the album they were promoting when they were on CIA t91 it came out I want to say 91 yeah it was the one of the biggest independent releases in this country's history for an independent band absolutely okay so you know what just those few things I got a couple more stories for you. Yeah, please. One, I really loved your interview with John Biner. Always loved John Biner.

I have no idea why we did this, but when I was in high school, we used to go to the CFTO studios in Agent Court all the time. And we saw Baza bizarre a million times. We saw Super Dave Osborne, we got, I was there the day that he, John Boehner talks about when him and Dave Thomas do like the preachers together, which is one of my favorite sketches from that show.

And we used to go all the time and it was amazing. And we got to talk to them afterwards. But one time, I used to go with this one friend of mine and we went and I don't know if we got our days wrong, but they said, oh no, they're not filming Bazaar today. And my friends talking to the person up front and they're like, oh, well, what do you have? Can we go see something else? And they say, oh, well, we can go see, there's a show called hockey talk. And it's like, oh, well, we love hockey. Well, We'll go check that out. It wasn't Hockey Talk. It was Honky Tonk with Rockin' Ronnie Hawkins. And we walk in and his

guest, he had another guest who I don't remember, but his guest that day was Bo Diddley. Wow. Okay. Bo Diddley is standing by the back. We creep in the back, I saddle up to Bo Diddley and this is one thing that I am good at doing. I can just go and talk to whoever and whatever. So I saddle up to him and I'm like, aren't you Bo Diddley? And he's like, yeah. And I was like, okay, that's it. We're done. Amazing. I met him. We're good. So did you ever, were you ever at age in court for either Uncle Bobby or just like mom? I wish

Although oh, no, I wasn't but on the Comedy Bowl. I won tickets to go see Big City Comedy Okay, which you talked about with I don't remember. Oh, well, you probably talked about with Todd Walsh. So I won tickets to big city comedy with John Candy. His daughter, who I think is named Jen, was on the show and she's like one or something. They had a hilarious sketch where they like cut to her and she's like, she's a baby. But anyway, so we see this show, I know Tim Kazurinski is on it. But anyway, at the

end, John Candy stands by the door and says goodbye to every single person in the audience. So we like lag behind so that we're the very last people leaving and we end up like hanging out with them for like a half an hour. It was amazing. Well, it's all coming back to your buddy Paul Myers, right? Because he's got the John Candy book. That is true. Which absolutely. What time is it? It may have dropped already.

I don't know. It's really like an imminent thing. And I'm actually hoping to get Paul back on to talk John Candy. Absolutely. The legend. Yeah, absolutely. I also want to say, I'm sorry.

I'm just going to jump around here all over place. No, you know what? Just go, man. Just go. You have my permission. I just wanted to say that you are a block or two away from this pool hall that for some reason I used to go around, go to all the time. And for some reason, every single time, I feel like every single time I walked into this pool hall, I think I went to play video games or whatever.

Yeah, New Toronto Billiards. Well, was that it? It was literally like two streets over. Yeah. But literally I felt like every single time I went in, they were playing Blue Collar Men by Styx. I don't know if my memory is right about that. But now the current lead singer of Styx is also an FOTM. Is he? Yeah. Who's that?

His name is Larry Gowan, Lawrence Gowan. Larry Gowan, a strange animal. I remember that. I think that his album came out when I was in the record store. So I think we front rock that album too. I'll bet you did because again, I'm looking over at the Much Music logo here. David Kine sent me a box full of Much Music stuff. So you'll see it around.

But what a big deal it was, and you got a few years on me, but I can tell you that watching Much Music was so influential to me, like the fact that a criminal mind, and I can still see the judge, and there's Larry Gowen, and what a video for a criminal mind. Yeah, no, absolutely. No, it was great.

You know what, what was I going, oh, you know what? You had Ed the Sock on on and there is a promo clip that he had on Much Music that was basically him clipping through all of these artists and him just saying crap after every one of them. Is that a fromage? Yeah, it was like, yeah. He took over fromage from Christopher Ward. Oh, okay. There you go.

It's all coming back to the Myers family. Exactly. And shout out to Peter Myers, who, you know, the other two Myers had taken all the heat here. Peter Myers loves his Palma pasta. I've had many a correspondence with Peter Myers, huge Palma pasta fan, but your buddy there, not that you never met him, but your Ted Wollish in,

he swears by Palma Pasta because he says it's the best sauce and you know a good Italian eatery bite sauce yes no that's that's important could I could I gift you a large lasagna from Palma Pasta I would be honored I have one of my freezer free you've earned it with all this praise for the program and again. And again, I'm going to disclose something to the audience because I don't bullshit anybody, but basically I would say every episode of Toronto Mike drops five minutes after I take a photo by Toronto Tree, which by the way, you mentioned Dave Thomas. He's the one who called it Toronto Tree. You should go listen

to the Dave Thomas. There's two of them. One with Dave, amazing. Like two and a half hours. Dave Thomas is amazing. And then he came on with his brother, Ian. And Ian and Dave Thomas was amazing too. Absolutely. Two for two. They are unbelievable. But this particular conversation, because I just recorded with Jeremy Hopkins and I have, I'm recording it and dropping it the next open day it's going to drop, but I'm not sure somebody might cancel. Somebody might postpone, but it looks like as we speak now, it looks like this episode is dropping March 4th, which means it'll be the day after the return of Ed the sock. So although I don't, this is always the discussion of Ed.

Am I talking to Ed or Steve? Like this is always the conversation. I don't, this is always the discussion of ed. Am I talking to ed or Steve? Like this is always the conversation I actually think speaking to you now on February 20, I believe it'll be a chat with Steve Kersner as opposed to ed, but as a chat with Steve Kersner and obviously we'll talk a lot about at the sock and if you have any questions, but it's just funny to hear you mentioned that name because he's coming back really March and again, people hearing this may not be hearing

this until March 4th. And then I can tell you that if you're hearing this on March 4th, and I haven't decided yet, the very next day, Cleve Anderson, so you mentioned Bob Wiseman, Cleve Anderson, who was in Blue Rodeo until he quit the band after he quit the band to work for the post office. until he quit the band after he quit the band to work for the post office. Okay. He was married to Ingrid Schumacher. Wow. From Chum. Yeah. Interesting. Chum FM. And he's going to visit with the guy who now has the Bob Wiseman job in Blue Rodeo, Mike Boguski. He's the keyboardist today for Blue Rodeo. So they're going to come by. Anyways, I digress, but sorry, I just, it's hard to talk about what's happening when I don't know when this will be heard, but that's why I drop every episode right away. So I don't have to play

any games. Totally fine. I'm, we're just wafting out there and whatever happens happen. It happens organically. It happens organically. I do have a question. So we, yeah, we covered John Candy again, shout out to Ridley Funeral Home, but I do want to ask you about being a Juno judge and then I want a little more information about like you've recorded albums As a saxophonist right like I want to know a little more about that too So maybe you decide the order but maybe we start by you telling me about the music you've produced and

Then how you were a Juno judge like what does that mean Juno judge? Juno judge. Like what does that mean Juno judge? Juno judge basically, well, you know what? I did it and then I didn't do it for a while and I do wanna get back to it. And I feel like it's just been a timing thing. I would like to start doing it again. And I don't know, it's interesting because the more people I talk to about it,

everyone has a very specific opinion about being a Juno judge. Some people think it's interesting, because the more people I talk to about it, everyone has a very specific opinion about being a Juno judge. Some people think it's really cool, some people think I'm whatever, I'm going to the dark side or something. But I love it, one of my earliest memories of the Junos, I was working at Peter Dunn's vinyl museum. He said, here's a whole ton of flyers for our sale.

Go down to the Junos, which are happening this year. This was like mid 80s. They're happening down at the CNE. I went down there with a huge thing of flyers, started just handing them out and putting them on cars. Then there was this huge like snowstorm and I ended up going into the lobby. And then it turns out there are all these other people who were like around my age.

I was like, I don't know, 19 or something at the time. So there was a whole bunch of us. We all became good friends. And then all these people started coming in and I started getting autographs on the vinyl museum flyers. And from all these these amazing people, like Geddy Lee and who else?

Brian Adams? Not Brian Adams, the guy from Twisted Sister. Oh, Dee Snider. Dee Snider. Joe Flaherty stopped and was like, we're all around him and he starts telling jokes and then he gets us to tell jokes and while he's like waiting for his limo to come and I'm just like, this is like, he's like the most.

Joe Flaherty, I had a sister-in-law on the program, but Joe Flaherty, I just watched with the kids, the two youngest kids watched Happy Gilmore with me for the first time. I had to convince their mom. I said from memory, I had to convince that it's okay for an eight-year-old and a 10-year-old. And I was right.

It was pretty fine. Okay. A few jokes that will just went over the head or whatever. But Joe Flaherty, I forgot, he's the guy who's hired to heckle and try to run over Happy Gilmore to prevent him from winning this big tournament. Like Joe Flaherty's got a pretty big role in Happy Gilmore. He's in like the weirdest things. Like he's the dad in Freaks and Geeks. Right.

Which is like amazing because he's like so straight in it but it's like one of these things that he's like so deadpan and so straight but he's so hilarious. Like there's just there's certain comedians where they play these really straight roles but they're just they're hilarious because they're just so funny and it's it's in there. But he's one of those unlike John Candy, who was a proud Canadian, Joe Flaherty, American, but still, yeah, he was from Pittsburgh, I think he's definitely American. But whenever I think of Joe Flaherty now, who again, we've lost sadly shout out the Ridley funeral home, I realized, oh, he was at the SCTV reunion

that Martin Scorsese filmed for the documentary he was going to put out. And then Scorsese decided to do nothing with this footage and it now sits collecting dust on a shelf somewhere. And we've lost Flaherty, we'll lose more. Like, why release the footage? Yeah, you know what? Actually, shout out to the new Second City. I went recently. I went recently too. Oh, so good. It's so, they're so talented. They're so on it. I, you know what? It's funny because I was saying about Todd Walsh and Comedy Bowl.

I grew up as like obsessed with comedy and I realized I'm coming back to that and it's like I have the new favorites That are just to me. They're like the the geniuses of the world now I mean they they hit so deep and it's so stream of consciousness Well, sometimes not but it's just like so brilliant. It's amazing the people I love I really love because they're just so, I mean, they're like the Thelonious monks of like the world now. It's incredible. Amazing. So you mentioned short memory a few times. So is short memory like your record label? Short memory records is my label. It's kind of like the umbrella organization of everything I do. I have 587 bands.

And then I'm in another 587 bands as a side musician. And then when I say I produce, there's several albums that I'm kind of working on, some that make it further along and some that do not, and some that get cut off. And then there's a bunch of other people I just work with to kind of inspire them to do certain things, certain ways and try to help them or whatever.

So that's kind of an all encompassing thing. That's something I'm doing 24 seven. ["Symphony No. 5 in C Major, Op. 247"] I'm going to play a little bit of the same thing. So The So So Well, I was reading like Exclaim magazine did a, is dismissed television, did a review of dismissed television, I guess in 2001. And you've got like a loungy cover of You Oughta Know and I was thinking that's James B's music right? Like whenever you get the lounge-y covers send in James B. Yeah exactly well you know what I probably learned a lot from him and it's funny because he was doing an event I'll tell you a couple quick James B stories., he was doing an event in New York with Fred

Schneider and we went, I brought both of my daughters, they were blown away because we had been listening to the B-52s and they were blown away just that they got to talk to him and hang and take photos and stuff like that. And of course James is going on about, well me and your dad, some of the crazy things we used to do and I'm like James, really, we don't need to go there. But I was going to tell one funny story where we were on the same, just out of, it was just luck that we were on the same plane to Vancouver and we landed in, You and James?

Me and James. We landed in Vancouver. He's like, I'm going to the hotel me and James, we landed in Vancouver. He's like, I'm going to the hotel. I forget why he was in Vancouver. I know he was going down to the States anyway. We'll get to that in a moment, but so he said, well, why don't you come, I'm going to the hotel or whatever. So we go to his hotel, which was this gorgeous hotel, right on the waterfront.

It turns out that the concierge, her boyfriend was in a Look People cover band. What? Exactly. A Look People cover band. A Look People, I didn't know there was such a thing. Well, Look People practically, like Low Rider is the biggest hit, I suppose, and that's a cover.

Well, there is, but they had amazing songs of their own. But so she upgrades James to like the best suite in the place for like no money. I don't even she may have even given it to him for free. I don't know. I think it was like a very basic like it's like, OK, you're getting the best suite. okay, you're getting the best suite. So we went up to his suite and it had like this unbelievable panoramic view of like Vancouver skyline and the water and everything was just unbelievable. So then it turns out he was on his way to hang out with Burl Ives.

Wow. Oh yeah, they were buds. Yeah, apparently Burl Ives was having a thing with these kids that he was working with. So James had bought all these vintage toys to bring to the children that Burl Ives was. I'm sorry, James, for telling your story on this, but he's probably too... He's cool with it. Yeah, he's probably too... He doesn't like to talk too much about himself. But no, so he had these unbelievable toys, really super interesting toys,

and he was bringing them to these kids of Bro Lives. And anyway, between that and the Look People Cover bed, and this panoramic view, I don't know, I always think he's amazing. I think you asked somebody if he was famous. Oh, this used to be a recurring question on Toronto Mike. Is James be famous? I'll say that he's infamous.

Okay, well that's like, what is it? In the three amigos, remember? What's infamous? It's more than famous. It is more than famous. Cause you know what? He, like yourself, he is a lover of the arts and a supporter of people

and so many people owe their art artist life to him because he's he's carried so many people on his shoulders on his crazy jacketage shoulders it's amazing the small world we live in and how everything's connected and even this little chat we've had now so many pieces Fitting together, but just look people here because I have the album in my hand So obviously James B and great Bob Scott. Okay. Yes. So there you go. Look people but Clayton Tyson's parents, okay clay Tyson. Do you know who his parents are? Ian and Sylvia Tyson really? Yeah, I had Sylvia Tyson on this program. Really?

Oh, I need to listen to that. You got to listen. And we talked about that fact. Wow. Yeah, her son was in Look People. That's amazing. It's a friend of James B. But there's another guy in Look People.

You mentioned, or some one of us mentioned, Bare Naked Ladies. Well, current Bare Naked Ladies member and FOTM, Kevin Hearn. Kevin Hearn was in Look People. Absolutely, yes. and FOTM, Kevin Hearn. Kevin Hearn was in Look People. Absolutely, yes. That's how I knew Kevin Hearn. I haven't, actually, I think I've shared a few words with him. He's another guy that I know that I know him

and always enjoyed his stuff. I don't know how much he, he would probably know me to see me, but great Bob Scott, who I also love his playing and everything about him. He's just unbelievable. Great Bob Scott, if you're listening, apparently Gary Taub thinks we should play together and we should have a band together, which having enjoyed your stuff so much, I would love to do that.

And that would be a that would become a short memory release. Oh speaking of which not to call out Gary Topp but apparently I have a band I do want to talk about I want to talk about my band Tuke which because we never play in Canada and nobody knows what it is or how to pronounce it but I'm sorry to tell I'm sorry to tell this out of school Gary but apparently Gary Topp listens to my Tuke album every morning. how to pronounce it. But I'm sorry to tell this out of school, Gary, but apparently Gary Top listens to my 2K album every morning. I am, yes.

That's praise from Caesar. Exactly. There's no better thing in the world than that. I'm pretty much done. Although I do wanna talk about my current Toronto band who are also amazing. One is Pete Johnson, who does have a Juno from his work with Johnny Favorite. But he's an amazing bass player and scholar

and teacher. And if you haven't looked him up, he has an amazing band called See Through Trio, S-E-E, Through Trio, and they're amazing, really innovative jazz stuff. And the drummer is a guy who is one of my very favorite drummers in Toronto after Ted Warren is Ted Warren plays with well he plays with everybody but he plays with the Mike Murley classic quartet quintet but anyway after him Jake Ulrich who a lot of people have not heard of but you should hear of hear him OELRICHS he's an amazing local drummer who everyone should hear because he's unbelievable like no one, no one other. No other.

So David, here's yeah, I'll don't worry. I'll fix that in post. Okay, David. So here's what we're gonna do. I'm literally gonna let you any thoughts, because I kind of get the idea of how you're wired now. And there were probably other things you wanted to spit into that microphone to be preserved for all eternity here. So literally, you can now talk about whatever or share whatever until you touch your nose.

And when you touch your nose, I'll thank you for coming and I will play the Rob Proust cover of Rosie and Grey. You know what? I won't actually because I don't know when I'm dropping this. So I'll add here's a little insight. I really will add that in post. So I say it all the time and I never mean it because it's a joke, but I will add that in post. But please take us home anything. This is your chance. Or did you drain that drain that swamp? No, nothing is drained. I could be here forever. So give me like the top, top few or whatever. Okay.

So now I'm stumped. See that's because now that it's open, open format here, you, you don't know what to say. Yeah. No. Well, you know what to say. Yeah, no, well, you know what? I don't know, it's interesting because I feel like I was born as a small boy in Sherwood Forest, Mississauga. I don't know if it's still called Sherwood Forest. Whereabouts is that?

I know Mississauga well enough. Give me a major intersection. It's right beside the, is it the Aaron Mills Plaza? Oh, so like QEW and Parkway? Yeah, yeah, around there. Actually, if you watch manufacturing consent by Noam Chomsky, here's a weird. Yeah, yeah. It keeps flashing back to a video screen that's in that,

which is in that mall, which was right beside where we live. Oh, actually, here is the story. So the story is when I was so when I was first born, the first four years of my life, I was in Sherwood Forest, Mississauga. And a couple doors down from me was Oscar Peterson. Wow. And years later, I became friends with Skip Beckwith, who is an amazing bass player, wasn't a, well, still, he's still an amazing Beckwith, or an amazing bass player, because his recordings are still around,

and he's amazing. He would tell me about stories about how they would go to that house, and he would jam all night long, and party all night long with Oscar Peterson. And I said, and you never invited me over? It's like you never offered me to come over for a taste or come to jam with you guys.

Yes. Well, you were under four years old. I was, yeah, I know. Well, no excuse. No one's inviting a four year old to that jam. No excuse, exactly. There's a mural in New Toronto, not far from where we're talking right now,

which commemorates Lake Shore legends, okay? So one of the Lake Shore legends that is on this mural is Oscar Peterson. But there is another guy I'm gonna just reference for a moment here. His name was I have to say was now sadly, but Jerome Drayton and Jerome Drayton Was a marathon runner and for decades He held the Canadian record for a marathon and he is the last Canadian to win the Boston Marathon. And he passed away last week. Oh, no, he was a new Toronto like Mimico. So you again, so you were born in Mississauga. When do you end up in Mimico? Did you ever

live in Mimico? Is it just your parents? No, no, no. I lived here from 1970. Okay, so when you were four years old, basically, yeah, and I left and and actually, you know what I lived here until I opened my store and I live below my store and that was in 1989. Okay, I lived in Mimico for 19 years and and I mean, I come back all the time. So I still kind of live here because my parents live here. Right. And that's why you're tied this. This is why I had to can this episode because we had to record it today

because you're actually here instead of in Queens. And I didn't want to do this via Zoom. Oh, sorry. Go. Speaking of marathon. Yeah. In 1980, at that corner, right down the block at Royal York and Lakeshore, I ran along with Terry Fox. There were all these kids. He was running along Lakeshore during his Toronto portion of his run. And I tried running with him. I came out from our place, which was around Royark. We ran with him.

And he was so fast that he lost me literally within three minutes because he was so fast. And I was young. I was probably like, well, I guess I was like 14 at the time. And he was so fast, he lost, like all the kids that were running with him, he like went. That's incredible, because he ran a marathon a day. Like he was running a marathon a day on one lake. Yeah, exactly. It's amazing they had that experience.

I will shout out the late grades. So this is an FOTM who was passed away, Bill Vigors, and Bill Vigors accompanied Terry Fox. He was with the Ontario chapter of the Cancer Society. So he was in the van there with Terry and became very close to, became a confidant of Terry. So he would have been there too. And that's amazing that you shared that.

Now it was just one of those things. Yeah, it was beautiful. Yeah, I remember. Well, you want beautiful, if you're in the mood, episode 1324 of Toronto Mike is my chat with Bill Vigors. And I really think you'll love it. Like I think it was, we lost him a couple of years back. So anyway, okay.

So the only other thing I wanted to say, I did wanna, so I'm trying not to talk about anything on Toronto, because actually more of my life has been on Toronto. I could talk about Halifax for 10 hours. I could talk about obviously, that's for Halifax, Mike, exactly. Or then New York, Mike, those are, but I do want to say that. So I do have my band, Tuke, which like I say, we, we, we, like I say, we never play in Canada.

So nobody knows how to say Tuke or what a Tuke is. Although I was talking to somebody in Kensington market not long and he said he, he believes the Tuke is the most Canadian word ever. So I don't know if that's true. I don't know if I agree with that. But that's what he believes. Maybe we'll go Bob and Doug McKenzie speaking to Dave Thomas, they would agree. You know what? Do you remember when they did live at the SCTV diner on, was it Sinclair? Do you remember the SCTV diner for like two seconds, they had a restaurant and it was called the SCTV diner and they were doing the morning show at the SCTV diner for like two seconds, they had a restaurant and it was called the SCTV diner. And they were doing the morning show at

the SCTV diner and I almost like took off work, not took off work took off school and went up there. And then it turned out it was just like too crazy. Oh, speaking of morning shows. He needs No, before that I'm older than actually no, when were they? Peden Gates until like, I think well they were on Chum FM in the 70s. Oh, okay. And then they went to CFNY.

They were David Marsden CFNY. And I think they left in 87. A couple years later, Humble and Fred were born. No, I grew up listening to Scruff Connors. And Scruff Connors was DJing one of our dances at Richfew Collegiate and he came very late and he came very drunk and he came by me and my then girlfriend who were dancing to Stairway to Heaven and he just went like, yeah, good job, good job. You got to listen to TJ Connors on Toronto Mic'd in which TJ does great impressions of

his father, Scruff Connors. I always loved Scruff Connors. I always thought that was hilarious. Well, I would attribute to Scruff, who I would hear on Q107, there was like a few guys taking turns all the time. It would be like Scruff Connors or brother Jake Edwards, who's been on the show,

or Jesse and Gene who have been on the show. Like all these, I loved them all, man. But Scruff Connors would refer to the listeners as the listenership. And I use that termruff Connors would refer to the listeners as the listenership And I use that term all the time I refer to the listenership because that's what scruff Connors would call the listeners the listenership But listen to TJ call the best you can get I can't deliver you scruff unfortunately But I can get you TJ Connors you could do that dude. I love this very much. This was great

So toke where would you like us to listen to Tuuk? For everything, you go to shortmemory.org, that everything lands there. I have a band called Flip City because I stole back my name of my record store. That's like my jazz trio, crazy, whatever it is. Tuuk is my more fun thing. That's things that people actually enjoy.

But like I say, go to shortmemory.org. Also go the company that hosts my website, you should check out their called it's flexible.ca. It's a Toronto based web designer. He's amazing. He's a very good friend of mine. And he's one of the best. I mean, people who are starting websites or companies and they need like a starter thing, they don't have a lot of dough on them, go to flexible.ca because he'll hook you up and he has like great starter packages and he does my website and people are always saying I love your website, it's so easy to use and yeah like I said I do a million different things. I have two short members also a band like I say Flip City's a band I have like a sax trio with old guys that I can't really

talk about even older than me and I do a whole ton of I did a kind of a dramatic musical drama which is called Izola which is the story of Oscar Wilde's sister who passed away when she was very young and inspired him to basically write and the tragedy and humor in his writing. So anyway, it's all at shortmemory.org. I've been to his grave site in Paris. Oh, really? And I've been to his birthplace in Dublin. Really? Yeah. Oh, I love Oscar Wilde. What's not to love? Absolutely. place in Dublin. Really? Yeah. Love Oscar. Well, it's not to love. Absolutely. I love this. So my goodness, a lot to digest. I'm thinking because I'm releasing this after the fact, I might insert some choice audio nuggets. And if you have any good audio nuggets, you think would be great to send them my way. But thanks for doing this. You say it's coming

out March 4th? That's like what I'm thinking right now. But if somebody like calls in sick or says, I don't know, I had a few. Karen Bliss said it was too much snow. You know, like I've had people who had to postpone or bail for other reasons. I might drop it that day. So I don't remember Karen Bliss. Well, Karen, that's a name I haven't heard in a very long time. Well, David Farrell passed away and then I did a tribute to him with people like Bill King and Dave Charles and Richard Flowhill.

And Karen Bliss came up in that chat because she wrote for, what was it, whatever David Farrell's publication was called, FYI Music News or something to that effect. And I realized I want to talk to Karen Bliss. So I had her scheduled. She said, oh, it's going to snow. I don't know if my car will stop, whatever. We pushed it to another day. And then she said, oh, I have a, I just got an opportunity to have a zoom with some musician for a piece I'm writing.

And so she bailed twice. So the ball is in her court. Like I said to Karen, I still want to talk to you, but like, you're going to have to meet me halfway here. Like I said to Karen, I still want to talk to you, but like you're going to have to meet me halfway here. Like she's postponed twice. So right now, not on the calendar, but I am eager to talk to Karen. Can I say something about Bill King? Please. The album that he did with Liberty Silver is one of my favorite albums of all time. And I remember actually there is a YouTube clip of them on, I don't know if it's City TV or Much Music, it's probably Much Music, but it's pretty wonderful. And the few times that I did get to see that group, Liberty Silver is one of my favorite vocalists in Canada. And just she's,

I mean, obviously everybody knows, everybody knows Liberty Silver, but every time that I've seen her or have seen that group with Bill King, it's just outstanding. So Bill will return to the program soon because he wrote a book and people like to visit when they write books. So he, and he sent me a copy. So I'm going to read the book and get Bill King back and then maybe I'll pull that clip and play for him. Sorry, I was, but I was going to say March 4th. That's my father's birthday if it does come up. Well now I feel like, and now I need pull that clip and play for him. Sorry, but I was gonna say March 4th, that's my father's birthday, if it does come up.

Well, now I feel like, now I need to take a note. Okay, March 4th, I'm writing it down here. So I will do my best, maybe I'll just do that. Like I'm in charge around here, right? Like I'm the boss. You are, you're the CEO. I am like everything, I'm the chief bottle washer, I'm the CEO. Chief everything. So March 4th, so if you're hearing this,

it's probably March 4th because I'm a man of my word. Thanks for doing this. I just love the chat and like you said, we could have done several hours here, but that was great. Thanks my friend. Thank you so much. And that brings us to the end of our 1640th show. My apologies to David that this episode did not drop on his father's birthday, but Stu Stone got COVID and had to postpone, so here we are! Go to torontomike.com for all your Toronto Mike needs, and much love to all who made this possible. That's Great Lakes Brewery, Palma Pasta, RecycleMyElectronics.ca, Building Toronto's Skyline, and Ridley Funeral

Home. See you all tomorrow when Socrates visits me! I'm gonna be a star I'm gonna be a star I'm gonna be a star I'm gonna be a star I'm gonna be a star I'm gonna be a star I'm gonna be a star I'm gonna be a star I'm gonna be a star

I'm gonna be a star I'm gonna be a star I'm gonna be a star I'm gonna be a star I'm gonna be a good boy I'm gonna be a good boy I'm gonna be a good boy I'm gonna be a good boy I'm gonna be a good boy I'm gonna be a good boy I'm gonna be a good boy

I'm gonna be a good boy I'm gonna be a good boy I'm gonna be a good boy I'm gonna be a good boy I'm gonna be a good boy I'm gonna be a good boy I'm gonna be a good boy So So So So You