Toronto Mike'd: The Official Toronto Mike Podcast - Jim Moore from Rusty: Toronto Mike'd Podcast Episode 1766

Episode Date: September 22, 2025

In this 1766th episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike chats with Jim Moore from One Free Fall and Rusty about all things One Free Fall and Rusty. Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Palma Pasta, Ridley Funeral Home, the Waterfront BIA, Blue Sky Agency and RecycleMyElectronics.ca. If you would like to support the show, we do have partner opportunities available. Please email Toronto Mike at [e-mail].

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It's Jim Moore. Welcome to Toronto Mike to Jim. It's a pleasure to be here, Mike. Big fan. Not the first time called her, though. Well, let's explain that. That it's like, this is your first, this is your first, and for people who hear that song, they think Jim just left the Zoom,

but there were two of you, and one of you is left, but hopefully the right one left. But you popped on Toast, the most recent episode of Toast, I kicked out misogyny by Rusty, and you were my secret special guest. So this is technically your second episode of Torontoite. Factual in one month. Well, it's like Lauren Honnickman, you know.

Sometimes you got to... He's great. Yeah, so you remember Lauren from City TV, right? Yes. Yeah, yeah, I do. Yeah, very much. You know what's funny? I really enjoy almost all your episodes, even the sports ones.

and since I've left Toronto, I don't really follow sports, but I still enjoy your sports ones. I find them quite riveting. Because I try to book the interesting sports people. Like, give me a Steve Simmons or a Stephen Brunt or a Damien Cox. You know what I mean? Yeah, no, they are. Yeah, you always have great gifts.

I'm trying to think of one that's failed, and I can't. That's awesome to hear. So I know we did touch on this in toast, but I feel like it's a brag. Like, I'm just going to pump my tires here. But when you get your Spotify wrapped, remind me, what was the real number? Like you... It was point, I think it was point 0.017.

Is that right? Is that? I can almost visualize it. Okay, so to be clear, because I like this fact, you are, Spotify says you're in the top 0.0017% of Toronto mic fans? Listen, yeah. I listen to a lot of podcasts. It's my radio, so yeah.

I'm surprised that you're not number one. Like, if you're 0.017, that means at least somebody has heard more. Maybe your wife? Definitely not my wife. She hears enough around the house, yeah. Definitely not my wife. So here, I want to, dive deep into the

history of Rusty. Do you think there's another podcast on the planet that mentions Rusty more than Toronto Mike? No, I laugh. It's almost every third episode. I go, this guy, he's the super... I think you like the band more than we do. I was thinking of Star, because I

just saw this, it's funny, I'm wearing my Pearl Jam shirt I bought in 98 at Olson Park, because the yield tour. And I'm wearing it because on Saturday, I saw a Pearl Jam cover band at a local park near me they're called Pearl Jamming

and they were really good and then I was thinking I wonder if there's a rusty cover band out there and then I thought oh there probably is and it's called Rusty Still Rusty yeah well

you know what I might get in trouble with this but there are people that are other bands believe it or not that are fans of the band Rusty and I kept trying to get clarification from Ken McNeil

the codfather of the Rusty because he it was literally after yours he emailed me with someone I don't know if I can say it I know this isn't really helpful but someone

someone quite famous Canadian band is covering misogyny it was funny it was literally the day after we did that episode there's someone quite famous they're putting a covers album and they are doing misogyny but you can't tell us who

Well, I don't know. I try to get clarification, but I don't think I should because, you know, I don't know what. But since I've looked on the internet and I have found a cover of it already, but I'll leave it at that. Oh, you're such a tease. I know. But I was really excited because I've got two teenage boys. When I told them the band, they go, really? Wow, really does all that.

Well, it's a big band then. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. And is it Sloan? No, I know those guys. I'm from the valley. I'm from outside of Halifax, so I knew those guys living in Halifax.

But no, it's not Sloan. It's actually bigger than Sloan. Bigger than Sloan. Is it a Canadian band? Absolutely. Our Lady Peace? Now we used to tour with those guys. They're superna.

They wouldn't do. They wouldn't come. That would make no sense. Well, I'm just going to keep naming bigger bands. There's not, okay, so go ahead. they're uh they're younger than that but they're the season pros now we've been around quite a while my goodness uh is nickel back covering misogyny that's big news no that would now that would be all right okay well stop guessing

financially that would be okay i wouldn't come i wouldn't be complaining about that that's like when 5440 found out that uh there was they were going to say i go blind was going to be covered by you know what and it was neil that's what i want to talk about 5440 those guys were so great they've always been great i remember when neil got the news about that happening we were playing st andrews hall in detroit and neil goes jim i want to talk to you about something do you know how this would work out there's a band called hootay and the blowfish they're covering us for friends i go you're laughing you're minted man which was true yeah when neil was here uh because of course, that was on the Friends soundtrack,

but the cover of I Go Blind, which was a big hit in the States, was not on cracked rear view. So I feel like they had a payday, but they could have had a bigger payday if that song was on cracked rear view, which sold a lot of copies. But it was on Friends.

Yeah, but I feel like the Cracked Rear View sold a lot more copies than Friends, but it was in the show Friends. Right, right. Friends plays forever. It's somewhere right now, someone is watching Friends. No, good point, Jim. So, don't be shy.

I know you're a big fan. I'm going to ask you about a recent episode off the top, and then we're going to get into it. Okay. And I want to hear about all the Canadian rock bands that you've collided with. And I need a deep dive into Rusty, of course. And we'll talk about your origin. So you mentioned that you're from Nova Scotia, right?

Yeah. I'll briefly cover that. Yeah, I grew up in a town called Wolframo, Nova Scotia. And it's funny, this ties in. One of my best friends who did pass away two years ago was a guy named Andy McNeil, who actually figures into your episode about Stephen Lucky. He played with him.

And Scottie also played with Stephen Lucky. But I grew up in a town like that, a lot of musical people. My other best friend, Kevin Jollymore, literally just has a series that launched on Bell called Charles T.M. So it's a little town, a university town, but there's a lot of musicians and actors come out there.

But Ken McNeil grew up in the town from Kentville, which is down the road. I'll try to tighten it up, but he moved to Toronto and was playing with my other friend, Kevin. But then he started a band called One Free Fall, and that's a whole story. Well, you know what? I want the One Free Fall story,

because you can't tell the Rusty Story, without the one free fall. But let me play something. I don't even know what I'm playing here, man. So I'm going to play something, and you'll tell me. So I'm going to play it for about 30 seconds. I don't bring it down.

Okay. Oh, no. Wait. Wow, nice one. Sitting alone on the crowd You never notice you talk too loud You run on like a car out of tune You babble throws got too soon

You are a clown You are dead You are the show. That's that. It's said. This is the clown song. Wow. Wow.

That is amazing. That's the guy I was talking about Kevin. The guy's the star of the television show Charles T.M. He's a singer on that. I was in a lot of bands with him over here. I was like 16 when I did that. That's me playing drums on that. That's amazing.

That's Terry, a band called Terry and the Dream Beats. And they're one of the first kind of punk bands if we put an independent single out when we're still teenagers. Wow. So is this the first single that you ever played on? Yes. Yeah.

Yeah, I was 16. We went to the studio. I think we each paid $150,000, got a thousand singles. I'm still sitting on a few here. They go for quite a bit. They're quite collectible. if you yeah

well are you when was the last time you heard the clown song a very long time ago but it's funny when I went back to Nova Scotia

the guy that sang on that he got I went to visit him is he named Kevin he's a big actor now but I went to visit him when I was back in Halifax as soon as I got into his house

he goes Jim I need you to play bass I want you to play on an old Terry in the Dreambeat song so he's going to put that out he's going to release sat and the old one from back

back in the day so yeah amazing so amazing because I know I was thinking I got to go to one free fall and then I'm like no this is Toronto miced we're going back further how did you find that how do you find that well I go I'm a big fan of discogs

right so I go to discogs and then I'm you know there's a lot of Jim Moore's out there so yeah you got to find the right one but the way to find the right one is to start with fluke from Rusty and then we're back and you'll find the right Jim Moore's. I think you're like Jim Moore, the second Jim Moore. And then I basically look at everything,

everything that's ever being released that you played on. And then I saw this song. And then I'm like, okay, I wonder if that's out there anywhere, the clown song. I'm like, it sounds pretty obscure. And then I find it. Here, I'll bring her down. She's still down in the mix here.

But I said, firstly, I thought at the beginning it sounded a bit rushy. Like, are you doing a Neil Peart there? It sounded like a rush at the beginning. Absolutely not. No, absolutely. No, no. Okay, do you have an opinion on subdivisions? That's hilarious.

That one is hilarious. That made me laugh. You know, I've got, I was going to try and find that out for you because I do have some various contacts. Do you ever have John Castor on here? I've tried many times because, of course, I love Doe Boys. Yeah, yeah. And, well, he's got a lot of contacts. He's friends with all those guys.

Well, can you get me John Castner? Like, can you, I want to talk to him. You know what? I will do my best. No, no, I always say, because when I talk about Rusty, you can't talk about Rusty without one free fall, but you can't talk about Rusty without doughboys. No, no, no, Scotty.

No, he was the original doughboy with Johnny, the Montreal Boys. But this is Toronto Mike. And I don't know how much John Castor like Toronto. Well, listen, I did an April Wine episode, so maybe if he listens to my Miles Goodwin April Wine episode. Okay, where I put it to you, sir? Where are April Wine from?

They are, okay, I believe they're from Halifax, but you tell me, are they from, where are they from? Yeah, Waverly, Nova Scotia, originally called Woody and the Termites. There you go. Definitely knew they're a maritime band before they go to Montreal, like for sure. Because, you know, I've talked, well, when he passed away, Miles Goodwin, there was a lot of April wine talk on the show. So, okay, so before we get into one free fall, from Wolfville, Nova Scotia, and I know because you listen to every episode on Friday, I called up Ben Rayner, who was in Halifax. Yeah.

And can you tell me, so here, so I recorded it. It was a phone call. Like, because I knew, like, I wasn't hearing that story for the first time. I knew the story. So I was literally just catching up of my friend Ben to check in on him to see how he's doing. And then I recorded it and I dropped it because I've done this 1,000, whatever, 600 times, whatever I've done it. I've done it a lot. And I felt good about the episode.

I didn't love the fidelity of the episode, but I realized this is a guy on a phone with wind in Halifax, and I figure, okay, it sounds like a guy on a phone with lots of wind and stuff. So I knew the fidelity was bad, but it was still my buddy, Ben, for an hour or so. But then the reaction has been very interesting because a lot of people absolutely love it because it's so raw and so honest. But then a lot of people are troubled by it.

I need to know what your thoughts are on the Ben Rayner episode. I was really quite troubled about it. I'd be in the ladder, and I was worried for his well-being, and I hope that it sounds like yourself, we're other friends, and I was hoping, I was thinking more therapy because I think you've probably been, I've been, everyone's been in a bad spot, post relationships, we're adults and sometimes not just friends are the people you should be talking to

because a friend has has their own story to come into it a therapist doesn't have so I was hoping that he gets someone to speak to because it's sad even though he's putting across in a good way it didn't feel to me on a gut level that he was in a good place and I felt really a lot of empathy for him because that's a really really tough place, you know, financially or his daughter and stuff. So, yeah. Yeah, he's, uh, it was, it's, because I, I relistened. So you're in, like, I'm in the room. I was in the room. I was in this room right here on the phone. I can't even see him, right? Or I can actually see you. But I, so I lived it, then I dropped it. And then I think the next day or

later that day, I went for a bike ride and re-listened because I got some feedback that it was tougher to listen to than I thought it was going to be. And then I, I listened. And, and, I listened. And then I heard from Ben. So I do, I'll read a couple of things Ben published on the app formerly known as Twitter, which somebody said, hey, you know, so I haven't, I didn't see this until a couple of days later. But Ben wrote two things he wrote about his episode of Toronto Mike. He wrote, who needs to, and this speaks to what you said where you can't just talk to friends because friends are very biased and, you know, but he wrote, who needs to drop $140 an hour on therapy

when they've got a pal like Toronto Mike? so he wrote that but then he wrote after that he wrote this was fun I was pretty down yesterday but this cheered me up because a lot of people

were like you got to take that down and then I thought I feel like that would be a disservice to Ben like if Ben wants it down it's going to go down but I would like I would hate to you know record an episode of Toronto Mike with Ben

who I believed was of sound mind and body he's going through some tough shit but he's ready to talk about it and he seemed kind of he seemed very Ben Rayner to me. I know him pretty well. And to just delete that episode to me would be like kind of a,

I would think that would be a dick move. Like people were saying, some people were saying delete the episode, but Ben liked it. He had a good experience. Yeah, and it probably did make his day talking to it. And it does help clearing, obviously, getting things off your mind. But no, I wouldn't delete it, but I was just concerned. I had a little bit of empathy for being in that kind of position.

sure you know yeah well that's just it it's also precarious no you know I know

so we're gonna we're gonna get to one free fall here but I felt like Ben's not alone in this you know

you had a bit of it I had a bit of it a lot of guys yeah have been through especially when it comes to your your full-time job

your your your relationship your marriage when you have especially if you have kids I feel like a lot of guys are in a similar

spot to Ben and hearing somebody kind of talk through it, I think I think that's good like it's good for people to hear that, you know, not everybody's story is sunshine and lollipops and rainbows and you know. Now when he put across

that, I completely understand the point of it the hit was not seeing his daughter every day. Yeah, he is seeing but you know that the things that you take for granted, you can empathize with that. You know, they're not seeing every day that you think you're always going to see.

So, yeah. And then I thought it was interesting when I just said, like, okay, because, you know, Ben's from the Maritimes like you. So it's like now he's, you know, his mom's in New Brunswick and she's got a couch he can always sleep on and things like that. But I was thinking, oh, what if? Because, you know, Ben tells a story, like, his ex-wife just said, like, I'm moving to Dartmouth. But what if she was, I said just what if she was moving to Berlin? And then Ben very quickly said, I'd be in Berlin.

Lynn right now. So, one side thing that I don't know Ben's ex-wife and I don't cast any judgments and I'm only getting one side of the story, but I do not like the idea that I don't like the idea that somebody can move their kid that far away from the kid's other parent. Like it just bothers me on a personal level that if my ex-wife had just said, hey, we're moving to, I don't know, we're moving to Texas. I don't think you can. I don't think legally you can.

Well, I just know in this country. you couldn't even get on if a couple are separated you can't just get on a plane and go to Dubai they can grill you you know when you're going through. You have to sign some kind of a waiver. Exactly. Exactly. So I was a little surprised by that and they could actually move provinces because what if financially is

about financially? What if he couldn't even do that? Get to a maritime check. Well, I know somebody who lives in Berlin. I almost said Berlin. in Burlington, which is not Berlin, you know, Home of the Spoons. And his ex-wife threatened to move their kids to London, Ontario, and a judge

stopped it because it was too far. So, I don't know, I won't get involved. I'm here to support my buddy Ben, but I don't like hearing that, that, it just doesn't seem fair, it doesn't seem fair to Ben Rayner, the father. But I don't know enough to speak

any further on that. Okay, do you want to change the channel? Captain Bray down. All right. And don't be afraid. Like, this is Toronto, Mike. I'm worried you'll think, okay, I'm on CBC here and now or something. Not here now.

That's a Toronto show. But I'm on some CBC show. And I got to keep this succinct and high level. No, please tell me the origin of one free fall, a band from Wolfville, Nova Scotia. I have to say, though, I was warned by my partner, and no lean not to get cancelled she gave me a list of things not to talk about can i see that list let me approve this list exactly they're all your kind of touchstones yeah well uh one free fall yeah the original band actually um it was mostly nova scotian a guy named sandy graham the guitar

player uh drummer who a guy i grew up with a guy named jimmy williams uh and it was ken mcmiel and there was another guy called Jim Rocket. There was two guitar players. And a bass player, there's a guy named Marty Lake Dillowah, guy I grew up with who actually plays bass on Terry in the Dream Beats. So it's all Nova Scotia guys that move

going to town, going down the road, eh? And they're playing, there's playing, I was playing music. I was a drummer forever, but I decided I was going to go become an actor. And I came up to Toronto to audition.

to go to the potato patch. Is that Humber, the potato patch school? You know, I don't know. Oh, and it was university, and I auditioned, and I got in, but the guy said, listen, you shouldn't bother going to university. You should just go to auditions and get yourself an agent. Anyway, while I was up there auditioning to become an actor, I went to see my friend's band called One Free Fall at Quartet,

which is the name of the first EP that was released many years later, and I saw Ken McNeil singing who I'd never seen I went, that guy's it. Because they just had a temporary bass player I said, guys, I'm going to go back to Nova Scotia, I'm going to buy a bass and I'm going to become the bassist in your band.

I'd never played bass in my life. And that's what I did. I moved back, got a bass, a month later I moved up when I joined the band. And that was one free fall. They're all, except for Jim Rockett. Jim Williams, he's from Nova Scotia. He grew up the street from me.

Ken McNeil's from Nova Scotia. ground the guitar players in Nova Scotia not in the Valley but so it's all these kind of Nova Scotia boys playing in Toronto and that was one free fall okay I'd like to now I'm rudely interrupting you

I try not to do it in person that's easier it's harder remotely but I want to play a bit of audio and then pick up whatever you're on there I want to get back to that but okay so let's just play a little bit of this there must be some more

more than me see I hire Oh, and so. I don't know. What are we listening to here, Jim? That, okay, that's not the first EP. That is from the album called Mud Creek, which was the original name of the town I grew up called Wolfville,

number of Scotia. Do you know who's playing keyboards on that? Oh, I want to guess. Lawrence Gowen. It's Lawrence Gowen. No, Jason Snyderman. Sam a recommend, of course, with Chris Wardman producing at Metalworks, Gilmore. Of course.

I need a moment here. Okay, so Snyderman, who I recently saw on keyboards for Chalk Circle. Yeah, I heard, yeah. I was at the Elmo, and there he is. And son of Sam, of course. Yeah, Wardman From Blue Peter Hold on, here's the vocals

I was, you know, long buildup before vocals in that song Yes, holy smokes Okay, here, let me hear a bit of this, here. Sto be, Hey, hey, yeah, yeah.

I recognize that voice. You know, this would be a good closing theme because you get a long, like sort of like rosy and gray from Lois of the Low. Yeah, yeah And Chris Warman produced that

Obviously, that's why Jason's there So, yeah But we did an EP before that Okay And then we did that one in Los Angeles That one, this one you're listening to, Mudd Creek That's from Metalworks Okay, and this is 93

Yeah, and that's on handsome boy That's Jeff Rogers Because No one wanted anything to do with us We've been The one free fall, we pushed a truck up a hill for many, many years, you know, trying, trying. There's a beer in Nova Scotia, which is available in Canada called Keese.

That's what I grew up, drinking Kees. Their tagline is, those who liked it, liked it a lot, which is inferring that not everyone likes it, but those who do, they really like it. Like a friend, Roy, do you know Roy Pike at all the guy in the video maker? He's done everyone. No, but I do know Jeff Rogers. Yeah, well, he and their friends, well, there's people like Roy Pipe that One Fee Foll

is one of his favorite bands of all time. Rusty's okay, but One Fee Foll. Well, okay, so, first of all about Jeff Rogers is he's very actively, like he listens and he's always pitching me guests and sometimes he's arranging for guests. Jeff Rogers, in fact, I'm thinking of my neighbor, Jerry Levitant, the kid who interviewed John Lennon, He's a buddy of Jeff's.

And he came on because Jeff went over and said, hey, you know, in your neighborhood, there's this podcast you should do. And he did, and he's a great FOTM now. But just shout out to Jeff Rogers. He's been a great supporter of this podcast. Okay. And hearing Ken, I'm digging this vibe. So I think I talk too much about Rusty,

not enough about one free fall. Maybe that's Scotty Max influence. I don't know. But please continue. So, because I'm curious how you came to be hooked up with Chris Wardman, who's also an FOTM, as you know. That would be Jeff Rogers, of course, and Joni Daniels. It would be, it's, you know, it's the circle.

That's how we got Bruce LaBruce later with, you know, Rusty. It's all bringing, Jeff is really good at developing young talents, and then they become huge. Do you know the photographer Chris Wall did some stuff? He does all the queen, he does all the prime ministers now. He did our photographs for our third album. Who's it, Fliora? What's her name?

Sigmancy, Fliora Sigmancy. My apologies for Ms. Brown's thing. She does all the David Bowie, Ninth Snails. Okay. She did that video for Rusty with Danko Jones. So he's really good at spotting talent in a nascent period. And then they obviously blow up. So, okay, so again, name that, so we know,

Ken McNeiland vocals. We know you're the bassist. And you mentioned Sandy Graham. He's on guitar. But you change your drummer, right? Yeah. The guy that's on this album, the original drummer was Jimmy Williams. And then when we did a first

EP, which we did with Garth Richardson, you know, Rage Against the Machine, he's friends with Jeff Rogers as well. We got him. We went to L.A. and did that album. And do you know, a guy named Chad Smith. Yeah. He played drums on the first EP.

He plays in a band called the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Well, that song sounds like Red Hot Chili Peppers. Like, what's a dun dun dun dun da dun dun dun and a don't don't don't California Cation. Yeah, like that beginning of this song I just played when I first listened to it, I was hearing in my head Californication by Red Hot Chili Peppers. Well, if you listen to the first EP, that's Chad. It's a little bit more up tempo.

There's no epics on that. That's wild because everyone thought he always looked like Will Farrell. Yes, he does. So on this on Mud Creek, it's a guy named Bob Vespasiani, who played on that, who was another woeful guy. He was an older guy. He's a great drummer. And he actually transitioning into the rusty period, before even Scotty was in,

It was Ken McNeil, myself Bob Bestpasiani, writing demos in Kensington Market. And so he was a, but he had family, and he couldn't go touring with Russell. He couldn't make that commitment. And when Rusty got slim, we were going away. We were doing it sometimes two to 300 shows a year. Sure, geez. Okay, but we haven't yet said goodbye to one free fall. So tell me about wonderful FOTM Art Bergman.

oh yeah yeah so yeah yeah I plan on that yeah yeah and you know that list your wife gave you

of things not to talk about I want to hear you tear it up I want to hear you he's great he's amazing guy and actually I have a Juno it's thanked

again it's thanked to Art Bergman playing on the demos and on one song for what fresh hell is this the Chris Wardman produced

yeah I got to do that I was shocked I don't know, Chris Fordham is a, I'd say, I don't know why, he likes my bass planning. And so he got me to come in and do the demos and that wound up. And then they just released for a record store day. They released the double album, they released all the demos from that as well that I played on. So that was pretty fun. Very cool.

Yeah, go ahead. We've known him a long time ago. And actually prior to that, we did a song by Neil, do you remember the Neil Young? tribute. There is a Borrow tunes. Yes. Of course. I loved it. So we were supposed to do the song that 54-40 do

is they did Cortez the Killer, which we did on the Mud Creek album. We wanted to do that. And so what they said, why don't you do a song with Art Bergman? So we did prisoners of rock and roll off, is it the landing on Water Elm, I think? But we did that and they co-signed. That's a great

version, by the way, if you ever hear that. Well, I'm kind of prejudiced, but I really like that version. It's up-tempo. So that's one free fall with Art Bergman. So we go back with him quite a while. Just a quick Chris Wardman. I know it's all the Chris Wardman show here, except since I talked to Chris Wardman, the tragically hip, I was just hanging out of Jake old the other day,

but they had all these things from, I guess it was from the Road Apples. Up to here. You're right. You know what? I always think it's Road Apples. You did the demo that got him signed. of course so but what got released was get back again and got a lot of radio airplay I quite loved it I played it quite a bit

I thought it was great I guess it didn't make up to here because they I think I heard Paul Languas say something like they already had 38 years old and they felt like it was too similar in some regard and it didn't make the cut but get back again is a great song produced by Chris Wardman yeah yeah he worked with them quite a bit yeah and that's nice that came out Like we're going back to 88 with this stuff Like November 88 I think Is when this

Yeah Yes that would be about it Yeah Have you Do you know the Sons of Freedom Yeah I see I hear about them a lot Because lowest of the low

There was a tour with Art Bergman's Sons of Freedom And maybe a boot sauce Ooh dark Yes And it's become As a listener You've heard the phrase

Fuck Boot Sauce And again I say of my tongue on my cheek Because I've never met the guys I might love them or whatever But from guys like Ron Hawkins from Lois and Art Bergman, I've heard enough stories where I feel like it's an interesting thing to say. But what can you say about Sons of Freedom, Bootsaw's, Art Bergman? Well, I can tell you a lot about that.

Sons of Freedom did a tour with One Free Fall. We supported them for it. And oh my God, the sound of them, they're amazing. And Chris Wormann did the second album called Gump, which is amazing album. But the bass and drums on those are inspiration. to me. They were a powerhouse and three guys named Don and Jim.

I have a question about, so I could be wrong, but I was consuming a lot of 102.1 the edge, okay? I don't believe Sons of Freedom got much play here in Toronto. No.

When I talk to somebody from out west, for example, they talk about Sons of freedom, the way I talk about Rusty or whatever. It's a big fucking band, but why is it that I don't even think I could, I can't think, I know I hear about Gump, it's a good album, but Sons of Freedom was off my radar, but I was consuming so much Canadian alt rock at the time. Like, how did I miss it all? I think, well, for one reason, when that first album came out, they, they sound way more killing joke English than North American, and their sound

was so aggressive. Even though I had a pop, the melodies were really catchy. I think they're just too aggressive and just too ahead of the curb by that just like one free fall we were pre-grunge and they're pre-grunge so it was just wrong timing for the band such as one free fall one free fall come out the grunge we would have I mean I think it would have done better but if I may if I may interrupt to say that

you guys break up in 94 right so grunge kind of breaks in late 91 Yeah. Yeah, we broke up. I was trying to remember who we toured. Maybe a band called The Scamblers. I wound up doing a lot of scramblers that was Ziggy from Slow and Rockhead was in that band. Yeah, I came back. We did this Canadian tour, one free fall, and it was so funny. He came back on a Saturday. And I called Ken. On the money, he said, Ken, you know what? I can't do this anymore. He goes, oh, no way, really. I was thinking the exact same thing. So we broke up the band, like on a Tuesday,

told Sandy, and then probably by Friday we were rehearsing for Rusty. So I'm very, very interested in this transition, but I'm going to shout out a previous episode of Toronto Mike, which is episode 340, recorded in May 2018, when in the basement, because I guess we did this on toast, but not this episode. Where are you right now, Jim? I am in a place called Chatham, Kent, England

Long bike ride for me Okay, so you're in England And that explains this accent we can hear Because you're a maritimer who sounds like you're in You've been in England for a while Yeah, I don't use any of the slang You don't use any But you have the accent

Like I can hear it anyway I can hear it So how long have you been there 20 years This is actually the longest I've lived in any place in my life. Well, you can hear it in the voice there. So in the basement, this is the episode I recorded in May 2018. It was Ken McNeil, who's going to be talked about a lot in this episode.

Scott McCullough, who hasn't entered the story, but he's about to enter the story. Yes. And I guess filling in for you, right? He's been in the band longer than me now. It's true. So John Sutton, of course, who has a, he was in the weaker thans, right? Yeah, John Sutton. So now I only had, at the time, I don't think I had a, I think I only had three microphones here.

I got a fourth finally. In fact, I believe the fourth microphone was actually purchased by the good people at Blue Sky Agency because I have four inputs on this board. So I can have four mics, but I only had three going. And I think John didn't really want to go on a mic. He kind of sat on the back and didn't chime in too much. It was mainly Ken and Scott. But they came over and we dove pretty deep into the first three rusty albums.

And we talked about the breakup, the reformation, the new crowdfunded album. So we went like 90 minutes talking about all this. So if people want a companion piece, because you weren't in the basement, obviously you're in England. You've got other stuff going on. We'll talk about. But it's a pretty good rusty episode with Ken and Scott and, you know, John is there too. That was. I really enjoyed that one.

I love these guys. I really. And again, John was quiet. I don't know him as well. But Ken McNeil and Scott McCullough, I would consider friends. Like, I really like both guys. Yeah, well, when I told him I was doing you,

I mean, doing the show, take it as well. Maybe that's the after party. He goes, oh, yeah, he was a big thumbs up about you, my honestly. Which one? Ken or Scott? Ken.

He was really, oh, it wasn't awesome. I can't remember the turn of phrase he is. because there is, oh, there is a rusty news. You might want to get them back. I forgot to be in regard to fluke. Yeah. That's coming out in vinyl. Okay, that's exciting because things released in the 90s.

Yeah, things released. I just had, not jest, but Tom Wilson came over and gave me a strays from Junkhouse on vinyl. And it was out in vinyl for the first time because we forget in the 90s, nobody was interested in vinyl. No, no, it's all compactists. Yeah. So, yeah, a lot of stuff from the 90s is now getting, you know, vinyl release for the first time. Yeah, it looks really nice. I think it's colored vinyl to join.

It looked, I saw a proof of it, but it looked quite good. Well, I'm going to reach out, and I told this story on toast. I'll tell it quickly now, which is I was at, where was I? Sneaky D's and watching Rusty, and they were doing empty cell. And during empty cell, Ken locked eyes with me and shouted me out from the stage, And I felt like I could die now. Rusty has shouted me out during a live performance. Yeah, no, he gave you props when,

because we've been doing some emailing about this other thing, the cover song is coming out. And we still have a chat. It was me, Scott, and Ken. We saw a WhatsApp thing and go off topic quite often. Well, now that I know they're going to listen, I'm getting nervous over here. So you'll have to carry it, Jim.

Okay, so we got to get Rusty here. Now, so we just, as you said, one free fall has brought. broken up. Yeah. Are you and Ken the only members of one free fall who end up in Rusty? Well, the original writing session was Bob Vespessianney as well. And if you look on the Fluk album, he's half on it and it's Mitch Perkins on the other half. And allegedly, Rick Rubin was quite interested in us because he really liked the drummer Bob Vespasiani.

the end. I don't know if I got back to him, but he really like, because the EP came out was original stuff, wasn't, you know, the original EP that was independent, which we wanted just to be a demo. This is Wake Me. Yeah, yeah, and there's five songs on that.

And we just wanted to use that as a demo to put it around, but it was a, no, you've got to release this. This is, and it was the opposite of one free fall. It was literally like a bidding war that people were flying as in, taking it out for, you know, lunches and all that kind of stuff.

It's really strange. You know, again, you push a truck up a hill for eight years and nothing happens. And then, you know, you just get together with the right people. And all of a sudden, it was like that. We played a couple Elvis Mondays, William News thing at Elma Combo. And it just took off. I mean, it was, I think it was after the third show that people started flying in. Can you name the songs that were on Wake Me, the EP from 94?

I'm guessing it would be it would be misogyny and it would be misogyny well Wake me is obviously on there Wake me

Is it Billy Boy on there or is it I'm testing your memory but I don't actually I know you're asking the wrong guy I just write the science Come on man Okay you're off the hook here

But the bottom line is campus radio would start playing these songs from the EP. Yeah, they did. Yeah, and it didn't have to really get service and work like it did later. It wasn't someone calling and getting ads. It just really did. It really took off. And that video for Wake Me, I remember it being on much music all the time.

Yeah, Chris Lefko did that. And a lot of the people who were just friends of us. That was really good. Yeah, that was, yeah. Any relation to Elliot Lefko? No. Elliot, oh man, he's great. Have you managed to get him on?

Well, so I've had many one-on-one. Listen, it's a bit of a bone. Not that I respect the man, except I've told the story a couple of times. I sound bitter when I tell it. But I've had many a conversation with Elliot who says he loves Toronto Mike. He even gave it a big glowing review on Apple Podcasts. He loves Toronto Mike. And his brother Perry has been on Toronto Mike.

multiple times actually, but Elliot said he just politely, the most polite decline I might have ever had. And it sounded like he was really a private guy who didn't want to do anything in front of the mic or camera or whatever. And then FOTM Simon Head

put out a documentary. Yeah, he toured with Rusty Forever. He was just in London about two months ago. Sorry, go ahead. No, any Simon had any details like that I want to hear except I was going to the fact that he put out a documentary called subversives about the list of the low.

And it's a great doc, and I have a copy of the DVD somewhere in this pile of mess here. But I saw this documentary at, where was I? I'll remember in a minute where I was. But I watched this doc, and there is Elliot Lefcoe being interviewed for the doc. And I was like, that's son of a bitch.

He'll do the subversives, but he won't do Toronto Mike, even though he's a big fan. So I hope one day maybe, but that, you know, come on here. Who can say that's Simon Head, though? Nobody. I love that. Oh, my God. I love touring with Simon.

I love touring with Simon. He was hilarious. Oh, my God. We toured for her. And the stories he has. Oh, my God. Yeah. I like him too.

Tell me more about Simon Head because I hope he'll be listening to this. Oh, he's great. Yeah. We did this tour of Quebec Polywoog with all these French. French bands and SFNU and us and oh my god that was hilarious into the interior of Quebec Ramoski all different places oh my but Simon and the SFNU guys they're hilarious they're really nice guys as well okay shout out to Biff naked too friends of the oh yeah yeah but yes I'm oh yeah he was a great guy to be on the road with it was a rivoli I don't know

why I forgot the Rivoli I believe is where I watched the subversives which is a you know story club you probably played a few thousand times yes yes one free fall um i don't think rusty one free fall played there a few times it's always a bit do you remember carson the booker there oh my god no i don't see that's it i'm not cool enough to know that kind of uh unless you tell me about him yeah puppet show or rock band i know hayden filmed uh he did the video for as bad as it seems i think partly at the the rivoli as i recall but i'll tell you which was a good one you did for the Rivley, who you just played with the Asia, Noah, Noah Mince.

Oh, yeah. That was a great one. He was very revealing. Oh, my God. I don't think, I don't know if he's being recorded or not. He spilled a lot of tea, but it's primarily in, I think it's fair game at this point, but he was going hard at Gian Giongameshi. Yeah, he wasn't, but more self kind of revealing about himself in his college days,

which I thought, wow, I don't know if you want to share that. And when I had Brendan Canning over, I played Noah basically taking responsibility for Brendan's entire musical career which I thought was going to neat. All right, shout out to head. Brendan was Brendan. He was a little bit more reserved. Brendan was Brandon, but we got that,

I wanted that lens story about Steal My Sunshine. Russ, we did a lot of shows with H-Hed. We did in the early days. Played Oshua a fair bit, the schwa with them. They were nice guys.

Play with May. Do you remember Maid? Do you remember May? The 90s? band you don't know Spell it M-A-D-E Yeah I don't know why I'm missing

I don't remember made I don't know Were they on a If they weren't on a What's it called New Rock Search Was the contest at CF and Y Would always on New Rock Search CD

I probably missed them Yeah they were really good band We shared a space with them In Kensington Market And I don't know if you ever saw the clip The Rusty clip For the new music Did you ever see that one?

Probably at some point. But that's made space. And Ken would tend to wear a made t-shirts. He does promote them. I'm glad you're here because I realize now we haven't quite a... So, again, I'm going into the detail. And I don't even...

You know, if this episode is for me, Ken, and Scott, I'm happy with it. You know what I mean? At this point, it's like, I need this knowledge and you're here to give it to me. So... Manusia. So how but... But Scott, and I know Scott was on the show and we talked about it, but Scott's in the doughboys, if we have in point.

pointed that out yet, okay? And you're going to get me some John Castner content here. Does he still rock the dreads, do you know? Yeah, I will chase them up. I can do that. Okay, geez, we'd love that very much. Okay, so the doughboys, they don't break up, but Scott leaves, Scott quits the doughboys.

Something like that. Yeah, he talks about going to Toronto, because it's a Montreal band, Doe Boys. And he comes to Toronto. And, like, it just so happens that, that sort of Scott X of Doe Boys merges with one... Yeah, well, we knew Scotty... One Free Fall.

Going way back, when we... One Free Fall's favorite place in the world to ever play was Montreal. My best friend Andy, I've talked about him. He lived there. He used to stay with him. But Scotty and the guys in Wonder Free Fall, we used to like to stay up late. So invariably, if we went to Montreal,

we'd look up Scotty so we could stay up late. So we're always friends. You know what? All the years being in a band, me, Scotty and Ken, never once gotten a real argument or fight. Wow. Even when the band broke out, there was never, we never, we always were on the same page.

We have slight variations in the bands we like, but musically and ideas-wise, if we're going to do something, we never argued about anything. That's the only band of it. And I'm happy to hear it, actually. So we talked about the EP, Wakeman. And then, of course, you talked about some kind of like almost like you were being pursued.

Like, is there a bidding war? What happened? So now we're leading to fluke, of course, which I, as you know, I'm a big fan of fluke. Okay. Even though I can't play it, I need to get my mitts on the vinyl of fluke, just to put it in the studio here. So who won the bidding war? I think that was done three days. I think that was done three days with almost, you know, it was kind of like the police album.

Although, the police all I think sounds a little bit different than ours, but it was the same kind of deal, really low budget and done quickly. No magic in there, just really playing. But Chris Wardman back to produce this. Yes. Yeah, and Matt Mateo, do you know Matt Mateo at all? That guy's a real. He worked with Ashman Isaac, Big Rec.

He's an amazing producer himself. He did the last Rusty album. out of their heads. Okay. Same place for us at the studio. He's a funny guy. By the way, before I forget,

what did you think of Ashley McIsaac on Toronto, Mike? That was great. He's like, one of my favorite episodes about it. Yeah,

Rupol. Yeah, he's got the stories. Although, because he used to come into the studio sometimes when 1,34,

or Rusty who was over there. And just my interpretation, I actually don't get wrong if you listen. I think he likes to shock people. Sure.

And I'm sorry, but, you know, you got guys of our age and seeing things staying up late, you're not going to really shock us. So it didn't kind of fell on death of yours when he's trying to, you know. I found it, like, you know how, you know, what's a work and what's a shoot in the old wrestling parlance? With Ashley, I've always, I've been thinking about, okay, what's a work and what's a shoot? Because, like, some of these stories, it's like, okay, I just don't know did this RuPaul thing happen, you know, no one's going to admit it on the Rupal side, so it's like

I don't know. Like, I don't know. I guess you had to be there, I suppose. But you weren't there. I would definitely wasn't there, but I used to see him a bit. But Matt Matt Matt Matt yeah, he worked on it with Chris. And yeah, I like the, I like the Scotty story. Did he tell you about

the, is it groovy dead? And Chris goes, I think you need an acoustic guitar on that. Chris's going, well, you can't you? Well, let me play. Okay, on that note here, since now we're going to talk Rusty, here is Groovy Dead. Hello? my head under the

it's over it's all going to be down. Yeah. All the cup was over it's so for me to death And now, Jim, we're going to listen to all a fluke together, okay?

Yeah. I just had a flashback when John Castor, in 2011, John Castor was booking, what's the Canadian festival that happens? Edge Fest? North by Northwest. North Carolina, yes, yes. Yeah, yeah. So he approached us to do a reunion show. 2011 and uh it flew me over it was funny because it tied into me starting a new job they had to go

san francisco but i got to bring over my little boys my my wife at that point jodi and they got to see we play we played uh is it nathan philisprone yeah yeah yeah so we played that that was that was for like a better worth it was rusty it wasn't it wasn't great it was okay but then the second show we played elma combo went and did sound check there's no one there when we came on stage it sounds like hyperbole but there are people all the way down the block the place was jamming it was so packed and everyone's singing and i turned to can and go i don't ever remember us being that collector man it was amazing that was that was you know that was obviously my last show playing with him but what a way for me

then playing with Rusty it was amazing and it was such a great show too I thought amazing okay so that's amazing but before we get you

out of Rusty here so so Fluke I mean I don't need to people listen know what's going on here misogyny we talked about on toast and we talked about

the video of Bruce LaBruce is the Hustler White yeah the name of the film and Danko Jones you mentioned and then California's on this thing of course

And that gets you would... No, Groovy Dead. We're listening to now. Of course, Wake Me is on here. Yep. I mean, I think it's a play-through. And there are a bunch of songs you would hear on CF&Y, for example, or a video. Oh, yeah.

Yeah. We still, when you look at the So-Can thing, that's the reports for your, you know, your songs get played. We still get play. It's so primarily Canada. But it's weird. There's a place around the world that play, which I don't understand.

why, but you still get... I can help you understand, because it's good shit, man. Hey, you haven't mentioned black sheep. Yeah, okay, well, so talk to me... So there's a bunch of... Yes, now we've got to do the greatest hits here, because you already mentioned, and it's interesting, because I only now realize

Chris Wardman produced what fresh hell is this for Art Bergman. So he's like the sun. Everything's revolving around Chris Warzman. Yes, it is. He's the man. You're not allowed to play symbols with Chris Wardman's album. Oh, that's a fun fact. Yeah, no ride symbol.

You can only use floor tom. He doesn't, any band he works with, that's kind of foreboding. He'd almost take it away if you could. Okay, so before we get to Black Sheep, unfortunately, not as good as Tommy Boy, but that's not your fault, but we'll get to that in a moment here. So you get a Juno Nome, right, for alternative album of the year? Yes, the same, yeah, and Art won it.

So you won it technically. Yeah, I've got a Juno. I literally I've got my I got the nomination Juno and I also got for being involved on the winning. So it's That's funny though

You lost and you won And the rest of Rusty Must have Joshed you pretty good I guess you beat them out But yeah so what fresh hell is this Byrbbergman wins Rusty's fluke nominated But beat by Bergman

But you do play bass on at least one song that made it to what was this. Okay, cool. Yeah, that was fun to do it too. Okay. I often refer,

another thing I, you know, I reference Rusty and Fluke all the time on this program, but I do try to slip in references to one of my favorite Canadian movies of all time, which is Hardcore Logo. Ah, yes. Try to slip them in.

I, you know, I'm a big fan of hardcore, whenever, I did it with Sophie B. Hawkins, I think. I said she was going on a hardcore logo Western Canadian tour. I think I told it. Oh, do you do that kind of thing, just slip it in with a... Yeah, you know, she's not going to know what the hell I'm... I think she asked me a few questions what the hell I'm talking about.

But you did, what, let's break out of... Let's break Robert out of jail. Yes. Was on a tribute to hardcore logo that was by Rusty. Yeah, I watched that again recently. I liked it better the second time. I think it's great. Like, I think it's great.

Okay, tell me how you end up on a Chris Farley movie. How does Punk end up on that? It's probably, you know what, I'm going to be, I think was probably our, is it either to be Jeff Rogers or our publisher, you know, publishers, they want to get the money because they get usually half a year publishing. So they try to place it on TV shows and I think that's what happened with that. Oh, no, I know what happened. I'm wrong.

I'm dead wrong. Penelope Spears did that, right? The decline of the Western civilization. She directed that. I got that all wrong. My apologies. That's okay. She actually came down.

We were playing the dragonfly in Los Angeles to check out. She said, yeah, we can use these guys. So I forgot about that. Yeah, that's a story. Well, things are going big. This is like 96 or whatever. Yeah, it was really big. Yeah.

Things are happening for Rusty here. And I do like to talk about snow job whenever I can. I'm wearing a key spear, t-shirt in that. You wouldn't be able to do that now. So, what, they just invited you to come on, because much music used to, I guess they do a snow job and who else, do you remember who else played?

Your snow job? I honestly can't because it was just they expressed it wasn't one of the big ones. You know how they did the big, big ones? And was that Whistler, Beth? I don't ski, so I never like going to those towns. They were always boring. But Kenneth Scottie loved snowboarding, so it was always fun. Is this a David Kynes thing?

Is he behind the snow jobs? Was it David Kines? I know you might not remember. Maybe. Yeah, I might be. I think that's a David Kines thing. They were so supportive. I've got to say, I brought that up the last time.

I mean, they helped really support and break bands, you know? Like the thing that kills you. They're a band I really like that of our era. I know you've had Gene. Mike, those guys are the bands we put. You know, Scotty's favorite band out of that, all those scenes? Tell me. Grand Arvus.

and they were always scared of us. They never would have to talk to us. Are they from Guelph? I think so, yeah. My story there is, look, so I had this vision, this dream. One day I would get the lead singer of Gandarva's, and we'd record an episode, and we'd record it on the first day of spring, right? So I had this vision, this idea.

It's funny, I just talked about Chris Tate coming over from Chalk Circle, and somebody on Blue Sky said, you should have dropped this on April 1st, And I'm like, you know, if I were better organized, I 100% would have Chris Tate come over on April 1st. But the first day of spring belongs to the Gandarvas. But his brother got back to me and said he's so busy as like a geologist out west. Oh. Like the lead singer of Gandarvis is such a busy geologist.

He doesn't have time for Toronto Mike to talk about the Gandarva's. You know what? He, again, they wouldn't really ever hang or talk to us. I don't think he was really into a lot of promotion and self-promotion. So maybe he's kind of pushing down that period. It was like, maybe. Well, next spring, I'm going to take another run at this. It's important to me, you know.

Chris Tate. Who produced Chris Tate, chalk circle? Yeah. Chris Wardman. Yeah. I know. I know the, it's unbelievable, the Chris Wardman connection. Unbelievable.

Okay, so. That's what they did, 20th century boy, I'm sure. That's right. The, of course, your follow up, and I mentioned that I was shedded out during empty cell. that's the big hit off the first single release from Sophomoric, which comes out in 97. And I will say empty cell seemed to be everywhere,

like all over the radio, all over much music. It won a much music video award, right? Yeah. Yeah, I think that, anyone can correct me, it's easy to do. But I think radio-wise,

even to today, that was, did the best for, you know, if you, I don't know the best, but chart-wise, and it has the longest, because they keep playing. It's not very aggressive, is it? I think there's a, I don't know the word for this phenomenon,

but I have anecdotally noticed that when a band has a big breakthrough album, the first single from the next album will sometimes, even if it's not as good as stuff on the previous album, because now there's this anticipation, like for the big single off the new album, they just broke out with fluke or whatever, I feel like it gets inflated because of being the big lead single of the follow-up.

from the breakthrough. I don't know if we need to create like a term for this, but I've noticed an empty cell, which is a great song, but I mean, it probably would be the biggest song by Rusty

because it's the day, the first single off the follow-up to the big breakthrough. Yeah, and it definitely, it definitely was, but it still has the likes now. It still gets the most plays for some reason.

Okay. Now, some fans think you guys only put out two albums. Do you know? They'd be wrong. They'd be very wrong because out of their heads. Yes. How quickly did that come together in 98?

Very quick. Very, very, very, very quick. Yeah, yeah. Is it 50-50 covers and songs on that? There's a lot of covers. Sunday morning, Scotty sings out. He does a beautiful job of that. Right.

Yeah. But we're talking about like maybe three days total out of their heads. Yeah, the only one we ever spent time on was the Sophomoric album with Garth. We actually stayed in Vancouver and did at Mushroom Studios where Hart did their albums. And so, yeah, the sophomore was, yeah. So why are you playing your Farewell show in 2000 at the Opera House? Well, we did. Yeah, because when we broke up, we never really officially broke it.

You know, it's weird. No one's brought up this. But me and Ken, before we broke up, we were going to do an album with Attic. Do you remember Attic Records? I've had Almer, the late Al Mayer on the program. Yeah, me and Ken had lunch off just off Young Street. I forget what it was, applies. And we'd kind of agreed in, you know, verbally that we were going to do an album with them.

I don't know if Canada remember or if Scotty remember it, that I do. And then we broke up. Yeah. So, yeah, it was just to do sometimes, you know, because we didn't really formally do a last show. I think one of the last shows was probably London, Ontario. That's when we broke up on the way to the show. And then, yeah, so we felt it would have been right to do it.

So, yeah, that was a good show. People flew in from all over. That was a fun show, actually. Now, I may have not prompted from some stories from Rusty's heyday that you wanted to share. You could just spit them out here. But one note I got from you was, it was a link to the aforementioned Chris Wardman's SoundCloud page. Could you tell me, because can I read what you wrote? And then you can tell us a story?

Yeah, yeah. And then I will click this and see if I can play it. But Rusty recorded for consideration of a film soundtrack, but they passed. and had, I guess, Courtney Love? Yes. I rephrased it, but okay. Tell me that story. Well, again, there was another thing.

There's always, there's so soundtracks going around and people will say, would you submit the song, would you cover this? And there probably have two or three bands that cover it, and then they pick it, you know. Because back in those days, there's a lot of money in. There still is.

I think there's probably more money in soundtracks than any other kind of thing. Remember when the Metallica did that Mission Impossible? I think they got paid up front over a million to do that song just for it. So there was consideration. And I think we just did that while we, I think we probably got some money to do it. And then we might have actually recorded some more songs. But I'm trying to think what time period that might have been. That might have been, was that 96?

Hmm. I think whenever that was done, we probably got some money out of them and probably paid for some other songs we did at the same time. We probably bang that off really quickly. But I hadn't heard that in years, and then Chris put it on a while ago. Oh, you want to hear some season of the witch? Yeah, I thought it sound quite good.

We used to do it live for a little bit after that too. So Courtney Love, what Courtney love song, do you remember? Or no. Is it a whole song? I don't know. I could probably look it up, but I honestly can't. I just remember that, sorry, gentlemen, on this occasion, it's a no. Oh, well, let's play a little bit of a Rusty's season of The Witch.

Yeah, and this was never released anymore, so this is only on Christmas. Oh, okay, so it wants me to sign in to play it, so give me a moment here. You know, I got a note, so I dropped that Ben Rayner episode, and if you listen, I keep in the first part where it took me three calls to get him to answer. Yes. And I kept it in, and I kept it in because I was trying to. to let people be a fly in the wall for the chat. Like nothing was edited out. And then I got this note on some YouTube

like basically like ticked off at me that I kept that in. Like why are you making me hear the technical stuff? But then I was thinking, every other podcast on the planet would have edited that out. But I personally, for my show, which I own and it's my show, I like that stuff being in there. Like this is all part of the, you're now a fly on the wall for this chat I had with my friend Ben Rayner.

But here's some season of the wedge. When I look out my window, many sights, when I look out my window, many sights to see. In my window So many people To be Then it's strange So strange So strange

You got to pick up every stitch You've got to pick up every stitch You've got to pick up every stitch You've got to pick up every stitch Jim, wow, wow, wow, wow, must be the season of the end. It goes like that for about three more minutes. Did you tell us what movie this was going to be, what sounds like that? I don't, I can't remember.

I honestly, just blanked out. I don't even remember recording it to be. It is me, though. That's my base. That's wild. Okay, yeah, that's you on base. Okay, season of the witch. We did have been presents again, probably Matt Mateo,

and it would have been obviously Chris because he's posted that, yeah. Do you mind if I shout out a couple of events happening, some sponsors real quick here? And then we'll talk about your final, you know, because you talk about that reunion in 20, 2011 and I guess that's it for you and Rusty and then we'll find out quickly like what you've been up to since what have you been doing since 2011 my goodness hosting coasting well I have and also have another song loaded up here so you know I mentioned I went to discogs I have to find it everything Jim Moore did but this is the day we're talking is September 22nd and on Thursday which is September 25th we have TMLX 20 I've been calling TMLX 20

XXXX. You know, pretty clever there. Two X's for 20. Look at all smart I am. But it's happening at 6 p.m. on Thursday at the GLB brew pub. So thank you to Great Lakes Beer. This is not their brewery, but this is their brew pub at Jarvis and Queens Key. Thank you for hosting us. Everybody's getting a free drink and then free grub.

They make their own food there. So no palm of pasta. And we'll be enjoying Great Lakes, the GLB brew pub on Thursday. And the exciting announcement, Jim, you'll have to book a flight because I wish. In Mississauga for, I want to get the date right, November 29, which should be the last Saturday of November. We're all collecting at Palma's Kitchen in Mississauga for TMLX21, and I'll be doing a live recording. We always have a lot of fun at the annual Palmis Kitchen recording.

Everybody is invited, so I want to make sure everybody puts in their calendar November 29 at noon, be at Palmis Kitchen in Mississauga. everybody get that flight booked I want you everybody your kids your wife everybody to be there Jim so what kind of beer will they have there well I'm gonna bring I'm gonna bring cold GLB man yeah absolutely we drink GLB you mentioned those who like it like it a lot I remember that ad campaign for Keeves yeah

that's like the but here in Ontario it's all GLB all the time so thank you great lakes thank you Palmapasta I mentioned the good people at where Doug Mills the man's name from Blue Sky Agency. They bought me my fourth mic. They also bought all the chairs in this studio. I hope the listenership knows that.

And they sponsored Toronto Mike for two months. And this is almost the end of the second month. So I just want to say, if anybody out there needs a creative dynamic work environments, the person to talk to is Doug. I've been talking about silence pods. This is like a privacy booth basically that you have for the office. Those things are cool. But talk to Doug.

He's Doug at... Blue Sky Agency.ca. Thank you to Doug Mills for stepping up. I will have an episode later this week with the good people at Waterfront, BIA. So we'll talk a lot about what I say what's happening this summer, and I realize summer's over. So it's what's happening this autumn on the waterfront. Ridley Funeral Home.

Love the good people at Ridley Funeral Home, Brad Jones. His podcast is called Life's Undertaking. So subscribe to Life's Undertaking. Since you listen to Toronto Mike, Jim, I feel like you could do these yourself but you could tell recycle, I do. You could do the recycle my electronic

where's my measuring tape? I got a, I got to I get nothing. Next time you're in town I'm going to get you a measuring tape from Ridley Funeral Home. Yeah, you get nothing. That's the one downside to doing this,

but how often do you find yourself in Toronto? You know what? I haven't been a ding dang dang dong. It's been quite, It's been over 10 years, but I'm planning to take my boys next year to come to Toronto. Well, you got to let me buy you a GLB, and then I'll give you some measuring tapes. I will accept that because my younger son, Frank, he's really keen on going to Toronto.

So I was wrongly. But, yeah. I knew there was a Frank in the family because two of you jumped on this Zoom call, and one was named Frank. Yeah, that's probably his same. So, yeah, it changed a lot. I mean, the last time, every time I go back, because I moved there in 85, and then every time I came back, I used to come back for business at least once a year for quite a while. And it just changed every time, you know what I mean? I'll bet.

It's one of those things where when you live here, you don't notice it, but if you go away for 10 years and come back, yeah. You keep mentioning Kensington Market, I swear to you, I bike this city. I don't get to Scarborough as often as I should, but the rest of the city I get to a lot. And I still think Kensington Market is the last truly cool neighborhood in Toronto, like that still feels like it's the 90s.

Have the corporations moved in though? Oh, that's it. So, like this, it's still, honestly, I'll go there on a Saturday. I'll bike there on a Saturday and I'll just kind of walk in and go into all the vintage clothing stores or whatever, have a car,

whatever, hang out there. And I feel, it feels, And again, maybe I'm wrong, but it still feels like the 90s. So I don't think there's many neighborhoods left like that. So shout out to, I know they just, shout out to Molly Johnson, because they just had the Kensington Jazz Festival. I don't know if you know this Molly Johnson character.

Yes, I've ever met her with the work. Yeah, my friend, my friend went out with her for quite a while back in the day. Well, there's the T right there. How did that go? The camera. At the camera in those days back, yeah. Of course, shout out to Bora. We got a John Bora.

Yeah, yeah, I know John Borough very, very well, back in the days, me on Rome, and then with William New, I live with William New for a short while, and yeah, it's a small community in some, well, it used to be a small community in some way. If anyone from the community who would have good stories hasn't been on Toronto mic because I'm an ignorant guy, you can totally, like a lot of FOTMs will, Blair does this a lot, Blair Pack. Steve Payton does this a lot. Alan Zweig does this a lot. We'll basically be like, you need to talk to this person and they'll explain why. And almost all the time,

I'm like, okay, you know? So just throwing it out there. But I just want to... You're pretty good, though. You've got pretty good with the people in the scene and were actually there and a part of it. Oh, I love Ian Blurton.

Yeah. I was at the Change of Heart reunion show recently on Geary Avenue here. I was there for the garage, the sound garage. garage. Cool venue. Okay. So just let people know if you have old cables, old electronics, old devices, don't throw it in the garbage because the chemicals end up in our landfill. Go to Recyclemyelectronics.ca. Put in your postal code and find out where to drop it off to be

properly recycled. So thank you to all the sponsors of a couple, I think a couple leave at the end of the month. If anybody's interested in partnering with Toronto Mike, please reach out. Mike at Torontomike.com. This is a good time to get on. board here as we kind of reset here for October. But okay, you mentioned the North by Northeast Festival in 2011. 2011.

And you were reunited for this. Rusty. Reunited again. It felt so good. Let's sing it together. All right. It was fun. It was pretty funny, though. When everyone pulled up for rehearsals, they're all driving giant like four by four trucks.

It was quite hilarious. Ken's up in Sedbury. and my buddy Jeff Pierce who was driving me around he was one of the best friends that went back he was driving a big truck a little bit different than England

there's no big trucks here you know what I hate big trucks I mean unless you're working actively in construction and you need to carry all around stuff because you're working in a contractor

or whatever you are I guess maybe it's because I'm a cyclist I find the automobiles here they're so big now you got like cyber trucks cruising around and it's like we're being invaded by some other country has their tanks on the ground or something. I hate these big automobiles. I don't understand myself why in a city like Toronto, I guess in the 905, I kind of, I guess they just like bigger as better, they think.

But why would you ever want to live in Toronto and have an automobile that large? To listen to new country music. Oh, boy. All right. I'm going to get myself canceled here. I've got to be careful here. Okay. So, you, Jim, you moved to England in 2005. Yes. But the reunions, the reunions in 2011. Yes. You come back for the reunion?

I did. John Castor arranged that. That was fantastic. Yeah, I came back, did some rehearsals and played the shows. And again, that was quite amazing. It felt really good. It was quite fun. But we know.

I hadn't been doing music for a long time. And I didn't know if I was going to be doing music again. so I wanted to have my boys are really young men but I want them to have some sort of documentation of saying oh dad used to do this oh that's what dad used to jump around and be silly playing music so but since then I've gone back into them

playing music again so they know me about but for a long time that's not what dad did so yeah but dad if I may call you that you were the bassist for Rusty but they got John Sutton on bass yeah and he's a much better basis than I will ever be or ever was. So when you

do this reunion in 2011 are you on drums? No, no, he wasn't there. He was there in 2011. Yeah, the Wikipedia, I kind of corrected that because the Wikipedia had that wrong. Yeah, it still has it wrong. Yeah, Wikipedia had it wrong. So

after we did that, then they got John, I think, Ken and Sky said, you know, we could do this. We could, why don't we keep? This was good. People seemed to like it. why don't we continue and then they got John who's amazing in the band he's great

the Wikipedia which we can correct because Rosie Gray T.O. listens to Toronto Mike and then Rosie Gray Tio goes in and makes the appropriate edits the Wikipedia makes it sound like you're on drums

for the 2011 reunion. No, no, that was John Lully who was in the band you might know called Boot Sauce. That's right. You know what? I'm glad you brought that up. So I say fuck boot sauce

but not him. He came over and played of Rusty. John Lolley's great. I got to get him on Toronto mic here, just to talk boot sauce. Or you can get John Sutton because he'd have a great story.

He's from Winnipeg. He seemed so shy. I had him in the basement, John Sutton. And he didn't want to talk. And I didn't have, he'd have to share a mic. But that's not that hard.

It's the swing boom thing. He really seemed quiet and shy of the mic. And maybe that's because he didn't want to take any, maybe he didn't want to take a spotlight away from Ken and Scott. I don't know. So I don't know if that's. He's got his story

He's a great songwriter, a great musician Although it wouldn't be Toronto If he's from Winnipe No, but I don't care I mean, I don't care I'll talk weaker thans, of course I would talk to I hate Winnipeg, come on

So You're now done with Rusty So is 2011 your swan song with Rusty? That was, yeah, that was it Put a fork in it, it was done And then John Seidon takes over on bass Yes, yeah So you have nothing to do

of dogs of Canada, for example. Nothing. Nothing. They did share before they did, which was really kind and nice. And they told me about all that. That was nice. And they kind of, again, we got that chat. So they'll ask me about something from the past, because even though my memory's not great, it's better than theirs.

Well, you know what you need to do. You need to add me to that chat. Okay. Is it on WhatsApp? Is it on WhatsApp? Yeah. Okay. I want to be added to the Rusty chat.

Because if you've ever looked in the Facebook, Rusty, it'll always be with invariably, I have absolutely no memory of that. Because Russell, you still like to stay up late as well. Listen, I think I can be an honorary member. Just add me to the Rusty chat. I need to know what's going on there. So you're in, so you said you were not, so now you're back to performing on, I guess, on drums, right? So, you know, tell me a little, like a little taste of like what you've been up to since. 2005 when you moved to

Jolly Old England? Well, I got an approach after, again, a late night session having a couple real ales. And I'm in a band called The High Span. They're very prolific.

They did an EP. They did a full album. Second album is coming out and spin out nuggets before the end of the year. They're all great guys. It's quirky, very English. I don't know why I fit in, being a post-grunge rocker. He listens to a little bit harder music at times, but they're quirky, great songwriters,

great. And I'm also in a band called The Dutch Embassy, and they're kind of a pop, they're a more traditional kind of indie pop. Their albums coming up before the end of the year as well. And then I play in, it's a cover glam band that has all these different musicians from other bands like the claim again some are from the highest bands and different medway bands that are doing that so i'm playing lots and lots of drums i thought uh you know which was good because for a long time i wasn't doing music so what were you doing when you weren't doing music like is it

a secret or uh no no no no what a one of the reasons i moved over here uh was for to get a job because after playing music, I worked for a lot of bands, teching, bands like the crash test dummies, Jimmy's Chicken Shack, JoyDrop, you know, from Tara Sloan probably.

Of course. So I did that. I worked that end of the world. Kind of like Simon Head, right? Because Simon Head does that for Lois of the Loan. Yeah,

different bands. Yeah, yeah. So I did that for a while. And then I just retired from doing that. I went back to college, went to George Brown, to marketing. did that,

interned at an agency, but I struggled, even though I had contact, I struggled to get a job as an account manager within advertising within Toronto. And it was literally banging my head, and I had an opportunity through, who's now my ex-wife, Jody,

her brother-in-law, had a publishing company, offered me a job in England. He said, would you like to move to England? I said, yeah, really? So we just moved stakes and I've been doing in publishing for the last 20 years. Oh, cool. Okay, good for you.

Now, I'm going to play one more song I mentioned. I loaded up, but you said Tara Sloan. Yeah. Unpaid sponsorship here, which is that friend of the show, J.D., he has a podcast called The Tragically Hip Top 40 Countdown. Oh, yeah, yeah. Yeah, they're going to have a grand finale. Well, I stuck my episode in the Toronto Mike Feed,

so I talked about Fiddler's Green, and I stuck it in my feed there but they're doing a grand finale I'll be there it is I want to get the right day it's October 4 so Saturday October 4th at the rec room in downtown Toronto they're going to have a like

a tragically hip cover band called a strictly hip and they're going to have Tara Sloan is going to be a special guest for this episode so you mentioned Tara Sloan she's a good FOTM there's like she did the thing at Massey Hall for that

that's right so absolutely she did Absolutely. She did. So the tickets are 25 bucks. So TMLX events are free, but you don't get the value. You don't get it strictly hip. Although you get the royal pains, which are just as good, if not better. But okay, I digress. So these tickets are $25, but there's a promo code for Toronto Mike listeners to get 15% off. So if you buy a ticket or two or three to see this tragically hip top 40 countdown event on October 4, use the promo code Toronto Mike, all one words. one word, Toronto mic, you can save 15%. So you mentioned, I think you go to eventbrite.ca, and you can find it there. But use the promo code Toronto mic, say 15%. Can I play something for you, Jim? Absolutely. A little buildup here.

I feel I should talk it up. Centuries from now, where your house dance could be. a country lane A factory A cow An antenna In a land With another name

And Dromeda Jones lands her spaceship In Balfour Road Her augmented Eyes Help her realize

Her ancestral abode There used to be Adoor There used to be a door here Centuries from now Where your house Yes, nice, nice, thank you That's great

And remind us of your many, you know, projects you have on the go Which band is this one? That's the high span, but I neglected to mention Pod, which was done with a gentleman named Chris Broderick that sadly passed on. He was in a band called The Singing Lines. That's a great album. But yeah, this band is called The Heist Band. Then the second album is coming out before the end of the year.

So, yeah. And he's a neighbor of my name. His neighbor. Oh, that's funny. Okay. Andromeda Jones, I think this is a song Ben Rayner would dig, right? Because there's sort of a spacey Yeah, yes.

Spacey thing going on. And Kevin Younger is that he is pretty, he is the highest friend, he's his singer-songwriter, does all the music. He writes about things locally. He made things in his life. He's quite a wordsmith. Okay, digging it here.

So you're going concern there. Maybe next year you come back to Toronto and I get to finally meet you here. I will bother you. How was your Toronto mic debut, Jim Moore? Oh, I look those guys. Oh, is this the debut? It was the last one the debut?

No, this? Oh, no, I see. Okay, you know what? Listen, it's been a long day already. I had the Donovan Bailey. So this is not your debut, but this is your first deep dive. Okay, this is the one-on-one deep dive. We got to learn a lot more about Jim Moore,

but it is that technically this will always be your second appearance. because you were kind enough to be my special guest on toast with Rob Pruse and Bob Willett. Amazing talking you, man. I loved all the names we dropped. Thanks for having you. Thanks for having you, Mike. And I will, when we come to Tarana, we will bother you. That's how the Kings would say it, right?

Tirana. Trana. That's the Kings. Tarana. Going down the road, eh? Shout out to Oakville. Okay, going down the road. You know, I'm a big fan of that movie.

And the sequel, the sequel. the sequel of going down the road because there was a sequel has Kathleen Robertson in it really and she was on the show two weeks ago is still going down the road something like that like going down the road again

or something like that all right Jim this was awesome buddy thanks for doing this oh thanks Mike and you got to hook me up with John Castner I got to get him out I've written it down always a pleasure never a chore And what an honor it is that you are in the top 0.0017% of us Toronto mic fans that listen via Spotify.

That's all, that's amazing. I got to keep it up, though. I'm in the top 0.017% of fans who love the album of Fluke by Rusty. Luke, how bad. In your roundup. And that. I don't have a roundup because I use YouTube premium. I don't use Spotify.

so I miss out on all this unwrapped stuff. I know. Oh dear. I need a YouTube wrapped or something. I don't know. But that, and that. Stu Stone's listening. I've got to do it bigger.

And that brings us to the end of our 1,766th show. Go to tronelomike.com for all your Toronto mic needs. Much love to all who made this possible. Let's patrons like you. Go to patreon.com slash Toronto Mike. And I promise any day now, I'm going to go and clean things up in there. So it's a better experience. But heck, become a member today.

And I'll get in there tomorrow. You'll see. Great Lakes Brewery. They're hosting us on Thursday. I can't wait to meet a bunch of diehard FOTMs at GLB Brew Pub on Thursday. That's going to be awesome. But Palma Pasta, they have us for the big one. Everyone's invited to Palma's Kitchen on November 29th.

Put it in your calendar. It's at noon. Be there. Toronto's Waterfront BIA. They're my next guest on Toronto, I can't wait to talk to them. Recycle MyElectronics.ca. Blue Sky Agency

and Ridley Funeral Home. See you all again. My next episode will feature the Waterfront BIA people. Can't wait. But on Friday, Jim, this is exciting. On Friday, in this basement,

a couple of Atlantic Canada people, a couple of Maritimers named Chris Murphy and Jay Ferguson Together in the basement I used to buy records from Gay, but then I live in Halifax. Oh my God. See, I love what a small world we live in.

I know Chris is from PEI, but he then moved to Halifax, but is Sloan the biggest band to ever come out of Halifax, or is that April Wine? No. Is it April Wine? I would say so, yeah.

I would say they definitely, yeah. Well, Sloan, Friday, in the basement. Be there.