Toronto Mike'd: The Official Toronto Mike Podcast - Karen Bliss: Toronto Mike'd Podcast Episode 1791

Episode Date: November 4, 2025

In this 1791st episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike chats with music journalist Karen Bliss about her career writing about music, covering the darker side of the industry, and recent losses she's suffered. Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Palma Pasta, Ridley Funeral Home, Nick Ainis, Blue Sky Agency, Kindling, RetroFestive.ca and RecycleMyElectronics.ca. If you would like to support the show, we do have partner opportunities available. Please email Toronto Mike at [e-mail].

This is Karen Bliss, and my discussion with Mike does involve a very disturbing story about alleged sexual assault. So this is a trigger warning. Hey, what's up? This is Chuck D. You are listening to Toronto Mike right here, right now, and the place to be. Welcome to Welcome to episode 1,791 of Toronto Miked Proudly brought to you by retrofestes.com, Canada's pop culture and Christmas store, Great Lakes Brewery. Order online for free local home delivery in the GTA.

Palmapasta! Taste of fresh, homemade Italian pasta and entrees from Palma Pasta in Mississauga and Oakville. Blue Sky Agency. Ask Doug Mills about how Silen delivers the space to focus, collaborate, and recharge. Nick Aini's, he's the host of Building Toronto Skyline and Building Success, two podcasts you ought to listen to. Kindling, go to shopkindling.ca, for free. one-hour cannabis delivery. Recycle myelectronics.c.a.comitting to our planet's future

means properly recycling our electronics of the past. And Redley Funeral Home. Pillars of the community since 1921. Today. Making her highly anticipated Toronto Mike debut. It's Karen Bliss. How are you, Karen? I'm good. How are you?

What happened in your life when Karen became this? like term for you know may I may I speak to the manager like because Karen was just a name or similar vintage I mean there were women named Karen and then all of a sudden it became like a derogatory term what is it like to be a Karen when that happens you know I know some people are offended I don't care do you feel like leaning in like okay I'm a Karen like literally let me show you how much of a Karen I can be no I do not all right you don't I don't lean in on that. I don't even really think about it, but there are some Karen's that are very offended.

Yeah. I would be offended if suddenly Mike became this term for like an asshole and maybe it kind of is. I don't know. I would be like, no, that, that sucks. Not all mics are the same. Right. But there's Dear Johns, there's Brad's, there's all kinds of. Brad Brad Brad?

You know. Shout out to Ridley Funeral Home. Rad Brad Brad Jones has sent over a measuring tape. Do you got a measuring tape there? I can't see. Do I have a measuring tape that I brought with me to this podcast? You didn't tell me to bring a measuring tape. On the red box, Karen, is there a measuring tape?

No? Okay, here's one right here. That is courtesy of Ridley Funeral Home. Just since you said Brad, I thought I'd give you your first gift of the day. Wow. Thank you. Yeah, there you go. You can measure what you wish, Karen.

Okay. Karen Bliss, we're going to get into it, but is that a stage name? I mean, Bliss is such a perfect surname. I can't imagine you were born Bliss. That is my real name. And when I was younger, I did not like it. Because people used to say, are you blissful or blister? Blistex?

I got it all. Now I like it. And if I had to redo my career, I would have just gone with bliss. No Karen. Oh, really? One name. Absolutely. Like Madonna.

I think it would be too pretentious for me to do that now. Because now it's become kind of an oxymoron of sorts, right? Because you're a Karen. but then it's bliss, like they don't really match. I had not thought about that. Well, that's what you're here for. Thank you for pointing that out. The first big question of the day is not about your name, Karen.

I want to know, how is your ankle? Well, I had physio this morning at 7.30, and it's been six months since I slipped down the stairs and I tore the tendon from the bone. And even though it looked like I was going to concerts, it's all summer. Sure did. It was a big ordeal.

I had to play it out in my head. I had to contact the accessibility people at the, whatever the venue was, and it was very selective. It was actually quite a miserable summer. I had to rely on a lot of people to bring me food, to pick up milk, lots of Uber's. But now I am driving, and I am so happy, and I'm just working on range of motion. I'm not walking very well. In fact, I was at the Blue Jays game where I had to stand for four hours, completely worth it.

Was it game seven? It was. Okay. But I could feel the last half hour. I could not feel my feet. Like both my legs actually atrophied. That's what happens when you're non-weight bearing. You know, that's that term I now know and use often.

So my legs atrophied. and I have a lot of, you know, physio and... It sounds horrible. I don't mean... I'm not even trying to make light of it because I just remember... The way I remember, you know, this, I can't believe you're here

because... Do you remember we were going to do this in, like, February or something? Like, David Kines connected us and we were going to do this, I think, February. And then there was going to be a cold day and you were worried your car wouldn't start. Do you remember this?

And then we pushed it. And then do you remember, like... I don't know if it was the car wouldn't start, but I have a very impractical sports car that can't really navigate snow. So maybe it was weather related. And then we pushed it like another week or so. And then you said,

sorry to do this, but essentially you said, I'm blowing you off because I have a rock star that's going to zoom with me. Do you remember like we had this rescheduled? And then you blew me up, I don't know, maybe Liam Gallagher or something.

Who knows? Yeah, maybe. Right? And then you wrote me to say, you told me about your ankle and that you were, basically I'm immobile. You probably thought I was lying, right?

Well, I didn't know if you're lying, but here's where I'm going with this. So you're like, I'm immobile. I've hurt my foot very badly. Next thing you know it, I see you at the David Kynes breakfast at the Royal York Hotel. So I remember confronting you. Do you remember this? I think Rudy Blair was there, FOTM, Rudy Blair. But I remember, I went up to him and like, oh, Karen, you're so immobile.

But I wasn't driving at that point. And I can't go down subway stairs and all that. So what I was going to say about the Blue Jays game is I was in so much agony at the end of four hours in my head. I was in agony because we lost, but I was also in agony because I was like, oh shit, how am I going to leave this venue? I now have an accessibility parking pass. I parked on Queen. And I was in so much pain leaving. And it took so long for me to get up to Queen Street.

But it was absolutely worth it, even though we lost. I can't imagine what, because I watched on the television upstairs. Like, I can't imagine what it would have been like to have been there, considering the twists and turns in that game. I mean, there was a moment I thought they were going to brawl, like it was the 70s hockey game. Yes. And then, of course, that, imagine that World Series ending on video review.

Like, can you imagine if they overturn that call at home with ICF? And then that ball Clement hit where the, who is it, Pahez, basically body checks the guy out of the, way and makes a great catch that would have been like there were so many moments in that game and you were there how's your heart um yeah you know it's interesting games it always goes to game seven and yeah you always think you're gonna have a heart attack yeah well because everything you know how baseball is 162 games and it's like the least significant anything is a regular season baseball game because it's one of 162 but then you get to a moment you're in game seven of the world series where

Like, every pitch has such weight to it. Like, everything is so, it's, you, we're not, we're not made to go, like, you know, it was 11 innings, right? We're not made to go 11 innings with every moment being that monumental. Like, it's a lot. Absolutely. And the crowd was amazing everyone around. I went by myself, you know, so I was like.

Well, how did you get the ticket? You bought this ticket? Yeah, I'm not going to, you know, get into it. But, you know, I have had. You know, I had a crappy summer. I had a crappy year. I kind of have had a crappy four years. So I just wanted to go.

You wanted to treat yourself? I did. But you're not going to disclose whether you paid for the ticket. I paid for the ticket. Okay. I thought you were being, like, coy there. I thought it was a Jane Harboury Bob Roper, Getty Lee hookup or something. Yeah.

Okay. You're not going to tell me what you paid for that ticket because you're, you're embarrassed. that you spent so much. I'm not embarrassed. I have a roof over my head and a credit card. No. Okay. Will you tell me afterwards?

No. When I finished recording. Okay. So your ankle's healing. Yeah. It's a long road, I think. I can't really walk properly. You have to train your brain to,

I can't pronounce the word. It's like preprop something. I can't pronounce brewery. Can't run if there was a fire here. You'd have to leave. No. If there's a fire during this episode, I will carry you like the bodyguard, okay? You'll be Whitney Houston. I'll be, what's his name, Kevin Costner. Okay? All right.

There was an episode I recorded with two people I think you know, but I want to start with this. So this is kind of recently. We, Richard Flo Hill and Dave Charles were on the show. Oh, and Bill King as well, you know, all three of those gentlemen were on this show to pay tribute to David Farrell. Yes. I thought maybe just off the top, because in that episode, So you were referenced, and that's sort of a moment where it's like, why hasn't Karen been over here? Like, what a Karen? Like, come on to get over here, Karen Bliss.

Like, you were like a missing link. I needed to get Karen Bliss on the show, and here you are. But can you just tell us about your personal and professional relationship with the late David Farrell? So without David probably would not be here. Like on earth or just in my basement? In your basement talking about, I'm assuming, music journalism. So when I was in university, actually when I was in high school, I started writing about music. What high school?

I was at York Mills for a year and then I went to Fleming. Okay. But I had a year off before university and I started writing for a couple of local publications. then I went to UFT. Like, do you want to shut out? I just like the names. Like, which local publications were you? Publications at the time that gave me my first opportunity.

What was it called? The regular people don't care, but that's like literally what I care most about. I cannot. I remember the name of the woman that published my first stories. What was her name? Kelly Maskeran. But I can't remember which publication it was.

But it was just one of those local freebies. And then throughout university, I had a radio show on C-I-U-T, which I had for way too long because I had it probably for 10 years, and I was not in university for 10 years. Well, this is what I say to my oldest, who's taking the long route to his degree at York. I went to U.T as well, by the way, but I always say, you know, like, and I got this line from a movie, obviously, but it's like a lot of people, I'll say this to you can't. A lot of people go to university for 10 years. I did not. I was there for three years, but I stayed at the radio station. for another, probably seven.

Well, the kicker on that is they're called doctors. Yes. Okay, so Dr. Bliss, please continue. You're at UFT on C-I-U-T radio. Yes. And I had a weekly interview show, and I also wrote for The Varsity, and I was rock editor of The Varsity at one point.

And then I would run into fellow music journalists doing interviews and Graham Boyce, who went on to start raw energy records for King Apparatus, a scoff band. Of course, King Apparachis. He actually, I don't know if he got me the job at RPM weekly for Santa Walt, but I wanted to write and they wanted a receptionist. And my personality is not the type.

Anyway, I did get fired after two weeks. I think I had a cold that week too, so I'm like, RPM. Yeah. And Graham, when Santa Walt would go out for lunch, he let me do a couple of interviews. I think Tangerine Dream was one of them. Anyway, I got fired after like two weeks. But it's interesting that I was kind of a go-getter, even though I was quite shy and quiet, because somehow I ended up meeting David Farrell and learned all about the industry, had a column, wrote about the industry. And if it wasn't for him, I, you know, wouldn't have become a music trade writer. And even through when he had FYI music news as well. And he used to call me like every week and sometimes, you know, at odd hours and hey, Bliss and ask me questions. And yeah, he was an amazing.

So no David Farrell, no Karen Bliss music journalist. I think so. I do think so. So it's good to get your perspective on David Farrell. I know Flo Hill and Dave Charles. and Bill King, they all shared similar sentiments. So what publications were you writing for before FYI music? Like, I'm just wondering, how do you...

Well, FYI music was later, right? So back then it was the record. That was like a Gary Slate thing, right? FYI music. Yeah, so the record was kind of like our billboard, and that is the publication that I did a lot of writing and met the whole industry. And, yeah.

So can we talk about that industry a little bit? Like, who were the movers and shakers? And I don't even have a sense of what era. Are we in the late 90s here? Where are we? Do you need that information? Well, it's, you know, you're being coy because you think we'll figure out your age. I did send you some information to do your research.

But you know what's funny? Did you even look at it? Of course I looked at it. Of course. If you send me something, I'm going to look at it. But I did, you know, there's a huge paragraph with all the publications that I written for. So you're right.

What is the point of? this. Like I'll just blue sky skeet your bio and say, here's the episode of Toronto Mike. Just read it for yourself. Come on. Karen, that's not how this word. You know. You talk to these music. I know, but I'm not interested. We're only at the beginning. We're going to be here for like

hours. How much time do you have? Okay, it won't be hours. But you did say, can I send you my CV? And I literally said, nah, just send yourself to my base in a check. But you know, I'm a journalist and I interview people. So. Yeah, but do you like it? I like research. But do you like? Because then you can ask more interesting questions. But when you ask,

oh my God, this is going to be interesting. So when you are talking to somebody like Liam Gallagher, like would you ever send Liam the questions you're going to ask? No, I never do.

Right. I didn't. But I feel like this is sort of like. No, you sent me answers. Just a bit of background. You sent me your CV. But if you know information

about the person, then you can ask more interesting questions based on that information that you have, right? So if I didn't do any research and, you know, Oasis had a new album and I'm going who produced the album right where did you record it so you're saying they would

walk out in two seconds okay so clearly you have to go oh so-and-so produced the album and you were in Hawaii did you go surfing so clearly you've never listened to any of the 1,791 episodes okay what episode could you possibly have listened to because if you ever listened to a Toronto Mike Debs said, you know, of course I do my home. I know who I'm talking to. I'm not going to just, who's this Karen Bliss I randomly begged to come on the show for years. Like literally persisted for years

to get you on this program. Why, though? Right, because you're... What do you think that I could possibly share that it's going to be any more interesting than what Rudy Blair, Bill King, or Richard Flo Hill? Well, they're all different human beings, for starters. Like, everybody's story is unique. We're talking

about your journey, okay? All right. Obviously, your story is going to be radically different from Bill Kings. Who is playing piano for Janice Joplin? I did not ever play piano for Janice Joplin. Do you play any musical instruments? I don't. I have tried, and I did try in my teens. I have zero talent.

That is why I became a music journalist. So obviously you love music. So what were your jams? Like you're so coy on your age, but we can assume you're somewhere between 35 and 90 years old Okay, that's a range I'd say that's fair

You're sitting in that range here Okay, what were your jams Like what were your bands growing up? What kind of music were you into? I love the stones Everyone know everyone who knows me Well knows I love the stones Do love the stones

I can draw a stone's lips logo And probably less than 30 seconds Move over Andy Warhol Here she is Springsteen I love, Neil Young, Bob Dylan. But I also, maybe not to the same degree, like Depeche Mode and The Cure and Talk, Talk, and Jellyfish and the Water Boys and Pink Floyd. But you mentioned Springsteen. Yes.

So a question came in for you from T.O. Joe, not to be confused with F.O.T.M. Joe and T.O. these are two different human beings. But T.O. Joe writes, I know Karen's a big Springsteen fan. I saw her at his Indigo book signing and I read that she got a chance to have more of a real chat with him at a TIF party.

I was wondering... Who is this person? T.O. Joe. I was wondering what they talked about and if it was a satisfying experience for her. He puts in quotes, Never meet your heroes and all that. What did she say to him

when she met him at Indeastern? ago and what was her opening gambit at Tiff? Please, Karen, tell us about meeting the boss. Okay, so I've never interviewed Springsteen. I would love to. Probably will never happen. I also have not interviewed Keith Richards. Actually, it's not true.

I interviewed him for like three minutes, but that doesn't really count. But he's my guy. Bruce, I mean, it was the Indigo's, you know, assembly line ushering people through. I forget what I said, to be honest, but I have a nice photo. And then later, during TIF, I did go to this little gathering. I can't remember the name of the restaurant. And so, interestingly, I went to see his show on Broadway three times. The first time was when it was like a limited amount of shows and you had to have a promo code.

And I didn't get that promo code, but someone I knew got one and he was able to get one ticket for me. So I flew down, stayed with a friend, and I went by myself, freaking amazing because it was, you know, in a venue that was less than a thousand capacity and it's, you know, stories and song. Then he extends it and my other friend got the promo code, so we got better see. and I went with her, and I had a great time. In between, so that was, I think, in January. Then my dad passed away. I'm sorry. In February.

And, yeah, your life changes when that happens. I had actually taken my dad to C. Springsteen a couple of times. But then, in the summertime, one of my best friends came in from Laguna, and she used to live in New York, and she wanted to go to New York. So we went to New York. We, you know, did the usual. And then I was like, I can't believe you're not going to see Springsteen. We have to go. So we bought tickets, I think, on Stubhub, and I went, and I actually cried because his stories, now that my dad had died, I heard different elements of that show.

Before, I'm laughing, you know, his jokes, and it's a lot about his dad, but that didn't have a, impact and didn't resonate with me and then my dad died and then I'm in the dark like at the springsteen show like quietly kind of crying because so that is what I told him in a shorter version um I don't know it's a weird thing to tell someone but no it's a person I think it's what they'd want to hear interesting like depending on your situation you hear different things in that particular Broadway show that he did that's what a talented artist he is Have you seen this biopic? So I'm avoiding all trailers, all reviews.

Okay. Because I was... Well, let me spoil it for you. No, I've been very preoccupied with the Blue Jays and some work, so I haven't had a chance to see it yet. And all those emails you have to reply to. And all the emails, yeah. Got to get on those emails here.

Okay, so I think that if I were to meet somebody like a hero of mine, like a Bruce Springsteen for a moment, that I would probably tell him about... Tom Wilson staring at his tits. I think that's what I would do. I don't know if you've heard the Tom Wilson, Bruce Springsteen, Titt story.

No, to why you want to? Well, yeah, it's a good story, actually. But, you know, he was caught staring at. Bruce has pectoral muscles that are such that he has cleavage, like male cleavage. And, you know, cleavage knows no gender. You know, you stare at cleavage.

It's just human nature, okay? And Tom Wilson got caught. He was a big hero at Massey Hall, I believe. Anyways, that's a great story. But yeah, no, I think you telling Bruce a personal story. I think that's what you do if you have a couple of minutes with somebody like that. You don't want to tell them. I love Nebraska man. Yeah. You know, I think so I think you had it well. However, even though I mentioned all these artists, I have to say, I also loved

Corey Hart and Brian Adams. Corey, when I was a kid, I made a t-shirt for him out of puff paint on my driveway and went down with my friend to the hotel to give it to him. And then he let me in the side door of Massey Hall. Flash forward through high school, through university, through adulthood and being a legit music journalist. And he and I are friends. And he's a fantastic human being. Can I guess what the T-shirt said?

Can I guess? It was just his picture. Oh, I thought I was going to say, never surrender, Corey. I didn't say, I love you, Corey. It was, I think, his face. I'm sure it didn't even look like his face. And if your path won't leave you home you can. I'm doing my Corey Hart.

And then Brian, one of my best friends, had gone to see a foreigner in Montreal. She loved Lou Graham. And she came back and she was like, we got to go see this guy, Brian Adams. He's opening for Journey. in Buffalo. So left a note for my parents gone to Buffalo. I don't think I had my license and got tickets from Scalpers, went down to the front.

She likes to air drum. And then I looked on the album cover, like for the credits. Thank you. And then we went to the side of the stage. We were like, can you tell Scott Karen and Lisa here? So Keith, as everyone knows, a fantastic guitarist. I would say even underrated. And he's been playing with Brian for probably well over 40 years.

They're, you know, best friends. And he's an amazing human. But he came upstairs because he was probably like, do I know this Karen and Lisa? And he came up. And again, we've been friends ever since. I was not. You and Brian or you in Keith?

Keith, me and Keith. Okay. And we weren't. I wasn't a music journalist at that time, so he has followed my path. And, yeah, so those are my other two little stories. Well, I like hearing stories about Brian Adams and Corey Hart because they played on Tears are Not Enough. And I'm a little bit of a historian when it comes to Tears Are Not Enough. I'm trying to talk to as many people who are on that recording as possible.

Yeah. Okay, you know what I think? I think you would love Toronto Mike. Like, I feel like you should just throw it on when you're replying to emails and you never know what you're going to learn. did you listen on that note did you listen to the ben rayner episode fairly recently i did i also listened to the sunny greenwich uh junior because uh i was pretty tight with those guys okay what did you think of so because you know i learned a lot actually not that i didn't know but but you were tight with them in their heyday like in the 90s okay so the bull and all that

so did you think they were assholes i love them i thought they were humorous but You know. Okay, well, you're a music journalist. You should do an expose. Talk to bands who played with the boot sauce. Talk to Brother Bill from CF&I. You're doing that. From what I heard, you're trying to get that scoop.

But it was good to talk to Sunny because it's good to hear that, you know, he owned it. Like, I felt I really enjoyed my chat with Sunny Greenwich. His dad is a big fucking deal. Yeah, he's a legend. Yeah. Alan Zweig wanted more talk about seeing. I actually went to see Sonny. um senior no okay junior i went to visit in ireland just overnight i was in london and i took

um whatever that cheap airline is that's yellow and oh i've taken this too it's like the no frills of of airlines and yeah it was a beautiful little town and there's so many pubs and uh i remember like I don't think he had his driver's license and his mom was driving us, like pointing out places and he would go, oh yeah, you know, this pub's closed now because, you know, people would drink and drive, you know, but we're not allowed to do that anymore, you know, and then the local taxi driver, like they knew them by name, you know, and I think I only wanted one beer when I got there and people were kind of shocked that I, you know, either didn't want a beer or just wanted one.

Wait, do you drink or no? I mean, as I said, like, just one, maybe, you know. Okay, everything in moderation. I drink, like, Guinness and I'll drink Corona. Would you drink Great Lakes Brewery, brewed right here in San Antonio? Of course, because they're your proud sponsors. I would not be here without them. Well, look, you know how this works.

Look at you. You're such a business professional. Listen, you are taking that, those cans of, fresh craft beer from Great Lakes home with you. So you can, you know what, pairs nicely with fresh craft beer from Great Lakes Brewery? Lasagna from Palma Pasta.

I have in my freezer upstairs, a large beef lasagna from Palma Pasta for you. That's fantastic. Did you know, like when you do any other show or talk to anyone else, do they give you lasagna, beer, do they give you a measuring tape? They do not. I'm so

happy I drove out here. You know, I'm glad you're here. We're just warming up here. All right. You'll just touch your nose. Go like this. Go like this when you're ready to leave, okay? And that's when I'll wind down.

But I want to give you one more gift. We now have like a lot of like, we're still at the beginning. Well, I'm not going to walk through your whole CV. Like I didn't even want your CV. If you remember, I said, no, don't send me this CV. And you sent it anyways. I thought you would ask about Samaritan Matt.

I thought you had asked about Adrian Strang. I have that here. Okay. All right. I know what I want to hit. We're warming you up so that. You'll just lose your filter and just tell me anything. This is how it works.

I'm just warming you up, okay? But on my way to warming you up, there's a brand new sponsor of Toronto Miked. I'm going to read a Google review for RetroFestive. You're ready for this? Can I just say? Of course. I should do this because. Well, you're going to do it anyways, Karen.

I love Retro Festive. So you do it. And I'm not joking. Tell me what that is in that blue box and what you're receiving from Retro Festive. A moose mug. That's a moose mug. How did you know? Christmas vacation.

This is great. Yeah. See, now you're happy. Yeah, I always wanted a moose mug. Well, Ty, the Christmas guy, he owns Retro Festive. He was here yesterday to drop off those moose mugs. You're only the second guest ever to receive one. You have a moose mug from Retro Festive.

Here's the quote from Google Reviews I wanted to share. Always fun, unique, and nostalgic gifts. Shopping Experience. I really read that funny. Okay. Always fun, unique, and nostalgic gifts. nostalgic gifts shopping experience. Nothing else like it.

I think Joseph needs some help with that sentence. But Joseph wrote that on Google reviews. So welcome to the family retrofestive. It sounds like Karen Bliss is already a fan. As you know, retrofestive.ca is Canada's pop culture and Christmas store. And here's exciting news for you, Karen, and everybody listening. You can save 10% if you use the coupon code, FOTM. Karen, do you know what FOTM stands for?

FOTM. Friend of Toronto, Mike, you're now an FOTM. All right. So you got it. You don't want to know what I thought it was. Okay. Flavor of the month is what it used to do. Honestly, this is a great store because I don't know if I bought anything,

but I periodically look for like a Willy Wonka action figure. What else did I want? Like, this is like my Christmas list. Sure. You know, the little I dream a genie or bewitch. or that kind of thing. Now you're showing your age, Karen. They have stuff like that.

Oh, damn it. You can edit that out, right? I was thinking you saw Brian Adams open for a journey. We don't have to discuss this. And I was thinking, you're able to go to Buffalo. I don't care what you're thinking. Just leave a note and go to Buffalo. So you are officially older than I am.

I'm just throwing that out there. Okay. All right. So you said something a few minutes ago. You said that you're having a bad four years, I think, is your turn. Do you like talking about negative stuff? No, we're going to get to everything. You did this with Ben.

Well, I wanted to get back to Ben actually. Okay, before we talk about your bad four years. And a bit with Rudy, you like to get, is that the equivalent of dirt? If someone's had like a shitty few years? Only if they're public about it. No, but you just said, you just said, and I do want to get back to Ben, actually. Maybe we'll tie him into this part. But you said I've had a bad four years.

Is that because your father passed away? So that was earlier. That was 2018. And yeah, actually, you're. life, in my opinion, changes like before the death of a parent and after the death of a parent. And yeah, it was really difficult because it also devastated my mom. So we all had to rally and help her get through. So that was extremely hard.

And then my aunt died, my uncle died, COVID hit. I had a couple of male friends take their lives during COVID. Then also I was investigating an alleged serial rapist in the Canadian music industry, which was very difficult, scary as well, also protecting the women, also recognizing it could end my career. But it was important, so I did that for two to three years. my mom passed away. I lost pretty much all my work. And then I fell down the stairs.

Oh, yeah. Okay. I think that's about it. And then the Blue Jays lost. Heartbreaking Game 7. Yeah. No, things are looking up. Even though it doesn't seem like they're looking up,

they are kind of getting a little, a little better. Okay, so in there, you've suffered a lot of loss. And honestly, my sincere condone, we're joking around here, but I'm sorry that you've had to injure. that and yeah but you did reference adrian strong there the sexual predator that you investigated so we will we will talk about that difficult work you did there but are you do you do you feel like

now that your foot is healing maybe now you're feeling like you're turning the corner kind of coming out of the darkness here i mean i hope so my mom only passed away last summer and it's definitely strange to not have parents um and also it was eye-opening, you know, having an injury like this, living by yourself, having stairs, not having anyone there to take care of you, right? You've fallen and you can't get up and then you don't have the parents to come back, you chicken soup. Or anyone, really, although my neighbor was fantastic.

But, yeah, it's tough. I think people didn't really realize how bad it was, but it was bad. well I'm sorry like I'm sorry if I you know I always have a twinkle in my eye when I rib you because I'm British I can take it okay well how British are you though where were you you were born here no I was born in England so how old are you when you come here um how old was like how many weeks old were you when you came I was nine okay nine okay I got a cousin who is born and raised here like I am and in his like I don't know I think it's late 20s but in his 20s he moves to he ends up living in New Zealand and he marries a New Zealander and they have children in New Zealand

and I was for the first time in a long time I was talking to him the other day he sounds like I'm in an episode of Flight of the Concords like I just find accents fascinating that for 25 years he can live in Toronto and now I see him and he's a bit younger than me and he sounds like he's Murray from Flight of the Concordes like these accents so you come here nine I blew it because I should have kept my accent and believe it or not I have a twin brother who still has his accent. Well, how does that work? Like, did you work on irony and ed?

I was foolish. I did not know any better. If I still had my British accent, I would probably be way further ahead in my career. You know, there's AI tools I can use to change your voice into an English accent. And then when I dropped this episode.

Can you make me taller? No, the AI is not a magic machine, okay? But as I told you, you're the perfect type of the space. It actually is a magic machine. But are you at all as a music journalist? Are you at all afraid of AI taking all your gigs? No.

I do know that it will affect many people in the industry. It will be a tool. I would never use it for an interview because just like music, you cannot replace, you know, the human element. And, you know, you know, when you're interviewing someone at the end of that chat, there's kind of a thread or something jumps out and that's something that AI can never do.

So, I'm not worried. You're not worried at all. I just worry that the consumer can't tell the difference at some point or doesn't care to tell the difference. And they seem content with- If you're content with AI's lost. With memes and all the nonsense that, you know, people post, right? So then why would somebody cut a check for Karen Bliss to cook this up when I can use this piece of software here and the people the click bait the people visiting don't seem to give a fuck well some people

don't there's still other people i mean i'm home on a friday night watching a two-hour date line episode right like people always say oh people don't have the attention spans they just want bite-sized information and meanwhile there's like 10-hour you know audio books and 10 hours stretched out crime, you know, true crime on Netflix. Like, people still want well-written, well-researched pieces. And the people that don't, you know, that's not my audience.

Well, you're preaching to the choir on this one here. So, of course, of course we're going to talk Samaritan. We got some positive things we're going to talk about. We also have to talk about some negative stuff, like about your good journalism with Adrian Strong, et cetera. and then something kind of tied to that that you wrote on social media I want to ask you about.

Uh-oh, are you taking screenshots of my social media? Well, just so I don't have to, like, type, just so I know, read it. I'm not going to post that. Anyway, anyways, it's nothing to be ashamed of, nothing to be embarrassed of. No.

Because that won't, because I'll be denied entry. I don't have Trump on the agenda. I don't want to be sent to El Salvador. You said the T word. I had no, no plans to bring up Donald J. Trump in this, in this episode. But I am curious,

this ties back to the Ben Rayner episode, which I wanted to ask you about. So, okay. Okay. Ben has found it difficult to find freelance music journalism gigs. Like, he's spoken very openly and honestly about what a tough time it is for his industry. But you're in the same industry.

So when you talk about the bad four years or even longer, if we go back to your father passing, that's seven years. Like, how is your industry? Like, are there enough publications out there looking for the good work you do and willing to cut a check for it? so the thing is I've always been self-employed freelance so if you haven't I can imagine it's pretty difficult to navigate because I always tell people and young aspiring journalists that I make my money off ideas so I have lists and notepads and people say things or I read something

or I note something, and it's like, oh, potential story, potential story, potential story. A lot of the major publications don't have budgets, don't have freelance budgets, so it is hard, but there is enough work out there. There are enough publications. The ridiculous thing right now, as primarily a music trade writer, is I have nowhere to write about my industry in my own country. So I'm writing for Music Week, which has been around over 50 years in the UK. Now, yes, I was born there, but that's not really why they're giving me work. But I do appreciate that, you know, they're using me. They don't need to. They have plenty of writers, but they have said that I, you know, I know how to interview someone for the industry. And the interesting thing is,

I'm talking to people that I don't know. I mean, I do my research, but it's not. not like here where, you know, I can email Bruce Allen or Salern manages the weekend or, you know, whoever it is, people that I've, you know, known my whole career. But I'm interviewing incredible people for music week. And I love it. Like I interviewed, you know, the head of BBC 2 last week and the head of or an executive at a Nigerian label. So that's been amazing.

And they've kind of saved me, you know. But I like writing about my industry, my peers for, actually for American publications. I like to push that out. But I don't really have anywhere right now. Well, that's a great point you're making because Ben Raynor forever for over two decades anyways was writing about music for the Toronto Star. Canada's most circulated newspaper. FYI and

FYI music, we'll talk about that again later but then of course Ben was let go and it now they're just, it might be I don't know, a Canadian press, I don't know what they subscribe to different services or whatever and it's not really written for a Canadian audience like where do you consume

good music journalism about what's happening in this country? Is it CBC or bust? Where are we at? I mean we have some publications they well name checked some exclaim. I mean, they just, I need to make a living, right? So I don't have a full-time job. And then I think it's fantastic to interview someone and go to a concert and get 50 bucks. Like, that's not, you know, this is my

life and it's my career and I am an adult and I don't want to live like hand to mouth. I want to have, you know, a nice life and a, you know, you're an adult living in Toronto. Yeah. So, even though we might have some music publications, I need constant flow of work and be paid, you know, what I'm worth. Well, let me ask you. So we talked about David Farrell off the top and that was FYI music

and of course that was a David Slate, Gary Slate. Well, I mean, David wanted to relaunch and do a trade publication for Canada because for a time period, our industry didn't have a trade publication, which is ridiculous. So because of his relationship with Gary Slade and Gary's longtime support of the music industry, he backed David. But now FYI Music was absorbed by Billboard Canada.

They were bought by the people that licensed the name Billboard Canada. And I was not part of that. Well, that's why I was asking, like, are you still able to write for Billboard? board through that channel? No. Is it Richard Traponsky, I suppose? I'm not, no. Okay.

And then another, I want to ask you about it, because I loved it when we had now, you know, the original now Toronto. And you had now weekly. And then, of course, Toronto Star had their version I Weekly and there is, it's alt. Yeah. You know, that was a great time in this city and I would consume as much as I could have that. And then now we have none of that. But of course, you mentioned licensing a logo, licensing a name.

Yeah. There is a now Toronto now. It's a different now. Yeah, that's different, though. That was purchased from, I guess it was, whoever owned it after Michael Hollett or however that worked with Michael, that's different than licensing the name from a U.S. publication, obviously. But you'd have to get them on to find out the ins and outs.

Well, I'm working on it. It's Brandon Gones, his group. Yeah, and he's, have you ever met Brandon? No. He is. A lovely human being, actually. He's so friendly and he talks to everyone and it's just no surprise that he is successful. He's just really nice, you think he'd accept an invitation?

He's very busy, but. Well, you're busy. It only took me a year. I hope he does. But, yeah, just a really nice person. Do you still write for now, Toronto? I never did write for now. So why is it, I see stuff written by Karen Bliss?

So I'm now writing. I just started about two months ago. Okay. And they contacted me actually when, I think it was when Ozzy Osbourne died and they just reached out to me. So I met Brandon on a press junket, a trip and got along really well and I just threw it out there. This was like years ago, actually, I said, if you ever need any...

music content, let me know because because I write for you as publications and some big publications, I can't write about all the things I get pitched on and a lot of the Canadian artists and I want to. Even, you know, when I was writing for Rolling Stone and for Billboard, they really just want like the massive, massive, massive Canadian artists. So the ones that we know and love here that don't have a profile in America, I can't write about them. but I want to. So, you know, anyway, it took, like, years, but they contacted me about Ozzy.

So I put something together really quickly. You know, because I've been in the industry so long, I was able to, like, get quotes from some, you know, major musicians who had met or worked or toured with Ozzy. So it was good. So then I've been doing lots of bits and pieces for them, which I really enjoy. Yeah.

So if they're going to make an announcement about the Budweiser's stage and it's going to be called RBC Ampathy or whatever and then it's going to be re-renovated and stuff. You know, now Toronto can have you write a piece about that. So I did do something, but they contacted me and my

priority is to Polestar. So Polestar is the trade publication for the live music industry out of the states. And I've written for them, you know, for quite a few years now, 20 years

ago I had my own Canadian column, which I'd love to do again because I'm missing a lot of news in the Canadian industry. So I really just write about the major things. And that was a major thing. So I did do a Q&A for Polestar with Live Nations Wayne Zronick, but now asked me if I'd write something. And I said, well, I have to ask my editor at Polestar. So fortunately, he said yes. Two different stories. My interview was. Wayne was for poll star but I covered like the press conference for now so they didn't they're two different stories okay so we just discovered so poll star is where your your priority is right now but you are writing obviously for when it when appropriate for other publications I mean

my priorities are I mean I can't stress enough how much I love writing about the industry like I wish I still had my gig at Billboard in the U.S. That was my dream job. And, you know, poll star is a close second, actually, and same with Music Week in London. So those two are kind of my priorities. I wrote a couple of pieces I enjoyed for Spin a couple of months ago, and I hope I still can write for them.

And Rolling Stone, I had an amazing editor years ago, he left, but I did about 150 stories for Rolling Stone. He was almost like an honorary Canadian. He let me write about Sam Roberts and Billy Talents, and he flew up here. And so, you know, there's been some significant changes there, too. So hopefully I can write about them. But, you know, it comes down to budget, freelance budget,

and a lot of times they just don't have one. All those publications, not all, but, a billboard and Rolling Stone owned by Penske. So it's the same company and the Hollywood Reporter and variety. They're all under the same umbrella. So if one doesn't have a freelance budget, you can kind of guess that the others also don't have a freelance budget. Are you ready to talk about systemic abuse in the Canadian music scene?

I wouldn't say it's systemic abuse in the Canadian music scene, but there was definitely a alleged serial rapist in the Canadian music business and no one did anything about it

and it was COVID and I had some time so I did something about it Okay this is Adrian Strong can you just tell us like just for those who were unaware of this like who was who is Adrian Strong and how did you learn

about this abuse of power and what exactly did you do about it, Karen Bliss? So anyone can read the article. It's on Billboard, US. And so I knew Adrian

for a couple of decades and he was what's called a radio tracker. So anyone that hears a song on the radio, there's been a radio plugger, radio tracker. I don't know, maybe it's changed.

these days but you know they would go in and be kind of chummy with the uh music you know directors station managers and they'd play like a whole this is like our priority here and can you play this new act and it's a whole thing and um he specialized in pop radio really like commercial radio and uh he had some really big clients um you know there's been some debates on who actually hired him since the news came out. People are sort of, you know, putting up their hands like, well, I don't know him or I didn't hire him. Oh, it must have been this label or it must have been such and such. But, you know, he worked the weekend and Deadmouse and, you know, he had some big clients

and he loved his job. And I knew him. But in November, 20, I was sent this post that this person who went by on Instagram, California Newark. She posted quite a detailed account of 10 years prior to that, alleging she was drugged, raped, scalped by Adrian Strong. you can read all the details. Of course, I read it. I didn't really know what I was doing at that time with regards to this.

So, like, it had, you know, Peel Police and it had an officer's name. And, you know, I talked to my editor at Billboard. I said, can I look into this? So, you know, I kind of naively call up the Peel Police and I ask if there's any record of, you know, and Adrian Strong, and there's not, you know, but what I didn't realize is if there's no criminal charges, I, as media, cannot get hold of this. It was definitely a learning experience.

Then there was a situation where, like, I was trying to get in touch with her through someone in the music industry in Toronto who, I found out a few weeks later, had been saying some really nasty things about me, and so Noir didn't want to talk to me. Like she was saying, oh, I hate women, and I'm probably working for Adrian. And I did end up seeing the screenshots, and it was pretty upsetting. I actually cried because I thought this person was my friend, or at least, you know, a colleague, and that's kind of the, one of the nastiest things you can say about someone. But anyway, Noir and I got on track, but then it was Christmas. I couldn't really get the story then, but I had talked to another woman who told me a similar

story, so I knew, well, there's two women that don't know each other. And anyway, then January hit. My aunt died. I went over to the UK for the funeral, came back, and essentially it was COVID. So I've told this before. Everyone kind of retreated. And I think it was that summer. I was at lunch outside with someone who was friends with Adrienne,

but I was meeting him for a different reason, like work-related. But for some reason, we started talking about Adrian, and he said the only person who's benefited from COVID is Adrian Strong, meaning everyone just forgot about it, nothing happened. and people kept hiring him. I think before, that might have even been a full year after because I do recall

a manager calling me about DMD promotions to ask about what New Art posted. And I said, well, I'm not doing a story because I couldn't get the story, but I talked to multiple.

like a couple of women. I think multiple by that time. And I believe the women. And Adrian and the people at DMD had been using my name saying, there's no truth to it. Karen Bliss tried to do a story and couldn't get it. And in fact, I did something stupid in that. I had messaged Adrian and I said, do you have a comment about this? This is like that week or two. And I said, because I contacted the police and they didn't have anything. So I made that stupid mistake. But whatever, I had changed, you know, I always believed Naur because there was such detail in it and what did she have to gain by coming forward 10 years later. So anyway, I came home from that lunch. I called my editor and I said, can I give this another shot? Because I literally had no work. And he said,

yes and then I dove right in and at this time I didn't tell anyone because I didn't want I wanted to protect the women protect myself protect the story I didn't want any interference behind the scenes and you know and that's what happened and anyone can read the story and see how it was built and every single line was vetted there are things not in the article that I also believe that we couldn't put in because everything has to be corroborated. I had the Penske lawyer, Billboard's lawyer,

they got me a Canadian lawyer that Kevin Donovan from the Star had suggested and I had two fantastic editors at Billboard and yeah, it was a huge, huge learning experience and I stand by it. um any backlash karen like any uh yeah of course are you able to share any of that the the ugly side of making such a disclosure i mean primarily ever i had like so many messages and phone calls from people in the industry i had calls from people sharing their situations like a lot of stories

A lot of thank yous, which was really nice. The two big things did affect my career, I think. Yeah, just someone closely tied with Adrienne. I think didn't involve me in a transaction that prevented me from continuing working as a trade journalist in Canada and also a major label ahead of a major label if looks could kill that's all I have to say they you know despise me for doing it and I did reach out to see if they would meet with me and they had it was like disdain when I even suggested it and the person like walked off very upset

But I have no regrets. So, yeah. But if I'm reading between the lines there, it sounds like your story about Adrian Strong being a sexual predator, alleged sexual predator, may have cost you some revenue, some gigs. I mean, it's hard to say. It could have also been a complete coincidence, but I don't know.

Do you find it ironic at all? and I'm going to ask you about this, but you wrote the book on Headley. Yeah, absolutely. Not only did I write the book on Headley, but years before that, I did an anti-racism cartoon that I was very proud of.

To this day, I would still be proud of it, except Jiangameshi is the voice of the radio announcer and Jacob Hogart, currently in jail. was one of the main voices in it. Other than that, I've got lights, I got Julie Black, I've got Chris Bosch, but I can't promote it because I got Giancameshi.

And yeah, look, the thing is, I don't believe anyone knew the extent of what Adrian did or was alleged to have done because he's not going to, going to go tell someone. I do know, if you read the article, a couple of the women said that he took videos and photos and he used Snapchat. So I know he sent photos to people. I don't know who. I do know one of the women also in the article had approached people at DMD. I don't know to the

extent, but people knew something was up, because I had a lot of people come forward and say they didn't want anything to do with him, or he tried to, you know, allegedly drug a colleague, a lot of creepy behavior, probably feeling out the victims. The unfortunate thing is, if you look at the story, we had to wait. So, behind, the scenes based on the advice of the lawyers and in Canada having a law, I think it's called the Responsible Journalism Act or something like that, where I had to legally give him enough time to respond. And he kept delaying, delaying, oh, yes, I'll meet, oh, you know, I'm over, I'm in rural UK, all kinds of things. Then I went from wanting to meet him to interview him.

to sending the questions. So almost breaking down the story. You know, were you here? Were you there? Did you do that? Like everything. And he wouldn't respond when we respond, you know, lawyer letters, that kind of thing.

So behind the scenes, which I knew because I know a lot of people in the industry, so I was well aware it was going on behind the scenes. The person who owned DMD went to one of the labels like would you still support you know this radio tracking company if we fold it and start another one they said yeah you know and the people

let me just say the people that worked with Adrian did not know like they are good people and I get that it's horrifying and I know some people still don't believe it I actually approached someone that he used to be business partners with. And I said, why didn't you contact me? And he said he didn't believe it.

And it's like the evidence is in the article. Everything is corroborated. And when it came right down to, so they folded the company behind the scenes. So it looks like, you know, nothing happened, whereas that would have been the aftermath of him losing his job. but I know that he kept souvenirs, videos, photos, but the only two, his evidence that he sent, you'll see it in the article with these two photos. And when I got them, I was like,

oh yeah, we're going to use these photos. Because one of them corroborates, in my opinion, Noir's story. because it's you could see the time which was something like 6 o'clock p.m. not a.m. where they had just arrived two separate hotels. She alleged that he knocked on her door, gave her a cookie, and then she was drugged. So this is 6 p.m. The afternoon they checked in and she looks fucked up. Like I haven't met her. but that like if you look at the photo she looks completely wasted she's in a bed holding a Starbucks cup and it's like first of all why are you taking a picture of that like what are you doing the second photo she's wearing glasses almost staged sitting at a chair looking at a blank screen

on a computer and it's like again why why did you take that photo and why did you keep it for 10 years? What other photos? Like if you're trying to prove that she's made this up and you had a great time like he had lured her down to meet a record executive

in South Carolina and it's like where's your photo of you guys having a great time outside seeing like normal photos? Like those are the two photos you've kept for 10, 12, 13 years

and which you've combed through to give to your lawyer to give to us to prove, you know, or disprove her story, that is what you picked. All right, that's going in, man. So, you know, I want to know what else is on those videos and, you know, no one seemed to care to do, like, it shouldn't have been me. It's extremely traumatizing, very scary. I'm just self-employed, like, why didn't anyone else do it, you know? But of course, it had to be you because there is a void. There is a vacuum, if you will.

There's not many, just who's, what publications are paying for an investigative reporter to cover music stuff? No one in Canada would have been able to do it, but it's unfortunate that the music industry, many people, have told me, I mean, I heard a story about there being some Juno Awards after party in a suite and some girl came screaming out of the bathroom in the suite and he was chasing her and people had to like hold him back. You know, another person in the music industry

told me that his young co-worker said that she thought he had drugged her. Like, I have so many stories. So, you know, people knew something was up and they should have done something. It should not have been me. And I am, I do get very fed up, you know. So, okay, so, so that's a heavy story. Like, that's a, that's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, because

there's also a scalping part. And I'll just tell you the story about the scalping. Because that was, so Billboard doesn't care about Adrian Strong. They did it because the story, it was a human interest, and it was, you know, horrific the things that he alleged to have done to Naur. And not to mention how she was treated by the police, how she was treated at the hospital. So there was a part in her story.

where she alleged he, like, scalped a piece of her head. So my editor. Wait, wait, do you mean the skin or are you talking just the hair? I mean, I don't know the actual details, but she did send me photos and my editor met with her as well and saw it. But the problem is we don't know how that happened and when that happened, which I get. But it was in my story. But as it got closer to as I'm finessing the story, corroborating, sending things to the lawyers,

you know, going back to the women for, you know, to clarify, trying to get him to answer anything, any of those 70 questions I sent him, Billboard came back and said, I don't think we can use the scalping part. and I was talking to Nour, and I said, I don't think we can use it. And she's like, why? I said, it's not in the hospital records.

Like, I have the police records. I have the hospital records. There's about 50 pages, you know, like terrible writing. And I've read them a million times and there's nothing in it. And she goes, yeah, it is. And I go, it's not. And then she goes, I've got it. And I go, okay, download Gene.

scan send it to me she downloads genius scan she sends me one page it's uh i forget the name of the therapy it's quite well known now smdr it's uh it's some kind of new uh therapy for trauma victims and um in it it said like what was the most difficult or vivid you know memory you have and and it said in like one sentence, Adrian scout like scalped a piece of my head or something. Like it's actually right there and I was like, whoa. And I sent it to my editors and the lawyers and that is how it stayed because that is from 12 years prior.

And I even contacted the social worker. Like she wrote that. So there was no benefit like Noir is not going to go, oh, in 12 years, I'm going to make a post or intention. years, I'm going to make a post on Instagram and allege this. So these are, you know, validation of someone's story. So that ended up in there. So, okay, so none of these allegations have been proven in court, right?

He was never the, the police just didn't. He was never charged. He was not charged, but also he's Canadian, she's Canadian. He lured her to the United States. It happened down there. You know, the police here were like, oh, this is, you know, the jurisdiction down there. So, you know. But this is, like I said, he allegedly knew what he was doing.

Heavy, heavy story. Like, how long did you work on this very disturbing story? Two to three years. So what does that do for your mental health working two to three years on a story, this dark, this disturbing? Yeah. It was scary. A few of my friends, I did tell a few friends not connected to the end of. and then a couple of my friends in the industry

when they would drop me home, I would go, can you stay here and make sure I get in, okay? Because at that time, so it was from April through to late July, when he knew I was working on the story because I was trying to interview him. So I was quite scared, to be

honest. I had the police over a couple of times based on something. I added a gigantic knife I was sleeping with. Do you wonder if it's worth it? Like, was there any moment where it's like, oh, I could have just wrote a piece about Beyonce's new country album or something. Absolutely worth it.

I then had these memories like it was as if I was there because I knew the stories and they're horrific. So that was really tough. Right. So, you know, and to this day it bothers me that

you know, nothing was done. Well, something was done with Jake. Jacob Hogart, like, have you considered, you wrote the book on Headley, but it was like a happy book about this great Canadian band, right? Well, the Headley book that I wrote wasn't a book on Headley. It was called Fan Lowdown, and it was all these stories from fans. And then they would respond. I would read them and some of them were grouped, like the tattoos of Headley or like

the School Project or the Headley Mobile. And they were fantastic stories from their fans. and not one, I have to say, came from anyone alleging, you know, sexual assault. But I did read the transcript from the court, and that is horrific as well. But I wouldn't write a book on it. Like, someone's doing a documentary on it, actually, that I was interviewed for. But I still don't think it's a bigger picture. Like, I feel like there is a bigger picture with these stories, and I think it is

because our industry is so small in our country and our population, it's fear. It's fear of just retribution from other people in the music industry and being ostracized that people don't want to get involved or they don't want to speak up. And I think that's unfortunate. Well, that's okay, speaking unfortunate, I'm going to read something you wrote.

This is going back to September 2022. Okay, so just like, Did you get this? Well, I follow you on social media. Okay, but this the way isn't, so it's funny because not funny, ha ha,

funny. But, you know, that's a disturbing investigative piece you wrote for billboard. People can read that. I almost feel like this. I've never done a trigger warning

on an episode. Yeah, there should be a trigger warning. But I did my first trigger warning like two weeks ago because Alan's Wagon I spoke about suicide for over an hour. And it's like, so,

okay. This is what you wrote. And it says, And then I know you wrote the headleath piece, which aged like milk, and not your fault, of course. And I just wondered, you know, does that get a follow-up?

But, okay, so you wrote, I had a corporate assignment for a tourism site to write 500 words on the Montreal music scene, and they wanted me to remove arcade fire. I said, you can't change history. It's like writing about Manchester and not including Oasis or Liverpool and the Beatles. Would you keep your byline on it?

I've asked for it to be. removed because I think it'll look foolish writing about the history of the scene without mentioning them. And then you wonder aloud, are you being silly? They don't even want you to mention that they were a Polaris Prize winner and so basically

this is a piece and I, because you're a journalist and I, so I thought that's interesting because it's a tourism site, right? So it's all happy flowers and it's all like people come to Montreal and they don't want arcade at this time particularly and it's funny just this last week we

they're getting a divorce, windbutler. So let me, can I say something about, yeah, of course you can. So, as you can imagine,

I was obsessed with all stories about sexual assault in the entertainment world and beyond the sports, hockey, gymnastics. I read in preparation because I'm not an investigative journalist and I needed to learn. And, you know, I watched the Russell Simpson,

Simmons series and the read the ditty stuff and you know Epstein and the the Nasr, the gymnastics doctor guy and the hockey Canada and you name it. So I read the Arcade Fire feature story and my take on it was, you know, this is a guy who cheated on his wife who maybe. didn't necessarily realize how his fans and someone you kind of making overtures to a fan, how that would be for them. Like, you know, I have a lot of friends in the music industry, like one in particular, who's single happily forever, very outgoing, loves his women, and he never got voicemail.

And I go, it's so frustrating. get voicemail he's like I can't because you know all these women and I'm like don't give like what do you expect like you go to one city and you're with this girl then you're in the others like of course they're going to be upset like you know so it's like so with the with with uh win with win regime um yeah to me it was like yeah it was creepy but there's no like like a like rape or no there's not so you know know, this dates back like decades of, you know, guys being on stage and women being attracted to them and, you know, maybe taking advantage or not realizing their appeal and

that, you know, women might become obsessed or upset and yeah, it's gross. It's creepy. He was married and, you know. But, you know, it's only cheating if your partner is expecting you to be monogamous, right? Like, it's very possible in this scenario, it's very possible that Wyn and Regine had an open relationship. You can't guess it's stuff like that. Right, but I'm just saying, like, we all, I'm just saying in that story, since there's no criminal behavior,

and you can say it's creepy. No, but he, yeah, there was definitely, you know, creepy stuff, but like, I don't like when people lump your Adriens with your Winn butlers, you know? Right. Because I had a lot of messages, too, from people going, oh, can you write about this? Like, this person in the industry.

like yelled at me or, you know, it's like, you know, like Adrian's story, you can't really get much worse than what he's alleged to have done. No, you're right. In fact, so, you know. When you reference, you know, he yelled at me and this and that, that's when I think about John Derringer, right? So John Derringer, who as far as I've heard, I haven't heard any accusations of any criminal activity from John Derringer.

Like, I've yet to hear anything of that nature. But he's absolutely not on. real trial because he hasn't been arrested for anything. But there's a human rights tribunal where he's being accused of behaving badly and bullying type workplace behavior and that. Yeah. I mean, being

an asshole is not illegal, right? And I have a thick skin, but I've had you know, people make comments. I've had people make sexual comments. I've had people like pull me on to their lap or make whatever. You know, again, I'm British. I can take

it. I can dish it. If it's repeated, unwanted advances, like, yeah, I also had like creepy, yeah, just gross, creepy people. Is that life? I don't know. Yeah, there's lots of gross, creepy people. Well, don't, yeah, but don't confuse being an asshole with being a criminal. Absolutely. Like, you know, if people take the time to read the Adrian story and I keep it in my signature,

even though it's been like three years and I'm sure people are sick of me talking about it. But I think it's important because if you read between the lines, there's a lot that could have happened to prevent his continued behavior. Again, not saying anyone knew the extent of it. I don't believe anyone did. But he definitely could have been eradicated from the music industry. He also prayed on women, not in the music industry, so it doesn't have anything to do necessarily with being in the music industry.

None of the women I talked to were really impressed with the clients he worked with. They didn't care. But the two main women I spoke to, he definitely said that he could help their careers. And both of them, one in particular, extraordinarily talented. But unfortunately, with Nourre, it ended her career. Like, it devastated her life. And she didn't continue.

And let me say, she's a very strong, very smart woman. And what he allegedly did just destroyed her dreams. She left the country. She doesn't live in Canada anymore. And another of the women also left the country. You know, it's, yeah, it really upsets me, actually. Well, listen, let's change the channel here, because I want to close by talking about Samaritan

in a much lighter fare, okay? Okay. And I do wish to give a little love to some Toronto-Miked partners who have stepped up to help fuel the real talk. And then maybe at the end, if you could record at the end of this, Convo record like 10 to 30 seconds of a trigger warning just like a just I'll stick it at the off the top like I feel like I did it for Allen's wide for the first time because we were going to talk suicide for an hour and I didn't want to blindside anybody with a deep conversation about suicide without a warning off the top and I feel this is a another episode where it would be appropriate so in your voice you're going to do a trigger warning at the end so no pressure okay but I need to know because I've been now spent I've spent over an hour with you now, Karen. I'm quite enjoying this. We're not going to spend another hour. Don't worry.

I know you're like, Mike, how long are you to keep me hostage down here? But I got to know, like, do you smoke weed? I have never tried a cigarette, never tried a drug. No weed for Karen Bliss. And Keith Richards is my favorite. I'm holding out. You're holding out. Okay. So of no use to you, Karen Bliss, the services of kinling. Well, the delivery is free. I didn't say the weed was free.

I appreciate it. But here's 11 seconds of the founder, and he really summarizes it nice. This is Michael Davis. Hi, this is Kindling at shopkindling.ca. We do free one hour on-demand delivery from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Across the GTA. Go to shopkindling.

com to check your postal code and order now. So that's it. That's simple. I have nothing against weed. You're glad it's legal. Absolutely glad it's legal. I think just for me, it's like a funny. It's, I, it's just the way I amused myself that I'm in the music industry, you know, rock chick and never done a drug and never smoked a cigarette and barely drink.

Are you going to the Biff Naked documentary? She's got a documentary. I know she does. I was asked to actually be in it and I would have loved to, but it was just a difficult time to coordinate as you know. Okay, because she's also not smoking the weed. Yeah. But she's very disciplined. She's amazing.

I love Biff. Everyone loves Biff. No Great Lakes beer for Biff. That's for sure here. Okay, much love to, I just recorded with Steve Paken and Nick Aeney's yesterday. It's the latest episode of Nick's podcast, Building Success. And we actually have an episode in about an hour with Jennifer McKelvey about building

Toronto Skyline. She's an MP. That'll be fascinating. So subscribe to Nick Aienes' fine podcasts, building success and building Toronto Skyline. Thank you, Nick, for stepping up to fuel this real talk. If you, Karen Bliss, have a drawer, maybe a closet full of old cables, old electronics, old devices, do you, Karen? I've been going through tons of bins of stuff.

So I have some cables, yeah. Don't want them. Well, what I, yeah, I want you to do something with them. I do not want you to throw it in the garbage because those chemicals, it ends up in our landfill. So Karen, go to recycle my electronics.ca, put in your postal code and find out where you can drop them off to be properly recycled. thing I'm going to do when I get home. And this is... Samaritan.

Samaritan is... Well, I've got one more. Is that okay, Karen? Yes. You know, we're all freelancers here. We've got to pay for this. This conversation isn't free, okay? I want to give some love to Blue Sky Agency.

The gentleman there is Doug Mills. I can hear Karen playing with her measuring tape. What are you measuring over there, Karen Bliss? Oh, my goodness gracious. Let me know. But Doug Mills, you can reach out to Doug at Blue Sky Agency. If you are looking for dynamic and creative work environments.

There's a whole bunch of return to the office. Us freelancers don't have to worry about this, but a lot of people come back to the office. Your office might need some privacy booths like silent offers or green furniture concept or Ruleyard. Contact Doug now. Dog at blue sky agency. com.

Let them know you're an FOTM and have a chat with him. And last but not least, I gave you that measuring tape from Ridley Funeral Home and Ridley Funeral Home has a great podcast called Life's Undertaking. Karen, I think it's right up your alley. Is this six feet? You know what? I can't get Brad Ellis and Doug Mills

I've dug out of this. I can't get Brad Jones at Ridley Funeral Home to watch six feet under. But Doug is a family of, actually they're a family of eight, believe it or not. And they live on the premises of their funeral home here in New Toronto.

I think that would be the perfect show because it's so good. Have you ever seen six feet under? I didn't actually start watching it. Well, then I get out of my basement. So this is over now. Okay, Samaritan. Yes.

It's worth the weight here. I'm going to read the press and then you're going to give it to me straight, okay? Sure. Sick of tabloid news? Samaritan doesn't care who is dating whom. Who wore sweatpants to the grocery store and who is getting divorced? Samaritan is for people sick of tabloid news and invasive, mean or silly, invasive. That's your sweet spot.

It is the anti-tabloid. Samaritan is an online magazine. magazine that covers the good deeds and efforts of Samaritans, individuals, charities, small businesses, and co-operate, sorry, corporations. Can people get the idea? Well, can I finish? Who show is this? Is this Karen Bliss?

Oh, that's a good title. Okay. Anyone trying to make a difference in the world. It is not a good news site. In fact, every topic is pretty shitty. Cancer, MS, ALS, poverty, animal rescue, et cetera. But they're about good people trying to change bad things. That's the key.

That's the way we describe it. Okay. you can pick it up now since you know all right i'll pick it up with saying i need uh new financial backing because i lost my uh financing for it uh during covid which was the worst possible times i had lost all my other work and then that fuck covid that happened too and i lost my funding for smyrton and so it's been dormant if anyone goes to samaritanag dot com they'll see it has not been updated in probably two years maybe three years but I am planning on resurrecting it.

I just won't be able to hire the fantastic writers that I have before. I'm going to have to wake up at 6 in the morning and write, do it all on my own because I need, so I don't know what to do. I don't know if I should do that buy me coffee thing. I don't know if I should do it, go fund me. I was going to reach out to the industry and see if they would pay, you know, $100 a month to have their logo.

But people miss it. Like I interviewed, it's very music heavy. So we had Metallica and Nellie Furtado and Shania Twain and Averillivine and Pete Townsend. Tonson. Tons of amazing people that we would interview as well as profiling the charities themselves. Products of a portion of the proceeds went to charity. I've added a travel section. I've got a song section.

So that's for, you know, subjects about. social and political issues or it's a charity single and I love doing it our animal rescue stories were more popular than any musician that I would cover there's a rat rescue there's donkey donkey sanctuary there used to be a parrot rescue in BC that's not there anymore but rat rescue yeah in Ottawa can we just drown the fuckers anyway there's a rat rescue precisely as you can hear for that reason. I'm kidding everybody. A turtle rescue. Just, yeah, that I get. Okay, but the rat rescue. People that knit blankets for shelters, all kinds of things. When you rescue a rat, where do you put them? Well, it's, you'd have to read the article,

but I got to find out about the rat rescue. And, you know, I don't know of all these places are still around, but that particular rat rescues out of, I believe it was out of Ottawa. If my wife finds out we're rescuing rats, okay? That's her, okay? You can write a story about that. I don't think she's a big fan of the rats. I know, that's awful. All right.

We won't drop them off here for you, though. How was this experience for you, Karen Bliss? Like, was this as painful as you thought it would be? It was fun. Fun. Okay. Yeah. Well, I now want to ask you about one person you've interviewed.

You've interviewed a lot of big stars, obviously. Okay, but there's a person you interviewed. Kurt Cobain Can you just share with me How was it a phoner? So let me tell you something Just to tie back to the beginning of our conversation Where you were trying to pinpoint a particular decade

This is how vain I am For a period of time I did not include Kirk Cobain In my little bio of the people I had interviewed Like you know I've interviewed Eddie Vedder and Eminem, but they're still alive. But when someone dies, it's not like me saying, oh, I interviewed Billy Idol, which could have been last week.

So that is how vain I am. That's super fucking vain. I know, but the industry is like ages, right? Like, I did TV for a bit, like for its bell in Toronto and now I can't get a gig again. You know, like people, even with a particular publication in Canada that I wanted to write for, I think they just went with younger people. Well, younger people are cheaper. When you're older, yeah, but experience, especially as a trade writer.

A lot of publications would rather spend the 50 bucks for the green person. I'm well aware why, but I'm just saying. It's not necessarily the ages. Kurt, you can look it up because I actually resold that interview and it's quite funny because it was last minute and it was for Meat magazine and Drew Masters who had this. It was a metal magazine in Canada. and he was a real and is a real metalhead and he didn't like this new grunge coming in. I don't even know if it was called grunge at the time,

but it basically killed off all that pop metal stuff, right? And it was like a new, like new world. And I loved it. And he's like, oh, interview this band, you know, Gaffin's putting a lot of money into them, Nirvana, and I call and I couldn't get through on the phone line. I think I was supposed to interview Chris, and he wasn't there. And they're like, do you want to interview Kurt? And I go, is that the drummer?

I think that's what I said. And then I did this interview. I couldn't really hear. Anyway, I did it, and it is online. And there's also a very amusing interview with Eddie Vedder, who I should just put out there. I never interviewed again. It was a great interview. I knew that album.

10 like the back of my hand because I had gone to see I had interviewed mother love bone and they told me about this new band pearl jam and I was at in new york for CMJ I believe or new music seminar and I went to see them twice and Eddie was freaking amazing so I did this great interview and at the end he's like oh if you need anything else let me know never interviewed him ever ever again so yeah so just I'm just gonna so I'm big fans of these bands so now I can tell you Okay, so if it's Geffen telling you to talk to Nirvana, that's not bleach because bleach was subpop. So now we're talking, never mind. Yeah.

So are you talking to Kurt before radio has picked up smells like teen spirit? Yes. Okay. Because there's a moment, like that's like all these bands, right? There's a moment where once smells like teen spirit hits the radio, they go from, you know, zero to here. Yeah, and then you never get to interview them again. Okay, but that's very cool. And the Eddie Vedder, so Mother Love Bone, their lead singer, Andrew Wood, has a heroin overdose.

And that's where Temple of the Dog comes from. And Temple of the Dog is basically Mother Love Bone plus Soundgarden with this surfer dude from San Diego that's into kind of like audition or whatever named Eddie Vedder. And then, of course, Pearl Jam is formed from basically Mother Love Bone plus Kurt Cobain and then they add another guy. But that there is no actual overlap of Mother Love Bone in Pearl Jam. Like there's no overlap because one has to die for the other one to rise.

Yeah, I mean, when they were doing press for that Mother Love Bone record, he had died. Right. Andrew Wood, yeah. Yeah. I also interviewed Shannon Hoon and I want to find that interview because I recall it was a great interview and we might have also talked about drugs and I believe he died a few weeks later and I really want to find that.

I have a few like that. Well, you've got to find that because I hope that whole interview is about him singing backup on Don't Cry by Guns and Fucking Roses. I can't remember. I might not have known that back then, right? Oh, my God. Karen Bliss, I feel like there will be a sequel episode. We just talk music.

Like, now we got to know you. You know, you mentioned TV at the end there, but you were on Byte TV. You were a host of Lowdown with Karen Bliss. Yes. Like that happened, short-lived, but it happened. And a bit on Sun TV. Inside Jam.

And then someone said, and I knew the person, too, he was hired as a producer and he was like maybe you should just be behind the scenes. So that ended my TV career. But I need to know because if you're on... Anyone has work out there for me. Bring it.

Bring it. I'm easy to find. Okay. So Karen Bliss is available if you need a good writer, good music journalist. Karen Bliss is there for you, of course. But lowdown, okay?

This was on Iceberg. And any listener of Toronto Mike knows. That's the David Marsden, Don Burns project. Oh. Like so. So they were hired. The guy that, um, it was John Walters. And John Walters had, uh, this idea for an internet radio station.

And he contacted me out of the blue. And, uh, it was called virtually Canadian. And he hired me. And then he changed it to Iceberg and bought that station on Ontario. I think it used to be a country music station, and he, George Strombo was there. Jeff Merrick. Jeff Merrick was there. I did an amazing show, also kind of a dream show.

It was an hour-long interview show where I could play like a demo to like a recording. It was kind of, this is your life. And it was interesting at the time because the labels, some labels were supportive. And then others were like, no, you cannot play music on here. And anyway, it was a really fun time. But did you get to meet David Marsden to this experience? Well, I've known Dave Marsden, and he was fantastic, and I don't know if you've had him on, but he's such an amazing, amazing human.

So he was great, and Don Burns, and, yeah. The one that got away, the late great Don Burns. I know. And I did have Scott Turner on just to talk about Energy 108, where he became the trans, DJ Trance. DJ Trans, Don Burns. Okay, Karen, thanks for doing this. Thank you so much. I hope you heal up even.

I'll run here next time. I want you to run here next time. And shout out to our mutual friend, Ben Rayner, who's, we're all big Ben heads here. Absolutely. Okay, shout out to Ben Rayner. And that brings us to the end of our 1,790 first show. Go to TorontoMike.com for all your Toronto mic needs. Remember, hire my guest, Karen Bliss.

But also hire Ben Raynor. Can you hire both of them? Yeah. Okay, they both would like to write for your publication. Much love to all who made this possible. Again, our latest sponsor, it is Retro Festive. Retro Festive is giving a gift to everybody who comes to TMLX21 on November 29th at noon at Palma's Kitchen. Palma pasta will feed you.

I will bring the fresh craft beer. Karen, could I get you to TMLX21 on? November 29th. Like, would you go to Mississauga for me? Perhaps, she says. Okay, because there's a gift for you from Metro Festive.

It's worth it. So shout out to Great Lakes Boorri. Is there a Willie Wonka action figure? If there is, it'll make an appearance at TMLX21. Great Lakes Brewery, Palma Pasta, Nick Iini's,

Kindling. I'm all choked up because I'm going to shop kindling.ca. Recycle myelectronics.ca. Blue Sky Agency and Ridley Funeral Home. You're a music journalist. my next guest tomorrow,

the two main dudes from Finger 11 are going to be in this basement. They got a new album, but I need to talk about Rainbow Butt Monkeys because they did a great tour with your favorite band, Bootsauce. I'm sure they really want to talk about something that was like at the very, very beginning of their career.

Ask me if I care. I don't care. Like you're in my basement, you know, we're going to talk Rainbow Butt Monkeys or get the fuck out. See you all. Okay. Tomorrow.

You know,