Toronto Mike'd: The Official Toronto Mike Podcast - Snow: Toronto Mike'd Podcast Episode 1685

Episode Date: May 5, 2025

In this 1685th episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike chats with Snow a.k.a. Darrin O'Brien about the legacy of Informer and so much more. Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Palma Pasta, Ridley Funeral Home, Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball, Yes We Are Open, Nick Ainis and RecycleMyElectronics.ca. If you would like to support the show, we do have partner opportunities available. Please email Toronto Mike at [e-mail]

Toronto stay tuned right here with Toronto Mike's and it goes a little something like this hit it Welcome to episode 1685 of Toronto Mic'd! Proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, a fiercely independent craft brewery who believes in supporting communities, good times and brewing amazing beer. Order online for free local home delivery in the GTA. Palma Pasta. Enjoy the taste of fresh, homemade Italian pasta and entrees from Palma Pasta in Mississauga and Oakville. Yes, we are open!

An award-winning podcast from Minaris. Hosted by FOTM Al Greggo. Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball Join me May 11th at Christie Pitts as Sado becomes the first woman in our country to pitch against a professional men's team Be there 1.30 beyond the left field fence RecycleMyElectronics.ca

Committing to our planet's future means properly recycling our electronics of the past Building Toronto's skyline. A podcast and book from Nick Ienies, sponsored by Fusion Corp Construction Management Inc. And Ridley Funeral Home. Pillars of the community since 1921. Joining me today making his Toronto mic debut is Darren O'Brien, AKA Snow. Welcome Darren. Woo!

Did you bring an entourage Darren? What's going on here? I always do. So I see an FOTM. A fellow FOTM, Paul Farberman. Hello to Paul. We can see you again Mike! Big Lee fan.

And who's this gentleman here? That's Frank Frankie Farzee From Mississauga, okay. So yeah, that's just partners and So, so what do you and Frankie do together? Just set up everything just just you know, it's your right hand man. Yeah, try to take over the world. You know what I mean? So So him and Paul, you know, so we got big things coming So they just you know, they just work on things and we try to do things You know, let me ask you a question about Paul. Yeah, he can't hear us. He didn't put headphones on. Okay

Did you know I'm just kidding. Did you know that Paul dated the first woman VJ in much music history? Did you know this Katherine McLennahan? Yeah, I remember you telling me about that, too I just think that's a mind. Look he's blushing We got to set them back up maybe Katherine McLennahan and when I asked all about Farberman you mean mean. Oh well future Farberman of course and then I said something about best time of your life right Paul and he had this smile on his face and he went yeah like that he peaked. Yeah that was the peak. Man and...

That's almost my favorite mask up there. Okay that's predates all the Jason nonsense, man. That's the O.G. mask. Are you a hockey fan? Yeah, my favorite mask was Tony Esposito. So it's a little bit like that, but not the same Tony Esposito. Hey, are you a leaf and of course, well, one. They're playing. My cousin is Brad Park. See, Boston Bruins, you mentioned you were also friends with Doug Gilmore.

I'm wearing a Gilmore jersey right now. You're friends with the killer. Oh, yeah. He it's funny because he I can't like I can't skate. I can't ski. I can't sled. I can't do nothing with the snow. I don't know. I never did drugs. So it's like, I don't know why my name is snow.

Well, that's my first question. How the hell does a guy who doesn't skate ski or do, you know, snort the coke as they were doing that much music back in the day as Paul knows how come you are named snow where does that come from the skin it's cuz you're a white guy that's it so he called me up and he was like we have a charity hockey event down in Florida doggy Gilmore Lee a whole bunch of them and we want you to come play I'm like I can't even skate. They're like perfect even be better So I flew to Florida got all the equipment on right they get me all the equipment

Yeah and I'm in the dressing room Dougie and everybody and I'm tying my skates up and and and I Wrap it around and I it goes all the way around a couple times and then I put the bow in the back Oh, I do the same thing like that put the bow in the back and Dougie's looking at me he's like I've never seen that in my life. The bow is in the back of the skates. So I went on you know. It's a hard to do to do that back there. Yeah so it's like but he was looking like what the hell I've never seen that ever. I was like yeah well that's my hockey this my hockey debut. But you didn't play as a kid? You're a Toronto guy right? You didn't play House

League as a kid? No, nothing. Ball hockey. Every night ball hockey, ball hockey outside. And Allenberry my projects at you know. Then we went to Fairview Mall because we had under the Bay so that was our you know we could play under there. Okay my friend so I'm wearing this Gilmore not just because the Leafs have a big game tonight at 8 o'clock game one of the Second round against the Florida Panthers. I just found out Paul Farberman is taking me to the game on Wednesday Is that correct? He said he's not taking me but he's going to the game Hold my breath, but I so the reason I'm wearing this jersey is because I bought this jersey in 1992

Snow do I call you Darren or snow? Whatever you feel can I call you Darren or snow? Whatever you feel. Can I call you snow? Call me snow. Snow. Okay, snow. Do you remember 1992? Do I remember 1992? Yeah, we're going back to 92 here. Yeah. All right. So here's what we're going to do. I was thinking, did we win the Stanley Cup in 92? I was like, no, it was the recall. But we won the World Series. I was in jail. Okay, so this, I need this story. I feel like this it was the week of the week. But we won the World Series. I was in jail. Okay, so this I need this story. I feel like this is a definitive. So I'm gonna crack open a Great Lakes beer, okay? See, I would love to crack open that beer, but I'll go back to jail so you don't have

bail money, do you? You got bail money, we'll crack it open. Hold on, I'm gonna say cheers to Frank. Yeah. Who's also drinking a, by the way, this is my beer of summer, Sunn summer sunny side session IPA. Let me know what you think of it. Yeah It's delicious and you know, it's only like 3.9 percent so I don't start slurring after a couple of these that's key So you don't drink at all right now. That's in 97 okay, is it you you you stop because you had a problem. Is that right? Um, I

Didn't have a problem like I wasn't like like I never had alcohol at my house You know what I mean? Like crack open a bottle and drink at my house But it got me to where like every time I drink I just want to fight and you know, so that time there that what happened was I had a charge and I had two charges. One judge called me, my mother, family scumbags, they're like, even your family are scumbags. So I was like, all right, I'm used to that.

That's a judge, whatever. And then my second, the other charge I had, he said, Mr. O'Brien, he says, it seems your family's here and you haven't brought the violence to you You know hope like domestic violence and all that stuff It seems you have a big heart and blah blah blah telling me all this good stuff. I'm like what this is 1997 He's like I'm gonna give you a year But if you met on the street if you mess up then you got to come back and you got it and then I'll whatever

I got a duty but in 97 you're already a guy with a billboard hot 100 number one hit right like so so I want to set the table For when informer breaks and then I got to play a bit of that because everybody's waiting to hear a bit of that But like so set the table like who are you? Darren before the world hears informer like give me the the details. I guess Paul told you I'd like the nitty-gritty details The details I guess Paul told you I'd like the nitty-gritty details But let me finish that whatever I was in 97. This was 97. I'll go back But in 97 this was my second charge and then the judge was saying oh you got a big heart You took care of your family took care your mother blah blah blah And telling all this good stuff and I'm like, you know, you know

So when I left the court right when I left out the court I said dad Oh, you know, so when I left the court right when I left out the court I said dad So you want to quit drinking? It's like what are we gonna do? I don't know. We'll smoke weed Yeah, cuz I didn't smoke weed until I was 30. I lived in Jamaica coke or tea everything. I didn't smoke weed So I was like you want to smoke weed. He was like, yeah, okay We'll smoke weed so 97 we stopped drinking together and we started smoking weed and ever since then I have no charges and I've been just together and we started smoking weed and ever since then I have no charges and I've been just fluffy but let's go back. It's working for you so don't change a thing. It's working for me. So who's taking home the fresh craft beer from Great Lakes Brewery? Is it uh Frank? He's taking it home. All right this is yours man. Oh he's got us four packs. Fresh GLB. They're all different flavors.

Yeah different there's a there's a the Canuck Pale Ale in there there's the premium lager. That's all Canadian right down in Canada. Prude here in southern Etobicoke. Oh, you're kidding me. Right down the street. So where do we get these kids in there? Well, OK, well, you know, they're at LCBOs, but my friend, this is key because Paul, you're going to you're going to be there.

You're going to be at in town on June 26th. I am. OK, because TMLX 19, the 19th Toronto Mike listener experience is at Great Lakes Brewery, which is down the street from the Costco at 30 Queen Elizabeth Boulevard and Paul Mapposta is going to feed us. So Darren, you got to come too. I'd love to come and figure it out. Okay, then one more shout out before I get this informer story is I got a book.

See these books? Yeah. That's the history of Toronto Maple Leafs baseball they play at Christie Pitts and on May 11th which is actually this coming Sunday there's a jab yeah Mother's Day at 1 30 p.m. we're all collecting FOTM friends of Toronto Mike we're gonna collect beyond the left field fence where the the the Maple Leafs of baseball play because there's this Japanese woman named Sato who's gonna pitch the first time in the history of Canada a Woman has pitched against a men's pro baseball team. This is happening on Sunday

Everyone's invited. It's a free event and you should come to Christie Pitts May 11th, you should come too He's thinking about what he's doing Next week that's coming up Sunday 30. Yeah, I'm serious Yeah, yeah, even to make hell you could throw out the first pitch Darren. I'm telling you man You want to throw the first pitch to this this game? She's throwing out the first real pitch I'm talking about the ceremonial first pitch we gotta get something to that maybe all right Maybe we'll talk about okay. Okay, I guess rose

I go to the C&E and I smash all them plates. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. I'm going home. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom Sunday for this first the home opener of the Maple Leafs at Christie Pitts. I can make that happen tmlx 18 It's happening. Okay, Paul Paul's into it and so is Frankie here. Okay, so I got to get the story set the table Let me know when I can play some of this song because people probably haven't heard it in a couple hours But we got to talk about informers like who are you at that time? And how does it break? How does it come together? Please tell me the definitive informer story. All right, I

Grew up in a place called Allenberry and it's like housing project and it's by Fairview Maldon's and Shepherd It's the first planned community in Canada. It's top of the mountain It's the most magical place in the planet, right? So I grew up there, but I grew up in a house in a lot of, say, Irish, you know, new fees. So when I grew up, I seen a lot of drinking a lot of fighting. When this guy Danny Anderson was the toughest and, you know, had all the girls, they say, sunshine, how you doing sunshine. And I want to be like Danny Anderson, I want to have all the girls and fight. That's all I want to do. I didn't want to be a singer. I didn't want to be nothing else but that. Right. But then I started getting into that, you know crime and started boosting and stuff like that and getting to a lot of trouble

In the neighborhood, you know getting charged when I was 15 for armed robberies and you know a whole bunch of just you know wild stuff so then 1989 is when the two I got charged I went to a party and there was a party and somebody pulled a fire alarm so everybody was outside the hotel and I came there and I started singing I wasn't snow then this is a 89 I didn't read the name then and then I was like girls are like the guys are like and they got a little jealous so I punched one in the face. They start chasing me.

And then everything happened. But I fight. And then the knives came out and two guys got stabbed bad. And they charged me. But I didn't do it. Right. Right. So they charged me for what the other guy did,

for two attempt murders. So then I went to jail for the two attempt murders. While I was in jail, I was in there with my brother, my Uncle Patty, my Uncle Terry, my father, everybody were all in the same range, all in the same cell. So that was 89 to 90, and then I wrote that little piece in former. But still I didn't wanna be a singer,

it wasn't like, oh I wanna be a singer, I was just like, you know, into the reggae music. Because when I was like 14, 15, I was into the hip hop, then 16 years old, then I started getting into the reggae hard. Cause a lot of- Are you talking like Shaba ranks? What are we talking about here? No, before Shaba.

Before Shaba. Yeah, like Coca T and Tennyson, 1985, you know? Stuff like that. Like you couldn't get this stuff on CD, you know what I mean? It was hard. I used to get live tapes, cassettes, and play them. So I got really into the reggae music.

And then that's when I went to jail for the 89 and I wrote that song and for my little piece. So just it just came to you this piece like after I got charged then I was in jail and that little piece came to me and you know, take them on a system that I'm still missing somewhere down the lane. So they say I stabbed somebody so then it just came to me. And then I just had that piece in my head and then when I came out

Which I beat the charge. I had a jury trial Big jury trial and the guy who actually did the charge. He got did the crime. He actually got up on the stand and said he did it and They found me not guilty. I got out nicely, you know out of jail now. I was out for a week They charged me again with assault causing bodily harm. I was out, nicely, I was out of jail now. I was out for a week. They charged me again with assault causing bodily harm. I was like, oh. They gave me a $60,000 bail. That was in 90, yeah, 90, 91, whatever.

Then I went to New York, right? And met MC Shan. And that's when I met MC Shan on the street corner and he was like, yo let me hear you and I was like, yo come to my house and I was like alright Shane but still I didn't want to make an album I was just cool to meet MC Shan you know so I was like what we came went back to his house and that was it we just started doing the album girl I've been hurt lonely money morning and all them kind of songs. Geez okay I gotta play this song man so let's play a bit of this song and then I'll get

more more details here. Here we go I'm a snow me have a glam I likey bum bum damn Take the man and say see that I'm a snow me stomp some butt out of lane I likey bum bum damn These are the men who come in and they blow down me door Rainy cup of truth through my window So they put me in the back of the car at the station From that point on my race my destination Where the destination region of the East detention Where the loot on me pants look up me bottom

So informer You know, say that I'm a snowman, I go blam I likey boom boom damn Take the man and say say then I'm a snowman Stab some more down the lane I likey boom boom damn Informer You know, say then I'm a snowman, I go blam

I likey boom boom damn Take the man and say say then I'm a snowman Stab some more down the lane I likey boom boom damn So, big all the more they think them have headphones right now in the TMDS basement studio, what are you thinking right now as you listen to this song? Not about the song. No?

You do the taxes? I was thinking about my lemonade, I was thinking about this water was shaking, you know, different thing. But what I was actually thinking, because I have a show, a couple shows coming up in Spain and Denmark in July 26. We have a show in Denmark and that's what I was thinking. I was thinking, okay, let me just, they haven't seen me there in a while singing this song so it should be a fun, fun, fun show. Originally when this video comes out there's no subtitles right? No, it started to like go off the charts and then they

said okay boom they put the subtitles and went back to number one again. Okay so I there's a you know the famous Toronto legend or whatever is that when this song breaks that you're in jail are you in jail when the song breaks or no? Uh kind of kind of but not like yeah kind of like what happened was I went and I remember I told you I went down and did it with MC Shan, saw him, did the record, went to Warner Brothers, Rockefellers, signed the contract and I'm like, but guys I gotta go home, I got trial on assault causing bodily harm next week. Yeah. They're like, alright, whatever, whatever. So they were like, okay, we gotta do the video. Alright, so I was, all right, I never did a video before in my life. So I'm at Silver Cup Studios, you know that in New York City, right?

And I'm there doing the video. And so left the video, never seen the video edited because back then it usually take, you know, could take months to edit a video. And I never heard my album mixed, you know what I mean? Cause back then you couldn't just put it on a CD and I could take it home. No, it was, you know, we had the reels, the big reels,

so we had the mix, they'd take a while to mix it. So I didn't hear the album mixed and I didn't see the video. So now I go back to Toronto and the judge is like, it's the same judge that de-o'd me on my two attempt murders, right? Same judge. So now the crowd is asking for a year, right? Same judge. So now, the Crown is asking for a year, right? So the Crown says, okay, we're asking for a year,

so the judges are right, but then my lawyer says, Your Honor, you detained him for a year in custody and he was found not guilty, so the judge says, oh, you got a year credit then. I'm like, what, the Crown's asking for a year, boom, boom, boom, I'm out today, right? He's like, but I was gonna give you a hell of a he's a prick this guy Humphrey's. Oh Bad bad bad judge. Yeah, and because what happened what he used to be a mob judge, right?

So my lawyer was a mob lawyer and he used to be is that so then he became a judge So now he don't like my lawyer because he thinks that he's dealing with all these whatever I Was gonna be hell of a lot, one year. So he gives me a year plus the year that the crowd's asking for. So he gives me a year. And I look back and see all my, you know, man, where everybody, I say, all right, see you later.

I didn't even think the album was gonna come out, didn't really think anything, you know what I mean? So I went to jail, I'm in jail, so I got a year. So about like the seventh month, I'm in there, and they said, year. So about like the seventh month I'm in there and they said, no, O'Brien, you got a message at the bubble. So I go to the bubble, right, and I get it and they're like, oh, call Jimmy. All right, so I said, oh, shit.

He was inside with me, but now he's out. So I called Jimmy. I said, what's up, brother? Collector, what's up, brother? He's out. I saw you on TV. I'm like, nah, it's not out yet. He's like, yes, I saw your video on Much Music, it's you. I'm like nah, it's not out yet. He's like yes, I saw your video on much music

It's you I'm like you sure it's you He goes yeah, it comes on again tonight cuz back then rap city come on in the morning time that we couldn't watch right but it come Repeat on in the nighttime and we could watch at the nighttime on Friday and Saturday We get to stay up late watch a movie and then we watched rap city So I'm like you sure it's me? He's like, it's you. I'm like, all right.

I tell a couple people, I said, I think my video's on. So when I go to lunch, I'm at lunch, now the whole, everybody, the whole jail's in the cafeteria. Yo, Snow, where are your video on? I'm like, oh, finally. I hope it's not Marky Mark or something. You know, Vanilla Ice, I'm dead, right? So I'm there, I'm like I think I don't know so then after the after the movie everybody goes to bed

You know all the bikers everybody they usually go to you know They usually go to bed after the movie and stuff and all of us You know whoever liked hip-hop and we'd stay up late and just you know mess around this time the whole place is packed They want to see this snow video So I'm like and I'm in jail with a a guy I grew up with from Allen bear at this time This is a different jail. So I'm with with the Wayne The Wayne grows so me and him are pacing pacing back, you know by the cells here or pacing back and I hear And and and and and and I saw shit

I run and it's like a circle and all the seats are there and the TV is up there So I'm by the TV and I'm in jail in the TV and I'm in jail Singing to everybody all the bikers everybody everybody, oh yeah, everybody dancing and stuff. So it was like boom, right away I was like, that's the first time I saw myself on video. And your prison mates, they said it was a good song. What was the reviews like? Oh, they loved it. What? Yeah, especially back then. If you did a CD or an album you had to do you You know what I mean? It's not like I can go in the basement do a CD everybody got CDs out everybody got that right so they're like what?

They believe me because they know my family in jail they know a lot of my family So they know I'm not a bullshitter and running around bullshitting, but when they heard they yeah, they liked it You know I got lots of questions as you can make first the last story is amazing That's like a definitive Toronto story. Do you think it adds to your like your integrity? Does it help your rep that you're in jail when that song airs on much music for the first time? Like that might help sell a few units or something you think like it gives you a great story Yeah, but it's a great story. I need rep from that, you know, I had my rep all my whole it doesn't hurt right? No, it makes a good story. It's like it's never happened before.

Yeah. It's like some guy goes to jail, signs a record and comes out. You know, usually people are like famous, then they go to jail. Right. You know what I mean? But I was not, I was like, and then I came out, limousine picked me up and. So is that like the day, yeah, limo picks you up and what's your first stop? Oh, I didn't want to know the first stop. The first stop, this was the first stop. I'm snow now, right? The first time I heard my video, my song on the radio was in jail too.

I had a little radio. What station? 88.1. CKLN. Yeah, so I'd go, I had my little radio and I'd put the antenna to this pole and it, no Lilo, cause my first single was Lonely Monday Morning, not Informer, it was Lonely Monday Morning on a white label. So they didn't know if I was black, white, nothing,

they didn't know what I was. So they released that first and that started coming up the charts, like on the underground, bubbling light, and then they released the Informer. So then now, I get out and Remember my friends are all still criminals boosters and whatever. I'm like, it's you know, it's this is new to me So this this clothing company came I loved them I'm sorry brothers, but this clothing company came and they're like snow we want you to come down and give you free clothes Right from my jail right out. I'd get out of jail. They're like coming on the young street come and pick up some free clothes I'm like, oh, I never had free clothes. Right from my jail. Right? I'd get out of jail. They're like, come in, on Young Street, come and pick up some free clothes. I'm like, oh, I never had free clothes before.

I'd had to fucking boost them before. Right? So we go in there, me and a couple, three or four of my friends who are still with me to this day. And we go in there and the guy then brings me in the back. He's like, okay, I got you this shirt, this shirt, these pants, this pants. Okay, I'm all right. He gives me my I like I go back into the limo the limos full of clothes. I'm like brother. You can't be doing this, right? They're like they took the whole store. Oh my god. I'm like you can't do this no more. I'm snow now I gotta buy it now Yeah, so I still talk to the guy goes right back to the jail. Yeah, here we go I'm coming on. I'm like, yo, you guys can't do this, man. You can't be boosting all this stuff.

Well, why'd you leave us in the store with nobody in the store? We're empty. And I'm like, yo, like you can't do that. Or like, all right. That's called the what's it called? Entrapment. Yeah, it's entrapment. So and that's the first day I got out.

And then yeah. So when you're laying down this track, you're in New York as MC Shan. Like do you have any idea that this will be a hit? Like are you thinking this is gonna be a like that I could boost stuff Hey, I used to like to boost everything. Hey, so when I met MC Shan Shan didn't have no money Yeah, and I'm on charges for assault causing bodily harm in America So Shan didn't have no money right dog living poor him didn't have that much money He's tell he says this already in in magazine. So I'm not like telling his business, right? Dog living poor him didn't have that much money. He's tell he says this already in magazines. So I'm not like telling his business, right?

Right. So me being a booster, I'm like, what? You guys got no food? He always says, you can't go. Right? So I'm like, you got no food. So I go to a PMP a MP. Yeah, MP. Of course. Yeah, I go to a MP and I steal roast AP and P a and P yeah and P of course yeah I go to a and P and I steal roasts and steaks and burritos for the dogs and everybody how every day I'm feeding Shannon's as a holy shit who's this guy he comes down he's feeding my family singing music so I would go to his corner store too and I take all the chicken sandwiches I love these little chicken sandwiches and I take all the

chicken sandwiches right from it's like a 7-eleven yeah and I go in there one day and I pack up full of chicken sandwiches my coats full of chicken right and the guy says you and I go what he goes you you take all the chicken sandwich I go what are you talking about he goes every time I fill up you come in all gone I said you're nuts I said I'm leaving I had about 40 of them on me. I said, you're out of your mind. I never went back to them. I never had a chicken sandwich again. And so that's how I was living. Shan was living like, you know, a little rough, hip hop back then was, you know, wasn't making that much money and stuff. So Shan is like an angel.

He just found me and then me and you know found me and he just taught me, he brought everything out of me. You know, he would be like, okay, Snow, do a harmony. I was like, what? I'm like, what's a harmony? He's like, okay, like I didn't know, like I never know, studio or nothing. So he just like, and that was the first album and then, like I told you, I signed a deal. That was 12 Inches of Snow.

Yeah, and then we went back to jail and got out the limousine and other the store and then then I started to go went back to New York and started going all around the world and then Yeah, it was like number one I remember when I was on the on the plane going to Germany and I plugged in the phone to listen to the headphones And it was my voice It was an interview on the plane going to Germany and it freaked me out because I heard my voice When I plugged it in I'm like yeah That's me I'm on the interview on the plane going to Germany and it freaked me out because I heard my voice when I plugged in and I'm like, yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm like, what the hell?

And I'm like, oh, shit, that's me. I'm on an interview on the plane. You know that you must know this, of course, but you know, Informer's just the third song by a Canadian artist to top the Hot 100 for seven or more weeks. Like it was number one for seven weeks, Billboard Hot 100. Only two Canadian artists had ever done that in the history of the Billboard chart Okay

I'm glad you asked actually because I was gonna see if you knew who it would be Brian Adams Brian Adams is number two So yes, but Brian Adams had Okay. Yeah. Yeah, right. No, every everything I do I do it for you big song That was seven weeks to number one. So that's the second Canadian song to do it. You're number three. The first- Why, how, oh, because the time you said I'm number three. At the time, at the time, at the time.

Cause now that you're number three, I'm number one. I'm kidding. No, you were number, Informer was number one for seven weeks. Okay. But the first Canadian artist to go to number one- Hold on, don't say it, don't say it. I don't think you're gonna get this

because I don't think you're gonna get this because I don't think you're gonna get this. And anyone in the room who wants to yell it out, you get. Okay, I'm gonna say it's a girl. I'm gonna say it's a girl. No, it's not even a, it's an instrumental first of all. Oh, I know, okay. You're not gonna get this.

No. Percy Faith's Theme From A Summer Place. Do you know this song? Well, I pulled it here. I thought, hey, let me hear it, in case we know it. Let's hear. ["Case Be No Way"] You could rap over this.

["Case Be No Way"] In farmer, you know, say daddy's lovin' me. I go blame, put a, but a, but. I know this song, of course you know this song. Yeah. Yeah, that's a big song. First Canadian artist to go number one for seven or more weeks, and you're the third one to do it which is fucking amazing. So, so, geez so many

places I can go here but one is that it's worth noting that that song comes out in 92 and the Blue Jays win their first World Series in 1992. Is that a coincidence? I seen it in jail. Oh you watched the in 92 that was in Atlanta. Wherever they won there. That's I was in jail. I was just getting out. Yeah. So I saw the first. And we knew a guy named Roach.

His name was Roach and we used to call him Kaka. So get up on there, Kaka. He get up and dance when the world's there. Yeah. So, yeah. So good. Well, no, I mean, get it later. I'm going to talk about basically the return I call it the return of imposter Maybe I'll do it now. So we'll jump around and then I'll come back, but I'm gonna play a song 2019 jam you ready? I Good song.

It's great. That's a good one. So this is 2019, okay? What happens in 2019? 2019, they call me and they say, Snowy, we want to do a remix. And I'm like, okay, let me hear you know So when they send it to me and I heard it I got chills. I Was like, okay this one I like this one

You know, I don't care if daddy Yankee whatever whatever, you know what I mean? Just Has to be done right and proper. So daddy Yankee, this is Con Calma. Yeah. Part of my accent, okay. And- Yeah, I said it wrong. I said it wrong in the song. I was singing it wrong. I'm not too good as English. Now they're telling me to do spam.

I'm like, y'all, man, come on. Give it a little Spanglish there, okay. But this topped the charts. This version, 2019, with Daddy Yankee, Con Calma, that tops the charts in 20 countries. And it's in the top 10 for 10 more. Like this was a big jam but in 2019 the Toronto Raptors win the NBA, the Larry OB, okay you're an OB, you know the Larry OB. The Toronto Raptors win the NBA Championship. So let's work with me here. Okay so in 92

you put out in former, Blue Jays win their first world series in 2019. This song is a big hit for you. Again, you and daddy Yankee. Raptors win their first NBA championship. 2025 snow makes his Toronto Mike debut. Maple Leafs win their first Stanley Cups in 67. Paul's clapping over there. Right? It's been prophesized prophesized Frankie's agreeing with me here you gotta put

something out then now I know tonight's game one it's gonna be tough defending Stanley Cup champions they got Brad Marsh and there they're a good fucking team but if we win game one tonight at home I want some I don't care if it's you rapping informer over the theme from a summer's place Percy faith Okay, we can probably record that today in this basement We put that out make beliefs win their first Stanley Cup since 67. I'm doing that. We're working on a well We worked on an EDM and we're working on a country Style now, okay. Hey, who would you be doing the country one with, you know?

We have a couple, well, we're looking for names right now. You know what I mean? Someone like a Jell- Apply within. Yeah, Jell-y, someone will, you know, someone. That's the gift that keeps on giving. Yeah, I'm like, yeah, I'm like, if it's EDM, it's reggae, it's reggaeton, let's do a country.

If I could get into it. Well, of course, you gotta have some passion in the belly there, but sometimes your bank account wants you could get into it. Well, of course, you got to have some passion in the belly there. But sometimes your bank account wants you to get into it. Yeah. Well, country, I need I need a country hat. I need I need a cowboy hat. OK. Well, maybe kids. Randy Travis, Randy Travis first. Well, one of his first albums, Amen.

You know that album a little bit. This is the Mugs and Kisses, right? 92.5. A little bit. This is Mugs and Kisses, right? 92.5? That album, that whole album, I know every song on that album. You can go to any song on that album, anywhere in the song. Randy Travis. That's your jam. Any song on that album, you can go anywhere in any song and I'll know. Okay. I'm similarly minded with Kenny Rogers because I was raised on Kenny and there's the greatest hits that came out in like 82 the one of Lady on it

Yeah, Lionel Richie's lady or whatever and I any song on that I I'm into it man. Maybe I don't know We'll talk offline here, but I know some country artists We can cook something up for the the 2025 Stanley Cup run by our Toronto Maple Leafs. Yeah That's what I'm yeah, that's what we're my mind is right now. Okay, I got lots I remember I text your buddy here Paul all the time. My ideas are flowing 24-7. I'm gonna be pitching a lot of ideas to Paul He's ever since he dated the first woman BGN much music. He's been living the life Rick James, baby sat me You know Rick James. Yeah, of course. I know he's the common baby

He used to come to my house in Allenberry because he used to date my mother's friend. My mother's a draft dodger He's a buffalo guy. I think he's buffalo. Yeah, that's how he ended up here and he was Young he was that's all that's all your mind talk Real talk the real talk is he had more girls working in Toronto than any other place Yeah, he had like 30 girls working for him in Toronto. So this was his spot So my mother knew all the gangsters and stuff. So my mother's friend a black lady elaine used to date him And uh paul's giggling over here because paul dated the same lady elaine Is that true? Yeah, it's true. It's true

Second biggest smile he's ever had. Yeah, this one here, like you can't go nowhere with him. Hey, Paul, did you see that? I'm gonna pass it while we chat. Did you see this? Somebody heard us talking about Tears Are Not Enough and sent me that. I have a copy of that. You have a copy of that, but I didn't get it from you. I had to get it from a listener. Yeah. Come on. You know you know I just talked to I just talked to Bill Henderson from Chilliwack like minutes ago and he tells me he was asked to play some guitar on tears are not enough and he thought he was too big to just do that he wanted like a solo and he turned it down and he didn't participate in the tears are not enough recording have you heard anything about that this is what bills telling me okay

anything about that? I don't remember. This is what Bill's telling me, okay. If he's telling you it's true. That mic's open too if you ever wanna pump on there because that's yours Darren, okay. Darren, what's your sense of humor level when it comes to your fame with Informer? Because I think that's a great song.

You got a good sense of humor about it? 100%. Well, look at Jim Carrey, look at all these people. Oh, okay, say it top. I gotta make sure you're not gonna punch me out and end up back in jail if I play this, but I gotta play it, okay? Or my listeners will revolt.

They'll be, have pitchforks at Christie Pitts on Sunday. Okay. So I'm gonna play this and we're gonna talk about it. Impostors, they say you took something that belonged to them. And man, they gonna of how I sound. Single one platinum bigger than Marley and Jimmy and Yellowman, but I'm running mulatto. My reggae's watered down. Give me on the radio, think I could not be blacker.

But on my video you see I'm really a cracker, pretending I was a rasta since I was in jammies I should fit my face and stop fessin' out, marry! You can criticize me all the way to the bank, my singles number one and shabba don't rank Time wanna kick dicey off the label for tipsin' the cops, they said it just ain't right But when a Caucasian man records a cop-a-ting song, they don't have a problem It was beyond oversight, all the Jamaicans think I gave them a bum's gear But everything I know I learned from an auctioneer the video started seven far this year go grand Hey, do I hear it? No, I'm who gave me 10

I got 10 10 going once going twice sold I can spot jibberish and it'll go bold. I am what I am And that's all that I am I wish I wish I seen him recorded I Wish I seen a recording Man to increase the credibility we put on the spot outside with the roster shunning down with no imposter Like vanilla ice the people are sick of me They put my boom boom down in four months My brother be back in Canada working at Asia With a burger crown

Ribbit bippity boppity skittity boop Rippa skittity up a dick da dick da boop Would you, would you, would you like fries we thought? A hot apple pie with that Just drive around, ma Blue tie Cool runnin' Ah! Just drive around, man. Blue-tach! Cool running! Ah!

Hey, man! You wouldn't hit a man with glasses, would you, man? I'm warning you, man! I shot the sheriff! Exceeders all now! Snow, I need your reaction. You're hearing that. I know you heard it at the time. But what did you think at the time of Jim Carrey?

This was from In Living Color, of course. And what do you think now? I thought, well, I had to give permission to. Oh. Right. He had to ask permission to do it. So I heard it first and gave him permission. So I thought it was funny. It was perfect. Imposter and you know, it was like perfect. So I thought it was funny and it was perfect. But he loved it so much. He loved it.

That Jim Carrey. Oh, it was his favorite because he came and did a movie called Mine on the Moon. What's the name? on the moon remember he did he loves in that yeah he did that movie, but then He did remember the guy's wife had all the film all that film And then they did what was the movie called after they did the oh? I think yeah, I think I know she does a movie made about him making yeah the dot all behind the scenes and all That yeah that movie so he got really into character. Yeah, he came. Yeah, so Whatever the guy's name is the taxi guy Andy Kaufman. Yeah him his wife had all like

Hundreds, you know thousands of hours of all the video so they made the movie so he called me back again Well called the wet record company was like can we use the song in that movie? And I was like, yeah, you can use it in that movie. So then he used it again in the movie. And then he called back again. He said, can we use it at the end too for the credits coming up? I'm like, yeah, you can do that too. He's like, all right.

So any plus he's from here too. But that's where I was going is you're a Toronto guy. He's a Toronto guy. Almost in my neighborhood. Mike Myers grew up in my neighborhood. Right. Mike Myers grew up great in my neighborhood. Like a lot of people went to my school, my high school, like Rush went to my school. Harry Mandel went to my school, like a whole bunch of them.

Can I ask you about a guy on my most recent guest on this podcast was Friday, a guy from Broken Social Scene, Brendan Canning. And I mentioned that you're the next guest and he says he knew you in high school. Any memory of Brendan Canning from Broken Social Scene? What school? I asked him and I can't remember what he said. What school did you go to? Vanier I think. Vanier yeah. Yeah I did three years basic nine. Okay. Yeah, I got one credit and the and the science teacher It took Paul five years. He did right one credit. He gave me a and I was shocked. Hey, I was like you you gave me a credit That was my science teacher. Mr. Thrust Yeah, he was nice and I got one one jail and one credit in jail. So I got two credits

So yeah, yeah, he knows me from there. Okay okay so yeah so okay very cool I was known in the area like before way before I was snow I was like you know really really no you know one as a musician no just fighting just watch your shit around this guy's gonna steal it no I wouldn't steal from people okay yeah I wouldn't I would never steal from you man's gonna have a code. Yeah, there's codes. There's no breaking into people's houses and stealing purses and all that kind of stuff. You know what I mean?

I'll go to the Bay and I'll go to the mall and all day long and take everything, you know. The Bay, shout out to Ridley Funeral Home. You can, we can buy the Bay. Yeah, the Bay. Pass it. We can buy the Bay. Yeah, the Bay's done now.

It's done now, man. I'm kicked out of every Bay in the world. I was kicked out of every Bay in the world. I was kicked out of every bay in the world Oh, yeah, the Hudson Bay. They got big pictures snow. Oh, yeah, be don't let this guy. Yeah, let me kick that every day Trust me. I should go in that store with wigs on they didn't know who I was. I had long hair wigs I Got a question from Al Grego Al Grego Al Grego a good musician too. He's got a he's got a great beard I'm jealous of his beard actually but Al Grego actually works for mineras and they sent over this wireless speaker for you snow and

They're kindly asking that you subscribe and listen to season 8 of yes We are open which is an award-winning podcast from minera is hosted by Al Grego 100% he went to Regina you ever you gone on tour to Regina, Saskatchewan. Oh, yeah, I've been out there Yeah, I've been a lot of all Canada Thunder Bay. I put the thunder in the bay a couple times Yeah, all right. So what did Al write me? He said hey Mike when you have snow on Ask him what he thinks of this corn style corn. That's one. See, that's see, that's I was going to tell you that earlier when I was talking about how Informer was hip hop reggae, right? Started with then it went to reggae tone. And then

we're doing an EDM version. And that and that one there that you want to hear it? No, yeah, you can play it. But people have been sending it to me because Al heard it I'll heard it like he wants to get your reaction to it so I'll play it yeah you'll hear the headphones right now and now you can react to it this is a thanks for saying this Al Grego if corn wrote informer by snow you guys are diabolical dude I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It's like corn. All right, we get the idea here, this is corn style. Frankie's telling me that there's a cult following where they just make Informer in all the different genres, all the different styles.

Yeah, so it's my turn now. It's my turn to do it. 2019 was six years ago. Yeah, that was Concoma, Reggae Tone, so now we got an EDM version coming soon, and then we got a... We're working on but I want to do a rock one like that you know well okay this is a great segue man you want to be a co-host to this podcast because you're setting me up

here so I got a note from elephants and stars that's a great band and they want elephants and stars Manfred is the guy's name he wants me to ask you about your band with Greg Norrie oh yeah I about your band with Greg Norrie. Oh yeah, I had a band with Greg Norrie. And that! Yeah, we were called Icon. Icons, we did an album in Japan, me, Greg Norrie, MC Shan. And so yeah, there was a whole bunch. So that's when Sum 41, they did a recording in my house.

They would do a recording in my house, in my studio. I had a studio house. That's a big fucking band, Sum 41. Yeah, this before they blew up, they would come to the house and, you know. So I did it. Yeah, we did a lot of songs with Greg Noy and stuff. Okay, there's a... Today I learned, I saw online of Into Deep, which was a big hit for Sum 41, that it was originally supposed to be a reggae song by treble charger Featuring snow true or false true Wow

Yeah, Paul didn't know that one. I'm telling you we're digging deep here. Okay, so in too deep Well, they just at the Juneau's they just did their farewell show Some 41. Okay, they called it quits. I watched it on the television Oh, okay. They called it quits. I watched it on the television. But the fact that In Too Deep was going to be Treble Charger featuring Snow before it became a Sum 41, and there's a lot of, we won't get into the controversy, but Greg Norrie and Derek Wibbley from Sum 41, let's just say there's some big controversy there.

You have any insight into that? I have no insight, but I heard a little something. Well, you went in his book. I'm no informer, so I don't know nothing about nothing. See, I was testing you. Will Snow play Informer? Yeah, no, no, no, I don't know nothing about nothing. So why wasn't it a treble charger song featuring Snow in 2D?

I don't know, because when I we did it and then I heard some 41 do it over yeah and then that was like their their song so big hit. Right in Fat Lip where the big early hits. Yeah so I don't know they just went with them you know what I mean because especially Greg Noy was was managing them and you know I mean so and they were coming out in there you know so it was a good good thing they did it you know what I mean because it was a good thing they did it. You know what I mean? Because it was good for them.

Absolutely. Now, okay, so I have a true or false question for you from Brian Dunn. Hello to Brian Dunn. Brian, I hope to see you at TMLX as the Toronto Mike listener experience 18 at Christie Pitts on Sunday. And again, at TMLX 19 on June 26 at Great Lakes Brewery be

there Brian wants to know because he's the biggest bare naked ladies fan on the planet are you Stephen Page's cousin? Yeah that's my cousin. See Paul didn't know that? Oh he did know that. Okay the mics open if you want to. Only recently I just found out. Oh you just found out.

On my on my mom's side yeah he's on my mom's side and the funniest thing is because my dad That's his he hates that man more than anybody in the world. He hates that right and and They kind of wrote that song because of Informer Yeah, well, you know I was this came in from Mark Weisblatt from 1236 fame and he says, you know One week is like the second Canadian rap song to go number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Well, they got it from my style. That's why they said, they took that style from the snowman, right? So, so when I saw him, he's the one who told me. So I'm not, I'm not, it's not

me saying, oh, it's nothing to do with it. You grab a drumstick and you do this. It's no sign, not the same, but it's the same kind of that flow-ish. So he told me, he was like, yo, you know, we wrote that song because of Informer? And I was like, you prick. I said, write me one. I said, write me another one. Well, they didn't get seven weeks on top.

They got one week. One week. It's been one week Yeah, they should have changed the lyrics to it's been eight weeks on the billboard charts Your first cousins or no, okay. Yes, so are you related at all? but I never I know he I never seen he never come to my because he was like My family's gangsters. So he didn't come away, he was told to stay away from those O'Brien. That's his mom said.

Stay away from those O'Brien. If you haven't done two years more, you get out. Because Stephen Page's dad put out their yellow tape, the big yellow tape that made the big indie yellow tape that was really popular and famous for Bare Neck ladies. And he also put out Shakespeare my butt by lowest of the low Do you know lowest of the low? Okay, so yeah in 91 or so they put out Shakespeare my butt and I'm just here to shout out lowest of low cuz I was

That's a band. That's a band. I hear the music like I'm more music. All right Well, I do close this I'll close this podcast with a cover of one of their songs Rosie and Grey from Shakespeare My butt by Rob Proust from spoons, was at, I just want to shout out, they're coming on the show in a couple of weeks, Lois and Lalo, Ron Hawkins and Lawrence Nichols. And I was, I saw them at the concert hall on, I think it was Saturday night. And I was just glad there was no game seven because I was going to bail on this concert if there was a leaf game seven and they wrapped it up in six and I got to enjoy a fantastic show at the concert hall, the Masonic Temple.

Exactly how I am. Got to get home to that Leaf Game. I don't care what it is. Yeah. Well, you want to watch it with me tonight? We're going to have a good time. I got you. Oh, you don't drink the beer.

I got the beer here. Okay. So a question here too. So thank you for the Stephen Page. There's another guest of Toronto Mike who says he's a cousin of Stephen Page and I'm wondering if you're at all related to him. He covers sports for the Toronto Sun Steve Simmons yeah does this name mean anything to you maybe he's related to Stephen Page to a

different like artery in the family tree a different branch or whatever do you know Steve Simmons no no I know Gene Simmons yeah he's funny Gene Simmons is dear friends of the owner of Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team and he's the guy I'm gonna call. Keith, I'm gonna call him after this and we're gonna get you to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Hi, Gene Simmons. Would you do it?

You'd go to Christie Pitts at 1 30 on Sunday? We're gonna talk about it. Yeah, I would love to though. Throw that. Yeah, you get a throw heater though. You know who the manager is? It's Rob Butler who won the World series with the 93 blue Jays. Oh yeah.

Yeah. See. Geez. Okay. All right, man. Uh, one more question that came in from Mark Wisebott from 1236 here. Uh, he says, where's the audio of your version of the be nice, clear your ice that Ben Wicks used to do.

He said in 2022 you wrote City of Toronto's Snow Song. No record of this online. What's going on with that? Did you record something for Clear and Snow in 2022? Frankie knows. Oh, yeah, yeah, he's the one who set it up. Okay, you got an audio of this? You could send me an mp3 or something? Or has it been buried? Frankie's thinking. Oh, yeah, get in front of that thing. Yeah. I'm not sure. I think we gave it to the city so they have the final audio. Because they don't have it online anyway.

I haven't edited. He has an edit of it. I'll take it. Yeah. Come on, we got to share the love here. Okay, we're going to share the love here. Before I ask the next question, I'm going to shout out a great podcast from Nick Iainis called Building Toronto Skyline. And Nick Iainis stepped up to help fuel this real talk.

Thank you, Nick. We had a recent episode with a guy who was on top of the CN Tower 50 years ago building it. He's an iron worker. CN Tower is 50 years old. Wow. Happy birthday CN Tower. Yeah.

There you go. My friend MC Shan, when Shan used to come to Canada, all he would ask people, he'd go through the drive-in, and he'd be like, what's the tallest free standard structure in the world? Remember? Because that was the Toronto. Everybody would say that.

CN Tower is the tallest free standard structure in the world. So he'd say, because I'd tell him that, right? I remember, I got a joke, a Texan guy, right? There's a Texas guy, and he comes to Toronto. And you know, in Texas, they build everything faster. They think they build everything faster and stronger and everything, right? I remember I got a joke a Texan guy right? This is a Texas guy and he comes to Toronto. You know in Texas they build everything faster they think they build everything faster stronger and everything right? So they're driving in the cab and the Texas guy's in the back of the cab and the Texas guy says what's that there? And he says that's a C&E. He says how long it take you to build that? He said that there they took about I don't know a year. He said in Texas

we were to build that in six months. So the cab drivers keeps driving and he looks and he says, what's that there? He says, that's Maple Leaf Gardens. He said, how long it take you to build that? He said, that's four years. He said, in Texas it take us eight months. Cab drivers puts on the guy, now he's getting a little madder, eh? Like, all right, he's driving. The Texas guy says, what's that there?

And the cab driver says, it's a CN Tower. He said, how long it take you to build that? He says, I don't know, it wasn't there yesterday. That's my CN Tower. Pull that clip for Nick Guainis, man. He's gonna love that, that's fantastic. Okay, I got a mind blow here for the listenership. That's a warning, this is a mind blow.

But first, what neighborhood do you call home right now? Allenberry Gardens. Okay. No Toronto. Yeah okay. Downtown. Downtown okay. Downtown.

Do you have like a drawer or a closet full of old cables, old electronics, old devices that don't work anymore? Maybe you got these old cables from the 90s that are obsolete now? No. No you've cleaned out that shit. Okay. For everyone. That's MC Shan. Shan has everything. Shan like you go to his house he has the first cable, he has the first mic we ever did in gold plated and yeah he has a lot of that stuff. Well tell MC Shan to bring the the obsolete old cables and stuff bring it to you because if you go to Recyclemyelectronics.ca

and you put in your poster code you'll find out where you can drop it off to be properly recycled so those chemicals don't end up at our landfill this is what we're gonna do all right here I need a story on this I'm gonna play another piece of audio okay and you know I do have that loaded up that's coming that's coming but first we're gonna do this you ready this. You ready? That's for the Drew Carey show. Drew Carey show, I did the song, the intro song. Moon Over Parma. Yeah.

That was fun. That was a fun one. So is Drew Carey, I mean it's funny we just talked about Jim Carey, but Drew Carey, was he just a big Snow fan and he wanted you to record That for a season of his show. Yeah, they reached out and they're like, you know, he's a fan He wants to do it. I was like, all right Did you like the Jew Carrey show or you just thought it'd be fun to do it. Did you watch that show? No, okay I don't really watch too many like we just family guy

Cartoon. Yeah. Yeah, they're doing an episode something on me a little something not me as a character Just you know using the music or whatever and they're like family guy. I was like What's family guy like? I don't oh you don't you okay, so I know a family TV No, I don't watch no Simpsons. No Simpsons. No, no, no, no never seen the wire never seen you love the wire No, I live the wire There's a character in the wire called White Mike. He's in season two. Yeah, shout out to White Mike. Big up White Mike. But yeah, mostly just boxing and hockey. That's all I really watch. You watch hockey and boxing. Okay. And when you listen to music-

Domi's a friend of mine. And when you listen to music... Domi's a friend of mine. You know, if you go to the washroom, ready for the two pictures on the walls with autographs on the walls are Doug Gilmore, your buddy, and Ty Domi. Isn't that weird? Both my friends. Like your two buddies are in my bathroom over there. So before you leave, you get to take a picture.

He saw Domi at the game a couple weeks ago. He saw him and he went up to me and he's like, I'm friends with Snow. He's like, what? Yeah, I know. Yeah, well, because his son Max has had that big OT when it to we got max. Yeah. Yeah I saw you this is a fun story Uh, shout out to ian service if you're listening, I hope you are but ian and I went to see I'm dear friends with a director named stew stone Stu stone made a movie called bandits with his brother-in-law adam. He made a movie called bandits

So i'm at the premiere of banditsandits to see to support my buddy Stu and You're there man. You're like wearing this this rad jacket and you're kind of did you have a dog with you? Did you bring it? How'd you get a dog into the movie theater? Were you there? Yeah, so one of our One of our artists he's one of the main guys in the movie. Okay, they made that movie in Winnipeg. And it's funny, it had, yeah, Jan Arden's in that movie, for goodness sakes. But so I was going to ask you how you ended up at the Vandit's premiere. It's because of Espresso. He's an artist that we work with.

So he was- I thought it might be the guy from Trailer Park Boys, but no, okay. Yeah. Yeah, Trailer Park Boys but no okay yeah yeah Trailer Park Boys because there was a guy from Trailer Park Boys in that movie too but so Ian and I are like we're leaving our seats and I go but there's snow and he goes go up and say hi invite him on your show I was too like I'm like nah I can't like just come out of the blue and approach Darren O'Brien from Informer I have to play the

long game I gotta get Paul Barberman over, talk about Catherine McClenahan, make them all happy, and then say, hey man, deliver me the snowman. And he says, I got to deliver you. And he promised me snowman delivery. And then at some point, I guess he called me from lunch with you. You were having lunch with him? We had O'Brien's. do you own O'Brien's I should Right, then the owner is Pat Quinn, but not that okay. Well, he's passed away again, but great great leaf Not him. Not him. There's another Pat Quinn. That's a real Irish name, but Darrell Bryan's pretty Irish the Irish

Yeah, yeah, the main Irish the real the yeah, don't don't fuck with the Irish Listen, my people are from the Ireland too, man But okay So then he's you got on the phone like I had a little chat with you on the phone and you said you'd love To come on and then I'm like like this Paul guys delivering Unbelievable when Paul says something to me. I say, alright Well, it's it's happening now, so okay I'm gonna play I'm not just gonna do inform I'm just gonna play one more song and then we're gonna talk about it's funny.. So, okay, I am going to play. I'm not just going to do Informer. I'm just going to play one more song and then we're going to talk about... It's funny. I wanted to

focus on Informer. Maybe we can dive deep in other areas next visit, but now is your chance. We're going to talk about what's going on post Informer, but we're going to start with this ditty. Oh la la la la la la Them I say them I know without you they won't know If you call them up they don't give a shit Everybody wants for me like they want me I really hate to be here Think they love her when they see her guitars so we had all these guitars and we're just like on a different you know I've been really into be her, think they love her when they see her When she's gone she just don't know what they say This is a great single man, it's a great song

Yeah I like this one She inherited the drama, it was passed down from her mama And her daddy he would only drink wine But only if she came around But she's slowly going down Girl comes home and check her phone She's full, learned, and she's not alone But everybody wants to be like you

With your arm going down in all this hell You turned around and you got no friends But everybody wants to be like you Okay, give me this, just give me some background detail on how this song comes to be, how it came together Um, this one here is, I'm in grade two, right? And I'm six years old and I go to the kids concert by myself, me and my brother. My brother's nine and I'm six. We go to the first kids by ourselves, we go to the kids concert. 1976, Varsity Stadium. Me and my brother go, my mother drops us off, we go. My nails are painted,

everything black, you know. I'm six, my brother's nine. I remember being at the concert and seeing all the, like, people dressed up as Kiss and I'd be like, Sean, there's Peter! You know what I mean? He's like, that's not them, it's not them, right? And so, the next day or a couple days later, I got the pictures, we had to develop the pictures, right? So I brought the pictures to school. And I stood up in front of the class couple days later, I got the pictures we had to develop the pictures, right? So I brought the pictures to school Yeah, and I stood up in front of the class and I said I went to this kiss concert Ra-ra-ra and this boy in my class Robbie. He says come up to me He's like what's kiss and I was like, it's a rock man. You never heard of it. He's like no

I go where do you live? He goes Allenberry. I live in Allenberry. I go, you want some Kraft dinner? He's like, yeah. I said, come to my house and I'll play you some Kiss. So that was in grade two, right? So what happened was Robbie Patterson, his name is, he's a year older than me, right? But he failed grade two and then ended up in my class. So then I introduced him to Kiss.

He fell in love with Kiss. Then I failed grade two and he went on. So when we were 10, we started a band called Excalibur. And they went on to win a homegrown, a Q107 band of the year Yeah, sure. Yeah, they won Lazy Ace. They changed their name after. So we when we were 10, we started a band called Excalibur because we all had roller skates on and they're Dominion precision roller skates. But my friend Murray Calvin, he had the Excalibur, some cheap old ones. So we were like, yo, let's name our band Excalibur.

So that we started in grade 10. I mean, when we were 10 years old. So fast forward all these years, that's who wrote the song with me, me and Robbie Patterson. Wow. So we've been together since we were great too. And we wrote the song. Well, a couple of mind blows. It's all coming back to Gene Simmons. Yeah, by the way, Simmons fake name. Good. Confirmed it. Just fake name, okay? Don't believe the hype. No, it doesn't sound like a real Jewish name. It's probably Egg Simmons or something. It's something else, okay? And you know, the Ramones weren't Ramones either. I'm here to tell you the truth about all this stuff. Paul knows.

He's in the business, okay? But okay, and you mentioned Kraft Dinner with your buddy, right? Yeah. There was a commercial aired like crazy in the early 80s where I love I love I love I love my craft dinner with and then the hook at The end was my dad this cute kid goes my dad. It was this amazing craft dinner commercial. You might remember it You might have seen it. Okay that kid Was Stu Stone who directed bandits? Oh Frankie's brains are on the wall right now. That's a that's a fun fact, right?

That's fun fact. Okay, Jane Sibri eat your heart out over there. Okay Snow I saw I heard somewhere about a psycho tour for Y TV Which had like before for remember before for and you were you on this tour? Yeah Do you have any memory of the psycho tour for Y TV? And were you on this tour? Yeah. Do you have any memory of the Psycho Tour for YTV? Yeah, I when we toured we did all Canada and then our last show was at the hearse Hershey's Yeah, her she's at her she yeah, we performed there and that was it Would you just say before for before for they were there? And I scared them hey, I had cuz I had a lot of Hells Angels come to the show

for eight in Toronto so I had a lot of them go up to me and they were like crying almost right so I scared them at that show right but no they were good guys yeah it was it was a great fun tour you know fun little too I remember because I was older than all of them right so while I was on tour I'd be on stage and this this one little kid she was you know about eight, 10 years old. She had a big sign and it says, my mother thinks you're hot. She had this big sign, my mother thinks you're hot. I was like, aw.

His name was Heim Witz. This is Gene Simmons I've gone back to here. Heim Witz, W-I-T-Z. And here's another fun fact coming in on the live stream, live.toronto.com. The dad of Before 4 was a synagogue cantor. Okay? So there you go. Now you know the rest of the story. They were Jewish, weren't they? Sure. I mean, if you're a synagogue cantor, you better be Jewish, right?

Yeah, I remember. Yeah, I say, because I, I, I, I think a lot of them call me Jewish right O'Brien steam You know my daughter's Jewish Simmons is Jewish. My daughter's Jewish. Is that right? Yeah Playlist Answer machine he had informer Gene Simmons big big snowhead. Yeah, he used to call me all the time Yeah, my phone. He married a Canadian. Yeah Yeah, playboy model. Yeah, I recall not that I know much about all those playboys in the early 80s But yeah, absolutely playboy model back then says James Darren jeans on the phone

He told me he says first thing he said don't worry about People saying oh you're doing black music, you're doing this, you're doing that. He said, we used to have to go through that too with Alice Cooper with the makeup, because Alice Cooper used to say that they copied Alice Cooper with the makeup. So Gene used to tell me that. I love Alice Cooper. All right, here's how we're closing, my friend. It's a tough time for this country now that we're buddies.

You keep looking over there at Maestro Fresh West. I think you you got something to say about that guy over there. Look at him What's your relationship like with the maestro? I love my stuff Because he he now not in America, but in in in Canada, he's got the first rap hit. I Think that let your backbone slide is the first rap hit in this country probably be but missy me Yeah, well we heard her off the top because she's the first Canadian hip-hop artist to get a U.S. record deal. Yeah, she's a dear friend of mine. Okay.

Yeah, dear friend of mine. Misha's a dear friend of mine, yeah. I respect them. Do you have a relationship with Drake? Drake? No. No relationship? No, I don't want one.

You don't want one? Now, because your style. Yeah, he had't want one. You don't want one. Now, cause you're a star. Yeah. He remember he, he, he had to ask me permission to do that song too. Remember he opened the Junos singing Informer. Right. I forgot about that. Yeah.

He was playing the piano and he was, but you gave him permission. Yeah. I said, as long as he ain't, you know, this and her anything, you know what I mean? So, but big up, you know, big up, Drake, big up, you know, for, you know, Drake has a, like he has the rap and the singing. I started that. That's where I'm going. Yeah.

You're the first guy I can think of who would rap and sing. Yeah. Because you weren't supposed to do that. Right. Because Elaine, right? Yeah. Pick a lane. Yeah.

So it was like, if you had a rap, you had to get Joe to see to do the singing R and B. So I met MC Shan. I'm like, there's no rules. I just, I wanted to sing. I wanted rules. I just I wanted to sing, I wanted to do this, I wanted to rap, I wanted to just... Because you're a good singer. Yeah. And you've got the flow.

Yeah. Obviously. So it's like, I wanted to do it all. I didn't want to do, you know, I just wanted to do whatever. And that's what happened. I was scratching on that record with my mouth. I was DJing, reggae, singing, hip hop, I was rapping, everything on the first album. Do you think Drake was influenced by your success? Toronto Boy, hitting number one for 14 weeks with a singing and a rapping? Everybody.

Everybody. I love the swagger. Yeah, everybody. They have to be. Everybody wants to be like you, right? They have to. They don't want to be like me, but they respect the fact. They have to respect the fact, especially, you know,

because I'm the realest one from here. There ain't no more real than me. You're still here. I'm still here. And I'm the realest. I grew up street like yellow lines on concrete, like real street. You know what I mean? And you don't got to grow up to be street to do hip hop. I'm not saying, oh, you got to go to jail because if you go to jail, that's, you know, you're ruining your career. You know what I mean?

So, but, it's, there's a lot of talent here. Like, especially rock and roll, classic rock. Like, I hear songs, I'm like, I didn't even know that was Canadian. You know what I mean? Like, it's like, holy, this Canadian, that's, you know? We got some classic rockers here Like my favorite is uh, uh max webster. Yeah, you know sure. Yeah, that was my favorite blockheads that um blockheads album was crazy

So i'm a class like when you go to my car i'm q 107 Which I don't really respect them because they never play my music which they shouldn't because They do not play informant. I know but they play Bob you know they play Bob Marley that's how you know Bob Marley is just like oh of course any every radio station Q107 all of them they all play Bob Marley I didn't know that yeah I feel like that's the boomification of Q like boom came out they would play Bob Marley and I think you changed their their playlist to bring in some more of that boom stuff because boom did so well in the ratings Yeah, boom is more but a boom would play informer, right? Oh, yeah. Yeah, we just we did an interview with them last year or something

Boom. Yeah, but um, yeah, I like boom. I like but q107. That's my Every time I think rock when I get in his car. He has it on that station I just talked about I just talked to the guy from Chilliwack. They're on their farewell tour They're at Massey Hall on on May 22, but Q's playing a lot of Chilliwack. Yeah, that's for sure Yeah, all right. So let me ask you this snow snow. I'm gonna call you snow. Yeah, I know Darren's I don't know any of the snows. Yeah, it's exciting to me. Okay I'll speak for myself. You chose to stay in Canada Like I'm assuming when you have a number one hit for 14

You could be living in LA or New York or something, but you wanted to stay here. Is that correct? Always, but they kicked me out of America. Well, see, well, that I don't know. Okay, so is that because of the criminal record? Yeah, in 1994, they threw me out for life. And then Japan threw me out for life. So everybody started, you know, even Toronto threw me out, like, from from Eglinton to Lakeshore to Sherbourne to Dufferin or something, they kicked me out of that hole for two years. You can do that? They did it. They had the judge kick me out of that hole downtown Toronto.

So I had to be in Durham, right? I feel like, I don't know if there's a... Brother, I get kicked out of more places. In Fairview Mall, they kicked me out of the, I told you, the every bay... The every bay in the country. But the mall, they kicked me out of the I told you every day in the country but the mall they kicked me out of the bottom half first because I would like I'd like everything in the bottom half they kicked me out of the bottom half first right but you haven't been doing that since no I don't know I don't get into no no trouble no I'm positive no drinking

you know I mean I'm on yeah I don't really like all that. But I don't, you know, I'd like to talk like we were, the funniest thing is because I did like a year and a half in the East detention waiting to go to court. So about six, a couple months ago, they contacted us and they were like, can Snow come and talk to the people in the East detention? I was like, what? I would love to go talk to the people in the East detention. I was like, what? I would love to go talk to the people in the East detention. So, you know, I don't know, I

just like, whatever positive, you know, for the kids and stuff. But are you a proud Canadian? Right now? Right now? Half and half. Okay, no, no pressure here. I'm just curious. Because right now, there's an American president who's making comments about making us the 51st state. Yeah. And I'm curious what my friend, FOTM

Snow, thinks about that. No, Canada's Canada. You know what I mean? This is our, you know, but we got to smarten up here. We don't, I'm not worried about all what's going on in America who's running America we got to care about who's running here and and fix our place first and do right for our stuff so I got a couple big people that should be running for for for for mayor and stuff and but um well you might minister you mentioned Mike Myers because he went to your school is that right did Mike Myers go or is he from your neighborhood? No, he went from my neighborhood.

OK, yeah, not from Alamber and not the project, but wait across the street and the building right there, right across from Woodbine and Vanier. I'm not sure if he went to Vanier Rush went to Vanier. OK, Alex Lyson and Eddie Lee went there. Right. Harry Mandel. Oh, geez. Because Mike Myers did some ads with Mark Carney, right? He did some like Elbows Up, you know, Put Canada First. Yeah. Again, not trying to get you in trouble. Just curious how you felt there. I would slap him. I probably would have slapped

him. Slap Mike Myers. We'll be back in the detention center. I don't care. I take a beef. I take it. You know, he run over here and I don't like that Carney guy. I don't care. I take a beef. I take it. You know, he run over here and I don't like that carny guy I don't care. I don't like him, you know, so Yeah, I don't know. I don't like what he came over and then he run back to America I was ever run back to America. I'm gonna slap him in it. What now you're making me mad. I gotta get off this So we are we're almost done by the way, I really appreciate this. I just love Canada. I've been six generations here. We came over from Ireland over to, to Nova Scotia and over to Toronto. So we've been, you know, so I just see a lot of it

going downhill and, you know, so we got to fix it up. We're going to fix it up. Beautiful countries, beautiful people. This is the most talented. Look at that. We got the top rapper Jake We've got the top singer we can we got Justin Bieber We got some beautiful guys. No, we got snow, but we got beautiful talent over here and Celine so we got an IA Tonight we got you play this game Neil. I got tickets for Neil Young. Oh, no, we don't like Neil Young How come? Oh, not Neil Young Bachman Turner overdrive we him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I

love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love

him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. I love him. pay attention Paul. I was up for best album of the year in 1993. Juno Awards. He was up too for the best album. He beat me. So a lot of- Is that Harvest Moon? But probably whatever that, whatever that was. So he- He's personal. Not to me, but to my friends like Jamie and them. Oh, I want to beat him. Oh, I don't like him at all. I love his music Okay amazing I know he's been very vocal with Bernie Sanders going to protest against Trump

What do you think of his staunch anti Trump stance? Who Neil Young? He's Canadian. He's Canadian, but he's been living in the States a long time. You know, he got no for nothing. He should just keep it with his guitar and talk about his guitar. That's all. Alright, you got a soft spot for Donald J. Trump? Again, no judgements here, man. No judgements here. I like whoever's stopping the war and whoever's doing the peace.

If it's Trump, if it's this, if it's that, if it's whoever it is. You know what I mean? And I see it's running pretty good so I just want to, yeah we just need to fix here. You know if we become the 51st state, which by the way it's over my dead body man, I'll pick up arms okay, I'll go to war. I don't care. You need one of my dogs. You know what? I'll be right beside you. Paul and I are going to be fighting. Do we have our back? No. No, no, no. Yeah, till your nose bleeds.

I got your back till your nose bleeds. You ever hear that one? That's what they say in jail. Don't worry, I got your back till your nose bleeds. Here's the thing though. If Canada becomes the 51st state over my dead body... Then I don't need a waiver and I'm allowed in. Well, it might be the opposite. I'm allowed in. You might have to live in the Atlantic Ocean, like a hundred kilometers off coast.

See that my favorite place in the whole planet and the whole world is Florida. That's it. That's the bottom line period. So they should make that their own state. Florida man. Yeah, that's it. Snow. Snow buddy. You know, we can agree to disagree on the Trump stuff, but fuck, I love this convo.

Yeah, me and him, yeah, this is the only guy we'd probably not kill over the talks that we have. I mean, to the list. I don't want to be killed either, but Paul and I are proud. We're part of the defiance here. We're going to stand up for this country, right? Elbows up, right, Paul? So you voted for?

I voted for, I voted for a guy named James Maloney,oney who's my MP and he's a Liberal Party member yeah you didn't vote for Carney well you don't you know I voted for Carney's party oh Jesus I'm not alone snow I'm not alone Toronto look at Toronto almost every riding went to the Liberal Party look at at Toronto. Look at it. Who lives here? So, Pierre Pauliev is your guy? No. He flopped. He got scared. You know what I mean? He should have went to Joe Rogan and did all the podcasts, your podcast, all of them. I don't think that flies up here. I feel like that's...

That flies everywhere. These are the biggest in the planet. You fly. If it don't fly for one prayer, you know, you got to go hustle. He didn't hustle. But I'm not really into it. I just wanted to to to to to to be a good country and run right. And I mean, positive. There's a lot of people who are not obeying our Canadian laws with all these immigration immigrants, people coming in and stuff. But I don't want to say this for the sequel, we'll save this for the sequel, okay?

We just wanna get into the heavy duty real talk. Yeah, Canada, we got to, well, we're gonna be number one when the Leafs win too. Right, so. Well, cause you're gonna record a new version of Informer and we're gonna win the Stanley Cup. All right, Snow, man, you're now an FOTM, friend of Toronto Mike.

We're gonna get you thrown out that first pitch at Toronto Maple Leafs baseball game on Sunday. Thanks for doing this and Paul, thanks for bringing them here. Thank you for having me. Thank you for this. It was beautiful. And that brings us to the end of our 1,685th show. Go to torontomike.com for all your Toronto Mike needs.

This could be his last. If you don't see me again, your suspect's name is Darren O'Brien. I repeat, the suspect's name is Darren O'Brien. Mike and Paul, missing. MIA. There's only one suspect. Much love to Great Lakes Brewery. Much love.

Palma Pasta. Hey, can I give you a lasagna from Palma Pasta to take home? I love lasagna. I got one of my freezer. I love it. Lasagna. Snow's taking a lasagna from Palma Pasta. Monaris, you've got your speaker.

I got my speaker right here. Recyclemyelectronics.ca. Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball. Again, it's Sunday, 1.30, beyond the left field fence. Come by. Rob Butler's gonna sign a baseball for you. Get your butt over there. And watch history being made.

Building Toronto skyline, of course, and Ridley Funeral Home. This measuring tape is yours, Snow. That's courtesy of Ridley Funeral Home. 12 inches of snow. 12 inches of snow! See you all. Who's up next?

Mino Verstieg from Colorado is my guest tomorrow. See you all then!