Records & Rockstars

He's a winning combination of Jujutsu black-belt and soul singing prowess, with an affinity for Black Crowes, Keith Richards, and Tina Turner, and he brings a new single plus a another original and plays both plus a classic cover, inside of a 57 minute special, as Nelson Sobral from Toronto, with the ever-worldly percussionist Kunle, join Jeff at Wild Woods Blue Studio for conversation and performance. 

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1974 the year in rock is in the spotlight this time, for the first of a four part recurring theme, this time featuring nothing but albums out in the first 3 months of '74. Everyone from a Toronto trio, to the mutual admiration club that included Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and Lightfoot, plus what a future Whitesnake singer was doing, the first #1 from the Doobie Bros, and a wise warning from a famous Frank.

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Where would the bands we love have gotten were it not for their determination and tenacity -- their persistence and their perseverance? For that matter, where would any of us be. But they're the rockstars who made the records we love, so they get an episode. There's a million stories of perseverance. Here's a handful in a theme we'll come back to when the wind blows just right.

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This is the story of rock's ultimate supergroup which happened by way of a happy accident. Warner Bros. Records’ International Department had asked that George Harrison come up with a B-side for “This Is Love,” a single from his Cloud Nine album. What happened next, was all of this.

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The Police "plundered it mercilessly", as Stewart Copeland put it best, the music Bob Marley would call “a joyful sound to make the world go ‘round”. And when Bob left Jamaica for London, to make records with Chris Blackwell, everyone who was anyone was taking notice and suddenly under the influence, particularly in the so-called New Wave era. And so let's dig in to some of the best examples of bands who combined rock 'n' reggae, and not just in the second half of the seventies with Dire Straits and Mick and Keith, and 10cc, but back to the early seventies when a certain Simon delivered pure Caribbean groove, and Clapton shot the sheriff, and more.

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A companion to the previous 2 episodes, here comes the 3rd of 3 parts paying tribute to music icons gone in 2023.

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The 2nd of Jeff's 3 part tribute to the artists and industry legends gone in 2023.

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If you're like us, it really hits/hurts when another of the artists you grew up listening to, passes. It helps to take a minute to acknowledge and celebrate their contributions, as Jeff brings you the first of 3 parts paying tribute to the artists and industry legends gone in 2023.

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Here comes the conclusion of a four part recurring theme, featuring the Classic albums of 1973! A selection of the best albums in rock, from Oct/Nov/Dec '73.

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Every album ever made has both first and final cuts. Here's the second of a 2 parter about the latter - select killer closing cuts and stories to go with, plus guess who Robert Plant looked to for advice, when Jimmy Page invited him to become the singer for Led Zeppelin? It was another British rock star, who tells us that story.

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Sequencing as it's known, was and still is for many, and important part of the record making process.

The mood and the tempo of the different songs, has an affect on the listener. So sequencing becomes an opportunity to enhance the experience.

Sequencing defines the relationship between each song. An obvious way to begin is to lead with your best foot. As they say, you only get one chance to make a first impression. And then you can build from there. And build anticipation. Or tension. And the album becomes a journey. Which to many is one of the things that about collecting and enjoying albums that really matters. You can group together songs that will sustain a vibe. You can dramatically change the vibe, again, by changing the mood or the tempo. And every album be it a single or a double or for that matter a triple, has a final cut. Here comes some killer closers now. 

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Isn't it ironic, that an entire genre of music, was born out of a band 80% comprised of Canadians, as four men named Danko, Hudson, Manuel, and Robertson, and their Arkansas born drummer Levon Helm, unwittingly gave rise to so-called “Americana”.

And they, like our guest this time, had in their songs, themes like change, hope, heartbreak, and belonging.

She's also fan of Townes Van Zant. Hearing him, she was hooked.

From Port Hope, Ontario, Nickola Magnolia comes with her guitar, and she's ready to share music nobody has ever heard before, alongside some from her Jimmy Bowskill produced debut album of 2022 “Broken Lonesome”. Plus we'll spin her fall 2023 single “Hit and Run”, and dig into her unique story.

Her presence is notable. Her wit and candor the very same. This is a great session with which you can get to know this wonderful talent, singer/songwriter/performer who is also a tattoo artist! Not shockingly, I've already booked a session to have her art on my body.

Now let's get some Nickola Magnolia in our eardrums! 

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If you dig rock music, like the kind that came knocking in the early nineties from Seattle, then you'll dig Drop Top Alibi. They blew away the room at the Horseshoe in Toronto where Jeff was compelled to invite them here, to tell their story and perform live, including something never before shared on radio or a podcast, plus we'll go directly to the “Anyways” EP, recorded mostly on vintage gear. Sounds perfect next to Alice in Chains or Soundgarden. With Brandon Gregory – lead vocals & gtr, Dylan Wykes – lead gtr & vocals, Russ Shipman – bass & vocals, and Jeff Cox – drums & vocals. 2 songs from the studio and 2 songs performed live at Jeff Woods' Wild Woods Blue Studio.

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From time to time, many among us give thought to our relationship to booze. For some, drinking alcohol poses no drama. For others, it's a problem. Some deal. Some don't. Some will. Others won't. We've lost a lot of musicians to the bottle, and we've been fortunate to see some kick the habit, and stick around a little longer. Here comes a half hour of stories and music from rockstars on the wagon, with related conversation around sobriety that Jeff has had with Ronnie Wood, and Jeff Beck, plus an insightful reflection from Elliot Mintz, on his friend John Lennon, and the story of the Hollywood Vampires.

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Now the second in a 2-parter full of songs recalling years, and featuring a bit of conversation about the the tunes in question, from Jeff's sit-downs with Bob Seger, and Walter Becker and Donald Fagen of Steely Dan. Seger recalls recording his first massive hit in Toronto, and Becker and Fagen review some of their own songs, which is hilarious too. Plus Bowie, McCartney, Pink Floyd, Pumpkins, and Sheryl Crow and more.

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Spanning 1812 through 2525, and beyond, here comes the first of a 2-parter full of songs recalling years, from The Stones to the Stooges, plus The Band, and the band people believed to The Beatles, and lots more.

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The first episode in a four part recurring theme, this time featuring lots of special stuff, like Jack Black talking about the greatest rock band EVER, plus Jimmy Page on Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, Angus Young on Bon Scott, Mick Jagger on the Rolling Stones playing Russia for the first time, Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson talk "train-wrecks", and live music to go with it all.

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The recurring theme is back, as we celebrate the majesty of the classic albums of 1973. This time, memories and music from albums out the 3rd quarter of that year. From ZZ, to Mott, to 10cc, Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder, Steely Dan, and some of the finest sounds of the south.

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A bit of a twisted start to a 25 minute escape into music and stories about people and places, hotels and motels, as we check into the Astor, Hotel Happiness, The Amsterdam Hilton, and what Don Henley says Hotel Cali is really about. Plus, two songs that inspired Records & Rockstars sister podcast, The Blue Hotel, The Memory Motel, and to wrap we'll take a ride in a Deathcab, and pop a psychedelic pill.

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More in part 2, the conclusion of our look at songs that gave someone else a shot at the lead vocal, including the other rare lead vocals alongside Hendrix, Freddie Mercury, plus Oasis, April Wine, and more.

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