Mulligan Stew

The Vancouver personality, born John Ruskin, is among 80 appointees announced on Wednesday,  Unlike most of them, the 57-year-old will be inducted under his stage name, "Nardwuar, the Human Serviette," a rare exception for one of Canada's highest honours that meets the spirit of his off-the-wall personality. For the uninitiated, Nardwuar might be described as a Canadian enigma who gradually invaded pop culture over several decades, propelled by his interviews, which all finish with his trademark phrase "Doot doola doot doo...doot doo." David Friend, Canadian Press I've had the pleasure of knowing Nardwuar since his high school days in West Van. He and Craig Northey would be the first to knock on my front door on Halloween. Looking for record handouts instead of candy. During my years at Much Music as host/producer of MuchWest,  great cameraman Jay Mirus and I would always be running into Nardwar. Usually around the concerts and soundchecks. Jay and Nard became great friends, and eventually, when I moved on, Jay became the host of MuchWest, and he asked Nardwuar to co-host. That was the first national television exposure for Nard. Now he was on a roll.  He became the famous media character the World now knows.  He's a guy with Nike making a skateboard shoe in his Tartan colours ,and the following week, induction into the Order of Canada.   And he's not done yet.   Congrats Nardwuar, and a big shout-out to Jay Mirus.

We've all been in the right place at the right time.   For me, one of those times was to be hosting and producing MuchWest in Vancouver when Sarah McLachlan moved from Halifax to Vancouver to begin what would become an amazing career. Sarah ended up on the West Coast because in Halifax,  her home,  she had opened for a band from Nettwerk Records in Kitsilano. They wanted to sign her immediately, but Sarah's parents insisted she finish her schooling. It felt like she came to Vancouver with songs already written and ready to go. It wasn't long before  Sarah released her debut album Touch. That's when I first met and interviewed her.   The gift she gave the world was songs cutting deep into memory and self-awareness. Since 1989, the gift she's given me was to tell part of the story through our interviews.   That's one of the reasons why I asked Sarah to come to Thailand and Cambodia with me in 1991 to tell the story of World Vision's battle with the aids epidemic.   Sarah is on record as saying the journey changed her life. It helped her understand the power of giving back. It also leads directly to her involvement with the Sarah McLachlan School of Music. Some of our interviews showed up in the Lilith Fair Documentary. It's been 11 years since Sarah recorded and released new music. Her new album is called Better Broken. We'll talk about a lot of things.  Better Broken,  Motherhood, today's music world and her place in it, the legacy of Lilith, the Fumbling Towards Ecstasy 30th anniversary  Tour and Canada – O Canada.

The Smiling Land is a celebration of Alan's Newfoundland, in its legendary past and brilliant future. The music, the bays, towns, villages, and 12-hour ferry rides to get you halfway to where you're going. Alan is the tour guide, something he's actually done! Besides the reader, along for the drives are his beloved wife and teenage son. To go camping,  they're pulling a small trailer home behind.   FYI - Alan hates camping and driving.   I swear,  many of us will find a way to take the same drive - just once in our lives. The history, the legends, the forming of the first real settlements in North America. Characters who thought nothing of leaving their homes, sailing the North Atlantic and starting again in a wild new world. Many towns, bays, lakes, mountains and forests were named after those "characters". And many a song and story has been handed down. The complete Alan Doyle Experience can be heard on The Stew this Saturday. Driven by four Doyle Songs, including his latest.  

No/Lo spirits, wine, cider, and beer have been "trending" for many years now.  The search for wine and beer replacements has always been there.  A number of producers began to find results after they made their wine and beer, then stripped the alcohol out and substituted the taste with other elements. Fruit, tea, spices, etc.  Suddenly, some of the replacements tasted even better than the originals.   Kurtis Kolt, sommelier and wine educator, wine judge, and co-founder of Top Drop Vancouver, has organized a second Free Spirit Vancouver.      The first was in January of this year, when he hosted 10 vendors pouring, collectively, just under 20 brands. Monday, Dec 8, 630-830, Heritage Hall  3102 Main Street Free Spirit Vancouver will have almost 60 producers pouring no/lo.   That, my friends,  is called "Trending" with a capital T.   Please check out the free spirit link below to see the producers' list and to follow along with Kurtis Kolt's interview. Be sharp, he motors through a lot of labels and tastes.   Merry no/lo Holidays     www.freespiritvancouver.com  www.kurtiskolt.com  https://www.kurtiskolt.com/p/free-spirit-a-sauv-blanc-duo-featuring   Original feature can be found on www.TastingRoomRadio.com

How do you celebrate a 40-year music career? If you're Blue Rodeo, you tour Canada in 40 dates, and the last two are in Massey Hall. We're showcasing Blue Rodeo with separate one-on-one  interviews with co-founders and co-writers/singers Greg Keelor and Jim Cuddy. ,  Blue Rodeo and the guys have multiple Junos, Hall of Fame inductions, Songwriters Hall of Fame, Canadian Walk of Fame Orders of Canada, a really good documentary and just this year,  a stamp and a beer.     To me, I hear the sound of Canada in their high harmonies.   They started out as a hot bar band after returning from a disappointing series of months in New York. New York said "You can't have two lead singers and you can't do country, rock and roots.  You must have a clear image of who the audience sees you as".   Back in Canada. None of that existed.  We loved them  just as they were. The boys knew where they belonged, and it showed up in the joy of their music.   Enjoy this conversation between three music fans who lived those 40 years. And are still friends  

The amazing story and success of  Winnipeg's David and Joey Landreth continues with the release of their 9th studio album, Dog Ear. The brothers join us from home base as they prepare for a full European tour and select key American dates this year. The new album deals with finding a balance between making music and raising their families. In the music business, with all its touring, it can be really hard on the whole family. After having a Grammy hit with the Landreth's  Made up Mind,  their music hero, Bonnie Raitt, asked the boys to send her songs from their new album. She came back saying, "I can't decide which one I want to sing on - so how about two songs?". She sang harmony on Knuckles and background on Half Moon Eyes.David and Joey grew up in a musical family and listened to Bonnie and Little Feat growing up.  They can't begin to describe what it's like to not only meet your heroes but to play and sing with them!!  As you can imagine, it's out of this world.

Following a celebrated national headline tour and a wonderful run supporting the legendary Bonnie Raitt, Dear John sees  Royal Wood collaborating with five-time Grammy-winning Mixer Ryan Freeland (Bonnie Raitt, Ray LaMontagne).  Royal describes Dear John as a "letter to a younger Royal". The album captures both his sincerity and artistry.     Royal Wood's music continues to resonate worldwide, amassing over 30 million streams.   Royal stepped away from the music business and his strong part in it,  to have 2 sons and make the family home much more important than the stage.   He and his family also decided to move from Ontario to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He makes music wherever he goes.        His last album, What Tomorrow Brings, received critical acclaim and was considered for "Best Folk Album" at the 2024 Grammy Awards.    Known for translating his recorded work into captivating live performances, Royal Wood has headlined prestigious venues like Massey Hall in Toronto and Paradiso in Amsterdam, and toured extensively with acclaimed artists including Bonnie Raitt and David Gray.     The interview includes 5 tracks from Dear John. Back Home. End of the Road, Killer Love, To be in Love, Fever.    Tour Dates NOV 07 - Madison, WI - Overture Centre NOV 14 - Toronto, ON - Koerner Hall - Make Music Matter Event x Matthew Perry House NOV 28 - Calgary, AB - Dalhousie Community Centre NOV 29 - Lethbridge, AB - Geomattic Attic NOV 30 - Lethbridge, AB - Geomattic Attic DEC 02 - Canmore, AB - ArtsPlace FEB 04 - East Lansing, MI - Wharton Performing Arts FEB 05 - Yellow Springs, OH - The Foundry Theater APR 09 - Truro, NS - Marigold Cultural Centre APR 10 - East Margaretsville, NS - Evergreen Theatre APR 11 - Liverpool, NS - The Astor Theatre

Juno Winner Aysanabee headlines his first national tour.     Two-time JUNO Award-winning Oji-Cree artist Aysanabee has been riding a powerful wave for over three years, and this fall he's bringing it coast to coast.  Following the release of his June release album Edge Of The Earth on Ishkōdé Records,  Aysanabee kicks off The Way We're Born Tour on November 6 in Edmonton, with more than 20 dates across Alberta, BC, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec, and Ontario.   Tour Dates:  www.aysanabee.com/tour    Aysanabee  once again announced that each show will feature local Indigenous opening artists. "I had the best time featuring and connecting with local Indigenous artists on the first leg of my headlining tour this past winter, and I couldn't wait to do it again for this next run." -     "Every song on this record offers a window into very transitional moments in my life. Over the last few years I was faced with decisions that often took me inwards and made me question the core of my creativity, 'What drives me to make art and how much would I be willing to sacrifice for it?' I mulled over calling the record 'Reflections" 'or 'Patterns,' but landed on Edge of the Earth, because oftentimes these decisions would take me to the edge of an unknown and leave me wondering if I was ready to take a leap of faith. I can't say I was ready , but I can tell you how it felt, and it is in these songs."   My thanks to journalist Lynn Saxburg  for taking all of us through the highs and lows of Aysanabee's early childhood and adult life. Outstanding Journalism!!   https://ottawacitizen.com/entertainment/meet-aysanabee-the-first-artist-signed-to-ottawa-based-indigenous-label      

Afie Jurvanen (aka Bahamas) has announced My Second Last Album, his seventh studio release and the follow-up to Bootcut. The record arrived everywhere on October 24, 2025 and finds Afie back in Nova Scotia, trading Nashville's storied studios for the coastal quiet of a backyard shed. Recorded at DreamDate, the compact studio built by friend and collaborator Joshua Van Tassel, My Second Last Album was shaped almost entirely by the two musicians, who played every instrument across its 10 tracks. The result is one of the best Bahamas albums yet. The first listen to My Second Last Album comes with the expected driving country-funk, equal parts groove and grit. As always, Afie's lyrics capture both humour, heart and a  loose, spirited energy that defines the album. Enjoy!! My Second Last Album

Americana singer-songwriter Mariel Buckley announces her just-released album – Strange Trip Ahead, out Friday, October 17, 2025, via Birthday Cake Records. It finds Mariel venturing into new sonic ground for her, embracing an indie-rock song box that leans away from her country and Americana roots. The album reveals a deep dive into themes of adolescent shame, secrecy, and queer longing. With complex songs that take the listener through the emotional turbulence of youth, crafting a listening experience that feels like floating in uncertainty, suspended one moment, crashing the next. Mariel begins a bold new direction with this Strange Trip Ahead.  "I was itching to try something a little heavier than my previous stuff," she shares. "I wanted to move away from synths and keys in general, citing references from indie rock, pop music, and alt-country."  The album offers an honest portrait of empty hotel rooms, long stretches of highway, and the quiet loneliness found in mundane rituals like pumping gas and loitering around with a bad cup of coffee.  Almost Nomadland-like,  it feels like a slice-of-life vignette; a glimpse into the less-than-glamorous underbelly of being a working artist. Our interview starts with talking about our favourite track from the album. We both picked the last track.... Lucky.  (A complete gem.) It also includes the album title in the lyrics. Nashville Now - Builds slowly and gets darker with every bar and chord. Somewhere else, which mentions drinking a $13.00 wine  Vending machine - glorious harmonies smothered in beautiful dark lyrics. "Dreaming and drowning, disdain and devotion to a career spent adoring travel and the limelight. Packing and unpacking. Feeling sorry for myself." Mariel calls these songs her most honest work to date. There is a glimmer of light, I hope you can find and shine on the corners of your mind.  That feeling is too dark to bear. Hang on, buddy - the best is yet to come." Mariel starts a complete coast-to-coast tour with Matt Anderson Jan 24 in Glace Bay, NS and finishes in Victoria, BC March 2.  (Feb 25 Calgary - Feb 26 Edmonton) @mariel_buckley www.marielbuckley.com 

A long-distance pal returns to The podcast. Sensational Singer- Prolific Songwriter - Road Warrior.   Terra Lightfoot   Terra Lightfoot has a well-earned reputation as a tireless live performer, with a tour history mapped across the globe and awards testifying to every mile logged along the way. To date, Lightfoot's marathon tours have touched down in eight countries across four continents. She also conceived, created, curated, produced and co-headlined The Longest Road Show, an all-female touring revue.     Most fans would reasonably assume that the singer-songwriter's natural element is in the spotlight. But even accomplished touring artists like Lightfoot feel the insistent tug of home. That place, which for Lightfoot is a scenic hideaway, is captured in warm detail on the artist's intimate new album, Home Front. In stark contrast to the anthemic alt-pop riffs of 2017's New Mistakes and 2023's Healing Power (each of which earned the artist JUNO Award nominations and Polaris Music Prize mentions), this is an unplugged session in more ways than one.     In Terra's words ..... "This house is a special place. "It sits all by itself between woods and streams that go on for acres and acres and a beautiful wetland teeming with wildlife. I find myself living more comfortably in my own bones than ever before when I'm here. There is a deep quiet here, in the house that backs onto the beaver marsh. Blue herons fly, and moose and bears walk the forest path out back. It is a place where I can't help but be more connected to the natural world. Being so engrossed in the world of loud rock 'n' roll guitar doesn't leave a lot of space for field recording or softly strummed nylon strings. Home Front is the place where I can share all those softer and sweeter moments." Home Front releases Oct 17th.   Next Week - Mariel Buckley and her newest album Strange Road Trip which premiers' same day Oct 17 

Award-winning writer/director/actor Ben Immanuel's feature film Are We Done Now? was released for VOD in Canada on September 30.  The film makes its U.S. Premiere at the SOHO International Film Festival from October 7-14. Are We Done Now, starring Gabrielle Miller with Favour Onwuka, Natalie Farrow, Eliot Ramsey, Giacomo Baessato, Jennifer Spence, and Camille Sullivan, promises to resonate with audiences on both comedic and deeply emotional levels.  The film won the Audience Award for "Most Popular Canadian Feature Film" at its Canadian Premiere at the Available Light Film Festival, and Natalie Farrow recently won a Leo Award for "Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Motion Picture" for her role as "Lennon."  This thought-provoking dramedy will resonate with audiences on both comedic and deeply emotional levels. Shot between 2020 and 2024, Immanuel brings to the screen a profoundly relatable story following Pamela, a therapist (played by Gabrielle Miller of Corner Gas and Unspeakable: The Murder of JonBenét Ramsey), and her diverse young clients as they participate in a (fictionalized) documentary exploring the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on their mental health. Through this experience, they—and the filmmaker—gain unexpected self-insight, leading to a deeper understanding of their identities and roles in our transformed world. The film's cast features an array of talent, including Favour Onwuka (Dying to Belong), Giacomo Baessato (The Good Doctor), Jennifer Spence (The Trades), Camille Sullivan (Shoresy, Hunter, Hunter), Elliott Ramsey (UnREAL), and Natalie Farrow (Siren). Immanuel also appears as the documentarian, offering a unique perspective on the characters' journeys.  Our podcast interview is with Ben Immanuel Ratner - Director!!

Not only is he outspoken and focused,  Jeff also spent 10 years in Ottawa. He knows well which doors to knock on or kick down.   Jeff has been traveling to the various wine growing regions of BC and learning firsthand the challenges brought by climate and dealing with Crafted in BC wines. We'll talk about the future of specific varietals in BC (Syrah, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and more) Jeff brings comments on "generational opportunities", getting more BC wines on store shelves and all the challenges ahead. He brings strong commentary on Interprovincial shipping and relationships in Alberta. Also,  Jeff reminds us that Wine BC kicks off Fall For BC. Inspiring visitors to explore BC Wine Country. Discover new memories and experiences. Get connected or reconnected to wine country.  Come meet the new voice and face of BC Wine. - Jeff Guignard. www.winebc.com

Forty-one years after the release of the groundbreaking mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap, the now-estranged bandmates David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel, and Derek Smalls (Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, and Harry Shearer) are forced to reunite for one final concert. Spinal Tap II: The End Continues also marks the resurrection of documentarian Marty DiBergi (Rob Reiner), who once again tries to capture his favourite metal gods as they contemplate mortality—and the hope that their 12th drummer doesn't join them in The Great Beyond. Joined by music royalty Paul McCartney and Elton John, Spinal Tap wrestles with their checkered past to put on a concert that they hope will solidify their place in the pantheon of rock 'n' roll.

Maddy reveals how the acoustic versions of four songs from Nerve were included on the just-released NERVE (extended) album. Because they were about relationships and breakups, Madeleine wanted them to sound like they were recorded at a campfire. Warmer and less Conflicted. (my words, not hers)   Madeleine is off on another Road Adventure. Touring with The Bros Landreth, Fretless and VASEN. A number of dates come from being one of 6 winners of the famous Kerrville New Folk Winners Tour in Texas.  Impressive list below.   Upcoming Performances:   Sep 15 – Winnipeg, MB @ Burton Cummings Theatre (opening for Noah Reid) Sep 21 – Winnipeg, MB @ The West End Cultural Centre Sep 23 – Seattle, WA @ The Triple Door * Sep 25 – Ashland, OR @ Grizzly Peak Winery * Sep 26-28 – Sisters, OR @ Sisters Folk Festival * Oct 2 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hotel Cafe Oct 40 – Portland, ME @ One Longfellow Square ^ Nov 2 – Northampton, MA @ The Parlour Room Nov 9 – New Braunfels, TX @ New Braunfels House Concert ~ Nov 10 – Wimberley, TX @ MIlagro Springs House Concert ~ Nov 11 – Houston, TX @ McGonigel's Mucky Duck ~ Nov 12 – Austin, TX @ 04 Center ~ Nov 15 – Fischer, TX @ Cabin 10 Presents: Old Folk New Folk Festival ~ Nov 16 – San Antonio, TX @ Bowman House Concerts ~ Nov 21 – McKinney, TX @ Guitar Sanctuary + Nov 22 – Fort Worth, TX @ Magnolia Motor Lounge + Nov 23 – Austin, TX @ Antone's Nightclub +   *with The Fretless ^supporting Väsen ~ Kerrville New Fold "Winners Tour" +Supporting The Bros. Landreth

Our guest this week is songwriter, storyteller and singer with a one-of-a kind voice, Ron Sexsmith. I think the older I get, the clearer those memories become—and the more precious,"  Friday of this week he released his 18th album Hangover Terrace. It's a wonderfully complex album born during Ron's extended stay in the UK after his Sexsmith at Sixty tour. Recorded at London's Eastcote Studios with longtime producer Martin Terefe, the sessions marked a turning point—ushering in a more introspective sound.  "This record speaks to the hangover I feel from the last few years of pandemic and life knocking us around,"   Gone is the gentle optimism of his recent work, The Vivian Line & Hermitage—Hangover Terrace is marked by personal loss, shifting friendships, and emotional grit. Ron Sexsmith proves, once again, that no one captures life's quiet truths quite like he can. "The version of me that wrote those early records couldn't write these songs," he says. "Don't give up. Stay focused on what's real." There was a celebration of Gordon Lightfoot and his songs at Massey Hall not too long ago. Missing was the biggest fan of Gord, Ron Sexsmith. Ron organized his own celebration for Gord at Hugh's Room in Toronto from Jan 31 to Feb 2. It was all Gord and each show was sold out.   For the Mulligan Stew Podcast and the Terry David Mulligan YouTube Channel, Ron lays the whole story out.  He also takes us through songs like  Easy for you to say "I wear my heart on my sleeve, where's you heart at? Cigarette and Cocktail "what comes for us, we can't outrun" Damn well please - "I've got one life, that's all I know"   Burgoyne Woods "up to no good in Burgoyne Woods. A band of misfits from the land of hosers." Must be something wrong with her "she says I'm lovely but the mirror says otherwise"   Ron Sexsmith  tour dates include Oct 31  Festival Place Sherwood Park Nov 1 The Grand Calgary Nov 4 The Winspear.  Sidney BC Nov 5 Parksville, Vancouver Island Nov 7 The Hollywood,   Vancouver.

Amy Berg, the director of the just-released documentary It's Never Over, Jeff Buckley. Jeff was, quite simply, one of the most engaging and brilliant performers. Blessed with a voice that could mimic singers such as Robert Plant and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.   His single album Grace is still considered one of the greatest ever released. Almost three decades after his death and with several posthumous releases, Jeff Buckley's legacy continues to grow, and his music lives on. His fan base includes rock legends, pop artists, loyal followers, and an entirely new generation of music lovers around the world. Jeff's only studio album in his lifetime, Grace, endures. The documentary opens on August 15. The complete Interview can be heard on the Mulligan Stew Podcast and the Terry David Mulligan YouTube Channel.

The guests are Ian Beaty and Colin Brumelle Singers and songwriters leading the soul and R&B sounds of Honeybear, the Band. New album I Was Wrong.   Vancouver-based based but they're creating music that could easily have come from Memphis, New Orleans or Muscle Shoals.   See and hear it for yourself:   Aug 5 Harmony Arts Fest West Van Aug 7  The Drake Canmore Aug 8 Ironwood Calgary Aug 9 Wapiti Fest  Fernie Aug 29 Fox Cabaret  Vancouver Sept 12 Barnside Harvest Fest Ladner Oct 8 Centennial Theatre North Van     www.honeybear.band     Honeybear, the Band Playing you vintage soul, blues and roots music from Vancouver BC www.honeybear.band

NEON COWGIRL  "The Neon Cowgirl-towering over Broadway like the patron saint of heartbreak in downtown Nashville as she smiles coyly over her shoulder in red cowboy boots-watched me grow up. Basking in her glow, I walked wide-eyed into the Ryman Auditorium as a 16 year-old, clutching my ticket. Later that night, dreaming of standing on that stage,  I drifted off to sleep in the bunk of our home on wheels at the KOA next to the Opry. When I was 18, she saw me flipping through Loretta Lynn CDs in Ernest Tubb Record Shop after performing the breakfast and lunch shows on the General Jackson showboat with my parents and brothers in our family band, The Neilsons. At 25, she watched me running all over town, meeting up with other songwriters-writing, writing, writing-before I had to fly back home to Canada again. At 30, I returned as a newlywed on my honeymoon, flying in from New Zealand where I'd moved for love, holding hands with my new husband in Hatch Show Print, introducing him to her like a family member. A decade passed without her as I built a life on the other side of the world and raised 2 babies. My heart raced as I returned to her once again, to showcase at Americanafest, playing to 12 people at 3rd and Lindsley. 5 years and many showcases later, I swear she smiled right at me as I stopped to point her out to my two children as we walked past her, through the doors of the Ryman to finally perform for the first time. NEON COWGIRL represents a lifelong dream of chasing Nashville and country music. I've loved her my whole life, even when she breaks my heart over and over again."   This weeks guest = Tami Neilson - through much hard work,  fierce determination and drive has begun to make all her dreams come true. She is blessed with a voice that's been described as "a fire breathing R&B belter" by Rolling Stone. Tami has now played the Ryman, sung a duet with her hero Willie Nelson. Travelled the highways and cities of the USA and Canada in an RV  with her NZ family,  so they could experience where she came from and the places on the planet she was singing about. Her latest adventure was opening for Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan as part of the Outlaw Music Festival.  Dreams DO come true. She's done all this while dealing with health issues and her brother Jay's recovery from major surgery.