Backstage at the Vinyl Cafe

“Whenever the cat is around, things seem to go wrong.” This week, Dave discovers a stowaway on the family road trip, with hilarious consequences. And Jess shares two more of Stuart McLean’s Postcards from Canada: from St John’s, NFLD in the east and Powell River, B.C. in the west. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Something a little different this week that we think you’ll enjoy. From our friends at the Apostrophe Podcast Network: Terry O’Reilly’s “The Beatlology Interviews”.You may not know that Stuart McLean was a huge Beatles fan (though really, aren’t we all?) And he collected Beatles memorabilia. Another huge fan and collector is Terry O'Reilly. In this episode of “The Beatlology Interviews” Terry talks to actor Mark Hamill about all things Beatles... and more. Mark Hamill not only owns collectibles, he is a collectible. Mark talks about his first blush with the Beatles, how he began collecting Beatles memorabilia, that time he met George Harrison on a plane, and whether or not he let his kids play with Star Wars Toys. It's a fascinating interview. We hope you enjoy it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bonjour,” he said. “Je m’appelle Dave.”Yup, sometimes things go wrong. It happens to the best of us. Especially on the Vinyl Cafe, as you’ll hear in Stuart McLean’s Dave and Morley stories Dog Pills and Petit Lac Noir. Also on this week’s episode, Jess shares a surprising and funny backstory about the inspiration behind Dave’s mistake in Dog Pills. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"This waterslide was the waterslide to end all waterslides” We are taking a break over the summer, so in honour of our final episode of Season 1 we’ve got two Vinyl Cafe stories for you about summer. If you listen carefully you’ll hear something unusual in the first, A Letter from Camp, when Stuart inserts a personal story from his own days at his beloved summer camp. And of course, we can’t talk about summer without including the hilarious fan favourite: The Waterslide. All this and more, including a special memory from Jess of what it was like sitting backstage, stage left, and hearing Waterslide performed for the very first time. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this summer bonus episode, my conversation with long-time Vinyl Cafe and Backstage at the Vinyl Cafe recording engineer, Greg DeClute. Greg has some great stories to share about working with Stuart McLean for so many years. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“There is nothing like a 20th wedding anniversary to drive home the point that you are no longer 20 years old” For our final episode of this season, two entertaining stories about summer vacations. And Jess talks about the additional perspective going further afield can bring. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“When are you supposed to let your children march off alone? When are you supposed to let them learn from their mistakes” On today’s episode, two stories about childhood. And Jess talks about how one of her own childhood dreams has recently come to fruition - with the making of the upcoming Vinyl Cafe: The Musical!  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Dave said, you’re thinking about dancing, aren’t you?” We’re looking towards summer on today’s episode. We have a script Stuart wrote about a magical evening spent in pursuit of fireflies. And a story of summer evenings in Dave and Morley’s neighbourhood.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“When Dave was a boy, dolls terrified him”Something a little different on today’s episode: two stories about kids' toys -- the good, the bad and the ugly! One is a story about Dave's childhood, the other is a story by Stuart about his own childhood experience with toys. Plus a backstory from Jess about how that autobiographical story got its name. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Murphy was terrified of snakes” Today’s episode features two stories that take place out and about, further afield. Dave’s Cousin Dorothy visits from England and has an exciting side adventure on their trip to Ottawa. And in the second story, Dave, Sam and Murphy make an unusual delivery.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“I don’t want a birthday party, said Morley. I hate birthday parties” Some vintage Stuart McLean this week, as Morley celebrates a milestone birthday. And we have an older story for you, one you may not have heard before, where Dave is not necessarily his ‘best self’. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Dave was still a kid the night he and Jimmy met.” Stuart loved to write about old friends. This week we’ve chosen two of our favourite friendship stories – one will make you laugh, one might also make you cry.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Thank God, he thought, help has arrived.”Today on the show, Jess shares a back story about a Vinyl Cafe tour bus adventure. Plus two Dave and Morley stories about more car trouble.“ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Dave was going to see Morley. He was trying to find the courage to ask her to marry him.” Some vintage Stuart McLean this week with two stories from way, way back.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“It was not as if they *needed* a 1948 red panel truck…”On today’s episode, two hilarious Vinyl Cafe stories that highlight Dave’s tendency to, let’s say, really commit to the things in his life. In the first story it’s his health, in the second, a special new purchase. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.