Categories
News Podcast

Ep. #192: Marker Starling

Marker Starling is the moniker of Chris A. Cummings, an ambitious and gifted pop songwriter based in Toronto. Previously working under the name Mantler, Cummings has created a distinct body of work that treads the line between thoughtful melancholy and infectious joy. His new album as Marker Starling just came out this past March. It’s called Rosy Maze, it’s available via Tin Angel Records, and it’s prompted Marker Starling to play some shows, including one in Guelph on Thursday June 11 at Silence, as part of the 9 Years of Kazoo! celebrations. Here, Chris and I discuss living in the east end of Toronto, the frustrating housing market, working for the Toronto International Film Festival, Jem Cohen’s We Have an Anchor, Will Oldham and mystical connections, Mantler and Michael Mantler and Marker Starling, the letter M, the other Chris Cummings, stars on the rise, the Evan Solomon getting fired from CBC debacle, in-depth talks versus sound bytes, I can’t remember Amanda Lang’s name, depleting press outlets, doing well in Europe, things that influenced Rosy Maze, owning 5,000 vinyl records, listening not collecting, the Beatles mono vinyl reissues, the overall brightness within Rosy Maze, forthcoming Marker Starling records like the covers record I’m Willing, working with Lætitia Sadier, the song “Stormy,” learning languages via songs, another Marker Starling solo record of original songs is also ready to go and a band record is well under way too, parenting and creativity, the song “Husbands,” John Cassavetes, and that was it.

Related links: tinangelrecords.co.uk vishkhanna.com

Listen, subscribe, rate/review on iTunes. Now available via AudioBoom.

Categories
News Podcast

Ep. #191: Buffy Sainte-Marie

Buffy Sainte-Marie is an iconic multi-faceted artist and socio-political force of nature who originally hails from Piapot Cree First Nations Reserve in the Qu’Appelle Valley in Saskatchewan. Over six decades, her music has been interpreted by everyone from Elvis Presley and Janis Joplin to A Tribe Called Red and Courtney Love, and her composition, “Up Where We Belong” won the 1982 Academy Award for Best Song. She’s an outspoken advocate for many progressive causes, perhaps most notably the advancement of Native American and Aboriginal Canadian rights and cultural awareness. Her latest album is a bold, eclectic one called Power in the Blood, it’s out now via True North Records, and it’s prompted her to embark on an intense world tour, with many Canadian dates scheduled this summer. Here, Buffy and I discuss being in Ottawa, how Owen Pallett once introduced us at the Hillside Festival, the significance of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and its recommendations and how it’s a dream come true, help from nice white people, there’s more information about these issues now that could impact educational curriculums, Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government and their response to the findings, cronyism, addressing NPD Leader Thomas Mulcair’s election promises, the power of Idle No More, historical instances where change has occurred, being a sweet teacher and keeping people informed about their countries’ histories, men can be better, people can be better, why she re-recorded “It’s My Way” from her 1964 debut LP, our fear of the unique or original, rocking out with her band on these new songs, the connection between “Power in the Blood” and what David Chase chose as the theme song for The Sopranos, “We Are Circling” and the Sadies, pow wow drumming and EDM, her very early adoption of Apple McIntosh computers as a DIY home-recording medium in the early 1980s, digital art, not pondering her artistic legacy, lingering anger about being stifled by government blacklists, the book In the Spirit of Crazy Horse by Peter Matthiessen, re-imagining songs from her catalogue, potential reissues, the song “Carry it On,” and that was the end of a pleasant, inspiring conversation.

Related links: buffysainte-marie.com vishkhanna.com

Listen, subscribe, rate/review on iTunes. Now available via AudioBoom.

Categories
News Podcast

Ep. #190: Lee Reed

Lee Reed is a riveting and uncompromising hip-hop artist from Hamilton, Ontario. Once a member of the powerful group Warsawpack, Reed has released three politically-charged solo albums, including his latest, The Butcher, The Banker, The Bitumen Tanker, which is available now via leereedrevolt.com. He’s playing the Hillside Festival in Guelph during the weekend of July 24 and here, Lee and I discuss the city of Hamilton and Kathleen Wynne’s one billion dollar promise to bring light rail transit to town, gentrification, people moving to Hamilton while other people are being displaced, the severe classicism within the city, action versus reaction, contributing to discussions more than ushering them along, learning more about and carefully scrutinizing Canada’s disturbing social and political history, this country’s large role in resource extraction, how the Indian Act inspired South African apartheid, writing the new record pretty quickly, punk rock, his relationship to more materialistic or problematic aspects of hip-hop culture, Public Enemy’s Yo! Bum Rush the Show, Kanye West and Mike Myers, old school production, flossing and being a chubby old white dude, trying to breakthrough with ‘fringe’ messages in the Canadian hip-hop community, Hamilton’s supportive music scene, making art for love, catchy political music, accessibility, hopelessness, greed, we just suck, The Butcher, The Banker, The Bitumen Tanker is #1, the Rebel Function, Mother Tareka and Flotilla, working a good day job, the song “Fuck Ya,” and that’s all.

Related links: leereedrevolt.com hillsidefestival.ca vishkhanna.com

Listen, subscribe, rate/review on iTunes. Now available via AudioBoom.