This week SongTalk tried something a little different. We brought in some our favourite songs sung in a different language than English. They say music is the international language so we thought we would put that to the test. Phil, Neel and Mike each presented three songs in a language other than English and we …
People think that pop songs have a standard structure – verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus – and many do. Mostly because that familiarity works. But some hit songs challenge convention, they chart their own path to great success. So this episode we thought we would find some recent songs that go against the …
JUNO Award-winning reggae singer, songwriter, producer and social activist Kirk Diamond shared his new single “Let It Be Done” — available now. “‘Let It Be Done’ was written in light of the political climate and social unrest that has affected so many worldwide, myself included,” Diamond shares. “That’s directly, indirectly, or psychologically.” Holding multiple #1 …
This week SongTalk welcomed Brendan and Adrian from The Fugitives to our studio. The Fugitives are a folk collective headed by songwriters Adrian Glynn and Brendan McLeod. They’re joined by banjo player Chris Suen (Viper Central) and violinist Carly Frey (The Coal Porters). Over the past twelve years, they’ve earned a reputation for unforgettable live …
Bass player, guitarist, and songwriter with the 80s all-girl band The Go Go’s, Kathy Valentine, joined us from her home in Austin, Texas to talk about co-writing with the Go Go’s and her solo career. Kathy also recently published a hard-hitting memoir of her life as a musician (she’s been at this for over 40 …
This week SongTalk welcomed Jay Gordon Wright to our show. Jay a multi-instrumentalist songwriter and performer who has entertained audiences around the world. He is classically trained on violin, and has expanded his musical toolshed to include just about every instrument he can get his hands on. Writing songs at the piano or with a …
This week SongTalk welcomed Mark Cawley to our (virtual) studio. Mark Cawley is a hit songwriter, best selling author, in demand speaker, songwriting coach, and popular blogger. As a songwriter his songs have been on more than 16 million records to date – with a long list of cuts with legendary artists ranging from Tina …
This week SongTalk welcomed Doktor Nomi to our studio. Admittedly Nomi is not a real doctor but he does have a unique and interesting way of creating music. As a topliner and lyricist, Nomi frequently works with other collaborators to create his music. Most recently, he and SongTalk’s own Neel Modi have been working together …
Actor, playwright, filmmaker, and musician, Michael Louis Johnson shares his experiences with his improvisation bands Rambunctious and Little Rambunctious, 13-member and 5-member brass bands, respectively. We talked about: Michael’s approach to improvising a lyric for a song title suggested by an audience member How to create lyrics based on who’s in the audience The value …
We talked about protest songs way back in 2016, and things still didn’t get any better. Here’s a throwback to dissension through music. Here’s the original show page if you want the lyrics.
This week we were privileged to have Eric Apler, of ThatEricAlper.com to talk about his work as a Public Relations (PR) professional in the Canadian Music Industry. We talked about: What a PR professional does for your music career Other team members such as manager, booking agent, and publisher When is the right time for …
This week SongTalk welcomed our old friend Blair Packham to our studio. The Toronto-based artist, first gained attention for his work with ’80’s power pop band The Jitters. He is now an acclaimed solo artist and musician. Blair released two strongly-reviewed solo albums before shifting his focus to composing music for TV and films, teaching …
This week SongTalk welcomed FEATURETTE to our studio. The Toronto-based duo FEATURETTE, formed by singer Lexie Jay and drummer, Jon Fedorsen, makes emotionally-charged, heavy-hitting electro-pop music that has been met with international critical acclaim. After receiving their first full recording grant from FACTOR Canada, the duo released their debut LP CRAVE in October, 2016. The …
Super-fan of the show Mike MacInnes joined us for our final live show of 2019, and indeed of the decade, for our personal takes on the best songs of the last 10 years. We also created a Spotify playlist of all the songs! We talked about: Neel’s 2019 holiday song, and Phil’s re-mix Our songwriting …
Beige Shelter is an ambitious and eclectic five piece band from Toronto that brings fire, passion and a political conscience to their music. Through electrifying live performances, the band showcases both original songs and interesting twists on cover songs. Beige Shelter is currently working on their 2nd EP release. Lead singer and vocalist Adi Aman …
This week, SongTalk welcomed jazz pianist and teacher Steve Koven. Steve is a composer, performer, producer and educator. He has one of the longest standing trios in Canada, performing, touring and recording together for over 26 year. Aside from performing and recording with his trio – Steve Koven Trio – Steve also has other recording …
This week, professional singer/songwriter, voice actor & co-founder of Silverthorn Studios recording, Taylor Abrahamse joined us in the studio at SongTalk World Headquarters. Taylor was a Top 40 finalist on Canadian Idol, has performed on stages across Ontario, has also written & produced musicals, and music for animated series and viral internet music through Corus, …
Stark Naked and Eugene Ripper of Stark Naked and the Fleshtones joined us to talk about their heyday in the early 80s as an awesome live band in Toronto. We talked about: how songs are shaped by band dynamics working with the “right” producer the punk music attitude live vs. recorded music Listen to the …
This week SongTalk welcomed Robert Ball to our studio. A native Torontonian, Robert Ball is a multi-faceted singer who has traveled to and performed in over 60 countries around the world. His sound has been described as soulful, jazzy, Neo-soul and he is a much in-demand session singer. Most recently he toured his EP “Need” & single “Breathe” throughout Toronto, New York and many PRIDE circuits including Brooklyn Pride, DC pride and Jamaica Pride. Also making appearances on CTV, CP24, Bold TV, Rogers Nighttime & Daytime on Rogers, Casa Loma …
This week SongTalk welcomed Adriel Smiley to our studio. Adriel is the Music Director of CJRU – Ryerson’s Radio station – and Adriel brought a wealth of information about college radio and the best way musicians can get their music played on these stations. On this episode, Adriel gave a lot of tips and best …
This week SongTalk Radio has a special episode celebrating the 35th anniversary of the classic film, “This Is Spinal Tap”. And joining us in our trip down memory lane is one of our favourite guests on the show Blair Packham. We talk about where and when we first encountered this classic cult comedy and how …
Indie rockers One in the Chamber joined us following the release of their first studio EP, I’ve Got Something To Say…. We talked about: One in the Chamber’s first appearance on Song Talk Radio difference between their demo EP and their studio EP (hint: pre-production) writing as a band collaboration thwarting conventions around song structure …
One of our favourite guests and friend of the show Blair Packham returned to the show to share his song ideas, from titles to bits of songs, and how he develops them into full-fledged songs. We talked about: Song Studio Hugh’s Room in Toronto Songwriting Apps: OnSong, Rhyme Genie, Tunesmith, and Music Memos Writing the …
Angela Saini returned to Song Talk Radio with a new album and a fresh bunch of earnest and optimistic songs. We talked about: Structured vs. casual collaborations When should an artist make a trip to Nashville? Making a personal connections to songs you’re performing, even if you didn’t write them totally by yourself Live performance …
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