My Top Picks of 2010

Hello Friends,

What a great year in music. It finally feels like things are taking a turn for the better across all levels of this business and it's nice to see. Maybe it has to do with less struggle and more open minded artists adapting to their surroundings? Perhaps the collapse of Limewire and new rules surrounding Copywrite Reform are helping? Social media is definitely a big part of it and has brought artists closer to their fans than ever. Twitter allows them to create excitement instantly and that is huge.

Whatever the case it's working and the music that came out in 2010 was amazing.

Like anyone at the end of a year I like to reflect. I have some 'Best of Lists' I'd like to share with you all - and they are as follows...

Top 6 Concerts (5 is never enough)

1. Roger Waters @ Air Canada Centre
2. Mumford and Sons @ Lee's Palace
3. Two Door Cinema Club @ The Phoenix
4. City and Colour @ The Molson Amphitheatre
5. Gord Downie and the Country of Miracles @ The Queen Elizabeth Theatre
6. Polaris Music Prize @ The Masonic Temple

Top 7 Music Videos

1. Arcade Fire - 'I Used To Wait'
2. Cee Lo Green - 'Fuck You' *unedited - the way it's meant to be :)
3. jDiggz feat Neverending White Lies - 'This Time' *very proud to say this is MuchFact :)
4. White Lies - 'Bigger Than Us' *Look out 2011
5. Dr. Dre - 'Kush' *The Detox is coming out in 2011 bitches
6. Eminem feat Rihanna - 'Love the Way You Lie (Part 1)' *These 2 owned 2010
7. Rihanna - 'Rude Boy'

Top 15 Songs

1. Foster the People - 'Pumped Up Kicks' *Canada will finally see this one's release in early 2011
2. Belle and Sebastian - 'I Want The World To Stop' *glorious
3. Broken Bells - 'High Road'
4. Two Door Cinema Club - 'This Is The Life'
5. Shad - 'Rose Garden'
6. Plan B - 'Stay Too Long'
7. Kings fo Leon - 'Beach Side'
8. Gorillaz - 'Meloncholy Hill'
9. Kanye West feat Jay Z and more - 'So Appalled'
10. Jay Malinowski - 'Santa Monica'
11. Dr. Dre feat Snoop and Akon - 'Kush'
12. B.o.B. feat Hayley Williams and Eminem - 'Airplanes (part 2)' *Eminem's verse is sick
13. Cut Copy - 'Take Me Over'
14. Biffy Clyro - 'Bubbles'
15. Ellie Goulding - 'Starry Eyed'

Top 6 Albums

1. Stereophonics - 'Keep Calm Carry On' *was only released in Canada in 2010 so can make it
2. Kings of Leon - 'Come Around Sundown'
3. Brandon Flowers - 'Flamingo' *it's amazing how a girl can influence me sometimes :)
4. Kanye West - 'My Dark and Twisted Fantasy'
5. Arcade Fire - 'The Suburbs'
6. Broken Bells - 'Broken Bells'

Thanks for reading/listening.

Happy Holidays

Gregg

I'm Still Smiling

Hello Friends,

Last night was one for those great nights in music. The stars aligned and the people came out of the woodwork for a classic sing-along.

The scene was Lee's Palace on Bloor Street in Toronto. The band was The Lowest of the Low and the mood was pure nostalgic bliss.

The night was one of 2 sold-out shows for the band as they celebrated the 20th anniversary to their classic album 'Shakespeare My Butt'. They played the album from start to finish (in actual order) and then played some additional hits. It was wonderful and I'm still smiling.

The best thing was seeing the grins on the band member's faces throughout the whole show. I don't know how they actually sang with those smiles ear-to-ear.

For me personally it was sweet to see so many familiar faces of those whom I admire in this business. People that I had heard of long before I got in to this industry and many that helped me along the way. It was satisfying to see them all happy as a bit of them drifted back to the early 90s in the greatest rock n' roll city in the World. That same city that much of the band's lyrical content is about from mentions of The Carlaw Bridge, Danforth pub 'The Only' and landmark references like "You nearly kissed me blind on Bathurst Street it's true" from 'Bleed a Little While tonight'.

I was 15 years old in 1991 and fondly remember hearing this album on CFNY while tuning in to 'The Thursday 30'. If you're not familiar with this band and album then I strongly suggest a spin from cover-to-cover when you have some time. It's simple - it's catchy and will give you a glimpse into 1990's Canadian music scene. It's guaranteed to provoke some memories of simpler times in music.

"Well I've kissed you in France and I've kissed you in Spain,

I've kissed you in places I better not name,

And I've seen the sun go down on Sacre Coeur,

But I like it much better going down on you,

Ah, you know that's true."

Rosy and Grey - The Lowest of the Low *the whole crowd was singing this one

Here's the closer from the album and show 'Henry Needs a New Pair of Shoes'

Thanks to those of you that put this anniversary together it was excellent.

Thanks for reading/listening,

Gregg

Hi Friends,

So The Beatles (EMI) finally made a deal with iTunes to sell all their music. It's massive and seems to have taken over the headlines with any relation to music and popular culture. They've already sold 450k albums and over 2 million singles.

I work in the entertainment & media industry - so have the working knowledge of what media costs are - and they are high. That being said I would not even begin to guess as to what this total world-wide campaign is worth. Here's a quick bullet point list of some of the media I've seen for this monumental partnership.

• Homepage placement on Apple.com
• Home page rotators on iTunes Music Store in all territories
• Home page banners, bricks and display ads on iTunes Music Store in all territories
• Radio ads
• Television ads
• Print ads
• Apple store-fronts
• Music playing in-stores
• Facebook Social Ads
• Tweets galore *The Beatles are following me on Twitter now :)
• Music playing on call waiting for apple (I heard 2 albums while waiting)
• Social Media support

These are only the paid components of the campaign surrounding this launch and don't include the content rub-off. This blog alone just got them 3 extra impressions.

My favourite thing about this is that the world gets to re-discover The Beatles all over again or for the first time. It's a win win for everyone.

So now that music sales have gone through the roof who will be the next artist to do a deal with iTunes? Is it going to be Radiohead, Bob Segar or Led Zeppelin?

Here's a couple of beauties I think might sell...

• Bob Segar - 'Night Moves'
• Radiohead - 'Karma Police'
• Led Zeppelin - 'Tangerine'

Thanks for reading/listening,

Gregg Stewart

PS - sorry about the formatting on this one - I am at a loss:(

3 Beauties

Hello Friends,

I've recently come to realize that there's never a dull moment in music. There's no such thing as a bad time for music you simply need to listen more and listen in more places to keep it exciting. Scenes come and go - but it does not mean that there isn’t great music out there waiting for you. This past week threw me some hidden gems that I’m blown away by and thought I should share with you.

Here's a quick list of 3 tracks I would like to recommend you check out:

This song satisfies me. It has everything I want in a song for my journey to work each day. It’s big and atmospheric enough to make any subway journey fun. The band have always held a place in my heart and this may well be some of their best work yet.

• Belle and Sebastian - 'I Want the World to Stop'

I grew up in the suburbs and this video gave me some serious flash backs when I first watched it last week. From cookie cutter homes to ghost riding my bike – it’s perfect. Spike Jonze has done it again – what a great video to go along with an incredible track from an amazing album.

• Arcade Fire - 'The Suburbs'

I’ve heard jDiggz name a million times in my years working music – but until now I am not sure I could have picked him out of a line-up. He’s got presence and reminds me of a young Jay Z in this video. His flows and moves are slick and natural. This combo, on paper, doesn’t appeal to me – but it works and is one of my favourite songs and videos of the year thus far. The Scarborough Bluffs have never looked so good.

• jDiggz featuring NeverEnding White Lights 'This Time'

Good music is good music.

Enjoy!

Gregg

The Top 100 Music Videos of All Time

Hello Friends,

The Greatest Songs of all time vs. Greatest Videos of all time vs. Great Videos that defined an era. This list is about the almighty VIDEO and so it takes lots of conversations and screenings to narrow down a list. To narrow down to 100 is and even taller order.

I have the privlege of being able to do stuff like this regularly for work and love it. I don't take it lightly and nor do the people I work with throughout this process. It's indeed a process and took many hours of our team's time behind closed doors to come up with our final list.

The idea was to come up with Top 100 Music Videos of all time list. It started in my calendar as a 1 hour boardroom meeting in which we'd all come with a list and try to come to an agreement on how it would play out. 1 month, 5 boardrooms, 23 hours, many late night emails and at least 1,250 youtube videos later - we are complete. I for one am extremely happy with the outcome and welcome the feedback once it's unleashed.

Music is one of those things that people have such strong opinions about. I find myself and team forever getting into heated arguments about what's cool, relevant and worthy. It's truly special and so that's why this experience has been so amazing to me.

The toughest thing about compiling these lists is that you have to actually focus on the word VIDEO. There's been many great #1 songs and defining moments throughout music history - but lets face it - Bruce Springsteen, Oasis, ABBA, The Bee Gees, The Beatles, Bob Marley and many others never really created videos that could stand the test of time. This list is about amazing music videos that blow your mind.

I'm not going to disclose this list as you'll need to tune in on Christmas morning from 9am - 2pm to see the results. I can promise you there'll be beauties for everyone and that there was some serious blood sweat and tears put into it.

My hats off to the whole team that had input throughout this process - you taught me so much and I'm more in love with what we do than ever before.

Here's a few videos that I recommend you check out that may - or may have not made the list.

• The Bees - 'Listening Man' *My personal favourite video:)
• Foo Fighters - 'Long Road To Ruin' *one of the best at creating videos period.
• Travis - 'Turn' *this band makes some beautiful videos
• Richard Ashcroft - 'A Song for the Lovers' *the songs is actually background music
• Mr. Oizo - 'Flat Beat' *Unreal
• Grum - 'Through the Night' *funiest video ever set to a great track
• Kanye West - 'Flashing Lights' *Damn
• Arctic Monkeys - 'Crying Lightening' *stunning

Watch MuchMore Music's 'Holiday Wrap' starting December 20th at 4ET. Let the complaints, and feedback begin:)

Thanks for reading/listening.

Gregg Stewart

Language Barrier?

Hello Friends,

When you watch the MTV European Music Awards, like I did today, you see that there are some serious differences in music tastes and culture. For example Slash wore a T-shirt that said 'Cunt' on it and it was perfectly acceptable. The Europeans also love them some Tokio Hotel, Thirty Seconds to Mars and Linkin Park. Now we know these names - but over there they are the biggest names in music today.

On this show there are always some British acts that we may have never even heard of until now. Today's show saw a performance by a newer British act named Plan B. He released his debut album this year and it's wonderful. It's a combination of soul, rap, rock and knocks you on your ass. What's more is that he's a white guy. When singing he has the angelic voice of a Motown great - but when he's rapping he's got the thickest cockney accent going. He looks like he walked straight off a Guy Richie film set and as if he'd kill you as soon as look at you.

Plan B is simply one of many that have come before him and there will surely be many more. Here's a quick list of artists that may never see great success in North America based on their accents and lyrical content. They do however deserve a listen as their music is fantastic mate;)

• Plan B or check this Pendulum remix of the tune
• The Streets *beautiful track...he's got many more of these
• Pete Doherty *this track is epic rock n roll/punk
• Dizzie Rascall *Canada needs more of a rave scene comeback:)
• Tinie Tempah *hope he can give it a run over here

Thanks for reading/listening,

Gregg Stewart

John Peel | Teenage Dreams So Hard To Beat

Hello Friends,

Yesterday was the 6 year anniversary of John Peel's passing. John was simply the greatest radio DJ to ever walk this earth and rock the airwaves. John Peel was an English DJ that spun records from 1967 - 2004 on the BBC.

I was introduced to his shows via a mate of mine named Bobbi. While at work he would listen to it on live streams from radio1. The music was all over the map and the excitement from this DJ was infectious.

John's legacy will always be things like 'Peel Sessions' , breaking artists and playing what ever the hell he wanted to on his radio shows. His contribution to the music business was so big and important that there's already so many other DJs taking over from where he left off.

I think the biggest tribute to John is that Glastonbury Music Festival re-named 'The New Music Stage' to now be 'The John Peel Stage' only one year after his death in 2005.

The Undertones tune 'Teenage Kicks' was a song that John was quoted as saying "There's nothing you could add to it or subtract from it that would improve it". It was, in John's eyes, the single best pop song ever recorded. What a compliment coming from someone with access to that much music.

Here are 5 Songs that John Peel introduced me to in the short time I had the pleasure of listening to him.

• Athea and Donna - 'Uptown Top Ranking' *this blew my mind first time I heard it on his show
• The Bees - 'Listening Man'*he introduced me to this band although this song didn't come out until 2007...I think that he would have adored this. Still one of my fav videos of all time:)
• Joy Division - 'Transmission'
• PJ Harvey - 'Good Fortune'
• The White Stripes - 'Hotel Yorba'

I did a google image search of John and this one came up. I had to include it to show the bottom lyric on his tombstone. What a man indeed...he believed what he preached. Thank you for the great music John.

Thanks for reading/listening,

Gregg Stewart

5 Great Songs

Hello Friends,

Sometimes you just need a good tune to change your mood and set you off in the right direction. I listen to the radio in the AM - be it NME Radio, CBC Radio 2 or BBC - they all seem to get it right. They are forever able to suprise me with some Gold or long lost tracks that just fit the morning perfectly. Hats off to (some) radio stations.

Here are 5 songs that I've had the pleasure hearing first thing in the morning over the last few weeks.


Toploader - Dancing in the Moonlight
U2 - Wild Honey
Coldplay - Shiver
Arrested Development - Everyday People
Wings - Band on the Run *it's like 3 songs in 1 off the top:)

Now set the alarm and preload one of these - it's a guaranteed good start to the day.

Thanks for reading/listening,

Gregg

Nirvana Nevermind

Hello Friends,

I have to admit that I was never a Nirvana fan growing up. I'm not sure why to be honest but it just didn't do it for me at the time. It's strange I guess because their second album 'Nevermind' came out and took over the World in 1991 just as I went into grade 9.

That Fall's student body elections (do they still do that?) saw 8 out of the 10 candidates for President walk in to do their speeches while 'Smells Like Teen Spirit" played on the loud speakers. One of the guys actually played it on guitar. That same guy is now an actor today - but I digress...

The reason I wanted to talk about Nirvana today was simply because 'Come As You Are' was served up to me on shuffle yesterday. It blew my fucking mind. The production and clarity in this song is unreal. I've listened to this track at least 10 times since then. I'm actually listening to the album as I type this.

I did some digging to find out why I wasn't loving Nirvana at that time. It turns out that I was listening, eating, sleeping and breathing what was known as the 'Manchester scene' at that same time. The scene consisted of the The Stone Roses, Happy Mondays, Charlatans and The Inspiral Carpets (Noel Gallagher was their roadie at that time) to name a few. It was my first real knowledge and love of something that felt like my own. I have my brother to thank for that as he always had the cassette to the debut Stone Roses album in the tape deck of my Dad's van.

Nevermind is now almost 20 years old and is such an iconic album - to say the least. The imagery of the cover and the movement and scene that they brought is unheard of today. Drake is actually wearing a 'Nevermind' shirt to pay tribute to it in the last issue of Q Magazine. For the first time in the 20 years (almost 20) since this album came out I finally get it and appreciate it.

I leave you with one song today 'Come As You Are' - wow what a tune and iconic music video for a generation. I'm sorry it took me so long.

Thanks for listening/reading.

Gregg Stewart

Pickering's Got Talent

Hello Friends,

I grew up in the burbs in a town called Pickering just outside Toronto. It's now a city, based on population, but still has the feel of a town in that the people all know one another and there's a sense of community. It's been ages since I lived there - but I still get that sense when I visit.

I had a conversation about this very town the other day. Growing up I had always heard a few rumours of some famous people coming from Pickering at one time or another - but back then it all seemed like they were just rumours. Rumours like former New York Islander's Captain Mike Bossy, rocker Neil Young and white rapper Snow were the big standouts. Lukily today we have Wikipedia to find this stuff out allowing us to confirm and be proud of where we come from.

It seems that the town with a Nuclear Powerplant has indeed given the World some amazing musicians over the years. Here's a list of the one's I've dug up...

• Boi-1da - Grammy nominated and producer of Drake's 'Thank Me Later'
• Neil Young - Rock Legend of some of the biggest songs ever recorded like 'Heart of Gold'
• Eon Sinclair - Bass player for the Ska/Punk/Rock outfit 'Bedouin Soundclash' *brilliant track
• Sarah Slean - singer songwriter 'I can't find this official video but what a wonderful song' *I was in grade 11 art class with her:)
• Snow - I can't find proof of this one - but rumour has it he went to Dunbarton HS *I went there too:) remember this monster track? so big that Jim Carrey did his own take on 'In Living Colour'

I'm sure there's many more with some ties to Pickering and that there will be future stars as well. Maybe there's something in the water...something to do with that powerplant perhaps??

Sadly in doing this research I've come to learn that the great Mike Bossy isn't from Pickering after all but the tough guy hockey player Sean Avery is.

Thanks for reading/listening.

Gregg

Kings of Leon Take 5

Hello Friends,

On the eve of the release of their lead single 'Radioactive' from the forthcoming album 'Come Around Sundown' I think it's important to make note of their story thus far. This release is the band's 5th studio album and comes on the heels of the one that got them the most recognition -'Only By The Night' released in 2008. Those are some big shoes to fill.

The band have not stopped touring since that release and have even been through Toronto, and surrounding areas at least 3 times on that last one.

Until last week I had to put their music on the backburner as I felt it had been overdone. The TSN turning point for me getting back on the train was an article I read in Q Magazine this month. The article features interviews with all 4 members and an in-depth look at their career up to now.

I first heard them on their second album because of Australia's Triple J radio station. It's very much like the BBC and plays music 24 hours a day. They included 'The Bucket' on their Hottest 100 of 2004 . This is a coveted chart to be on and was likely one of many things that propelled them to the next level at which time U2 took them on the road. They became massive in Europe and NME, BBC, Q and Last FM, to name a few, fell in love.

The article is well worth the read as it looks at the band's life on the road and gets all the dirt on them. Caleb, his 2 brothers may indeed be the son of a preacher - but they have danced with the devil on many occassions. It's in this issue. Caleb went to a brothal to sleep with a hooker but couldn't once he saw how innocent she was. The boys also lined up the biggest lines of cocaine one New Year's eve and raced to finish all at once on the same table. This is the tame shit - they are true rock n rollers in every sense of the term.

Here's a quick list of 5 songs I'd like to recommend from KOL

• 'On Call'
• 'Knocked Up'
• 'Fans'
• 'Black Thumbnail'
• 'Closer'

Do yourself a favour and listen to this band's albums in sequence. There's a reason why 'Closer' is the opener to 'Only By The Night'.

Thanks for reading/listening.

Gregg

Brandon Flowers, Tom Petty, City and Colour and Stone Temple Pilots

Hello Friends,

It's August in the city of Toronto and that means endless nights of concerts around town. It's been a busy summer thus far but next week looks to be a marathon of music.

It starts with Brandon Flowers, lead singer of The Killers. Brandon is set to release a solo album and I've had the pleasure of hearing a few tracks already (sorry Raffy) and it sounds pretty good.

Next up is Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers at The Air Canada Centre, with Crosby Stills and Nash opening. Tom Petty was the second live show I ever saw and he's played a big role in my music journey. I can't wait to see this one - I only wish it were at the Molson Amp on a hot summer's night.

City and Colour are playing the Molson Amp on Saturday of next week and will be sharing the stage with Wintersleep, Tegan and Sara and Ra Ra Riot. This is truly going to be an epic Canadian show with some diverse sounds. I have lawns for this one and love it back there when the mood is right. I strongly believe, that in a not too distant future, Dallas Green will be looked at as one of Canada's finest. He's on track to be the next Neil Young IMHO.

Here's a few samples of what we can hopefully expect to hear at these shows.

• Brandon Flowers - 'Crossfire'
• Tom Petty - 'Learning to Fly' *legend :)
• City & Colour - 'Waiting'
• Tegan and Sara - 'Back in Your Head'
• Wintersleep - 'Weighty Ghost' *Close your eyes & picture this as the sun sets on the Amp.
• Stone Temple Pilots - 'Creep' *stay off smack

Get some rest - it's going to be a long week.

Thanks for reading/listening

Gregg Stewart

A Beginner's Guide to Keane

Hello Friends,

I had the pleasure of seeing Keane in concert last night at The Molson Amphitheatre in Toronto. They were here as part of a festival called 'Disco Lemonade' and were the headliners of the night. I'd seen Keane a handful of times before including once on the main stage at T in the Park, Scotland's answer to Glastonbury, but this was them at their finest.

Last night was the best performance I'd seen from them as they owned that crowd. The sad thing was that the Amphitheatre was 1/2 empty. Perhaps a smaller venue would have made sense - but regardless Tom Chaplin gave it everything and performed like it was the main stage of Glastonbury.

They really are a great band and have amazing story. Keyboardist Tim Rice-Oxley, for example, was asked to join a little band named Coldplay but declined as he didn't want to leave his band The Lotus Eaters (now Keane). Lead singer Tom Chaplin battled a cocaine addiction and went public about this in 2006 before entering a rehab clinic. The band were forced to cancel their North American tour at the time.

My favourite story is from their DVD 'Strangers'. The band spoke of the early days as they performed alongside Coldplay in a local pub. A relative was video taping this and recorded over the Coldplay performance to make sure there was enough space on the tape for Keane. #fail

Without further ado - here's a few must hear Keane tracks to get you started.

• Spiralling
• You Haven't Told Me Anything
• Is It Any Wonder?
• Stop for a minute featuring K'naan
• We Might as well be Strangers (DJ Shadow Remix)
• Bedshaped
• With or Without You (U2 Cover)

Thanks for reading/listening.

Gregg Stewart

Stop for a minute. Take a minute. Wave that flag.

Hello Friends,

February 24th 2009 saw the release of one of Canada's most important albums ever released - K'naan's amazing 'Troubadour'. I enjoyed the first single as it sampled + featured a familiar voice from 90's hip hop star Chubb Rock. It was great but I'm not sure anyone had an idea of the impact this album would have in the year and a half to would follow.

It was far greater than an excellent sample and collaboration. It is beautiful, impactful and important.

Somalian born and raise and then to NYC and Toronto for his teen years this man was on a path and journey from day 1. K'naan is a true musician that will indeed stand the test of time. That's the beauty of true musicians - their music is timeless. I can guarantee you will agree once you simply click the links below and give him a listen.

• ABC's featuring Chubb Rock used a beauty sample from here Chubb Rock's original :)
• Young Artists for Haiti *Canada came together
• Stop for a Minute *this one is on Keane's album
• Take a Minute *listen to these lyrics. God sent.
• Wavin Flag *Live acoustic World Cup version

K'naan deserves the world and the world deserves K'naan. It was a magical year for him as he travelled the globe performing the World Cup's official song 'Wavin' Flag' - but lets not forget that back in February of this year he got Canada's finest together to raise money for a broken Haiti. He really is a Troubadour that needs to be heard. Buy this one.

Thanks for reading/listening,

Gregg Stewart

If It's Not Scottish...It's Crap.

Hello Friends,

In lieu of Scotland not being part of this World Cup, and in anticipation of their appearance in 4 years time (optimism) I have set my sites on Scottish bands. Some might not spring to mind - but there are some really amazing bands that have come from this damp green country over the years. I have fallin' in love with many of them and would like to share a few with you.

I grew-up in a family of Scottish descent and came to learn that the people are very much like Canadians. They have an amazing sense of humour and are not afraid to take the piss out of themselves. They have a great tradition of music in their past and it is a big part of the culture today.

The bands I've had the pleasure of meeting, that hail from this land, have been nothing short of amazing. They are willing to play just about any venue and travel to any location on this globe to have their music heard. It's a working class country with a deep seeded tradition and sense of pride. All you need to do is watch Braveheart to get a glimpse (Mel Gibson's not actually Scottish). Bad example - check out Trainspotting instead.

The music of so many of their bands have done wonders for me over the years. They've given me so much joy and so here's a quick list of some solid tracks to get you started.

• Belle and Sebastien - 'If She Wants Me' *one of my fav all time indie pop tunes
• Fratellis - 'Whistle for the Choir' *angelic anthems
• We Were Promised Jetpacks - 'It's Thunder and It's Lightening' *gritty complex ed rock
• Snow Patrol - 'Golden Floors' *sonic genius' (2/5 of the band are Scottish)
• Biffy Clyro -'Bubbles' *what a tune :)
• Travis - 'Turn' *great video concept (you'll like the accents)
• Primal Scream - 'Rocks' *legends
• Big Country - 'In a Big Country' *a classic

It's not all trainspotting, haggis eating, kilt wearing and sheep shagging - Scottish artists are amazing and know how to create some fantastic music too.

This is by far the toughest list of recommends I've ever given. These bands are all dear to me and they have such deep catalogues of goodness. I strongly recommend that you type in Snow Patrol to Grooveshark and stick the headphones on for a few hours. Then try it with Travis . I've actually done the work for you - just click it's good to go:)

Thanks for reading/listening.

Gregg Stewart

Can Anyone Write a Protest Song?

Hello Friends,

As we move closer to the G8 and G20 summits here in Ontario - I can't help but reflect on good old fashion protest songs. History has shown that these are the times in which some of the best music is made. It brings out real emotion and ideas for bands/artists to write some of their finest stuff.

Punk music is a genre that started and revolves around the protest. It's not the only genre making their voices heard though and so over the years we've seen some powerful recordings released that reflect times and change. Here's a few beautiful tracks that come to my mind.

The Beatles - 'Revolution' - This tune reflects a transition in time for the Beatles from the trippy days of Sgt. Pepper to a more open minded band that wanted to see changes in the world. It's kind of hard to see that's what they were getting at as this particular tune conjurs up memories of Nike running shoes :(

Cat Stevens - 'Peace Train' one of the most classic anti-war tunes of all time. Title speaks for itself. Well done Yusuf.

Bob Marley - 'Redemption Song' - Lyrics reflect on a speach give by Marcus Garvey in 1937 about slavery.

Sex Pistols - 'God Save The Queen' this single was release on the day of Queen Elizebeth's silver jubilee in 1977 as a big fuck you to the British Monarchy. More . Original lyrics and song entitled 'God Save The Queen' aka the actual National Anthem for England.

Public Enemy - 'Fight the Power' released in 1989 on the soundtrack to Spike Lee's 'Do The Right Thing' this is track served as a Civil Rights protest song that touched on many monumental speaches and movements throughout history.

Sam Cooke - 'Change Gonna Come' Inspired by Bob Dylan's ability to write a protest song - Sam put pen to paper and du up all the inner battles he had been dealing with as he grew to pop stardom in a white world. This is by far one of the my favourite recordings of all time. So very powerful. Everyone needs a little Sam Cooke in their lives.

Manic Street Preachers - 'Let Robeson Sing' a tribute to Black American actor, singer and civil rights campaigner Paul Robeson. This chorus is killer when you see them live in concert.

The Clash - 'Rock the Casbah' this song is a look at an Arab King's ban on Rock Music (wiki page). If you don't own any Clash records/recordings - then do yourself a favour and pick-up 'The Story Of The Clash'

Billy Bragg - 'Sexuality' This track is an anti-homophobia and general sex-positive message tune that had The Smith guitarist Johnny Marr and Kirsty McColl on backing vocals. One hell of a track and very powerful lyrics.

Happy G8/20 to you and yours.

Thanks for reading/listening.

Gregg Stewart

Holy Shit Have You Heard These?

Hello Friends,

I've been all over the map of late in terms of what I've been listening to. It started with shuffle last week when it decided to serve me up some classic Tragically Hip in the form of the 'Up To Here' album. I then decided to give Gord Downie's new album a full listen and I'm glad I did as it's beautiful.

As the week came to a close I found myself listening to lots of great NEW music. From new Chemical Brothers, Ladies of the Canyon, Sleigh Bells and my personal new favourite (I know it's not brand new) Two Door Cinema Club. It keeps coming - the world must be a mess - as history shows music is always at it's best when there's stuff like war and conflict happening. Maybe we've just turned a corner as humans. Whatever it is - keep it coming. I digress...

I'd love for you to check out a quick 5 suggestions when you can. I promise they will make you smile.

• Two Door Cinema Club - 'This is the Life' *makes me wanna be in a band right now
• Gord Downie - 'The East Wind' *reminds me why I grew up loving his band
• Ladies of the Canyon - 'Haunted Woman' *makes me appreciate music
• Chemical Brothers - 'Swoon' *I wanna run as fast as I can with this banger on:)
• Sleigh Bells - 'Tell Em' *always keep an open mind/eye (thanks Kate) this is killer!!!

Thanks for reading/listening.

Gregg

It's the simple things like the robots Stevie G draws...

Hello Friends,

It's only Tuesday and there's already so much going on in Toronto. I personally had a late Monday so missed out on 2 big shows tonight including Billy Talent at The Horseshoe and The National at Massey Hall. Although seeing Billy Talent at The Shoe would have been amazing - it was well worth a rough start to a Tuesday morning for a late night seeing British rockers Athlete at Lee's Palace.

It's always strange to meet a band face-to-face as you really don't know what to say to them other than stating the obvious "I love your tunes". Thankfully most musicians really just want to chat about music...and these guys did just that. It was a pleasure to have now met them.

Athlete's now released 4 full length albums - each with its own collection of gems. I can't honestly remember how I heard about them - but it was likely via the hit single 'Wires' from the sophomore album Tourist back in 2004. I soon came to learn of the debut release Vehicles & Animals which housed many melodic greats as well. I've always been partial to the title track from that album and had totally pictured the lyrics to be about Liverpool FC midfielder Steven Gerrard. It turns out that Stevie G. is a mate of the band and and has nothing to do with Anfield's hero. Oh well - I guess that's the beauty of all music - it's open to interpretation.

The band and their crew were super friendly and an all round great night was had by all pre, post and during their tour stop in Toronto. Thanks lads.

Here's a quick beginner's guide to those of you who may not be familiar with Athlete body of work.

• Superhuman Touch
• Tokyo
• Wires
• Vehicles & Animals
• You Got The Style

In some sad news, Stuart Cable, the former drummer to Stereophonics passed away yesterday. I had the pleasure of meeting Stuart at one of their gigs at Toronto's Kool Haus back in 2003. He was a genuinely nice fella from what I recall. He provided a pulse to the early Phonics tunes and gave us some great music along the way, you will be missed.

Here's a few tunes to celebrate Stuart...

• Mr. Writer *Haunting track
• Pick a Part that's New
• I Wouldn't Believe Your Radio

Thanks for reading/listening,

Gregg Stewart

Couple of Top Tunes for a Friday

Hello Friends,

It's still happening. It's a great time in music right across the board from albums, singles, tours and classics. Maybe it's the weather? Whatever it is there's something great happening in music right now to make everyone smile.

This post is a quick one just to give you a few suggestions to get you through the day and ready for the weekend.

Here are a few killer new tracks and a couple of classics for you.

• Stornoway - 'Zorbing'
• INXS - 'Beautiful Girl'
• Muse - 'Undisclosed Desires'
• Broken Bells - 'Ghost Inside'
• Ladies of the Canyon - 'Haunted Woman'
• Florence and the Machine - 'Dog Days are Over'
• Oasis - 'Whatever' *being released as a single in North America for the first time :)
• Bruce Springsteen - 'Dancing in the Dark'

Have a great weekend!

Thanks for reading/listening,


Gregg

The Smiths

Hello Friends,

I've spent loads of time recently flipping through records in shops all around Toronto. It's become part of my routine and I've never been happier. Last week I found something I'd been looking for since god knows when - 'Definetly Maybe' on vinyl. A great find indeed - but whilst searching for this I have managed to rejog my memory and my love of some classic albums. The Smiths, The Stone Roses, Rod Stewart, The Jam, The Verve, Led Zeppelin, REM, U2, and Radiohead to name a few. The Smiths is the band I've had on repeat through.

The beginning guitar riffs on 'How Soon is Now' is one of Johnny Marr's finest works and still gives me chills today. This band formed and 1982 only ever releasing 4 studio albums before parting ways in 1987. A shame for sure - but the 4 recordings left behind are timeless masterpieces unlike anything to come before or after.

Each member of the band still continues to be involoved in music today and have had some great success as individuals on many levels.

Morrissey has released 9 solo albums, Marr has formed his own group and been involoved with many big names and projects from Modest Mouse to supergroup Electronic. Andy Rourke has recorded with The Pretenders and Badly Drawn Boy while Mike Joyce did some work with the likes of Sinead O'Connor and even Public Image Limited. Not a bad group of resumes that spans the past 30 or so years of British pop music history.

What made The Smiths so special was the leathal combination of lyrical genius and melodic beauty. Morrissey might very well be the most romantic singer-songwriter in the past 50 years. He's got the most sensitive words yet somehow even the hardest, toughest soccer hooligans still love him. Johnny Marr inspired generations of British kids to pick-up the guitar and emulate his ways in music and style. They may have only had 4 albums together - but the 4 recordings helped shape the future for that rainy little island they call the UK.

It's fun, singable, memorable music that will live on forever. Here's a quick top 5 Smiths tracks I'd like to recommend that you check out or try again for the first time.

• How Soon is Now
• Ask
• Panic
• There's a Light that Never Goes Out
• This Charming Man
• *Radiohead pay their respects to The Smiths
• *Noel pays homage to The Smiths
• *Mark Ronson and Daniel Merriweather do too

"If there's something you'd like to try. If there's something you'd like to try. Ask me I won't say no, How could I."

Thanks for reading/listening.

Gregg

This is the sound of my soul, this is the sound...

Hello Friends,

Above are some classic lyrics from a song recorded almost 30 years ago. 27 to be exact. It's the 80's hit 'True' by Spandau Ballet . A powerful track indeed and stands-up to anything today. I hadn't heard this song in ages until watching the final season to the British series Skins. One of the characters plays it for a girl on a ukulele and it's a beauty scene. I also really liked P.M. Dawn's sampling of it on the 1991 R&B hit 'Set A Drift on Memory Bliss' . I digress...

Skins is simply the most amazingly accurate look at a teens life growing up in the UK. It's not all that different from teens growing up anywhere in the world actually. I personally fell in love with this show about a year and a half ago and watched it religiously for a few weeks to get through the first 2 seasons. The main thing for me was the music that was selected throughout.

It's unlike anything you would expect making it all stand-out ten folds. In the first episode they actually used some Lisa Stansfield . The 3rd episode had Gwen McCrae's 'Ninety Percent of Me is You' which blew my mind as this is such a killer track. The 4th episode used Gossip's 'Standing in the Way of Control' as seen here in the amazing trailer for the series.

Here's a quick look at some of the music that was used throughout the 4 seasons.

• Starship - 'We Built This City' season 1 episode 9
• Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - 'Spread Your Life' season 2 episode 2
• Sigur Ros - 'Untitled' season 2 episode 3
• Ben Harper - 'Steal My Kisses' season 2 episode 5
• Depeche Mode - 'I Feel You' season 2 episode 6
• Althea and Donna - 'Uptown Ranking' season 2 episode 8
• Adele - 'Hometown Glory' season 2 episode 9
• MGMT - 'Time to Pretend' season 2 episode 10
• Dr. Dre - 'Next Episode' season 3 episode 4
• The Clash - 'Bankrobber' season 3 episode 5
• The Velevet Underground - 'Sweet Jane' and Bon Iver's - 'Flume' season 3 episode 7
• Glasvegas - 'It's My Own Heart That Makes Me Cry' season 3 episode 9
• Mumford and Sons - 'The Cave' season 4 episode 1
• Temper Trap - 'Sweet Disposition' season 4 episode 2
• The Drums - 'Lets Go Surfing' season 4 episode 3
• Band of Skulls - 'Honest' season 4 episode 5
• Phil Collins - 'Easy Lover' season 4 episode 7 *why do all psychos listen to Phil?
• Kylie Minogue - 'Can't Get You Out of My Head' season 4 final episode *killer scene:)

I urge you to check out this series if you have a chance. Skins production and music teams have raised the bar as to how music can and should be used in television and film. Many bands have this series to thanks for their success and I am certain that many more will break onto the scene because of it.

Thanks for reading/listening.


Gregg

Why Radio Is Still Important To Me

Hello Friends,

In recent weeks I have rediscovered CBC Radio 2. It's been a while since I tuned in regularly but my god am I happy to be back. I forgot how great it can be and how many great tunes they play that I likely own - but never get to hear anymore. Radio is the best medium to be reminded of old gems and do it without the added pressure of finding the best track for that moment in your iTunes library.

I listen to lots of BBC Radio 1 and 2 and enjoy learning about artists and hearing the latest and greatest tracks at the same time. They are the master of this. Their DJs make it so exciting and tell you the stories you want to hear about rock stars and speak to the bands on a level in which they feel comfortable. This makes for the best interviews going and keeps my attention.

The same can be said for my 2 current favs on CBC - Bob Mackowycz and Rich Terfry (Buck 65) - they are truly wonderful and relevant spokesman for music. They too make things exciting.

The single best reason to give radio another chance is that these are experts tell you what they like. These people decided to make a life's love into a career and so they live and breathe music. Then they get on the airwaves and share this knowledge with you.

I'll keep this short - but here's a quick list of tunes I recently heard on CBC radio that has got me excited again.

• Neil Young - 'Lotta Love'
• The Fratellis - 'Whistle for the Choir'
• The Barenaked Ladies - 'Brian Wilson'
• Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - 'Love is a Long Road' *Fantastic Catalogue
• The Beatles - 'Run for your Life Little Girl'

Keep the music coming.

Thanks for reading/listening.

Gregg

It Got Loud

Hey Friends,

I am embarrassed that it took me this long to watch the critically acclaimed music documentary 'It Might Get Loud'. This is the doc about Jimmy Page, The Edge and Jack White as seen here.

I was searching HBO's recent selection of on demand movies and was ecstatic to see this one listed. I owe you again HBO my old friend.

It's exactly what you would think it is and then some. The film maker takes a look at all 3 of these guitar gods lives and brings you on a journey as they detail how and when they picked up an axe for the first time. It gives you insight as to their influences and sounds that moved them. Pretty amazing to learn how young Jimmy Page was when he started - and that U2 had no idea how to play their instruments when they started.

I was never a big White Stripes fan before this - although they did release some epic videos and I understand how talented Jack is. The only song I loved by this band was Hotel Yorba - but I will go back and give his work another try after watching this.

The biggest benefit to having watched this was that I instantly needed a Zeppelin fix. I went to the collection (I have at least 2500 CDs and 13,925 tracks in my iTunes library) only to find I only had 'How The West Was Won' 3 CD set. That alone scared me - but I guess I had their tunes on cassette - so it make sense. In all fairness I had not really listened to much Zep in recent years. I got my fill in the 90s and kinda put them on the back burner. I promise to never do this again. I went to Vortex Records the next morning and bought 'Mothership' :)

Everyone needs to go through a Led Zeppelin phase in their lives. Drugs or not - Led Zeppelin is for everyone. The band were epic and untouchable in what they did and what they did was fuckin rock.

Here's a quick hit list of must hear Zeppelin from me...

• Tangerine
• Going to California *should be mandatory that any music festival have this over loud speakers
• Ramble On
• In My Time of Dying
• The Ocean
• Stairway to Heaven *such an important song for the history books. also great for a slow-jams tape.

Here's a couple of suggestions for you to check out from the other 2 gents...

The Edge - unmistakable riffs and sound. You can tell it's him with one note

• Unforgettable Fire *My all time fav U2 track
• Electrical Storm
• Please

As I said - I was never a big fan - but they sounded like the future of punk the first time I heard 'Fell in Love with a Girl'. Talent oozes from this guy. (Meg's his sister BTW)

• Fell in Love with a Girl *incredible video
• Hotel Yorba *I love this track

I would love to thank Wes' uncle Big C. for introducing myself and friends to Led Zeppelin at such an early age. That was a true TSN turning point to my love of music.

Thanks for reading and listening.

Gregg

Best Video, Best Song, Best Album, Best Band Ever?

Hello Friends,

With a mere 4 albums under their belts they decided to call it a day. Drugs, band squabbles, or creative differences - whatever the case may be - The Verve created some amazing music since they formed in 1990.

I was backpacking around Europe in 1997 when the album 'Urban Hymns' was released. Radiohead also released 'Ok Computer' that same year...so being in and around the UK at that time was electric indeed. It was a time when you relied on radio, word of mouth and HMV charts in the store to determine what was hot. They were all on these 2 albums - it's all you heard throughout Europe. Seems like a lifetime ago really.

The thing that doesn't seem like a lifetime ago is the music that was on these 2 albums. While Radiohead's 'Ok Computer' is definitely one of my favourite albums of all time The Verve's 'Urban Hymns' is in fact the #1 album of all time on my albums list. I don't care how many times I've heard 'Bittersweet Symphony' - it always sounds brand new. The video for this song is also my favourite video of all time. It is the most perfect mix of pop, rock and classical music out there (IMHO).

Because this album was released in a time before MP3s - it really gave you the chance, want and need to listen to a full album. I know that sounds like an old dinosaur thing to say - but you youngster need to listen and appreciate full albums. The artists you love don't create one amazing song and then record 10 more tracks to make up the rest of an album. They spend months, years and sometimes longer to ensure that the album sequencing is perfect. They want you to hear the album the way they designed it. I digress - but please do yourself a favour and listen to 'Urban Hymns' from start to finish.

This album opens with 'Bittersweet Symphony' and closes with 'Come on'.

It's a shame that the band's come back was brief a few year's back- but the album entitled 'Forth' (Forth album they released) was not without its own hits. You've likely heard 'Love is Noise' but check out 'Appalachian Springs'.

Anyway - here's links to each individual track. All you have to do now is click and listen...

1. Bittersweet Symphony
2. Sonnet
3. The Rolling People
4. The Drugs Don't Work
5. Catching the Butterfly
6. Neon Wilderness
7. Space and Time
8. Weeping Willow
9. Lucky Man
10. One Day
11. This Time
12. Velvet Morning
13. Come On

So on my checklist these guys have garnered 3 out of 4 best evers. Sorry lads - Oasis is the best band ever...you can't have that one.

Thanks for reading.

Gregg

Some Songs and Some Reasons

Hey Friends,

I gotta say - right now is yet another amazing time in music. There's so many great things happening and so many genres crossing over one another. The best part is being able to listen to them on the same playlist - knowing that they somehow all work.



I'll keep this one quick to let you check out the tunes instead of me talk too much about them. Please do at least try one out if you've come this far.

The first one is a massive chart topper in the UK right now - currently sitting at #2 on their National charts between Gaga and Bieber. It's a bloody banger...and I'm lovin it.
Tinie Tempah - 'Pass Out'

The next one is the current theme song to HBO's 'How to Make it in America'. It embodies the feel of the 70's yet fits perfect for NYC today.Aloe Blacc - 'I Need A Dollar'

This next track is a bit older now - but I recently heard it in the background of a scene from the TV series 'Parenthood'. Mike Snow - 'Animal' What a track.

'Nothin On You' is just a beautiful track and feel good hit for the season. It came on as I walked into a sneaker shop (said in an American accent) on Canal Street last Monday in New York. It's just a perfect pop song. B.o.B. featuring Bruno Mars - 'Nothin' On You'

April came fast this year. Months ago I marked Friday April 2nd on my calendar as the date to see Strokes lead singer Julian Casablancas' Toronto show. Well it's almost here and what better way to prepare that crank this bad boy on headphones. Julian Casablancas - '11th Dimension'

Those who know me will know that I can't write a list without the inclusion of at least one Oasis track. This is true - and so here's a beauty for you. I was given a stunning live recording entitled 'The Dreams We Have As Children' and it's a flawless Noel solo gig. I couldn't find the exact recording online to do it justice - but here's a version of 'Listen Up'.
Noel Gallahager - 'Listen Up' Thanks Rob


Thanks for reading and hopefully listening.

Gregg Stewart

St. Paddy's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day,


I've never been to this green land they call Ireland - but do have some blood ties from way back. The one thing I know is that the people are friendly and hard as nails. This toughness comes from a deeply routed will to survive from way back in the day. They are very much like the Scottish (or is it that the Scottish are like the Irish:)

Today is the patron Saint of Ireland's day - St. Patrick's Day. This means green is worn and Guinness is drank. The origins of this date are best left explained by wikipedia (I'm lazy today).

To mark the occasion - here's a quick 10 tunes to get you in the mood (some not actually Irish - but in that direction).

1. U2 -'The Sweetest Thing'
2. The Cranberries - 'Ode to My Family'
3. Snow Patrol - 'Chocolate'
4. The Pogues - 'Fiesta'
5. Thin Lizzy - 'The Boys are Back in Town'
6. Sinead O'Connor - 'The Emperor's New Clothes'
7. House of Pain - 'Who's the Man'
8. Ash -'There's a Star'
9. Ronan Keating - 'Rollercoaster'
10. Damian Rice - 'Cannonball'

Honorary Irish for today

1. Mighty Mighty Bosstones - 'The Impression That I Get'
2. Spirit of the West - 'Venice is Sinking'
   

Have a safe night!

Gregg

Running Requires Music

Hello Friends,


Not only does running require music - it needs to be carefully selected for each individual run you do. I personally cannot run without it.

I'm honoured, excited and nervous to be running in next week's New York City 1/2 marathon. It's going to be a special day for me as I get to run through the streets of Manhattan alongside 16,000 other runners.

This one's going to require some amazing music - and I've been carefully crafting a play list for the past couple of weeks. I'm almost there but will need to fine tune it this week.

As most of you are aware - NYC is one hell of a place to walk through on a normal day - so to have the streets to run on I may very well take my time to soak it in.

I'm clearly not going for gold. The play list needs some monster jams, bangers, anthems and some New York flavour. It's gotta have some rock, pop, hip hop and perhaps some cheese for the occasion.

Anyway - here's what I got so far. I'm hoping to come in under 1:50 - but you need some buffers and of course some additional options for bangers:)

1. Paid in Full - Eric B & Rakim
2. Forever - Drake, Kanye, Lil Wayne and Eminem
3. Daytona 500 - Ghostface Killah
4. Empire State of Mind 1 - Jay Z feat Alicia Keys *has to be on there
5. Stay Too Long - Plan B
6. Bonified Lovin - Chromeo
7. Closer - Kings of Leon
8. Flowers and Football Tops - Glasvegas
9. Fire - Kasabian
10. D'You Know What I Mean - Oasis
11. Everlong - Foo Fighters
12. Supersonic - Oasis
13. Columbia - Oasis
14. Santa Monica - Jay Malinowski
15. Heavy Cross - Gossip
16. Tomorrow - Silverchair
17. The Next Episode - Dr. Dre
18. Bitch Please II - Eminem
19. Ana's Song (Open Fire) - Silverchair
20. Time to Pretend - MGMT
21. Wavin Flag - Young Artists for Haiti *goosebumps (even when Bieber sings)
22. 1901 - Phoenix
23. Rude Boy - Rihanna
24. Dragon Queen - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
25. Starlight - Muse
26. The Masterplan - Oasis
27. The Lightening Strike - Snow Patrol
28. Empire State of Mind II - Alicia Keys *need a little bit of momentum at this point
29. Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour) - U2, Jay Z + Rihanna
30. Live your Life - T.I. feat Rihanna
31. Geraldine - Glasvegas
32. Pass the Mic - Beastie Boys

Fingers crossed that this works. I can't wait.

Thanks for reading.

Gregg

*formatting is messed - sorry.

Coupla Great Tracks to Get You Through

Hey Friends,

It's been a little while since I posted something on here - but not to worry - the time lapse has given us some beauty new tracks to talk about.

I don't know what has happened but in recent weeks I find myself listening to so really chill tracks and loving them. It reminds me of a few year's ago when I was hooked on the likes of Zero 7, Sia, Res, The Avalanches and Beck. Yes, I find beck to be very chill especially my favourite album of his entitled 'Sea Change'.

Whatever the case may be - this time around I've got a few beauties to share with you including...

• Broken Bells - 'High Road'
• Gorillaz - 'Stylo'
• Ellie Goulding - 'Starry Eyed'
• Jay Milinowski - 'There's a Light'
• Athlete - 'Superhuman Touch'

Hope you enjoy these as much as I do.

Take care.

Gregg Stewart

Billy Talent + The Olympics

Hello Friends,

Up here in the Great White North it's been all Olympics all the time. It's been a long time coming but the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics have truly taken over this fair land.

British Columbia is truly the most amazing place I've ever been (I've only covered 4% of the earth according to FB) and the top of Whistler is what I imagine the Moon to be like - when you're coming off that final chairlift at 7:30 am.

I spent some time out that way a few years back and always brought my running shoes to see more of it. Stanley park's seawall is something one must see first hand with headphones and good tunes. I heard MGMT's 'Time to Pretend' for the first time on this route. I digress.

The Olympics has it all including music galore. Muchmusic has been covering a concert series put on each night starting at 11 pm et live from both Whistler and Vancouver proper. The bands have varied in age, genre and relevance. None-the-less it's music, it's live and it's on Muchmusic.

Tonight's blog is inspired by one of Canada's finest as they are on stage right now in Vancouver to celebrate. I am talking about none-other-than Billy Talent. The boys are pure energy and rock n roll. They encompass Canadiana and know how lucky they are to be where they are. I am very proud watching this band and will forever hold a place in my heart for their music.

If you missed it - then you may not remember all the hits that this band have created over the years. Well that's what I'm here for - to remind you of a few...

1. Try Honesty


2. Surrender


3. Nothing to Lose


4. Red Flag


5. Fallin Leaves *Live at Rock AM Ring

Another beauty from this concert series was that of The Stereophonics. The band played live on Saturday night and killed it. They covered the span of their career in their set and it was magical. They also paid homage to The Tragically Hip with some riffs to 'New Orleans is Sinking'. These boys from Wales knew they were in the land of their idols The Tragically Hip and I hope people caught that.

Hats off to Billy Talent and the Olympics for bringing some great music to Canada in this monumental time.

Thanks for reading.



Gregg

6 Songs You Need For THIS weekend!

Hello Friends,

I can't even explain to you the music week I've had. From listening to new music in closed quarters for 2 days - to a legendary concert with 2 great song-writers. It's been sureal to say the least.

I'm going to keep this one quick - but need for you to hear these 6 tracks this weekend. Something old, something new, something borrowed...

• Jay Malinkowski - 'There's a Light'
• Paul McCartney and Wings - 'Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five'
• Mumford & Sons - 'The Cave'
• Birds of Wales - 'Uninteresting'
• Catherine MacLellen - 'Too Easy'
• Temper Trap - 'Sweet Disposition'

Have a great weekend!

Gregg

No Excuses

Hi Friends,

There's really no excuse for the delayed release of an album around the World these days. Once music is available online it's available in every single territory immediately.

I can't tell you how many times I've gone to the iTunes music store only to see that a particular track or album is unavailable in my territory. It's my record shop - and if it isn't there when I walk through the doors I'm not happy. The labels need to push them out globally at the same time. It's the press of a button or click of a mouse. Digital files mean that there are no manufacturing costs associated with the release. I apologize - I'm sure there's some costs - but nothing compared to manufacturing from 10 years ago to release an Import. Not having it available causes people to take thing into their own hands and get it through other sources. The one's you're fighting so hard to keep them away from. It seems to be changing - but at a slow pace. It's a step in the right direction so keep going.

In the past year I've seen some of the record labels release albums digitally first to see if it's going to make sense in a particular country. Now that's smart. It's also a way to get the avid consumers buying it, spreading the word, and paving the way for the rest. Perhaps a marketing objective - but even if it isn't - I like the fact that they're doing this.

Here are a few examples of releases in the past year that labels have released digitally first.

• Glasvegas - 'Glasvegas'
• Kasabian - West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
• Gossip - 'Music for Men'
• Plan B - 'Welcome to Hell'

I love consuming music. I love searching, hunting, collecting, compiling, talking and even buying it. Music makes everything better.

I really enjoy having iTunes open at all times as a reference. I can't tell you how many times I've had to press pause on a show, movie or ad so I could find a piece of music. Be it a new song that just worked in the moment - or a oldie I hadn't heard in a while. I must to have immediately. This is how I consume music today.

I bought Smokey Robinson's 'Tracks of My Tears' while watching the movie Platoon. I've also bought tracks while watching the amazing TV series SKINS including Gossip, Adele, MGMT and Glasvegas to name a few. For me its Movies, Television commercials, HBO and Showtime that teach me about great new music. That and music Mondays on Twitter of course. #musicmondays

I digress.

This really is a small plea to the labels. Make sure that the shelves in the iTunes music store are stocked! Help me help you :)

Support music and consume the hell out of it.

Thanks for reading.

Gregg