TODAY IS NATIONAL CANADIAN FILM DAY! Here’s how we can celebrate our films and filmmakers….

Today, April 17th, is National Canadian Film Day (CanFilmDay), presented by REEL CANADA, which will shine a spotlight on Canadian films so distinct, delightful, eccentric, and profoundly human that even the most advanced Artificial Intelligence couldn’t conceive them!  The 2024 programming spotlight, Films That A.I. Could Never Make, reaffirms that no algorithm can embody the essence, or conjure the creativity inherent in a Canadian film.The beating heart of CanFilmDay celebrations are the more than 1,000 screenings, in every province and territory, and in more than 39 countries around the world and hundreds of offerings on broadcast and streaming services for every human to enjoy. Her Excellency, the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada is once again the Vice Regal patron of National Canadian Film Day.  “With more and more of our lives governed by algorithms, it seems more important than ever to highlight the originality, passion and, well, humanity that infuses the best of Canadian cinema,” said Artistic Director Sharon Corder.

Programming highlights across the country include:

Premieres & Sneak Peeks

An exciting lineup of pre-release screenings, giving audiences nationwide a chance to see the top new offerings before their official release. Films include:

  • Ally Pankiw’s debut feature, I Used to Be Funny, in a cross-Canada sneak preview ahead of its June 7th release date on more than 20 screens thanks to the Network of Independent Canadian Exhibitors (NICE).
  • The red carpet premiere of The King Tide in St. John’s, NL, featuring members of the cast and director Christian Sparkes.
  • In Toronto, the World premiere of Caitlin Cronenberg’s film Humane, with special guest stars Jay Baruchel and Emily Hampshire.
  • A sneak preview of the new Highball.TV film Mother of All Shows at the Stirling Festival Theatre in Stirling, ON, where the film was shot. With director Melissa D’Agostino.
  • In Vancouver, a sneak of The Great Salish Heist, Darrell Dennis’ hilarious new no-budget Indigenous caper flick.

In Memoriam
Three major figures have sadly passed since our last CanFilmDay. They will be honoured with tributes spotlighting their indelible legacies.

  • To honour the passing of acclaimed filmmaker Charles Officer, also a CanFilmDay board member and beloved friend, join us for a special screening of Akilla’s Escape, and a discussion with filmmakers he inspired, hosted in Toronto by Regent Park Film Festival and BIPOC Film & TV.
  • VIFF will host a rare presentation of the biographic documentary The Life & Times of Norman Jewison to honour the passing of the legendary director.
  • Two major events – by the Vancouver International Film Festival and the Canadian Film Institute in Ottawa in partnership with the Director’s Guild of Canada in Ontario – will pay tribute to the late pioneer Don Shebib, with screenings of his groundbreaking feature, Goin’ Down the Road. A live Q&A with Jayne Eastwood and DGC Ontario chair Annie Bradley, his friend and colleague, will follow the CFI screening in Ottawa.

Film Festival Partner Screenings

  • In Toronto, writer/director Matt Johnson joins The Canadian Film Festival for a special screening of his smash-hit comedy Blackberry, which recently earned a record-setting 17 Canadian Screen Award nominations.
  • The Vancouver International Film Festival is going all out for CanFilmDay!  Programming includes a special 30th-anniversary screening of Double Happiness with director Mina Shum, a tribute to the late iconic director Norman Jewison, and more.
  • The Oakville Festival of Film and Art presents Barney’s Version, the adaptation of the beloved Mordecai Richler novel, featuring a discussion of the film with producer Robert Lantos hosted by Daniel Richler.
  • Reelworld Screen Institute presents a special 25th-anniversary screening of the landmark film Another Planet, the first Canadian feature film directed by a Black woman, followed by a Q&A with the film’s director, Christene Browne. This screening is proudly supported by Ontario Creates.
  • imagineNATIVE presents a special screening of their 2023 Audience Choice Award winner, Café Daughter, followed by a Q&A with director Shelley Niro (Mohawk), all happening in her home community.
  • 35th-anniversary screening of ROADKILL by Bruce McDonald, followed by a Q&A with co-writer & star Don McKellar, at the recently opened Redwood Theatre in Toronto.
  • TIFF presents a special screening of Philippe Falardeau’s breakout hit, La moitié gauche du frigo (The Left-Hand Side of the Fridge). The screening will be followed by a virtual Q&A with Philippe Falardeau about the film.
  • Calgary Underground Film Festival presents a rare 35mm presentation of the classic Alberta-shot horror film Ghostkeeper, with a Q&A with director Jim Makichuk, screenwriter Doug Macleod, story consultant Dave Makichuk and the lead of the film, Murray Ord.

Plus, these highlights:

  • A partnership with Global Affairs Canada will bring Canadian films to 39 countries worldwide! Special events range in size from the Argentinian premiere of Intercepted at the Buenos Aires International Film Festival with the director in attendance to a charity screening of Tu te souviendras de moi benefiting the Alzheimer Society of Ireland.
  • An estimated 20,000 high school students from more than 200 schools from every province and territory will engage in RCtv, our annual interactive livestream event. This year,  journalist Kelly Boutsalis (Mohawk) will host a discussion with Alanis Obomsawin (Abenaki) to discuss her film, Honour to Senator Murray Sinclair, and will facilitate a nationwide student conversation reflecting on Canada’s legacy of Indian Residential Schools and pathways towards reconciliation.
  • Friends of Canadian Media presents a virtual screening of Sarah Polley’s documentary Stories We Tell, followed by a conversation between REEL CANADA Executive Director, Jack Blum, and Marla Boltman, Executive Director of Friends of Canadian Media.

Communities across the country that are going all-out for CanFilmDay include: 

  • The First Ontario Performing Arts Centre in St. Catharines, ON, is screening Anne of Green Gables with raspberry cordial-themed mocktails, PEI photo props and musical enhancements.
  • La Maison des artistes visuels in Winnipeg, MB, is screening Ru with a local professor of Vietnamese history.
  • In Slocan, BC, the local Legion is screening two films and holding a silent auction.
  • The Milton Public Library in Milton, ON is screening Canadian films throughout the week of April 15 – 19.
  • In Annapolis Royal NS, the King’s Theatre Society is showing five films on April 17, with refreshments available.
  • A companion workshop on Indigenous traditional arts will run before a screening of Bones of Crows in the Jasper, AB Community Habitat for the Arts.

More than two dozen major broadcast and streaming partners will be scheduling Canadian programming in honour of CanFilmDay. Visit the official website for info:  https://canfilmday.ca/  Founding Sponsor Cineplex is providing over two dozen cinema screens across the country.  The Landmark Cinema chain is also contributing venues in several communities. Both partners will screen the CanFilmDay promo PSA as part of their pre-show presentations.

Events across Canada and worldwide will feature appearances by special guests including Barry Avrich, Kelly Boutsalis, Christene Brown, Caitlin Cronenberg, Renee Courchene (Anicinabe), Melissa D’Agostino, Atom Egoyan, Philippe Falardeau, Tareq Hadhad, Emily Hampshire, Matt Johnson, Robert Lantos, Jason Loftus, Jim Makichuk, Dave Makichuk, Don McKellar, Doug Macleod, Alison Murray, Murray Ord, Alanis Obomsawin, Matthew Rankin, Mina Shum, Gail Singer, Christian Sparkes, Éric Tessier and Vinay Virmani.

CanFilmDay is a huge endeavour that’s made possible through the efforts of dedicated sponsors and partners who support filmmakers year after year, including Telefilm Canada, CBC, Hollywood Suite, Cineplex, Landmark Cinemas, Ontario Arts Council, RBC Foundation, DGC Ontario, Ontario Creates, CMPA, ACTRA, AFBS and more.

Visit canfilmday.ca for more information and you can also visit Facebook, TikTok and Instagram: @CanFilmDay and #CanFilmDay.

About REEL CANADA
REEL CANADA is a charitable organization that promotes the diversity of Canadian film and its power to spark important conversations about what it means to be Canadian. Through our core programmes — Our Films in Our Schools, Welcome to Canada, Reel Opportunities, and National Canadian Film Day (CanFilmDay) — REEL CANADA has reached millions of students, new Canadians, and general audience members.

MEET CARLA COLLINS: SHOWBIZ RENAISSANCE WOMAN & HARDEST WORKING COMEDIAN IN DA BIZ!

Oh, how I LOVE this funny lady! Carla Collins has been making me laugh for many years (I won’t say how many ‘coz a lady never tells her age – Carla’s or mine!). This Canadian-born comedy powerhouse has created a brilliant creative niche for herself in Los Angeles that puts Ryan Seacrest to shame – Carla does it all.  She’s won awards for her acting, has built a HUGE fan-base for her stand-up comedy and tv series, modelled, authored an hysterical autobiographical book, and is now conquering the radio airwaves as co-host of the LA AF show. She also Founded a unique comedy/meditation program that launched just as Covid hit us (and it took off online throughout pandemic isolation) and is currently applying her artsy-fartsy sketching skills to produce custom “vision boards” for friends and clients. Way too many skills and credits to list here…whew! So why don’t I just let her tell it herself….laughing out loud is permissible and inevitable!!Carla, as the old ad says… “you’ve come a long way baby”. Did you ever imagine you would be such a successful creative producer, web series hostess, author and comedy goddess in Los Angeles when you first stepped onto the comedy stages here in Toronto?  Oh Honey, you’re so sweet but I’m just out here hustling and happy to be doing what I love. Been a rough couple of years for the industry with the strikes and the Jean-Claude Pan Damme so I’m lucky I’m a bit of an arts Swiss army knife and can do some comedy, some acting, some voiceover work, some hosting and even some drawing. You’ll know that I’ve finally made it when I have a butler called Cavendish, warm kittens stacked up next to my bidet instead of moist toilettes and I’m wearing Fruit of the Illuminati underwear!I remember back in…well, quite some time ago… when the CTV network sent you to Hollywood to host their Oscar red carpet news and interviews. Was it terrifying or did you feel you were finally with “my people”?   Yup, it’s been a minute since my red-carpet days and I think I was one of the first Canucks covering the Oscars red-carpet. It was pretty nerve wracking at the time because we were live, and I used to get very anxious doing new things. Now I would jump up and do 45 minutes of stand-up at a garage sale! I have always loved LA but I don’t think this place is necessarily anyone’s tribe or people, more like another planet with great weather! It was wonderful to meet Sting in person and ask him what would last longer, an Academy Awards acceptance speech or a tantric orgasm? As I remember, I took a lot of heat for the Judy Jetson outfit I wore. No regrets!  (G: Oh I remember that orange sparkly thing well)

Comedic Meditation – you launched this initiative several years ago, helping people reach nirvana (or at least sort out some shit) via comedy and yoga and just chillin’ out – a strange intersection of philosophies, sure, but it all worked. How/why did you launch CM and how important did your online presentations become during Covid?  Actually, there’s absolutely no yoga involved whatsoever, even though I’ve been practising yoga for a couple of decades now. This is simply stand-up comedy followed by an authentic, original guided meditation. It happened pretty organically as I have been a big fan of meditation for years. My Mom practiced Transcendental Meditation so I’ve always known how beneficial meditation can be but so many people in LA are self-proclaimed gurus and many of my friends were too intimidated to go to a meditation center. I started this at a friend’s chiropractic and wellness space here in the valley one night a few months before the pandemic. I had been writing my own meditations for a couple of years because I wasn’t loving the ones online and I wanted to remove the woo woo factor and make meditation more accessible and digestible to everyone. I’m also a very hyper person, most of the time I shake like a chihuahua on meth after a couple of 5 Hour Energy drinks so I figured laughing for 20 or 30 minutes before sitting or lying still to meditate would help burn some energy, release endorphins or at the very least, people would hear about my crazy life and feel better about theirs! Turns out laughter and mediation are a great combo because they both produce the same gamma brainwaves.People seemed to really enjoy the odd marriage right out of the gate, and I was lucky to get some lovely media coverage early on. Chuckle & Chill (that’s what I call it now) combines my two greatest passions: comedy and wellness/spirituality. I think it seems natural that haha moments would lead to aha moments. I was in Canada doing a mini-Chuckle & Chill tour when the world shutdown and C&C transitioned fairly seamlessly online. I believe people were very stressed and felt more comfortable doing this in their own places. Everyone loved that they could just roll over and go to sleep after a session and didn’t have to drive home! I tailor both the comedy and the meditations to make them more personal for each group or individual.  I mean who doesn’t need to laugh and relax more in these rapture adjacent times?

You currently have several projects on the go, including Laugh of Attraction, and especially your unique Vision Pop Boards. You’re helping people create visualizations of their wishes and dreams, right? So how can we get our own customized vision boards? Yes! The Laugh of Attraction family now includes Laffirmations (merry mantras that make you giggle and punch through to your subconscious more easily than the generic affirmations. For example: “My skin is as smooth as jazz” or “I have an attitude of gratitude when I’m in the nude”), “Chaneling” instead of channeling with my French lingerie model stand up psychic character Souffle (“Knock, knock, I know who’s there and what to wear”), Vision Pop Boards where I draw you and what you want to manifest (see below) and coming soon my Tarot Grigio comedic tarot card deck.When I was a kid and throughout high school, I wanted to be a fine artist. Shout out to my Facebook friend and high school art teacher Mr. Olsen! I would overthink and stress about each drawing or painting, so I abandoned my watercolors even though art was my first love. This year I started sketching again on the down low. My brother and best pal Rick, who teaches Art History at a private school in New Zealand, saw my sketches when he was visiting over the holidays and encouraged me to keep going.  I was sketching little vision boards because I heard it was a great manifestation tool and I found it very therapeutic. Rick asked me to make him one. I posted a couple of them online and started getting orders from friends and lovely people on socials. Rick felt my style was more pop art/cartoon thus Vision Pop Boards! Basically, I ask people to send me a few pictures of themselves along with things they love and want to bring into their lives. I sketch the person in the middle of the piece and use symbols, drawings of their desires, pastels and some magic to create the boards. I also do some generic feelgood boards like a winning scratcher ticket. These can all be used as phone or computer wallpapers. You can order your customized VPB by hitting me up on Insta or FB or emailing me directly: carla@carlacollins.com So tell me about your “professional 3-way” with Grace and Jimmy co-hosting the LA AF podcast – how did you meet, what was the “lightbulb moment” that focused your sights on hosting the show? And what is LA AF all about?  Jimmy McCammon and Grace Fae McCammon reached out to me on Instagram back in December and asked me to be a guest on LA AF, a Los Angeles-centric show that has some fun at the city’s expense. I believe their tagline is News. Culture. Snark. As a good, trusting Canadian, I literally drove to a stranger’s home in Pasadena whom I had never met out in the wild or even spoken to. I keep joking that I could have ended up on Dateline. Instead, I was really impressed because Jimmy is an amazing producer and is very funny. He reminds me of my bro. The whole show has a morning radio vibe, is jam-packed with pop culture and is loosey goosey but professional. Grace is a phenomenal jazz singer, like a modern-day femme fatale from the 1940s and a beautiful spiritual soul. They are just the most lovely and talented couple. The chemistry was straight fire and there was a seamless ease to the hour when I was a guest. In January, Jimmy reached out to ask if I would be interested in being a regular host for two of their three shows a week and it’s been a delight ever since. We are getting some great guests and numbers and I’m loving it. It reminds me of my radio days. I have been asked to join several podcasts but this time it just worked. I believe Jimmy started this podcast during the pandemic then Grace joined him and now, we’re a throuple! Professionally speaking of course.Listeners can stream the shows on Spotify, iTunes, etc. and join LA AF Patreon for the entire show with lots idle extras for just $1 a month https://www.patreon.com/laaf?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator

We all loved you in Carlawood – the comedic tv series telling of your quest for fame and paid gigs in Hollywood. So has your life actually mirrored those tv episodes?  Often and it’s only become weirder and more entertaining, I wish we were still filming. It was back on good, old fashioned cable TV in Canada. More recently on Amazon Prime. When I first moved here, I thought people in LA didn’t understand sarcasm but it’s more that it’s so wild and weird in this city, anything is possible and can happen. Los Angeles is almost impossible to parody. I think there is always a lot of fodder in my life mostly because I constantly find myself doing comedy in the oddest places: funerals, wealthy people’s living rooms, nudist colonies (I mean, where am I supposed to keep my phone?). I’ve had to follow Burlesque performers who are wearing less material than Carrot Top’s act and doing gymnastics on stage with great names like BonBon Paris and Lola Boutee. At that moment, I don’t want to do comedy, I just want to become a Burlesque dancer called Gigi Hadidn’t. I’ve performed stand up at a hospice here (that afternoon we were all dying…) and I’ve even performed at the Kabbalah Center in Beverly Hills where I told them my Hebrew drag queen name was Yum Yum Kippur! Also, LA is loaded with so many delicious, crazy characters right outta central casting, literally. There’s never any shortage of material here. I recently found out my yoga instructor was a coke head. This explains why we kept only taking in deep inhales. It’s very convenient to take a snort in downward facing dog! I also now know it wasn’t yoga keeping her so slim and confident.Any more fabulous books in the works? Angels, Vampires & Douchebags (2010) was brilliant, hilarious and a very insightful look into the life of a vixen on her journey to tinseltown. You must have enough material for at least 3 or 4 more books….  Aw, thank you so much Doll, you are too kind. I have recently completed writing a children’s/inspirational book called The HuaHua Way. It’s a love letter to my beloved Chihuahua mix Dr. Zira who passed away. It’s the “true” story of my three dogs: Buster, Miles and Dr. Zira (pictured below with their mistress) which subtly tackles some heavy issues like grief, divorce, sexism, etc… and I hope it brings comfort and joy to animal lovers everywhere. It’s currently being illustrated and should be released in time for the holidays this year.  Right now, I’m working on another non-fiction book called Botox in my Third Eye which, like Angels, Vampires and Douchebags, is somewhat autobiographical and combines comedy with self-help.And your stand-up comedy – you’ve headlined and guested on so many of the BIG stages (and TV specials) across the US and Canada…where are you appearing next, where can fans come out to worship you?   Hahaha worship! Welp, you can come laugh at me for sure. I will be on at The Laugh Factory on April 18th with iconic host Frazer Smith. Just follow moi on Instagram @carlacollinscomedian for all upcoming dates and hopefully I’ll be back in Canada for some shows soon.Any other news or stories you’d like to share?  Just that I appreciate wonderful goddesses like you who have always been wonderfully supportive. You have been a tireless champion to many Canadian entertainers, and we really appreciate your expertise and wit Darling. Remember, every time you laugh…an angel gets knocked up by Nick Cannon or Elon Musk so keep laughing! xo

Visit Carla’s website for all her social media links, videos, funny business, news and more… https://www.carlacollins.com/This blog is dedicated to Carla’s muse, the late great Dr. Zira (below)

BLUES LEGEND STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN LIVES ON THANKS TO ACCOMPLISHED MUSICIAN DAVE RYAN AND HIS MUSICIANS

A tribute band is a music group who specifically plays the music of a well-known music act, evoking a sound, look, time, place of a past (or, in some cases, current) popular artist whose loyal fans want to recapture the spirit of the original.  Sadly, many music purists think that being a tribute band is equivalent to being a cover band – skilled musicians who play other artists’ hits you hire for a wedding or filling out the weekly performance bills at clubs and bars. But it takes a considerable talent to actually inhabit the style, the musical interpretation and the stage delivery of a respected artist who is no longer with us.

Yes, a true tribute band is something very special: they play lick-by-lick, capturing the unique sound of the original artist. The vocals, the staging, the wardrobe, even the instruments played are the same or as close to original as possible.  The supremely gifted DAVE RYAN,  Founder and lead vocalist/guitarist for The SRV Experience and, more recently, The ZZ Top Experience, goes even further; he has sync’d his band’s live performances with videos of their inspirations – Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble and ZZ Top – which are played on giant screens behind the band on stage. To watch such an accomplished artist as Dave and his musicians is to be back on the road with Stevie or the ZZ’s – his presentations are a fully immersive audio/visual experience that amaze dedicated fans as well as engaging audiences new to the now-legendary artists. Stevie Ray Vaughan was killed in a plane crash over 30 years ago, but just listen….Dave will transport you back in time to one of Stevie’s exciting concerts (he even sports Stevie’s blue peacock tattoo on his chest!).  I asked Dave to share his thoughts on performing in front of die-hard SRV and ZZ Top fans and here is what he told me….Dave, when did you first pick up a guitar and/or any other instruments?  Apparently, I started playing the drums at age 2. I switched to guitar at age 13 and fell in love with it, averaging 4 hours of practice a day some days.

Prior to launching your own SRV Experience, did you play with any other bands?  I played in some other bands but nothing as focused or as enjoyable.

What first drew you to Steve Ray Vaughan’s music? And when did you realize your amazing resemblance to the guitar legend?  I always knew about Stevie; I first saw him on the MTV videos but it was watching his El Mocambo performance in Toronto in 1983 that gave me the “deer in the headlights” reaction. I started learning one of his songs then another and another and suddenly I had 7 songs. I decided at that point to start up a tribute show…having to learn another 30 songs, of course.  I give a taste of what it would have been like to see an SRV show. I realized several years ago that I was able to deliver a very high-level respectable facsimile of Stevie Ray.

You must have put in thousands of hours of rehearsing and learning his playing style, vocals, stage presence – how did your early audiences respond to what you presented on stage?  Yes, I’ve averaged a thousand hours per year over 16-17 years. Early on audiences were very receptive. As the project grew and became more polished, we started getting standing ovations and booked many theatre shows. We always got a very appreciative and receptive audience.

“This is music of the highest order, playing and paying proper tribute to these Texas Blues/Rock legends.  Not to be missed”…Q 107 Radio, Toronto

Vaughan’s influence has inspired hundreds of artists since his untimely death, and his legacy lives through you with the SRV Experience – do you feel the responsibility and weight of perpetuating his legend?  I don’t feel a responsibility but It feels really good to know that I’m helping to keep and build his legacy, keeping his music fresh in people’s minds.You’re a brilliant artist in your own right, do you ever feel like stepping out from behind the “tribute” brand to pursue your own original music?  I’ve written many songs and would like to revisit that one day and finish the many songs that I’ve started. Possibly become my own recording artist.

More recently, you created another performance entity, that of legendary southern rockers ZZ Top. Combining the two bands on one bill satisfies both blues and rock audiences – how are people responding to the ZZ’s?  People are very receptive of the dual show as well as ZZ Top on its own. We go all out and model our show on the 1979-1980 Rockpalast era (an annual televised German concert) of ZZ when they were in their musical prime. We have the authentic look, beards and all, and are delivering note for note performances of their greatest hits. At a recent show at the Aeolian in London, Ontario, we were honoured with standing ovations for each band. “Musically and visually the real deal…a must-see performance!” Q107’s John Garbutt

2024 looks like it may be a busy year for you – can we expect to see SRV/ZZ perform at any of the big music festivals now that Covid seems to be in our rear-view mirrors and crowds are coming back to the big gigs?   We’ve played many blues / rock / RibFest shows in the past and we’re looking forwards to playing more this year! We’re hoping to be booked into the Orangeville Blues/Jazz this summer and working on many more.  With Covid fading, audiences are starting to come back to live shows and we’re hoping that venues will keep filling up more and more as this year progresses.Thanks, Dave, I can’t wait to join your next audience!  Look for The SRV & ZZ Top Experience performing in your area over the summer and early fall, and music festivals are confirming their appearances as I type!

Follow Dave on Instagram: @the_srv_experience  or visit the SRV Experience website: http://www.srvexperience.com/

RENOWNED TORONTO POET & AUTHOR NORMAN CRISTOFOLI UNVEILS DEBUT CRIME NOVEL “NOVEMBERS”

NOVEMBERS by Norman Cristofoli                                                            
Paperback ISBN 9798886937572  $23.95
E-book ISBN 9798886937589  $4.50
Published by Austin Macauley Publishers

A brutal murder occurs in the opening chapter; it’s graphic and painful and relentless: remember those first 20mins. in Saving Private Ryan? Yeah, that relentless. And what an intriguing start to this engrossing crime mystery from Toronto author & poet Norman Cristofoli. In the first book in a series featuring Det. Sergeant Aristotle Boyle, Cristofoli grabs the reader by the throat and doesn’t let go as he takes us through the seamy underworld of bondage & domination and sado-masochism, and the drudgery of his investigation – life as a real detective is not all tv cop show glamour. All the procedures of evidence gathering, suspect elimination, motives, and of course, sex, drugs and …well, you get the idea. Each character Cristofoli writes is fully fleshed out (I loved his description of a woman’s “butterscotch hair”), and he sets each scene with easy-to-visualize surroundings; Toronto neighbourhoods are familiar to us and the reader may want to head out and retrace Boyle’s steps and those of the mysterious killer. Maybe a murder/mystery walking tour could be in the future?

Our hero is not perfect, he’s been written as a man with numerous inner demons as well as a penchant for attractive, sexy women. The reader can “feel” the heat between him and female characters who may be on the wrong side of the law…or at least just rubbing up against it.

Novembers makes for an enthralling read, and will keep your attention down to the closing chapters…will Boyle find the killer? His investigation becomes an obsession, leading his team through the twists and turns of this intricately planned homicide with just a handful of clues. Stir in Boyle’s love of Greek philosophy, Ouzo and Cuban cigars and you have a recipe for the ultimate crime mystery!

About the Author
Norman Cristofoli began his creative career as a young man writing poetry in the city of Toronto, Canada. In 1984, a-top of Mount Snowden in Wales, he made the transition from a person who wrote poetry to a person who is a poet. He has published several chapbooks of poetry and prose and produced two audio compilations of his spoken-word performances accompanied by musicians. He was the creator and publisher of the Labour of Love literary magazine for twenty-five years, and in 2020, he published his play, The Pub, followed by his first major compilation of poetry entitled Relinquishing the Past. Novembers is the first in a series of murder/mystery novels.For more information, please visit https://www.austinmacauley.com/us

Located in the heart of the outback, CHRIS TANGEY has become Australia’s “drone master”!

A few months ago, I found an incredible video posted on YouTube that led me down the rabbit hole to the international master of drone cinematography, CHRIS TANGEY. Not only that, my fellow Aussie countryman heads up one of the most remote media broadcasting, film & TV production services located in Alice Springs in the red heart of the country that attracts attention from clients,  filmmakers and festivals from around the world.So, I’ve now spent many have hours viewing his brilliant drone videos shot for corporate and tourism organizations which are licensed for int’l use; I recommend you check them out on his aerial videos page: https://bit.ly/3S3mEHS – I swear you’ll sit there viewing with your mouth wide open in amazement as the drones swoop down, around and over stunning landscapes…like I did!

The video that opened up Chris’ amazing cinematic world to me is this multi-award winning “My Australia” video – enjoy:

To date, Chris and his company have won 8 gold and 5 silver awards from the Australian Cinematographers Society and 26 international awards for aerial cinematography including wins from 3 different New York City festivals.

Alice Springs Film and Television (ASFTV) are the Australian outback specialists in film, TV and stills production and services, specializing in drone filming.  They also Location Fix and manage. Owned and operated by Aerial Cinematographer, Cinematographer, Photographer and Location Manager Chris, his business ethos is simple: “If your project makes the world a better place, or is benign, let’s have a chat, if it makes the world a worse place… best to chat with someone else”. Alice Springs Film and Television produce content for broadcast television, news, documentary, music videos, TVCs, audio/visual displays and corporates. They also specialize in location scouting and fixing, from Amazon Prime’s “The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart” to Werner Herzog’s “Nomad”, from the Royal Ballet to the global TVCs for Qantas,Visa Card , Toyota and Tourism Australia, the world’s best use and trust our services. Chris and his company have serviced, and worked on productions for all Australian TV networks plus Internationals including Warner Brothers, Universal Pictures, BBC, Amazon Prime, Paramount Plus, Netflix, Stan, National Geographic Channel, Columbia Tristar, Discovery, ZDF, NHK and NASA Television. They also have a very impressive list of corporate clients that includes Tourism Australia, Tourism Northern Territory, Apple, Microsoft, National Australia Bank, Country Music Association of Australia and Qantas Inflight entertainment.

Intrigued? Here’s another link to Chris’ work…perfect for watching while the snow whirls outside here in Canada. https://filmfreeway.com/ChrisTangey

If you like oceans and crashing waves, here’s one of Chris’s videos showing “the Great Australian Bight”, the chunk of coastline along the southern reaches of the continent:

You can follow Chris on Instagram at:  https://www.instagram.com/christangey/ as well as LinkedIn, Facebook and multiple other platforms.  And here’s ASFTV’s website for more info: https://www.alicespringsfilmtv.com.au/

New book covers history of the Rickenbacker guitar from the roaring 20s thru the 21st century.

RICKENBACKER: Guitar Pioneers of the Electric Guitar
By Martin Kelly and Paul Kelly
Published by Firefly Books, October 2023
336 Pages – Hardcover
Price: $59.95
ISBN: 9780228104476

When I learnt about this new book on the history of Rickenbacker guitars, I jumped at the chance to review it; back in the 90s I dated a talented rock guitarist who had a stunning 12-string “Ricky” that I would polish after each gig (so I could brag “I’m with the band”…LOL). It was the Roger McGuinn version with a sunburst design on the front – it was gorgeous to look at and to listen to. I knew that Rickenbacker was a prestigious company and some of the best musicians played them, along with their Gibsons, Fenders and Gretsches.As the promo page from publisher Firefly states “electric guitars are not simply musical instruments. At their best, they are iconic works of art, a marriage of form and function that has come to symbolize the very essence of 20th century pop culture.”  Most fans and players recognize Fender and Gibson as brand leaders in the music industry, but Rickenbacker, a small family-run business with roots stretching back to the very invention of the electric guitar, remains one of the most important makers for nearly 100 years of the company’s history from its founding in 1931 to the present day. George Harrison favoured his Rickenbacker throughout the Beatles era then through his post-Beatles career.Iconic artists such as Roger McGuinn, Jimi Hendrix, Geddy Lee, Randy Bachman, Susanna Hoffs, Tom Petty, Paul McCartney, Paul Weller….the list goes on but the history of the Rickenbacker company itself is even more impressive. The story begins in Los Angeles during the roaring twenties when two young men, George Beauchamp and Adolph Rickenbacher (yes, that’s the original spelling), met and ended up revolutionizing music by electrifying it and changing how we heard the sound for ever. Back then, guitars were part of bands and orchestras but the sound they made acoustically was muffled and hard to hear over the brass and percussion sections. George and Adolph went through many amplification ideas and experiments such as attaching sound horns or inserting diaphragm discs into the body of the guitar before they decided upon electrifying the instrument to offer greatly increased volume and a “crispness” to the playing that cut through other instruments.

This book is an encyclopedic history to educate and entertain both guitar collectors, players and enthusiasts, and those who simply love music. The rarely seen 1920s and 30s blueprints of newly invented electronic instruments are fascinating, and the vintage photos show the development of Rickenbackers over the past nine decades. Authors Paul Kelly (below) and Martin Kelly (2nd below)……have done such deep-diving in their research that this book is crammed with photos – it’s a must-have for anyone who appreciates pop, rock, blues, punk, grunge, even big band and classical sounds.

Available online from Amazon or Indigo and all fine bookstores.

MIKE D’URZO WELCOMES 2024 WITH MEGA MAGIC AND SUCCESS ON TV REALITY SHOW!

Happy New Year to you all…I wanted to start off 2024 with a magical blog so I couldn’t think of anyone better to interview than the Canadian king of Mega Magic himself, MIKE D’URZO.

Mike D’Urzo is an international award-winning magician & mentalist. As the founder and creative director of Mega Magic, he performs hundreds of shows annually for some of the largest corporations, theaters, theme parks, festivals and television networks.He’s won the “Canadian Entertainer of the Year” award by the Canadian Event Awards and was the 8-time recipient of the “Performer of the Year” award presented by Festivals & Events Ontario. He is considered one of the “Top 10 Magicians Worldwide” by the Wedding Industry Experts Awards and the “Entertainment Act of the Year” by the LUXlife Global Wedding Awards. He was the 2-time winner of the Reader’s Choice Award for Best Entertainer by Special Events Magazine and was also named in the Top 5 Magicians in Toronto by BlogTO and won the Toronto Choice Award by Event Source. Mike is a member of the prestigious Canadian Association of Magicians and the International Brotherhood of Magicians.

Whew! that’s quite a staggering line-up of awards and industry accolades! I’ve been lucky enough to know Mike for over 15 years, seeing him at various special events and industry showcases as well as corporate soirees and in theatres. He’s also one of the nicest, most humble entertainers I know, so you can imagine how excited I was for him when I learnt that Mike not only participated in the new tv reality show, The Traitors: Canada, but that he won the big grand prize. He out-played and out-psyched all the other contestants…bravo, Mike!2024 marks the 20th anniversary of his specially curated show, Mega Magic, featuring his talents as magician and mentalist: Mega Magic is a full production show featuring spectacular grand illusions and lots of interactive magic & mentalism. It has elements of video, live eye projection, audio/ visual techs, camera operators and assistants on stage.  And it’s because of this special anniversary that I decided to reach out to my friend and ask him to talk about his career and his love of entertaining people.After starting out in the film industry as a publicity & promotions guy, what brought about the switch to magic?   I always had an interest in magic since High School. Throughout university I was working at Sony Pictures hosting premieres and launch parties for upcoming films. Although I loved the behind scenes world of movies, performing was my true passion.

Who or what inspired your love of magic as a youngster?   I remember growing up watching Illusionist David Copperfield on TV and seeing him live in Toronto – Copperfield (pictured below) was definitely an inspiration. Then there was one day that changed the course of my life forever: I was at Canada’s Wonderland and there was a small booth with a person selling magic. I spent my last dollar, bought a couple of tricks and the rest was history. I never saw being a magician as a career choice but from that day forward, I knew that I would pursue the art of magic.You do a lot of corporate events as well as festivals and residencies at large venues….what is your favourite audience – adults, children, business people looking to switch off from work?   In the early days of my career, I performed tons of kids shows. Although I love performing for family audiences, most of my work now is for adults. I love the thrill of truly messing with smart intellectual people and putting them in a state of disbelief and wonder. I feel like the art of magic has evolved so much from the stereotypical “pull a rabbit out of a hat” trick.You recently participated in a new TV game show called The Traitors Canada…and WON congratulations! How were you cast and how tense and stressful was this?  This was one of the most thrilling and exciting moments of my career. Such a cool experience being on a show with other reality TV stars and winning the prize pot. They loved the idea of having a magician on the show as it’s based around misdirection and deception. It was a stressful experience having to navigate the way the game would be played by manipulating, deceiving and backstabbing everyone. We all created a great bond so it put me in a very tough position. There is a whole other world of magic beyond the stage and it can be used to misdirect people in everyday life.

You’re celebrating a special anniversary in January 2024 – the 20th year of your “Mega Magic Show” which is a full production grand illusion show you’ve presented across Canada and the US. How did you put this show together and are you still excited to raise that curtain 20 years on?   This is a HUGE milestone for Mega Magic! Show business can be tough with many ups and downs but I wouldn’t change it for the world. Getting to do what I love is that best trick of all.  I’m very grateful that performing has allowed me to experience so many wonderful places and kept me creative for 20 years.You must tell us about your trip to China where you entertained an audience of over half a million – how did you get that gig? And was there any language barrier or did the magic and illusions overcome that?   China was one of the coolest show experiences of my life! I was brought in as a marketing campaign for English Schools across the country. They wanted to bring a Canadian performer to promote their schools in busy public areas. Performing magic for people who didn’t speak a word of English worked out because magic can also be very visual. It’s a universal language that transcends any barriers. I loved that the audiences were so receptive and shared the same passion for magic as I did. During the 2 ½ years of Covid isolation and non-performance, you created online shows and demonstrations – how cool is that?! Are you maintaining those online sessions and how do magic fans participate from home?   That was a challenge at first because so much of magic is interactive. Not having anyone physically present forced me to redevelop a show for an online audience. It turned out to be such a joy performing for people from around the world over Zoom where you could still interact with guests. In many cases, the magic seemed even more impossible doing it over a screen. There were days where I was performing up to 6 virtual shows for companies around the world without having to leave my studio. Luckily, I was able to adapt during that time as there were no live events!You have an upcoming New Year’s Eve show way down east in Labrador City, a far cry from China! You’ve played there before – how are the audiences in Labrador?   I love Labrador City and the East Coast of Canada. I’ve met some of the nicest people from the East Coast and happy to be making my return. I find in general, audiences no matter where in the world tend to love magic and have an appreciation for the art. It’s unique and certainly gets you thinking.

Any other exciting shows lined up for 2024…or maybe more TV shows?   There are always lots of events! Stay tuned for more exciting news in the New Year!

Follow Mike on his social media (linked via his website) and you can learn about his incredible body of work on his website:  https://www.megamagic.ca/

New book about George Harrison’s DARK HORSE RECORDS hits the shelves & author Aaron Badgley’s 100’s of hours of research result in a great look at music history

Dark Horse Records: The Story of George Harrison’s Post-Beatles Record Label
Author: Aaron Badgley
Sonic Bond Publishing
Publication date: January 26, 2024
$24.95  Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and select bookstores
204 pages plus 16 pages of colour photos
ISBN: 978-1-78952-287-7

Written by respected broadcaster and Beatles expert, Aaron Badgley, this is the first book to discuss Harrison’s label in such detail. This book is like reading the intimate diary of George Harrison’s life in music, his recording label, his collaborations and lifelong friendships with other trailblazing artists whose music is still played and appreciated today. In fact, Harrison played with, produced and wrote for a virtual who’s-who of the rock and pop world and helped create a whole new genre of music – World Music. His long-time collaborations with Indian superstar Ravi Shankar and his daughter, Anoushka, brought a world audience to the unique and melodic sounds of India where George found such spiritual enlightenment during his 60’s Beatles days.In 1974, with Apple winding down, Harrison still aspired to help new artists, so rather than trying to salvage Apple, he set up his own label, Dark Horse Records, but on a much smaller scale. His plan was to release records from new artists as well as some of his old friends, with an eye to eventually releasing his own music. While Dark Horse had an encouraging beginning with a hit single from the band Splinter, the label suffered increasing problems, failing to establish itself in the way Harrison hoped. However, some incredible and varied music was created from 1974 to 1977, including some of Harrison’s best solo material. Towards the end of its initial life, Dark Horse dropped most of its artists and released mainly Harrison’s solo work. Thankfully, since 2020, George’s talented musician son, Dhani, has taken the reins and has made Dark Horse viable once again, signing legends Cat Stevens and Billy Idol, and releasing music from Joe Strummer and Leon Russell. Finally, in 2023, it was announced that Harrison’s entire solo catalog was going to be re-released on Dark Horse. Badgley’s book tells the story of the label from the beginning, through its struggles and on to its exciting renaissance in the new millennium.Dark Horse Records was not a vanity label set up exclusively for George Harrison’s music. It was a record label and company that attempted – and succeeded – in being unique, that desired to make a difference. Harrison had a passion for helping artists and introduce them to the world. He felt there was room in the music business to accommodate many different styles and a label with diverse acts could not only exist but thrive. It was more of a philosophy than a business plan, and the world was a better place because of it. Dark Horse Records is now in the hands of Harrison’s musician son, Dhani, along with his widow, Olivia.

I recently spoke with Aaron who kindly filled me in on how the book came to be and how Harrison’s music has impacted his own….

Aaron, congratulations on your new book Dark Horse Records. What inspired you to write about this relatively unknown part of George Harrison’s life? First, thank you. The reason for writing this is because it’s a relatively unknown part of George Harrison’s life and career. His All Things Must Pass, Concert For Bangladesh, Cloud Nine and The Traveling Wilburys get a lot of attention, but there is this other chapter in his life that is equally as important. Dark Horse Records was a chance for Harrison to help others and to promote new and undiscovered talent, like he did with Apple Records (The Beatles own record label). I think this time period really deserved to be explored and explained. It has always been a very fascinating chapter in his history for me. The label was so eclectic, like George himself. You have British folk (Splinter), classical Indian music, blues, jazz-rock, rhythm and blues, and pop. In very few years he did a lot for these artists and had a remarkably diverse label. Not to mention his own music. I would argue that he made some of his best solo albums on Dark Horse Records.Most people feel that the Lennon & McCartney- written songs are the biggest influences on their own lives or have impacted the music industry the most….where does George Harrison’s writing and recording fit into the public zeitgeist? That is an excellent question! I am not really sure how to answer that, but with songs like “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” and “Here Comes the Sun”, I think he joins their ranks. As a solo artist, his All Things Must Pass Album was a triple album and now considered a classic. Maybe at the time he was overshadowed by Lennon & McCartney but I think he has caught up with them in the public’s eye. Even McCartney admits that “Something” is one of the greatest love songs ever written. I think that there has been a serious re-evaluation of his work and he is being appreciated by whole new generations.George’s wife, Olivia, and son Dhani (pictured below) have cherished and sustained his legacy, both in music and peace activism – how do you think future generations of music lovers will embrace George Harrison’s music? I find it interesting that Dhani has also resurrected the Dark Horse Records label. He has signed Cat Stevens, Billy Idol and has released Leon Russell and Joe Strummer (of The Clash) solo music so I am glad to see they are also keeping his record label alive along with his music and spirit. I hope that this music lives on forever, quite frankly, and is embraced by all future generations. I was thrilled to see the new Beatles single, “Now and Then” top the charts all around the world, including Spotify and other streaming charts. Because Harrison never tried to follow trends and jump on bandwagons, I think his music has aged well and will continue to age well. He had his own distinct style and it sounds as good today as it did when it was first released. Harrison is really coming into his own these days, and my 24 year-old daughter tells me that friends and people of her age group are really enjoying discovering his music, both with The Beatles and solo.You’ve enjoyed a long career in radio playing great music, chatting with music makers and offering opinions and reviews – how do today’s songs compare with those of the 60s and 70s and do you wish more under-40s would listen to the rock and pop classics of that era? When I was growing up, listening to AM radio, like CHUM and CFTR (in Toronto), what I loved about it, in hindsight, is that they would play everything. Oldies and new songs. So, as kids of that era, we all knew Buddy Holly, Elvis, Janis, and all sorts of artists along with the current top 40. I think that is missing today. Radio is so fragmented that young people only listen to their genre and never get the chance to branch out. There are some fine artists today making really creative and wonderful music, and as much as I enjoy discovering new bands, I notice radio will not play new music by anyone over 40. This is a shame. Because when I hear some new artists, I can hear the older bands coming through their sound. So, I wish the young listeners were also aware of the artist’s influences as they enjoy the music. Was the music of my youth better? I don’t know. But, when I was young, the music of my parents’ generation was Bing Crosby or even Al Jolson, which was pretty square at the time. Now, I love Bing and listen to him a lot. Maybe as the youth get older, they will look back and discover this incredible body of work, not only of George Harrison but all the other artists.So tell us, was George your favourite Beatle, if not, who was? I am one of five boys, and my mother used to say, ‘I love you all equally, just differently’. I guess that is how I see The Beatles. I don’t really have a favourite, but I do go through phases. Some months, I just listen to McCartney, other months it may be Lennon. I love George, I love his lyrics and his musical ability and his spiritualism. His solo albums are full of fantastic, astounding songs, of which I never ever tire. I guess that may not answer your question, but that is the best I have.How/where can people buy your book? My book is available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Indigo, basically all the book sellers. It is also found in select stores and Burning Shed website.

For younger fans of both The Beatles and Harrison as a solo artist, perhaps a reminder of his tragic final years is needed: in May 1997, Harrison was diagnosed with throat cancer. He was treated with radiotherapy, which initially seemed successful. Then two years later, on December 30th 1999, Harrison and his wife, Olivia, were attacked in their home. Harrison suffered over 40 stab wounds and part of his punctured lung had to be removed. And yet, Harrison continued to record, helping new bands and old friends such as Bill Wyman, Jeff Lynne, Albert Lee and Jim Capaldi.  On 29 November 2001, George Harrison lost his battle with cancer and passed away.

About the author
As a youngster, Aaron Badgley developed a profound love of The Beatles and music in general, also developing a fascination with record labels. At the age of 19, he started working in radio and by 20, he was a production manager for a number of stations in Canada. In 2005, Aaron debuted his syndicated radio show The Beatles Universe, which ran for six years. Currently, he is the host of Here Today and Backwards Traveller radio shows and cohosts From Memphis To Merseyside and The Way-Back Music Machine (with Tony Stuart). He writes for Spill Magazine and Immersive Audio Album, and has also contributed to the All Music Guide. Aaron resides in Toronto, Canada.At the back of the book, there are pages and pages of reference works and a bibliography so extensive, one can only imagine the hours, days, weeks, months Badgley put in to research for his book.

 

Surround yourself with sparkly and spiritual vibes at The Gem Expo/Meta Expo – a great show to visit this weekend!

Twice a year, Toronto plays host to The Gem Expo and The Meta Expo (featuring metaphysical practitioners) and I was fortunate to again be invited by show Founder, Salim Moorani, to attend and help spread the word.  https://thegemexpo.com/ The shows are held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on King West at Spadina, so it’s easy to reach via public transit, and runs Oct 27-29.

I went into the Meta Expo room first and was pleased to see so many diverse metaphysical practitioners chatting with visitors. I signed up for a session with The Viking Messenger (Jerry Mystic) who offers Viking Rune readings. www.chainmailguy.com/jerrymystic  I had a wonderful experience and his divination of my 9-runes was spot on for present and future. A very kind and gentle man – I was extremely pleased with his insights and guidance, and I walked away with notes and a Viking vocabulary sheet.  Along the aisle from Jerry were the lovely ladies of Falun Gong who were happy to enlighten me as to their traditional practices for mind & body through truthfulness, compassion and tolerance. FalunDafa.orgEntering the adjoining Gem Expo hall I was pleased I got there early, before the place was crowded so I managed to navigate the aisles and chat with the booth folks easily. When I left, there was a long line-up to get in so congrats to Salim for excellent promotions.So many wonderful booths to explore and learn about different gemstones, gorgeous jewellery pieces to add to your collection and lots of great affordable Christmas present ideas! I discovered the fellow representing Ethiopian opals who had a wonderful sparkling display…being an Aussie I’m a little biased towards Australian opals, however, I really did like these “milky” opals from Africa….what do you think? He doesn’t have a store in Toronto, but if you would like to learn more and perhaps buy, if you can’t get to the show this weekend, I have his contact info. Down another aisle, I found more treasures…oh how I wish I could take them all home with me! I was drawn to one fabulous booth, Pupul’s Pebbles, (IG: @pupulspebbles) where it seemed the rocks were calling out to me. I discovered Green Apophyllite which I had never seen before. Apparently it has pretty powerful properties for strength, protection and energy, all of which I am seriously lacking at the current time! I found one rock that I just couldn’t put down so…it came home with me (pictured on purple silk) I met the cheerful and sweet Megan Khuu of The Happy Healing Heart and I was drawn to an unusual piece of Caribbean Calcite in the shape of an obelisk. Out came the credit card and now this beautiful rock is sitting on my desk, next to my laptop. www.thehappyhealingheart.com Previous years, I was always drawn to Lapis Lazuli but it seems today, it was all about the pale greens and white colours, but of course I had to check out these stunning lapis eggs sitting all in rows! Gem Expo also offers supplies for jewellery makers and craftspeople – findings and fixings, chains, clasps, you name it, they got it! And at  incredible prices, too, for bulk stones and beads. Here’s just a tiny sample of what you’ll find…Again, the show runs until end of day Sunday Oct.29th. And mark your calendars for next spring’s show.

Follow Gem/Meta Expo on Facebook and Instagram: @TheGemExpo and if you make it out this weekend, say hello to Salim and tell him you saw this blog!

 

One of Canada’s Foremost Entertainment Journalists, BILL WELYCHKA, writes of his exciting life & career in his autobiography “A Happy Has-been”

If ever there was a happy and contented has-been it’s former MuchMusic veejay, popular host of multiple music specials featuring interviews with the biggest stars imaginable, MuchMoreMusic’s leading on-air personality, radio jock and all-round music renaissance man, BILL WELYCHKA. He can now add “author” to his long list of skills and credits with the recent publication of his autobiography “A Happy Has-been”.

I remember the first time I was aware of Bill’s presence on my tv screen back in the 80s, especially towards the end of the decade when he hosted “Outlaws & Heroes” featuring the “new country” sounds and interviews with Nashville’s (and Bakersfield’s) newest minted stars who brought the old-timey sounds of Hank Williams, Bill Monroe, Conway Twitty, Eddy Arnold and the Patsies – Cline and Montana – forward towards the 21st century by adding new flavours to the twangs. These were MY people! ( Bill below with a young Garth Brooks)Like most showbiz stories, Bill has experienced highs and lows, as well as stabs in the back and dizzying heights of success and popularity throughout his career which started out behind the scenes, editing footage for the OGs of MuchMusic when it launched in the early 80s as Canada’s answer to the US MTV. His book recounts his “adventures”, not dirty laundry, and the book makes for a great read and you’ll find out cool secrets and “would you believes..” from the early days of the Canadian and int’l music scenes.

A definite “would you believe…” is that Bill has also dipped his toes in the professional wrestling world (I was into wrestling as a little kid back in the 60s when I watched Killer Kowalski and his famous “sleeper hold” with Dad on B&W tv back in Australia). Yeah, you gotta read that chapter!  I recently reconnected with Bill and he graciously answered some of my questions about the book and his life over the past decades….here are his responses, thoughts and musings: You already had quite the exciting career behind the scenes when you took over Outlaws & Heroes on MuchMusic – who was your favourite artist to interview? Were you old school (George Jones, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, Marty Stewart) or “new country” eg: Travis Tritt, Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, Clint Black, Dwight Yoakam?  I was first turned on to country in 1986…the year that really ushered in the New Traditionalist Movement in country music. That was the year of debut albums by Dwight Yoakam, Steve Earle and Randy Travis. As I wrote in the book, these cats were alternative to me. No one I knew listened to country! I fell in love with country in 1986, but immediately did my homework and went back and discovered George Jones, Waylon Jennings, Hank William Sr., Johnny Cash, Conway Twitty, Merle and the other legends. I still listen to THAT kind of country to this day but haven’t really listened to anything new since about 2000.In the mid-90s, your on-air focus was switched from country to rock and alt. – were you already a fan of these other genres and how difficult was is (or smooth) to transition your research and interviews?  I have listened to all kinds of music since kindergarten. I always looked at music as a badge. My tastes in music have always varied…. rock, folk, funk, heavy metal, alternative. It was an easy transition for me to be moved over to regular flow programming, but the hardest thing was coming to grips with the nagging question “What will the audience think?” Would they accept the ‘country guy’ interviewing The Stone Roses and introducing hip-hop videos? It was a short-lived concern. I was accepted and in-time the audience understood that I LOVED all kinds of music and LOVED interviewing everybody. I write about it in the book…I wasn’t the cute one, the wacky one, the political one…I was the one that loved creating television and aspired to always conduct high-quality interviews.

I know you were always happy to lend your name and presence to charitable endeavours and fundraisers (I invited you to host the 1999 OSPCA fundraiser The Fur Ball and you were brilliant). When you supported World Vision Canada, how were you affected by filming in Africa and the poverty you witnessed?  Those experiences have stayed with me to this day. Every charity appearance or assignment has. That two-week trip to Africa or travelling with the UN to Haiti and India, you see conditions you couldn’t imagine people living in. But you also see hope and meet people that have devoted their lives to improving the lives of others. Upon arriving home after those kinds of assignments, you realize that NOTHING in my life could compare to the existence of some. One really does count their blessings.  Even here in Kingston, I devote a lot of time to emceeing numerous benefits and charities. It’s a beautiful caring community and giving back is infectious. (Bill on stage at The Fur Ball with comedian & fellow tv host Carla Collins)As part of your personal civic awareness and commitment to helping those without a voice, can you talk about Men Rocking for Women and the launch of the White Ribbon Campaign?  Men Rocking For Women was a charity concert I organized and emceed in Ottawa. It was after hearing about Ottawa-area women’s shelters being over-flowing and under-funded. The idea was male musicians joining together on stage performing to raise money for these shelters. There was also a message…there is no room in our world for men’s violence of any kind against women.
Jeff Martin (The Tea Party) got me involved in the White Ribbon Campaign in the mid 90s. The WRC is a global movement of guys joining together to end men’s violence against women. He asked me to emcee the WRC concerts each year. I did so, very eagerly.
Partial proceeds from book sales will be donated to the WRC and women’s shelters across Canada. I write about it extensively in the book.

I loved MuchMoreMusic’s The Story of…. shows. In your book, you talk about how much you enjoyed talking with artists who have moved into a second or third act of their lives and careers. Is this book your own The Story of….?  Hahaha! I suppose so. The idea for the book partially came from being asked for decades or being told “Are you ever going to write a book?” “You should write a book!”
It would usually go in one ear and out the other. I honestly thought “No one is going to care.”  But during COVID, I kept getting asked to be on all these podcasts to talk about me, my life and my career. People wanted me to share my story. One day, I started writing down all these stories and experiences I was relating. One weekend I just started banging away at my computer. Towards the end of 2021, I realized I might have a book here! I kept at it for a year and it was finished in Dec. of 2022. It came out in August 2023 and in its first week was a Top 10 Amazon Best Seller and a number one download. The reception has been amazing. I have been doing an Ontario book-tour at Chapters/ Indigo and it’s been awesome meeting so many people who have purchased the book. It keeps selling, too! This book has legs…it’s amazing to me. There will be a further book-tour in 2024. It is available in retail across Canada and on-line. There is already talk of a second edition! (Below with Ice T, Prince, Janet Jackson, getting smooched by Lisa Marie Presley) You recount so many extraordinary celebrity interviews and social situations, some of which were sketchy or scary. Did you ever find yourself in a situation where you didn’t think you’d make it out alive?  I never really thought of things that way. I have always maintained a life lived in fear is a life half-lived. I would do anything to make a story better. I have bungee jumped numerous times, went skydiving, have rappelled down buildings, participated in a demolition derby, have done several polar-dips, been in numerous wrestling matches, have broken bones and tore muscles all for the sake of a TV story and for the audience.  Plus, it would always make great TV! (A fun memory Bill writes about is his happy meeting with Brett Michaels and Poison – being brought out on stage)You were witness to the demise of the original concept of MM and MMM, and the slow slide to tabloid television-style programming at both networks. Do you think the format could or should be returned to our televisions or has the ‘net and streaming services killed off any chance to bring back good music, good interviews, good entertainment?  No amount of creativity or money could recapture the essence or magic of what those channels were. They played a vital role in the creation of the Canadian music business and contributed huge amounts to Canadian pop culture. I am fascinated by the fascination with MuchMusic. Look at the new doc by Sean Menard, “299 Queen Street West”. It’s a doc currently touring across Canada. It’s AMAZING! Good for Sean for reminding a couple generations of MuchMusic’s importance. (see screening schedule below) I miss seeing ‘great’ interviews on TV. I know many people do! My specials and interviews (on my YouTube channel) have BIG numbers. That is a testament to people wanting to watch solid music television with fun and informative interviews that were allowed to breathe. Current pop culture entertainment shows feature 10 second soundbites about who is in rehab, who has cellulite, who is getting divorced. WHO cares????

In chapter 16, you name names of those mega-stars who you engaged in meaningful conversations, not just tabloid-esque fluff pieces. Apart from personal revelations on their part, did you ever learn anything about yourself undertaking these celebrity interviews?  Absolutely! There were many life-lessons learned. Many are shared in the book. A lot of things about the importance of elevating everyone around us. It’s not just about putting celebs on pedestals, but everyday people who enrich our lives and make this world a better place. It’s about highlighting and shining a spotlight on doctors, first responders, teachers, volunteers.
I also talk about how dangerous egos can be. Just because someone is on TV or recognized in public does not give them a pass to be an asshole. (Below, Bill with pre-meltdown Britney Spears)Was there ever an interview you had to do with someone you did not respect or like his/her music? No need to name names but surely there were a few “stars” the suits insisted you chat with against your better judgement?  I would never take away from someone’s talent even if I wasn’t a ‘fan’. Most of the time, I interviewed artists who I necessarily wouldn’t listen to when I went home…unless I was researching for an interview. I treat every interview subject the same, whether I was a fan or not. I wanted the experience to be a good one for the artist and for their fans. That being said, I have interviewed Marilyn Manson a few times. I like the music but would often NOT like the message. I love his stance on the importance of individuality, but his views on the bible and Christianity I have a problem with. His crowd chants of “We hate Love. We love hate” is detrimental messaging to a 13 year old. But, oh well. Christ’s teachings endure. Marilyn did not.

I’m so happy for you that you have finally found a wonderful home in Kingston (I love that town) and a soul-mate to keep you grounded and feeling loved and worthy. Do you have any other bucket-list gigs or adventures you’d like to experience?  Thanks for asking! Yes, the word ‘Happy’ is the most important part of the book’s tittle “A Happy Has-been”. The ‘has-been’ part of the title has been an interesting topic for interviewers and people that have bought the book. It’s funny to me! I admit the title is self-deprecating but to some, I am a ‘has-been’. I explain it in the book. There are some people who might have watched me in the 90s or the early 2000s who might only recognize my name from that time. Their reaction might be “Oh, yeah…that guy! Is he dead? Is he still working? He’s a has-been.” But there are people who have followed my every move since then, to where I am now. I have worked non-stop in television since 1988. Since 1992, I have been both behind the scenes and on-air with no break. (below with Kingston’s own Gord Downie & The Tragecly Hip’s concert in Kingston, Ontario)I have been here in Kingston for almost 12 years now. I host and produce Global News Morning, a Corus Entertainment property. I love whom I work with and I love this city and its citizens and the energy here.  If I died tomorrow, I’ve had the best life! I still have the best life!

If fans would like to follow your adventures or attend a book signing, how do they follow you on social media?
Facebook & Instagram:  @billwelychka
For more info about the book, head to www.billwelychka.ca   It’s available across Canada at fine book-stores everywhere.  Thanks for being interested!
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Thank you so much, Bill, my memories of hanging out at MuchMusic, star “minding” and dealing with bus loads of groupies came flooding back with each page-turn.  This is the perfect gift for anyone who loves music be it pop, rock, R&B, grunge, hip-hop, country…whatever.
Available from Amazon & fine bookstores across the country
Friesen Press
232 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-03-918346-9 (Hardcover), 978-1-03-918345-2 (Paperback) or 978-1-03-918347-6 (eBook)
Above – Bill with long-time friend, the Hip’s Paul Langlois