On episode 29, I am joined by Jacob Tsafatinos of the band Good Kid - who’s latest EP - Good Kid 2 came out on November 6, 2020. This band is one of my favourite musical discoveries of 2020, with a sound reminiscent of The Strokes and Tokyo Police Club, with a little Fallout Boy or Panic at the Disco in vocals for good measure. What I love about the band is the visual and creative identity they have developed for themselves based on their passions and interests that lie outside of the music worl...
Sep 22, 2021•44 min
On episode 28 I am joined by Scotty Taylor, the leader of the Canadian outlaw, country rock and roll group F. Scott and the Nighthawks to talk about their debut album, and one of my favourites of 2021 - Hold on to Your Heart, released on August 13, 2021. One of the things I love the most about this album is how the tracks are sequenced, the flow from one song to the next feels absolutely perfect to me. Scotty gets into the details of the production of the album, and how the combined musical infl...
Sep 08, 2021•39 min
On episode 27 I am joined by Alex Arthur, the drummer for alternative rock band Hideout Legacy to talk about their singles Game Changer, released on February 19th, and Drive Me Wild, released on May 14th. These guys have had a really cool approach to releasing their music that includes creating remixes of their singles to not only give a little more life after the songs initial release, but how it gives them an opportunity to take a new musical approach to the song and reach a wider audience.We ...
Aug 25, 2021•44 min
On episode 26, I am joined by singer songwriter Tennyson King to talk about all manner of things music, from international touring, to grant writing - but most importantly his latest releases, Sheng Ming De Jin Du and Zi Zai - the first songs he’s ever released in cantonese. In light of May being Asian Heritage Month and the events regarding anti Asian racism in Canada and around the world, Tennyson decided it was time he shared more of his Chinese heritage through his music. Shing Meng Di Jin D...
Aug 11, 2021•52 min
My guest for episode 25 is publicist Kari Zalik - founder, owner and operator of Bad Parade PR - a music publicity firm focused on bringing musical talent to every corner of Canada.If you are a musician listening to this episode and you have heard of a publicist but unsure of what they do - this episode is going to lay it all out for you. If you’re a musician and you know about PR, but you’ve been reluctant to hire a publicist - perhaps this is the conversation you need to hear to push you in on...
Aug 04, 2021•53 min
Today we are revisiting a conversation I had for our video series with the award winning Indigenous rock duo Twin Flames. I sat down with Chelsey June and Jaaji on September 21st, 2020 to discuss their timely, and absolutely incredible album ”Omen”, which was released August 28th, 2020. Twin Flames had one of the most engaging, and entertaining ways of taking their fans on a journey behind the making of their music leading up to the release of their album. We discuss how they went about creating...
Jul 14, 2021•48 min
On episode 23, we're joined by Chris Dallan and Jay Carraro - aka the folk-rock duo Electric Gas - based out of Guelph & Kitchener Ontario. On June 4th, 2021 - Chris and Jay released their first full length album “The Scars Stay”. With the majority of the album recorded live off the floor, the record showcases the immense professionalism, musicality, and years of experience the two have writing and performing. We have a great discussion about the writing process and relationship Chris and Ja...
Jun 30, 2021•59 min
On episode 22 we're joined by James Clark of the James Clark Institute to talk about his great power-pop album “The Colour of Happy”, released on May 7th, 2021. James and I talk about his journey to becoming the musician and songwriter he is today, working with producer Moe Berg from the iconic band The Pursuit of Happiness to create his distinctive sound, and how James has surrounded himself with creative professionals that he can trust to help bring his vision to life, and in the ears of the l...
Jun 23, 2021•37 min
On this week’s episode we’re joined by folk singer songwriter Ken Tizzard as we dive into the production of his latest album “All Together Now” that was released on May 18th, 2021. The album is a collection of 13 cover songs with Ken’s own personal spin that make it’s an incredibly unique listening experience. The epic project involved some 44 guest musicians contributing parts from all over the continent from bands like Nickelback, Hedley, The Lowest of the Low and Ken’s old band The Watchmen.W...
Jun 16, 2021•1 hr 2 min
Our guest today is the incredible RnB Singer/songwriter Justine Tyrell to talk about her debut EP “While You Were Sleeping” that she released on April 23rd, 2021.Justine’s infectious personality and creative energy is a driving force behind this conversation. We talk about the importance of working with a PR company (Bad Parade) that truly loves your music, what benefits can be had when working with the right publicist, personally writing her own grant applications and securing money through FAC...
Jun 09, 2021•1 hr 7 min
Today on the podcast Alex is joined by singer/songwriter Kristen Martell. On Thursday April 29th, Kristen released her new single “Photograph of Secrets” following up the song’s release with a behind-the-scenes music video on May 13th.The song is a collaborative effort between Martell and award-winning artist Gabrielle Papillon, along with award-winning Producer Dan Ledwell. We talk about the mentorship program Kristen enrolled herself in to make recording with the award-winning pair possible, h...
Jun 02, 2021•51 min
On today’s episode I am joined by JUNO Nominated singer/songwriter Craig Cardiff, who on Friday, May 14th 2021 released his album “All This Time Running” - his first album of new songs in six years, and his debut on the iconic Canadian label, True North Records.Craig and Alex talk about the writing process for the album, the virtual concert he and his team organized for the release of the album that includes 100+ cities in support of local venues and music arts groups, and what he believes is on...
May 28, 2021•1 hr 9 min
On March 26th Queens & Kings - aka Alissa Klug & Brendan Albert released "Going Through Hell", the third single from their forthcoming album. The song not only feels timely in a sense that - thanks to the pandemic, we have all felt like we’re going through hell - but it paints a vivid image of the ups and downs that any kind of relationship may bring with it. Accompanied with the song is the music video, edited by Alissa - her first kick at editing a music video of any kind - that brilli...
May 19, 2021•50 min
On March 26th, 2021, Juno award winning singer-songwriter Justin Rutledge released his 9th studio album Islands (via Outside Music) - a retrospective album where Rutledge not only revisits songs but moreover the process that brought them to life. We talk about what went into selecting the songs for the album and how they were recorded, how his covers of The Tragically Hip songs introduced the iconic band to his listeners, and what it’s like to be backed up on vocals by Jim Cuddy.If you have musi...
Apr 28, 2021•43 min
On July 17th 2020, Bad Buddy released their debut, self-titled album, hitting #1 on !earshot distro, and is a collection of songs that has an energy and honesty to it that leads me to believe their live show is absolutely incredible. We have an extremely fun, and lively conversation about how the album came to life, the serious narrative behind the peppy riff-laden surf punk sound, and how their recently released music video for their song Fine Hunniez went from 10k views, to 90k views in a mont...
Apr 21, 2021•51 min
Joining us today on episode 14 is singer/songwriter Alex Southey. On March 31, 2021 Alex released his third album ...And the Country Stirred. Alex utilized email campaigns to connect with his audience during the release process, not only giving them the opportunity to hear his songs first, but asking them to help him determine what his next single should be leading up to the album’s release.We talk about results of that approach, and why he’ll continue to let his listeners in on that process wit...
Apr 14, 2021•48 min
LambLion is the indie folk/Americana project of husband and wife duo Oliver and Danka Pigott. Over the course of 2020, LambLion released 5 singles that would make up their debut EP - Only The Brave - released in February of 2021. The order of tracks on the E.P. reflects the order they were released throughout the year and depicts their journey through the changing tides of 2020.We talk about producing their songs with Thomas McKay, & Marc Copely, recording in Lukas Rossi’s home studio, how t...
Apr 07, 2021•1 hr 3 min
On episode 12, we're joined by Brent Jensen; author, music critic, radio personality & host/creator of his podcast "No Sleep Til Sudbury." Discussing the "music that makes your skin vibrate" Brent's guests have included musicians like Kim Mitchell, Julian Taylor & Kevin Comeau of Crownlands, as well as a handful of original MuchMusic VJs in Erica Ehm, Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic. We discuss how the show came to be, his preparation prior to each episode, and his production process. He ...
Mar 31, 2021•1 hr 3 min
On this week’s episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jong Lee, the founding member of Peach Luffe, about how he leverages the power of social media to gain loyal followers and dedicated listeners by interacting with anyone who leaves a comment or sends him direct messages. Not only does Jong understand the importance social media plays in connecting with his fan base, but he also recognizes the times we’re living in when it comes to attention spans...and if you need me to tell you...they’...
Mar 24, 2021•47 min
On episode 10 of the Release Day Series Podcast, we revisit our conversation with Electro pop duo Mountain Head from April 2020. The brothers caught our attention because of the level of attention and detail they put into each of their releases.From album artwork and music videos to merch, each single release has been treated as if it were an album launch. We talk about the creative process behind their singles only approach, working with world famous tattoo artist David Peyote, their award winn...
Mar 17, 2021•52 min
On episode 9 of the Release Day Series Podcast, Alex Huard speaks with JUNO Nominated producer/engineer Thomas D'Arcy as he returns to the music world as an artist with his project, Small Sins, following a 10-year hiatus.We discuss his reasons for shelving the project with no intention of bringing it back, why he did, quarter/mid life crises, and the importance of the artists visual identity.If you have music you would like us to hear, or have a great release day rollout plan you want the world ...
Mar 10, 2021•54 min
This week on the Release Day Series Podcast, we're joined by Don Levandier of New Brunswick based Rock and Roll band "The Motorleague" to talk about their latest single "Dischordia" (Jan 2021) featuring Brian Byrne, formerly of I Mother Earth.Don and Alex talk about where the song came from, the recording process and how the project was funded (it's a wild story) as well as the experiences that have helped to shape the band and their sound over 15+ years they've been in the business - this inclu...
Mar 03, 2021•50 min
Today we revisit an interview we did in May of 2020 with Julian Taylor for our Release Day video series. If you haven’t heard it by now, Julian’s latest solo record “The Ridge” is one of the greatest folk/Americana records to be released in 2020. We talk about the benefits of releasing this record independently, how release day has changed over the decades, and his thoughts on how the music industry could evolve post-pandemic.If you have music you would like us to hear, or have a great release d...
Feb 17, 2021•42 min
On January 27th, 2021, Indie-Pop artist Julie Neff released “Over It”, a 6-song EP she describes as a “project that shines a light on the open heart needed for vulnerability while planting one’s feet firmly on the ground to create the healthy boundaries we need in our lives.” We have a great conversation about music, the design process of branding the project, and how her experiences and exposure to different cultures from living abroad have had an influence on her music promotional strategy.But...
Feb 10, 2021•1 hr
On November 13th, 2020, Nova Scotian Artist Terra Spencer released her album "Chasing Rabbits". This album is as warm and comforting as a fireplace on a winter’s day. Described as “a collection of songs set against the backdrop of the Canadian winter”, there really is no better way to put it. Terra and I talk about how she began writing this project, acquiring funding through Music Nova Scotia, and the intricacies of co-producing an album through the pandemic in time for it’s winter release.If y...
Feb 03, 2021•45 min
On this week's episode it was a pleasure to speak with Jay Bowcott of the Calgary based rock and roll band ROOKS about the release of their debut album “The High Road” on November 6th.These guys took just about every facet of this release into their own hands, from producing the record in their home studio, to creating the music videos, album artwork and setting up their combined live with virtual release show. Jay and Alex dive into the details of how everything came together to help promote th...
Jan 27, 2021•45 min
On episode 3 of the Release Day Series Podcast, Alex Huard speaks with Newfoundland Country artist Justin Fancy about his debut album "Sure Beats a Good Time". We talk about how the album was produced remotely, and the increased planning and decision making that went in to hosting a release party under strict government public gathering guidelines during the COVID pandemic.Listen to Justin's debut album on his website: https://justinfancymusic.ca/If you have music you would like us to hear, or h...
Jan 20, 2021•54 min
In 2020, Stephen Stanley released his live album "Live Static Roots", recorded in Germany in 2018. We discuss why it was the right time for it's release, and how an album of this nature can serve as a rich addition to an artists discography.Watch Stephen's video interview on our website www.releasedayseries.com.If you have music you would like us to hear, or have a great release day rollout plan you want the world to know about, send an email with your EPK and release plan to: contactreleaseday@...
Jan 13, 2021•47 min
In our inaugural episode, series creators Alex Huard and Graham Bieri introduce themselves and how they met through the Toronto music industry, how Release Day came to fruition, and what to expect from the series.As always, you can find all of our short form video interviews and links to our social media channels on our website: www.releasedayseries.com. If you have music you would like us to hear, or have a great release day rollout plan you want the world to know about, send an email with your...
Jan 06, 2021•29 min
Welcome to the Release Day Series Podcast!Behind every release there is a story, and with more than 50million tracks now available on Spotify, and growing by close to 40,000 daily, having a release strategy and a plan for your music is absolutely essential in giving an artist the best chance to be seen and heard. “Release Day” sits down with Canadian musicians of all genres to discuss their latest releases, and the efforts that go into making release day a reality.Theme music by Evan Denley "Rel...
Oct 04, 2020•2 min
