I sat down for a conversation with indie rock/Americana singer-songwriter Nicholas Goszer, who records and performs under the name Nickybaby ! We talked about his project’s origins during the pandemic and development into a full-fledged band (with some crazy-talented players), catharsis through performing highly personal songs, new music on the horizon, and much more! This episode brought to you by our pals at Devine Shirt Company . Huge thanks to everyone who supports the podcast on Patreon , i...
Nov 11, 2023•35 min•Season 1Ep. 844
Good chat on this episode with singer-songwriter/piano player Elliot Feeling , whose release of the new ‘ Submariner ’ EP is just around the corner! We talked about their long history in the local music scene (the great Lonely Vulcans , among others), finally putting out a solo record, not getting hung up on classical theory, writing on piano vs guitar, recording at House of Wonders , and much more. (There are a couple of glitchy moments in the interview -- a hazard of recording calls remotely -...
Nov 08, 2023•36 min•Season 1Ep. 843
It’s been 18 years since they released ‘Craftsmen’, but prairie rap triumvirate Park-Like Setting are back with a new record, ‘ This, That and the Third '! On this episode, I talk to Yy , mcenroe , and Bazooka Joe 204 about PLS in 2023, making records with your friends (“synergy!”), the upcoming 30th anniversary of Peanuts & Corn Records , and so much more. Need more PLS in your life? Hear Yy on episode #042 (Sept. 2013 w/Nestor Wynrush), #466 (March 2020), #657 (Jan. 2022 w/Gruf and Rob Cro...
Nov 04, 2023•50 min•Season 1Ep. 842
Long running, industrial-tinged alt-rockers Econoline Crush are back with a new record, ' When the Devil Drives ' — although they never really left. I sat down with frontman Trevor Hurst about his roots in the Virden, Man., area, new music, live performance as emotional catharsis and as a way to work through grief, working a day job between tours, and more! Econoline Crush, fresh off a (semi) local gig in Morden this summer, are performing at November's Manitoba Loud Music Awards in Winnipeg... ...
Nov 01, 2023•39 min•Season 1Ep. 841
Here's a fun conversation about crying in the club with members of local 'gorgeous-core' outfit Howtoboilwater ! We talk about playing a release show for their debut single, blending gloomy vibes with pop earworms, resurrecting MySpace aesthetics, and much more! This episode brought to you by our pals at Devine Shirt Company and by ' Drips and Drops', a new art exhibit by Matthew Powers of Midnight Review Presents , showing now at the Millennium Library's Blankstein Gallery! Huge thanks to every...
Oct 28, 2023•31 min•Season 1Ep. 840
It had been way too long since punk rock power trio The Rules had been on the podcast, so with their rad new album, ‘ Exit Wounds ’ right around the corner (you will love it), it seemed like a perfect time to reconnect! Here's our conversation about the John Paul Peters-produced record, the band’s plans for world domination, working with co-writers for the first time (including Mike Koop !), and much more! Need more of The Rules in your life? Check out episode #353 (Jan. 2019)! This episode brou...
Oct 25, 2023•33 min•Season 1Ep. 839
Pop-rock artist Garrett Neiles recently relocated to Toronto in pursuit of his musical career after spending most of his life here in Winnipeg. Here's our conversation about starting over in The Big Smoke, the mechanics of writing a good pop song, his triumphant return to The Park Theatre Nov. 16 to release his new EP back home, and much more! This episode brought to you by our pals at Devine Shirt Company and by ' Drips and Drops', a new art exhibit by Matthew Powers of Midnight Review Presents...
Oct 21, 2023•37 min•Season 1Ep. 838
Manitoba rap stalwart The Gumshoe Strut has been extremely productive in recent years, and he has a new album, “ Extra Extra ”, dropping Oct. 20. Check out this conversation about the new record, the #dodadshit posse cut, keeping it DIY, his Styles Make Fights clothing/design project, Saskatoon Rap Rap Music and much more! Need more Gumshoe Strut in your life? Check out episodes #120 (with Gruf the Druid, March 2015), #510 (August 2020), and #709 (as a member of Turn the Gun, July 2022). This ep...
Oct 18, 2023•48 min•Season 1Ep. 837
This year has already seen its share of excellent local releases, but I’m particularly excited about the deadly new EP by grunge punks Death Cassette , which drops next month! Stay tuned for a conversation about making the record, translating their raw, live sound to the studio, simplifying songwriting, their Nov. 17 EP release show , and much more. PLUS: Hear the brand new Death Cassette single, 'Reflector' on this episode, as well as an exclusive sneak peek at some more tracks from the absolut...
Oct 14, 2023•41 min•Season 1Ep. 836
Here's a re-release of one of the "lost" podcasts from 2014 -- an early Witchpolice recording that didn't get added to the current podcast feed. This one was originally released as #65, featuring local rap duo Chivas and Kream , known for their work on the Deafwish label. I hope you dig it. It's in the show's old format, so if you're new to Witchpolice Radio, you're better off listening to a 2023 episode, but if you're looking for a fun throwback, here we are. Here's what we said about it nine y...
Oct 11, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 835
Mike Fox (vocals/guitar) of psych/new wave/art rock/etc. outfit Foxwell , who just released their debut EP, is on the show! We talked about the murderer’s row of players in the band — with backgrounds in jazz, classical, rock and beyond — putting on a SHOW rather than just a performance, the “why” of continuing to make music, and much more. This episode brought to you by our pals at Devine Shirt Company ! Huge thanks to everyone who supports the podcast on Patreon ! You can help out for as littl...
Oct 07, 2023•37 min•Season 1Ep. 834
Lots of people like country music, but most of ‘em don’t like country music with quite the intensity and specificity of Sean Burns . Sean was back on the show to talk about his neverending pursuit of buried honky-tonk treasure, his upcoming ‘ Lost Country ’ record, his gig on bass with Corb Lund, and so much more! Need more Sean? Check out his appearances on episodes #460 (Feb. 2020) and #572 (March 2021). This episode brought to you by our pals at Devine Shirt Company ! Huge thanks to everyone ...
Oct 04, 2023•39 min•Season 1Ep. 833
This episode features an interview with acoustic folk/pop-rock singer-songwriter Ezi Margolis , who has been making music for a long time, but has just (as in the day this episode came out) released his first proper solo single, "Queen of Hearts". We chat about acoustic guitars, writing catchy songs, working with a producer with a very different musical background, DIY marketing as an independent artist, and much more! This episode brought to you by our pals at Devine Shirt Company ! Huge thanks...
Sep 30, 2023•31 min•Season 1Ep. 832
I get asked if I know the true identity of mysterious music reviewer Bad Gardening Advice (“Steve Schmolaris”) on a regular basis, but I legitimately have no idea — even after recording an interview with him (complete with animated avatar and voice changer). Stay tuned for a conversation about the new BGA book , his abstract style of writing reviews, staying anonymous, getting to the heart of a record in a non-linear way, and much more! This episode brought to you by our pals at Devine Shirt Com...
Sep 26, 2023•26 min•Season 1Ep. 830
I sat down with singer-songwriter Doug McArthur to talk about his new solo work , years after initially hitting the scene as frontman of local alt-rock act Broken Halo (and later with Soapbox ). Here's a conversation about Doug’s collaboration with Rusty Robot , navigating the strange new world of digital singles and TikTok hits, needing to express himself creatively post-pandemic, and much more! Note: I must have had more coffee than usual the day we recorded this, because my already-rapid spea...
Sep 23, 2023•33 min•Season 1Ep. 830
Great conversation on this episode with Brendan Grey, frontman of acclaimed Winnipeg live-band hip-hop outfit Super Duty Tough Work ! We talk about the heavy, politically and socially conscious new LP, ‘ Paradigm Shift’ , maintaining focus on music that matters, being both inside and outside of the Canadian music industry, hyper-local references, and much more. Want more SDTW? Brendan was interviewed on an early episode of the podcast ( #167 , Feb. 2016) guest-hosted by Elliott Walsh. This episo...
Sep 20, 2023•49 min•Season 1Ep. 829
Guitarist and bandleader Ed Durocher of hard-touring psychedelic jazz rockers Apollo Suns is back on the show! Settle in for a chat about the upcoming ‘ Departures ’ LP, album sequencing, consuming content at a slower pace, experiencing the jam band scene in the U.S., and much more! Need more from Ed and the gang? Check out Apollo Suns' previous appearances on episodes #226 (April 2017), #375 (April 2019), #506 (July 2020), and #645 (Dec. 2021). This episode brought to you by our pals at Devine ...
Sep 16, 2023•48 min•Season 1Ep. 828
As regular listeners know, I like weird shit, and long-running Winnipeg experimentalists Trío Telfær certainly fit that description! I had a conversation with Corey and Brian about their process of improvisation, being ideologically — but not necessarily sonically — a “jazz” group, their other gigs backing up high-profile locals (i.e. Amos the Kid, Boy Golden, and others), their deep catalogue and upcoming release, and much more! This episode brought to you by our pals at Devine Shirt Company! H...
Sep 13, 2023•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 827
We're back in Morden (virtually) for a conversation with pop-punk solo act Garry "EzRa" Doell ! Check out a conversation about growing up listening to punk/hardcore/metal of the Christian variety, the neverending quest to find bandmates in a small community, performing at the Corn & Apple Festival (and getting a high-profile shoutout), new music, and much more! This episode brought to you by our pals at Devine Shirt Company! Huge thanks to everyone who supports the podcast on Patreon ! You c...
Sep 09, 2023•36 min•Season 1Ep. 826
After a few years on hiatus, Winnipeg ‘tweemo’ trio Mulligrub are back with a new bass player and their long-awaited sophomore album, ‘ Tragical’ ! (It's really grubbin' good, too!) Stay tuned for a conversation about new (and also old) sounds, sad songs, reaching new audiences, and much more! Need more Mulligrub in your life? Check out episode #173 (March 2016)! This episode brought to you by our pals at Devine Shirt Company! Huge thanks to everyone who supports the podcast on Patreon ! You can...
Sep 06, 2023•35 min•Season 1Ep. 825
The good news: JayWood just released a new EP. The bad news (for Winnipeg): he’s skipping town! Jeremy Haywood-Smith was back on the podcast to talk about decamping to Montreal, the ‘ Grow On ’ EP as an extension of 2022’s acclaimed ‘ Slingshot ’ long-player, and much more. Need more JayWood in your life? Check out our previous interviews on episodes #308 (Aug. 2018), #589 (May 2021), and #708 (July 2022). This episode brought to you by our pals at Devine Shirt Company! Huge thanks to everyone w...
Sep 02, 2023•48 min•Season 1Ep. 824
This one's a little different. It's part of a series of episodes I'm doing in collaboration with local rapper Ezoman 's Creative Side Entertainment for this year's 'Future of M"you"sic' competition, which is a five-month long showcase of up-and-coming local artists at the Limelight. Here's the fourth episode, which is similar to my old Quick Hits format (remember that?), and it features a clip of Ezoman giving some background on the event, plus interviews with four of the artists who are partici...
Aug 30, 2023•43 min•Season 1Ep. 823
Winnipeg’s The Benefits might be borderline un-Googlable, but big things are going down in their universe. I sat down with the duo of Snarky Remarkable and Jomaha Nebraska to talk about their new (but also very old) single , expanding to a full band, comedy music (and musical comedy), parody songs, and more! Note: Due to technical difficulties, the audio for about half of the interview is from my backup recording, which is lower quality (especially on my end of the conversation), but it's still ...
Aug 26, 2023•39 min•Season 1Ep. 822
Summer in Manitoba is festival madness, and one of the events coming soon is GentleFest , Aug. 25-27 at Ignite Retreats in the Interlake! I talked to Zach Van Der Hooft of organizing team The GentleFolk about the festival’s roots in campground animations, its connection to a local shitposting forum, building a DIY community, and much more! This year’s GentleFest features artists like Ami Cheon, Vikings, a Sebastian Owl reunion, and a number of past Witchpolice interviewees, including Stiff Wiggl...
Aug 23, 2023•38 min•Season 1Ep. 821
Singer-songwriter Orvis Thomas -- known mononymously as simply Orvis as far as his music is concerned -- sat down for an interview days after the release of (the second version of) his new ‘ Love in Vain ’ solo EP! Check out our conversation about the record, playing country covers, notebooks of songs going back 20+ years, getting into music in a remote northern community, and much more. Need more Orvis? Hear a micro-interview with him on episode #576 (March 2021). This episode brought to you by...
Aug 19, 2023•44 min•Season 1Ep. 820
Remember psych/noise/prog/post-rock/etc. outfit Ham ? They’re back — from various corners of the continent — for a pair of reunion shows later this month (Aug. 18 at The Goodwill with Mahogany Frog and Aug. 19 at Rainbow Trout)! I sat down with Paul Lafreniere (guitar/vocals) to talk about getting back into Ham-mode, defining the band’s weirdo sound, opening for the Pixies almost 20 years ago… and more. This episode brought to you by our pals at Devine Shirt Company! Huge thanks to everyone who ...
Aug 16, 2023•42 min•Season 1Ep. 819
On this episode, I sat down for a conversation with singer-songwriter Grant Davidson, a/k/a Slow Leaves . We talked about the excellent new ‘ Meantime ’ LP, making modern-sounding music while throwing back to ‘70s vibes, productivity during the pandemic, getting reviewed by goth publications, and much more. This episode brought to you by our pals at Devine Shirt Company! Huge thanks to everyone who supports the podcast on Patreon ! You can help out for as little as a couple bucks a month if you ...
Aug 12, 2023•36 min•Season 1Ep. 818
Living proof that dick jokes are alive and well in Portage la Prairie, pop-punk band Pulling Pud have just released the “ It Burns When I EP ”. Check out this conversation about the ongoing appeal of the genre, the music scene in Portage, influences from the obvious (NOFX, Blink-182) to the unexpected (black metal, country)… and much more! This episode brought to you by our pals at Devine Shirt Company! Huge thanks to everyone who supports the podcast on Patreon ! You can help out for as little ...
Aug 09, 2023•34 min•Season 1Ep. 817
Drummer and composer Tetyana Haraschuk is back on the show! We sat down for another great chat about her upcoming EP, experimenting with heavier sounds, the difficulty of defining her psychedelic/jazz/rock/electronic style, and much more! Need more Tetyana? Check out episodes #630 (Oct. 2021) and #698 (June 2022) This episode brought to you by our pals at Devine Shirt Company! Huge thanks to everyone who supports the podcast on Patreon ! You can help out for as little as a couple bucks a month i...
Aug 05, 2023•57 min•Season 1Ep. 816
From the teeming metropolis of Morden, Man., it’s Derek Helps , who you may recognize from projects like Lakes and Pines ! Here's a conversation about his excellent new solo album, ' That Night, A Forest Grew ', which blends singer-songwriter vibes with atmospheric soundscapes and crunchy alt-rock. We also touched on the music scene in the Morden area, getting experimental down at the local legion, and much more… This episode brought to you by our pals at Devine Shirt Company and by Hot Goth Sum...
Aug 02, 2023•51 min•Season 1Ep. 815
