Episode 145: Drew McIvor

Folk Roots Radio on April 12 2014 (Episode 145) featured a phone interview with Drew McIvor about his CBC Searchlight nominated song “45s and 33s” and, of course, lots of great music.

As usual, we started off the show with our Mystery Theme; six songs we put together with something in common, but we don’t let you know what the theme is until we announce the songs. This week, as its tax season, we went with a “tax time” theme. Interestingly, it is easy to find songs that complain about how much we pay in taxes, but I couldn’t find one that talked about all the things we get for our taxes… such as health care, fire and police service, roads, bridges, parks, and recreation facilities, as well as support for the less fortunate in our community.

I bring this up as a way of telling you about an interview conducted by my good friend, Oliver Rockside, my co-host on our politics and current affairs show, Beyond the Ballot Box. Not to get too political but Oliver interviewed Dennis Howlett from Canadians for Tax Fairness who spoke about the fact that the main problem with our tax system is not so much how much we have to pay each year (and no one like to pay taxes) but the fact that taxes aren’t applied equitably enough. Many corporations, and some of the very rich (the 1%ers) are not paying their fair share. I guess that’s why people like to find a good tax accountant; they can save you a lot of money through tax loopholes. Anyway, it’s a good interview and definitely worth a listen and you can find it here.

On last week’s show (April 5) Jack Cooper joined us in the studio to talk about a special fundraiser for singer-songwriter Mary Anne Epp that takes place today (Saturday, April 12) at the ANAF in Guelph at 8:00 p.m. You can also still check out the audio of my conversation with Jack  – it’s well worth a listen. Today we played a rough demo of another song by  Mary-Anne entitled, “Have a Little Faith In Me”. It’s rather appropriate. Here’s hoping the support from the local music community helps Mary-Anne get back on her feet. Her songs deserve to reach a wider audience. You can make a donation to a support fund for Mary-Anne here.

During the later part of the first hour, Owen Sound based Drew McIvor joined us, by phone, to chat about his CBC Searchlight nominated song “45s and 33s”. Drew will join us in the studio on May 3 to talk about his forthcoming album, and a show at Magnolia Cafe, Guelph on May 15. He’ll also be playing a few songs live. Stay tuned for that.

Don’t forget to check out all the independent musicians in this year’s Searchlight competition. They all deserve your support – vote for the ones whose music you really like. Voting is easy and you can vote every day here. 

This week’s Guilty Pleasure was “Low Rider” by War from 1975, requested by Guelph singer-songwriter and co-leader of the Ondine Chorus, Sue Smith. It was fun to play that song again, and, like all the best Guilty Pleasures  it was great to hear it again.

We’d love to hear from you if you have a Guilty Pleasure to share. Remember, a Guilty Pleasure is that song you still love even though you think others may find it unfashionable. You’ll be surprised how many people love it too!

If you have a guilty pleasure you’d like to share – that song you still love though you think other people would find it unfashionable (believe me, they won’t), get in touch. We’d love to play it for you! And, if you have a good story about why you love that song, so much the better.

And, if you have suggestions for artists we should be playing on the show, or know of a musician we could invite into the studio, feel free to share that too.

Well that’s just about everything I need to mention this week. You’ll find the full playlist for the show below.

Thanks to all the artists who are sharing their music with us, and thank you for listening. We’ll see you next week!

Mystery Theme: “Tax Time”

Hank Penny
Taxes Taxes (1950)
The Best of Bob Dylan’s Theme Time Radio Hour (2008, Chrome Dreams)

Gene Autry
I Paid My Income Tax Today (1942)
Year Round Cowboy (2006, Varèse Sarabande)

Ralph Willis
Income Tax Blues (1951)
Greatest Blues Masters (2010, Goldenlane Records)

Johnny Cash
After Taxes
I Would Like To See You Again (1978, DCC Compact Classics)

Mike Stevens
The Taxman Boogie
Normally Anomaly (1997, BMI Afflicted) CDN

Junior Parker
Taxman
Love Ain’t Nothing But A Business… (1971, Simitar Distribution)

Mary Anne Epp
Have A Little Faith In Me
Par Lament Demos (2012, Demo) CDN

Drew McIvor
Sweat Potato (feat. Defy the Odds)
(Single) (2013, Self) CDN

Interview: Drew McIvor joined us by phone to chat about his CBC Searchlight nominated song “45s and 33s”. Drew will join us in the studio on May 3 to talk about his new album, and show at Magnolia Cafe, Guelph on May 15.

Drew McIvor
45s and 33s
(Single) (2013, Self) CDN

This Week’s Guilty Pleasure:
War
Low Rider (1975)
The Very Best Of War (2003, Rhino-Atlantic)

Ondine Chorus
Into The Dark
Towards A Little Light (2014, Self) CDN

Jesse Winchester
That’s What Makes You Strong
Live at the Mountain Stage (1970, Blue Plate)

Ian Reid
Delivered On Delhi Street
Delivered On Delhi Street (2014, Self) CDN

Mare Wakefield and Nomad
Empty
Poet On The Moon (2014, Self)

Sarah Jarosz
Gone Too Soon
Build Me From The Bones (2013, Sugar Hill Records)

Katey Gatta
I Will Find You
Songs From The Basement E.P. (2014, Self) CDN

Lucinda Williams
The Pretender
Looking Into You – A Tribute to Jackson Browne (2014, Music Road Records)

Clive Gregson & Christine Collister
For A Dancer
Love Is A Strange Hotel (1990, RNA)

Eliza Gilkyson
Before the Deluge
Looking Into You – A Tribute to Jackson Browne (2014, Music Road Records)

Ranagri
Fare Thee Well
Tradition (2014, Demo)

Holly Williams
Without You
The Highway (2013, Georgiana Records)

Nicolas and the Iceni
Days of Asha
Roll Right (2014, Demo)

Theme/Background Music:
Mary Margaret O’Hara
Anew Day
Miss America (Virgin, 1988) CDN

Phil Cook And His Feat
Ballad Of A Hungry Mother
Hungry Mother Blues (Trekky Records, 2011)

Jayme Stone
Andrea Berget
Room Of Wonders (2010, Self) CDN

Lawrence Blatt
Into The Abyss/Infra Red
The Colour of Sunshine (2005, LB Music)

Ethan Collister
Wishing Well
Wishing Well (2005, Self) CDN

Jon Park Wheeler
Reverie
Six Strings North of the Border Volume 2 (2005, Borealis) CDN