Backstage at the Vinyl Cafe

“Whenever the cat is around, things seem to go wrong.”   This week, Dave discovers a stowaway on the family road trip, with hilarious consequences. And Jess shares two more of Stuart McLean’s Postcards from Canada: from St John’s, NFLD in the east and Powell River, B.C. in the west. Ad-free listening is here! Listen to the pod ad-free and early, PLUS a whole bunch of other goodies – like virt...

“Not everyone in the world is cut out to be a school janitor.”   We’re full of the milk of human kindness on this week’s podcast. We play Stuart’s heartwarming interview with one of our favourite Arthur Award winners and Jess awards an Arthur of her own – to a Vinyl Cafe character! Plus, a Dave and Morley story that you may not have heard before. Ad-free listening is here! Listen to the pod a...

“A hive of bees is like a harvest kitchen. They gather up the summer: the heat of the sun, the warmth of the rain…”   This week on the podcast, two Stuart McLean stories to whet your appetite for summer. In the first, Dave remembers an incredible woodland encounter from his youth in Cape Breton; in the second, Eugene puts Sam and Murphy on the trail of a bee line.  Ad-free listening...

“It started like a sprint. One moment you were standing still, and the next you were running as fast as you could.”   Hold on tight! On today’s show, in time for Mother’s Day, two Vinyl Cafe stories about motherhood. And Jess shares a backstory about her own experiences – cue the bucking bronco! Ad-free listening is here! Listen to the pod ad-free and early, PLUS a whole bunch of other g...

“It says it’s one of the most wonderful tastes in the world.”   It’s a gastronomical episode of the podcast today. Stuart loved writing about his favourite foods – both in fiction and non-fiction – and Jess has gathered some great examples of both for today’s show. Plus a hilariously endearing story about Sam’s first passion.  Ad-free listening is here! Listen to the pod ad-free and earl...

“He’s not well, Stuart.”   We’re going way back today with two pieces from pre-Vinyl Cafe days! One is a favourite you’ve been requesting, back from Stuart McLean’s regular appearances on Peter Gzowski’s Morningside. (Spoiler alert: You’ll see what happens when two presenters get the giggles on live radio.)   Excerpt from Morningside reproduced by permission of CBC Licensing. ...

“There are only so many holes a man can cut in his own house before he is told to stop.”   Today on the show, two classic Stuart McLean stories, including Odd Jobs. That’s the one where Dave tries his hand at some home renovations, with hilarious consequences. And Jess has a backstory about the magic of Vinyl Cafe audiences. Ad-free listening is here! Listen to the pod ad-free and early, PLUS...

“I guess I figured having a fish head could come in handy.”   On this week’s episode Stuart celebrates the joys of birding and the Spring bird migration. And we have two springy stories, including a favourite from the Vinyl Cafe story exchange. To submit your short, true story to the Story Exchange, send it to  vinylcafe@vinylcafe.com . Ad-free listening is here! Listen to the pod ad-fre...

“There is nothing like a wedding to addle people’s minds.”   Today on the pod we have two hilarious stories about marriage and proposal. In the first, Dave loses his wedding ring and fears it may have been swallowed by a duck! In the second, Dave’s mom Margaret surprises everyone by agreeing to marry again. And Jess shares her own experience of wedding rings and proposal. Ad-free listeni...

“Eugene’s fig tree is the best-known tree in the neighbourhood.”   We’re all about gardening on the podcast this week, with two Dave and Morley stories about the act of faith and hope that goes into creating a garden.   Ad-free listening is here! Listen to the pod ad-free and early, PLUS a whole bunch of other goodies – like virtual parties, Q&As, listener shout-outs & more....

“It was 4:30 in the morning and Dave was having a nightmare about something that smelled bad .”   On today’s episode we have a fragrant story from way back. And Jess chats in studio with Stuart’s old friends David and Elizabeth, who share how Morley got her name—and surprise Jess with some entertaining backstories of their own!  Ad-free listening is here! Listen to the pod ad-free a...

“It is the best maple syrup I have ever had, said Sam.” We’re celebrating one of the wonders of spring on the pod this week: Stuart waxes lyrical about his favourite tipple, maple syrup, then tells a story about the time Dave tried to make his own.   Ad-free listening is here! Listen to the pod ad-free and early, PLUS a whole bunch of other goodies – like virtual parties, Q&As, listener s...

“The kids were always up to something in the Narrows.”   This week’s episode is all about kids and what we can learn from them. The first story relates an adventure from when Dave was a boy. In the second, Dave’s adventures continue, with a little help from his son Sam. Ad-free listening is here! Listen to the pod ad-free and early, PLUS a whole bunch of other goodies – like virtual part...

“By the end of the first trimester, Dave had put on 12lbs.”   A surprising theme links our two stories this week. In the first, Dave has a hellish trip to the grocery store—and Jess has a backstory about what shopping with Stuart was really like. Our second story takes us back to the early days of Dave and Morley’s relationship, when Morley is pregnant with their first child. Ad-fre...

"He was about to climb in—just for a second, just to see…"   Poor Dave gets himself into some tight situations in both this week’s stories. And Jess explores the snapshots of detail that enrich them. Ad-free listening is here! Listen to the pod ad-free and early, PLUS a whole bunch of other goodies – like virtual parties, Q&As, listener shout-outs & more. Subscribe here:  apostro...

“'They tried to stop us,' says the old man. 'But we kept playing.'” More about the joy of winter sports on this week’s pod. Including Stuart’s ode to skating from Jasper, Alberta. And a beautiful Big Narrows story about a memorable game of hockey from long ago. Ad-free listening is here! Listen to the pod ad-free and early, PLUS a whole bunch of other goodies – like virtual parties, Q&As,...

“It was the greatest skate of her life.”   Love is in the air today on the pod, with a Dave and Morley origin story—the one about how they first met. For our second story, we’re bringing back the Vinyl Cafe Story Exchange, with one of our favourite listener love stories. Ad-free listening is here! Listen to the pod ad-free and early, PLUS a whole bunch of other goodies – like virtual par...

“The secret to planting more trees, is to plant more trees.” We have two hilarious Vinyl Cafe stories for you on today’s pod. Stories of things that happen at work. In the first, Kenny helps Dave out with something at the store. In our second story, Steph experiences a summer job like no other. And Jess digs into the research process behind the stories. Ad-free listening is here! Listen to th...

"Galway began flushing the toilet again in the autumn…" This week, two Dave and Morley stories that, in hindsight, seem strangely prescient. In the first, a fan favourite, Dave decides to teach Galway the cat a new skill. The second is a story that we haven’t felt comfortable playing in a long time. Jess explains why.  Ad-free listening is here! Listen to the pod ad-free and early, PLUS...

"It began simply enough. It   began with a phone call."   On today’s episode, two stories about technical difficulties. In our first story, Dave attempts an inventive solution to an ill-considered phone message left for the Turlingtons. In our second, an electric razor causes him problems at the airport. And Jess shares some stories about Stuart’s habits with phones …and a...

I resolve to organize upstairs.   Welcome back for Season 3 of Backstage at the Vinyl Cafe! We’re embracing the spirit of the New Year with a show all about resolutions and lists and getting things done. We start with an essay about Stuart’s fraught relationship with his to do list. And Jess has a backstory about her own relationship to lists and resolutions, and how that informed t...

A New Year = A New Season of Backstage at the Vinyl Cafe! So join us next week for Episode 1. Hilarious stories by Stuart McLean. Entertaining backstories and more by host Jess Milton. Here's a sneak peek... Ad-free listening is here! Listen to the pod ad-free and early, PLUS a whole bunch of other goodies – like virtual parties, Q&As, listener shout-outs & more. Subscribe here:  apos...

“Family and friends, they sure mess up our lives…” For our final episode of this season, two classic Vinyl Cafe Christmas stories by Stuart McLean. Dave tries to make himself useful at Mary Turlington’s festive dinner party, with disastrous consequences. In our second story, the family experiences a very different kind of Christmas, special in its own way. And Jess realizes a surprising theme...

“Come and get me, copper!”   We’ve got to know Dave and Morley’s neighbours well over the years. This week, two stories about the neighbourhood at Christmas. Holiday gift-giving gets a bit out of hand in our first story, while a punchbowl mix-up livens up the party (for some) in our second.  Ad-free listening is here! Listen to the pod ad-free and early, PLUS a whole bunch of other goodi...

“I was thinking it would be fun if we  made  presents for each other this year”   What’s the best gift you have ever received? On today’s podcast, Jess shares the surprising truth about her favourite gift, ever. Accompanied by two hilarious Dave and Morley stories about Christmas gifts and gift-giving.  Ad-free listening is here! Listen to the pod ad-free and early, PLUS a whol...