When The Music Mattered

🎙️ This week on When The Music Mattered, we sit down with indie singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Mike Haggith—an artist whose journey spans Windsor, Sault Ste. Marie, Thompson, and now Barrie. Each city left its imprint on his sound and his sense of community, and Mike shares how those experiences shaped him as both a musician and a mental-health advocate. We dive into the surprise rele...

What happens when nine accomplished musicians come together to form a single band? You get Secondhand Dreamcar—a powerhouse collective blending funk, soul, folk, and roots into a sound that’s as big as it is intentional. In this conversation, we dive into the band’s origin story, from a casual jam session to becoming a “superband.” We explore the meaning behind their name, how they balance nine un...

This week, we step into the surreal world of Mountain Head, the Canadian brother-duo blending psych-rock, electro-pop, and hypnotic grooves into a sound that’s as atmospheric as it is unforgettable. Known for their shadowy hats, gold grills, and denim-drenched aesthetic, Mountain Head has built a persona that feels larger than life—but what lies behind the image? In this conversation, we dig into...

Ray sits down with Homecoming UK, the rising pop-punk band shaking up the UK music scene. We dive into their songwriting process, biggest inspirations, and the bands that shaped their sound—from Blink-182’s rebellious hooks to a dash of Green Day’s grit, and even some unexpected pop influences. It’s a deep, fun, and wide-open conversation about music, passion, and what it means to be a band today....

On this week’s episode of When The Music Mattered, Ray and Kris sit down with rising Canadian singer-songwriter Jamie Irish, who’s been making waves online by releasing heartfelt, homegrown music on TikTok, SoundCloud, and YouTube. Jamie opens up about what it’s like to transition from small-town Ontario to the creative chaos of Montreal, what drives her songwriting, and why she decided to put her...

On this episode of When The Music Mattered, Ray and Kris sit down with Matthew, the creative force behind Camo Kimono—a Japanese rock-inspired alternative band making serious waves in the indie scene. Matthew opens up about his 15-year journey in the music industry, from the chaos and collapse of two previous bands to the formation of Camo Kimono. We dive into the emotional toll of band breakups,...

With Chris still away on Operation Pegasus, Ray goes solo and sits down for a raw, emotional, and eye-opening interview with Presley from Destined for the Throne—a self-described metal punk band with echoes of the Dead Kennedys. Presley gets real about the harsh realities young Canadian indie musicians face: the sacrifices, the financial strain, and the relentless grind. But through the grit comes...

In this episode, Ray sits down with Bert, frontman of On My Side — a punk band out of Edmonton, Alberta, whose sound channels the raw energy of The Sex Pistols, The Clash, and the entire UK punk movement. But this isn’t just a story about loud guitars and gritty vocals. Bert brings a sharp, intellectual lens to songwriting, weaving poetry and meaning into every verse. He talks about the evolution...

This week, Kris is back from wrestling fish in Saskatchewan, and we’re diving headfirst into genre-bending music with special guest Tayo Frost. Ray kicks things off with a recap of Canada’s favourite artists—from The Hip to Jeff Martin—and then we shift into an eye-opening convo with Tayo, whose sound spans from nostalgic pop punk to chart-ready modern hip hop. We talk identity, writing without bo...

Welcome to Episode 7 of When The Music Mattered! Ray’s flying solo this week while Kris battles nature (and fish) somewhere off the grid—but the music never stops. This episode dives deep into the story of Chasing The Fall, a rising UK pop punk band bringing throwback energy with a fresh twist. Lead singer Andy joins Ray to talk about how the band formed, their old-school influences like Blink-182...

On Episode 6 of When The Music Mattered, Ray and Kris kick things off talking about those forgotten albums that slap harder than you remembered—Ray brings up License to Ill by the Beastie Boys, and then throws it to Kris: “What’s an album you forgot was that damn good?” Drop yours in the comments. Underrated albums only. No skips allowed. Then we dive deep with East Coast singer-songwriter Alexand...

In this unforgettable episode, Ray and Kris are joined by former Rice Rocket frontman Chris Shelton for a heartfelt, hilarious, and at times mind-bending tribute to the legendary Brian Wilson. Chris, who fronted the early 2000s Kelowna pop-punk band that shared roots with Stutterfly, Secret & Whisper, and Spiritbox, joins the podcast fresh off his return to music after a 20-year hiatus. The trio d...

On Episode 4 of When The Music Mattered, Ray sits down with rising Canadian artist Alex Hobson, whose new single “25” channels the gritty edge of post-grunge and alt-rock revival. From his earliest music memories to building his brand in the digital age, Hobson shares why music matters to him and how millennial nostalgia is fuelling a sonic reset across platforms like TikTok. They dive deep into t...

Before the glitter of ‘70s arena rock, before the slick production of ‘80s pop, there was Rick Derringer—a guitar prodigy who burst onto the scene at just 17 with the #1 hit “Hang On Sloopy,” dethroning The Beatles on the charts. But Derringer was never content being a bubblegum teen idol. He was a student of the blues, a rock shapeshifter, and one of the most versatile players to ever touch a fre...

In Episode 2 of When The Music Mattered, Ray (Toronto) and Kris (Edmonton) dive deep into the power of local music—how it builds community, inspires new generations, and shapes the sound of a city. Then, we spotlight six Canadian acts that prove just how far local voices can travel. From the politically charged brilliance of Cadence Weapon to the genre-defying rise of Our Lady Peace, the prairie-s...

Punk wasn’t born in a boardroom—it exploded from garages, basements, and dark clubs, screaming for rebellion. In our debut episode of When The Music Mattered, Ray Rauth and Army Kris take you back to where it all started: the gritty, loud, and unapologetic origins of punk rock. We dive deep into The Ramones—the fast, raw blueprint for punk. We unpack the chaos and controversy of the Sex Pistols, t...