Witchpolice Radio

For this double-length episode, Sam sat down with JFK and the Invisible Man of iconic Winnipeg ska/reggae/dancehall group JFK and the Conspirators. In this overview of the band’s career and catalogue, JFK talks about how he became interested in reggae music, the ups and downs of his career — including a stint as the frontman of Montreal’s Kingpins — and his uniquely Canadian deejay style.

The Guezen brothers of blues-rock weirdos The New Wild join us in the Blanket Fort to talk “biker” songs, performing as a duo, the timeless appeal of the blues and more. They recently released a debut EP, and they’re generating a lot of buzz in Winnipeg with their fuzzed-out, instrument-switching sound.

This week's episode is a little unusual, in that it's made up of two interviews with out-of-town musicians. The first half of the show is an interview Sam did with **Alex Edkins** of Toronto noise-rock band **[METZ](http://www.metzztem.com/) ** for [Stylus Magazine](http://stylusmagazine.ca/2015/01/21/metz-heavy-gritty-loud/). METZ are currently touring Western Canada with a couple of dates in Win...

Psychedelic drugs! Tarot cards! Spirit animals! It's our episode with the one and only **[Smoky Tiger](https://www.facebook.com/pages/Smoky-Tiger/134452906925)** talking "accident" songs, performing live and more! The incredibly prolific Smoky has a new LP in the works, and although we may have _just_ missed the window to donate, [he was trying to crowdfund it](https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/n...

It's a packed house in the Blanket Fort as hosts Sam, Jon and Rob are together again to talk "brain" songs with guest **Julijana Capone** and **Jamie Cote**. A former Winnipegger, Julijana is now with the **[National Music Centre](http://www.nmc.ca/)** , a fantastic museum (and much more) based in Calgary. The NMC is working toward a massive project launch in 2016, so Julijana fills us in on some...

Happy new year! We're kicking off the third calendar year of this show's existence (kind of... it started in late 2012) with an episode hosted by Jon and special guest host **[Dominika Dratwa](http://www.dominikadratwa.com/). ** They talk "sphere" songs with **[Marcin Cienski](http://www.marcincienski.com/)** , a realist painter from the Philadelphia by way of Poland. Marcin's work is [currently s...

Here's your last episode of 2014! It's a bonus episode that doesn't fall into the usual Witchpolice Radio format because it wasn't originally recorded as a podcast. Back in the fall, WR host Sam had the opportunity to interview reggae icon Ziggy Marley for a piece in Metro Winnipeg. He recorded the conversation, of course, and it's presented here along with a number of Ziggy's songs interspersed t...

Happy holidays! This week's episode features **Kevin Strang** , drummer for Winnipeg post-punkers **[Pop Crimes](http://popcrimes.bandcamp.com/)**. Kevin also owns/operates the **[Bonzer Records](http://bonzerrecords.bandcamp.com/)** label. In a rare (for us) one-host/one-guest podcast, Sam hung out in Kevin's apartment to talk about the randomly-generated "banana" theme, touring, releasing vinyl,...

It's another timely episode! This week's guests, **[Gold Mountain](http://goldmountainsound.bandcamp.com/)** , are releasing their debut EP this Friday at the Handsome Daughter (presented by our [Garbage Hill](http://www.garbagehillnetwork.com/) pals **[Team Steve](http://www.witchpolice.com/2014/09/witchpolice-radio-episode-92.html)** ). We had three-quarters of the band in the Blanket Fort to ta...

Just ahead of their EP release show (seriously, if you're listening to this right when it comes out, the show is _tomorrow_ ), we hung out with understated pop trio **[Autumn Still](https://autumnstill.bandcamp.com/) ** and talked about songs that relate to the randomly-generated "mountain" theme. They brought some instruments, too, for a live performance in the Blanket Fort! The video of their li...

Things get mega-weird on this guest appearance by our pal **Matt Foster** , 1/3 of Winnipeg roots wizards **[The Crooked Brothers](http://www.crookedbrothers.com/)**. Matt joins us to select songs about the randomly-generated "panic" theme, talk about the Bros.' busy touring schedule, their [new record](http://crookedbrothers.bandcamp.com/album/thank-you-im-sorry) and more! He also performs a semi...

Co-host Rob Crooks is back, joined by frequent guest Elliott Walsh for a special episode with the members of Winnipeg rap icons Shadez. With choice cuts from the group's catalogue (dating back to the early '90s) throughout, they discuss the early days of the Winnipeg hip-hop scene, their experience trying to grow their audience across Canada, and the culture shifts they've encountered along the wa...

For our 100th episode (bet you never thought we'd make it this far, did you?), we invite Propagandhi frontman, Escape Velocity Radio co-host and hockey-loving activist Chris Hannah to the blanket fort. Chris talks about the history of his band, staying true to his values and being a banger, as well as the randomly-generated "murder" theme

For this week's episode, Sam wandered into the wilds of Westwood to record Winnipeg indie rockers **[Greek Riots](http://www.facebook.com/greekriotsmb)** on location from their jamspace. The fellers discussed the band's new EP, _[Cavalier](http://greekriots.bandcamp.com/),_ being released Nov. 8 at the Cavern, and songs that relate to the randomly-generated "pool" theme.

For our second annual live on UMFM episode, we were joined in the **[UMFM](http://www.umfm.com/)** studio on Oct. 20 by station manager **Jared McKetiak** and board game designer ( _[Vulture Culture](https://www.facebook.com/vulturegame)_ ) **[Grant Partridge](http://bluetshirt.ca/xxl/)**. This episode’s randomly-generated theme word was “gargantuan”. Congratulations to UMFM for another successful...

We’re in the middle of [**UMFM**](http://www.umfm.com/)’s annual Pledge-O-Rama week, so we talked to the station’s program director (and [host ](http://www.umfm.com/programming/programgrid/371/)of[multiple](https://www.umfm.com/programming/programgrid/117/) shows), **Michael Elves** , about the importance of community radio, writing about music, defining ‘dad-rock’, and the randomly-generated “kha...

Just in time for the Oct. 18 release of their _Say Goodnight to the Machines_ CD, we have all four members of local indie rockers **[Futurekids](http://futurekidsband.bandcamp.com/)** on the show. They perform live and help us select “Kelvin” songs. (Soon come: video and MP3 of the live stuff!)

This week’s episode was recorded on-location in a ridiculously smoke-filled downtown apartment with the sometimes unemployed, sometimes homeless members of **[Terrorist](http://terroristmusic.bandcamp.com/)**. If you haven’t heard Terrorist, they’re a glorious “avant-garde powerviolence” (or grindcore or crust or “scourviolence” or whatever the latest show poster describes them as) trio with a[new...

Coming off a 2014 Juno nomination for their critically-acclaimed _Today We’re Believers_ record and a jam-packed, festival-heavy summer of touring, Winnipeg’s **[Royal Canoe](http://www.royalcanoe.com/believers/)** are headed back out on the road before hunkering down and working on a follow-up. The group’s rhythm section — our pals **Brendan Berg **and **Derek Allard** — stopped by the basement t...

We go full-on spaghetti western this week with our good friend **Country Steve** , who is about to release his first full-length album (for new local roots label **[Golden Oak Record Company](http://goldenoakrecordcompany.com/)** ) after over a decade (on and off) in the Winnipeg music scene. Steve performed live and helped us select songs based on the randomly-generated “Noose” theme. Formerly op...

Podcast-o-rama! We welcome Steve and...Steve from Team Steve to the basement for the "obsession" episode. These guys host a local punk show on punkrockradio.net, a streaming online radio station based in Australia (where one of the Steves is from). Both Steves play in the band Bearfight and one of them -- the Canadian one -- is currently in a number of other bands, including Clipwing.

New York ska/reggae/soul legends [**Th** **e Slackers**](http://theslackers.com/) are coming to Winnipeg for the first time in over a decade, so we had a conversation with sax player **[Dave Hillyard](https://www.facebook.com/pages/David-Hillyard-Saxophonist-Official-Page/138945632787315)**! Dave talked about life on the road, reissuing classic Slackers material on vinyl ("vinyl" being the randoml...

Things get spooooky this week with the mighty **[Mobina Galore](http://mobinagalore.com/) ** and the randomly-generated "ghost" theme! Jenna (guitar/vocals) and Marcia (drums/vocals) have been busy -- they're preparing a new album to be released this December, have been touring relentlessly, and recently released the awesome ["Bad Love Song" video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flYzE7U66fk)... b...

We’re tackling the “wrath” theme this week with guests  Aaron Young  (a/k/a DJ  The Invisible Man ) of  JFK and the Conspirators  alongside blogger ( Slurpees and Murder ) and radio personality ( Winnipeg Internet Pundits )  James Hope Howard  (who, apparently, is also the maniac behind  Winnipeg Cat !) We talk mini golf, murder and more!

Things are a little fishy on this week's episode of Witchpolice Radio.   Jon is solo-hosting once again, and he discusses sea creatures with  Marshall Birch  and  Steve Basham  of Winnipeg goof-rockers the  Unbelievable Bargains.  There's also a mysterious guest co-host known as "Arctic Char" joining in the fun.   The fellas from the Bargains performed live, and while Steve's song is the one that...