Employee of the Myth

"When we sing together like that, it feels like a real superpower...like you're part of something much bigger..." —Josh 
"...this is a chance to take stock, and move forward into whatever the next thing is" —Andy
Music can make friends.  And that's how this friendship started.
In the shadow of the Hi Fi's, Handsome Ned and Cowboy Junkies, at a time when traditional country music was the soundtrack of Toronto's Queen Street West, a musical partnership was crafted.  And these forty years ago, a new band was formed.
West Montrose would become Skydiggers. 
Skydiggers would become the stuff of legend. 
When Josh Finlayson and Andy Maize first made music, the songs on West Montrose were the songs they played - the songs where they found that their voices merged.
Songs that became something bigger when they sang them together.
Now with Maize and Finlayson celebrating 40 years as musical partners, the album West Montrose is an opportunity for Skydiggers to revisit the songs that became their foundation. 
In this episode, Josh and Andy discuss Side B of West Montrose - the album, and that moment in time that changed it all.
West Montrose is available everywhere on June 5, 2026. Listen here. 
Stream, download, and follow Skydiggers

Employee of the Myth is brought to you by Skydiggers Productions
Featuring: Andy Maize and Josh Finlayson
Producer & co-host: Joel Stewart
Host and Editor: Jane Gowan (Music Buddy)
Audio Engineer: Tim Vesely

“We never set out to reinvent the wheel, but maybe to be another spoke in the wheel” —Andy Maize
“Everything’s a bluegrass tune to me” —Josh Finlayson
Music can make friends.  And that's how this friendship started.
In the shadow of the Hi Fi's, Handsome Ned and Cowboy Junkies, at a time when traditional country music was the soundtrack of Toronto's Queen Street West, a musical partnership was crafted.  And these forty years ago, a new band was formed.
West Montrose would become Skydiggers. 
Skydiggers would become the stuff of legend. 
When Josh Finlayson and Andy Maize first made music, the songs on West Montrose were the songs they played - the songs where they found that their voices merged.
Songs that became something bigger when they sang them together.
Now with Maize and Finlayson celebrating 40 years as musical partners, the album West Montrose is an opportunity for Skydiggers to revisit the songs that became their foundation. 
In this episode, Josh and Andy discuss Side A of West Montrose - the album, and that moment in time that changed it all.
West Montrose is available everywhere on June 5, 2026. Listen here. 
Stream, download, and follow Skydiggers

Employee of the Myth is brought to you by Skydiggers Productions
Featuring: Andy Maize and Josh Finlayson
Producer & co-host: Joel Stewart
Host and Editor: Jane Gowan (Music Buddy)
Audio Engineer: Tim Vesely

From the Skydiggers universe comes a new project.
Inspired by their setting on Prince Edward Island and inspired by the world events of the day,  Andy Maize and Skydiggers guitarist Aaron Comeau have created a new collection of songs that is both ambitious and contemplative.  Songs that rouse the spirit and house moments of melancholy and peace.
They are Captains of Everything. The album is Avast and Belay!
Even with its' fiery nautical title, Avast and Belay is not so much a project about the sea, but about the infinite possibilities that the canvas of the sea provides.
With all songs written together by Maize and Comeau, and with all instruments performed by Comeau, Avast and Belay becomes a document of the rare magic that an environment of true collaboration and trust can create.
When these two unique musical voices merge, a new sound is made.
Special Edition Avast and Belay 12" vinyl + 30-page booklet: available on Bandcamp
All the music in this episode is from Avast and Belay, by Captains of Everything. Available wherever you enjoy music. 
Stream, download, and follow Skydiggers

Employee of the Myth is brought to you by Skydiggers Productions
Featuring: Andy Maize and Josh Finlayson
Producer & co-host: Joel Stewart
Host and Editor: Jane Gowan (Music Buddy)
Audio Engineer: Tim Vesely

"There's a certain level where Josh and I are the bosses, but musically, we're all equal." - Andy Maize
Andy Maize and Josh Finlayson are two of the founding members of Skydiggers.

Some 35 years into their musical journey, and on the eve of the release of the band's 20th studio offering, the 14-song Dreams and Second Chances, Josh and Andy offer a rare glimpse into their always-evolving creative process, the role of their band mates in that process, and a few of the reasons why their creative partnership thrives as never before.

With a friendship that began in kindergarten and solidified during their high school years at North Toronto Collegiate, the duo not only continue to evolve as band leaders, but also serve as statesmen of the Canadian music industry. In their leadership roles both in their band and in the industry, Josh and Andy continue to use their platform to welcome and amplify the talents and voices of a new generation of Canadian musicians.
Listen to Dreams and Second Chances 
Watch the lyric video for "Snow Blind"
All the music in this episode is from Dreams and Second Chances. 
Stream, download, and follow Skydiggers

Employee of the Myth is brought to you by Skydiggers Productions
Featuring: Andy Maize and Josh Finlayson
Producer & co-host: Joel Stewart
Host and Editor: Jane Gowan (Music Buddy)
Audio Engineer: Tim Vesely

"Always having an open door to the success of other people - that's what Andy and Josh do in Canada...it's so beautiful". — Noel Webb
The longest serving drummer of Skydiggers, Noel Webb is celebrating 20 years with the band, and now considers them "family". He says playing with the band is like "having dinner together". 
Born in Birmingham, England, Noel's attraction to the drums started at a very early age, when he would run in the back yard wielding a stick, banging on random (inanimate) objects, and keeping time with the radio hits of the day. When real drum sticks arrived as a gift from a brother, an obsession was hatched. Noel's passion for percussion led him to a degree in Orchestral Composition from Laurier University.
Despite his considerable achievements in education, and remarkable accomplishments in the business world, Noel remains grateful for the life lessons that says he continues to learn from his “boss” Andy. He believes strongly in "serving the art” as the songs develop and change with the evolution of the band. When asked what he’s learned in his 20 years with the band, the answer is "lead with love". Cheers to that.
This interview was recorded at The Tragically Hip's Bathouse Studio in Bath, Ontario, during the recording of Skydiggers new album Dreams and Second Chances (available everywhere May 9, 2025). 
Listen to Dreams and Second Chances 
Watch the lyric video for "Snow Blind"
Music in this episode:
"Dreams and Second Chances" - Skydiggers (Single, 2025)
"Broken Year" - Skydiggers (Dreams and Second Chances, May 9, 2025)
"One Maybe Two Maybe" - Skydiggers (Dreams and Second Chances, May 9, 2025)
"Je T'aime Toujours, Mon Amour" - Skydiggers (Bide Your Time, 2023)
Stream, download, and follow Skydiggers

Employee of the Myth is brought to you by Skydiggers Productions
Featuring: Andy Maize and Josh Finlayson
Producer & co-host: Joel Stewart
Host and Editor: Jane Gowan (Music Buddy)
Audio Engineer: Tim Vesely