I Hate Simkin

Fionn (Alanna & Brianne Finn Morris) sit down for an honest, unfiltered conversation about building a music career from childhood.
From nearly losing their first audition to extortion pressure, to busking with their own speakers, to finally earning their first-ever Billboard #1 plaque, this episode breaks down the realities of artists people don't see online.
They talk about: 
The night someone tried to cancel their audition unless they were paid 
Why people often expect female artists to be bad before they play 
Bringing their own speakers to a record label audition 
Why it really takes 10 years to build a music career
Embarrassing early TikToks and learning the hard way
How Canadian radio still changes careers
Going from living together their entire lives to finally living apart


This episode is about patience, growth, gender bias, and surviving the long middle of a creative career.
🎧 This episode is available on Youtube in video form. Subscribe to IHS for more biweekly nostalgic music interviews. Likes & comments help us out big time. Thank you to everyone who feeds back! 
🎤 Guest: Fionn (Alanna & Brianne Finn Morris)
🎙️ Hosted by Jonathan Simkin

Danny Craig and Dave Benedict of Default join Jonathan Simkin for a brutally honest breakdown of how the band really got started — and what almost ended it.
From Chad Kroeger discovering the band and early Vancouver showcases, to Greenhouse Studios, Nickelback tours, and the chaotic rise of Wasting My Time, this episode pulls back the curtain on how fast success actually works — and how fragile it is.
They break down:
• Why TVT Records failed them at distribution
• The feeling watching Dallas' success after Default
• Radio spins vs real album sales
• Touring with Nickelback, Bush, and arena crowds
• The financial reality behind "platinum" success
• Business mismanagement, unpaid taxes, and lost revenue
• Why Default disappeared — and how close they were to staying massive
This episode is also available on all audio podcast platforms and in video on YouTube. Subscribe to I Hate Simkin for bi-weekly deep dives into iconic Canadian music stories, behind-the-scenes label moments, and artist career turning points. Likes, comments, and feedback help massively — thank you for supporting the show.

In this episode of I Hate Simkin, Jonathan Simkin sits down with Tyler Connolly and Dean Back of Theory of a Deadman for a brutally honest conversation about record labels, ownership, and what it actually means to be a rock band in today's music industry.
They break down why major label deals stopped making sense, the most exciting moments of their career, and the "old-but-new" sound they're chasing in their next chapter. From masters and short-term deals to cancel culture, social media backlash, and the illusion of success, this episode pulls back the curtain on what longevity in modern rock really looks like.
The conversation also dives into early Vancouver days, Greenhouse Studios, Juno politics, international touring, and why simplifying the business side of the band became the key to staying sane — and independent — after 25 years.
Timestamps
00:00 – The tweet controversy and why they left 604 Records 05:25 – Why they'll never sign to a label again 09:57 – How Nickelback changed their perspective 13:09 – Chris Baseford, production, and the direction of the new music 18:46 – The most exciting days of Theory of a Deadman 23:25 – What their kids listen to and getting in "under the wire" 32:40 – Why touring is better than ever and what's next
This episode is available on all audio podcast platforms.
Subscribe to I Hate Simkin for bi-weekly, behind-the-scenes conversations with iconic rock artists, industry veterans, and the people who shaped Canadian music. Likes, comments, and feedback help the show massively — thank you for supporting.

In this episode of I Hate Simkin, Jonathan Simkin sits down with Tyler Connolly and Dean Back of Theory of a Deadman to tell the full, unfiltered origin story of the band — from basement showcases and water delivery jobs to label bidding wars, major record deals, and multi-platinum hits.
They break down the exact moments that changed everything: how Default and Nickelback unexpectedly shaped Theory's early trajectory, the chaos of early music videos, recording Gasoline with Howard Benson, navigating label politics, surviving the Napster era, and the creative risks that helped Theory of a Deadman outlast an entire generation of rock bands.
This is a candid, behind-the-scenes conversation about longevity, mistakes, and why playing the long game in the music industry actually works.
They talk through (in order):
– "I was actually nervous about this one"
– How the band got signed and launched 604 as a record label
– All or Nothing nostalgia
– How RX & Napster changed everything for Theory
– Being drawn into the Nickelback push back
– Gasoline & the big change in Theory's tunes & lyrics
– The complicated relationship with drummers & managing money early on
– Why the long game works in music
Part 2 drops January 21. This episode is also available on all audio podcast platforms and YouTube in video.
Subscribe to I Hate Simkin for bi-weekly deep dives into iconic Canadian music stories, behind-the-scenes label moments, and artist career turning points. Likes, comments, and feedback help massively — thank you for supporting the show.

What really happens when a band suddenly explodes? Jonathan Simkin sits down with legendary Canadian manager Jeff Rogers (Crash Test Dummies, The Pursuit of Happiness, Rusty) to break it down.
Jeff dives into:
🎵 How ignoring "industry rules" helped his career 🎵 Why Canada's music scene pushes bands coast-to-coast instead of down to New York 🎵 Booking DIY tours before social media 🎵 The moment Crash Test Dummies started selling 80,000 albums a week 🎵 How MTV, Letterman, SNL, and KROQ changed everything 🎵 The wild truth about sudden success: new relationships, burned bridges, and massive pressure 🎵 Touring with Elvis Costello, parties at Donald Trump's house, Carly Simon on stage, and navigating the biggest opportunities of his career 🎵 The darker side of having a global hit (and the NDAs that come with it)
Jonathan shares his own parallel experience with Call Me Maybe, comparing the highs, lows, and long-term impact of having a song take over the world.
This is a rare, honest look at fame, artist development, radio politics, risk-taking, and the parts of the music industry you never see.
Episode out now — hosted by Jonathan Simkin.