I Hate Simkin

Jonathan sits down with longtime former CBC Director of Music Steve Jordan to dive into his full journey. Steve tells never-before-shared stories about: • His early days running incorrect weather forecasts on radio • Being the first person to play The Tragically Hip on radio • Launching local Kingston bands and building a true DIY music scene • Crossing paths with Sarah Harmer, The Inbreds, Mahones & more • Everything wrong he saw with award shows that inspired Polaris • What label life was really like in the 90s and 2000s and why his dream was not reality • Why most A&R scouting was painful ("90% of bands you check out aren't good") • The truth about discovering commercial acts vs. music you love • How the industry has completely changed — and why nobody knows what it is anymore You'll hear a ton of behind-the-scenes music industry history, wild anecdotes from the early days of Canadian rock, and honest insight about signing artists, surviving label politics, and building long-term careers. The full episode is available on Youtube if you prefer video. If you enjoy the podcast please rate/review us it helps us a lot! If you care about Canadian music, A&R stories, or the evolution of the industry — this episode is a must-watch/listen. New episodes of I Hate Simkin every second week. Hosted by Jonathan Simkin. Powered by 604 Records.

Grant Lawrence joins Jonathan for one of the most revealing, funny, and brutally honest conversations about the Canadian music industry you'll hear. Grant is a longtime CBC host, author, musician, and one of the most recognizable voices in Canadian music culture. He and Jonathan go deep into: CBC's Top 20 and how radio formats keep mutating 28 years inside the CBC and surviving the chaos of the music industry Mint Records stories from the Dominion Building days The ugliest parts of award-show politics The truth about diversity optics at award shows Why 54-40 has zero Junos Why Jonathan will never win the Walt Grealis Award How reputation, longevity, and grudges shape the Canadian music industry Stories involving Sarah McLachlan's early records, Skinny Puppy, Gob, and more The legendary "hirsute" moment with Jonathan's wife And how an immigration lawyer accidentally became a major entertainment lawyer This episode is full of Canadian music history, unbelievable industry stories, and the kind of behind-the-scenes honesty that makes I Hate Simkin what it is.

What really happened behind the scenes of North America's biggest pop wave? Jonathan Simkin sits down with Louise Burns to unpack her journey being thrown in the deep end of the music industry as a teenager — from being signed by Madonna to navigating the intense experience of record labels pressuring teenagers to lose weight. Louise reveals never-before-heard stories from the early 2000s pop machine with Lillix, a forgotten album that never came out, and what it was really like to grow up inside the Canadian music industry while the rest of the world was watching. This episode blends nostalgia, insight, and raw honesty about the realities of success, creative control, and the business of making it big in music. 🎧 I Hate Simkin is where 604 Records founder Jonathan Simkin shares unfiltered conversations with the artists who shaped Canadian music — from massive pop moments to the scenes that never made the headlines. The full video episode is available on Youtube too. If you're enjoying the podcast, please leave a rating/review, it helps us big time!

In this episode of I Hate Simkin, Jonathan Simkin (604 Records) sits down with Dave Genn (54-40) to look back on the wild early days of Vancouver's rock scene — from Dead Surf Kiss (DSK) and 24 Gone, to Holly McNarland, Matthew Good Band, and beyond. They revisit the chaos, the friendships, and the heartbreak that defined the 90s Vancouver music era — including a Detroit radio hit they never even knew about, record deals that almost happened, and how creative relationships can implode under pressure. 👉 You can watch the full episode now on Youtube (@IHateSimkin) — it's a crash course in Canadian music history, told by two people who lived it. If you're enjoying the podcast please leave a rating/review, it helps us big time!

This interview went on for a while, so we're doubling up with a part 2 this time next week! Dave Genn of 54-40, formerly of Matthew Good Band, and producer of many albums including Marianas Trench's Fix Me sits down with Jonathan Simkin to look back on decades shared in the Canadian music industry. Dave gives us the inside track on how one of the biggest bands in Canada was doomed from the start despite so much popularity, why you shouldn't expect your favourite bands to stay together, and a look back on the Armchair Cynics new music 20 years after their big push to make it in the industry. They also reflect on the chaos of Canadian rock in the 2000s, and laugh through stories of the records that almost never saw the light of day. The full episode is available in video on Youtube, and part 2 is out this time next week. If you're enjoying the podcast please leave a rating/review as it helps us reach more people who want insider info on the biggest acts in Canada across the last 30 years!