The Talk Music Podcast

• Steve Hackett

  Hi everybody, I’m incredibly delighted to welcome STEVE HACKETT as my guest for this episode of The Talk Music Podcast.Steve is one of the most innovative and influential guitarists to emerge from the progressive rock movement. Born in 1950, he spent a year in Vancouver at the age of seven before growing up in the UK, eventually rising to prominence as a member of GENESIS, which he joined in 1971. His debut with the band came on Nursery Cryme, where his distinctive, textured playing helped shape Genesis' unique sound during their most acclaimed era. Hackett was central to the creation of progressive rock landmarks such as Foxtrot, Selling England by the Pound, and the ambitious double album The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. After contributing to Wind & Wuthering in 1977, Hackett left the group, eager to explore his own creative path. He was later inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2010 as a member of Genesis.Even before leaving the band, Hackett had begun forging a solo career, releasing his debut album Voyage of the Acolyte in 1975. Over the following decades, he built an extraordinary body of work, from Spectral Mornings to the darker tones of Guitar Noir, as well as forays into classical guitar with albums like Momentum. In the 2010s, he revisited his Genesis years with the Genesis Revisited projects, reintroducing the band’s 1970s masterpieces to a new generation of listeners. In total, Steve has released over 30 solo albums, the most recent being the brilliant The Circus and the Nightwhale.Steve Hackett has secured his place as one of the greats of modern guitar, never ceasing to push boundaries. It was truly an honour for me to chat with him. Genesis was one of the main reasons I entered the world of music, and I had the privilege of seeing them perform numerous times. Our conversation covers his time with Genesis, his reasons for leaving to go solo, info about his amazing fellow musicians joining him on tour and his continued passion for songwriting and performing around the world—including some upcoming Canadian dates. His current tour is titled Steve Hackett – Genesis Greats, Lamb Highlights & Solo.Enjoy the episode! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Mark Weiss

  Hi, everybody! I’m thrilled that my guest for this episode is Mark “WEISSGUY” Weiss, one of the most iconic rock photographers of the past four decades, whose lens has helped define the visual language of rock and metal!From capturing the raw energy of bands like Guns N’ Roses, Kiss, Metallica, Mötley Crüe, Bon Jovi, Ozzy Osbourne, Van Halen, Twisted Sister, Aerosmith and countless others, to shaping the larger-than-life imagery that dominated MTV and magazines in the ’80s and ’90s, Weiss didn’t just document a scene—he gave it an identity. His photographs have graced countless album and magazine covers, tour books, t-shirts, and posters, cementing him as the go-to photographer during rock’s golden era. His classic photos of Ozzy Osbourne are now being featured at the new Ozzy exhibition, “Working Class Hero,” in Birmingham, England.In this podcast, we get a front-row seat to his journey, including personal stories about his role as Ozzy’s photographer since 1981, along with being on stage for Ozzy’s final performance in July. We also chat about his best-selling book, The Decade That Rocked, which has been published in four languages and remains on best-selling charts in the U.S., with over 1,500 five-star Amazon reviews, with high praise from Rolling Stone, Spin, and The Washington Post. To order, go to markweiss.com.Mark also created a new mag called ROCKED, which brings classic, glossy rock magazines back to life. Check it out and snag a copy for yourself by heading over to rockedmag.com.I loved my chat with Mark as his work is a reminder of how powerful an image can be—not just as documentation, but as a cultural force that helps define an era. Enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Michael Bishop a.k.a. Blöthar the Berserker

  Hi everyone!My fascinating guest this week is Michael Bishop, a.k.a. Blöthar the Berserker from the legendary band GWAR! Formed in Richmond, Virginia in 1984, GWAR is known for outrageous sci-fi/horror costumes, over-the-top theatrical shows, and a wild intergalactic warrior backstory.They’re infamous for spraying audiences with fake blood, elaborate props, and comedic skits—blending metal music, B-movie aesthetics, and sharp social satire. Despite lineup changes, GWAR has thrived for decades, crafting DIY costumes and sets, lampooning politics, religion, and pop culture, and building a HUGE global cult following.Why so successful? They turned a niche concept into a full entertainment universe—music, theater, and parody like no other. Over their career, they’ve released 15 studio albums (including the new The Return of Gor Gor, with an accompanying comic), earned two Grammy nominations, and just recently even launched their own Mischief Toys line.Back in the '90s, GWAR also scored some unexpected pop-culture glory thanks to Beavis and Butt-Head. The cartoon’s dim-witted metalhead duo were huge “fans,” often watching GWAR videos, headbanging furiously, and declaring them the GREATEST band in the universe. Their fan base is as eclectic as their shows—rock icons like Dave Grohl, satirist Weird Al, TV host Jon Stewart, and metal contemporaries like Randy Blythe of Lamb of God.In our conversation, we dive into GWAR’s history and origins, the tragic loss of founder Dave Brockie to a heroin overdose, their THIS IS GWAR documentary, and what you can expect from their current tour. Enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Nick Farkas

  Hi everyone!I’m really excited to share the latest episode of The Talk Music Podcast featuring one of the top concert promoters in the world — Nick Farkas.Nick is the Senior VP of Booking, Concerts & Events at Montreal-based Evenko, where he oversees an incredible 1,600+ shows a year — from intimate club gigs and major sporting events to large-scale concerts and seven flagship festivals, including the iconic OSHEAGA. Widely considered one of North America’s premier festivals, the 18th edition of OSHEAGA is happening August 1–3 with an absolutely stacked lineup: The Killers, Tyler, The Creator, Olivia Rodrigo, Glass Animals, DOECHII, Gracie Abrams, The Chainsmokers, Cage the Elephant, and many more. There’s also a standout Canadian lineup this year, including The Beaches, bbno$, EKKSTACY, Aqyila, Rau_Ze, Hologramme, and Ruby Waters, to name a few. It’s truly a must-see event — a full-on celebration of music in every way.In this episode, Nick and I dive into his journey through the music industry — from his early days with Donald K. Donald, founding the Greenland booking agency (which brought in major international acts), and the evolution of Evenko into a powerhouse that’s respected by artists, labels, and managers around the globe.Enjoy this behind-the-scenes look into the world of booking and live music! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Bill King

  Hi everybody,I’m thrilled to announce my guest this week is pianist, composer, arranger, and producer-extraordinaire BILL KING, whose recording and production credits include hundreds of releases across his five-decade career.Bill is a three-time JUNO nominee, and the list of artists he’s worked with is remarkable: Janis Joplin (as Music Director and keyboardist), Chaka Khan, Linda Ronstadt, Martha Reeves, The Pointer Sisters, Oscar Peterson, Sophie Milman, Pat LaBarbera, Ronnie Hawkins and many more. He has been instrumental in shaping Canada’s jazz scene through work with his label Night Passage Records, founding and editing The Jazz Report Magazine, hosting nationally syndicated jazz radio programs, and creating the National Jazz Awards to recognize Canadian talent.Beyond music, Bill is also a celebrated photographer and author, known for capturing iconic images of musicians and urban life. His books, Coming Through the 60s – An American Rock ‘n’ Road Story, Rolling Through the ’70s: Weed, Woman and Song, Rhythms of a Lifetime and The Night and the Music, showcase both his visual artistry and storytelling skills. In 1988, Bill became the founding Artistic Director of the Beaches International Jazz Festival in Toronto, helping to grow it into a major annual music event over his 30-year tenure.Today, Bill continues to contribute to the arts in many ways by booking shows at the intimate Redwood Theatre, teaching at the Harris Institute, writing for Billboard Magazine and co-hosting a Saturday morning radio show on Toronto’s CIUT with his son Jessie. He’s also about to release new music from his upcoming album, Mint Julep – from his Jazz Room Sessions.I absolutely loved this chat as we dove deep into the magic of songwriting, his early beginnings in Jeffersonville, Indiana and his big bold leap from New York to Toronto in 1969. We also shared some laughs reminiscing about our time working together with the fabulous all-girl group Real Divas on their superb album Cafe Society —Bill produced it, and yours truly was their booking agent. Enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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