Local alt-rawkers Ash and the Arsonists are back on the show to talk about their upcoming 'Burn' EP (which drops this weekend with a release show April 12), and much more. We get into the new record, songs that are too heavy for radio, balancing originality with a more commercial sound, progression in songwriting, and a whole bunch of other topics!…

I sat down with Irvin Miller, a recent transplant to Winnipeg (via Nova Scotia), for a conversation about soul, country, folk, and especially gospel music. His sound is a throwback to the 1950s and ‘60s, and he’s working on new music inspired by a wide array of influences. We talk about all of that and more! Want to support this podcast? Get access…

Good chat on this episode with two members of crossover thrash outfit Trauma Shot! Tune in for a conversation about their brand-spankin' new EP, ‘Where Weakness Dies’, shifting toward more hardcore influences, and much more… Note: this one jumped the queue a little bit because the new EP just came out a day or two ago, so it was a little time-sensi…

Fun hang with long-running local screaming enthusiasts Yer Mum, who are capping off more than a dozen years of punk rock with one last hurrah! Stay tuned for a conversation about Yer Mum’s last show (March 28 at the Osborne Taphouse), songs that never got recorded, jumping over people on skateboards, their actual mums’ opinions on the band, and mor…

These episodes are the absolute worst. I realize that with the sheer quantity of podcasts I do, the odds are that some of the people I've interviewed are going to pass away too soon, but it's never any easier. This episode compiles various appearances on the show by Jory Strachan, who was a member of the bands 1971 and Rust Owl, and made solo music…

Manitoba has a new record label! This episode features my conversation with Elise Roller of Odd Doll Records! We talk about launching a women-owned label, releasing music by local artists like Kelly Bado — whose new single is Odd Doll’s first-ever release — and much more! Note: this episode was supposed to come out a little earlier, but I got sick …

Hey look, it’s a guest host! The inimitable Stiff Wiggle is back in the hosting chair, in conversation with “garage rock indie folk alternative subpar supergroup” Empaths in Retrograde! Tune in for a chat about their brand new debut album, which is the subject of a release party Friday, Feb. 28 at Osborne Taphouse, and much more! Need more of guest…

It’s been a few years since Jordan Basso made music at the helm of country rockers The Moonlit Road. After putting that project to bed, Jordan has focused on a very prolific solo project, with two albums released already in 2025 (the instrumental 'Trying Honesty' and the singer-songwriter 'In My Space'.) Tune in for our conversation about raw, live…

Local “no core” punks Pink Snot are on the verge of releasing the new long-player ‘Dead Messenger’, so we sat down for a conversation about punk rock concept albums, the way their sound has progressed, some huge upcoming shows, and more! Note: As sometimes happens when interviewing a group of people (in the same room) remotely, there are some weird…

It’s reggae time! Here's my conversation with Neil Wood, frontman of local roots seven-piece Dub City Foundation! We talk about the band’s upcoming Valentine’s Day bash (Feb. 14 at X-Cues with Rockalypso and Robert Andreas), converting rock fans to reggae, and much more. Other reggae episodes you might enjoy: #680 with Lyberal (April 2022), #933 wi…

Metalcore power trio Mad Lack (from the teeming metropolis of The Pas) is on the show! Tune in for a conversation about their new music, the scene up north, not having a bass player, the way they’ve been received by Winnipeg’s metal community, and more! Want to support this podcast? Get access to loads of bonus content and more on the Witchpolice P…

Rob Crooks is back on the podcast! Good chat about the excellent new ‘Music People’ album (Saskatoon Folk Rap Records), concept albums, favourite artists turning out to be scumbags, Winnipeg-centric cover art, and much more. Rob was a co-host of this podcast back in the early days, but he's appeared as an interviewee numerous times as well. If you …

After the success (in the sense that it actually worked) of the first attempt at recording a live set at my house, I'm planning on doing a bunch more of these. Interviews will remain the focus of the podcast, but every once in a while, you'll get some live music. This episode features alt-rock singer-songwriter Closetjudas performing five songs liv…

It's a conversation with jazz bassist Ilya Osachuk about his excellent debut record, ‘The Answer’, working with (and learning from) some of Winnipeg’s finest players, moving to New York to pursue musical dreams, and much more! Ilya is releasing the album locally with a hometown Winnipeg show at the Gas Station Theatre Jan. 17! Please note this was …

Call ‘em the Flin Flon Voltron! New ‘dream-psych’ project Orelands (featuring some recognizable faces from the Winnipeg music scene) returns to its northern Manitoba roots for its new album, 'Secrets and Select Missions'! Tune in for a conversation about the record, their collaborative process, and more! Please note this was recorded a few weeks ag…

As I do every year, I've made a list of my favourite local albums of 2024. Did I miss albums? Absolutely. Did I immediately question my judgement after I finished narrowing it down to 20? Yuppers. But for good or ill, there are 20 releases by local artists I want to highlight. Continuing the tradition I began a couple years ago, I've recorded a ser…

As I do every year, I've made a list of my favourite local albums of 2024. Did I miss albums? Absolutely. Did I immediately question my judgement after I finished narrowing it down to 20? Yuppers. But for good or ill, there are 20 releases by local artists I want to highlight. Continuing the tradition I began a couple years ago, I've recorded a ser…

As I do every year, I've made a list of my favourite local albums of 2024. Did I miss albums? Absolutely. Did I immediately question my judgement after I finished narrowing it down to 20? Yuppers. But for good or ill, there are 20 releases by local artists I want to highlight. Continuing the tradition I began a couple years ago, I've recorded a ser…

As I do every year, I've made a list of my favourite local albums of 2024. Did I miss albums? Absolutely. Did I immediately question my judgement after I finished narrowing it down to 20? Yuppers. But for good or ill, there are 20 releases by local artists I want to highlight. Continuing the tradition I began a couple years ago, I've recorded a ser…

...so I had this great idea to occasionally record live sessions by local artists (at my house) and release them as music-only episodes of the podcast. Singer/songwriter/Jawbreaker fan/tall person Paul Hodgert volunteered to be the guinea pig, but with a twist -- he had access to all kinds of fancy video equipment, so we turned the recording into a…

Singer-songwriter Florin Hawkwind sat down for an interview about the latest record ('Roma Aeterna!') by his art-punk Half Roman project! Here's our conversation about drawing inspiration from Greek mythology and live footage of Sonic Youth, DIY recordings, and much more! Want to support this podcast? Get access to loads of bonus content and more o…

When Mike "Iron Buddha" Zastre was last on an episode of the podcast, we hadn’t really figured out the show’s format, and he was mainly working on weird electronic music. Skip ahead a decade-plus, and he’s now fully jumped into the world of comics and zines, launching the debut issue of the sci-fi/horror-themed 'Heat_Death' at this year’s Prairie C…

This episode features an interview with saxophonist and vocalist Joyce German, who performs as INGIA! Tune in for our conversation about Winnipeg’s vibrant jazz community, bringing South Sudanese influences into a unique blend of genres, plans for an upcoming EP, and much more. Want to support this podcast? Get access to loads of bonus content and …

The gang’s all here! I sat down with the members of Moyamoya to talk nü-metal, theatricality in live performances, their excellent demo tape, creating an impenetrable maze of a website, and much more. Want to support this podcast? Get access to loads of bonus content and more on the Witchpolice Patreon page! This episode brought to you by our pals …

Winnipeg's Adiyo combines R&B, Afrobeats, pop, and orchestral music to create a genre all her own: Afrochestral! On top of being a singer-songwriter and producer, she's also a dancer and mental wellness blogger. Here's our conversation about writing cinematically, impostor syndrome, the size and scope of her dream live band, and much more. Want to …

Winnipeg punches way above its weight when it comes to singer-songwriters, and among the latest crop of up-and-comers is dream folk artist Karina Joy! We chat about their early (we’re talking pre-school) attempts at songwriting and how that process has developed through to today, the appeal of the ukulele and shifting to classical guitar, upcoming …

Great conversation on this episode with emerging folk artist Julie Fern! Tune in for an episode about songwriting, imagination, sneaking on to show bills, Portuguese fado music, and much more! Want to support this podcast? Get access to loads of bonus content and more on the Witchpolice Patreon page! This episode brought to you by our pals at Devin…

Chad Hagen is a musician and former podcaster who just released the excellent solo album, “Your Souvenirs”. We sat down for a conversation about the record and some of the inspirations behind it, making music without any expectations, the ol' podcasting days… and much more! Want to support this podcast? Get access to loads of bonus content and more…

Fun chat on this episode with singer-songwriter and guitarist Brett Schulz! We talked about his new EP dropping at the end of the month, taking inspiration from the blues, a guitar-first approach to listening and songwriting, and much more. Want to support this podcast? Get access to loads of bonus content and more on the Witchpolice Patreon page! …

Technical difficulties this weekend mean you don't get a new episode (sorry), but you get one that might be new to a lot of you: it's the original episode #069 from spring 2014, featuring folk-inspired singer-songwriters Kevin Roy and Carey Buss! For those unfamiliar with the archival episodes -- when I moved all of my episodes from one hosting pro…

Long-running psychedelic rockers Holy Void are set to release a new LP, 'All Will Be Revealed In Time', at an epic release show next month. I sat down with two of ‘em to talk about the record, the upcoming show, adding strings to their sound, and a whole lot more. Need more Holy Void? Check out episode #401 (July 2019). This episode brought to you …

You probably know A.W. Glen for her work in bands like Bicycle Face, but over the past few years, she’s been working on ‘Bukowski’s Broken Family Band’, a campy horror novel set in a fictionalized version of the local music scene. Stay tuned for our chat about the book (coming out Nov. 14 via Transistor 66 at an epic release show) and more! Want to…

Fun conversation with Oso Mario! We talked about juggling multiple projects — from hip-hop to lo-fi to children’s music — plus re-listening to music from the ‘garbage’ folder, kids being the best audience, humour in hip-hop, and much more. Want to support this podcast? Get access to loads of bonus content and more on the Witchpolice Patreon page! T…

Country singer Jason Kirkness has been plugging away at his craft for years, but an unexpected top 40 hit caused him to switch gears. Here's our conversation about his new single (written with William Prince) and upcoming album, maintaining authenticity while writing songs aimed at mainstream radio, some unexpected influences, and much more! Want t…

Good talk as always with Closetjudas, who is on the verge of releasing the new ‘SONDER’ album — the third part to a connected trilogy of loose concept records. Tune in for a conversation about the album, the importance he places on sharing the behind-the-scenes philosophy behind his songs, collaborating with other artists, and much more! Need more …

When I was at the Manitoba Loud Music Awards show a month or so ago, a pleasant surprise was seeing a live set by self-proclaimed ‘stoner punk’ outfit Sansregret! I sat down with some of the members to talk about music with a message — and why it’s great to scream that message — as well as defining the ‘Winnipeg sound’ and much more. If you're list…

The hosts of Winnipeg’s 2 Baked Girls Potcast have been killing the video podcast thing for almost six years, but a sudden medical issue means they have to end the program — but not before one final live-streamed Halloween party Oct. 25! ...so this one’s jumping the queue for time-sensitive reasons. It's a conversation about the history of the show…

I sat down with singer-songwriter Annaxis to talk about her brand new EP, 'The Whelming' (and its upcoming release show) plus emotional lyrics, the ongoing appeal of grunge, and much more. Want to support the show? Get access to loads of bonus content and more on the Patreon page! This episode brought to you by our pals at Devine Shirt Company. As …

We have a nice little community of DIY podcasters here in Winnipeg, and one of the regulars at our monthly meetups is Ronald George Moore, host of the Manitoba Moneyshot Podcast! RGM’s show focuses on local people doing creative things — whether that’s music or comedy or theatre or film…and beyond. Tune in for our conversation about podcasting, col…

Fantastic to catch up with singer, producer, performance artist — and now DJ — Twitchitt! Now splitting her time between Winnipeg and Vancouver, Twitchitt’s new record, ‘Popocalypse’ is a synthpop journey through the end of the world, technology, fame culture, and more. Need more Twitchitt in your life? Check out episodes #257 (Nov. 2017) and #528 …

Another guest-hosted episode! This one features fellow Winnipeg podcaster Andrew Ritchot interviewing Jameson Day of Selkirk-area Pick This Production recording studio! Here's their conversation about the studio, the Jameson Day solo record, and much more. …and be sure to check out Andrew’s main gig talking about Radiohead deep cuts on the Head Ful…

You probably know Desiree Dorion as a country artist, but her excellent new record, ‘Remember Your Name’, leans hard into roots/Americana territory. Here's our conversation about the shift in sound, the reaction to the record and its striking cover image, the feeling of starting from scratch seven albums into her career… and much more! Need more De…

When the world was on pause, Seamus Hamilton-Pattison hunkered down and worked on a heavy, industrial-influenced solo project. That project, SpinalFluid, released an excellent debut album earlier this year and is actively playing shows. Here's our conversation about the record, being inspired by Godflesh’s drum machine, translating a solo project i…

In March of last year, Winnipeg pop artist Carlo Capobianco, as part of the promotional activity for his then-upcoming album, got a film crew down to the Mariaggi Theme Suite hotel in the Exchange District and sat down for a video interview... which ended up not being used. All these months later, here it is in all its glory! It's very cool that it…

Great conversation on this episode with singer-songwriter Diaphanie, about her new EP, 'Solid Gold'! Tune in for a chat about the record, writing and playing more intimate songs, touring for the first time since 2018, the differences between her current project and former indie-pop outfit ATLAAS… and much more. Need more? Check out the ATLAAS episo…

My pals Sean and Todd McGinity guest-hosted another episode, this time with Saskatoon shoegaze/alt-rock band Blind Commentary! Incidentally, one of these guys has the same first and last name as me (except spelled slightly different). Tune in for the confusion, and make sure to check out Sean and Todd on the Seangeek and FastFret Podcast. Want to s…

Over his lengthy musical career, A.B. Kapone has continued to carry the torch for reggae and dancehall in Winnipeg. Here's our conversation about the local scene, balancing roots and culture with mainstream sounds, the two records he’s currently working on, and much more! Want to support the show? Get access to loads of bonus content and more on th…

Singer-songwriter Fuller Hull popped by on the ol’ internet video device for his third appearance on the podcast, in which we talked about the excellent new record, ‘The Unsuspected and Unstoppable’. We also get into sheep emergencies, teaming up with members of Heartsleeve, getting inspired by living in a rural/farm setting, and the joy-filled rel…

A good chat on this episode with the members of 'Canadian rock' (it's a vibe that you know when you hear it) band Car 287! We talk about their new singles and upcoming LP, lineup changes, Italian cruises, physical albums, and much more! Need more Car 287? Check out episode #757 (Jan. 2023). Want to support the show? Get access to loads of bonus con…

The first time Greg Rekus was on the podcast was way back in 2014 — so he’s been appearing on the show for a full decade now — and he remains one of my favourite people to interview. Here's our conversation about his latest LP, 'Sinners go to Church, Saints go to Jail' the ins and outs of heavy touring, and the idea that while DIY is great, DIT (Do…