Radio, Records and Rockstars by Jeff Woods on Audiobook

I have a few typical avenues to obtain the books I read: most frequently, I borrow them from the local public library and disappear into luxurious bubble baths with them, or well-intentioned friends occasionally pass along their finished copies of genres we both love, usually British or Nordic mysteries, and some non-fiction. Sometimes, I even get them as gifts. It is quite rare for me these days to purchase a book, much less a hardcover, even when it’s a favourite author. Radio, Records and Rock Stars was an exception to that rule.

Jeff Woods is a well-known radio personality across Canada, with a long career on the air at many rock stations; he is possibly the greatest interviewer of musicians our country has ever produced. His autobiography is a delightful mixture of memorable interviews with some of rock music’s greatest talents, his personal life story,  and his experiences in the radio industry.  I was fortunate enough to get my copy at his book launch at Toronto’s legendary Horseshoe Tavern in June, 2016, which he also personalized. That immediately made the Victorian tub off-limits, and explains why it has taken me two summers to fully savour each chapter. As I finished the last few pages, I found out from Jeff that the audiobook version is now out, which will no doubt bring him further acclaim and success, given that he is narrating it himself but will also include the recorded interviews that are interspersed among his personal anecdotes. I am not a fan of audiobooks generally, but to hear the book in that voice will be such a natural and truly delightful experience, like a return to the Legends of Classic Rock show I used to listen to every week on my local FM rock station.

With Jeff at the book launch of Radio, Records and Rockstars at the Horseshoe Tavern in 2016.

I have spoken with Jeff a few times on occasion in the last two years, and observed in him generosity, humility, and honest in each of our conversations; these qualities follow him between the pages, unsurprising to me, because writing your own story authentically necessitates a great deal of reflection and introspection. He is often brutally aware of his flaws and shortcomings in the navigation of some of his relationships, yet simultaneously kind towards those who have crossed his path with less than good intentions or outcomes. I quickly recognised the telltale Capricorn trait of loyalty in his stories, perhaps because we share the same Zodiac sign and quality. His generosity and humility are likely factors in making him a much sought-after and skilled interviewer: in many of his interactions, he is a man of few words, effectively allowing each musician to open up and tell him detailed stories, often with intimate revelations and insights that a more self-centred interviewer might never have captured.

Coffee catch-up and book swap time back in 2017. Two rock writers, one legend.

It is a delightful read for any music fan, but also the engaging story of an industry which has struggled to reinvent itself as technology has changed the rules of the game and altered the musical landscape in so many areas of the business. I appreciated his insights into the lives of favourite musicians and their work, but also those about the medium that has been an integral part of my life since childhood. I’m looking forward to closing my eyes to listen to Jeff’s voice from the comfort of the bath tub as he takes me back through his rock and roll stories one more time.

For links to Jeff’s book, audiobook and podcasts, please visit his page. You can find all of this at www.jeffwoodsradio.com.

Rock, Paper, Scissors- Peter Gabriel and Sting, Air Canada Centre, June 29th, 2016

I first saw Sting and Peter Gabriel share a Toronto stage in 1988, when they headlined the Amnesty International ‘Human Rights Now!’ show with Bruce Springsteen. Too young to have had the pleasure of watching Gabriel front Genesis live, I did however get many opportunities to see Sting with the Police from 1979 until their last Police Picnic in 1983 (and the reunion a few years ago). In the 80s, Peter Gabriel and Sting both toured as solo artists, and I also have fond memories of seeing them separately as well as together on the Amnesty International stage. I was quite intrigued by the idea of their joining up for this current tour, wondering what the collaboration would look and sound like.

‘Driven to Tears’, which would be the case a few times over the course of a very poignant night.

Stages seem to have opened up in the last few years, and this show was no exception to this trend. From high above in our 300 level seats, we could see everything clearly, including the video side and back drops, and this direct view helped bring me closer to the performance as the night wore on. From the very first notes, the audience was treated to a visual and auditory feast for the senses. Each musician gave us a strong performance that threw in their huge hits as well as some deeper cuts. My favourite moment, which followed a comment about waking up in Washington D.C. after the UK’s EU Referendum vote results and turning on the TV to wonder (and I quote) “what the fuck had happened to our country”, was Sting’s brilliant medley of the Genesis classic ‘Dancing With the Moonlit Knight” and his own ‘Message in a Bottle’. It was one of many poignant reminders of how timeless their music and lyrics are; when Sting dedicated ‘Fragile’ to the victims of the Orlando shooting, it was hard to imagine it had not been written a few weeks ago. Watching the footage of refugees while he sang an emotional ‘Invisible Sun’ really brought home the point that we have not moved forward much since he wrote the song about the Northern Ireland troubles of the 1970s. The locations may have changed, but the pain and suffering continue.

‘Invisible Sun’ in 2016. The conflicts have new locations but the words still hit home.

There were beautiful renditions of some of my favourite songs, including ‘Don’t Give Up’ with Jennie Abrahamsson’s haunting vocal duet, ‘Red Rain’, ‘Solsbury Hill’, and ‘Games Without Frontiers’, and a phenomenal cover of Sting’s ‘Set Them Free’ from Gabriel. Sting too was in top form, giving us great renditions of ‘Desert Rose’ and ‘Roxanne’ among his huge hits. There were also new tracks, including the stunning ‘Love Can Heal’, which was written and performed by Gabriel as a tribute to slain British MP Jo Cox.

Lighting away the dark during Gabriel’s tribute to Jo Cox, ‘Love Can Heal’.

Two things stood out for me; these two are still social justice warriors with a great ear for stellar talent, as we witnessed great musicianship from the band members accompanying them. As well, they are visionaries, with a catalogue that is still as relevant lyrically today as when they wrote their songs all those years ago. I left the venue lifted by their ability to be beacons of light in a world that often seems very dark these days, but also delighted that despite the serious, often sombre themes of many numbers, there was a joyfulness transmitted to the audience that followed me home and remained hours after the show had ended.

Goofing off with old tunes and old friends after the show.

On a more personal note, the concert was also a reunion with a few local friends who were peppered here and there in the crowd and who met up for quick catch-ups before and after the show. This is for me, so far, the Toronto concert of the year, and I feel fortunate that we could witness this reunion of likeminded icons. If they haven’t yet appeared in your city and you have the chance to still catch them on this tour, make the effort to go see them. It will be worth every penny.

All photographs by Anne-Marie Klein, with the exception of the last one, taken by Miroslav Lorh.

Sting and Peter Gabriel: Rock, Paper, Scissors Tour— Air Canada Centre, Toronto, June 29, 2016

I first saw Sting and Peter Gabriel share a Toronto stage in 1989, when they headlined the Amnesty International Human Rights Now! show with Bruce Springsteen. Too young to have had the pleasure of watching Gabriel front Genesis live, I did however get many opportunities to see Sting with the Police from 1979 until their last Police Picnic in 1983, and then as a solo artist. I have fond memories of the Amnesty Show and of the duets the top artists shared, and so I was quite intrigued by the reunion of Sting and Gabriel for this current tour.

Stages seem to have opened up in the last few years, and this show was no exception. Front high up in our 300 Level seats, we could see everything clearly, including the video side and back drops, and this direct view helped bring me closer to the performance as the night wore on. From the very first notes, the audience was treated to a visual and auditory least for the senses. Each musician gave us a strong performance that threw in their huge hits as well as some deeper cuts. My favourite moment, which followed a comment about waking up after the UK vote on the EU Referendum and turning on the TV to wonder (and I quote) “what the fuck had happened to our country?”, was Sting’s brilliant medley of the Genesis classic ‘Dancing With the Moonlit Knight” and ‘Message in a Bottle’. There were poignant reminders of how timeless their music and lyrics are; when Sting dedicated ‘Fragile’ to the victims of the Orlando shooting, it was hard to imagine it had not been written a few weeks ago. Likewise, when Peter Gabriel gave us ‘Love Can Heal’ as a tribute to slain UK MP Jo Cox. Watching the footage of refugees while Sting sang an emotional ‘Invisible Sun’ really brought the point home that we have not moved forward much since he wrote the song about the Northern Ireland troubles of the 1970s. The locations may have changed, but the pain and suffering continues.

There were beautiful renditions of some of my favourite songs, including ‘Don’t Give Up’ with Jennie Abrahamsson’s haunting vocal duet, Red Rain, Solsbury Hill, and Games Without Frontiers, and a phenomenal cover of ‘Set Them Free’ from Gabriel. Sting too was in top form, giving us great renditions of ‘Desert Rose’ and ‘Roxanne’ among his huge hits.

Two things stood out for me; these two are still social justice warriors with a great ear for stellar talent, as we witnessed great musicianship from the band around them. As well, they are visionaries, with a catalogue that is still as relevant lyrically today as when they wrote their songs all those years ago. I left the venue lifted by their ability to be beacons of light in a world that often seems very dark these days, but also delighted that despite the serious themes of many numbers, there was a joyfulness transmitted to the audience that followed me home and remained hours after the show had ended.

On a more personal note, the concert was also a reunion with local friends who were peppered here and there in the crowd and who met up for quick catch-ups before and after the show. This is for me, so far, the Toronto concert of the year, and I feel fortunate that we could witness this reunion of likeminded icons. If they haven’t yet appeared in your city, make the effort to go see them. It will be worth every penny.

Jeff Woods "Radio, Records & Rockstars" Book Launch- The Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto, June 9th, 2016

I love music as much as I love books. When these two loves collide, I tend to get excited. This past Thursday night, at one of Toronto’s most iconic music venues, The Horseshoe Tavern, I had the great pleasure of attending the book launch for Radio, Records, and Rockstars. The book, released almost a month ago, is a mixture of autobiography and rock star recollections, telling the personal stories of legendary musicians as well as Jeff Woods’ own story.

The welcome sign at the Horseshoe Tavern

Blessed with a deep voice so destined for radio, a love and appreciation of music and rock history, Jeff Woods is to me one of the legends amidst The Legends of Classic Rock, the nationally-syndicated weekly show he hosted and that I faithfully listened to for years before it ended last summer. He captured me immediately as a listener because he managed time after time to present his musical subjects in a way that was so personal and meaningful. He got to the heart of each musician’s story, and his guests always seemed to trust him to converse with them in a respectful, intelligent manner. I learned so much about some of my favourite artists through these broadcasts, and was always informed and entertained.

Two radio legends: John Derringer interviewing Jeff Woods

I ordered a hardcover copy in later March, and it arrived signed and dedicated a few weeks ago. As I told Jeff on Thursday night, professional responsibilities have not allowed me the pleasure of opening it yet, to which he replied that all things come in their own time. It will certainly make a delicious and satisfying summer read. I attended the book launch for a variety of reasons: I wanted to purchase a surprise signed copy for a mutual friend, I wanted to hear the “fireside chat” interview between Jeff and fellow radio legend John Derringer, I was delighted at the idea of a rock ladies’ night out with three good friends, and I also wanted to finally meet Jeff, and to thank him for his kind support of my rock fiction book release a few years back and reciprocate in kind. I had sent him a copy of my book, and he was lovely enough to post a copy of the cover on his Facebook wall, which I appreciated very much. I meant to thank him while we chatted, but the conversation was short and I forgot, so if you are reading this, Jeff, thank you for doing that a few years back.

Two authors and music lovers: yours truly with the legendary Jeff Woods

The interview with Derringer was insightful, and my favourite moments were Jeff’s David Bowie recollections, and a great little sidebar about “forbidden topics” and how to navigate interviews politely. He is a testament to the fact that hard work and respect go a long way in building and maintaining a reputation, and I hope this project brings him tremendous success.

For those of you who love music and a good tale, I sensed from the launch and radio interviews I’ve heard all week that this book will be full of great stories about music. At the centre of all, despite his phenomenal professional achievements, Jeff remains humble, honest, and passionate about music. In his own words, he is first and foremost a fan, and for that above all else, I know this is going to be a captivating read. I’ll come back in a few weeks to review it.

You can purchase your own copy of Jeff Woods’ book at: http://jeffwoodsradio.bigcartel.com/product/jeff-woods-book

The Who at the Air Canada Centre- April 27th, 2016

“The Who Hits 50” was supposed to go across North America last fall, a celebration of their half-century as a band in the form of a big stadium tour. Last week, after two date changes(one from last fall and then another to accommodate our NBA playoff-bound Raptors), I saw the second of their two rescheduled shows at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. I decided to get tickets to both evenings because I suspected it would truly be the last time I saw this band. There is an irony in my saying this because my first exposure to them live was the rehearsal concert for what they had dubbed their farewell show back in late December, 1982. Since then, I’ve seen them in Toronto, Hamilton, at Madison Square Gardens in New York, across the continent in California at Mountainview near San Francisco, and farther even still across the bigger pond in Berlin back in 2006.

The Who in Berlin in the summer of 2006. Memories…

The show last Wednesday was exceptionally good in terms of sound quality: the band as an ensemble was powerful and tight, something I’ve really noticed has been consistent on the last two tours. As well, Roger Daltrey, having recovered from a dangerous bout of meningitis that postponed the tour for many long months, had a strength and range that seemed greater than it was a few years back. The banter between him and Pete between numbers was charming and amusing, and the local audience thoroughly enjoyed the reminiscences about their beloved city, but it was the passion and liveliness of the two frontmen that impressed me the most as they went through a two-hour set of big hits that spanned the length of their half-century careers. From our great vantage point just twenty rows from the front, it was easy to see that the band was enjoying itself and not merely going through the motions. Roger twirled and swung his microphone a bit more cautiously than in the past, but Pete jumped around, leapt into the air, and did his famous Birdman pose with the same agility and strength of a man half his age. The rest of the group, and in particular Zack Starkey on the drums, played with great precision and energy.

Roger Daltrey, looking and sounding magnificent on the rescheduled tour date.

My only complaint, despite the fantastic, engaging performance, is that the setlist was identical to the one presented just over a month and a half ago at the same venue. Surely an effort could have been made to alter one or two songs for fans returning to see them a second time. I have less of an issue with the lack of an encore on this tour, since they are not true encores these days but rather added parts of a planned setlist.

Two legends doing what they do best.

The lights and video backdrops complemented the open stage nicely, and we were treated to some great footage of older Who history, including video clips and stills of much-missed departed members John Entwistle and Keith Moon. There were also visual references to global historical events, particularly during a moving rendition of the beautiful orchestral, instrumental piece, “The Rock”, from Quadrophenia.

On a personal note, we played host to a visiting member of our Who family, and it was a real pleasure for me to have our friend stay with us in Toronto. She was as charming as I knew she would be, having known her online for a decade, and we enjoyed her company over the two days she was here. It was a delight to bring her to the local places some of her grandparents called home for a time in the west end close to my own childhood home, and we got to spend some time in the hospitality lounges before and after the concert meeting other friends and getting reacquainted with people we’ve met through the band. All in all, a great few days of adventures that give me added reason to see The Who as often as I can.

A happy souvenir of Who hospitality.

Overall, for the average and more devoted fan, this is still a band worth catching live on what might well be their last tour. I am never convinced (not since the great deception of 1982!) that I won’t ever see them again, but have never passed up an opportunity in case I am proven wrong. Every time I see them, my love affair gets renewed and I start wondering where and when I can see them play next. If all goes well, I have another date with them in Glasgow in August. Long live rock!