Famous Lost Words - SoundSage

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We lost one of the greats with the passing of Neil Sedaka. The songs, like “Calendar Girl”, “Love Will Keep Us Together”, “Oh! Carol” and “Breaking Up is Hard to Do” are so recognizable and the melodies so deceptively simple, it’s like they’ve always been with us. And if you’ve ever heard Sedaka being interviewed, you can’t miss the joy and passion that he had for the work.

For this special tribute, we have 3 sets of interview clips from one of the top songwriters of his era.

Neil remembers his earliest hits with the late Andy K of 1050 CHUM in Toronto. He also tells CHUM's Roger Ashby about the challenges he faced in his career.

And we even hear from Elton John, who helped facilitate Sedaka's comeback with songs like "Bad Blood" and "Laughter In The Rain".

Neil Sedaka continued to perform as recently as 2025. His legacy of songs as a writer and performer will always be with us.

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For the Season 11 finale, we present part two of our series on the ‘80s. We continue in the alt-rock/indie/new wave vein from our last episode – where we featured the likes of U2, The Cult, Bryan Ferry, Fine Young Cannibals and more.

This week, we continue with:

Robert Smith of The Cure in conversation with Christopher. Robert is painfully shy and yet quite revealing and is, in Tom’s words, “downright lovable”.
The B-52s, who remember their early days and the struggle to continue after the death of guitarist Ricky Wilson.
Dave Gahan and Martin Gore from Depeche Mode in a short chat with Christopher.
Peter Garrett and the late Rob Hirst of Midnight Oil talking about being famous in Australia and trying to win over audiences in the Canada and the U.S.
Toronto’s Jane Siberry, who was recently inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, talks about her unique vision for her music – and why she carries around a “very soft bat” to ward off her fans.
Christopher’s interview with Annie Lennox of Eurythmics as she talks about fashion and anti fashion.

Producers note: The promised interviews with Pet Shop Boys, The Fixx and Thompson Twins will air in Season 12. We promise. 😉

Famous Lost Words, hosted by Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic, is heard in more than 100 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria and 91x in Belleville. It is in the Top 20% of worldwide podcasts based on the number of listeners in the first week.

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We start by talking about “songs that are factually incorrect”, with artists like U2, Alanis, Journey, Fleetwood Mac, Toto, ABBA and Pitbull being taken to task. Christopher and Tom have a ton of fun ranting about these “egregious” errors.

Speaking of U2, we feature at 1985 interview with bassist Adam Clayton as he and his mates come to grips with the growing popularity of the band. Adam talks about playing for screaming fans (not ideal) and comparisons between U2 and Bruce Springsteen.

The remainder of the episode includes other artists from the ‘80s. Some highlights:

Ian Astbury of The Cult talks about spending five years of his youth in Canada – and how he didn’t much care for it.
Brian Ferry of Roxy Music discusses the importance of solo work
Roland Gift talks about Fine Young Cannibals and his acting career
Montreal’s The Box discuss marrying politics and music
And we try to find at least ONE interesting moment in what could be the most boring interview in our archives…

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Have you ever heard a song and thought it was by a completely different artist? Christopher thought that a Beatles song was actually Bob Dylan, Tom thought “Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress” was by CCR, and both thought that some of the early America songs were actually Neil Young.

Speaking of America, we’ll feature some clips from them from their ‘70s heyday this week. And we’ll also talk about how one of their best songs contains some of their worst lyrics.

But before we get to that, we have some incredible interview moments with the legendary Carole King as she reflects on her early career – when she was a teen mom crafting some of the most memorable songs of the early sixties – and then to her breakout as a solo artist in the ‘70s.

And speaking of legends, we have some amazing clips of Buddy Holly in conversation with a couple of important broadcasters. These clips are so wonderful and yet so tragic in hindsight. And we’ll close out that segment with Buddy Holly Cool song facts.

And we end the show with a guy with one of the most successful Canadians ever, who does not lack for self confidence. It’s Paul Anka from about 20 years ago looking back at his career. Included in that is his love for his home country, who he doesn’t believe always treated him well. It’s an epic interview with a classic Canadian artist.

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First up this week is an excellent 1982 chat with John Mellencamp, back when he was known as John Cougar – in conversation with Rick Ringer. John can be a bit tough on interviewers, but he seems really comfortable with Rick and it makes for a fun chat. It’s just as John was starting to take off with songs like Hurts So Good and Jack & Dianne. And he was fresh off his first appearance on Saturday Night Live.

And what happens when you have only 5 minutes to talk to one of the biggest artists in the world? Marilyn Denis faced that dilemma head on in 2013 when she had mere moments to chat with Lady Gaga. And what she does in that time is extraordinary – you get a lot of info and personality in a very short time.

John Waite had a moment in 1984 when he hit number one with the song “Missing You” – and that’s when we spoke to him. And he also spoke about his time with one of the most underrated bands of the ‘70s – The Babys.

And we wrap things up with a series of clips from the great Anne Murray. She talks about the challenges facing Canadian artists in the ‘70s and the story behind one of her biggest hits – and how she knew she had a monster on her hands the more she listened to it. Plus, Christopher shocks Tom when he casually mentions something about Anne and HIM!

Famous Lost Words, hosted by Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic, is heard in more than 100 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville. It is in the Top 20% of worldwide podcasts based on the number of listeners in the first week.

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The music industry has a history of not being fair to its artists. Christopher and Tom begin this episode by talking about artists who did not get the credit they deserved. Little known names like Martha Wash, Frank Sampedro and Rory Dodd get a brief, but well-deserved moment in the spotlight.

Also this week… an excellent 2008 interview with Sheryl Crow, in conversation with Marilyn Denis and Roger Ashby. This conversation gets quite deep – as it covers her music, her fight with breast cancer, standing up for her beliefs and her very public breakup. A lot of info in a small amount of time.

Then, we have a follow up chat with Rik Emmet of Triumph… Tom spoke to Rik a few months ago about his song “Hold On” becoming the Music Monday anthem for the Coalition For Music Education. But there are parts of that interview that you didn’t hear, including a very funny tale of the time when something went terribly awry during their stage show in the early days.

And we finish things off with a band that only had a brief moment in the spotlight, but their sound was just epic. We’re talking about Big Country. We feature a 1986 chat with singer Stuart Adamson and drummer Mark Brzezicki from the band.

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This week, much to Christopher’s chagrin, we do a deep dive into Yacht Rock! We’ll hear from Toto, Steely Dan, Doobie Bros, Christopher Cross, Kenny Loggins, Boz Scaggs, Seals & Crofts, Little River Band, Orleans and… Earth, Wind & Fire? (That last one leads to a spirited disagreement between Tom & Christopher)

Among the highlights of this episode:

Michael McDonald explains the evolution of the Doobie Brothers’ sound
Christopher Cross talks about his debut album, which contained several Yacht Rock classics.
Steve Porcaro explains how a group of session players and friends morphed into Toto
Kenny Loggins remembers working with Stevie Nicks on “Whenever I Call You Friend”
Al Stewart deconstructs the story behind his biggest hit, “Year Of The Cat”
Boz Scaggs breaks down “Lido Shuffle” and “Lowdown”
We also hear from the most reluctant group in the Yacht Rock pantheon, Steely Dan, including a bonus cut from the Dan’s only foray into advertising jingles. (We assure you it’s a weird one!)
Plus, interview clips from Little River Band, Orleans, Marc Jordan, Seals & Crofts and more. It’s an episode chock full of artists who are Yachty by nature!

Famous Lost Words, hosted by Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic, is heard in more than 100 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville. It is in the Top 20% of worldwide podcasts based on the number of listeners in the first week.

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First up, Christopher and Tom talk about artists who have come back when many people had bet against them – from Tina Turner to The Rolling Stones to Miley Cyrus to The Chicks.

In light of the recent Oasis reunion, we have some incredible clips of both Liam and Noel Gallagher from almost 25 years ago, years before their split and decades before their reunion. It’s a great, and often very funny, collection of comments and insight from the brothers.

Plus, we talk to our good friend Bill Welychka, whose interviews with Liam and Noel are what we’re highlighting this week. And Bill has some great insights into the brothers.

Speaking of brothers, The Kinks were fueled by the Davies brothers, Ray and Dave – and they, like the Gallaghers, created incredible music while also feuding bitterly with each other. This chat is from 1979, as the Kinks were promoting the Low Budget, which was somewhat of comeback for them. And Christopher is going to love what he has to say about songwriting.

Then we feature a brief couple of clips with a woman who had two very different hits in the ‘70s. Yvonne Elliman was featured on the Jesus Christ Superstar album in the early ‘70s and then on the Saturday Night Fever album a few years later. The story of Yvonne’s big break is a great one… and she tells it well. We’ll also hear how she walked away from a deal that could have meant millions of dollars in the long run – and how she dealt with that.

And we wrap up the show with Cool Song Facts… in which we find out what huge Stones song got the thumbs down by Mick and Keith… thank god they were outvoted.

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Did you know that the original name of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” was “Starlight” or “Dark Side Of The Moon” by Pink Floyd was going to be called “Eclipse”. Christopher and Tom start the show with a chat about the original titles of great albums – from the very good… to the very dumb.

With the recent announcement of the new Rush tour with a new drummer, we thought we’d present a really great collection of clips from the Famous Lost Words archives. They are mostly with Geddy Lee and Neil Peart in the early ‘80s talking about the first nine Rush albums. Plus, we have a bonus clip of Christopher in conversation with Geddy in 1987 – today’s show is a must for any Rush fan.

And we’ll close out the show with a tribute to KISS lead guitarist Ace Frehley. After Ace’s passing, Tom reached out to Brent Jensen of the podcast No Sleep Til Sudbury, who was as much of an Ace Frehley fan as Tom is. We’ll talk about Ace’s enormous influence on other rock stars and fans – and we’ll listen to three clips of Ace from the archives. This segment was a real labour of love for Brent and Tom – a couple of devoted KISS fans going way back.

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We start the episode with a chat about artists that drastically changed their sound over the years – from the Beatles to Cher to Alanis to Herbie Hancock to Bob Dylan to Fleetwood Mac to Beyonce.

Speaking of artists that changed their sound, how about the Bee Gees? They started out as a folky pop band and changed their sound to R&B in the mid ‘70s to out and out disco by 1977. We have an excellent 1989 Brad Giffen interview with Barry Gibb as he talks about the groups desire to keep going in spite of the backlash they faced after Saturday Night Fever. It cast a long shadow on them, but they endured by writing hit songs for other artists.

Then, we have a really fun chat with Jason Mraz from 2012 and 2014. You get a real sense of who he is - an almost old school hippy vibe that’s really endearing.

Plus, some audio from the late ‘70s/early ‘80s with the great George Benson – a jazz giant who had lots of commercial success. He has some great insights as well.

And then we chat with one of Christopher’s favourite people – Ian Thomas – who has had a whole string of hit records that Canadians know and love – and some of those songs were covered by the likes of Santana, Manfred Mann and America. Ian is one of the newest inductees into the Canadian songwriters Hall Of Fame – which is coming up on Fri, Oct 17 at the Meridian Centre in Toronto. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.

Famous Lost Words, hosted by Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic, is heard in more than 100 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville. It is in the Top 20% of worldwide podcasts based on the number of listeners in the first week.

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We kick off Season 11 with the question: “what have we learned so far?” Our listeners chimed in with their comments and Christopher and Tom expound on lessons both sublime and absurd.

Then, we get to the good stuff, with an incredible lost 1993 interview with Paul McCartney that was only discovered in the Famous Lost Words archives a few weeks ago!

Paul talks about how he chooses what songs to play in concert, how The Beatles would hash out songs in the studio, plus his dedication to vegetarianism and environmental causes. It’s an excellent chat with Paul and interviewer Dale Smith, a Beatles fan who is totally in his element.

Then, Tom & Christopher share some Cool Song Facts about the Beatles post breakup. This is when things were getting pretty ugly between the Fab Four. Nevertheless, there are touching moments too, like when Paul helped out George during his final weeks.

And we end things off with a tribute to the R&B vocal groups from the early days of rock and roll. Ben E. King talks about his days with The Drifters, Leon Hughes reflects on the hitmaking days of The Coasters, and in a rare audio clip, Frankie Lymon talks about his music career.

Famous Lost Words, hosted by Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic, is heard in more than 100 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville. It is in the Top 20% of worldwide podcasts based on the number of listeners in the first week.

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When we heard about the death of Supertramp founder Rick Davies a few hours ago, we wanted to pay tribute to him. Rick and the rest of the group were no strangers to us. Since Canada was very instrumental in the story of Supertramp from the mid ‘70s on, they visited our CHUM-FM Toronto studios often.

As a Supertramp fan, I am intrigued by the dueling personalities of Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson. By 1979, when they were promoting Breakfast In America, they admitted that they hadn’t worked closely together since Crime Of The Century, which in my opinion still stands as a masterpiece.

To hear more from Supertramp, check out episode 606 when we hear from both Rick and Roger as they deal with their fracturing partnership.

Today I discovered an interview that I hadn’t previously heard. It’s from 1988 and Supertramp is still coming to terms with the departure of Roger Hodgson. But we also hear Rick’s fierce determination to carry on and to continue making music that’s meaningful to him… whether it sells millions of copies or not. In this chat, they are talking about their 1988 tour and the most recent (and final) Supertramp album, "Free As A Bird".

From February of 1988, it's Rick Davies of Supertramp in conversation with Gord James.

Rick Davies died on Sept 6, 2025 at the age of 81.

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Ozzy Osbourne has passed away at the age of 76, mere days after his "Back To The Beginning" concert on July 5.

We revisit this segment from our first season, which featured an interview with Ozzy from the early '80s. He's in great spirits. Hope you enjoy it.

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Connie Francis has passed away at the age of 87.

Here from the archives is an extraordinary interview with Connie and broadcaster Brian Thomas from 1985. (Recorded at CHUM-FM in Toronto)

Connie talks about her big break (on American Bandstand) and the incredible personal battles she dealt with in her life. A true survivor.

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It’s a celebration of the 40th anniversary of Live Aid!

Live Aid was grand in scope and ambition. It was largely the brainchild of an unlikely hero, Bob Geldof, the Irish singer who fronted The Boomtown Rats, and who had helped assemble the all-star cast of Band Aid. Watched by 1.5 billion people, Live Aid eventually raised $127 US million for famine relief in Africa.

But beyond that, Live Aid was also a cultural touchstone that showed the power of pop music and the determination of millions of people to make a difference in the world.

Hours before the event took place, Christopher Ward had a chat with organizer Bob Geldof, who, in his intense way, told of the importance of Live Aid. He disputes the cultural significance in favour of the pragmatic view of delivering much needed aid to African famine relief. It’s an extraordinary interview with a man who is firing on all cylinders, almost to the breaking point.

And of course, we also talk about the music, including:

Although Geldof didn’t want them in the lineup, Freddie Mercury and the band provided the most memorable 22 minutes of the day, perhaps the best ever performance in music history.
U2 – We have the full story of why they played only two songs that day… and how it became a major moment on their road to superstardom.
David Bowie’s set was also memorable. But he almost didn’t play that day. And it was all because of a CBC report on the famine. We have the full story.
Duran Duran. Simon LeBon made a considerable gaffe during one of their songs. He considers it the most embarrassing moment of his career.
Led Zeppelin - why Jimmy Page blamed Phil Collins for Zeppelin’s less than perfect performance.

There were also a number of artists who chose not to perform that day, including Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson, Prince, Culture Club and Huey Lewis. At least two of those acts regretted that decision.

And we talk about the importance of Live Aid as a cultural milestone.

Famous Lost Words, hosted by Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic, is heard in more than 100 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville. It is in the Top 20% of worldwide podcasts based on the number of listeners in the first week.

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In light of the passing of Beach Boys co-founder Brian Wilson, we feature some extraordinary audio of Brian from the mid '60s. Wilson is exuberant as he talks about listening to the radio and dissecting his favourite songs. He also explains why he decided to retire from touring with the Beach Boys in the mid '60s.

We will also hear highlights from Christopher's late '80s interview with Carl Wilson, who pulls no punches when he speaks of Eugene Landy, Brian's guru who held an inordinate amount of control and power over Brian's life and career.

In a 1995 interview, Mike Love talks about Brian's prowess in the studio, particularly his creation of the "pocket symphony", "Good Vibrations".

We also discuss Brian's struggle with mental health and his comeback years later.

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A few days ago, Tom finally got to speak with Canadian guitar legend Rik Emmett of Triumph. Rik was a bucket list guest for Tom, who could hardly contain himself!

There’s a very special reason why Rik was talking to us.

On Monday, May 5, 2025 Coalition for Music Education will celebrate Music Monday with a cross-country sing-along to raise awareness for music education. The annual event celebrates the unifying power of music as thousands of Canadians join in singing and performing the Music Monday anthem at their schools and other community events. Hold On the uplifting, inspirational song by classic Canadian hard rock power trio, Triumphhas been chosen as the 2025 Music Monday anthem.

Rik tells us about the creation of “Hold On” 46 years ago and how it marked a change in his artistic growth as well as the fortunes of the band.

He also discusses the importance of music education, a cause that is deeply personal to him.

You can see Rik perform in person at a special “Intimate Evening with Rik Emmett” – Friday, March 21 at Black Bellows in Collingwood Ontario. It’s an interactive evening of performances and storytelling, hosted by Brent Jensen of the “No Sleep Til Sudbury” podcast.

Rik’s excellent memoir, “Lay It On The Line”, is now available.

This special bonus episode of Famous Lost Words is brought to you by Storyphora. Storyphora is a media company that offers communications solutions, recently expanding to include digital content like promotional video clips, video podcast production, social media design, and much more. Go to Storyphora dot com for details.

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This episode of Famous Lost Words is dedicated to legendary Canadian broadcaster John Donabie, who passed away a few days ago. John’s interviews have been prominently featured on Famous Lost Words and he also joined us on a couple of occasions to share his incredible stories. And great broadcaster and a wonderful man, John Donabie will be missed.

For this, the last episode of season 10, we have quite a collection of artists. First up is a rather feisty 1988 interview with Canadian legend Gordon Lightfoot. We already have lots of Lightfoot content in the archives, which we put together for our tribute to him upon his passing in 2023 – one of our most listened to episodes. But we came across this 1988 interview just a few days ago – and it’s a good one. Gord is looking back on his career as he approaches his 50th birthday. But Lightfoot is pretty spirited in this chat with Gord James.

Next up is a fascinating chat with Todd Rundgren. We’re date stamping these clips at about 1979 as Todd talks about his solo music, his work with the band Utopia and his fascination with new technology, including the early days of music videos. This guy’s mind never stops.

Then we have an early ‘80s chat with Pat Benatar as she chats with broadcaster Ingrid Schumacher about life on the road and the price of fame. Plus, we have a special bonus cut as Pat ponders her long-term influence on other aspiring musicians.

And we finish up with some Cool Song Facts, and we run the gamut here – with information spanning centuries, from Beethoven to Paul Simon to Earth Wind & Fire.

Famous Lost Words, hosted by Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic, is heard in more than 100 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville. It is in the Top 20% of worldwide podcasts based on the number of listeners in the first week.

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This week, a real cross section of artists, which speaks to the depth and diversity of our interview archive.

First up is Pink Floyd. We have a short but interesting chat with David Gilmour from 1984 and he promotes his solo work, but also wrestles with the past and future of Pink Floyd. Then we have an awesome 1979 chat with legendary Canadian producer Bob Ezrin as he talks about Pink Floyd’s The Wall – and as many fans know, Bob was instrumental in the creation of that album – and he has lots to say about it – from the development of the theme, to Roger Waters’ LACK of musical imagination (at least at the outset) to the planning of the ambitious tour that was to follow. Fascinating stuff from a guy who’s NOT afraid to share his opinions.

Then we have a chat with Chad Kroeger and the guys from Nickelback from 2014. This was around the time that the whole backlash against them was just starting to heat up. They address it head on – and do a very good job too!

Then we travel back to 2004 with Gwen Stefani, upon the release of her first solo album. Gwen is a bundle of energy who cannot be contained – and you can hear the passion, emotion and even insecurity that drives her.

We also have a short but fun segment with the Black Eyed Peas from 2005 – a boy did THEY ever own the charts in that decade.

We also remember the classic ‘60s Girl Groups, with cool facts from the amazing book “Will You Love Me Tomorrow?” Our favourite story is about the vocal group that you’ve likely heard thousands of times over the years, but never knew by name.

Famous Lost Words, hosted by Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic, is heard in more than 100 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville. It is in the Top 20% of worldwide podcasts based on the number of listeners in the first week.

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2024 marked the 40th anniversary of MuchMusic – which, for our non-Canadian listeners, was essentially Canada’s version of MTV. And while MTV had a profound impact on the music industry, MuchMusic arguably had a massive impact on Canadian culture.

So, we’re going to spend a bit of time talking about MuchMusic – and since Christopher is the original Much veejay, it’s kind of a no brainer.

In fact, most of Tom’s “in-depth” research for this episode came from Christopher’s excellent book, “Is This Live: Inside The Wild Early Years of MuchMusic, The Nation’s Music Station”. So in other words, Christopher did ALL of the heavy lifting for this episode!

To help us tell the Much story is one of our favourite people – and a MuchMusic veejay from the early years – Laurie Brown! Laurie explains about the freedom accorded to her and the other veejays in creating compelling content (while staying within the confines of a miniscule budget) and the camaraderie of the Much family.

Other highlights:

Laurie talks about interviewing music legends like David Bowie
Christopher tells a story about an unknown big-haired band that made their first Canadian TV appearance on his show City Limits. That band was Bon Jovi.
Audio from Duran Duran, who couldn’t believe their luck as they flew to exotic locations to film the videos for the Rio album.
We’ll talk to one British band that looked back on some of the early videos… and cringed!
Laurie and Christopher discuss dealing with the absolute mayhem of the legendary and chaotic “Intimate & Interactive” interviews.
Peter Gabriel and David Bowie, who themselves released game-changing videos, discuss the promise of music videos as an art form.
Former MUCH veejay Bill Welychka talks about the responsibility and pressure of interviewing major artists – especially to the fans of those artists.
Christopher & Laurie explain why they had to stop playing the most popular video on the station.
We discuss how MUCH provided the connective tissue between Canadians, their culture, and the musicians that benefitted from exposure on MuchMusic.

All in all, it’s a MUCH-needed deep dive into the early days of The Nation’s Music Station!

Famous Lost Words, hosted by Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic, is heard in more than 100 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville. It is in the Top 20% of worldwide podcasts based on the number of listeners in the first week.

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Today, we’re celebrating what would have been the 90th birthday of Elvis Presley. There’s been a lot written and said about The King over the years, but in this episode, we’re going to let Elvis do a lot of the talking. We have some amazing audio from the early years. Most of these clips are from the mid to late ‘50s – and they capture a lot of the excitement – and the freshness of Elvis

Plus we have clips from the people who were there…

his label mate Carl Perkins talks about touring with Elvis and Johnny Cash before any of them were well known.
Dick Clark describes how Elvis was seen as a sort of villain compared to the likes of Pat Boone
Ed Sullivan explains why Elvis could only be shown from the waist up on his third visit to his show.
His collaborators in the late ‘60s explain the stories behind his comeback hits.

All of these clips are from around the time that these events happened – so they capture history as history was being made. Plus, we’ll hear from some of the people who worked with Elvis over the years who will tell the stories behind some of his biggest songs.

Also, Tom asks Christopher to explain how a trip to Graceland in 1987 with a bunch of Elvis fans led to the creation of “Black Velvet”, which of course was a massive worldwide hit for his musical partner and friend Alannah Myles.

And best of all, we hear from the two people who knew Elvis best – his daughter Lisa Marie (in a 2005 chat) and his widow Priscilla (from 2006).

Famous Lost Words, hosted by Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic, is heard in more than 100 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville. It is in the Top 20% of worldwide podcasts based on the number of listeners in the first week.

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This week, part three of our celebration of ‘70s rock!

Our previous two episodes consisted of interviews that, for the most part, had not been heard on our show before. But we realized that there were also a number of artists that people were asking about… like Aerosmith, Heart, April Wine… and to the chagrin of Christopher and the joy of Tom… KISS!

What we’re going to do is take highlights from those previous episodes and play the best parts. And we’ll tell you where you can find the original interviews. It’s a continuation of the ‘70s rock series but almost like a greatest hits package.

Included in this episode is the brutal rivalry between Aersomith and KISS, which at times got pretty ugly. Plus we have Steve Miller from his heyday and Tom Petty from around the time of his breakout album, Damn The Torpedoes.

Lost Words, hosted by Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic, is heard in more than 100 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville. It is in the Top 20% of worldwide podcasts based on the number of listeners in the first week.

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We start this episode with Tom telling the story of how he almost got fired from his job – and how it almost meant the end of Famous Lost Words before it even started!

Then we continue with our series on ‘70s Rock. Last week we featured Boston, The Doobie Brothers, Jethro Tull, BTO and others.

This week, more from that era, including a great series of interview clips with Mick Jones and Lou Gramm of Foreigner, with the latter taking a big swing at the former’s dictatorial ways.

Then a very interesting interview with Journey, right from the time when they are about to take off – but haven’t yet had a major hit.

We also have another early career interview with ELO – and the struggle to marry classical and rock and make it work in a live setting.

Plus, Dennis DeYoung from Styx explains how a Chicago disc jockey changed the fortunes of that band.

Then, in a clip from the mid ‘70s, Steve Priest of Sweet tells us how they changed their image before they hit North America – and explains the story behind Ballroom Blitz.

And for Canadian rock fans, we have Prism and Trooper telling us about ambitious plans, their biggest hits, and the toughest Canadian audience to play for.

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We’ve been doing this show for almost 7 years and we’re finally doing series of episodes on that much maligned and much beloved genre… ‘70s rock!

This week, we have classic interviews with the likes of Brad Delp, the phenomenal lead singer of Boston, who we lost far too soon. Delp talks about his humble beginnings as well as the obsessive leader of the group, Tom Scholz.

We also have some great clips from the Doobie Brothers. One is from their mid-‘70s heyday, one is with Michael McDonald – and then we have Tom’s 2018 conversation with guitarist Patrick Simmons. And there’s a very good reason you haven’t heard this interview sooner… but it’s an embarrassing one (for Tom)!

Also, Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull talks about the very funny origin of the band’s name and the story behind their first hit

And we take care of business with one of the most popular bands in Canadian history - BTO!

And Christopher talks about one of the greatest musical experiences of his life – and it happened just a few weeks ago!

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This week, an excellent 2005 interview with Roger Hodgson, as he reflects on the glory days of Supertramp, his post-breakup years and his relationship with his former bandmates. Roger also tells the very entertaining stories behind two of Supertramp’s biggest hits.
We also have Tom’s chat with the wonderful Natasha Bedingfield from the early 2000s. Natasha is a very good singer and songwriter – and we do a pretty deep dive in a very short time. And at least once per show, we usually mention how likeable an artist is – and Natasha is this week’s MLA – Most Likeable Artist.
Last season, we did a couple of in-depth episodes about Soul & R&B music – and they were a lot of fun. Since then, we have discovered another half-dozen soul artists that had massive hits in the ‘70s – and so we’ve put a bit of a highlight reel together to put the spotlight on these artists that no longer get the attention they deserve.
And finally… what was it like to live in the shadow of a Beatle? We have two fascinating interviews – one with Yoko Ono – talking specifically about the haunting song that she and John Lennon were working on the night of his death. And we have Julian Lennon talking about the complicated relationship he had with his dad, and how he and Yoko finally managed to make peace. These are short clips, but very revealing.

Famous Lost Words, hosted by Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic, is heard in more than 100 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville. It is in the Top 20% of worldwide podcasts based on the number of listeners in the first week.

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First up this week is an extraordinary 1992 interview with Lindsey Buckingham. Lindsey recently turned 75 and is still creating music, but it’s so interesting to hear him more than 30 years ago. Although the interview was ostensibly to promote his solo work, Lindsey talks a lot about Fleetwood Mac – from the early days all the way through to Tango In The Night. And we even have a bonus clip of Stevie Nicks talking about her frustration with Lindsey when he spent two years working on the Tusk album.

We also have the incredible story of the making of a hit. In this case, the hit is “Beth” by KISS – The story is incredible because the star is an eleven year old girl – and even though she’s a little older now, her tale of how she helped make Beth a hit is very entertaining.

Plus, we talk about one of the most influential women in music. She not only had a couple of hits herself, she’s also responsible for three of the most important and influential hip hop singles ever made. Her name is Sylvia Robinson, and we’ll hear a classic clip from her and we'll discuss her legacy!

And finally, we close out the show with an interview with Eric Carmen, who passed away in May of this year. Eric was the lead singer of the Raspberries and then had a very successful solo career. Eric was very strongly opinionated – and you can hear his drive and determination in the clips that we found.

Famous Lost Words, hosted by Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic, is heard in more than 100 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville. It is in the Top 20% of worldwide podcasts based on the number of listeners in the first week.

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We are back with Season Ten!

Christopher and Tom begin by talking about their favourite interviews ever.

Then, we launch into one of the best interviews you’ll ever hear with one the most reluctant rock stars ever – Robert Plant. This 2005 interview with our friend Bill Welychka is very revealing. And within that interview is three episodes of “When Rock Stars attack… which are all pretty funny.

Then, we talk about the making of the film, album and song “Purple Rain”, which came out 40 years ago. And we’ll talk to the author of a book about that movie – and all the stories behind that. (By the way, you can also hear the long version of that Purple Rain chat in the Famous Lost Words podcast feed, including how Stevie Nicks almost got involved and why Prince decided to call up the guys from Journey.)

And we have a wonderful segment with the legendary BB King – which includes one of my favourite stories – about how he used to quiet down an unruly audience.

All that, plus some Music News about the very contentious lawsuit over who gets to use the name The Guess Who. And that story has a very good ending if you’re a fan of Burton Cummings and Randy Bachman.

Famous Lost Words, hosted by Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic, is heard in more than 100 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville. It is in the Top 20% of worldwide podcasts based on the number of listeners in the first week.

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Season Ten of Famous Lost Words is coming soon!

You’re days away from hearing Robert Plant take pot shots at just about everyone, including himself.
You’ll hear the unusual story of how an 11-year-old was directly responsible for the first big hit by Tom's favourite band.

– We have Lindsey Buckingham talking about his solo career, Fleetwood Mac, and Stevie Nicks

– A blues legend reveals his ingenious strategy in dealing with an unruly crowd.

– Roger Hodgson remembers the height of Supertramp’s popularity and the pain of their breakup

– You’ll hear Gordon Lightfoot in the feistiest interview from the archives.

– We’ll also have Cool Song Facts, plus a two-part special on ‘70s rock, featuring the likes of Foreigner, Styx, Boston, ELO, Pink Floyd and many more.

– And of course, we can’t forget about “When Rock Stars Attack”, when ego-driven musicians rail at the unfairness of being popular and well-paid.

We’ll also celebrate the 40th anniversary of MuchMusic – which is pretty handy since Christopher is the original Much VeeJay! And we'll recruit at least one Much veteran to help us out!

Famous Lost Words, hosted by Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic, is heard in more than 100 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville. It is in the Top 20% of worldwide podcasts based on the number of listeners in the first week.

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FLW Special - Purple Rain at 40

In this very special episode, we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the release of the film “Purple Rain”. The overwhelming success of the movie made Prince the first artist in history to have the same project simultaneously #1 on the singles, albums, and movie charts in the United States.

We speak to one of the foremost Prince experts; author and podcaster Alan Light. Alan talks about the creation of Purple Rain the song, the album and the movie. He also reveals…

How the version of the title track that we’re all familiar with was recorded in one take at a fundraiser. It was also the first time that 19-year-old Wendy Melvoin had played with the band.
Movie executives didn’t want to cast Prince in the lead role, and suggested much more famous star (who would have been badly miscast!)
How Prince tried to recruit Stevie Nicks to help with the lyrics for “Purple Rain” - and why she said no.
How the movie has held up well (for its live performances) and been held up to ridicule (for its acting performances and misogyny).
Prince’s tenuous relationship with Morris Day & The Time – and his greatest musical regret.

Alan Light is the prolific author of many music biographies, including his books about Tupac Shakur, Nina Simone and The Beastie Boys. He also collaborated on “My Cross To Bear”, the Gregg Allman autobiography and Peter Frampton's “Do You Feel Like I Do”. Other books include “The Holy Or The Broken” – a great history of the Leonard Cohen masterpiece “Hallelujah”; and of course, “Let’s Go Crazy: Prince and the making of Purple Rain”. Alan is also the co-host of the “Sound Up” podcast with his good friend Marc Goodman.

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With Taylor Swift being a big part of the pop culture conversation lately, we thought we’d present three Taylor interviews from our archives, one that has never been heard on FLW.

From 2019 – a great chat with Taylor and broadcaster Shannon Burns, talking about Swift’s album “Lover” and how it reflects a more positive outlook than the moodier “Reputation”. She also talks about putting “Easter Eggs” in her work as part of a fun dialogue with her fans. (Bonus content for Swifties: Taylor talks about her first meeting with her cat, “Benjamin Button”)
From 2014 – Taylor joins Roger Ashby and Marilyn Denis to promote “1989”, her first pure pop album. Swift explains why she needed to be honest with her fans about the new direction of her sound. She also talks about the big house party she threw for Swifties.
From 2010 – our earliest TS interview in which she tells interviewer Richie Favalaro about her album “Speak Now” and what that album means to her. She also explains how she was surprised that fans could relate to her songs even when they were specifically written for one person. She also talks about performing onstage with Katy Perry.
Plus, we have some Cool Taylor Facts!

Famous Lost Words, hosted by Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic, is heard in more than 100 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville. It is in the Top 20% of worldwide podcasts based on the number of listeners in the first week.

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A Famous Lost Words drinking game? Is this REALLY a good idea? Tom proposes a non-alcoholic version that is based solely on his own (many) verbal quirks.

For our last episode of season 9, we begin with Carly Simon in conversation with broadcaster Ingrid Schumacher in 1987. This was a great year for Carly because she had just worked on the soundtrack for the movie “Heartburn” and her new album “Coming Around Again” would prove to be a comeback for her. She talks about work with Mike Nichols on “Heartburn”, tussling with Clive Davis on song choices and how her close friend Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis convinced her to write a book.

Following that is a really fun encounter with the guys from Train, from a morning show encounter with Roger Ashby and Marilyn Denis. The interview, from 2012, captures the goofiness of lead singer Pat Monahan.

Then, we have an early ‘80s chat with Gary Wright, who passed away in September of 2023. Gary only had three significant chart hits, but he was a well-respected musician who worked with George Harrison on a number of projects. He also made synthesizers a staple on Top 40 radio.

We close out the show with a great chat with Triumph, a band that started in a bowling alley in Mississauga, Ontario forge their place in rock history. The Canadian power trio are legendary here in their home country, but also had a great run in the U.S. and beyond. Bassist Mike Levine has a ton of fun chatting with broadcaster Rick Ringer in this very entertaining and lively 1983 interview.

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This week, a very good example of the wide range of artists in the Famous Lost Words archives…

First up is a collection of early ‘70s conversations with Crosby, Stills & Nash, where David, Stephen and Graham cover the entire history of the group. Plus, maybe Tom’s worst interviewing moment when Stephen Stills takes him to task for asking what we thought was a reasonable question. That’s this week on When Rock Stars Attack!

Plus, the excellent story behind one of the best hits of the ‘70s – from an important band that preceded CSN. It’s a story of intrigue and double-cross and it’s also pretty funny

And we have an early ‘80s chat with reggae legend Peter Tosh – as he talks about working with Mick Jagger as well as the importance of marijuana to his religion, his creative process and his life.

And we close out the show with a really fun new chat with Canadian rocker Lee Aaron – who has come a very long way since her Metal Queen days. We talk about her career, the fine line between promotion and exploitation and how she felt being inducted into Canada’s Walk Of Fame just a few weeks ago.

Tom & Christopher also talk about the band breakups that affected them the most. Christopher's answer was both unexpected and frankly hilarious!

Famous Lost Words, hosted by Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic, is heard in more than 100 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville. It is in the Top 20% of worldwide podcasts based on the number of listeners in the first week.

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This week, part 2 of our series on R&B, Soul, Disco and Hip-Hop! As usual, we have a great collection of interview clips with some of the greatest artists of the genre.

Tina Turner breaks down her performing style (and explains why she didn’t like her voice)
Michael Jackson recalls the earliest days of The Jackson 5
The O’Jays explain how they initially rejected one of their biggest hits
Nona Hendrix talks about the recording and controversy of the classic soul hit, “Lady Marmalade”
Gloria Gaynor tells the story of having to fight to release “I Will Survive”
The Commodores talk about learning the tricks of the trade from The Jackson 5
Donna Summer reveals the song that inspired “Love To Love You”
How Arrested Development created hip-hop music to reflect a different side of the African-American experience
Anita Baker tells Marilyn Denis about her style (or lack of style)
Diana Ross talks about the early days of The Supremes
Plus, revealing clips from Barry White, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Jully Black, The Chi-Lites, Deborah Cox, Lenny Kravitz, Billy Paul, Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr and Lou Rawls.

And we’ll tell the amazing story about the birth of hip-hop in an NYC house party on August 11, 1973.

Plus, Tom tells us about a whole bunch of Cool Soul Facts!

Famous Lost Words, hosted by Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic, is heard in more than 100 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville. It is in the Top 20% of worldwide podcasts based on the number of listeners in the first week.

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It’s part 1 of our epic two-part celebration of Soul, R&B, disco and hip-hop! We’ve gathered an incredible collection of interview moments with some of the greatest artists of the genre.

We’ll hear from:

Gladys Knight & The Pips – Gladys breaks down every element that goes into making a great record. She also rightly insists there should be a Grammy Award for backing vocals.
Earth Wind & Fire – talk about the rise of disco and their place in music
Destiny’s Child – Michelle and Kelly talk about Beyonce’s leadership and vision.
the late great Sam Cooke talks about his jump from spiritual music to the ballads that made him famous
Smokey Robinson talks about the battles the Motown Records faced back in the days of Civil Rights struggles
Wyclef Jean explains why The Fugees never followed up their biggest album.
The guys from Chic talk about creating the greatest hits from the disco era.
Rihanna fondly remembers the big break that took her from Barbados to Jay-Z’s office
Chaka Khan explains how one of her favourite artists wrote her first major hit

All told, it’s a powerful, danceable, funky episode!

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In this special episode, we pay tribute to the late Myles Goodwyn, the lead singer and songwriter of April Wine.

Myles was seemingly in good health and spirits in late September as he and April Wine were inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame. Goodwyn was also inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall Of Fame.

We feature two segments from the Famous Lost Words archives. First up is Tom's 2021 interview with Myles who told wonderful stories about the history of April Wine and their early struggles, first brush with fame, their feud with a famous rock critic, their gig with The Rolling Stones at the El Mocambo in Toronto - and their crossover success in the early '80s. He also talked about his latest music - and in particular one song that addresses the residential school crisis.

We also feature a phone chat with Myles circa 1977 in which he talks about Canada's star system.

Both segments capture Goodwyn's personality and deep love of music.

Myles Goodwyn passed away on December 3, 2023 at the age of 75 in Halifax Nova Scotia.

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In what can only be described as a hell of a coincidence, this week we feature a series of clips with Daryl Hall & John Oates. These are particularly interesting in light of the news of Daryl suing John, and even asking for a restraining order against his old friend and bandmate.

First up is both guys from 1981, around the time of the “Voices” album. Then about a year later in ’82, it’s Daryl Hall talking to us about the H20 album.

And then for our podcast listeners there’s some bonus content – it’s Tom’s 2018 interview with John Oates. In which John talks about how he and Daryl bonded over their love of music. John also tells the story behind the hit “Maneater” in which he explains that the maneater isn’t about a woman, it’s about a city.

After Hall & Oates, we’ll chat with Steven Page, formerly of Barenaked Ladies and now a member of the very quirky new Canadian supergroup the Trans-Canada Highwaymen. Their new album is a bit surprising on a number of levels. We’ll talk about that plus some of Steven’s favourite memories of his time with Barenaked Ladies (including his reunion with BNL at the Juno Awards).

Then, we have a hidden gem from the FLW archives – so hidden that we didn’t even know it existed until we discovered a few days ago! It’s a 2007 interview with the wonderful Brandi Carlile. It’s great to capture a moment in time from when an artist is first starting out. Brandi is so candid and refreshing in this early-career chat.

Plus, Christopher and Tom argue about the greatest debut albums ever. Tom is impressed by Christopher’s choices, while Christopher is mortified by Tom’s!

Famous Lost Words, hosted by Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic, is heard in more than 100 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville. It is in the Top 20% of worldwide podcasts based on the number of listeners in the first week.

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This week... an absolute gem – a 2004 interview with Prince. You’ve never heard him sound so loose and relaxed as he talks about playing live, his legacy, working with his incredible band and his fight with his record label.

He’s also very funny. After one fan asks about Prince’s legendary vault of unheard music, Prince looks at the guy and says “Hmmm….I’m trying to figure out if you fit the profile of a bootlegger”…

Prince also explains why he loved the people of Toronto (where he lived for a while in the early 2000s) and he jokes about the Canadian accent.

And there’s a subtle moment where Prince seems to take a shot at a famous rock star – and Christopher & Tom try to guess who he meant.

In light of the recent passing of Jimmy Buffett, we have some great clips of Jimmy talking to us in 1978. This is during the peak of his chart success and he’s in excellent spirits, discussing his music, specifically the album “Son Of A Son Of A Sailor” (with the hit single “Cheeseburger In Paradise”. He explains that he “doesn’t know too many chords” but that doesn’t seem to stop him. Jimmy is very content at this point in his career… little did he know what the next 40 years held in store!

We wrap up the show by talking to legendary MuchMusic VJ Bill Welychka, as he talks about his new book “Happy Has-Been”, an excellent memoir of his life as an entertainment journalist, including his encounters with the biggest names in music. Bill is not only a friendly guy, he’s a true talent with an impressive list of accomplishments.

In our chat, Bill talks about working with Christopher, interviewing Prince (this week’s featured artist) and almost getting killed while interviewing Green Day in a golf cart! (Bill’s only concern at that moment was to protect the TV equipment!)

Bill’s book, ““Happy Has-Been - Exciting Times and Lessons Learned by One of Canada’s Foremost Entertainment Journalists” is available now. Partial proceeds go to The White Ribbon Campaign and also women’s shelters across Canada.

Famous Lost Words, hosted by Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic, is heard in more than 100 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville. It is in the Top 20% of worldwide podcasts based on the number of listeners in the first week.

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This week – it’s the finale of our epic three-part celebration of New Wave! Among the shows highlights…

⁃ Phil Oakey of Human League talks about his musical ineptitude as well as the League’s worst concert ever
⁃ Chrissie Hynde explains the meaning behind the Pretenders breakout hit “Brass In Pocket”
⁃ OMD discuss how a love song about an infamous war plane became their first hit
⁃ Boy George takes a shot at pretentious music journalists and explains how Culture Club got their record deal.
⁃ Gary Numan discusses his transition from punk to new wave
⁃ The guys in Madness explain the real reason for their high energy live performances
⁃ The English Beat explain how their most senior member, Saxa, was in fact the most young-at-heart
⁃ Ottawa’s Eight Seconds talk about their big break and working with the legendary producer Rupert Hine
⁃ On “When Rock Stars Attack”, Jim Kerr of Simple Minds takes down that vile species known as Rock Critics
⁃ And our guest co-host, Rob Preuss, talks about teaching Rami Malek how to convincingly play piano for his Oscar-winning role as Freddie Mercury in “Bohemian Rhapsody”

Famous Lost Words, hosted by Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic, is heard in more than 100 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville. It is in the Top 20% of worldwide podcasts based on the number of listeners in the first week.

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What is the greatest New Wave album of all time? Christopher and Tom (along with our special guest, Rob Preuss of The Spoons) break down the results of our recent listener survey. They also answer the question: Is The Clash REALLY a new wave band??

Plus, we feature some amazing interview clips from the archives…

David Byrne talks about creating the stage show for Stop Making Sense – and explains why his Canadian grade school education put him ahead of his American classmates!
The great Kate Bush talks about her songwriting style
The guys from Squeeze reveal some hilarious alternate album titles
Joe Jackson talks about creating his masterpiece, “Night & Day” (and also provides the most awkward moment of the episode!)
Plus interview with Martha & The Muffins, The Jam, Soft Cell and more!

Famous Lost Words, hosted by Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic, is heard in more than 100 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville. It is in the Top 20% of worldwide podcasts based on the number of listeners in the first week.

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This week, we kick off our most ambitious series yet – it’s the music of New Wave. We dove deep into the archives for classic interviews that encompass the “twitchy, but tuneful” music of the early ‘80s. And for this episode, Christopher and Tom welcome former Spoons keyboardist (and Broadway music director) Rob Preuss! Rob is a New Wave geek who was not only in the middle of the explosion of new music, but he worked with, toured with and talked with some of the biggest names of the genre. And he has GREAT stories to tell!

Among this week’s crop of New Wave artists…

John Taylor talks about the original formation of Duran Duran and how fashion was an important part of the band’s image.
Deborah Harry talks about the pushback she got for her onstage image. She also explains the genesis of the song “Rapture” (the first song with rap vocals to go to number 1)
The guys from Devo explain how they were once paid 75 dollars to STOP playing their music!
And on “When Rock Stars Attack – it’s Elvis Costello vs Led Zeppelin… and Andy Partridge of XTC vs Todd Rundgren!
Our podcast listeners will hear bonus segments with The Boomtown Rats (Bob Geldof talks about the creation of their biggest hit) and Paul Young (who fights a battle between fame and artistry)

So many synths! So little time! Enjoy part one of our celebration of New Wave!

Special shout-out to our friend Rob Wells, who created a synth-y version of our theme music. Thanks Rob! Check out Rob's podcast - "Women In The Music Industry"

Famous Lost Words, hosted by Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic, is heard in more than 100 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville. It is in the Top 20% of worldwide podcasts based on the number of listeners in the first week.

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In our Season 9 premiere, we feature a couple of amazing interviews with Paul McCartney. First up, from 1976, Paul tells Canadian broadcast legend Roger Ashby about his creative process, his influences and the long shadow of The Beatles. And from 1980, Macca describes how he ended up playing the bass originally, the inspiration for making “Sgt Pepper” and the tensions in creating The White Album. And in chilling comments made weeks before the death of John Lennon, Paul talks about the price of fame.

Also this week, a great series of interview clips with The Spinners. Singer Pervis Jackson (whose deep voice makes Tom & Christopher sound like chipmunks) explains the deep history of the band (going all the way back to the ‘50s!) and the profound effect producer Thom Bell had on the band during their heyday in the ‘70s. He also tells the stories behind the hits “Could It Be I’m Falling In Love” and “Then Came You”.

And we’ll also revisit our recent tribute to Robbie Robertson, featuring some great interview clips from the ‘70s when he was still with The Band – in which he talks about hooking up with Bob Dylan in the ‘60s – and how The Basement Tapes were created.

Plus, a wonderful chat with Robbie from 1998 as he discusses his solo albums and his film work with Martin Scorsese. Plus, Elton John talks about how he was more influenced by The Band than he was by Dylan.

Famous Lost Words, hosted by Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic, is heard in more than 100 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville. It is in the Top 20% of worldwide podcasts based on the number of listeners in the first week.

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We are just a matter of days away from the start of Season 9 of Famous Lost Words. We predict it will be one of our best seasons yet, because we are FINALLY going to release our New Wave episodes! Almost a full year after we first promised, we will feature the likes of Human League, Devo, XTC, Blondie, The Spoons, Duran Duran, Pretenders, Simple Minds, Soft Cell, Howard Jones and many more. And for those episodes, we will welcome a member of one of the bands to provide a running commentary on the music of New Wave. Plus, we’ll reveal the results of our poll for the Greatest New Wave album of all time.

We will also have a two-part series on Soul, R&B, disco and hip-hop – everyone from Aretha Franklin to Chic to Destiny’s Child to The Fugees.

We’ll start the season with an extraordinary set of interview with Paul McCartney. The first one is from 1976, when Paul is dealing with the fact that most interviewers want to talk about The Beatles and NOT the Wings. The second is from 1980, when Paul ends up giving us one of the most complete summaries of The Beatle years that we’ve ever heard, including the tension behind the White Album and the creation of Abbey Road.

We’ll also feature interviews with Prince, Carly Simon, Triumph, Hall and Oates, Todd Rundgen and many others. Plus, TJ vs The VJ and some Cool Song Facts!

That’s season 9 of Famous Lost Words, coming soon!

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This is a special tribute edition of Famous Lost Words as we honour the life and music of Robbie Robertson.

Today, we go back in the archives for some excellent interview clips with Robbie – first from the early ‘70s when he was still in The Band – and then to 1998 as he talks about his solo work.

Robertson talks about hooking up with Bob Dylan in the mid ‘60s and also the creation of “The Basement Tapes”.

Then, Robbie talks about his 1998 album “Contact From The Underworld of Redboy”. He explains to interviewer Dale Smith how thrilling it was to create music that celebrated his indigenous heritage.

We also tell the story Robbie’s first celebrity encounter – with Buddy Holly. And we hear about how Robbie wrote his first songs.

Plus – Elton John explains how he was influenced by The Band much more than he was by Dylan.

Robbie Robertson passed away on August 9, 2023 at the age of 80.

The Band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.

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Today, we’re digging deep into the Famous Lost Words archives as we remember Tina Turner.

First up is a series of interview clips with Tina from the early ‘70s as she recalls the early days of her career – from the moment that she first jumped up on stage to her years with Ike Turner and her work with Phil Spector. She talks about her performing style and why she didn’t much care for her own voice. And she recalls the breakthrough cover version of the CCR hit, Proud Mary – a song that became a trademark.

Then, we’ll revisit Christopher’s 1989 conversation with Tina – as she talks about her album “Foreign Affair”. She discusses her early influences and also describes how she re-arranged a song and made it her own, until it became “The Best”.

And we’ll finish off with an extraordinary interview with Tina from the year 2000, in conversation with Marilyn Denis.

Tina talks about mentally preparing for her concerts, the secret to her longevity and why her greatest inspiration was NOT a performer, but a former first lady of the United States. She also talks about why she loved touring with Lionel Richie and why she had a falling out with Elton John.

And we’ll hear Tina interacting with some of her fans in a way that is truly inspiring. Plus, she pushes back at people who criticize other female performers.

All in all, it's an in-depth and astonishing collection of incredible moments.

Tina Turner passed away on May 24, 2023 at the age of 83.

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In this special tribute edition, we remember the life and career of Gordon Lightfoot. In this episode, we have interview clips from over the years. It's a rich treasure trove of highlights in which you'll get to know Lightfoot very well. His thoughtfulness, his love of songwriting, his regrets, his ambition and his sense of humour.

We'll feature a 2006 interview with musician Robbie Lane, in which Gord recalls his early years playing small clubs in Toronto - and how other artists would mine his catalogue for themselves.

How early covers of his songs put him in the rarefied company of the likes of Bob Dylan.

The stories behind massive hits like "Sundown". "If You Could Read My Mind" and "The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald".

We feature Tom's 2019 chat with Gordon, in which Gordon reacts to some of the old audio we have of him talking about his earliest club gigs. Christopher also talks about his first encounter with Gordon backstage in Peterborough.

We chat with Lightfoot biographer Nicholas Jennings about Gordon's great gift as a songwriter and dedication to the craft. We also reveal some of the singers regrets.

Plus, we talk about the time that Gordon almost sued the writer of Whitney Houston's hit "The Greatest Love Of All".

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We’re finishing off season 8 with a real banger!

First up is one of the best interviews from the archives – a 2007 chat with Mike Reno of Loverboy. Mike is a gifted storyteller as he explains the origins of the band’s name, why a legacy band creates new music, and why they were embraced by MTV immediately.

Mike also talks about their late bassist Scott Smith, who was declared missing when he was swept overboard by a large wave while sailing off the coast of San Francisco.

Mike then tells us the stories behind some of Loverboy’s biggest hits, including “Turn Me Loose”, “Working For The Weekend” and “The Kid Is Hot Tonite”.

Following the Loverboy chat, we have an amazing series of clips from Chuck Berry – the very first inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Chuck breaks down a number of his biggest hits – and then veers off in a strange direction. But Chuck has a lot to say and it’s all good. Great to have so much audio from one of the pioneers of rock and roll.

Next up is Tom’s very weird chat with Johnny Rotten of The Sex Pistols. Johnny talks about The Pistols’ legacy and why life with Public Image Ltd was a much more rewarding experience. Johnny also uses the opportunity to bash the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Strangely, Tom actually forgot we had this interview in our archives! It’s definitely worth a listen!

And for our podcast listeners, Christopher has a very special tribute to the late Burt Bacharach, the musical genius behind dozens of hits that spanned decades. Bacharach passed away on Feb 8, 2023 at the age of 94.

Famous Lost Words, hosted by Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic, is heard in more than 70 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, Newstalk 1290 London, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville.

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This week: a fascinating in-depth interview with The Bee Gees, circa 1976. Roger Ashby talks about the recent success of the “Main Course” album (with songs like “Nights On Broadway”, “Jive Talkin’” and “Fanny”), as well as their latest album, “Children of The World”, where they dabble in disco for the first time (“You Should Be Dancing”). They also discuss their vocal influences, including The Everly Bros and The Mills Bros. The brothers are in fine form!

Then we chat with Nancy Wilson of Heart in 1982. The group has just been streamlined to a quintet and Nancy couldn’t be happier – now having more of a chance to shine. Nancy is so charming and friendly in this chat – even when she’s talking about serious causes like the anti-nuke movement. She also talks about the band's Canadian roots.

And finally, we jump ahead to 2011 with an excellent interview with Michael Buble. Marilyn Denis has a blast talking to Michael about his recent marriage… and what his future wife REALLY thought about Michael on the night they first met.

He also explains the advice that David Foster gave him and why he doesn’t get nervous before a big concert. It’s a wildly entertaining conversation between Michael and Marilyn!

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David Crosby was a towering figure in music history. As a founding member of The Byrds and then with Crosby, Stills & Nash, and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, he was there at the start of the folk rock era and was an essential element in the sound of those bands. His unique approach to vocal harmonies helped to define those groups and their influence is heard to this day.

Christopher interviewed Crosby in 1989 as he was undergoing a resurgence that would last more than 30 years... and that's after everyone had written him off. The interview is amazing... capturing Crosby's gregarious nature, love of storytelling, and his deep love for music.

We also have a series of clips from around 1970, as Crosby talks exuberantly about Crosby, Stills & Nash. He explains why they chose the name, even though it sounded like a law firm and why he had such a strong connection to his bandmates.

We also talk about Crosby's legacy and the latter day arguments that tore his friendships apart. Yet, after his passing, those friends chose to remember him fondly.

David Crosby passed away on January 18 2023 at the age of 81.

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Special tribute episode:

In light of the recent passing of Lisa Marie Presley at the age of 54, we have two interviews. One is with Lisa Marie from 2005, promoting her second album. Lisa Marie is very candid and personal during this chat with Roger Ashby and Marilyn Denis, as she talks about her music, her childhood, and trying to raise her kids in a normal way. As you can imagine, the whole thing is tinged with tragedy.

The second interview is with Priscilla Presley a year later in 2006. Priscilla was promoting a line of linens, but Roger and Marilyn talk to her about everything from Lisa Marie to being married to Elvis, to their divorce, to the one book about Elvis that she would recommend. Both interviews are fascinating to hear.

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What is the great song lyric ever? Tom & Christopher argue about Bob Dylan and Paul Simon before Tom comes up with the best (and funniest) answer.

This week, our show features two Canadian superstars… Shania Twain and Celine Dion.

Frist, we have Tom’s 2003 chat with Shania as she talks about touring and how her songs and concerts are a celebration. Tom asks her about a secret staff of darker songs and finds out about the moments that changed her life.

Then, we fast forward to 2015 as Shania talks to Marilyn Denis about her Vegas residency. All told, it’s a pretty revealing set of interview clips with Shania.

We also have a 1992 interview with Celine Dion, just as she was starting to experience superstardom. Her gratitude is sincere and heartfelt. She also talks about her then-manager (and future husband) Rene Angelil and how her first audition for him made him break down in tears.

And we finish up with a fascinating interview with the late great Warren Zevon. Sure, Warren is best known for the 1978 classic, “Werewolves Of London”, but his skills as a songwriter were deeply admired by other artists. In these interview clips, Zevon talks about creating “Werewolves”, dealing with critics and writing songs about the darkest parts of life, but doing it with humour. We’ll also talk about Warren’s deep gratitude to David Letterman.

Famous Lost Words, hosted by Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic, is heard in more than 100 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, Newstalk 1290 London, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville.

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What is the greatest year in music history? Christopher and Tom weigh in and, not surprisingly, their answers are very different. It prompts a rather lively and contentious discussion.

Plus we pay tribute to the many artists we lost in 2022. But don’t expect this to be a mournful show. Think of it more as a celebration of these artists. Included this week:

Olivia Newton-John talks about her career
Meatloaf on how “Paradise By The Dashboard Light” could appeal to people of any era
Ronnie Hawkins on his love of Canadian music, and other sordid tales
Jerry Lee Lewis in one of the most weirdly chilling clips in our collection
Dan McCafferty explains how Nazareth got their name
Plus a clip from the most listened to episode in FLW history

And on When Rock Stars Attack – Jann Arden takes hilarious aim at an American singer.

We finish the show with another edition of the epic smackdown that is “TJ vs The VJ” as Tom & Christopher try to stump each in a test of musical knowledge.

Famous Lost Words is heard in 31 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, Newstalk 1290 London, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville.

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This week, a relaxed and very interesting chat with The Tragically Hip circa 1991. Gord Downie and the band are promoting their second album, “Road Apples”. They talk about working in New Orleans, road testing their new songs and how many chances a song gets in the studio before they toss it out. They also talk about the time they were booked into a hip hop club as well as the time they played an Alberta gig on the worst possible night – it was the day that Gretzy got traded to L.A.

Then, we have a 1980 chat with Rick Nielsen and Bun E. Carlos of Cheap Trick. This is a weirdly fun series of clips, as the band breaks down their history… going all the way back to the American Civil War??? And Rick talks about the wild success of “I Want You To Want Me” from their “Budokan” album. This is a fun segment.

Bo Diddley was one of rock’s pioneers. And in a couple of brief clip, Bo tells us about his previous career and then how he helped propel rock and rock to popularity. It’s great to hear rock history from an artist who was there at the beginning!

And we finish off the show with a very entertaining chat with Nick Lowe. Nick talks about his history as an in-demand producer and how breaking the rules is so much easier when you don’t know them in the first place. He also tells us about working with Dave Edmunds and Elvis Costello. And we also find out the funny story behind Nick’s nickname, “Basher”.

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This week – a 2005 interview with Madonna as she promotes her album “Confessions On A Dance Floor”. Madonna is predictably smart and passionate about her music, but she can also be a bit cranky. WARNING – this interview contains perhaps the most awkward moment in FLW history.

Then, a wonderful ‘80s interview with Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders. Chrissie talks about the influences of the ‘60s on her music, how motherhood affected her life and how her anger with the world is a motivating force. It’s a great chat with the great Pretender.

Also, we have some weird and wonderful clips from the legendary Frank Zappa. Frank is both strongly opinionated and very clever in these. Christopher has been waiting a long time to play them for you!

And we finish off the show as Christopher and Tom go toe-to-toe on another edition of the epic smackdown known as TJ vs The VJ!

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This week: an extraordinary 1989 interview with the legendary Tina Turner. Tina talks about her rise to fame, how her stage act was her own personal fitness routine, how she chooses her songs and whether or not she considers herself sexy.

Then, a fun 2003 chat with Cher during her first farewell tour. Cher discusses the highlights of her stage show, what she loves about her fans… and why the cops were called when one of her wigs went missing from the tour! It’s an hilarious interview with Marilyn Denis and Roger Ashby.

And finally, the incredible Melissa Etheridge from 1996, when she was promoting her new album “Your Little Secret”. She tells us the charming backstory of the album’s title as well as the inspiration behind her first hit, “Bring Me Some Water”. Melissa also explains how she managed to “un-tabloid” her personal life by being so open about it. And finally she talks about performing her Janis Joplin tribute at “Woodstock 25”.

Plus, Christopher and Tom talk about the greatest debut singles of all time, from “I Want You Back” to "More Than A Feeling" to “Baby, One More Time”. (And for some reason, Tom feels compelled to sing “Rock Lobster”, but you can fast forward past that part.)

Famous Lost Words, hosted by Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic, is heard in more than 100 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, Newstalk 1290 London, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville.

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This week – the finale of our epic 3-part series on The ‘60s! It’s a show chock full of highlights…

Van Morrison explains how “Brown Eyed Girl” almost got banned from the radio
Neil Sedaka talks about the creation of “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do”
Gene Pitney on writing one of the ‘60s biggest hits, touring with the Dick Clark Caravan of Stars and hanging with The Stones
Dick Clark talks about the early days of American Bandstand and how the idea of watching “teenagers dance on TV” was a hard sell to the station owners
Frankie Valli explains how Clark Gable inspired one of the Four Seasons’ biggest hits
The Hollies on how they got their name and their first taste of international fame.
Blood, Sweat & Tears talk about playing at Woodstock – and why their performance wasn’t included in the movie
Freddy Cannon – on how one of his concerts was interrupted by a bunch of stampeding horses.
Connie Francis talks about the moment her life changed forever
Tom has a great chat with Felix Cavaliere of The Rascals
The legendary Sylvia Tyson explains how the music of “Ian & Sylvia” holds up
Carole King talks about the extraordinary gift of her songwriting partner, Jerry Goffin
Lulu talks about landing the role (and title song) for “To Sir With Love”
Interview clips with Paul Revere & The Raiders, The Shirelles, The Byrds, Procol Harum, The Fifth Dimension, Moody Blues, Del Shannon, The Impressions and Bobby Vee.
Plus – how an Aretha Franklin recording session almost devolved into a fistfight.

Famous Lost Words, hosted by Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic, is heard in more than 100 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, Newstalk 1290 London, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville.

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In part 2 of our ‘60s series, Christopher and Tom try to choose the ultimate ‘60s all-star band. Christopher puts together a great line-up, but Tom’s choices raise a few eyebrows!

Other highlights this week:

Art Garfunkel tells the story behind Simon & Garfunkel’s last (and most contentious) hit, “Bridge Over Troubled Water”
The wild history of The Mamas & The Papas – as told by one of the Papas.
James Brown describes his music in the most James Brown way
Pete Townshend talks about The Who’s breakthrough
Stevie Wonder tells the story behind one of his biggest hits of the decade
Tommy James describes the chaotic recording session for “Mony Mony”
The stories behind Gerry & The Pacemakers greatest songs
And we hear from a band who had their biggest hit… AFTER they broke up!

Famous Lost Words, hosted by Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic, is heard in more than 100 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, Newstalk 1290 London, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville.

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In part 2 of our ‘60s series, Christopher and Tom try to choose the ultimate ‘60s all-star band. Christopher puts together a great line-up, but Tom’s choices raise a few eyebrows!

Other highlights this week:

Art Garfunkel tells the story behind Simon & Garfunkel’s last (and most contentious) hit, “Bridge Over Troubled Water”
The wild history of The Mamas & The Papas – as told by one of the Papas.
James Brown describes his music in the most James Brown way
Pete Townshend talks about The Who’s breakthrough
Stevie Wonder tells the story behind one of his biggest hits of the decade
Tommy James describes the chaotic recording session for “Mony Mony”
The stories behind Gerry & The Pacemakers greatest songs
And we hear from a band who had their biggest hit… AFTER they broke up!

Famous Lost Words, hosted by Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic, is heard in more than 100 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, Newstalk 1290 London, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville.

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This week, The ‘60s! In what promises to be an amazing series of shows, we present some of the biggest artists from music’s most impactful decade.

We hear about the genius of Brian Wilson and the creation of the classic, “Good Vibrations”.
The moment that the Righteous Brothers got their name and how they ended up recording two of the biggest songs in music history
Aretha Franklin explains how success has given her freedom
Graham Nash talks about the formation of CSN
Ronnie Spector talks about dating John Lennon and being pulled off a UK tour by Phil Spector BECAUSE she was dating John Lennon.
Chubby Checker explains the phenomenon that was The Twist – and why Zsa Zsa Gabor was the catalyst for its massive success.
Plus Petula Clark, Herman’s Hermits and the Spencer Davis Group
And in one of the best interviews in our collection, Ben E. King talks about his tumultuous years in The Drifters. He also explains the amazing story of how “Stand By Me” changed his life after it was rejected by his bandmates!

Famous Lost Words, hosted by Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic, is heard in more than 100 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, Newstalk 1290 London, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville.

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This week, The ‘60s! In what promises to be an amazing series of shows, we present some of the biggest artists from music’s most impactful decade.

We hear about the genius of Brian Wilson and the creation of the classic, “Good Vibrations”.
The moment that the Righteous Brothers got their name and how they ended up recording two of the biggest songs in music history
Aretha Franklin explains how success has given her freedom
Graham Nash talks about the formation of CSN
Ronnie Spector talks about dating John Lennon and being pulled off a UK tour by Phil Spector BECAUSE she was dating John Lennon.
Chubby Checker explains the phenomenon that was The Twist – and why Zsa Zsa Gabor was the catalyst for its massive success.
Plus Petula Clark, Herman’s Hermits and the Spencer Davis Group
And in one of the best interviews in our collection, Ben E. King talks about his tumultuous years in The Drifters. He also explains the amazing story of how “Stand By Me” changed his life after it was rejected by his bandmates!

Famous Lost Words, hosted by Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic, is heard in more than 100 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, Newstalk 1290 London, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville.

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This week: an amazing 1993 backstage chat with Keith Richards. Keith is in his glory fronting The Expensive Winos. In fact, you can almost hear the dread at the prospect of returning to The Stones! Keith talks about the joy of touring, how “God joins the band” at outdoor concerts and the time he taught Mick how to play “Gimme Shelter”. He also talks about his history in Toronto, including the time he was arrested for heroin. PLUS, at the end of the episode, we feature a bonus 1979 interview with Keith and Mick Jagger backstage after the Stones played two shows as part of Keith's sentence for the drug bust.

Cyndi Lauper is one of the most charming and fun people to be around. In 2003, she chatted with Roger Ashby and Marilyn Denis in a conversation that has to be heard to be appreciated. Cyndi talks about her influences, performing on the Cher farewell tour, and the time her 5-year-old son wandered onto the stage while she was singing.

And we finish off with a mid ‘70s interview with Steve Miller, at the peak of his popularity. Like his music, Steve is very direct in this chat. But it’s obvious he doesn’t have a lot of time for the concept of fame. He’s more worried about his chickens! He also expounds upon his theory that hippies almost ruined his beloved San Francisco.

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FLW is back with Season 8! We begin an epic season with an in-depth 2003 interview with Sting. This is Sting at his Sting-iest, in conversation with the incomparable Marilyn Denis. He’s funny and self-deprecating, charming and a tad insufferable. He talks about his childhood, why his grandmother called his early work “Broken Music”, the longevity of his marriage, and how the events of 9/11 affected his work. And yes, Sting talks about the whole “tantric sex” thing… in a moment that Tom finds hilarious, but Christopher finds cringey!

If you were going to put ONE song into a time capsule, which one would it be? Christopher chooses a couple of classics and Tom picks an epic from the ‘70s.

Plus, we have Cool Song Facts:

Why Bono wrote a song to his wife to apologize to her
The connection that The News (aka Huey Lewis’s band) had with Elvis Costello
How Boy George got in trouble with a ‘60s hit.
And finally, the mind-boggling choice that Aerosmith and the Grateful Dead almost made to replace their lead singers!

Famous Lost Words, hosted by Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic, is heard in more than 100 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, Newstalk 1290 London, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville.

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We're excited to announce the launch of Season 8 of Famous Lost Words. Coming this season:

Sting in a long-form 2003 interview with Marilyn Denis - featuring a moment that makes Tom laugh, but makes Christopher cringe.

Keith Richards in a backstage chat in 1993. Keef is talking about his touring band "The Expensive Winos".

Tina Turner in conversation with Christopher in 1989. Great chat with a true superstar.

Plus a two-part epic series on the music of the '60s featuring The Beach Boys, The Mamas & The Papas, Simon & Garfunkel, The Zombies, Tom James & The Shondells and many many more.

All that plus TJ vs The VJ and Cool Song Facts!

Season 8 returns in September!

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Lamont Dozier was one of the giants of songwriting. Known mostly for his work with the Holland brothers at Motown, Lamont was not only a gifted writer, but a wonderful storyteller.

In this tribute, we revisit Christopher's chat with Lamont in his home studio, plus we replay some highlights from our 2021 Motown specials as Dozier talks about creating some of the biggest hits of the '60s.

Lamont Dozier passed away on August 8 2022 at the age of 81

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Upon hearing the news of the passing of Olivia Newton-John, we want to revisit an entertaining 1978 chat with her. Olivia talks about her breakout as a country artist, her place in the music world, and working with John Travolta in her new movie, "Grease".

Olivia Newton-John passed away August 8, 2022 at the age of 73.

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When we learned about the passing of Andy “Fletch” Fletcher from Depeche Mode, we agreed that it would be a good idea to go back into the archives and revisit an interview from 2005. It’s only 9 minutes long, but it covers a lot of ground…

In the interview, Fletch talks about: their breakout in the early ‘80s – and why their style and sound pissed off some rock critics the loyalty of their fans their current album “Playing The Angel” and single “Precious” why “Violator” was perhaps their best album how their music is largely about “pain & suffering” keeping the band together and how sometimes “tension is good”

The interview was conducted by Maie Pauts in September of 2005.

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As we wind up our tribute to the recent Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame inductees, we present an excellent series of interview clips with Carly Simon. Just as she is in her songwriting, Carly is direct, honest and sensitive. She talks about how critics can be terribly hurtful (and how one review set her off), her inspiration for writing, her relationship with then-husband James Taylor and why she occasionally took her fans out to lunch. It's an entertaining interview!

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This week, we’re honouring the newest inductees into the R&R Hall Of Fame. This time, it’s Lionel Richie. This chat is from 2001 and it’s Lionel in conversation with Marilyn Denis. He talks about his favourite songs from his solo career and The Commodores – and his biggest regret. He also talks about working with Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson and much much more. This interview is originally from episode 506.

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The latest in our series of Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame inductees is Pat Benatar.

We have two interviews with Pat, both from the '80s, with broadcasters Elaine McDonald and Rick Ringer. Benatar talks about her desire to be a mom, her tough image, her androgynous look, why performing live is a sensual (but not sexual) experience and why record companies kept turning her down, even when she brought them songs like "Heartbreaker"!

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Today, we continue with our deep dive into the FLW archives to present a series of specials to honour some of the latest inductees into the R&R Hall Of Fame.

This time around, it’s Duran Duran. Our first set of clips come from the early ‘80s, as the guys are just on the cusp of their incredible fame. They talk about their influences, their style and how much fun it was to make those incredible early videos.

Then we jump ahead to 2021 with Marilyn Denis in conversation with Nick Rhodes. The audio comes from Marilyn’s podcast – called “Marilyn Denis does a Podcast”. And you can hear the entire interview on that episode. We’ve chosen some great highlights from that chat – including Nick’s look back at the Duran Duran legacy, the friendship within the group, getting banned by MTV and being friends with their greatest influence, David Bowie.

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Today, we begin a series of special episodes honouring some of the 2022 inductees into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.

First up is Eurythmics. We've gone back into the archives for two extensive interviews with Dave Stewart as he discusses his partnership with Annie Lennox. Dave talks about their memorable first appearance on The Grammys, working with Aretha Franklin, producing other artists and much more.

The first interview is from November of 1987 with Marilyn Denis. The second is from 2005 with Maie Pauts.

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Hearing the news about Meatloaf's passing reminded us of this fascinating chat with Meatloaf and Tom Jokic from 2006. He is promoting an upcoming live appearance in Toronto. We talked about the power of his "Bat Out Of Hell" albums and he explains his definition of success. He also talks about his acting career. Embarrassingly, Tom's cell phone rings near the end of the interview, and Meatloaf answers it! It's a fun moment from a very entertaining interview.

Meatloaf passed away on January 20, 2022 at the age of 74.

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We made it! It’s the 100th episode of Famous Lost Words and our Season 7 finale. This week – some of our favourite stories ever! Roland Orzabal of Tears For Fears talks about his first hilarious meeting with our favourite Beatle. Ed Robertson explains how Barenaked Ladies made the cheapest music video in history – which ended up in high rotation at MuchMusic Christopher regals us once again with his epic story about having dinner in L.A. with Robert Plant, Mike Myers, Alannah Myles… and Don Rickles? Jann Arden tells the unusual story of how she got her record deal CHUM broadcaster Roger Ashby talks about partying for 48 hours in London with Led Zeppelin and Fleetwood Mac - and living to tell about it. ‘60s legend Martha Reeves tells the amazing story behind her big break at Motown. Ivan from Men Without Hats talks about the dizzying experience of their first major concert Randy Bachman talks about two different experiences with the same Beatle Chantal Kreviazuk tells the wonderful story of the night she met her future husband, Raine Maida We re-visit Tom’s story about the time he embarrassed himself in front of Eddie Van Halen and Valerie Bertinelli (and why he has no regrets) Our friend Brent Jensen (of the podcast No Sleep Til Sudbury) tells the entertaining story of the time he inadvertently interviewed one of his heroes, shirtless! Former Eagle Glenn Frey reacts to harsh criticism from producer Glyn Johns Adam Levine of Maroon 5 tells the story of the time he saved his dad from terrible embarrassment ‘70s star Al Stewart talks about a case of mistaken identity with a famous ‘80s duo And Christopher & Tom have a lively debate about this question: if you could only listen to the music of one decade, which decade would it be?

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First up this week is a new interview with Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran as he talks about their new album – as well as the deep history of the band… from being banned by MTV to being influenced by David Bowie – just a few years before they became friends with Bowie – plus the importance of fashion to the overall image. This interview is from 2021 – from “Marilyn Denis Does A Podcast”.

We also have a mid ‘90s chat with the amazing Bonnie Raitt. This is Bonnie at the top of her game. And while she is genuinely grateful for her recent success, she is clearly unimpressed and uninspired by fame. which in itself is kind of inspiring. You’ll really like our interview with her.

In the mid ‘70s we spoke to the great Chaka Khan. Although her career has spanned decades, she remains terribly overlooked. She first leapt to fame with the band Rufus in the ‘70s, had some massive solo hits in the ‘80s and also branched out into jazz. Christopher and Tom talk about the incredible Chaka Khan performance that they both saw on the same night – at least a decade before they met.

To finish off the show, we invite Jay Michaels back for a game called “Who Said It”. Christopher and Jay will try to identify one of the many rock stars who have said some pretty ridiculous things.

Just after we had put the finishing touches on this week’s show, we learned about the passing of Michael Nesmith of The Monkees. And it reminded us that we had prepared a Monkees segment a number of months ago. It’s an interview with Peter Tork, from about 1989 and it is exceptional. So, if you’re a big fan of the Monkees or just want to hear a great discussion of the music and spirit of the ‘60s… have a listen to the interview following the closing credits of this show. Plus, Christopher will share his thoughts about Michael Nesmith’s extraordinary career.

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This week, we have a 2014 chat with a very enthusiastic Taylor Swift, who is happily promoting her first pure pop album, 1989. It’s a brief but very entertaining chat as Taylor riffs about her fans and her new sound.

We also have a 2020 chat between Peter Frampton and Marilyn Denis (courtesy of her show, “Marilyn Denis Does A Podcast”). Peter talks about the chaos of the “Frampton Comes Alive” era and how even he got sick of himself. Peter also talks about how his childhood friend David Bowie helped to save his career.

A new book called “They Just Seem A Little Weird” details the rise of Aerosmith, Kiss & Cheap Trick in the 1970s. Tom chats with author Doug Brod about the rivalry between KISS & Aerosmith, the unique sound of Cheap Trick and how all three bands are inextricably linked. There’s also the cautionary tale of the band Starz, a group that grew from the ashes of a one hit wonder but never managed to hit the heights of success.

And on the topic of books… do you have a big music fan in your life who loves to read? Christopher & Tom give you a complete rundown of books that would make a great gift for that person – or yourself. Whether you’re a fan of Joni Mitchell, Springsteen, Tom Petty or Steve Nicks or just want to check out some great music fiction – we’ve got some great recommendations for you!

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As Peter Jackson’s highly anticipated “Get Back” film finally gets released, we celebrate with our own Beatles special. In this episode, we focus in on the final years of The Fab Four with some incredible Beatles audio - stuff that would definitely make Peter Jackson envious! Joining us this week is Beatles nut Jay Michaels of Newstalk 1010 in Toronto.

Among the highlights: In 1969, Paul and George talk about their upcoming film “Let It Be” (which is literally the same footage that Peter Jackson uses for “Get Back). Paul seems excited about the film, George says he “can’t stand it” John Lennon talks about how Paul was the driving force for the band in the latter years. Paul talks about the influence of Yoko on John and how it affected the band’s cohesion. We (finally) have plenty of Ringo content too! He talks about joining the band and what led to the breakup John and George talk about the possibility of a Beatles reunion in the ‘70s McCartney remembers an emotional Liverpool concert after John’s death Producer George Martin reflects on the breakup of the band and reuniting with the surviving lads for the “Anthology” series One of the Beatles major influences, Little Richard, explains what the Beatles learned from him (Richard is no shrinking violet in this clip!)

Christopher, Tom & Jay also discuss the enduring legacy of the Fab 4. They also speculate on how the band’s music will hold up in the future. Also, what if they had stayed together? Would solo hits like “Imagine”, “My Sweet Lord”, “Photograph” and “Band On The Run” sounded different as Beatles songs?

And each of us choose three songs that we would play for non-fans to turn them on to The Beatles.

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This week – one of the biggest rock bands of the ‘80s, plus a guy who had one of the greatest award show performances ever – and then a band that defined the early new wave movement. And whaddya know...They’re all Canadian!

We start with a 1986 interview with Mike Reno of Loverboy. This was a band at the peak of their game and their fame. Mike talks about touring with Van Halen, singing with Sammy Hagar, the rigours of the road – and how he misses performing immediately after a tour ends.

We also have a couple of brand-new interviews to share with you:

Colin James talks about his latest album, “Open Road”. Colin also tells the bizarre story of how he got his first big break. And something happens during our Zoom interview that was very very strange – and it stopped everyone cold – and then we all cracked up. Have a listen for that.

And we had the privilege of speaking to Martha & The Muffins – Martha Johnson and Mark Gane. They talk about their new collection of songs “Marthology”, featuring the single “Do You Ever Wonder”. Plus we discuss the success of Echo Beach and how the popularity of that song helped keep the band together, but put enormous pressure on them. And Martha talks about how her battle with Parkinson’s has ended her ability to play live – but it hasn’t stopped her from making new music. And we also discover why Martha straps on the boxing gloves on a regular basis. It’s a wonderful and inspiring chat.

We close the show with another grueling episode of “TJ vs The VJ” – as Tom and Christopher go toe-to-toe with music trivia. Christopher fights hard to redeem himself after a couple of recent setbacks. Does he succeed? Have a listen to find out!

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This week: a brand-new interview with the legendary Randy Bachman, who talks about the early days of The Guess Who and BTO, as well as his complicated relationship with Burton Cummings. Randy also tells the very funny story about the time his own father called the cops on him. The amazing 7-disc “Bachman Cummings collection” is now available.

We also have an entertaining 1986 chat with Neil Finn as he talks about the end of Split Enz and the creation of Crowded House. Neil, as always, is incredibly amusing and likeable

And we end the episode with a band that doesn’t get enough respect – Kool & The Gang. In a chat from the mid ‘80s, Robert “Kool” Bell talks about their incredible success, how they ended up on the Band Aid song "Do They Know It's Christmas" and their connection with Jimi Hendrix and Richard Pryor.

Famous Lost Words, hosted by Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic, is heard in more than 100 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, Newstalk 1290 London, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville.

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The Doobie Brothers went through massive changes during their first commercial peak in the mid ‘70s. This week, we’ll feature both eras of the Doobies – the Tom Johnston era and the Michael McDonald years. They talk about the origin of the band’s name, the stories behind their biggest hits and the health issues that led to McDonald joining the group. All told, these interview clips from the various members tell a fascinating tale of a band that rose again after a near tragic situation.

We also have a brand new interview with Myles Goodwyn of April Wine! Myles talks about the heyday of April Wine, including the infamous Stones concert at Toronto’s El Mocambo club. Plus, we chat about Myles’ new song “Some Of These Children (They Never Grew Up)” – a powerful lament about the children of Canada’s residential schools. And finally, Myles and Tom take a moment to hilariously recount April Wine’s battle with the Toronto media – and one critic in particular.

In a short segment, we find out the haunting story behind Elvis Presley’s first major hit “Heartbreak Hotel” – vividly told by the woman who co-wrote the song.

We finish the episode with a wonderful 1986 interview with Anita Baker, whose voice is matched only by her ebullient personality. Anita tells Marilyn Denis about her early career setbacks (one record company guy said she couldn’t sing!) and how she rejects the glitter and glam of show business. Anita and Marilyn have great chemistry in this genuinely entertaining chat!

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In 1978, Steven Tyler and Aerosmith made the mistake of starring in the movie flop “Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”. It was beginning of a downturn for the band’s fortunes. This week’s interview comes from that time period – as they gamely try to hype the film and talk about the band’s past success. Tyler even explains why they dropped one of their biggest hits from their setlist. We also hear from Joe Perry – who talks about his love of touring – and all the things that come with it.

Alicia Keys was in great spirits when she talked to us in 2005 as she told us some very funny stories from her career – including an embarrassing story in which she tripped and came crashing to the stage in front of an important showcase of journalists and music executives.

With the recent loss of Don Everly, we uncovered some rare clips of Don talking about two of the Everlys biggest hits, including why “Wake Up Little Suzie” was banned by some radio stations.

And Tom has a brand new chat with Ivan Doroschuk from Men Without Hats, who have a new EP of cover versions out. Ivan looks back on the early days of New Wave, the Montreal music scene – and the great story of the incident at an Ottawa bar that inspired “The Safety Dance”! (Clue: blame it on The B-52’s!)

Famous Lost Words, hosted by Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic, is heard in more than 100 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, Newstalk 1290 London, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville.

Check out Christopher Ward’s new album “Same River Twice” – out now!

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In our Season 7 debut, we feature a fantastic 1989 interview with The Rolling Stones. Burying the hatchet after the turmoil of the mid ‘80s, Mick and Keith are positively giddy as they talk about the “Steel Wheels” album and tour. Keith says he knew they were going to be okay when they spent 5 minutes in a room together and didn’t want to kill each other.

We also pay tribute to the late, great Charlie Watts with a clip of him describing how Keith Richards originally turned him onto rock and roll.

Plus, we have some very rare clips of Ray Charles as he talks about one of his biggest hits, as well as the musical freedom he enjoyed. Meanwhile, Tom tries to stump Christopher on some trivia about artists (like Ray) whose records have become official U.S. state songs.

Another rare find is a 1984 interview with The Clash. It’s a fascinating and slightly chaotic chat about the recent departure of Mick Jones. At one point, interviewer Larry Wilson veers off course when he confronts the controversial press agent/manager of the band, Kosmo Vinyl. You don’t want to miss one of the oddest interviews in our collection.

And Christopher and Tom chat about their favourite concert experiences ever. Christopher’s choice was one of the bands we feature this week – and Tom tells the story about how he was coerced into seeing a performer in 1984 – and it ended up transforming his life.

WARNING – this episode contains an awkward attempt by one of our hosts (clue – it isn’t Christopher) to pay tribute to Charlie Watts on his drums.

Famous Lost Words, hosted by Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic, is heard in more than 100 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, Newstalk 1290 London, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville.

Check out Christopher Ward’s new album “Same River Twice” – out now!

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Our Season 6 finale is a celebration of Canadian music as we speak to some of Canada’s greatest performers about their cities and experiences. - Randy Bachman on the Winnipeg concert that changed his life. - Blue Rodeo on how a trip to New York made them better musicians and prepared them to conquer the Toronto scene and the Canadian charts. - Nelly Furtado on how her diverse upbringing influenced her music - Chantal Kreviazuk talks about her Indigenous heritage and the hometown concert that affected her deeply - Legendary MuchWest host Terry David Mulligan recalls the incredible concert performance that announced the arrival of Bryan Adams - Mike Campbell from Much’s “Mike & Mike’s Excellent Adventure” talks about giving The Tragically Hip one of their early big breaks. - Barenaked Ladies explain why they got a bottle of champagne from the guys in Rush - kd lang, from a very early career interview, talks about bucking the trends in country music - a very young-sounding Justin Bieber talks about his career aspirations - The Parachute Club wave the flag for progressive causes and diversity - Paul Anka talks about being the first Canadian teen idol - Colin James remembers performing with Stevie Ray Vaughan - We’ll hear classic interview clips from Streetheart, Maestro Fresh Wes, April Wine, Triumph, Loverboy, Teenage Head, Toronto, The Rankins, Powder Blues Band, Strange Advance, Northern Pikes, Burton Cummings, Anne Murray, Nickelback, Michael Buble, and so many others.

Plus, Tom talks to Christopher about “Black Velvet” being inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall Of Fame!

It’s our final epic-sode of the season!

This episode is a special celebration of Canadian music and the musical history of this country. We want to acknowledge that this show represents the music of Canadian artists that have had Top 40 mainstream success – which is just a small part of our overall history and culture. That being said, we will try to cover as many types of music from as many different regions as we can.

Check out Christopher Ward’s new album “Same River Twice” – out now!

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Our first all-‘90s episode reflects the wildly divergent music of that decade: The Goo Goo Dolls talk about their unexpected success Posh Spice explains Girl Power amid the early days of Spice-mania Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty recalls the stories behind their biggest hits Amanda Marshall gets a huge boost from Elton John Jewel goes from living in a van to wearing a $14,000 dress to the Grammys Tom Cochrane reaps the rewards of years of hard work Ed & Steve from Barenaked Ladies reminisce about when they first met Natalie Merchant of 10,000 Maniacs talks about covering a song by one of her heroes Plus, we’ll share some ‘90s Cool Song Facts about the likes of TLC, Boyz II Men, Nirvana, Guns N' Roses, The Fugees, Salt N Pepa and Oasis!

Special shout out to Dale Smith, who was our go-to guy for interviews in the '90s!

Check out Christopher Ward’s new album “Same River Twice” – out now!

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This week: an incredible 2004 Janet Jackson interview, recorded just weeks after her infamous Super Bowl appearance. Janet is reticent at first, but then she relaxes and talks about everything from her childhood, her love of Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder (who were family friends), her personal life, her live performances and yes, the Super Bowl. A great chat.

We also have an early ‘80s interview with Robert Palmer as he explains the secrets behind his music. He also talks about how he tries to revolt against the idea of style, which is very odd for a guy with such a stylish image.

With the recent passing of BJ Thomas, we uncovered an exceptional 1989 interview with BJ and Roger Ashby. BJ reveals how his troubled relationship with his father spurred him to a career in music. BJ also talks about his biggest hits, his friendship with Elvis and how Bob Dylan (!) was the first choice to record “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head”.

Tom breaks down some Cool Song Facts about Guns N’ Roses, including the reasons for their breakup... and how David Bowie tried to help Slash conquer his addiction.

Plus, Christopher turns the tables on Tom for “Beatles or Stones”! Does Tom REALLY love KISS more than The Beatles? Tune in to find out!

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Who do you prefer – The Beatles or Stones? Tom catches Christopher off-guard with a new game as he puts Christopher on the spot! We learn that he loves Joni (we knew that) but Journey?… not so much.

We’ll also continue with our epic tribute to songwriting! Elton John talks about writing with Bernie Taupin. George Michael explains how the craft of songwriting is a reward even greater than fame. Taylor Swift reveals how specific details from her own life can make her songs relatable. Mick Jagger explains the beauty of creating a song from nothing. Alanis Morissette talks about how pain can drive her work. Neil Finn of Crowded House gives us a songwriting tutorial on his tour bus Smokey Robinson gets spiritual Sarah McLachlan explains how she faces her fears when writing And cranky old Billy Joel objects to being called the p-word.

We also hear from Carole King, Janet Jackson, Pete Townshend, Burton Cummings, Lou Reed, Michael Stipe, Eddie Schwartz, Ian Thomas, Don Henley, Chris de Burgh and Serena Ryder.

ADDED BONUS! We talk to Christopher about his brand new album “Same River Twice”, which comes out on May 28.

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This week – an epic episode (epic-sode?) on great songwriters! Paul McCartney talks about working with John Lennon. John Mellencamp explains why he doesn’t get fancy with his lyrics. Joni Mitchell reveals the funny reason she first took up the guitar. Gordon Lightfoot breaks down the craft of creating songs. Carly Simon talks about how being in motion helps her be creative. And Neil Young explains why the thing that makes him a good songwriter also makes him a terrible friend.

Plus, classic clips from Paul Simon, Jim Croce, Harry Chapin, Jann Arden, Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks and more as they reveal the magic behind creating great songs.

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In one of the best interviews from our archives, we have a chat with Peter Gabriel from 1986, as he talks about “So”, which is about to become the biggest album of his career. Peter also talks about his work with Amnesty International and how he feels about “charity fatigue”. Gabriel also fights back at the notion that he has sold out just because “So” is a success. He also discusses the myriad of reasons behind his split with Genesis and the painstaking work behind the classic “Sledgehammer” video. It’s a wide ranging and captivating interview.

A hidden gem from our collection is a 1979 interview with Chic, from the peak of their popularity. Bassist Bernard Edwards, whose work has influenced a generation of musicians, talks about the early days of Chic, teaming up with Nile Rodgers, playing to Canadian audiences and writing “Le Freak”. He also talks optimistically about the future of disco music in a way that makes you sad that it all came crashing down just a few months later.

And finally, we have a lively chat with Greg Keelor, co-founder of the legendary Canadian band Blue Rodeo. Greg talks about the trauma and joy that inspired his new album “Share The Love”. He also addresses how severe hearing problems almost ended his career. Greg explains why Blue Rodeo will NEVER surpass Gordon Lightfoot’s record at one venerable Canadian concert hall. And at the end, Greg hilariously describes what “doing my job” really means.

Famous Lost Words is heard in 70 countries worldwide and on radio stations across Canada, including Newstalk 1010 Toronto, CJAD 800 Montreal, 580 CFRA Ottawa, AM 800 CKLW Windsor, Newstalk 1290 London, 610 CKTB St Catharines, CFAX Victoria, AM1150 Kelowna and 91x in Belleville.

If you’d like to promote your business to THOUSANDS of music lovers – think about sponsoring our show. To find out more – email us – famouslostpod@gmail.com.

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We start this week’s show with Supertramp. And the more you listen, the more you can hear the rift between Roger Hodgson and Rick Davies.

Then, during our extensive Peter Cetera chat, the old wounds between him and the rest of the guys in Chicago are laid bare.

Are you sensing a theme here?

For the rest of the episode it’s the stories of famous breakups! Ozzy Osbourne on why he couldn’t wait to get the heck away from Black Sabbath (and how Van Halen played into that decision) Dennis DeYoung being asked if he’s even speaking to the guys from Styx (his answer is very funny and slightly disturbing) Steve Perry explaining why he was very upset with his Journey bandmates. Lionel Richie talks about the biggest regret in his career Lou Gramm on the hard feelings generated by his solo career Peter Gabriel giving an autopsy-like explanation on why he left Genesis Cher talks about what life with Sonny was really like when the TV cameras were off. And Burton Cumming talks about the terror of playing his first solo show after leaving the Guess Who

If you’d like to promote your business to THOUSANDS of music lovers – think about sponsoring our show. To find out more – email us – famouslostpod@gmail.com.

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What happens when the world’s most famous musician is forced to stay at home during lockdown? Why, he records an album, of course! In a new interview, Paul McCartney tells us what he’s done during “rockdown” – including the creation of “McCartney III”. He also explains how working with his daughter Mary is very much like working with his late wife Linda. The 78-year-old former Beatle also talks about his many upcoming projects and raves about the Peter Jackson Fab Four documentary coming out later this year.

We also have a great 1995 interview with Tears For Fears. Roland Orzabal explains how “The Seeds Of Love” album was conceived and which TFF song he no longer likes. He also does a hilarious Beatle impression that must be heard to be believed!

Where have all the protest songs gone? We ask that question to Speech, leader of the hip-hop band Arrested Development, who rocketed to fame almost 20 years ago with their debut “3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days In The Life Of…” and walked off with a Best New Artist Grammy. After this year’s insurrection at the U.S. capitol in Washington D.C., Speech released a new single called “A Different World”. He talks about that song, growing up Black in America, the heyday of Arrested Development and what R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe told him about being prepared for fame.

And finally, we have a rematch between Tom & Christopher in “TJ vs The VJ”, in which Tom tries to trip up Christopher on some MuchMusic trivia, and Christopher uses yet another excuse to taunt Tom about the worst song ever, “We Built This City”!

If you’d like to promote your business to THOUSANDS of music lovers – think about sponsoring our show. To find out more – email us – famouslostpod@gmail.com.

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In part 2 of our Motown tribute, Stevie Wonder talks about his very first hit and how his music reflects who he is. Michael Jackson explains how the Jackson 5 were discovered. Lionel Richie talks about attending “Motown University”. Legendary songwriter Lamont Dozier shares the very funny story behind “Stop! In The Name Of Love”. Martha Reeves tells us how her first big break came when Mary Wells failed to show up for a recording session. Mary Wilson talks about the ‘60s with The Supremes and Diana Ross talks about how she and Mary used to be very good friends. To close off the show, we have an extraordinary interview with David Ruffin and Eddie Kendrick of The Temptations, as they talk about how “The Big Chill” helped launch renewed interest in their music. And Christopher describes how David and Eddie taught him how to dance like a Temptation!

If you’d like to promote your business to THOUSANDS of music lovers – think about sponsoring our show. To find out more – email us – famouslostpod@gmail.com.

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This week, a spectacular tribute to Motown. We begin with the legendary Smokey Robinson talking about his start with the label, his biggest hits, writing for others and his favourite Motown performer. Smokey also talks about Diana Ross, The Temptations and other Motown legends. In the most powerful interview clip, Smokey reveals the considerable challenges in being a black-owned company in America during the civil rights era.

Smokey also tells the amazing stories behind the hits “Shop Around”, “I Second That Emotion”, “Tears Of A Clown” and “Mickey’s Monkey”.

We also have a wonderful mid ‘80s interview with Mary Wells, whose 1964 hit “My Guy” was one of the first Motown smashes. In this interview, recorded a mere 5 years before Mary’s death, she explains why she left the label that made her famous.

We also speak to Motown legend Jimmy Ruffin, who talks about his biggest hit, “What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted” and the profound effect it had on him and his fans.

Next week, we continue our tribute to Motown with Diana Ross and Mary Wilson of The Supremes, a very young Michael Jackson talks about how the Jackson 5 got started, Stevie Wonder talks about his first massive hit, The Temptations talk about the legacy of their music, Lionel Richie recalls walking the halls of Motown for the first time and Martha Reeves explains how she started as a Motown secretary and became one of the biggest stars of the ‘60s.

If you’d like to promote your business to THOUSANDS of music lovers – think about sponsoring our show. To find out more – email us – famouslostpod@gmail.com.

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We’ve got an excess of INXS this week! First up is a 1982 chat with Michael Hutchence from the band’s early days, talking about honing their sound in Australia, plus his partnership with Andrew Farriss. Then, we have a new interview with Andrew himself, who looks back at those heady days in the ‘80s and ‘90s when INXS toured the world and ruled the charts.

We also have a new interview with Kathy Valentine of The Go-Go’s, talking about her role in that influential band and how one of her songs helped keep the group together. We also spoke about the recent Go-Go’s documentary and the renewed push to get them inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Plus – we debut the grudge match for the ages – it’s “TJ Versus The VJ” as Tom & Christopher go toe-to-toe in a test of their musical knowledge. The result is both weirdly fascinating and undeniably fun.

Kathy Valentine’s new memoir “All I Ever Wanted” (which comes with its own soundtrack), is available now. Andrew Farriss released an EP last year called “All The Stars Are Mine”. His newest album comes out in a few weeks.

If you’d like to promote your business to THOUSANDS of music lovers – think about sponsoring our show. To find out more – email us – famouslostpod@gmail.com.

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Famous Lost Words is back! In our Season 6 premiere, it’s a tribute to Eddie Van Halen, in which we discuss Eddie’s career and play ‘80s-era interview clips of his bandmates. And Tom talks about his very embarrassing real-life encounter with Eddie and Valerie Bertinelli.

Plus, we have a classic interview with the legendary Roy Orbison, who talked about his unlikely rise to stardom – and how $8 changed his life.

If you’d like to promote your business to THOUSANDS of music lovers – think about sponsoring our show. To find out more – email us – famouslostpod@gmail.com

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On this special episode of Famous Lost Words, we honour John Lennon on the 40th anniversary of his death. We dig deep into the archives for a career-spanning collection of incredible interview clips with Lennon – from the early days of the Beatles through his solo years. The centrepiece of this episode is an exclusive 1974 chat with John. Plus we’ll talk to the legendary Canadian broadcaster who conducted the interview, John Donabie.

Other highlights : John talks about writing with Paul McCartney – and how Paul kept the band together in the later years John explains why the emergence of George Harrison as a songwriter was a good thing for John & Paul He talks about the impact of fame and drugs He tells us what he REALLY thought about Sgt. Pepper (and which Beatles albums were superior) He explains why he wants New York City moved to Canada He tells us who should have gotten a co-writing credit on “Imagine” PLUS we’ve got a whole bunch John Lennon Cool Song Facts – including the story of the song he wrote to intentionally confuse Beatles fans.

While we are observing the anniversary of John’s tragic death, this episode is a powerful celebration of John’s life.

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We wrap up Season 5 with some of our favourite moments from our previous 79 episodes! Stevie Nicks talks about her “coke & brandy days” George Michael on why his very public “outing” might have been the best thing to happen to him George Harrison takes a swipe at Paul McCartney that leaves Christopher shocked Tom gets personal with Alanis Morissette Pink talks about what guys used to expect from her on a date Canadian legend Buffy Sainte Marie talks about how she was banned from American TV networks – and didn’t find out for 10 years Steve Perry gets mocked by his bandmates from Journey The Bee Gees get carried away with Marilyn Denis And Christopher tells the funniest Robert Plant story you’ll ever hear Plus Carly Simon, Bob Ezrin and Gloria Gaynor

And we end off the season with an epic episode “When Rock Stars Attack”, including… the late Helen Reddy?!

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Having a hit record is hard enough – try doing it twice! Today’s special episode is filled with the stories behind the songs you know so well… from the artists that you don’t.

How did the real-life “Sharona” and “Jenny” feel about the songs written for them? (Spoiler – one of them loved it. The other? Not so much.)

Also - What group turned their failure as a bar band into a #1 hit? And why did one group have to hide their identity before a radio station agreed to play their song?

Plus, Ivan from Men Without Hats explains how getting thrown out of Ottawa discos inspired “The Safety Dance” and Marc Almond from Soft Cell talks about the surprising success of “Tainted Love”.

We’ve also got the stories behind “Video Killed The Radio Star”, “Shannon”, “I Can Help”, “Harden My Heart”, “What I Am”, plus the disco smashes “Knock On Wood” and “I Love The Night Life” (which both Christopher & Tom try to sing… and it’s not pretty).

And we end it all with One Hit Wonder Cool Song Facts!

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The Beach Boys were a weird combination of genius and fun. This week, we feature Mike Love and Dennis Wilson from the mid ‘70s. Mike talks about his cousin Brian Wilson and Dennis discusses the importance of recreating the Beach Boys’ distinct sound onstage during their tours.

We also have a late ‘60s interview with the great Eric Clapton, talking the dissolution of Cream and the difficultly of living up to his reputation. Oddly, he also addresses the “Paul Is Dead” rumours and you may be surprised at what Clapton has to say about them.

Plus, we have a fantastic interview with Dave Stewart of Eurythmics as he talks about his very close continuing relationship with Annie Lennox – and what happened the first time Aretha Franklin heard Annie sing.

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If there is one thing that Christopher can’t understand, it’s Tom’s love for KISS. That argument is front and centre in this episode, which features clips from Gene Simmons from the ‘70s and Paul Stanley from 1999. Gene talks about everything from the importance of their live shows, to whether the makeup will ever come off (Gene says no – four years later, he changes his mind). Paul is much more likeable in his segments, whether talking about his family, starring in “The Phantom Of The Opera” or getting along with his “brother”, Gene. Some great clips plus a rollicking chat between our two hosts.

Then we have an amazing interview from the late ‘60s as Roger McGuinn talks about the biggest songs of The Byrds. McGuinn explains how they were influenced by Bob Dylan and how they in turn influenced Dylan back. McGuinn also talks about dealing with the backlash of “Eight Miles High”.

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When Marilyn Denis interviewed Stevie Nicks in 2001, it led to a deep friendship between the two. During that chat, Stevie talked about Fleetwood Mac, her “coke & brandy days”, her Klonopin addiction, her friendship with Tom Petty and the best song she’s ever written.

Tom couldn’t help but fawn over one of his favourite rock stars, Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty, in a 2003 Chat. Rob talks about his unusual childhood, the sudden success of M20, the Grammy-winning hit “Smooth” and the tragedy that led to the hit song “3 am”. A very in-depth (but slightly embarrassing) conversation.

We were absolutely thrilled to discover a 1980 interview with Lemmy and Philthy Phil from Motorhead in our archives! They reveal their biggest influences (Joni Mitchell? huh!), how growing fame was affecting them and the very cool thing that happened to them the first time they walked into a bar in Canada!

Plus, Tom and Christopher share some more Cool Song Facts – including the weird origin story of “Smoke On The Water”!

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Steve Perry was none too pleased with his bandmates from Journey at the time of this 1994 interview. Tom asks Steve to describe the drama behind the scenes and Steve does, in painful detail. Christopher describes his one and only (rather unusual) encounter with Steve.

Meanwhile from 2001, Jennifer Lopez talks to Marilyn Denis about her personal life, her music and the movie role that made her cry.

We also have a 2006 chat with Tom and Meatloaf, which is interrupted when Tom’s cell phone rings. Meatloaf answers Tom’s phone – much to everyone’s surprise. It’s a very funny moment.

And Christopher and Tom close out the show with some Cool Song Facts about Elton John, The Beatles, Elvis Costello and a Motown secretary who became a famous singer didn’t show up for work!

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The irrepressible Lionel Richie is featured this week in a very engaging and energetic chat with Marilyn Denis from 2001. He talks about his favourite songs from his solo career and The Commodores – and his biggest regret. Plus, we have Mick Jagger as you’ve never heard him – totally relaxed! Mick is in conversation with Roger Ashby from Eddy Grant’s studio in Barbados in 1986. He talks about their upcoming album “Dirty Work” and reminisces about the infamous Stones visit to Toronto in 1977 that led to Keith Richards’ arrest.

We also have a fantastic series of interview clips with Ray Davies of The Kinks as he talks about the meaning behind some of his band’s greatest hits. Plus, a short chat with Tim Finn of Split Enz as he aims a very brotherly backhanded compliment at his brother Neil for writing their breakout hit “I Got You”. A jammed pack and very entertaining episode!

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We have an entertaining collection of interview clips with The Police this week. It’s Sting & Stewart Copeland at the height of their popularity… and arrogance. Meanwhile, Tom defends the song “De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da” with a straight face! Also, we feature a couple of ‘80s interviews with Bryan Ferry and Phil Manzanera from Roxy Music. And we talk to the legendary Canadian Buffy Sainte Marie who reveals that her biggest song secretly got her banned from American television for years.

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Phil Collins was one of the busiest, friendliest and most talented musicians of the ‘80s. He was also one of the most disrespected. We have a great early ‘80s interview with Phil to share with you this week – plus Tom & Christopher discuss his legacy.

We also have a wild interview with The Foo Fighters from 1997 that shows how rabid their fans are – and just what an amazing ambassador Dave Grohl is for rock and roll. We also continue with our look at some more great Canadian songs, including the long and winding story of “New Orleans Is Sinking” by the Tragically Hip!

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In one of the most raucous interviews in our collection, The Bee Gees have a ton of fun with Marilyn Denis in one of their final full-length interviews from 2001. Barry, Robin and Maurice talk about the moment they first harmonized with each other, the legacy of Saturday Night Fever, their late brother Andy Gibb and what annoys their partners most (Maurice has the best answer!). Also, we’ll continue with more Great Canadian songs: Eddie Schwartz talks about writing “Hit Me With Your Best Shot”. And Arnold Lanni tells the incredible story of how Sheriff’s “When I’m With You” went to number one in the U.S. 4 years AFTER the band had broken up!

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Burton Cummings & Randy Bachman reflect on “American Woman” 50 years after it reached #1 for The Guess Who! Gordon Lightfoot writes a classic that is so good, another songwriter "borrows" from it! Kim Mitchell explains what “Go For Soda” is REALLY about (and no, it's not about drunk driving), Gino Vannelli talks about the deeper meaning behind “Black Cars” and Grammy & Juno winner Alessia Cara tells us why her big hit “Wild Things” has the most meaning to her. Also – how a Rod Stewart song completely changed the life of a Canadian songwriter and why the Beach Boys turned down a song that ended up selling more than 10 million copies for a singer from Winnipeg. Plus, on a hilarious episode of When Rock Stars Attack – Myles Goodwin of April Wine takes on the city of Toronto!

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We kick off Season 5 with a special Canada Day episode! It’s the stories behind some of the biggest Canadian hits of all time – told by the artists themselves. Geddy Lee of Rush explains how Neil Peart changed a song called “Louie The Warrior” into "Tom Sawyer". Tom Cochrane witnesses tragedy and writes his most celebratory song. Carly Rae Jepsen talks about (and sings) "Call Me Maybe". Ed Robertson explains why the biggest hit by Barenaked Ladies was pretty much an accident. We also find out the stories behind the Canadian classics “Takin’ Care Of Business”, “Echo Beach” and “Oh What A Feeling”. And how Shawn Mendes dug deep for a song about mental illness that came from a very personal place. Plus, Tom asks co-host Christopher Ward about writing one of the biggest Canadian rock hits of all time.

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Upon hearing the news of Little Richard's passing, we honour his life and career with some classic interview clips of Richard talking about his humble beginnings. He also talks about how "Tutti Frutti" came to be. Plus, we have Christopher's lively conversation with Little Richard from the late '80s.

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50 years ago today, “American Woman” went to #1 on the Billboard charts – a first for a Canadian rock band. In two new interviews, we speak to Burton Cummings and Randy Bachman about the song’s creation and its meaning. As you might expect, Burton and Randy agree on some details, but disagree on many others. Even the politics of the song in the era of Vietnam and Nixon is up for lively debate.

We also talk to Randy and Burton about their years apart and what brought them together again last year. And you’ll also hear the moment in which Burton does NOT like the direction of our interview!

It’s a wildly entertaining and informative chat about one of the greatest songs in Canadian history – with two of this country’s most iconic artists.

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In honour of Kenny Rogers, we present this special tribute edition of Famous Lost Words. When Kenny passed away, we immediately searched our interview archives and found some great audio from the early '70s and '80s. Kenny talks about how his biggest hits came about - from the psychedelic sound of "Just Dropped In..." to the controversial hit "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town" to the very funny story about "Lucile".

Kenny also opens up about dealing with fame, connecting with his audience and enjoying life. In light of his passing, we think these conversations take on an added resonance.

Famous Lost Words will return in a few weeks with Season 5.

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In our Season 4 finale, we have incredible archival interview clips from George Harrison – talking about the history of The Beatles, while he was still in the group! He discusses the early days and what he liked and disliked about The White Album. He also talks about the just-completed Abbey Road, which contained some of his best work. A guaranteed mind-blower for Fab Four Fans! We also have a 2002 interview with Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor from Blue Rodeo. Greg & Jim talk about the value of hit singles, how they have endured through musical fads and why they absolutely love touring!

Plus we have amazing the stories behind three big hits from the ‘70s!

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We have an early career interview with Rihanna from 2005! She talks about being signed by Jay-Z, how she eats, breathes and sleeps music and how she embraces fashion. It’s a charming chat.

We also have an amazing interview with Jann Arden from October of 2001. In this funny yet intimate chat, Tom asks Jann whether her songs are a true reflection of herself. Her answer is both surprising and illuminating. And if you’re a songwriter, you’ll love Jann’s take on how she crafts a song (sometimes she writes with the TV on!)

And we close out the show with some Cool Song Facts about David Bowie – including why Bowie was shocked after seeing the movie “Purple Rain”.

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This week, part 2 of our 1978 interview with Paul McCartney as Paul talks about the joy of songwriting and striving for inner peace. We also play a clip from Christopher’s 1989 interview with Sir Paul as he discusses the creation of the classic “Eleanor Rigby”.

We also have Tom’s brand new interview with Ed Robertson of Barenaked Ladies. Ed remembers the early days of the band with Steven Page and explains why onstage mistakes are sometimes the most memorable part of a performance. We also discuss how BNL made the cheapest video of all time (which ended up in high rotation on MuchMusic) and why the band was really let down by Lisa Kudrow and Matt LeBlanc from “Friends”. It’s a great chat.

And we close out the show with some amazing ‘70s audio from Ann & Nancy Wilson of Heart. Ann talks about the stories behind some of their biggest hits (including “Dreamboat Annie”) and how being sisters goes a long way to solving their biggest issues.

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This week, the great Paul McCartney looks back at some of his biggest post-Beatles hits in this 1978 interview. He also reflects on the breakup of the Beatles and talks about dealing with John Lennon’s pointed song “How Do You Sleep?”. Paul also talks about getting shafted by Warren Beatty (funny story) and how The Beatles originally had a banjo player (funnier story)!

Also, Tom has a brand new interview with Canadian singer/songwriter Chantal Kreviazuk. Chantal looks back on her career and talks about working with other artists, including Drake, Kelly Clarkson and others! Some were great experiences… others… not so much. Plus Chantal talks about her documentary “I Will Break Your Heart” (now available on Crave TV), which takes a close look at her marriage to Raine Maida. It’s a funny, deeply personal and gossipy chat!

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What do pretentious rock stars sound like? Have a listen to this episode with The Eagles! Sure, Hotel California is a classic, but Don Henley and Glenn Frey make it sound like it’s a soundtrack for how to live a purposeful life. Henley & Frey DO make some excellent points as well, but Christopher and Tom spend a lot of time having fun at their expense!

We also have an incredible early ‘70s interview with the great Diana Ross, reflecting on the early days of The Supremes. She also talks about her great affection for The Jackson Five and tries to answer the question of who really discovered them!

And in one of our favourite segments ever, Canadian legend Bob Ezrin talks about producing Pink Floyd’s “The Wall”. Bob explains how Roger Waters was both the best and worst person to work with – and the struggles that came along with creating the biggest selling album of the ‘70s. It’s a great insight behind the scenes of a classic!

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With the success of the movie “Rocketman”, we thought we’d dig deep into the archives for an Elton John interview. In this in-depth chat, Elton talks about why he had to leave Reggie Dwight (his real name) behind, how people misunderstood his music (because of the success of “Your Song”) and how he NEVER thought “Bennie & The Jets” could ever be a hit! (Warning – this episode contains a moment with our co-host Tom trying to sing the high part to “Crocodile Rock”. Please keep all dogs away from your speakers during unfortunate moment.)

We also have a great chat with Carly Simon from the late ‘70s. Carly talks about working with her then-husband James Taylor, how she dealt with a brutal critic and how she sometimes hangs out with fans.

And finally, we feature at 1979 interview with Eddie Money, who passed away a few months ago. Eddie talks about how he is and isn’t a typical New Yorker, why he’d love to move to Canada, and how he wants to be remembered.

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Judge for yourself... Christopher & Tom both agree this could be the best interview in our collection. It’s George Michael from 2004, talking about his early days with Wham!, his personal struggles with fame, plus the embarrassment and freedom that accompanied his very public coming out. It’s George at his most revealing. A funny, touching and ultimately heartbreaking interview from one of music’s greatest and most tragic figures. Plus, we have a great early ‘70s chat with the incomparable Cher, who talks about her music, her wardrobe (which she calls her work clothes) and why every warned her NOT to marry Sonny Bono!

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It’s one of the most entertaining interviews from our archives! Beyoncé in conversation with Marilyn Denis from 2006, upon the release of her "B'Day" album. Beyoncé talks about her upbringing (how her dad made her run and sing at the same time), her inspiration, her movie career and her relationship with Jay-Z, which was still new at the time. Not only is Beyoncé forthcoming and relaxed, Marilyn Denis puts on a master class in how to conduct an interview with a superstar! It’s a must listen!

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This week, we have an excellent series of interview clips with The Rolling Stones. Mick, Keith and the guys are relaxed as they joke around about Mick’s singing (and guitar playing). Bill Wyman reflects on the early days of the band and Mick talks about how concert security in the ‘60s left a lot to be desired! Tom also has some Cool Song Facts about The Stones – including the story of why Bianca Jagger did NOT like Carly Simon! Plus, we’ll go back 41 years for an interview with the late Ric Ocasek of The Cars as Ric talks about the sudden success of their classic first album.

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We’re back with Episode 1 of Season 4! This week, we pay tribute to the late Neil Peart with a very extensive series of interviews with Rush. Although Geddy Lee does most of the talking in these clips, we will hear from Neil when he was just 25 years old. Hosts Christopher Ward and Tom Jokic reflect on Neil’s enormous influence and the great pride he took in his craft. Also this week – now that Peter Frampton has finished his farewell tour for health reasons, we listen to a 1976 chat with Peter just as “Frampton Comes Alive” was becoming one of the biggest selling albums ever. Peter is grappling with his newfound success which he finds very gratifying, but also quite mystifying. Don’t forget to get caught up on past episodes of Famous Lost Words – and to rate and review us!

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This week - a brand new interview with the legendary Gordon Lightfoot, who talks about his earliest days as a struggling singer-songwriter, writing the Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald and why he decided not to sue Whitney Houston over the song "The Greatest Love Of All". The new documentary about Gordon's Life, "If You Could Read My Mind", is in theatres across Canada this weekend!

Plus, Alan Frew joins us live in studio. Alan talks about the heady days of Glass Tiger in the mid '80s, the biggest crowd he ever played for - and how his buddy Rod Stewart ended up singing on Glass Tiger's greatest song.

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This week - when we talked to Def Leppard in 1980, they were barely out of their teens. They talked about their hometown of Sheffield, being the opening act for the Human League and why they couldn't believe their good luck. Tom and Christopher debate whether they deserve to be in the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.

We also have a brand new interview with Lawrence Gowan – known to most Canadians simply as Gowan – but to Americans he's the guy who replaced Dennis DeYoung in Styx. Larry tells the amazing story of how he got the job with Styx and tells us the harrowing (and hilarious) tale of how a video shoot almost ended up with him being thrown in a Mexican jail!

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In celebration of tonight's series finale of "The Big Bang Theory", Tom talks to Barenaked Ladies' Ed Robertson about the incredible story behind the writing of the BBT theme - and why he needed his wife to help him out while he was in the shower! Great story about one of the classic TV themes of all time. Plus, Ed briefs us on BNL's summer tour plans.

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This week - one of our favourite interviews ever. When Tom talked to Alanis Morissette in 2002, she told us about dealing with the intense hurricane of fame from Jagged Little Pill and how it almost derailed her life completely. Alanis also discusses what she looks for in a guy, how her art reflects her life and why she never feels guilty for the money she makes. It's an intensely revealing and often very funny interview.

We also have an early '80s chat with Lou Reed. Although Lou is known to give terrible interviews, he is relaxed and pretty charming here as he discusses his work with The Velvet Underground and the real reason "Walk On The Wild Side" became a hit. (His answer is pretty amusing).

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This week, we go back 50 years with incredibly rare interview clips Simon & Garfunkel as they talk about how one song changed everything for them – and how even Paul Simon himself was surprised when it became a hit.

We also have a 2014 chat with Canadian singer-songwriter Alessia Cara – who has been red-hot for the last five years with pop songs that stand out for their depth and honesty.

PLUS we have a brand new interview with the amazing Gino Vannelli – in which we play HIM a clip of himself from 40 years ago. Gino talks about the brazen way he landed a deal with A&M Records (and why Herb Alpert almost had him arrested) and how he strives to inject something unique into every song he writes.

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It's another special '80s edition! Huey Lewis talks about the beginning of The News, making hits for the radio, and why "I Want A New Drug" could never have been their first single. Andy Bell from Erasure explains how he convinced his idol, Vince Clarke, to hire him - and how he went from groupie to colleague. He also tells us about the moment that changed his life - and the lives of many others.

Sheena Easton joined us in 1981 just as "Morning Train (9 to 5)" was barreling up the charts. She talks about not being quite ready for fame.

And in a brand new interview with Sandy Horne and Gord Deppe, The Spoons talk about their impressive run of hits in the '80s and some of their "pinch me" moments!

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This week - in-depth conversations with Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey from The Who - as they reflect on how the Stones and Beatles influenced them, how Canada embraced them, the death of Keith Moon and how they saw the future of the band from the vantage point of the early '80s. Also, a 1978 interview with The Commodores as they talk about "Three Times A Lady", "Easy" and opening for The Jackson Five. Plus a short chat with the legendary Tom Jones - while Tom & Christopher argue about the relative merits of "She's A Lady".

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This week - some of the most iconic artists in Canadian music history. We have rare interviews with Robbie Robertson, Rick Danko and Levon Helm from The Band. Robbie talks about hooking up with Bob Dylan, Levon tells us about working in Canada and life AFTER The Last Waltz and Tom & Christopher discuss the long-standing feud between Robbie and Levon.

Also, we have an incredible 1993 interview with Randy Bachman - talking about his days with The Guess Who, the anger that fueled him to form Bachman-Turner-Overdrive and the bad blood between he and Burton Cummings.

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When we spoke to Tom Cochrane in 1991, “Life Is A Highway” was just about to make him a superstar. Tom talks about being a songwriter as opposed to a rock star and why the song “Lunatic Fringe” was a political song for him (and still resonates today).

Also, a 1982 interview with Martin Fry of ABC as their dance classic “The Lexicon Of Love” was defining the music of the ‘80s.

Plus, the legendary BB King reflects on his achievements in a 1977 chat.

And Christopher and Tom introduce a new segment called “They Shoulda Known Better” – bad decisions by famous musicians, who should have known better! (David Lee Roth, are you listening?)

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This week: an exceptional late '70s interview with Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin as he talks about how Zeppelin got started. Robert's in a great mood in this interview. It's a must listen. We also have KC & The Sunshine Band from 1977, Boz Scaggs reflecting on his biggest hit, "Lowdown", a very spirited Pat Benatar talking about being a woman in rock (and how many record companies rejected her), and a very enthusiastic Demi Lovato from 2013. And Wolfman Jack tells the very funny story behind The Guess Who hit, "Clap For The Wolfman".

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This week: an amazing interview with John Lennon & Yoko Ono from the mid ‘70s. John talks about his rivalry with Paul McCartney, why he recorded “Happy Christmas (War Is Over)” and who REALLY deserved a songwriting credit on “Imagine”.

When Joe Walsh talked to us in 1978, he was not only a very successful solo artist (“Life’s Been Good”) but also a full-fledged member of The Eagles. Joe talks about why being in a band is so much better than being solo. A very interesting and fun interview.

John Kay told us about the heyday of Steppenwolf when he visited us in 1979. The stories are crazy.

We also have two clips from producer Phil Spector that are, in a word, bizarre. One of them is only 10 seconds long – and those ten seconds are weird and chilling.

Finally, Tom presents us with more Cool Song Facts – this time it’s the original names of very famous bands. From Soft White Underbelly to Naked Toddler. Trust us, you have to hear these!

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We have incredible interviews with Stevie Nicks and Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac from about 40 years ago. Stevie talks about everything from her wardrobe to her songwriting... and reveals something very personal about herself. And Tom talks about the time they sent a Fake Fleetwood Mac out on tour!

Plus, we have Christopher's fantastic interview with David Crosby from 1989, long before his falling out with Stills, Nash and Young. Crosby is funny and charming in this interview - and even brought his guitar along for fun!

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This week: a fascinating 1978 interview with Billy Joel, talking about his career, his love of touring and the controversy behind his current hit, “Only The Good Die Young”.

Plus, Tom chats with Paul Stanley of KISS (his fave band ever!). Paul’s likeability is in stark contrast to Tom’s encounters with Gene Simmons.

We also have an early ‘70s chat with Alice Cooper, plus Cool Song Facts that will blow your mind!

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This week: We’ve got a phenomenal in 1991 interview with REM, just as “Losing My Religion” was turning them into global superstars. Michael Stipe and the band talk about success, the media and which album nearly broke the band apart.

Plus, in a brand new interview, Tom chats with one of his idols, Kim Mitchell of Max Webster! Kim talks about his past hits, his radio career and his new project with Barenaked Ladies.

And finally, we have a brief chat with Barry Manilow about the biggest hit of his career and his success... as a jingle writer!

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This week: As “Bohemian Rhapsody” battles it out at The Oscars, we feature a 1980 interview with Queen – who talk about the release of “The Game” (their first album with synthesizers) and the success of the brand new single “Another One Bites The Dust”.

We also have a very early interview with Maroon 5 from 12 years ago – plus we’ll feature a very funny story by Adam Levine about his childhood.

And finally, we have an epic version of “When Rock Stars Attack” – as Robert Plant, Paul Stanley, Asia and The Bee Gees take a huge swing at critics – and Leo Sayer takes feeble swipe at Elton John. It’s both shocking and hysterically funny!

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This week: a great interview with Angus Young of AC/DC from 1983. Angus talks about everything from his schoolboy image to the departure of drummer Phil Rudd.

Christopher and Tom discuss the worst interviews they’ve ever been a part of – including audio evidence of one very bad moment.

Music legend Steve Winwood talks about every phase of his incredible career.

Plus the late great Barry White explained what the heck he was thinking about when he talked to women in that deep deep voice.

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This week: a fantastic interview with Jon Bon Jovi & Richie Sambora from 2000 - 13 years before their falling out. We have Joan Jett just as she was about to become the breakout star of 1981. Christopher's in-depth interview with Neil Finn (Crowded House, Fleetwood Mac) is the hidden gem this week. Have a listen! And Motown songwriting legend Lamont Dozier talks about the early days of Hitsville USA - and explains how the Supremes didn't want to record the song that made them

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This week: a great 1981 interview w Bryan Adams - talking about the dance hit that got him started (but he'd rather forget) and working with Loverboy & Lou Gramm. Also, classic interview clips with cranky, cantankerous Joe Jackson - and the results are pure entertainment. Plus - legendary Canadian broadcaster (and recently retired CHUM jock) Roger Ashby tells us some of the most hilarious stories you've ever heard - including the time he partied with Led Zeppelin and Fleetwood Mac - on the same day!

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it's our Awesome Eighties Edition! Hear Duran Duran just as they are about to break out with the new album "Rio", OMD talk about the WORST videos they ever made, Susanna Hoffs of The Bangles talks about recording the Prince song "Manic Monday", George Michael explains about how wonderfully cheesy the music of Wham was and Martha & The Muffins tell us where the heck "Echo Beach" is! Plus Tom & Christopher argue about Air Supply and we have some amazing '80s Cool Song Facts!

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We kick off Season 3 with the The Beatles! Lennon & McCartney talk songwriting. George talks about meeting Ringo for the first time. And John talks about those crazy “Paul Is Dead” rumours. And we have some hilarious (and somewhat shocking) audio of a different type of mania... from the day in 1976 that the Bay City Rollers came to one Canadian city and just about turned it upside down. Plus Cool Song Facts – including the very last song The Beatles recorded together.

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Season 2 finale - A great 1983 chat with David Bowie. To help us out, we brought in Laurie Brown, Christopher's former MuchMusic colleague, who had a great relationship with Bowie himself. Also, Depeche Mode from 2005 as they talk about their early days and their devoted Canadian fans. And Christopher & Tom argue about whether or not to feature the legendary but largely unknown Graham Parker on the show. Christopher wins and Tom has to admit that the interview with both interesting AND hilarious!

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This week, an early-career interview with one of the biggest stars of the decade, Bruno Mars. Tom & Christopher debate whether Bruno is an “artist” or “just an entertainer”. Tom stumbles across a classic interview with Van Morrison, who talks about creating classics like “Domino” and “Brown Eyed Girl”. And an entertaining 1996 chat with Phil Collins just as he is leaving Genesis. Phil is happy and optimistic in this interview – not knowing of the personal and career struggles

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John Mellencamp is featured in two interviews from the late '90s. Far removed from his early '80s brashness, John is more chilled out and thankful for his enduring career. Also: a great 2004 chat with kd lang. Tom & Christopher share their not-so-great interview experiences with kd. Plus: "Songs We Hate To Love" - a hilarious debate about some of the worst songs ever that still hold a special place in our hearts. And Cool Song Facts with the story behind a powerful hippie-era classic!

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This week - a fascinating 1978 interview with Bruce Springsteen, who talks about dealing with the “Born To Run” media hype, being called “The Boss” and the first time he met Clarence Clemons. Plus, an entertaining early-career interview with Nelly Furtado, just as she was releasing her debut album. Also, a brand new chat with Montreal music legend Andy Kim about his 50 year career - from writing the classic “Sugar Sugar”, to starting his own record label in order to release the massive “R

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A late '70s interview with Rod Stewart, who talks trash about The Stones, Jeff Beck, The Faces and more, while dealing with the backlash of his glam years. It’s a funny, reflective and sometimes profane chat! We also talk to Alannah Myles in 1990 (“Black Velvet” and “Love Is”). Christopher recalls his time with Alannah, as her boyfriend, her writing partner and her advocate. And he regales us with a couple of very funny Alannah moments. PLUS - “When Rock Stars Attack” – the Karen Carp

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This week – a 2000 interview with the Backstreet Boys – at the peak of their career. Plus, Tom & Christopher try to outdo each other with their best Backstreet Boys story – Christopher wins by a mile! Also, rare mid ‘70s interview with Walter Becker & Donald Fagen of Steely Dan. And we feature a new interview with Canadian artist Marc Jordan, who worked with Steely Dan (and Toto) when he started his career in the ‘70s. Marc also talks about what it was like to write one of Rod Stewart’s

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This week: Christopher’s incredible 1989 interview with Neil Young. For a guy who doesn’t love talking to the media, Neil tells us everything - from his songwriting method to why he’s not a good friend. He even shows his sense of humour! A can’t-miss interview. Speaking of Canadian icons, we talk to the guy who wrote the definitive Gordon Lightfoot biography. Nicholas Jennings talks to Tom about the highs and lows of Lightfoot’s career, including the time he decided NOT to sue Whitney Houston

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The Super Seventies Show with interviews from Donna Summer, Styx, Kiki Dee, The Captain & Tennille. (As Toni Tennille vainly tries to justify recording "Muskrat Love"!) Tom has a brand new interview with "I Will Survive" singer Gloria Gaynor, who is shocked when we play her an interview that we did with her 40 years ago! Christopher talks about his amazing personal encounter with Natalie Cole. And we close it off with "The Wisdom Of Helen" as Helen Reddy gives us her frank assessment of punk rock

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This week: a great chat with Bob Seger from 1976 as he was about to hit superstardom. Bob talks about his working class fans and being "bigger than The Beatles" in Detroit. Montreal's April Wine were involved in one of the greatest secret concerts in rock history in 1977, when they opened for "The Cockroaches" at Toronto's El Mocambo. It turned out to be The Rolling Stones. Hear that incredible story! We also chat with fellow music geek Jay Michaels about the greatest music documentaries of all time!

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We hit the motherlode! We found some classic Bob Dylan interview clips deep inside the vaults (unlabelled & undated). These clips are as elusive and confounding as Dylan himself – but amazing nonetheless! And for something COMPLETELY different – we also feature great chatss with Howard Jones (looking back on his biggest hits) and Devo – who successfully fought against fame. And we talk to one of music’s original journalists – as Jeanne Beker talks about the two minutes that changed her life.

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This week: a fascinating in-depth chat between Tom and Don Henley from 2000.

Henley talks about: the impact of Elvis how The Beatles saved his life Fighting for artist rights Living the excess of the ‘70s Playing his biggest hits even when he’s tired of them

Plus, we feature an amazing interview with Sarah McLachlan from 1997 at the absolute peak of her career – talking about her new album “Surfacing”, how she tries to avoid songwriting and the tour that changed everything, Lilith Fair.

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In one of Christopher's most notorious interviews, George Harrison talks about The Beatles, his solo work and much more! But things get VERY interesting when Harrison takes a well-aimed shot at Paul McCartney. Plus, a great chat with Rolling Stone bassist Bill Wyman from the '80s that reveal a great deal about the World's Greatest Rock and Roll Band!

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An incredibly rowdy interview from Pink in 2003 and we discuss how she grew into one of the best performers around today. We go back 40 years for a surprising interview with Olivia Newton-John as she talks about challenges in her career. She also talks about the new movie she had just finished shooting... "Grease". We remember The Queen Of Soul with a revealing clip of Aretha Franklin from the early '70s. And on the very last "Wisdom Of Dave", David Lee Roth addresses the infamous "Brown M&Ms" st

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Episode 202 - An early '70s interview with Tina Turner talking about working with her infamous ex-husband Ike Turner. Plus a great conversation with 19-year-old Andy Gibb - as he was topping the charts. On "When Rock Stars Attack" - Paul McCartney throws some shade at George and Ringo. And "Cool Song Facts - The Beatles Edition", Tom comes up with the weirdest true fact about The Fab Four ever! Finally, on The Wisdom Of Dave: David Lee Roth actually makes sense as he describes his songwriting techniqu

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This week on Famous Lost Words, we kick off Season 2 with a fun-filled, hilarious interview with COLDPLAY from 2005.

We also hear the incredible story of how a threat on his life forced PETER GABRIEL to do a Genesis reunion in the early ‘80s.

And we feature a great chat with Melissa Etheridge, who surprisingly reveals her French Canadian roots!

And of course, we end the show with “The Wisdom Of Dave” - as David Lee Roth expounds on life and music - and manages to confuse us all!

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This week we're featuring some of our favourite moments from our earliest shows, including: - Janet Jackson talking about the infamous Super Bowl - David Bowie talks about the one thing that would destroy his art - Paul McCartney reveals a little-known controversy about "Hey Jude" - Elvis Costello on what Led Zeppelin's music means to him - What Robert Plant REALLY thinks of "Stairway To Heaven" - Why Leonard Cohen found playing in his hometown of Montreal the hardest gig of any tour

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This Week: Hear Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham in separate interviews from the early '80s talking about their solo work, but more importantly, their ongoing battles within Fleetwood Mac. Plus Tom tells us some fascinating facts from the Nicks biography - including the very famous rock star who was the love of Stevie's life (and no, it's not Lindsey or Don Henley or Tom Petty)! And Christopher tells us a wild story about recently being onstage with one of the newest members of The Mac - Neil Fin

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This week, we rewind to 1973 as Burton expounds on everything from The Guess Who to the future of music. We also have an amazing 1996 chat with Sheryl Crow, who tells us about dealing with her massive hit "All I Wanna Do". She also tells us about her experience touring as a backup singer for Michael Jackson. Stephen Stills attacks our very own Tom Jokic - and John Lennon attacks The Rolling Stones And was "Puff The Magic Dragon" about drugs? We asked the guy who wrote it - and he SANG us his a

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This week- A late '60s/early '70s chat with Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones - talking about their biggest hits, where they surpass the Beatles and dealing with the police around the world. On "When Rock Stars Attack" - The Guess Who's Burton Cummings lays waste to the glam rock stars (but is David Bowie really the right target?). A 1987 interview with Dave Stewart of Eurtyhmics - who tells us about his complex relationship with Annie Lennox, and working with the likes of Mick Jagger + Tom

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This week on Famous Lost Words - we have a hilarious 1981 interview with (a surprisingly lucid) Ozzy Osborne.

We also have a fascinating chat with Beatles producer George Martin who talked about when it all started to fall apart for the Fab Four, working with the surviving Beatles and how he found out about the death of John Lennon.

We'll also play you the absolute worst clip from our vaults and talk to the great Sass Jordan in a brand new interview!

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This week: We have a fascinating interview with the great Joni Mitchell from 1995. Not only is Joni one of the most accomplished singer/songwriter/musicians ever, she is an incredibly well spoken interview subject. We also have two minutes from the biggest name in rock and roll ever - Elvis Presley. The King reveals more in those two minutes than most people do in half an hour. And we go back to the early '70s for an interview with John Fogerty - a few years before things went south with CCR.

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One of the greatest songwriters of all time – Paul Simon – tells us about his craft in an early ‘70s interview. From 2006, we have a great chat with The Killers upon the release of their second album. (You’ll be surprised at what ‘80s hit they love!) Also, we chat with a guy who was involved in two of the greatest albums ever (clue: they were “Abbey Road” and “Dark Side Of The Moon”) and we’ll also feature a hilarious chat with Bruce Dickinson from Iron Maiden

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U2 were young and idealistic when they talked to us in 1980. They talk passionately about their music, their country and their fans. And you'll hear Bono get genuinely pissed off when talking about the song "Won't Get Fooled Again" by The Who. We also have a great early interview with Lady Gaga from 2008 - as "Just Dance" was hitting #1 around the world. Plus we go back to 1984 with Montreal's Corey Hart upon the release of "First Offence". Corey tells us about writing "Sunglasses At Night" and

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We have a interview with Elton John from the early '70s. He tells us about his relationship with Bernie Taupin, and the ONE reason he decided to come to North America in 1970 We will play you the one and only "interview" we have with Michael Jackson. Be forewarned... that "interview" is only 45 seconds long... but it's actually pretty amazing! We have a rare interview with punk pioneers The Ramones We also have the quintessential Canadian ‘80s band with one of the biggest and best songs from that era. We're talking about The Spoons!

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This week on Famous Lost Words - an amazing mid-'70s chat with the legendary John Lennon. We spoke to Justin Bieber just as his career was about to explode. He reveals himself to be a sweet kid - whose life is about to change in a way he would not have imagined. Tom shares his 1995 interview with Def Leppard, an interview he was initially too embarrassed to play for us! We also have one of the geekiest clips ever from our friends in Rush as they talk very earnestly about one of their biggest albums!

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We've got two different interviews with The Police which paint a complete picture of the band. We'll discuss what made they different, what made them successful and what ultimately tore them apart.

A pretty feisty interview with Chrissie Hynde from 1979, in which Chrissie defiantly talks about making pop music, but dodges a question about why she ended up in the back of a cop car.

Finally we have a rare but fascinating 1985 interview with the great Kate Bush as she talks about her biggest album.

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This week on Famous Lost Words – a 1978 interview with the incomparable David Bowie who talks about live performances, musical trends and the one thing that he would never, ever do.

We also have an interview with a very happy and upbeat Michael Hutchence of INXS - only 7 months before he died.

Also, some wild backstage audio from Fleetwood Mac just after the release of "Rumours".

And of course, we end the episode with "The Wisdom Of Dave" - as David Lee Roth amuses and confuses us all.

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This week on Famous Lost Words – a great chat with The Bee Gees as they dealt with the stigma of their success. We’ve also got an early career interview with John Cougar Mellencamp – back when he was full of fire and attitude.

On “When Rock Stars Attack” – we hear from Carly Simon. And Cher tells us what it was REALLY like being married to Sonny Bono. And this week we begin a hilarious new feature called “The Wisdom Of Dave”. Listen to find out who the heck Dave is!

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An early-career interview with the great Tom Petty – just as his career was ready to explode.

Also, we’ll hear the worst interview Christopher has ever done – or was it?

Plus we talk to one of the greatest songwriters of all time and we’ll tell you a very funny story of rock star mistaken identity – told by a pretty famous rock star himself!

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A very rare interview with Prince from 2010 - He’s in a reflective and playful mood in this fascinating chat.

We also have a 1988 interview with Robert Plant as he comes to terms with his Led Zeppelin legacy – and how he REALLY feels about “Stairway To Heaven” (you won’t believe what he calls it). Also, Christopher tells us the BEST ROBERT PLANT STORY YOU’LL EVER HEAR!

We also feature a very entertaining chat with Boy George – just as Culture Club was exploding in North America.

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This week: Things get heated in a 1984 interview as Journey’s Steve Perry deals with criticism of his first solo album – from his own bandmates! A 1985 chat with Bryan Adams talking about being raised by very strict parents – and not liking it at all. Paul McCartney tells us what inspired “Hey Jude”, which runs contrary to what John Lennon believed the song was about. Also, a rare interview with one of the Beach Boys – who wades into some pretty controversial territory when talking about his

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This week on Famous Lost Words:

Christopher talks to Pete Townshend of The Who (circa 1989)

We have Pat Benatar in a mid '80s chat

An early career interview with Kelly Clarkson (from 2004)

PLUS a Canadian rock star hilariously predicts the future (Mike Levine of Triumph circa 1980)

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This week: A great mid-‘80s interview with Peter Frampton who talks about having to escape the life of being a pop idol – so he turned to one of his best friends, David Bowie. Bowie’s advice for Frampton was pretty wonderful and kind of surprising.

Christopher turns back the clock on a mid-‘90s chat that he had with the legendary Leonard Cohen.

Plus the Cowboy Junkies AND an early career interview with Taylor Swift from 8 years ago – where she talks about her new best friend… Katy Perry!

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This week: Lou Gramm deals with the backlash from his Foreigner bandmates when he releases his successful solo album.

John Mayer in a weird and wonderful 2006 interview with Roger Ashby & Marilyn Denis

Chantal Kreviazuk on the difference between working with Gwen Stefani and her own husband... and a peek at the utter mayhem backstage at a Rod Stewart concert in the '70s

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A fascinating 1988 interview with Glenn Frey of The Eagles and a chat with the iconic Mick Jagger from 2001

Plus: When Rock Stars Attack – a guy who was forced out of a supergroup because he couldn’t stand one of the members!

And we’ll talk about a song that changed everything for this mega-band.

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Welcome to Famous Lost Words.

This Week - Tom and Christopher dig up an interview with Janet Jackson soon after the infamous wardrobe malfunction

PLUS We introduce you to segments

When Rockstars Attack!

The Greatest Songs of all Time

Famous Lost Words: Recent Episodes

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