New to the station and not sure where to start or trying to remember a favourite show?
We offer an overview of artists featured in the archives below.

(Shows average an hour in length and "featured" artists have two or more plays within the show)

IMPORTANT NOTE: Currently, to launch a show, you will have to visit the "Listen" page and select the desired archive. (Long story).

Scroll down or pick a year: 2009 2008 2007

2009  

Jan Feb Mar Apr  May June

June 09

Archive 43
Vancouver 

While we do our usual globe-scouring to find great music, this show, as the title suggests, includes a spotlight on the thriving Vancouver music scene.

The featured artists:

Off the top (with thanks to Amit Riff for the intro to the show):

Yeah Whatever (Vancouver,Canada)
"Human"
Thundering, high energy rock. To be played LOUD.

YUCA (Vancouver, Canada)
"It's about something"
Brilliant blend of pop, alternative and rock. Great songwriting.

Versus the Nothing (Vancouver, Canada)
"Just wait"
One of Vancouver's most energetic live bands.This song runs the gamut from soft ballad to thundering metal. Striking vocals.

Coldspell (Kiruna, Sweden)
"Fade away"
Yet another stellar track from their new album Infinite Stargaze. Rock with a "classic rock" feel at its best.

Gtrman (Toronto, Canada)
"Coming home"
Our first acoustic piece of the set. Two pure, natural sounding acoustic guitars with some pretty quick fingers. Very nicely done.

Neil Campbell (Liverpool, UK)
"Ghost story, iii"
This is an excerpt from the album Ghost Stories by classically trained guitar player Neil Campbell. Instrumental in the sense that their are no lyrics. The human voice is used strickly as an instrument. Ethereal vocal parts by Ann Taft. Fascinating peice of music.

YUCA (Vancouver, Canada)
"Hanging by a thread"
This second song from YUCA again showcases their great songwriting skills. However, pay attention to the vocals. Truly remarkable performance from a singer and a band that is destined to become much better known outside our region.

FDV (Naples, Italy)
"Improvisation 1"
Very 'trance like' piece of experimental music. Three overdubbed guitars with a touch of digital delay courtesy of Italian guitarist Fabrizio Divicino. Throw in some keyboards by Luigi Rubino and the end result is a very cool soundscape.

Flaming Bess (Dusseldorf, Germany)
"Flucht & Verfolgung"
Instrumental piece with progressive rock influences coupled with a great groove. Very tasty.
(My apologies to the band as I probably massacre the title's pronunciation in the show!)



Click the "Artist Info" button for more info on the artists we feature.

Thanks for listening!

May 09 

Archive 42
Europa

The good weather has finally hit Vancouver and we want to kick off the summer season with a good cross-section of tunes for you to 'crank' as the weather warms.

The featured artists:

Off the top (with thanks to Amit Riff for the intro to the show):

Coldspell (Kiruna, Sweden)
"Raving Mad"
High energy, fist pumping rock n' roll guaranteed to blow the cobwebs out of any place they're hiding. Turn up the volume and enjoy!

Dreamscape (Munich, Germany)
"Phenomenon"
Another great track off Infinite Stargaze, their brand new album.
This track takes you on quite a journey from thundering orchestral metal through progressive and into some quiet, subtle pieces. Very nicely done.

Stonestep (Latvia)
"My own dust"
An 'encore' presentation of a band we first played last fall (before we started releasing shows as podcasts). Excellent example of contemporary rock. Great writing and great playing.

Cloverseeds (Lyon, France)
"Recall"
Brilliant piece of music. Very tasteful layering of guitar parts, outstanding vocals and just the right touch from drums and bass to complement the song's feel. Elements of Radiohead. Very contemporary and very nicely done.

Fabrice Bony (Ile-de-France, France)
"Thread of life"
The first instrumental of the show. Shades of Ambient and Progressive styles. Very tasty piece of music.

Mindmovie (Dusseldorf, Germany)
"Mekon Peppers"
Our second instrumental. Great feel and great playing from one of our favourite artists.

Lonero (San Jose, California)
"Thoughts"
The second track we have featured from the originators of the "guitarcore" style of playing. This track features a different side of the band, edging into almost a 'Santana' type sound. Great composition and very nicely played.

Eye Rhyme (Toronto, Canada)
"Electricity"
The first of two from Eye Rhyme. High energy song with a distinctive 'Rush" type feel to it. What's in the water in Toronto? We are definitely having our attention caught by a disproportionate number of bands from the Toronto area.

Eye Rhyme (Toronto, Canada)
"Dying hope"
Great writing and playing on a song with a very heavy lyrical content. The lyrics reference the case of Robert Latimer, a Saskatchewan farmer convicted of second degree murder in the death of his daughter who had been born with cerebral palsy. She had lived a life of unending pain and this case ignited the debate on the concept of 'mercy killing'.

April 09

Archive 41
Composition 

This show features a mix of brand new material as well as some 'encore' performances from the days when we didn't offer podcasts/downloads of the show.

We also offer a very unique insight into the creative process. The remarkable Imogen Heap, a British artist who we have featured a few times now, released 'raw, unprocessed' vocal tracks on the internet for composers anywhere in the world to download and write and record their own music as accompaniment. The result we showcase is spectacular.

The featured artists:

Off the top (with thanks, as always, to Amit Riff for the intro to the show):

Shaolin Temple of Boom (Los Angeles, California)
"The end of reason"
Turn your speakers up for this one. Containing elements of industrial rock, the production gives this a warmth (and thunder!) often missing from industrial rock. Very powerful piece of music.

Neveragain (Oakland, California)
"No Heaven"
Somewhat continuing the 'industrial theme' of the first track, this cut off Neveragain's new album "The Great Betrayal", brings a compelling mix of the alienation of industrial with a melody that is guaranteed to stick in your head. Very cool.

Shen (UK)
"The Journey"
An 'encore play', this was picked because I loved the intro guitar part. Some cool playing (and singing) throughout.

Klimt 1918 (Italy)
"Skygazer"
Why we (in North America) don't typically get access to material like this is beyond me. This has "monster hit" written all over it.

New Groove Formation
"International waste of time"
Interspersing the rock with a touch of ska. Great groove and great lyrics.

Urbandux (Gothenburg, Sweden)
"The aftermath"
Very tasty production on this piece. Well written, well played and well sung. Great job all round.

Noble Brats (Tel-Aviv, Israel)
"The offer"
Another example of great writing and production. Love the guitar tones and phrasing on this song. Very strong vocals, also.

Imogen Heap with Lunartheory (UK/Canada)
"The song that never was"
This is the piece referred to in the intro to this show. Remarkable insight into the creative process. A MUST listen!

Gravity Field (Hastings, UK)
"Paris based think tank"
Definitely a contender for "Best song title". This song takes you on a trip through thundering Black Sabbath territory, into Pink Floyd/Porcupine Tree and throws in a touch of Radiohead for good measure. Really interesting writing and arranging (as well as playing). Great song!

John Bassett (Hastings, UK)
"For Sale"
This is a very stripped down song from the man behind Gravity Field (as well as KingBathMat). Just a man and his guitar. I love it!

Archive 40
Quarante 

Welcome to our 40th show!
Another very diverse show. This is already available as a download so you don't have to be sitting at a computer to listen.

The featured artists:

Off the top (with thanks to Amit Riff for the intro to the show):

LoNero (San Jose, California)
"Loose"
Instrumental rock band. Originators of "Guitarcore". Great playing and great energy. Intense yet retaining a sense of melody. Very cool.

Coldspell (Kiruna, Sweden)
"Straight things out"
They come from the land of the ice and snow from the midnight sun where the hot springs blow. Air-punching stadium rock at its best.

Tenth Planet (Toronto, Canada)
"Even if you're still alive"
Another great track off the album "Everything is never over", co-produced by Jeff Martin (ex The Tea Party) and Mike Turner (ex Our Lady Peace). Also features a snippet from the interview we had with co-founder/guitarist Brian Paul last week. The complete interview is now available to download or listen online off the Artist Info page. Behind the scenes insights on making it in today's music business (including the importance of a good drum sound and the challenges of trying to 'make it' in your home region).

The Wishing Tree (UK)
"Osara"
Beautiful piece with a folk influence but the production of Steve Rothery (Marillion) puts the album in a unique category of its own. Very tasteful.

Roland Nipp (Richmond, BC Canada)
"Just like going home"
Instrumental guitar piece. Very soulful playing style and beautiful guitar tone.

LunarTheory (Saskatchewan, Canada)
"Beautiful Dark Dreams"
Pop sensibility coupled with a haunting melody create a very memorable piece. Great production.

Fabrice Bony (Paris, France)
"Four birds as witnesses"
Very unique instrumental piece. Starts with solo acoustic piano and weaves in and out of progressive and jazz stylings (hints of "Lamb lies down on Broadway" by Genesis at points). Very nicely done.

Toxic Bee Buzz (Briey, France)
"Odd men out"
"Sidewalks in flowers"
If you've ever wondered what Mick Jagger and Keith Richards would sound like if they were just now emerging from the contemporary music scene in London (as twenty year olds in 2009), you'll fall off your chair when you hear this band. The first tune is a very contemporary rock song and the second has a superb stripped down bluesy feel. Amazing work.

March 09

Archive 39
Boomba Roomba
While our last show focused on one genre, this show is probably one of the most diverse shows we've ever put together. Definitely, a show to challenge your ears with selections ranging from Aussie Rock through to neo-classical/opera. Check out the selections below!

The featured artists:

Off the top (with thanks to Amit Riff for the intro to the show):

The Love Dogs (Melbourne, Australia)
"Boomba Roomba"
A quiet start that pulls you in and then BLAM! Turn it up to 'feel' this one. Great 'straight ahead' rock that Australian bands seem to have a knack for. Also, check out what a world class rock voice singer Nic Haxaw Leon has.

Gravity Field (Hastings, UK)
"Psychoanalyze"
The first of two songs featuring the diverse talents of singer, composer John Bassett. This song has the thundering sound of Black Sabbath and throws in some interesting twists. Very cool song.

KingBathmat (Hastings, UK)
"Paper Bag"
The second project featuring John Bassett. You'll have a hard time believing this is from the same person. A very dreamy feel through most of the song giving John a chance to showcase the remarkable expressiveness of his voice. Some very tasty work also from guitarist Lee Sulsh

Phil Morrissey and the Alchemists (Oxford, UK)
"Through the rain"
A delightful "all acoustic" piece. Acoustic guitar, viola and bongocero create a mesmerizing sound through which singer Phil Morissey weaves a captivating vocal. Hints of Traffic. Very nicely done.

Sophya Baccini (Naples, Italy)
"Aradia"
We move into a very different category with this piece. The intro has a very operatic/classical feel to it. If you're a headbanger, I challenge you to listen all the way through! Sophya exhibits a truly remarkable vocal range (and great control over her voice). Great job with the slow build of the strings and orchestration which climaxes in a final third that is much more in Marillion/Pink Floyd territory, complete with soaring guitar. Remarkable work.

Tenth Planet (Toronto, Canada)
"See yourself"
The first of two tracks off their new album "Everything is never over", co-produced by Jeff Martin (ex The Tea Party) and Mike Turner (ex Our Lady Peace). This is one of the strongest albums I've heard in a VERY long time.
"See yourself" is another song that gets off to a thundering start and doesn't let go until the last note is played. Powerhouse vocals!

"Balcony"
This second song has a much quieter start and features a mood setting keyboard pattern reminiscent of Led Zepplin's "No Quarter" without being derivitive. As with the two songs earlier in the show featuring John Bassett, this second song allows singer Martin Ouellette to expand on the tremendous depth of emotional range in his singing. Guitarist Brian Paul brings in some very tasty work, also. Initially on acoustic but when it's time to 'power out', Brian 'POWERS OUT'!

Ozric Tentacles (somewhere in the wilds of the west of England)
"Mooncalf"
We just received an advance copy of this track off their brand new album "The YumYum Tree" scheduled for release on April 27. As with their previous work, this track immediately serves notice that this is a 'players band'. Outstanding musicianship throughout as they weave through multiple styles; Progressive, jazz fusion, dub, trance, wherever they choose!
Can hardly wait to hear the rest of the album.

Voodoo Johnson (Brirmingham, UK)
"Nobody does it better"
Yes, you read that correctly. This is not a 'formal' release. This is 'the lads' pushing some boundaries in rehearsal. I was almost afraid to listen at first but this truly ROCKS! Think Guns 'n Roses covering this song (with Queen's Brian May invited to join them). Kev Bayliss again displays his great vocal range and the entire band absolutely rocks. Great way to end the show!

Archive 38
Progressive Rock 2.0
For only the second time since we launched our station, this show is dedicated to just one genre of music: Progressive Rock.

This begs the question “What is Progressive Rock?”

Once upon a time, that term would have meant the symphonic/classically influenced offerings of bands like King Crimson, Genesis and Yes. Today, the term seems to be getting applied to a much wider range material, often with a jazz fusion influence.

Common denominators?

• If you try dancing to a Progressive Rock song, people will assume you  recently ingested some bad acid.

• You won’t find a “boom crack, boom-boom crack” drum pattern. Drum work is typically much more intricate.

• Expect a tempo change (or two).

• Extreme likelihood of hearing musicians who purchased their first instruments more than three months ago.

• Songs fitting the radio format of 3 to 4 minutes in length are few and far between.

• The standard song structure (verse – verse – chorus – verse – chorus – solo – chorus – chorus – end) is very seldom seen. Much more complexity to the writing and general structure.

• Music voted least likely to be heard on commercial radio. In short, this is music that demands some observation and digesting.

If ‘regular’ rock is a cold beer on a hot day, Progressive Rock is a fine bottle of wine. It may be an acquired taste that takes some time to appreciate, not something to be ‘chugged’ then smash the container against one’s forehead. (Connoisseurs of microbrewery products are exempt from this apparent trashing of ‘regular beer’. Hey – if it’s hot enough and the beer is cold enough, who cares?)

The featured artists:

Off the top:
Excerpt from “Cinema” by Yes. A passing of the torch, if you will, from the ‘old guard’ to the new. Great piece (cool video available on YouTube of Yes performing this at a concert in London in 2004 for the Prince’s Trust. Trevor Rabin and Steve Howe both on guitar). The very first song we ever played on our station.

Dreamscape (Munich Germany) “When shadows are gone” Probably the most ‘instantly accessible’ song in the set. Sliding between progressive, rock and metal, this is a well crafted song with great energy and awesome playing and vocals.

The Flower Kings (Sweden) “There is more to this world” This is more in the realm of ‘traditional’ progressive rock. The song moves through a variety of ‘feels’ and tempos. It brings up memories of Emerson Lake and Palmer, partly from the keyboards, but also from vocals that are, at times, eerily reminiscent of Greg Lake. You’ll also think that Steve Howe (Yes) makes a guest appearance. However, they accomplish this without sounding derivative. Very original piece. Very enjoyable.

Dave Hart (Vancouver Island, Canada) “Do it again” Guitarist Dave Hart has a new album just released. Most of the material involves unique texturing creating solely on guitar (with the help of a guitar synthesizer). Primarily in the atmospheric style of “New Age” music, this particular piece spans a wide gap from atmospheric to material verging on metal. Some pushing the envelope guitar virtuosity here!

Piel de Canto (Almeria, Spain) Excerpt from “10 Piezas Minimas” This is album is a collection of pieces that all flow together. The excerpt we have chosen is a short piece that opens with chimes that almost sound atonal until you hear the pattern. Moody, underlying synth pads ultimately give way to guitar work with a decidedly ‘middle eastern’ feel. Then the drums kick in and watch out!

Ozric Tentacles (somewhere in the wilds of the west of England) “Coily” If the synth pattern off the top is ‘too much for you’, hang in there. About a minute and a half in, the song settles into an awesome groove with some outstanding guitar work. Truly impeccable playing from every instrument. Strong jazz fusion influences.

Marc Norgaard (Baltimore, USA) “Papaya Dream” Marc is a very talented session player (drums) who writes his material on guitar then brings in his “friends” to play ‘the other bits’ so he can focus on the drums. Friends include, on guitars, Frank Gambale (Chick Corea Elektric Band), Brett Garsed (Planet X), on piano Steve Hunt (Alan Holdsworth) and Dave DeMarco (Oblivion Sun) on bass. Very jazzy feel to this piece with a tempo twist towards the end. Very cool piece.

Godsticks (Wales, UK) “Puppy Gardener” For me, this was an “acquired taste”. Wasn’t blown away on first listen but I recognized that this was a band with serious chops and strong vocals so gave them a few more listens. With each listen, I liked them more. This song has a very jazz influenced feel. Uptempo front end to the song but the back third settles into a mesmerizing groove with some very tasty guitar work. Very worth getting to know!

Transatlantic (USA/UK) Excerpt from “All of the above” A veritable Progressive Rock supergroup with members from both sides of the Atlantic, this band features Mike Portnoy (Dream Theatre), Neal Morse (Spock’s Beard), Pete Trewavas (Marillion) and Roine Stolt (Flower Kings). This excerpt features a great ‘dream state’ groove that evolves as the song progresses, guaranteed to draw you in, as well as classic vocal harmonies. A tiny slice from a remarkable album.

Special thanks to Steve Finley from the Guitar Repair Centre  who originally turned me on to three of the featured artists (Transatlantic, The Flower Kings and Ozric Tentacles).

February 09 

Archive 37
Rhino
For today's show, we're going to list the genres the featured artists apply to themselves, then list the artists alphabetically and see if you can match the descriptions to the artists. Stellar vocals, brilliant guitar work and cool grooves. It's all here in today's show!

The artists' self descriptions:

Harmonious blend of punky alt-rock/Brit pop
Progressive/ Metal/ Rock
Rock/Metal
Classic Rock/ Rock
Rock/ Progressive/ Metal
Rock/ Electronica
Alternative/ Rock/ Indie
Psychedelic/ Jam Band/ Down-Tempo

The artists:

CloverSeeds (Lyon, France)
Dreamscape (Munich, Germany)
Isle of Thieves (Toronto, Canada)
Lilith (Radom, Poland)
Mindmovie (Dusseldorf, Germany)
Noetics (Hannover, Germany)
Valium Skies (Manchester, UK)
Voodoo Johnson (Birmingham, UK)

Special note: A frequent request we've had is for an area on our site providing background/links for the artists we feature. That section will be ready within the next 48 hours so keep your eyes open for it.

January 09

Archive 36
Rollercoaster
Our first show of 2009 has just been uploaded and it's a rollercoaster ride of different styles.

Contemporary/alternative rock, haunting ballad, soul-based rock, hard driving rock, progressive and instrumental leaning towards jazz fusion. Some great writing and performances to challenge your ears!

Artists include:

A Match for the Curious (Toronto, Canada)
Dream Aria (Toronto, Canada)
Lost Disciples (San Diego, USA)
Mirtazapine Dreams (Birmingham/Manchester, UK)
Ooh La La (Sydney, Australia)
Ozric Tentacles (Somewhere in the wilds of Britain!)
Piel de Canto (Almeria, Spain)
Saving the Scarecrow (Portland, USA)
Transatlantic (USA/UK -see the name :))
Voodoo Johnson (Birmingham, UK)

2008 

Archive 35
Top Highlights of 2008
2008 was an inspiring year for us and this show reviews the highlights as well as announcing our picks for albums of the year (it's in the plural as we broke it down into three categories).

A watershed moment for us was when a friend at Nettwerk Records suggested (strongly!) that we get on MySpace. Since that point in late March, our audience has jumped worldwide and we have had the honour and pleasure of meeting a world of great musicians and forged some strong relationships so THANK YOU, Craig!

We listened to WELL in excess of 1000 different artists of which 61 were selected for airplay. This show reviews what, for us, were the highlights and while we don't mention every artist we played, we thank them all for being a part our station in 2008 and all the hard work they put in to create their music.

For more information on any of the artists featured in this show, just visit our MySpace site (www.myspace.com/planetnerve8). You will find them listed in our "Friends" section.

December 08

Archive 34
It's the end of the year (as we know it)
The latter half of today's show features three great instrumental rock tracks with musical styles weaving through progressive rock, ambient, jazz fusion and even rootsy blues. On one track, you would swear it's Mark Knoffler joining David Gilmour on a new Pink Floyd track.

Up front, we feature a cross section of artists showcasing how vibrant the 'new rock' category is getting. Great energy, great writing and great playing. We also feature brief excerpts of interviews we conducted recently with two bands (the full interviews can be accessed by clicking the link under Archive 34). If you're a big music fan, take a listen to the full interviews to get to know the artists a bit better and gain an insight into what it's like to try to move forward in the 'music biz' nowadays. If you play in a band yourself, you'll probably relate to some of the stories and hopefully you might hear something that will help you move your band further forward.

Artists include:

Isle of Thieves (Toronto, Canada)
Mindmovie (Dusseldorf, Germany)
Neveragain (Oakland, CA, USA)
Noble Brats (Tel Aviv, Israel)
Piel de Canto (Almeria, Spain)
Sleeping Dervish (Östergötlands län, Sweden)
Victor Lafuente (Languedoc-Roussillon, France)
Voodoo Johnson (Birmingham, UK)

November 08

Archive 33
Thunder down under
 We launch this show with two great rockin' bands from Australia (hence the title). Hear the spirit of Humble Pie's/Small Faces Steve Mariott in the voice of Simon Meli from Ooh La La, hear the great vibe and energy from The Love Dogs.

We have a remarkable blues track from guitar hero Alvin Lee. This is absolutely sublime. Listen to the nuances and feel he brings to his playing.

We offer a delightful acoustic storytelling piece from "These eyes are cameras" and some fancy fretwork from French guitar maestro Victor Lafuente.

A feature you'll be hearing more of is PN8 tracking down some of the artists we're playing and having a quick chat with them. First up: Ross Archibald, co-founder and lead singer for Versus the Nothing. Ross offers an insight into one of his key influences that you'll never guess!

Lastly, we have a great progressive rock track from Spiral and a Symphonic Metal track to die for from Auspex.

With the year end approaching, we'd love to hear from you in terms of favourite artists/songs you've discovered through us in the past year as well as any comments/suggestions. ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it )

Thanks, as always, for listening!

Enjoy!

Artists include:

Alvin Lee (UK)
Auspex (Grenoble, France)
Ooh La La (Sydney, Australia)
Spiral (Rzeszow, Poland)
The Love Dogs (Melbourne, Australia)
These eyes are cameras (Manchester, UK)
Versus the Nothing (Vancouver, Canada)
Victor Lafuente (Languedoc-Roussillon, France)

Archive 32
We have some great material sandwiched between the opening track from contemporary artists Caduseus and the closing track showcasing vintage Dire Straights. From contempory rock to current progressive as well as a tip of the hat to some vintage artists, there's a little something for everyone in today's show. Enjoy!

Artists include:

Breathing Space (UK)
Caduseus(Wales)
Dire Straights(UK)
Kim Mitchell (Toronto, Canada)
Noble Brats (Israel)
Spiral (Poland)
The Tea Party (Toronto, Canada)
Van Halen (California, USA)

Archive 31
The Meaning of Life
Today's show offers a variety of genres from primarily new artists with a sprinkling of vintage tracks from Led Zeppelin and Bush.

We take a quick look at what's happening currently in California and feature a new track from Papa Roach as well as tracks from the debut albums from two great up and coming bands, L.A.'s Firebug and Oakland's Never Again.

Also in the show, our first "electro/funk/rock" artist and a great live medley from Canada's Wide Mouth Mason.

As for the show title, I was drawing a blank then starting looking at the thread linking most of the song titles: Paradise, No Heaven, Forever, The Journey, Abstract Skies, Superstition etc.

Spooky!

Artists include:

Bush (UK)
Firebug (Los Angeles, CA)
K Sanders (Vancouver, BC)
Led Zeppelin (UK)
Neveragain (Oakland, CA)
Papa Roach (Sacramento, CA)
Seventh Epic (Charlotte, NC, USA)
Shen (UK)
Wide Mouth Mason (Saskatoon/Vancouver, Canada)

October 08

Archive 30 
30 Rock
The title of this show? It's our 30th show and it's rock. Pretty straightforward!

This show introduces a few new artists for us as well as some additional tracks from artists we've played recently who have received strong feedback.

Some 'nouveau' pop/rock, our first Finnish band (prog rock with a metallic edge), a couple of more introspective tracks, some 'in yer face' rock and a couple of brilliant live tracks: Ben Harper on acoustic covering Peter Gabriel's "In your eyes" and guitar virtuoso, Steve Lukather, rocking Amsterdam with a cover of the Hendrix classic "Little Wing".

Artists include:

Anonymous Scribes (London, UK)
Ben Harper (California, USA)
Mad Shadow (Vancouver, Canada)
Marc Perrin (London, UK)
Muse (Devonshire, UK)
Nightwish (Helsinki, Finland)
Pilot Speed (Toronto, Canada)
Seventh Epic (Charlotte, NC, USA)
Steve Lukather (California, USA)
Urbandux (Gothenburg, Sweden)

September 08

Archive 28 
TX
Lots of new material in today's show with a sprinkling of time tested material.

Shimmering British alt/indie pop, Ska, hard driving rock, instrumental virtuosos, brilliant blues and a sweet Texas groove: it's all here in this show.

Artists featured include:

Andy Timmons
Big Wreck
Circa Survive
Eric Johnson
Gerry Joe Weise
New Groove Formation
Nick Flavell
Vaughn Brothers
Voodoo Johnson

August 08

Archive 27
A midsummer's day's show

 Today's show mixes some brand new music from industry veterans with material by new artists.

We have an advance copy of a track off the upcoming new album from Marillion (listen on speakers with good bass response). Based on this track, should be a great album.
Another track from Ashes Divide (great response to the last one we played).
With Radiohead playing Vancouver tonight, we thought we'd feature a great track from their back catalog.
A first for pn8: we play a rockin' band from Latvia. Great song!
We get the 'groove feel' going with an old cut from Living Color and keep it going with a couple of cuts from the brand new album by Steve Winwood. One is a very 'rootsy' acoustic piece. The other harkens back to the best of Traffic and features Eric Clapton letting loose towards the end.
Guitar virtuoso, Victor Lafuente, keeps the groove going with the appropriately titled "Mr. Groove".
Lastly, a brilliant piece from Mostly Autumn that blends medieval/celtic folk music with Pink Floyd. Ethereal vocals, haunting violin and some David Gilmour-esque guitar work.

July 08

Archive 26
A midsummer night's show

Today's show has a number of '2 fers'. We open with the intro off the brand new album from solo guitarist, Amit Riff, and feature a second cut later in the show. Great album all around.

As a 'tip of the hat' to the just completed Pemberton Music Festival (which thankfully completed two days before a massive rockslide severed the highway from Vancouver to Whistler for an estimated 5 days), we feature a couple of songs off the most recent album from the closing act, Coldplay. No, not the two currently getting airplay. Two much better songs (in my not-so-humble opinion!). One, of which, is apparently becoming a crowd favourite at live shows.

Another '2 fer' from L.A.'s highly versatile Firebug. One track is reminiscent of the instrumental Black Mountain Side off Led Zepplin's first album. The second is a very soulful bluesy number.

Sticking with the soulful, bluesy vibe, we also include a brilliant cut from Gov't Mule, a stripped-down U2 cut with a great feel and, digging back a few years, a standout song from Arcangels.

Rounding things out, we have another great track from Marillion and lastly, we offer a very unique song from a troubadour who travels around the UK with a custom built double-neck guitar. The material is acoustic and timeless. Medieval folk? Early Traffic? Have a listen. Very unique and very well done.

Archive 25
Eclectica

Exciting news! We are currently testing a trial version of the software needed to run 24/7 streaming. It's finally getting a lot closer.

One of the channels we plan to introduce will be called "Players' Corner". This will feature primarily instrumental pieces from artists who 'really know their instruments'. We offer a few examples in the Eclectica show including:

a brilliant tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughn by Andy Timmons
a unique piece from Yvan Le Gall (think: "Jeff Beck goes to India")
a delightful nu-jazz piece from Marc Norgaard

Also in today's show, in the grand tradition of Pink Floyd, an epic piece from Porcupine Tree. This is a 17 minute track which moves through some very different styles. If it doesn't grab you 'off the top', I'd encourage at least one 'all the way through' listen to catch the different flavours. You will probably recognize the sound of Alex Lifeson from Rush who has a guest spot on this track.

Speaking of Rush, we feature one of my favourite tracks from their recent concert.

Off the top, we open with three very talented acts that definitely deserve to be "coming to a radio station near you" in the near future:

A great cut off the brand new album from Klimt 1918
A haunting piece from Marc Perrin
A 'turn up your speakers' rocker from Dialogue.

Enjoy the show!

By the way: have you filled in our survey? :)
(Link at the top of the listen page. )

Cheers,
Michael

June 08

Archive 24
Today's upload, "Vive la musique" gets its name partly because I've been so impressed lately with the quantity of great material I've been coming across and partly because Coldplay's new Viva la vida album is sitting nearby and stuck the 'language thing' in my head!

This show features the following three categories:
1. Music you sit and listen to
2. Music you jump up and down to (with optional fist pumping in the air)
3. Music you dance to (as best you can)

I think that covers it!

(For the analytical, detail junkies, it ranges from brilliant pop music to high energy rock with some progressive, a beautiful ballad and our first ska band).

Artists include:
Ashes Divide
Beck
Caroline Harrison
Darin Dieu
Fake Lazy Supernovas
Flaming Bess
KT Tunstall
Mute Math
New Groove Formation
The Police
William Orbit

Enjoy!

Archive 23
Best of the Blues (Archive 23), is our first compilation show.

Up till now, our shows have been a broad cross-section of material. With this show, we give you an indication of what you can expect when we start launching dedicated channels. We will actually give you some channels where you'll know what to expect! (But we will always have the sampler shows).

Over the next few weeks, we'll be releasing a series of shows highlighting music from specific genres. Most rock music can trace its origins back to the blues so we thought this an appropriate place to start (with a bit of jazz thrown in). Expect other genres in coming weeks.

This show features material that has generated good listener feedback (as well as personal favourites) over the last nine months since we launched.

Artists include Humble Pie, Jimi Hendrix with Band of Gypsies, Jimmiy Page solo, Mike Stern, Dan Sloane, Billy Cobham, Joe Satriani, Derek Trucks and Jeff Beck. Some truly brilliant playing on display.

Lastly, the word is spreading! Entering January, all our listeners were in Canada (with one in the US). Last month (May), we had listeners from 21 countries including most of Europe, Australia, South America, India and Japan.

May 08

Archive 22 (Staggering!)
This show, "Staggering!", is a reference to a concert I saw last night that has to go down as one of the all-time best shows I've ever seen. We open the show with a cut from this band.

Also included, an excellent prog rock band out of Mexico (Allepph), a stunning vocal performance from Jeff Buckley, great material from "Isle of Thieves" (Toronto) and Metropol (Spain), two new blues cuts (Robben Ford and Dan Sloan), a mesmorizing song from De Gaulle (in the style of Oasis) and we close with a true classic from the prog rock movement.

Archive 21 (My own medicine)
Included: Amit Riff, Dream Aria, Firebug, Flaming Bess, Led Zeppelin, Parker, Presence, Steve Lukather, Versus the Nothing

Archive 20 (Too much to think)
Included: David Gilmour with David Bowie (Live at the Royal Albert Hall), Firebug, Moon Stereo, Mute Math, Pocketful, Porcupine Tree, Sophya Baccini, The Fab, The Trews, Voodoo Johnson

April 08

Archive 19 (Around the world - reprise) Available as Podcast!
This was a milestone show for us. For the very first time, we were able to produce a show and make it available as a podcast.
This show features two great cuts from Marillion.
Also included: Klimt 1918, Flaming Bess, Eric Stadler, Amit Riff, Voodoo Johnson, Souljourners.

For podcast download instructions, please click here.

March 08

Archive 18 (Around the world in 60 minutes)
This show marks the first time we intermingle unsigned/independent artists with artists signed to major labels. It's also the first time we get outside the axis of North America/United Kingdom when it comes to playing music. Artists include The Bravery, Roland Orzabal, Klimt 1918, The Fake Lazy Supernovas, Todd Rundgren, Porcupine Tree, Joe Satriani, Voodoo Johnson, Rush, Flaming Bess.

Archive 17 (50/50)
The first half of this show is very 'bluesy' and includes a 'tip of the hat' to two artists who recently passed away: Buddy Miles (drummer in the shortlived but brilliant Jimi Hendrix project "Band of Gypsies") and Toronto's remarkable Jeff Healy.
The second half is more 'melody' focused and includes two cuts off the most recent album from Marillion. Not 'Top 40' fodder. Music that might take a couple of listens but well worth it. 

February 08

Archive 16 (Living room to Wembley)
Featured: Brand new artist, Griffin House. A bit more 'rootsy' than I normally listen to but a few cuts have really grown on me.
Included: Nine Inch Nails, Tears for Fears, Stone Temple Pilots, David Seaman presents Group Therapy, Manic Street Preachers, a very 'stripped down' Stephen Stills, Bruce Cockburn, Groundhogs and a guitar orgy courtesy of Queen's Brian May captured live at Wembley.

January 08

Archive 15 (Transitions)
Featured: Great songwriting and impeccable production from Tears for Fears. Mind-boggling guitar work from Andy Timmons. An old favourite from Genesis with a more rare cut as a 'chaser'.
Included: Crowded House, Led Zeppelin, The Stone Roses, Sting, Yes.

Archive 14 (No Borders)
Featured: The unique songwriting skills of Colin Hay and the brilliant guitar mastery of Jeff Beck.
Included: Kasabian, The Stone Roses, Audioslave, Muse, Rik Emmett, Jethro Tull.

2007 

December 07

Archive 13 (Beaucoup Entendu)
Our highly biased New Year's eve answer to all those "Top 500 songs of all time lists". This focuses primarily on well known artists that have had a big influence on me personally and, for the most part, the world of music in general. However, some of the song choices are not the ones you find on most lists and we end the show with a very eclectic instrumental piece.
Artists include The Police, U2, Led Zeppelin, Radiohead, Van Halen and Harmonium.

Archive 12 (Finally Floyd)
A blend of tasty guitar work, great vocal harmonies, eclectic song writing and a ground-breaking rock masterpiece.
Featured: Pink Floyd, David Gilmour (solo material), Kate Bush and Andy Timmons.
Included: Coldplay

November 07

Archive 11 (Six strings and hot tubes)
Lots of guitars, from Celtic-influenced rock to jazz and blues influenced>
Featured: Mott the Hoople, Derek Trucks, Big Country
Included: Gary Moore, Robert Johnson, Cream, Humble Pie, Steve Lukather, Larry Carlton.

Archive 10 (Sprechen sie Canuck?)
Our first 100% Canadian Content show. 
Included: Arcade Fire, Saga, Rush, Broken Social Scene, Matthew Good Band, 54-40, Streetheart, Wide Mouth Mason, the Northern Pikes, Colin James, the Tragically Hip.

Archive 9 (It's been how long?)
Essentially, a "what are they up to now" type show including recent side projects from ex-Beatles and Stones as well as our first play of an unsigned local artist. Show opens with "A hard day's night" to mark the release of the DVD of the movie. 

Archive 8 (Gahan Nutini Page)
Featured: Brand new Dave Gahan (the voice behind Depeche Mode), Paolo Nutini and Led Zeppelin (including side projects by band members).
Included: The Who, Kings of Leon and REM.

October 07

Archive 7 (Radiohead Nouveau)
Featured: Brand new Radiohead.
Included: Simple Minds, Edwin, U2, The Verve, Michael Hedges, Deep Purple.

Archive 6 ("Yes, Immie")
Featured: Santana (live in South America), Yes and Imogen Heap. 
Included: Jeff Beck, Joe Satriani and Dave Matthews.

Archive 5: (JZ "My dog has no nose!")
This show is a showcase weaving through blues and jazz/jazz fusion. Featured artists include Billy Cobham and Scott Henderson. Also included are John Mayer, Steely Dan, Mike Stern and Derek & the Dominoes.

As for the show title, the "JZ" part comes from the jazz influence. As for the rest:
A famous skit by the Monty Python crew involved 'doctoring' a documentary recording of Adolf Hitler giving an emotionally charged speech to a very large crowd.
The skit was played with Hitler, of course, speaking in German and with the crowd responding to him in German. The Pythons inserted English subtitles but the subtitles bore no resemblance to what anyone was saying. As Hitler screams into the microphone, the subtitle "My dog has no nose!" appears. As the crowd chants a response to him, the words "How does he smell?" appear. Hitler barks a one-word response to the crowd which generates the subtitle "Awful!"
You either found that hilarious or ...............oh, why bother.
This all ties in with the title of the Scott Henderson song "Smelly ol' dog blues".

Archive 4 (Arcade Orbit)
Featured: Arcade Fire and Crowded House (plus Finn Brothers). 
Iincluded: Athlete, U2, Underworld, Steve Hackett, Phillip Bailey and Phil Collins

September 07

Archive 3 ("Free the Queen!")
Featured: The works of Paul Rodgers. Though not as famous as Mick Jagger, amongst musicians, Paul is one of the most influential and respected vocalists in the world of rock. This show traces his career from Free, through Bad Company, The Firm (with Jimmy Page) and up to the recent tour as front man with Queen.
Included: Jeff Beck, Marillion and Genesis.

Archive 2 (Muse 'n Roots)
Included: Payolas, Muse, Radiohead, Police, Sting, U2, The Roots, Pearl Jam, Beck, Finlay Quay/William Orbit, Hall & Oates, Paul Young.

Archive 1 ("Jimi, meet Jimmy.")
Our first show! Definitely leaning towards great guitar work. Players featured include Trevor Rabin (Yes),  rare Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page (solo album), Alex Lifeson (Rush). Also included, a classic cut from Humble Pie, INXS with Jimmy Barnes and great vocals/songwriting from Tears for Fears.