Ep57: Alternative music creating alternative spaces

Ep60: A special Canada Day for 2026

Please note, the podcast will take a break and return July 13, 2026 Welcome to my Canada Day special episode. Canada Day 2026 is special for me because twenty-five years ago on 1 July 2001, surrounded by many dear friends, I became a proud Canadian. That story comes towards the end of the episode. First, I want to celebrate a fellow Canadian and a fellow Newfoundlander. I've known Joe Teo [https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephteols/] for more than a decade. A long time ago, my alma mater, Memorial University called me up and asked me whether I could meet with two young entrepreneurs, Joe Teo and Sahand Seifi [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sahandseifi/], who had just started a company in St. John's called HeyOrca [https://www.heyorca.com/]. Over the years I've watched Joe navigate life and entrepreneurship and I am incredibly proud to call him a friend. On the day I interviewed Joe, Joe had just received his Canadian citizenship and taken the oath. This episode also contains the original audio created by my friend and then journalist Craig Welsh [https://towniebastard.blogspot.com/] for CBC featuring my Canadian citizenship ceremony. Hearing my friends voices from twenty-five years ago is surreal and touching. I hope I have done you all proud. I would like to thank the many Supermetrics colleagues who contributed to this episode: Dave [https://www.linkedin.com/in/davepuype/], Bartosz [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bartosz-schneider-133955102/], Kamal [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kamalmemon/], Darius [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmatulionis/], Toli [https://www.linkedin.com/in/volganian/], Irina [https://www.linkedin.com/in/irina-pozniakova/], Pavel [https://www.linkedin.com/in/pavel-selitskas/], Anssi [https://www.linkedin.com/in/anssirusi/], Lee [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-dor/] and Jaz [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jazibnaeem/]. I'm sorry for those that I could not include. The Canadian National Anthem, O Canada, is performed by Julie Nesrallah and Nathalie Paulin, accompanied by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Peter Oundjian [https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/anthem-canada.html]. Instrumental versions of O Canada are public domain recordings [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Audio_files_of_national_anthems_of_Canada]. For more show notes and pictures: https://tales.dups.ca/p/ep60-a-special-canada-day-broadcast

Ep59: A conversation about a changing Canada

This is part two of my series on Canada. Today, we will explore what it means to be Canadian in 2026 by looking back at the last 50 years of Canada through the eyes of two of my best friends. On a beautifully sunny day in a small tea garden in Berlin, Germany, I met up with Sylvia and Erwin Warkentin, fellow Canadians observing our country from afar. Together, we discuss the changes they have witnessed over the last half-century, the evolution of Canada’s cultural landscape, and what we can learn as we look to its future. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS * The Cultural Mosaic: Sylvia discusses growing up on the prairies and how she appreciates Canada’s shift towards diversity and tolerance over the last 50 years. She highlights the value of maintaining one’s heritage as a hyphenated Canadian, celebrating a cultural mosaic rather than a melting pot. * Borders and Identity: Erwin shares his unique upbringing in a Mennonite community in Manitoba, with the US border running right past his schoolyard. He notes how the once-fluid border has hardened since 9/11, but believes Canadians are now developing a stronger backbone to reaffirm their own values. * First Nations and Systemic Struggles: We delve into the difficult history and ongoing challenges faced by First Nations and Métis communities, including the enduring legacy of colonisation. Erwin suggests creating physical memorials, akin to Germany’s Stolpersteine (tripping stones), to ensure those lost through violence are never forgotten.

Ep58: Do you know The Tragically Hip?

This is part 1 of four episodes celebrating Canada. On July 1 is Canada Day, and this year in 2026, it will be my 25th anniversary as a Canadian citizen. It is the country I choose to call home. Canada has as many problems as any other country. As we speak, Alberta, a province I called home for near a decade, is preparing for a referendum on separating from the country. Today’s episode is about something that brings any group of people together: Music, and about a specific band that you have never heard of unless you are Canadian, or know a Canadian of the generations between 1980 and 2015. That band is The Tragically Hip [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tragically_Hip]. When it comes to The Hip, as we like to call them, I cannot think of a bigger fan than my friend Edgar (Eddie) Thomas from Newfoundland and Labrador. Over many drinks we have often philosophized and spoken about music and what it means to us. We talk a lot about the band, so who are/were they? The band members were Rob Baker, Gord Downie, Johnny Fay, Paul Langlois, and Gord Sinclair. Gord Downie, the lead singer was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer in 2015. At the end of the episode I have an essay that I wrote in 2017, shortly after Gord Downie had passed away from his cancer. The essay was written six months into my life here in Helsinki and after a short visit from Eddie. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS 1. A Shared Canadian Experience: Eddie and I discuss how The Tragically Hip transcended provincial borders and musical genres to unite a massive, varied country. 2. But he won’t travel alone: A multi-part essay covering my discovery of Canada and the Tragically Hip. EDDIE’S TOP TRAGICALLY HIP TRACKS If you are new to the band, here are links to Eddie’s top picks: 1. 50 Mission Cap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0zWpWALWEI [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0zWpWALWEI] 2. Fireworks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KC4tjdQiaTM [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KC4tjdQiaTM] 3. Wheat Kings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=il8sGYNdKbw [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=il8sGYNdKbw] 4. Bobcaygeon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qxGYnZCeTY [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qxGYnZCeTY]

Ep57: Alternative music creating alternative spaces

Johnny Nolan returns as my co-host for another Newfoundland Alternative music deep dive, but this time we are honoured to be joined by author and journalist Rhea Rolman. We wanted to explore the influence of alternative music on alternative communities in St. John’s, Newfoundland and how music is important in creating safe spaces during the 1990s and even earlier. * The 1990s Analogue Culture: Yup this was before the time of Social Media and we had to rely on concerts, gigs, and the radio of all things! * Safe Spaces and Organising: Rhea explains how the music scene provided vital safe spaces during a time when minorities, especially sexual minorities, may have faced repression in Newfoundland. * Festivals as Catalysts: We chat about how events like the Peace Accord and modern festivals like Lawnya Vawnya [https://www.lawnyavawnya.com/] bring diverse groups together to exchange ideas. * Saving CHMR: Rhea shares the story of the recent community fight to save the funding for the campus community radio station, preserving one of the last remaining creative spaces in the city. ABOUT RHEA Rhea Rollmann [https://www.rhearolls.com/] (she/her) is an award-winning journalist, writer and audio producer based in St. John’s, NL, and is the author of A Queer History of Newfoundland (Engen Books, 2023) [https://www.rhearolls.com/books]. She’s a founding editor of The Independent NL and her journalism has appeared in Briarpatch Magazine, CBC, Xtra Magazine, Chatelaine, PopMatters, Riddle Fence and more. SPECIAL THANKS FOR THEIR TRACKS WITH PERMISSION * Bob Earle and Draize Eye Test * Liz Pickard and the Lizband [https://lizband.bandcamp.com/album/lizband_] for One Song * Phil Winters and the band Bung for Ramirez.

Ep56: Creating game worlds with designer Brent Knowles

Today on the podcast, I’m joined by my old friend and former BioWare colleague, Brent Knowles [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brent_Knowles]. We chat all about the art and magic of world-building, drawing from Brent’s several decades of experience as a game designer and writer. Brent shares his creative journey, from drawing fantasy maps on grocery shop paper bags as a child to working on iconic titles like Baldur’s Gate 2 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldur%27s_Gate_II:_Shadows_of_Amn], Neverwinter Nights [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neverwinter_Nights], and Dragon Age [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_Age]. We also dive into his recent tabletop work, discussing his Norse-inspired D&D campaign, Raiders of the Serpent Sea [https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/424627/raiders-of-the-serpent-sea-campaign-guide-pdf-version] , and how a family holiday to Iceland heavily influenced its design. Key Highlights & Takeaways 1. The BioWare Days: We look back at Brent’s time working on the Neverwinter Nights expansions , especially the creative freedom his team had whilst developing Hordes of the Underdark [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neverwinter_Nights:_Hordes_of_the_Underdark]. 2. A Mapmaker’s Origins: Brent explains how spending time at off-season logging camps with his grandfather sparked his imagination , leading him to draw maps of the woods and invent fantasy creatures. 3. Icelandic Inspiration: How the deep history, sagas, and natural landscapes of Iceland directly inspired his Viking-esque tabletop world. 4. Embracing “Mistakes”: Why collaborating with artists and embracing their misinterpretations or mistakes often results in far cooler monsters and organic lore than originally planned. 5. What Breaks Immersion: Brent discusses his biggest bugbears in game design, like when a video game’s narrative completely contradicts its gameplay mechanics —such as finding a +1 warhammer right next to characters who are complaining about being poor. 6. Advice for Game Masters: Why it’s crucial for DMs to talk to their players to build a shared experience , ensuring it becomes our campaign rather than just the DM’s strict storyline. Check out Raiders of the Serpent Sea: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/424627/raiders-of-the-serpent-sea-campaign-guide-pdf-version Check out more images at: https://tales.dups.ca/p/ep56-game-designer-brent-knowles