LIVE! on TDMS - Devoted Souly to the Art of Music

  • Blair Packham
    Having first burst onto Canadian radio and music video TV as the lead singer of 80s power pop stalwarts The Jitters, Blair later released two strongly-reviewed solo albums before shifting his focus to composing music for TV and films, teaching songwriting at the post-secondary level and in numerous special event workshops, and co-hosting a long-running major market weekly radio show about music (“In the Studio” on the Bell Media talk radio network). Now, 13 years after his last release (2004’s “Could’ve Been King”), Blair Packham has returned to the role of recording artist with a collection of clever, catchy, at times poignant and always satisfying songs, titled “Unpopular Pop.” Playing, producing and engineering the tracks in his home studio, Blair also called upon some respected peers and friends to bring some additional magic to the mix. “I’d write and record the songs up to a certain point, and then ask Mark Kelso (Michael Bublé, Bonnie Raitt) to record some drums. Then I’d ask Maury LaFoy (Jann Arden, k-os) to play bass, or Simon Kendall (Doug & the Slugs) to play Hammond organ or piano. It’s a real luxury to have such top-notch players more than happy to get involved,” says Blair. A couple of the songs (“Don’t Know Why” and “Loved By You”) feature the debut of a one-off/twin star vocal duo calling themselves 20 Years From Stardom: none other than Ron Sexsmith and ex-Barenaked Ladies’ frontman Steven Page. While rarely overtly mixing politics with his art, the (if you will) Trump-card track “Enough Is Never Enough” features bigly help from Odds’ frontman Craig Northey, who co-wrote the words—about an unidentified decadent narcissist Tweeting away madly in a luxury suite in the middle of the night.
    www.blairpackham.com

    CHECK THIS VIDEO OUT: Blair Packham - Proof (Twiddletown)

    AND… Check out our DrewTube page to watch over 100 videos from some of our previous recording artists.

    Become a NEW TDMS Facebook LIKER during Saturday’s performance & win a CD! We will randomly pick a new page liker during today's performance, then contact them for shipping details.     (You must be from Canada to win eh!)
    Listen ← 41m:57s – 28.81 MB → Download

Special Guests

  • CRAWLING BACK TO THE LIGHT — How does someone “come back” to God? (Like a certain Canadian radio host.)
    Message From Drew: “Back in 2010, after 7 years of hosting Canada’s most listened to spiritual talk show, I “came out”. I admitted during an interview with Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias, that I was no longer convinced there was a God. Mostly because after 30 years of having a “personal relationship with Jesus Christ,” I realized that this God I was serving wasn’t actually all that “personal”. Going public as a doubter (not an atheist) and no longer considering myself part of the Evangelical tribe of certainty, I left. I left organized religion, left the church and left it up to God to reveal himself to me, through one of those tangible encounters I kept hearing so many in my tribe speak about. (You can read about my search for God at www.drewmarshall.ca/droogle) Because of some fractured relationships (me being the common denominator), 2017 ended up being the worst year of my life. So I’ve decided that since my way didn’t work, it’s time to crawl back to the Light. And I’ve decided to once again, do this publicly. As embarrassing as it is to admit personal & spiritual “failure”, my hope is that others experiencing similar frustrations, might learn something from my conversations with a few people who have had a profound impact on my life. I’m still not sure that there’s a God, but my life was better when I thought there was a God. So now what?” - Drew

    (If you’d like to send Drew a message, go to The Drew Marshall Show Facebook page)

    *Today’s Guest: Paul Young - Bestselling Author of The Shack & Lies We Believe About God
    www.wmpaulyoung.com
    Listen ← 28m:27s – 19.54 MB → Download

  • Dan Barker — Former Evangelical Preacher-Turned Atheist, Author of Free Will Explained: How Science and Philosophy Converge to Create a Beautiful Illusion
    Do we have free will? And if we don’t, why do we feel as if we do? In what the author calls “a godless universe governed by impersonal laws of cause and effect,” are you responsible for your actions? Former evangelical minister Dan Barker, unveils a novel solution to the question that has baffled scientists and philosophers for millennia. He outlines the concept of what he calls “harmonic free will,” a two-dimensional perspective that pivots the paradox on its axis to show that there is no single answer—both sides are right. Free will is a useful illusion: not a scientific, but a social truth. *Along with his wife Annie Laurie Gaylor, Dan Barker runs the Freedom From Religion Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to the separation of church and state. He has written numerous articles for Freethought Today, an American freethought newspaper, and is also the author of Godless and God: The Most Unpleasant Character in All Fiction.
    www.ffrf.org
    Listen ← 23m:22s – 16.05 MB → Download

  • J.R. Forasteros — Author of Empathy For The Devil: Finding Ourselves in the Villains of the Bible
    Do we have anything in common with the bad guys of the Bible? The sins of wrath, idolatry, and abuse of power are closer to us than we think. How do we guard against them? We learn not only by following moral exemplars—we also need to look at the warnings of lives gone wrong. In this fictionalized narrative, JR. Forasteros reintroduces us to some of the most villainous characters of Scripture. He shows us what we can learn from their negative examples, with figures such as Cain, Jezebel, King Herod, and even Satan serving as cautionary tales of sin and temptation. Forasteros vividly tells their stories to help us understand their motivations, and his astute biblical and cultural exposition points out what we often miss about their lives. We soon discover that we might have more in common with these characters than we would like to admit. Take a fresh look at the scoundrels of Scripture, and find sound pastoral guidance here to walk the path of righteousness. *JR. Forasteros is a pastor. He’s got a “killer beard” and is an active blogger and podcaster on the church and pop culture. JR. has a master’s degree in religious studies, New Testament, and early Christianity, nevertheless, he’s still making sense of Christianity. “If you’re anything like me, you’ve met Christians who are ugly, hateful people. You’ve been burned by people who claim to follow Jesus,” he said. “But I bet you’ve also met some incredibly kind, thoughtful and generous people who call themselves Christians, too. Me too. It’s a big mess, one I’m still learning to make sense of.” JR. blogs at NorvilleRogers.com, where he reviews films and books, and is the co-creator and cohost of the StoryMen podcast. And if you like faith and philosophy, check out the podcast Origami Elephants.
    www.jrforasteros.com
    Listen ← 15m:46s – 10.83 MB → Download

  • MC YOGI — Yoga Teacher, Recording Artist, Author of Spiritual Graffiti: Finding My True Path
    Before he was one of the most well-known yoga teachers in North America and an international hip hop artist, MC YOGI was a juvenile delinquent who was kicked out of three schools, sent to live at a group home for at-risk youth, arrested for vandalism, and caught up in a world of drugs, chaos and carelessness. At eighteen, fate brought him to his first yoga class. After discovering yoga, MC YOGI devoted himself to the practice. From traveling to India to study with gurus to living and learning with many American yoga masters, MC YOGI soaked in the knowledge that would revolutionize his entire life and put him on the path to healing, wholeness, and peace. Through technicolor stories of graffiti and guns, mystics and musicians, love, loss, and finding his soul’s purpose, MC YOGI’s journey is saturated in spiritual wisdom, illuminating the potential for transformation within us all. *MC YOGI is a world-renowned yoga teacher, musician, and author. He has performed and taught yoga everywhere, from headlining festivals and nightclubs to performing in the Forbidden City in China and even at the White House. When not on the road, MC YOGI and his wife Amanda teach at their home studio, Point Reyes Yoga, in Northern California.
    www.mcyogi.com
    Listen ← 23m:30s – 16.14 MB → Download

  • Nita Belles — Anti-Human Trafficking Advocate
    Featured at the NFL’s Super Bowl 9 years in a row, Nita Belles has a simple message: “Human trafficking - it is the second largest and fastest growing crime in the world. What many do not know is that 1 in 3 children who runaway will be lured towards sex trafficking by seemingly caring people within 48 hours of running away. If that doesn’t have your attention, you should know that 1 in 7 of the nearly 25,000 runaways reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) were likely victims of sex trafficking. The large majority of these children are American born citizens. This crime is happening to runaways and street children and also children living in caring homes in every income bracket in America. Although runaways and at risk children are a high percentage of the victims, this crime is happening to children from middle class and upper middle class homes. In our backyard, traffickers are recruiting children right out of their bedrooms via smartphones, gaming systems and computers. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO STOP IT?” *Nita Belles is an author, speaker and leading national expert in the anti-human trafficking movement. Her journey as a tireless crusader against human trafficking began in 2006 when she witnessed the cruelty of this atrocity and was compelled to take action. Each year since 2010, Nita’s anti-trafficking work surrounding the Super Bowl has been instrumental in holding traffickers and sex-buyers accountable, and recovering victims of human trafficking. In her years of dedication to this issue from prevention to restoration she has collaborated with top law enforcement, survivors, government officials, social service providers, medical professionals, and faith communities as the key to creating comprehensive, lasting change.
    www.inourbackyard.org
    Listen ← 27m:06s – 18.62 MB → Download

Talkback, etc.

  • TDMS Talkback
    Near the end of today’s show, Drew will open the phone lines for listeners to call in to share their thoughts on any of today’s topics: Human trafficking at the Super Bowl / Yoga / Empathy For The Devil / An atheist’s view on “free will” / Drew crawling back to the Light with the author of The Shack (Call Toll Free Throughout North America on 877-569-1250)
    *AUDIO NOT AVAILABLE