There’s a new podcast that looks at music history in Toronto and surrounding areas: Music Milestones YYZ

Music Milestones YYZ is a weekly podcast hosted by former 102.1 CFNY-FM “Spirit of Radio” era DJ’s, Scot Tuner and Ivar Hamilton. Each episode goes deep on milestones and anniversaries of music releases, Toronto and GTA area concert history, and major music events. They also touch on new releases, re-issues, gig recommendations, and whatever else they and their special guests are excited about.

Available on Spotify, Apple Music Podcasts, Amazon Music, You Tube and You Tube Music. They also post daily on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky.

Music Milestones YYZ episode #1 

Exclusive 1985 interview with Kate Bush plus a trip back 55 years to the release of George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass and Joni Mitchell’s Hissing of Summer Lawns. Ivar takes Scot to task on his dislike for David Bowie’s “Golden Years’.  Other topics include Jesus and Mary Chain, The Dream Academy, music in James Bond movies, Ivar’s struggle to break Joan Osborne, fans rioiting over 999 in Hamilton, John Lennon’s last album, Jona Lewie, Peter Frampton, and more!

Music Milestones YYZ Episode  # 2

The vibrant history of the nightclubs that were RPM, The Guvernment and The Warehouse including appearances from The Ramones, Iggy Pop, Coldplay, The Rolling Stones, Nine Inch Nails, Judas Priest, Motorhead, The Chameleons, Hunters and Collectors, Chris Sheppard DJ sets, Arman Van Heldon, Jon Bon Jovi, The Sex Pistols and many more. They also look at the history of Copp’s Coliseum in Hamilton which has been reborn as the TD Coliseum and reopened recently with Sir Paul McCartney. Historic music releases dating back to 1975 from Foghat and Pink Floyd. Rush and the fundraising for a Neil Peart monument at Lakeside Park in Saint Catharines. Men Without hats get spit off the stage opening for The Stranglers. They also unbox Lighthouse’s new anniversary One Fine Morning re-issue and talk about significant milestones in Ivar’s career and retirement, all of have occurred (somewhat strangely) in late November.

Music Milestones YYZ episode # 3 

Scot and Ivar prep for winter and discuss what is the best early Christmas music to play. They walk through what it was like to participate in a CFNY music meeting in 1985, discuss the second Specials album, and Bob Marley’s landmark Live at the Lyceum. Going back 40 years, they speak of when they started writing down all the concerts that came to Toronto, one of which was Hawkwind at the Diamond Club in 1990, followed by Bob Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Tour in 1975, Miles Davis at Massey Hall, Styx and Bad Company at the Gardens. Ivar talks ZZ Top vs. The Scorpions, Scot talks about one of Toronto’s very first discos, and the Son of Stiff Tour. As we move into the 2000s, Sirirus and XM start up in Canada.  The Hives make their first visit. Remember the band, Enigma? And they jump back to 1965 and talk Beatles’ Rubber Soul and the Stones’ December’s Children. Oh, and the new edition of The Beatles Anthology.