Backstage at the Vinyl Cafe

"This waterslide was the waterslide to end all waterslides” We are taking a break over the summer, so in honour of our final episode of Season 1 we’ve got two Vinyl Cafe stories for you about summer. If you listen carefully you’ll hear something unusual in the first, A Letter from Camp, when Stuart inserts a personal story from his own days at his beloved summer camp. And of course, we can’t talk about summer without including the hilarious fan favourite: The Waterslide. All this and more, including a special memory from Jess of what it was like sitting backstage, stage left, and hearing Waterslide performed for the very first time.

For this summer bonus episode, my conversation with long-time Vinyl Cafe and Backstage at the Vinyl Cafe recording engineer, Greg DeClute. Greg has some great stories to share about working with Stuart McLean for so many years.

“There is nothing like a 20th wedding anniversary to drive home the point that you are no longer 20 years old” For our final episode of this season, two entertaining stories about summer vacations. And Jess talks about the additional perspective going further afield can bring.

“When are you supposed to let your children march off alone? When are you supposed to let them learn from their mistakes” On today’s episode, two stories about childhood. And Jess talks about how one of her own childhood dreams has recently come to fruition - with the making of the upcoming Vinyl Cafe: The Musical! 

“Dave said, you’re thinking about dancing, aren’t you?” We’re looking towards summer on today’s episode. We have a script Stuart wrote about a magical evening spent in pursuit of fireflies. And a story of summer evenings in Dave and Morley’s neighbourhood. 

“When Dave was a boy, dolls terrified him”Something a little different on today’s episode: two stories about kids' toys -- the good, the bad and the ugly! One is a story about Dave's childhood, the other is a story by Stuart about his own childhood experience with toys. Plus a backstory from Jess about how that autobiographical story got its name.

“Murphy was terrified of snakes” Today’s episode features two stories that take place out and about, further afield. Dave’s Cousin Dorothy visits from England and has an exciting side adventure on their trip to Ottawa. And in the second story, Dave, Sam and Murphy make an unusual delivery. 

“I don’t want a birthday party, said Morley. I hate birthday parties” Some vintage Stuart McLean this week, as Morley celebrates a milestone birthday. And we have an older story for you, one you may not have heard before, where Dave is not necessarily his ‘best self’.

“Dave was still a kid the night he and Jimmy met.” Stuart loved to write about old friends. This week we’ve chosen two of our favourite friendship stories – one will make you laugh, one might also make you cry.