Best Alex J Martin Podcasts (2025)

1
Michelle Zauner isn’t afraid to say no anymore 36:29

9h ago36:29

36:29

In 2021, Japanese Breakfast’s Michelle Zauner got everything she’d ever wanted: her memoir “Crying in H Mart” became a surprise New York Times bestseller, and her band’s breakthrough album “Jubilee” received multiple Grammy nominations. But all of that success came at the cost of her mental and physical health, so she moved to Seoul to regroup. Now…

1
How Crystal Shawanda found her peace through song 14:09

9h ago14:09

14:09

What do you do when the world around you is anything but calm? For the Juno-winning Indigenous blues artist Crystal Shawanda, the answer was to go inward. She joins Tom Power to talk about her powerful and deeply personal new track “This Peace,” which channels her family’s strength, her culture and her own journey of self-discovery to find calm in …

1
Paloma Faith (The Glorification Of Sadness / MILF book) • Friday Rewind 1:11:32

7h ago1:11:32

1:11:32

emocleW, emocleW, emocleW to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This is your bonus FRIDAY REWIND episode! Today, we catch up with Paloma Faith, originally episode 184 from 2018-01-17. Original writeup below: ––––––––––––––––––––––––– A long, long overdue guest on the podcast, as Pip has been pals with Paloma for a good decade or so …

1
Yanic Truesdale was told he spoke too quickly after Gilmore Girls 31:29

8h ago31:29

31:29

When Yanic Truesdale was growing up in Quebec, he used to watch American TV with his grandmother — but he didn't speak any English, so she had to translate the whole show to him line by line. When he started getting cast in TV roles, no one was prouder of him than his grandmother. Since then, Yanic has become a beloved actor all over the world, par…

1
The Last of Us star Noah Lamanna on their breakthrough role 19:28

8h ago19:28

19:28

Canadian actor Noah Lamanna stars as Kat in the new season of the hit HBO show “The Last of Us.” Noah joins Tom Power to talk about the moment they found out they’d be on one of the biggest shows on TV, what it’s like working with Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, and how the film and TV industry has evolved for non-binary actors.…

1
Benito Skinner’s life changed when he dropped the golden boy act 23:10

1d ago23:10

23:10

Comedian Benito Skinner grew up attending Catholic school in Idaho, where he didn’t feel safe being an out gay man. Instead, he concealed his sexuality and threw himself into football. Now, Benito is mining that awkward and uncomfortable time in his life for his art. He’s the creator and star of “Overcompensating,” a new comedy show from A24 and Am…

1
How shy kids found the humanity in AI art 28:24

1d ago28:24

28:24

The Canadian indie pop band and filmmaking collective shy kids consists of three multi-hyphenate friends: Matthew Hornick, Walter Woodman and Patrick Cederberg. They’re musicians, but they’re also filmmakers, animators, writers, directors and technology advocates. Matthew, Walter and Patrick sit down with guest host Talia Schlanger to talk about th…

1
Simone Kirby: putting County Clare on the big and small screen map (Kneecap / Peaky Blinders / Calm With Horses) #619 1:02:43

1d ago1:02:43

1:02:43

Welcome, welcome, welcome to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This week Pip is joined by absolute Irish acting royalty SIMONE KIRBY! A rare treat here with the wonderful Simone catching up and checking in with Pip, in a celebration of so much of what makes the performances we see what they are. Simone's been putting in work on the…

1
How The Lion King musical creator pulled off the “impossible” 35:19

2d ago35:19

35:19

For nearly 30 years, “The Lion King” musical has been captivating audiences, becoming the highest-grossing production of all time, in theatre or in film. But when creator Julie Taymor was approached to make the stage show, she had never seen the original animated Disney movie it's based on. Julie joins Tom Power to tell us the story behind the prod…

1
Iceland’s former first lady Eliza Reid on her debut novel 17:59

2d ago17:59

17:59

Bestselling Canadian writer Eliza Reid has written plenty of non-fiction, but she’s just released her first novel, “Death on the Island.” It’s a murder mystery involving diplomats in Iceland — a place that’s quite familiar to her, considering she served as the country’s first lady from 2016 to 2024. Eliza sits down with Tom Power to talk about her …

1
Dancer Guillaume Côté has reached his “expiration date” 32:00

3d ago32:00

32:00

After 26 years dancing with the National Ballet of Canada, Guillaume Côté will soon retire following his final performance on June 5. Last year, after announcing his decision to move on, the acclaimed Canadian dancer and choreographer sat down with Tom Power to talk about the physical demands of ballet, the “expiration date” that all professional d…

1
Sechile Sedare on their brother-sister collaboration 15:15

3d ago15:15

15:15

When you were growing up, did you get along with your sibling? When Leela and Jay Gilday were growing up in Northwest Territories, their dad wanted them to sing together more, but it wasn’t until decades later that they did. Leela and Jay both have distinguished music careers on their own, but more recently, they’ve come together as the contemporar…

1
Composer Max Richter’s music put dozens of soldiers to sleep 35:09

6d ago35:09

35:09

Award-winning composer Max Richter is arguably the most streamed classical artist in the world. His scores feature in acclaimed films like “Arrival”, “Ad Astra”, “Shutter Island,” and popular series such as “Black Mirror,” “Bridgerton” and “The Leftovers.” Currently on his first world tour, Max drops by our studio to talk with Tom Power about his a…

1
These haunting photos capture Canada’s disappearing wilderness 13:39

6d ago13:39

13:39

In his latest series, “Southern Lights,” photographer Finn O'Hara shows how some of Canada’s most cherished and iconic natural landscapes are under threat of development. He sits down with guest host Gill Deacon to tell us what we risk losing as Canada’s wilderness disappears, why he used night club lasers to capture his photos, and how his connect…

1
Charlie Brooker (Black Mirror) • Friday Rewind 44:13

7d ago44:13

44:13

emocleW, emocleW, emocleW to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This is your bonus FRIDAY REWIND episode! Today, we catch up with Charlie Brooker, originally episode 275 from 2019-06-26. Original writeup below: ––––––––––––––––––––––––– …but don’t by any means think that Black Mirror is a one man show, as Charlie himself will ensure…

1
LU KALA is the next big Canadian pop star 23:56

7d ago23:56

23:56

With viral hits like “Pretty Girl Era,” LU KALA has proven that she might just be the next big Canadian breakthrough artist à la Justin Bieber, Carly Rae Jepsen, The Weeknd or Shawn Mendes. Her catchy songs about loving yourself and knowing your worth have amassed millions of streams all over the internet. On the heels of her brand new EP, “No Tear…

1
How playing Nintendo led him to write for late-night TV 23:26

7d ago23:26

23:26

For Mike Drucker, getting a Nintendo at three years old truly changed the course of his life. Since then, the Emmy-nominated writer and comedian has built an entire career influenced by video games. In his new memoir, “Good Game, No Rematch: A Life Made of Video Games,” Mike details how some of his most defining experiences were either accompanied …

1
Randy Bachman didn’t want BTO to be “a second-rate Guess Who” 31:50

8d ago31:50

31:50

For more than 60 years, Canadian rock and roll legend Randy Bachman has been takin’ care of business and working overtime. He co-founded not one but two of the most successful rock bands to come out of this country: The Guess Who and Bachman–Turner Overdrive. Randy sits down with Tom Power to look back on his incredible life in music, from leaving …

1
Why Bria Salmena wrote a song for her 15-year-old self 14:38

8d ago14:38

14:38

Bria Salmena is a Canadian musician who originally rose to prominence as the frontwoman of the post-punk band FRIGS before joining Orville Peck's touring band. Now, she’s released her debut solo album, “Big Dog.” One of its most powerful tracks, “Rags,” is a raw anthem about rage, shame and shedding the need to accommodate others. Bria joins guest …

1
Goldie Lookin Chain: straight outta Newport (Guns Don't Kill People, Rappers Do) #618 59:22

9d ago59:22

59:22

Welcome, welcome, welcome to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This week Pip is joined by RHYS & EGGSY of GOLDIE LOOKIN CHAIN! Pip is joined by 2 remaining members of the Newport rap crew whose classic jam "Guns Don't Kill People (Rappers Do)" will surely be in your mind already... If you're unfamiliar, that would be a really good …

1
PUP’s Stefan Babcock can’t take a compliment 23:44

9d ago23:44

23:44

Young punk upstarts PUP aren’t so young anymore. In fact, the band that singlehandedly brought punk rock back to Canada in a big way is probably getting too old to mosh. On their fifth and latest record, “Who Will Look After The Dogs?” lead singer Stefan Babcock reflects on his evolution as a songwriter and getting older. He joins Tom Power in our …

1
TV on the Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe has gone solo 22:13

9d ago22:13

22:13

Tunde Adebimpe made a name for himself fronting the art rock band TV on the Radio. Now, he’s released his first solo album, “Thee Black Boltz.” Tunde joins Tom Power to talk about making music without his long-time band, the spirit of rebellion that runs through his new record, and how an album that’s born out of some pretty tough stuff ended up so…

1
Lucy Dacus doesn’t think love should be corny 33:34

10d ago33:34

33:34

On her new album, “Forever Is a Feeling,” Lucy Dacus sets the record straight on what love is — and isn’t. The singer-songwriter sits down with Tom Power to tell us what she thinks is missing in modern love songs, what she’s learned about love (spoiler alert: she's still searching for answers), and how she feels about the end of her Grammy-winning …

1
How Mustafa kept his faith through devastating loss 42:32

13d ago42:32

42:32

A few years ago, Mustafa released his critically acclaimed EP, “When Smoke Rises,” which chronicled the deaths of loved ones from his community of Regent Park in Toronto. So when he sat down to write his debut album, “Dunya,” the Juno-winning musician and poet wanted to explore other things, like love, faith and his relationship with God. Then his …

1
Will Ospreay (professional wrestling royalty) • Friday Rewind 1:11:21

14d ago1:11:21

1:11:21

emocleW, emocleW, emocleW to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This is your bonus FRIDAY REWIND episode! Today, we catch up with Will Ospreay, originally episode 98 from 2016-05-17. Original writeup below: ––––––––––––––––––––––––– You are cordially welcomed, and tripley so, as we tiptoe ever closer to the Distraction Pieces milest…

1
How grief changed Nick Cave forever 34:38

14d ago34:38

34:38

When Nick Cave was in his early band The Birthday Party, he was angry and antagonistic toward his audience. The legendary Australian musician, writer and actor eventually grew out of his youthful contempt, but he remained consumed by his work, always putting it first before anything else. Then he lost two of his sons. In this wide-ranging conversat…

1
Casper Skulls made their best record amid major life changes 8:59

14d ago8:59

8:59

When the Canadian indie rock band Casper Skulls got their start about 10 years ago, things were a little different. Firstly, band members Melanie St-Pierre-Bednis and Neil Bednis weren’t married at the time, and now they’re husband and wife. Secondly, they hadn’t moved back to their hometown of Sudbury, Ont., and they didn’t have a baby yet. Melani…

1
Why Lights walked away from religion 31:39

15d ago31:39

31:39

The Canadian singer-songwriter Lights grew up in a missionary family in Timmins, Ont., believing that her musical ability was both a gift and a responsibility. Some of her earliest work was Christian music. When Lights was just a teenager, she started posting her songs on Myspace, which ultimately set her career into motion. But during that time, s…

1
Dallas Green risked it all going solo 19:14

15d ago19:14

19:14

Twenty years ago, Dallas Green and his band Alexisonfire were making post-hardcore music when Dallas decided to release a soft acoustic album under the name City and Colour. It was a big risk, but that debut solo album, “Sometimes,” went on to receive critical acclaim and a Juno Award. It was also the catalyst for Dallas to start his own independen…

1
Failing In Plain Sight (a solo Pip update) #617 1:02:47

16d ago1:02:47

1:02:47

Welcome, welcome, welcome to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This week Pip catches you up on what's been developing in his section of the film making world. Saying 'Pip catches you up" is a very broad sweep of an expression actually. If you follow Pip on socials and have been charting the moves in his making of 'Area Of Oustandin…

1
Djo on his viral hit End of Beginning 33:51

17d ago33:51

33:51

The actor and musician Joe Keery, also known as Djo, is best known for playing Steve Harrington on the hit Netflix show “Stranger Things.” But after his song “End of Beginning” went viral on TikTok last year, a huge spotlight was shone on his music. Joe sits down with Tom Power to talk about his new album, “The Crux,” and his breakthrough role in “…

1
Rose Cousins on why staying in love is so hard 17:03

17d ago17:03

17:03

On her latest record, “Conditions of Love Vol. 1,” Rose Cousins digs into all the complicated feelings that come with love, from falling in love, to keeping the romance going, to maintaining friendships. It also finds the Canadian singer-songwriter reuniting with one of her most important companions: the piano. Rose sits down with Tom Power to talk…

1
273: Publishing to EdTech: The Unlikely Road to Evolution Labs with Founder Peter Kraft 1:26:53

17d ago1:26:53

1:26:53

Peter Kraft is the Founder and President of Evolution Labs. Prior to founding Evolution Labs, Kraft was instrumental in forming and re-envisioning two educational software companies that led the industry in recruitment, enrollment and retention of college students. He co-founded GoalQuest in 2000 and served as its CEO until 2007 when he spearheaded…

1
Canadian playwright Bob Martin is a Broadway hitmaker 24:32

18d ago24:32

24:32

Bob Martin is a Canadian actor and writer who first made his name working in Canadian TV, but now he’s one of Broadway’s most in-demand playwrights. How in demand? Well, two of his new musicals (“Boop!” and “Smash”) recently premiered on Broadway in the same week. Bob joins Tom Power to discuss that achievement and his Tony Award-winning career. In…

1
This play is an adaptation of the longest poem ever written 25:02

18d ago25:02

25:02

The longest poem ever written is a 4,000-year-old Sanskrit epic called the “Mahabharata,” which clocks in at roughly 1.8 million words. But the poem’s daunting length didn’t stop Toronto’s Why Not Theatre from adapting it into a large-scale play of the same name. Miriam Fernandes, the co-creator and star of the show, joins Tom Power to tell us exac…

1
Sarah Harmer uses her voice for something bigger than music 47:56

21d ago47:56

47:56

For more than 35 years, Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah Harmer has used her voice to make award-winning, critically acclaimed music — but that’s not all. She’s also been a vocal advocate for important environmental and humanitarian causes, both in this country and abroad. At the Juno Awards in Vancouver earlier this year, Sarah was honoured with t…

1
Live from Rosie's garden - with Lauren Bravo 37:03

21d ago37:03

37:03

Rosie chats to author Lauren Bravo about her book Probably Nothing, people pleasing, the ick, falling in love with someone’s family, dating disasters, dating men of different nationalities, couple dates, concealing real life experiences under the cloak of fiction and more. Recorded in Rosie’s back garden on 27 April 2025. You can now follow The Bre…

1
Mary J. Blige (What's The 411? / The Umbrella Academy / Queen of Hip Hop Soul) • Friday Rewind 44:38

21d ago44:38

44:38

emocleW, emocleW, emocleW to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This is your bonus FRIDAY REWIND episode! Today, we catch up with Mary J. Blige, originally episode 252 from 2019-02-13. Original writeup below: ––––––––––––––––––––––––– “…When you give your all, you win…” Absolute solid gold crown wearing greatness for you here, as Pi…

1
Max Kerman is reclaiming the term “try hard” 26:21

22d ago26:21

26:21

Arkells frontman Max Kerman is taking back the term “try hard” with his first book, “Try Hard: Creative Work in Progress.” It peels back the curtain on the band’s creative process, offering a framework for how to bring more creativity into your life, but it’s also a defence of striving and wanting to be a better artist. In this conversation with To…

1
Why Bells Larsen decided to sing duets with his past self 25:35

22d ago25:35

25:35

On Bells Larsen’s stunning new album, “Blurring Time,” the Canadian singer-songwriter has an unlikely collaborator — himself. Bells is a trans man and he first recorded the album in his pre-transition voice with the intent of revisiting the songs after he started hormone therapy. The result is a unique self-collaboration, in which he harmonizes wit…

1
Why Stellan Skarsgård doesn’t give his kids acting advice 23:52

23d ago23:52

23:52

In “Andor” — the latest series in the “Star Wars” franchise — actor Stellan Skarsgård (Dune, Nymphomaniac, Mamma Mia!) plays Luthen Rael, a charming but ruthless rebel leader who fronts as an antiques dealer. Stellan sits down with Tom Power to talk about the new season of “Andor” and why he’s drawn to morally complex characters. Plus, he shares a …

1
Ambur Braid is starring in the opera that changed her life 22:02

23d ago22:02

22:02

Ambur Braid is a Canadian soprano who’s taken on some of the most coveted roles in opera. But it wasn’t until she saw Alban Berg’s “Wozzeck” as an undergraduate student that she knew opera would be her life. Now, Ambur is playing Marie in a new production of “Wozzeck” at the Canadian Opera Company. She sits down with Tom Power to talk about this fu…

1
Grace Neutral: transcending the tattoo universe with inclusivity and safety (Femme Fatale Tattoo) #616 1:22:13

23d ago1:22:13

1:22:13

Welcome, welcome, welcome to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This week Pip is joined by GRACE NEUTRAL, founder of FEMME FATALE TATTOO! Of course, as with all intros, it is impossible to sum up Grace by a role or a title. Grace is also a force of energy and natural spring of positivity in the wide world of the tattoo, as you will …

1
Anjulie’s pop star dream had to die so she could start again 25:38

24d ago25:38

25:38

About a decade ago, Anjulie had huge success writing catchy pop songs that were all over Canadian radio and MuchMusic. She won a Juno Award, she was writing songs for the likes of Lady Gaga and Kelly Clarkson, and there was a bidding war between some of the biggest labels in the world who were desperate to sign her. But then, at the height of her s…

1
Laura Reznek turned to music to process a family tragedy 16:44

24d ago16:44

16:44

Laura Reznek is a British Columbia-born musician and singer-songwriter who’s just released her new album, “The Sewing Room.” She made the record to help her process a family tragedy: her father’s death by suicide. Laura joins Tom Power to set up her song “Endeavours,” which explores her experience with grief.…

1
Bob the Drag Queen knew he’d win Drag Race 23:38

25d ago23:38

23:38

When Bob the Drag Queen landed his debut book deal, his publisher asked him if he wanted to write a memoir — but he had something different in mind. The drag superstar’s new book, “Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert,” imagines the famed abolitionist in the present day as she sets out to make a hip-hop album. Bob joins Tom Power to talk about his new c…

1
What’s poetry’s role in the housing crisis? 16:45

25d ago16:45

16:45

In her latest poetry collection, “Wellwater,” the Canadian poet Karen Solie takes a hard look at climate grief and economic anxiety. Her opening poem, “Basement Suite,” was inspired by short-term rentals and precarious living arrangements. But for Karen, the role of poetry isn’t about finding the answers to big questions — it's about honouring our …

1
Chloë Sevigny on the cost of being cool 22:46

28d ago22:46

22:46

Back in the 1990s and early 2000s, there was no one cooler than Chloë Sevigny. After being discovered on the streets of New York, she became the ultimate It Girl. She was an in-demand model and actor known for her unique eye for fashion as well as for starring in indie films that are now considered cult classics. Last September, Chloë sat down with…

1
How a CCR cover landed July Talk’s singer a role in Sinners 22:25

28d ago22:25

22:25

July Talk’s Peter Dreimanis just made his big screen debut playing a singing vampire in Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” — and it all happened because of a Creedence Clearwater Revival cover song he released. Peter sits down with Tom Power to tell us the story behind his first major film role, plus, a little bit about his debut solo album under the name Pe…

1
Alan Moore (Swamp Thing / V For Vendetta / Watchmen) • Friday Rewind 1:30:18

28d ago1:30:18

1:30:18

emocleW, emocleW, emocleW to the Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip! This is your bonus FRIDAY REWIND episode! Today, we catch up with Alan Moore, originally episode 3 from 2014-10-29. A huge episode in the Distraction Pieces canon, as Pip caught up with Alan - at time of publishing - over a decade ago in Alan's house. It was the early d…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Alex J Martin Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide