Michael S. Ryan: Musician, Podcaster, Songwriter, Studio Owner and Author

Christina chats with Michael S. Ryan about The Town Heroes new album Singin, why Inverness Cape Breton is so awesome, Uncle Jimmy, punctuality, an incredible secret album release show and far more.

Michael S. Ryan is an award winning professional musician, songwriter, studio owner, and co-author of “You and Me” — a book with his wife, Kristen Herrington.

Ryan has been playing music professionally for over 20 years. As the frontman and songwriter for The Town Heroes, along with his self-named solo project, he has toured the world and released multiple critically acclaimed albums. He has been the recipient of 11 Music Nova Scotia Awards, 5 ECMAs, numerous “The Coast Best Of” honours (including best band in Halifax), and multiple songwriting accolades.

His studio, “Hot Jupiter Sounds” is a small but mighty space in the woods of Tantallon. While originally created to track his own songs, over the past two years Ryan began working to help bring other’s songs to life.

Chapters

• 0:00 Greetings from Christina
• 0:49 Theme Song - Talk About It
• 1:14 Introduction by Christina
• 11:19 Tanning
• 13:23 Why Inverness is so awesome
• 16:06 Uncle Jimmy
• 19:03 Mike's parents rock
• 21:30 The Town Heroes
• 24:40 Tasks that have a definitive end
• 25:39 Letting people down
• 27:41 Celebrating failure
• 33:23 Turning down gigs... finally!
• 36:33 Secret Town Heroes Album Release Show for 'Singin'
• 43:34 Breaking friendships
• 44:28 Best thing that's ever happened to Mike
• 47:47 Mike and Kristen The Podcast
• 48:16 You And Me (Book)
• 50:20 Know your why
• 57:01 Mixed emotions about AI
• 1:06:11 Heartbeat Hotline 1(902)-669-4769
• 1:06:44 Podcast Credits
• 1:07:14 Support the Podcast on Patreon

Transcript

S3E11: Michael S. Ryan

Christina: [00:00:03] Welcome to a Chat with Heart. I'm your host, Christina Martin. I'm a singer songwriter. I live on a dirt road with my best friend Dale in rural Nova Scotia, Canada. A Chat with Heart is just me having chill conversations with people I want to celebrate, and topics that I'm curious about. If you have a question or a comment for this podcast, call my heartbeat hotline 1-902-669-4769. To send this podcast even more love, visit me online at Patreon.com/ChristinaMartin. I'm so happy you're listening. Our personal stories have great power to heal, influence and inspire. All we have to do is show up for the conversation.

Song 'Talk About It': [00:00:49] If we just talk about it, we can find a way,we could break a dark day. If we just talk about it, we can cut a way, we can make a brighter day.

Christina: [00:01:15] Hello, everyone. Ah, I had my summer bug and I passed it on to a few people, so I recorded this episode, uh, while I was amidst midst the illness. And I did get Mike sick, as I later found out. Apologize, Mike. Um, anyway, everyone's feeling better now. I had my summer bug, so I'm kind of relieved that's out of the way. Uh, because I've got some more shows coming up this summer. Granville Green, July 28th. With the band pumped about that and a few more surprises that, um, a few more things coming up that some I can't announce yet, but I will, I will soon. Um, and then of course, the September 6th show in the Halifax release show with band and, uh, string quartet is happening, and I'm just getting everything in line for that. And it's a lot of work, and and I'm so excited about it. And, and then I've just about to announce it on my social media, the addition of three more shows with string quartet and my full band in New Brunswick, Moncton, Saint John and Fredericton. The three places you absolutely want to hit up. Um, so I'm really, really thrilled that that's happening finally. And yeah. So, um, I know some of you listening can't get to these shows, but the good news is we are filming, uh, shows. The show in Halifax, um, at Alderney Landing. And so I'm.

Christina: [00:03:03] I just can't wait to to share to share that. And, I mean, I'm. All goes. Well, we'll have a live recording as well to release, um, for the album storm, so stay tuned for that. Um, most importantly, I want to give you guys an update on my mom. Um, as for any first time listeners, my mom was diagnosed with, uh, with breast cancer this winter, but she discovered it, uh, last fall, and she had a mastectomy. And she is on. She is almost done. Her her chemo. She only has one more. July 15th is her last chemotherapy. She's been in the hospital twice now with a few complications, but she's it was more preventative and they're really taking care of her. And she's home now. She's doing great. She really is remarkable. Um, 76 years old and, um, she all her scans have been clear. So when she gets through this chemo and one more surgery, um, just to remove some lymph nodes on the right side and then radiation, and then she should just be on a therapy like a hormone, I think therapy or something. I don't know what they call it for like maybe five years or something. I might have made that up. Yes, because I'm not an oncologist. Um, but the point of my story is she's going to be fine. And I want to thank everybody for all their support.

Christina: [00:04:36] Um, and, uh, and it's yeah, it's it's coming to an end. And that not she's not dying. God, that sounds bad. Anyway, this week we've been looking after mum's new kitty cat, Lola. And, um, she's a delight. She's about ten months old now and she likes to snuggle and she's very sweet. She brings us a presence at night, um, in the form of a little cat toys. Little soft cat toys. She's really sweet. We we we found her at the, um, shelter in Amherst, Nova Scotia. Actually, they, I called them asking if they, you know, what's the situation with your kittens and adoption? And they said, you know what? We have a cat that eight months old, she'd be perfect for your mom. She's a calico. And, um, and they were right. They were absolutely right. So we're so grateful for Lola. And mom really loves her. And, uh, we do too. So, uh, there's an update for you. It's been, uh, it's been an, uh, quiet but productive, uh, summer here in our house. Um, just chipping away and staying organized and trying to get show ready, um, and rest because, uh. Yeah, just been kind of hit with some bugs, uh, lately, and, um. But everything's fine. I hope you all are good. Um, certainly, if you, you know, have anything you want to share, you can call my Heartbeat Hotline. The number which I conveniently forget.

Christina: [00:06:16] Um, here, I'm looking it up on my phone. The number is 1-902-669-4769. You know what? If that costs you money, you can always just send a little voice message via email. ChristinaMartinMusic@gmail.com. Um, you know, or through my social media sites, I usually just do Instagram. Um, in terms of DM direct messaging, uh, but you can contact me through my website, Christina Martin net on the contact page. And that is my email. It comes right to me. ChristinaMartinMusic@gmail.com. Or call the Heartbeat Hotline if you're in Canada or it doesn't cost you anything. 1-902-669-4769. Let me know how you're doing. Let me know how you're enjoying these episodes. Um, and if you have any questions for me or future guests, uh, give me a give me a shout. Well, um, I love this episode. I love all the episodes, but, like, this one's different. Number one, I was sick when we recorded it, and we recorded it in person. Uh, the best time to record an in person. Anything when you're sick. Um, but yeah, my guest is become a really a near and dear friend of mine. Actually, his wife, uh, Kristen Herrington was my previous guest, so check out our chat with her. But, um, gosh, we cover a lot of ground in this one. We talk about tans white Inverness. Uh, Cape Breton is so awesome.

Christina: [00:07:50] The Town Heroes and their new album 'Singin', which I love. We talk about Uncle Jimmy, punctuality, um, so much more. We putz around quite a bit, but I really like the pace of this episode. I hope you do too. It's the very first episode We have not edited anything out, nothing that has never happened before. Usually we are, um, taking out like snippets of me over talking or railroading my guests. But not today. My guest today is Michael S Ryan. He is an award winning professional musician, songwriter, studio owner and author of a book I love Called You and Me. It's a he's a co-author with his wife, Kristen Harrington, and we just had this awesome, awesome pleasure of having them in our home for two denim sessions, which are, uh, concerts we, we do in our home where we have an author open the show often, and then I get to play my songs with company by the incredible Dale Murray on stellar electric guitar. Um, so Mike and Kristen were here and they just won everybody's hearts over, and they each read a chapter from their book, You and Me, which you can find online and in audio form now. So, Ryan, um, that's not his name. His name is Mike. Mike. But his last name is Ryan. And his middle name is Stephen. So Mike has, uh, he's been playing music professionally for, uh, I'm gonna say over 12 years now.

Christina: [00:09:29] And he's the frontman and songwriter for the Town Heroes, and he also has, um, solo project. He's toured the world, released six, maybe now seven. Like, critically critically, critically acclaimed albums that we're talking about. He's like the recipient of, uh, 11 Music Nova Scotia awards, five East Coast music awards. A lot of the Coast Best of um honors, including best band in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and a ton of, uh, songwriting accolades. And he has a studio it's called Hot Jupiter Studios. It's in Tantallon, Nova Scotia. And, uh, check that out if you're listening. You're a musician or or if you're someone who wants to start a podcast or, um, he also has helped, um, friends of mine record and produce their podcasts. So he's a great, great producer, music producer, podcast producer, and the host, the co-host of Mike and Kristen the podcast. And I'm so thrilled that they will be emceeing and doing a live podcast Q&A. Uh, at my performance at Alderney Landing, September 6th. I'm so excited for this collaboration, for this show, for this experience. I'm so glad that he's going to be there. He's yeah, he's one of my favorite peeps, as is his wife, Kristen. So here's my Chat with Heart with Michael S Ryan.

Christina: [00:11:19] You do have a nice tan like you always had. Nice tan.

Mike: [00:11:23] I get I do get dark pretty quick. And a few days in the sun. And, um, I have a French Acadian in me.

Christina: [00:11:34] Same 90%.

Mike: [00:11:36] Yeah, yeah. Where's your tan?

Christina: [00:11:39] I don't, I guess I got the 10% Welsh in me comes out, I suppose. Uh, yeah. I'm not. Never really been a big tanner. I did have a tan when I lived in Texas, but I had to work really hard for it.

Mike: [00:11:54] I'm good at finding the sun, too. Yeah, like, I'll go out in the backyard and it's nice and just. I'll sit in the sun and do some writing or whatever and just. I know how to get the rays of sun on me.

Christina: [00:12:12] Do you wear sunscreen?

Mike: [00:12:14] Um, not in Nova Scotia. No, no.

Christina: [00:12:19] Oh, well, maybe. Maybe you're fine. Do you have any skin cancer in your family?

Mike: [00:12:25] Uh, no, not that I know of.

Christina: [00:12:30] It's cool. You'll be the first. It's good. It's fine.No.

Mike: [00:12:33] Yeah. If it's. No, if I'm gonna. If I was gonna be on a beach all day, I.

Christina: [00:12:38] You would put some on.

Mike: [00:12:39] But once I get to a certain point, like, I don't, I just don't burn.

Christina: [00:12:43] Yeah. Wow.

Mike: [00:12:44] Um, like, my arms definitely don't but.

Christina: [00:12:48] I get, like, heatstroke easily. Are we recording?

Mike: [00:12:52] I'm. I'm pretty good in the sun. I grew up in a beach community in Cape Breton, just playing volleyball on the beach all day. Like I can look at the sun directly. And that's from all playing volleyball.

Christina: [00:13:05] You can look at the sun directly.

Mike: [00:13:06] It doesn't bother me.

Christina: [00:13:07] They say that's dangerous, but not for you.

Mike: [00:13:10] I'll play beach volleyball during an eclipse and stare directly at it.

Christina: [00:13:15] That's so funny. I did notice the cataracts in your eyes.

Mike: [00:13:18] Yeah. 41 year old with cataracts. I'm sure that's possible.

Christina: [00:13:23] Probably so, Inverness.

Mike: [00:13:25] That's my hometown. Yeah.

Christina: [00:13:27] And what do you tell people? Like. Like sometimes. I don't always speak highly of some of the places I lived. Um, are there things about, like, what do you tell people when they like, where are you from? And should I go visit it?

Mike: [00:13:46] Inverness is my favorite place in the world?

Christina: [00:13:47] Oh, here we go okay.

Mike: [00:13:48] I'll only say positive things about there.

Christina: [00:13:50] Well, yeah. Okay. Tell us some great reasons why we should go spend more time in Inverness.

Mike: [00:13:55] Well, there's the very stereotypical tourist answers. Now we have the top two golf courses in Canada.

Christina: [00:14:04] Whoa.

Mike: [00:14:04] Yeah. The top. Top two public golf courses. Uh, they're. I think they're both in the top 50 in the world.

Christina: [00:14:13] Okay, that's pretty high.

Mike: [00:14:14] So that's like, there's different huge numbers of people there every day throughout the summer.

Christina: [00:14:21] Okay.

Mike: [00:14:21] For the golf courses.

Christina: [00:14:23] Okay.

Mike: [00:14:23] But that's that's not that's not the draw of the community. That's just something that people with little money can go and do. And celebrities can come.

Christina: [00:14:33] What can the poor people do?

Mike: [00:14:34] Poor people like us.

Christina: [00:14:35] Let's move on from golf. Like, yes.

Mike: [00:14:37] We have the best beach in the world there.

Christina: [00:14:40] Why is it the best beach?

Mike: [00:14:41] It's very long, very big and sandy. There's lifeguard section. If you want to be in a lifeguard section, you can go down there and be. Feel safe with your kids or with whoever you want to feel safe. But if you want to just have seclusion and privacy, just walk a few kilometers and you have an entire space to yourself.

Christina: [00:15:08] Okay. That's good. When you first started, you said lifeguard security. I thought you were going to say lifeguard sex. You can have lifeguard sex in Inverness.

Mike: [00:15:17] That's that's probably something a number of people would do every year, but.

Christina: [00:15:22] It's there if you want it.

Mike: [00:15:23] Yeah, I, you should probably get consent and all that first. You know like.

Christina: [00:15:28] Always. Yeah. What about uh, any is there anything for vegans or plant based, uh, eaters. 

Mike: [00:15:36] For food?

Christina: [00:15:37] Yeah.

Mike: [00:15:37] Yeah, there's there's some great new restaurants there and I haven't I go home I'm not that home that often. So when I'm there and my mom wants to make my favorite meals that I grew up with. So a lot of the time I'm not really going out to eat just because I'm not there very long. And, you know, you go visit your your relatives and they're throwing a barbecue, and I'm not gonna go to the local restaurant where Uncle Jimmy's going to cook up some sausage dogs. So. 

Christina: [00:16:06] Uncle Jimmy. Yeah, he's come up a number of times, I should say that Mike and his lovely wife, Kristen Herrington, are sleeping. We're having a sleepover. Yeah, we're having two. We've already been through one. It went really well. We're going through another. But Uncle Jimmy has come up a couple of times.

Mike: [00:16:23] Yeah, uncle Jimmy's, uh. Well, he's been my uncle since I was born. Yeah, and my my dad's brother, he's just a great, great man. He always got me a basketball. Every Christmas he would find the nicest basketball. I think he would take it from the gym where he was a teacher at and just, uh, give us give us one of his school's basketballs. But they were the nicest ones. And he would write Ryan on it. My my last name, Ryan. And everyone in my family played basketball. So every game, every high school basketball game I ever played with, I got to use my own ball because it was always better than the one that they were going to use. And I said, hey, why don't we use the Ryan ball? And it was good luck.

Christina: [00:17:06] So that's really cool.

Mike: [00:17:08] So Uncle Jimmy, yeah, he's 80, still kicking, still caddying, still traveling around. Went to Florida this, this, uh, winter, uh, converted the back of his van into a bed and was able to sleep on the drive like an 80 year old with the adventurous spirit he still has. So that's cool. Props to Uncle Jimmy.

Christina: [00:17:29] It sounds like you have some of Uncle Jimmy in you.

Mike: [00:17:33] Certain aspects for sure.

Christina: [00:17:35] Dale. Stop laughing. Dale's are engineers laughing at Dale. Hi, Dale. Sounds like you have some of his traits in your personality. Yeah.

Mike: [00:17:49] I think the the adventurous side, for sure. He likes gambling on horse races more than me, but that's that's a little low on my list of interests. High on his. But yeah, definitely some some of the adventurous side for sure.

Christina: [00:18:03] Well, he listened to this podcast.

Mike: [00:18:05] I'm not sure if UJ is a podcast listener.

Christina: [00:18:09] Well, if he is. Hi, Uncle Jimmy. Yeah.

Mike: [00:18:11] Hi, Jim.

Christina: [00:18:12] If not, well,

Mike: [00:18:13] See you this summer.

Christina: [00:18:14] Fuck him! No. I'm kidding. Yeah. And okay, so back to your. So your mom's a great cook. Yeah. And she likes to make all the good.

Mike: [00:18:22] Stew and typical Cape Breton meals.

Christina: [00:18:25] So if I go visit your folks, I'm going to have to make some exceptions. I should.

Mike: [00:18:31] Yeah, there's lots of things that she would make that you could eat, though. Like stew. There's loads of vegetables in there. That's true. Take out the meaty parts and I'll eat those. And you have the the veggies. And she always has multiple sweets on the go.

Christina: [00:18:47] Okay.

Mike: [00:18:47] Like most Cape Breton homes, there's always like five different desserts to choose from. Chocolate chip cookies. Mhm mhm. Good little boy cookies.

Christina: [00:18:57] Good little boy cookies.

Mike: [00:18:58] Yeah, whatever. Whatever you want. There's a surplus of sugary bliss.

Christina: [00:19:03] Oh my God. Well, they sound like good folks. Well, actually, your dad, I'm not sure. Is he a good folk?

Mike: [00:19:09] Yeah, he's. He's a hard working man. He inspire, inspires me in lots of different ways. He he always has and kind of take a lot of his mentality towards towards my career in the music industry, how I approach approach things just with, uh, I think just never giving up on anything like that's a mentality I've, I've had for, for a long time, and there's lots of times I probably should have given up. But you know, he just keeps going because that's that's what you you've been taught or that's what you learned from.

Christina: [00:19:49] So your folks were always supportive of music and pursuing music.

Mike: [00:19:54] Yeah, I was in my second year University finished, finished up my second year, wrote my exams, had a had a great, great year. I was on the Dean's list, like doing doing good in school and my summer job. My whole life was playing music like I was 16, playing in bands, playing in bars around Inverness County, and it was just something we always did. I remember putting up posters in our school, in the high school to try to get the teachers out to the gigs. Oh yeah, we'd try to get them to go to the The Hoff, a local legendary venue that has since closed. But they're having a Hoff reunion this this summer. But anyway, yeah, the I finished my second year university, came back, got the band back together, we're playing gigs and we're starting to get pretty good and we're writing songs and well, we weren't good, but we were good for a young band who's kind of just playing, playing gigs around Cape Breton. And the summer was going so good, Like we're playing every Thursday, Friday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday night and people are liking what we're doing. We have fans and the songs we're writing are going over well. People are singing along to them and we decide it's just one night after an awesome show, like, we, we gotta keep doing this. So. So there was, I think, three of us in school at the time and we all said, let's, let's do this full time, keep this summer alive forever. Forever. And look, it's still going. Here we are.

Christina: [00:21:28] It was Bruce in that band.

Mike: [00:21:30] Bruce joined very shortly after. So it was a five piece band and we moved to Halifax, to the big city. And the drummer we had at the time, Patti, he stayed. He didn't come with us, so he stayed behind And we needed a drummer. And Bruce joined that band. And this is like in 2002 or so, 2003, one of those years. So, yeah. So. So I've been playing music with Bruce for 20 years.

Christina: [00:22:00] Your website says, uh, 12.

Mike: [00:22:03] Well, as a band, as the Town Heroes. Well.

Christina: [00:22:06] Oh, yeah, that's right.

Mike: [00:22:07] The town since updated to. I think it's at 15. The town heroes are is 15 years old.

Christina: [00:22:12] Yeah okay. Gotcha.

Mike: [00:22:13] Overall just in playing another band together. It's been I think over 20 now. Yeah. If my math serves me right it'll be 22.

Christina: [00:22:21] You guys just put out, The Town Heroes.

Mike: [00:22:24] Yeah.

Christina: [00:22:24] Which is like the core of it is you and Bruce. Yeah. Then you'll have other musicians join you.

Mike: [00:22:29] We played as a duo for, like, 7 or 8 years. Really?

Christina: [00:22:33] And what have you learned? What is Bruce taught you.

Mike: [00:22:38] Bruce? Uh, geez. He's, uh. He's early for everything.

Christina: [00:22:43] Is he?

Mike: [00:22:44] Yeah. We're the only punctual band. I'm sure you're punctual, too.

Christina: [00:22:48] I'm pretty punctual, but, um, slacking these days.

Mike: [00:22:51] We're typically at an event, like, an hour before load in.

Christina: [00:22:55] Oh, that is really. Yeah, yeah.

Mike: [00:22:57] And they're like, what are you guys doing here? I'm like, yeah, just here for load in. Like you're early. Like that's the way we function.

Christina: [00:23:04] I sometimes like to help set up the chairs and the room. Yeah. At a venue. And I know, I know they think I'm out of my mind for.

Mike: [00:23:13] You want to create the perfect seating arrangement for optimal listener.

Christina: [00:23:18] Yeah.

Mike: [00:23:19] Pleasure.

Christina: [00:23:20] And sometimes when you're sitting on tour for a long time, it's nice to do something physical.

Mike: [00:23:24] Yeah.

Christina: [00:23:25] Um. And I just don't like waiting around.

Mike: [00:23:28] One of the first jobs I ever had was conference service and a big component. About 85% of that was just setting up chairs and tables for for conferences. Right. And I remember the first day there, I'm like, I got to impress the boss and like, and I and I have a deep fear of letting people down, so I so the boss is like, okay, we got to set up however many tables was 50 tables and 500 chairs or whatever. And I'm like, okay, I'm on it. So he laughed and I just went as hard as I could, and I had it done in like, I don't know, a half hour or something. And he came back and like, what the hell's going on here? I'm like, oh, I set up the room and I'm like, pouring sweat and just out of breath. And he's like, just take your time. We have the whole day to do this.

Christina: [00:24:19] Oh, so you had learned how to pace yourself? Yeah. Oh, that. Bless your little heart. If anybody needs, uh, someone to set something up and has a few extra bucks, Michael S. Ryan is the guy you want to hire. Can you stick around for when we have to do our wood piling? Because. Yeah,

Mike: [00:24:35] I love piling wood, actually. Yeah,

Christina: [00:24:37] We'll have to get you back up for that. I'll figure something out.

Mike: [00:24:40] Tasks that have a definitive end. Yeah, I like to do. Me too. Sometimes when it's when it's confusing, like I. Where should I put this? How do I do that? I get overwhelmed with the, the possibilities of what's supposed to happen. But when it's like move this pile to there. Yeah, that's easy. Just. Yeah. Go all out and get it done.

Christina: [00:25:02] Yeah. It serves a couple of purposes when you're like also in the physicality side like it's your exercise check and fresh air. Yeah yeah.

Mike: [00:25:12] No memory. Memories of hot chocolate back in the day. You know you finished the wood pile and you get to go in and get some hot chocolate.

Christina: [00:25:20] I can make some cocoa. Cacao for you. Yeah, yeah. Or or I'll just call your mom and get her recipe. I'd like to put a little cayenne pepper in mine.

Mike: [00:25:28] Holy.

Christina: [00:25:29] Yeah.

Mike: [00:25:30] Is that legal?

Christina: [00:25:31] Um, not in Cumberland County, but. Yeah, we. You know who's listening?

Mike: [00:25:36] We don't care who's listening, right?

Mike: [00:25:38] You break the rules.

Christina: [00:25:39] I know, uh, speaking of breaking rules, uh, you haven't, but, um. Hey, where do you think your deep fear of letting someone down comes from? Have you ever let anyone down?

Mike: [00:25:49] Oh, I'm sure everybody lets people down. Yeah, yeah. Uh, I probably just like everyone's childhood, I guess. Does does that to them. Everything that's wrong with you as an adult is from your childhood, I believe. Yeah. Freud is a Freud. Who said that? One of those guys where he blamed it all on your mother, I think.

Christina: [00:26:10] Or the. Yeah. Mum or dad? Yeah. Um, yeah. No, it's true, I think I believe in that as well.

Mike: [00:26:17] I think you're just always trying to live up to expectations. And I think a lot of my good skill skills and traits come from playing sports. But I also think a lot of bad ones come from that too.

Christina: [00:26:31] Oh yeah.

Mike: [00:26:31] Like, well, just like the pressure of winning games and like carrying your team and being the pressure's on you to to get to go to the next whatever tournament or provincials. And when I was young, I was young, I played basketball a lot. And when I was by the time I was in grade nine, there weren't a lot of people play basketball in my community. So I was probably like the the better player on the team. So the pressure on me in grade nine was to carry this high school team. Yeah. So I put a lot of pressure on myself to, to lead our team to victory. And I and I didn't didn't all the time.

Christina: [00:27:13] You didn't all the time. So that's interesting because I was, I mean I played sports as well. And I always thought, this is a team effort. Like, I mean, I'm going to do my part because I want to, I just want to do good. I want to push myself. But yeah, but then when we lost, I never blamed it, i never blamed it on myself. Maybe I should have.

Mike: [00:27:33] Lucky you.

Christina: [00:27:34] Maybe I should have.

Mike: [00:27:35] Yeah. Imagine. Imagine if you took just a little bit more pressure on how good you could.

Christina: [00:27:41] We could have won the provincial volleyball tournament. Yeah. Uh, speaking of failure, um, did you know that Finland has a day of failure where they celebrate failure and success? This year it's October 13th. And so what I want to I want us to think about what one of our bigger failures could be, that we could celebrate.

Mike: [00:28:04] Um.

Christina: [00:28:07] Hmm.

Mike: [00:28:08] Still being mid-level artists in their 40s.

Christina: [00:28:12] Huh? I wasn't gonna pick that one, but,

Mike: [00:28:16] That's not a failure.

Christina: [00:28:17] Oh, you know, you know. Well, I've had I've had, like, failed business relationships. But when I look at my life now and what I've learned, I have to celebrate those. Because, you know, I, I know I can I can do it on my own. It's still like, maybe not be easy and but I, I have to be kind of grateful for. And maybe, maybe that'll change someday. Maybe they'll be, you know, more help. Um. Take that could help take to take it to the next level or something like that. But if that never happens, at least I know I can do a lot of things somewhat mediocrely.

Mike: [00:28:58] But I think failure's very, very important. Like that's what I guess has led me to most of the things I have accomplished in my life, like or have, has driven me to work hard at something where I wasn't competent at it or I just needed to be have a have a kick in the ass to to work hard at it. Yeah.

Christina: [00:29:22] I can't think of any like, can you think of any gigs that you've just royally fucked up? Like? I can't think of anywhere. I left going, oh, wow, I really I just tanked that one. And not that I think I just, I mean, the ones that I really get was, you know, was upset about were the ones where I was sick and I couldn't sing my best. Yeah. But like, in terms of being late or not, not even showing up or poor communication like so those ways I haven't.

Mike: [00:29:58] Yeah, I feel like on stage of I always just show up no matter what, just because that's within my control, I can have, I can have new strings on my guitar, I can make sure my cables all work and that's there's no technical issues. There's always something I worry about like, oh, what if one of these 80 cables, my pedalboard just stops working? Yeah, but on stage, like, I know I've put in my thousands and thousands of hours of of getting to a point where I can do that, and I can always I can always deliver to the best of my ability. It doesn't mean it's going to be received positively. Like there's there's times where it just doesn't land or whatever it may be, but I know that I can. I always give it the best I possibly can on stage, and if you never know how, it's generally going to respond in certain circumstances. If you sold out a show and you know your fans are going to be there, like, you know it's going to go pretty good. Yeah. But like on tour or different countries or whatever. Like you have no idea what the response will be.

Christina: [00:31:11] Sometimes that's true. And sometimes the reactions, you know, like culturally speaking, like sometimes it's just a region and a certain part of Europe might be just more timid in their reactions between songs, but then afterwards they come up and express their gratitude and you're like, what? I really didn't think you, you know, gave two shits about what we were doing up there.

Mike: [00:31:35] Or sometimes they don't come up afterwards.

Christina: [00:31:37] That's true too. But then they leave a beautiful comment online. Yeah or not. But yeah. No, it's true. It can sometimes not land well. I think the where I'm learning too. Is that different? Like, there, there is something to be said about the the right spot for you, your music and your the right stage, the right atmosphere. And and sometimes it's hard to predict what will work. Um, sometimes you try your hardest and it's like it just feels too controlled. And then sometimes you are anticipating it to be like shit. But then for some reason, it's like the most welcome warm atmosphere and turns out to be the best gig. Um, but like, for example, I wouldn't play any more like a corporate gig where people are there to mix and talk, like I just, I mean, I guess.

Mike: [00:32:34] Or if it pays really good.

Christina: [00:32:35] Well, actually, now I'm thinking about we did have one of those once and I was so grateful for it because it did help out in a time of need. But they hired me, um, knowing that I was a singer songwriter. And then two weeks or three weeks before the show, they they said, we don't want you to sing. Can you just play instrumental music? And I was like, whoa. I mean, I guess we can like, it was me and Dale. Um, so we just did my songs and some covers, instrumental versions. But, I mean, I'm no virtuoso and instrumentally speaking, like.

Mike: [00:33:10] Dale is, though, so you had it covered.

Christina: [00:33:12] Yeah, we were we were fine. But they and they weren't even really listening. But I was like, wow, they they could have just had way to go for supporting artists. I guess they could have just put it on a playlist.

Mike: [00:33:23] Yeah, I think that's a thing with playing for a while. You just start to turn down more things, you know what works for you and what doesn't, and you gravitate towards the things that that light you up or make you feel. Feel good about yourself. And, you know, certain types of environments aren't what you want, and you just steer away from those. And the first part of your career, you're kind of doing everything. Yeah. And you don't know yourself completely at the start to like, you don't know what you might be looking for. You might have a vision in your mind of what that is. But I think you just have to get your your feet wet out there in the world of of live music, of performing, of being in front of different types of audiences and absolutely see where you really stand and then find your niche and stick to that. Yeah.

Christina: [00:34:24] Yeah, I'm definitely, uh, I can say that, yeah. Playing all the difficult scenarios, it does give you a tougher skin and you do. Then you start to identify, what do I, what I like, what I don't like, and and you have to go through the process of sticking up for yourself and saying no, which can be at first tricky, but then you get over that and you're like, yeah, I'm just going to ask for what I want. Yeah.

Mike: [00:34:50] And I think just if you believe in what you're doing, there's obviously certain circumstances that can be a little intimidating. But we played so many shows as a duo at the start of her career where we're either opening or closing for six, 6 or 7 piece bands, and we got to get up there after all this instrumentation and horn sections and event, and for a while, like, we're pretty, pretty scared to do that because it's just intimidating to have that many people on stage. And then, okay, now it's just the two of us. But then you realize, okay, we are doing things that they can't do. We have our own strengths, the things that we're going to rely on and that we're going to showcase to the crowd. And eventually, like, I'm, I well, we weren't afraid to play the same stage as anybody. We were excited to like, we'll take that challenge. Yeah, ultimately became like a challenge. Like we'll get on or after, be on before or after any band and be as good as them or close to, you know. Yeah. So it was about building confidence I think, too.

Christina: [00:36:08] Yeah, that's a good one. Just knowing your that you have something unique to bring to the table. Yeah, if you don't I would find like when you don't know that or when you're, you know questioning that. That's a scary place to be I find um to know your why. Good reminder.

Mike: [00:36:29] Yeah. The why is pretty important. Yeah.

Christina: [00:36:33] Um, speaking of going back to landing the gig, uh, I attended your album release show your surprise album release show?

Mike: [00:36:42] Secret show. Yeah, yeah.

Christina: [00:36:43] The secret show for your new album. Singin.

Mike: [00:36:47] Singin, singin, singin.

Christina: [00:36:50] Uh, Town Heroes.

Mike: [00:36:52] Yeah.

Christina: [00:36:52] And I mean, it was this incredibly curated secret event that you didn't you didn't know. Well, some of the band knew, but you and Bruce didn't know where what the venue was.

Mike: [00:37:06] Didn't know anything.

Christina: [00:37:08] Didn't know nothing.

Mike: [00:37:09] You know who was going where it was? Who's doing sound? Yeah. What what the setup would be like. Uh, yeah. Just the whole thing is a surprise.

Christina: [00:37:21] Were you nervous about that at all? Or were you like, let's do it, let's go for it.

Mike: [00:37:26] Was there a I just wanted to be good crowd again? Like after playing for so many years, I'm like, if there's a crowd in front of me, I know I can entertain them, I can. And again, it might not be everybody's cup of tea, but I know how to show a lot of energy on stage, how to build a song to a point where they think it's a climax and how to keep going and how to bring a lot of just dynamics to a song and to a performance. And I always, I always feel like the hardest part of playing music is just finding your audience. Like, I know that there's people who would be fans of us out there that that have never heard of us. And I'm like, there's only a way, if I could open for this band, X band or whatever, whoever it may be, and find they get their audience to come to us kind of thing, I know we can entertain them. But back to your question. Yeah, it was I wasn't nervous about performing or any of any of those aspects because I knew how how well that the Curiosity Club had put it together. It was just hoping there was going to be a crowd. Yeah, like going to be a good group of people there and there. When we got there, it was like the best group of people ever assembled.

Christina: [00:38:49] Yeah, there's a great crowd. 

Mike: [00:38:49] Including you.

Christina: [00:38:51] Well, that was a really, really fun to be there. Um, a privilege and a pleasure. And what I really, uh, I mean, when you, when you guys took the stage, I mean, it was just incredible. The music sounded great. You guys were. It was like you didn't even have to warm up. You were just like on. I felt. I don't know if it felt that way to you, but. But the people were really pumped. And then before the show, there was a whole hour where you and Bruce were blindfolded and picked up at your house. Yeah. And then driven to a boat. Yeah. And then you got in a speedboat with some people, and they're filming all this, and we're watching the live stream. Yeah, from within the venue. And we're able to interact with you through Facebook Live. Yeah.

Mike: [00:39:36] Through the person filming. Yeah.

Christina: [00:39:39] So we're asking questions. You're there, and then they're relaying the questions in the car. You're answering them. It's just so interactive and and engaging and people really, really like all the the comments I heard around me were like, this is such a great idea, this is this awesome. And the setting was beautiful. Um, and all the little surprise details in the venue itself, like it just confirmed for me because I love that kind of stuff. Um, just that that, you know, like, make it a treat if you can. Um, especially for a CD release, which is so special, right? A special time to celebrate with the people you love, all the hard work that you put into something.

Mike: [00:40:26] And we this is our seventh album, and we did, one of them we didn't do an album release because it was during Covid, but so we've had six album releases before and or five, I guess. And they're all just generally you book a venue and have a party kind of thing. Yeah. And at this point in our career, like, we just don't want to repeat ourselves. We want to push the envelope as far as we can, and we want to be entertainers more than just just people who play music and creating something that's a little bit outside the box, outside the norm is exciting to me. Like, that's what I would appreciate going to an event like that. Like what you're planning for your album release September 6th. You know, you just put a little bit of or a lot of extra attention into the small details, and the audience just appreciates that in the end. And again, it's still amazing to would ever go to the marquee and play an album release show to a bunch of people, and we'd probably make more money and all that and that. That's one way to do it. But creating a special event that we're never going to forget, like this, is always going to be at the forefront of my mind for the top shows I've ever played, and a lot of people in the audience like, this is the coolest show I've ever been to. So saying having even one person say that is worth every single bit of it.

Christina: [00:42:05] Yeah. Well, I'm so happy for you. It all went really well and, uh, it's just a great way to kick off an album. So the album, the album is out? Yes. On CD and digital, obviously. Yeah, right. And Bandcamp. Do you have Bandcamp?

Mike: [00:42:21] Uh, we didn't. I didn't put it up like I didn't. Something happen with Bandcamp that people stopped supporting it recently?

Christina: [00:42:28] Oh, great. Yeah.

Mike: [00:42:29] I feel like that happened. It's we we just sell them directly from our website. Okay, so that's kind of. If someone wants to Bandcamp, what's the place to go where people like, I really want to support them. I'm gonna go to band camp. Yeah, but you could really, really support us and just go to our website.

Christina: [00:42:45] Yeah, that's a good point. That's a good point. Well, I'll have to check that because my stuff's up on Bandcamp.

Mike: [00:42:50] Yeah. Something happened there.

Christina: [00:42:51] Well they, they did get bought by another entity. Yeah. Um, but I think they're still rolling.

Mike: [00:42:59] They're still rolling. But I feel like there was something, I remember and people were boycotting them and. 

Christina: [00:43:06] Okay, boycotting.

Christina: [00:43:07] Oh yeah, why not?

Christina: [00:43:09] Why not? I gotta move my stuff fast. No? Okay.

Mike: [00:43:13] But it's just easier to put it on our own website, to be honest. Yeah, and we get 100% of the money. Bandcamp doesn't take a lot, but they still take whatever, 20% or.

Christina: [00:43:24] Yeah, okay, well, I'll check on that later and then move my stuff over to your website. Yeah. Oh, God.

Mike: [00:43:30] That's the place everyone's selling now from our website.

Christina: [00:43:34] Um, I asked your wife, Kristen this. So I'm going to ask you, what would I have to do to you for you to not want to be my friend anymore?

Mike: [00:43:43] Uh, I don't know if there's anything you could do Christina.

Christina: [00:43:47] That's. Wow. Kristen sai, if I hurt you. If I broke your fingers.

Mike: [00:43:52] Yeah, if you broke. If you just hit me with a hammer, I guess.

Christina: [00:43:56] Yeah, that'd be.

Mike: [00:43:58] Like, intentionally. Like, if you accidentally hit me, that's fine. Perfectly fine. Okay, if you just went on a rampage and attacked us, I would like. There's. Something's a little off with Christina today.

Christina: [00:44:09] What if I was just off my meds?

Mike: [00:44:10] And then I'll give you another chance. Yeah, and if you hit me again.

Christina: [00:44:15] Okay, I got a few

Mike: [00:44:16] Two hammer shots.

Christina: [00:44:17] I got a few chances here. Dale get the hammers out. Uh. That's okay. That's good to know. Um, what's the best thing that's ever happened to you?

Mike: [00:44:28] Best things ever happened to me. I got to pet a cheetah when I was in grade six.

Christina: [00:44:35] What?

Christina: [00:44:36] How and where and was this supervised?

Mike: [00:44:39] Yeah. A guy showed up at my school one day and they made an announcement and they're like, everybody, please report to the gymnasium. So we just went down and there was just a guy standing there with a cheetah in, uh, in Inverness. Small town.

Christina: [00:44:56] Another reason to go to Inverness.

Mike: [00:44:58] Rural Cape Breton and there was no introduction or anything. It was just this guy is there with the cheetah, and he just says the first thing he asked or said was, uh, question. He's like, what's the biggest species of bear aside from a polar bear? And I look around and no one's raising their hand, and I'm like, in grade six. And all I knew about at the time was animals and animal related statistics and facts. So I just raised my hand and I'm a shy little kid. I'm like, uh, Kodiak bear. I was like, you got her, buddy? And then so he starts asking question after question and I'm just answering them like one after another. And I got seven in a row and he's like, get up here, kid.

Christina: [00:45:44] So, oh my God.

Mike: [00:45:45] The whole school starts cheering and I go up and the cheata is there drugged out of its mind. Right. Because it's a wild animal in the middle of Cape Breton and would bite my head off if it wasn't.

Christina: [00:45:56] In a school.

Mike: [00:45:57] In the school, yeah. So I just started stroking that cat and petting him and feeling all the glory that comes with that.

Christina: [00:46:06] We're going to just cut this clip and put it on repeat, but put it somewhere else in the. Yeah. In the episode.

Mike: [00:46:13] Yeah. And that then uh, that in my wedding.

Christina: [00:46:16] Mhm. Yeah.

Mike: [00:46:17] Marrying and Kristen, they're the two.

Christina: [00:46:20] Well, tell us about your wedding.

Mike: [00:46:21] Well, we eloped in Jamaica. Um, we didn't invite anyone. It was just ourselves. And we we told our parents and close friends, and. Yeah, we just we didn't. It wasn't an official wedding, like a symbolic wedding, but we just walked along the beach and like, hey, this is a cool tree. Why don't we do it here? So we just went under the tree and read our vows and exchanged rings and said, yeah, we're married now. And we walked along till we found a just a band playing on the beach. And we sat there and pretended they were playing for us. And these were our wedding songs. And we ate breakfast buffet some, some bacon and eggs and I think some cheesecake as it was her wedding. And yeah, it was just we just celebrated like that. And then we came back to Canada and had a party where we invited all our friends and family to our to our house and had a celebration there. So it was.

Christina: [00:47:23] It sounds really lovely.

Mike: [00:47:24] Simple.

Christina: [00:47:25] Yeah.

Mike: [00:47:25] Didn't didn't cost us anything. We got rings made by a girl. Just finished a NASCAD. She was a, uh. What do you call jewelry maker or jeweler? Sure. And she made these awesome rings for us, and she's gonna be the sponsor of our our podcast. This this.

Christina: [00:47:45] Oh, you have a podcast do you? You.

Mike: [00:47:46] Yeah.

Christina: [00:47:47] Yeah. Um, you do have a podcast. Not only that, you have a podcast called Mike and Kristen The Podcast. It's very, uh. Well, it's it is a an acclaimed podcast now. Um, and I would say, I would say it's the most like if you ask a bunch of people like, well, who's a famous Nova Scotia podcaster, I would Mike and Kristen.

Mike: [00:48:12] I don't know how famous. 

Christina: [00:48:13] I think so. Oh, yeah. You guys are celebrities.

Mike: [00:48:16] Oh, yeah.

Christina: [00:48:16] And you've got also, you and Kristen, um, are authors. Yeah. And you released a book, and I'm having my hands here called you and Me travel, misadventures and love around the world. And it's your stories. You each take turns writing a chapter, sharing, um, sometimes very comical, uh, humorous, um, humorous and comical. The same. Mean, the same thing.

Mike: [00:48:39] It's. Yeah, it's similar, but we'll we'll roll with two different ones.

Christina: [00:48:43] Both. Um, sometimes very comical. Um. And I just love it. It makes me smile real big. Also an audio version.

Mike: [00:48:52] Yeah. We did an audiobook. A lot of a lot of work went into that. I think the audiobook is actually better than the book because there's sound. There's sound effects in there, like there's a chapter Kristen wrote called Lieutenant Dan, and we're on a boat in Thailand and a storm comes in. So I have thunder and lightning sounds and waves crashing and then music underneath it. That's all. All original music, and it just captures the feel of it a little better.

Christina: [00:49:26] Okay, now I've got to listen to the audiobook. I was. 

Mike: [00:49:29] I'll send you a copy.

Christina: [00:49:30] Okay. I was moving away from audiobooks because I wanted to get back into actual books. Yeah, physical books and trying to get away from my screen time. But we also love listening to audiobooks in the car. Yeah. And when we're touring or drives telefax. So yeah. Okay, so you and me, Mike and Kristen and Mike and Kristen, the podcast. Yes. Check it out, everybody. Um, and I have no idea how we are where we are for time, but.

Mike: [00:50:00] We've been going for at least five minutes.

Christina: [00:50:02] At least five minutes.

Mike: [00:50:03] Yeah.

Christina: [00:50:04] Okay. That's good. This is good. Um, I lost my train of thought because I'm battling a head cold right now.

Mike: [00:50:14] You've got this Christina.

Christina: [00:50:16] I've got this. Yeah. Um.

Mike: [00:50:19] You're winning.

Christina: [00:50:20] Thank you, thank you. Mike. Thank you. Mike. Oh, you know, I've heard you say that, and I definitely relate to this, and I'm not. I think I know why for myself, but I'm curious with you, like, you've I've heard you say that you just want people to feel something when they listen to you. Something that you make music, probably even the podcast. Which mission accomplished? Um, for me anyway. Uh, but, uh, why do you. I mean, like, I actually know why it's important to me to have other people feel something. Mhm. And music has helped me feel what? Like what? Why is that important to you. Like, what do you think that's important to.

Mike: [00:51:01] Well, I guess first and foremost you're hoping that that feeling is a good thing. Like obviously a song or something we wrote or a podcast can elicit negative feelings and hopefully we're not doing that, but it's there's always a potential for that. Mhm. I just think that living can be hard at times, that there's tough things that everybody goes through and that the arts are a way that people can step away from a lot of those negative things that are happening in their life, or it's a way that can help point them in a direction that maybe a slightly better path, or just bring you joy for a certain amount of time. And I think that everybody and my myself included, the reason I like the pieces of art and creative works is because I find so much joy in it myself, and I feel like it's a big responsibility to have someone come to a show or to to buy an album like my responsibility when when they attend a show or at something or purchase something that that I've created, like I, they took the time out of their day, the money out of their pockets to invest it in what I've created. And I have to take that serious.

Mike: [00:52:28] And I want them to to walk away from that with something hopefully positive. Yeah. And maybe it's just for that moment, like that exact moment while it happens. Or maybe it's something that can last a little bit longer, or maybe it can put them on a path where it can lead them down a rabbit hole of other music, like, oh, I like the town. Here it was. Who else sounds like them? And maybe they find some other Nova Scotia bands. Maybe they find Christina Martin because of us. Yeah, but I think it's just. 

Christina: [00:53:01] or Neil Young.

Mike: [00:53:02] Yeah, it could be Neil Young. I've read somewhere before that it's an artist's responsibility to make sense of our emotions, and that is. That's a tall order, for sure. But I've always felt like I'm just someone who is meant to observe the world around me, and then capture that in some type of artistic form and create a relatable example for other people. And yeah, it's just to make everybody feel like we're on this journey together. This is a shared humanity that we all experience, and we're just we're the same as one another. And I think that's what great art can make you feel. Yeah.

Christina: [00:53:47] I'm with you.

Mike: [00:53:48] What's your answer?

Christina: [00:53:50] You had me at 'Hi'. I don't even think you said hi. I don't even think I welcomed you to the podcast.

Mike: [00:53:57] Oh. I'm Mike.

Christina: [00:53:58] Uh, what's your middle name?

Mike: [00:54:01] Stephen.

Christina: [00:54:02] Stephen. Michael. Stephen. Ryan. Those are three first names.

Mike: [00:54:07] Yeah. I've offended some people before just by having three first names.

Christina: [00:54:12] What?

Mike: [00:54:13] Oh, yeah.

Christina: [00:54:14] Why? I don't know. Were they European?

Mike: [00:54:17] Uh, they were Banffian.

Christina: [00:54:22] Oh, okay.

Mike: [00:54:23] I just had someone about to buy an album once. Yeah. And, like, oh, a great show and, like, thanks so much. And, like, how much of the albums and, like, whatever, ten bucks I think at the time. And and pass it to them and they're like digging for money and like, what's your name? And like, uh, Mike Ryan and like, Mike Ryan. Like. Yeah. And just like, through the album on the ground and walked away.

Christina: [00:54:52] Maybe your name reminded them of, uh, their mother's Mr.. Like Mr. not mistress.

Mike: [00:55:00] I think they said, like, two first names and threw it and walked away.

Christina: [00:55:04] Maybe their mother slept with a guy named, cheated on their father with a guy named Michael and Ryan.

Mike: [00:55:09] Yeah, that's what I'm gonna go with.

Christina: [00:55:11] A good thing you didn't say Michael. Steven. Ryan. Because it could have been.

Mike: [00:55:14] They would have been very mad.

Christina: [00:55:16] Yeah, that's that's odd, but, um. Yeah. Who knows what that person went through that day or in their life, I guess. Uh. Hey, where can we find you? Online. You're in a couple of places. 

Mike: [00:55:29] On the internet.

Christina: [00:55:30] On the internet?

Mike: [00:55:31] Yeah, I'm out there.

Christina: [00:55:32] You've got. Okay, you've got Mike and Kristen website. Right? Mikeandkristen.ca maybe.

Mike: [00:55:37] Yeah.

Christina: [00:55:38] You've got Michael S Ryan.

Mike: [00:55:41] Yeah.

Christina: [00:55:42] And the town heroes.

Mike: [00:55:43] Yeah.

Christina: [00:55:44] Is there anything else I'm forgetting? Like those places? Those are the hubs where.

Mike: [00:55:49] Yeah, they would they would link link anyone to anything that they would be interested in.

Christina: [00:55:55] Yeah. Okay.

Mike: [00:55:55] But yeah, my my band is the town heroes. My myself is Michael S. Ryan. Typically. Yeah I, I chose that name. Just Mike Ryan is pretty boring. Like.

Christina: [00:56:12] Oh no,

Mike: [00:56:13] It's too common.

Christina: [00:56:15] Is it?

Mike: [00:56:16] Mike Ryan.

Christina: [00:56:18] I don't know any other Mike Ryan's.

Mike: [00:56:20] I had a teacher in school named Mike Ryan.

Christina: [00:56:22] So in Inverness?

Mike: [00:56:25] No, in, uh, Halifax. Audio engineering. Huh?

Christina: [00:56:29] Was he from Cape Breton?

Christina: [00:56:30] No.

Mike: [00:56:30] Okay, I used to. People would send me emails upset about their marks and stuff.

Christina: [00:56:35] Oh that's great. Yeah.

Christina: [00:56:37] You should just emailed them back and said I'm changing it to an A.

Mike: [00:56:40] No, I always said, yeah, you're getting even lower now. Oh, no. I just forwarded it to him.

Christina: [00:56:48] Oh, that would have been awesome if you got some some people trying to bribe you to give them a better grade.

Mike: [00:56:55] Yeah, I'm sure I could if I. If I really worked it, I could have got like ten bucks out of someone.

Christina: [00:57:01] He could have, but you didn't. Um, I, I, so AI is something I have mixed emotions about.

Mike: [00:57:10] Yeah.

Christina: [00:57:12] I'm curious actually. Tell me what where you're at with AI right now.

Mike: [00:57:17] Uh, I think the world's going to be a completely different place in a very short amount of time, like, almost unrecognizable in probably the next five years. But in the meantime.

Christina: [00:57:30] Even here in Port Howe. Do you think?

Mike: [00:57:33] Yeah, I think there's just so many things. We're going to become automated. That'll probably be in a few more years. But like, there's, uh. I think it's Sora. Maybe. Maybe I'm saying that wrong. But it's a new software or new AI that is a video generator, and that in due time, I don't know how long, but will essentially take over movie making or components of movie making, which is crazy to think of. Yeah, there's a guy building a giant, uh, soundstage, like a film studio. Like, I think it was like almost $1 billion. And he saw a clip that this beta version of this program made, and he just stopped. He's like, filming is dead or will be dead. But I think that's going to happen with a lot of things. Huh? I think it's the human component will still be very important. Like, and the last thing to go completely will be the arts. Because I don't know if an AI can ever really relate to heartache or whatever, losing someone or the things that we, we We often write about and and share in our songs and stories. But yeah, a lot of stuff will will change. But I've been using I myself recently like I've, I used I for a lot of artwork for our singles and for our album. Like it's a tool that if you use properly, you can can do some things that I couldn't do anyway.

Christina: [00:59:10] Would you use it for songwriting?

Mike: [00:59:13] I don't I don't know if I would, I would if, if I feel like it could help me in a positive way, like maybe there would be instances where I'm stuck in a spot and it could, it could maybe give me some ideas that my mind hasn't kind of really thought about. I don't think I would just say, write a song about this and like, use and use my voice kind of thing. Uh, I don't I wouldn't want to do that, but it might just be a tool to help aid me in songwriting.

Christina: [00:59:46] Sort of like using a rhyming dictionary or. Yeah, thesaurus.

Mike: [00:59:51] Which and but again, we have no idea where, where it's going to go. Yeah. Like it's all in the early stages now, and apparently I haven't heard any of the songs that I makes, but some people said, oh yeah, I heard some and they sound good. Uh, the software is not there yet to create great stuff, especially probably not in like our genres, where a lot of it lyrics are really important and the voice is important, but I'm sure it can probably make some good dance music.

Christina: [01:00:21] Yeah.

Mike: [01:00:22] Um, but yeah, in a few years when when it advances and potentially become sentient, I have no idea what to expect in the world.

Christina: [01:00:32] Well, I, um, I used AI to write your goodbye message.

Christina: [01:00:40] Uh, okay.

Mike: [01:00:41] That year, for yourself or for me to read?

Christina: [01:00:44] No, for me to read. For me to read to you. Okay. Usually I just write this up myself, but I thought. 

Mike: [01:00:50] ChatGPT.

Christina: [01:00:51] Yep.

Mike: [01:00:52] Yeah. I use ChatGPT for a number of things.

Christina: [01:00:54] Mhm. Yep.

Mike: [01:00:56] In podcasting.

Christina: [01:00:58] Well here we go. You ready.

Mike: [01:01:00] Yeah. Let's. Let's go. Okay.

Christina: [01:01:02] This is my goodbye message. Uh, also thank you for being here.

Mike: [01:01:06] Yeah. Thanks for having me in your beautiful home. Mr. Dale Murray over there recording this. Can't see him, but I know he's there. I can just feel his presence, his good vibes.

Christina: [01:01:18] He was stretching, um, because he's a bad back, as I say, that my sciatica is kicking in. Um. And he was laughing at times.

Mike: [01:01:28] Okay, good.

Christina: [01:01:29] I saw him chuckling. Thank you for being on a Chat with Heart podcast and I look forward to, uh, more creations with you and creating with you and hanging out with you and your lovely wife Kristen, for sure. For like, the rest of our lives, unless we do something.

Mike: [01:01:48] Hammer attacks.

Christina: [01:01:49] Yeah, or break your fingers or something. Yeah. Um. Which she's made clear that that wouldn't be cool. Okay, so I used I to for the first time to create this goodbye message. I think I put in type of goodbye message to my friend Michael S Ryan in a five sentences I got.

Christina: [01:02:13] Okay, goodbye.

Christina: [01:02:15] Michael S Ryan, you are a remarkably talented musician whose melodies resonate deeply with all who hear them are. As an author, your words weave stories that captivate and inspire. Showcasing your profound understanding of the human experience.

Mike: [01:02:32] I like that.

Christina: [01:02:33] Beyond your artistic achievements, you're a cherished friend, always there with a listening ear and wise counsel. Like I agree with all of this. This is Christina talking, not AI. Um, so so far our AI has done.

Mike: [01:02:49] A it's nice. It's very kind.

Christina: [01:02:51] Yeah, yeah, yeah, AI likes you. Uh, your generosity and kindness have touched many lives, creating a ripple effect of positivity and love.

Mike: [01:03:00] Nice.

Christina: [01:03:01] Your unwavering dedication. It's a little over the top, isn't it? It's. It's true. But your unwavering dedication to creating, uh. A and your friends make you a true beacon. Oh,your unwavering dedication to creating and to your friends makes you a true beacon of creativity and compassion, celebrating your contributions to music, literature, and friendship, we are grateful for the light you bring into our lives.

Mike: [01:03:31] Jeez.

Christina: [01:03:31] Wow.

Mike: [01:03:32] Think they confused me with a combination of Nelson Mandela and.

Christina: [01:03:39] No they didn't. This is. It's actually it's very accurate. I although I could have, you know, de-robotized it a little bit here. Um, but it is all very true.

Heartbeat Hotline: [01:03:53] Well, thank you AI.

Christina: [01:03:55] Yeah.

Mike: [01:03:56] Thank you. Chatgpt 3.5. Is that what version you're on?

Christina: [01:04:00] I don't know, but I'll check. And this has been great. I love having you at our house. Just chilling out. It's been great.

Mike: [01:04:07] It's been awesome.

Christina: [01:04:08] To spend more time. Sorry that I have a head cold.

Mike: [01:04:11] Oh, I like you more with the cold.

Christina: [01:04:13] Do you really?

Mike: [01:04:13] Yeah. I don't know what that means, but.

Christina: [01:04:15] Huh? Well.

Mike: [01:04:16] You're better with a cold.

Christina: [01:04:17] Thanks, buddy. Yeah, thanks. Okay, well, let's go, Let's go.

Mike: [01:04:24] Okay. Where are we going?

Christina: [01:04:26] I might go lay down.

Mike: [01:04:28] Wanna go for a swim? The salt water.

Christina: [01:04:30] Dale, dale will go for a swim.

Mike: [01:04:32] The sun's coming out in. The salt water is good for a cold.

Christina: [01:04:35] I don't go in the water. 

Mike: [01:04:37] At all.

Christina: [01:04:37] I'm. No, that is not my home. 

Mike: [01:04:39] What's wrong with you?

Christina: [01:04:40] That is somebody else's home.

Christina: [01:04:41] Yeah, I know can't can't trust a person who won't go in the water?

Mike: [01:04:44] I'll let you wear my crocs in to protect your feet.

Christina: [01:04:47] No, no, I won't go, I will go. I'll walk, like I'll wade in the water. Yeah. Um, but I'm gonna go to bed.

Mike: [01:04:56] But do you know how good the salt water is for a cold?

Christina: [01:05:00] No, it's really good.

Mike: [01:05:01] Very good.

Mike: [01:05:02] Do you have to swallow it?

Mike: [01:05:03] You just drink like a couple of liters?

Christina: [01:05:05] No. That's BS. Yeah.

Mike: [01:05:08] No, you just you go in, I. I like to get a little in my sinus cavity.

Christina: [01:05:14] Okay.

Mike: [01:05:14] And just like, let it. It's kind of like nature's neti pot.

Christina: [01:05:18] Well, what I'm gonna do instead, because I also don't like cold water, is I'm going to do a steam with salt water. Yeah. Okay. Is that good? And then I'm gonna gargle.

Mike: [01:05:28] I'll allow it.

Christina: [01:05:29] Okay, but you guys should go swimming. Are you gonna go for reals?

Mike: [01:05:32] Yeah. I'll go. Yeah.

Christina: [01:05:33] Dale, are you going? Great. Well.

Mike: [01:05:37] It's high tide.

Christina: [01:05:39] See ya.

Christina: [01:05:40] Okay, well, then, let's cut, cut, end.

Mike: [01:05:49] Cut

Song 'I Don't Want to Say Goodbye to You': [01:05:50] It's love. I don't want to say goodbye to you. Oh, I don't want to say goodbye to you.

Heartbeat Hotline: [01:06:11] Welcome to the Heartbeat Hotline 1-902-669-4769. I'm the host of a Chat with Heart podcast, Christina Martin, and I'm so excited you called. Leave me your question, suggestion for the podcast, or a comment about this episode. Please be aware your message may be used on the podcast and social media. Tell me your name, where you're calling from and it's also fine if you want to remain anonymous. Thanks for listening. Have a great fucking day!

Christina: [01:06:44] Thanks for listening to a Chat with Heart podcast produced by me, Christina Martin. Co-produced and engineered by my husband, Dale Murray. Dale's a stellar singer, songwriter and music producer, so check out his website DaleMurray.ca. The podcast theme song 'Talk about It' and 'I Don't Want to Say Goodbye to You' were written by me and recorded by Dale. Visit my bandcamp to find CDs, vinyl, digital music and fun merch like custom made puzzles and temporary tattoo packs. Become a monthly or yearly supporter of this podcast and my music endeavors on Patreon. If you're new to Patreon, it's a membership platform that helps creators get paid. I love it! Sign up as a free or paid member at Patreon.com/ChristinaMartin. I would love it if you had time to share rate, leave a review and subscribe to a Chat with Heart on all the places you listen to podcasts. Wishing you, my little heartbeat listeners, a great day.