My guest, Ian Crichton, has long been an underrated yet exciting guitarist primarily known for his work in the Canadian progressive pop/rock band Saga. Ian's still a member of that band, but he's also in an exciting trio called Six By Six with vocalist/bassist/keyboardist Robert Berry and Saxon drummer Nigel Glockler. Six By Six dropped its sophomore album, Beyond Shadowland, today, and like the debut record, it's full of melodic hard rock with pop sensibility and a bit of complexity that keeps things interesting. Ian was kind enough to tell me about his background, joining Six By Six, and the new record. Learn more about it at SixBySixBand.com.

Please hit the like button and/or leave a rating/review wherever you consume this podcast. You can read my Michael's Record Collection newsletter for free by signing up at michaelsrecordcollection.substack.com. Follow MRC on Twitter (@MikesRecords), like it on Facebook, and follow on Instagram and/or TikTok. Have questions or comments or want to suggest a topic? Hit me up at michaelsrecordcollection@gmail.com.

I'd love to have your support for this independent podcast. You can become a patron of this show by becoming a Michael's Record Collection Patreon subscriber starting at only $2 per month at the MRC Patreon page. Supporter benefits escalate at each level, providing more value the more you support the show. For example, you will know about interviews in advance and at some levels you can submit questions for the artists, come on the show to co-host, enter prize drawings, and more.

Canadian power pop-infused party rockers The Kings are my guests for this episode. Well, at least bassist/vocalist David Diamond and guitarist Mister Zero, anyway. We discuss the band's 2023 release, The Longest Story Ever Told, the band's first release in 20 years. We also dove into their musical backgrounds, how they got Bob Ezrin to produce their debut album, the writing of their hit "This Beat Goes On/Switchin' to Glide," and much more. Learn more about the band at thekingsarehere.com.

Please hit the like button and/or leave a rating/review wherever you consume this podcast. You can read my Michael's Record Collection newsletter for free by signing up at michaelsrecordcollection.substack.com. Follow MRC on Twitter (@MikesRecords), like it on Facebook, and follow on Instagram and/or TikTok. Have questions or comments or want to suggest a topic? Hit me up at michaelsrecordcollection@gmail.com.

I'd love to have your support for this independent podcast. You can become a patron of this show by becoming a Michael's Record Collection Patreon subscriber starting at only $2 per month at the MRC Patreon page. Supporter benefits escalate at each level, providing more value the more you support the show. For example, you will know about interviews in advance and at some levels you can submit questions for the artists, come on the show to co-host, enter prize drawings, and more. 

Big Big Train has been building momentum in the progressive rock world for years with their brand of quintessentially English, pastoral prog, but the sudden and tragic death of lead vocalist David Longdon dealt the band a huge blow. The band is about to release its first album without David on March 1 through Inside Out Music. New vocalist Alberto Bravin isn't Longdon, but his voice is well suited for what Big Big Train does well. Founding member Gregory Spawton was kind enough to discuss the new album with me, as well as such topics as his musical origin story, how the band got its name, how the band navigated the loss of Longdon and ultimately found Bravin, finally becoming a full-time career musician in his 50s, and much more. Learn more about the band at bigbigtrain.com.

Please hit the like button and/or leave a rating/review wherever you consume this podcast. You can read my Michael's Record Collection newsletter for free by signing up at michaelsrecordcollection.substack.com. Follow MRC on Twitter (@MikesRecords), like it on Facebook, and follow on Instagram and/or TikTok. Have questions or comments or want to suggest a topic? Hit me up at michaelsrecordcollection@gmail.com.

I'd love to have your support for this independent podcast. You can become a patron of this show by becoming a Michael's Record Collection Patreon subscriber starting at only $2 per month at the MRC Patreon page. Supporter benefits escalate at each level, providing more value the more you support the show. For example, you will know about interviews in advance and at some levels you can submit questions for the artists, come on the show to co-host, enter prize drawings, and more.