Paul Myers and John Candy

Paul Myers and John Candy

Author: Dave Sloan and Holly Cantos - 80s Music Podcast November 28, 2025 Duration: 1:04:41
Paul Myers has just completed his Canadian trilogy. Previously, he authored the definitive biographies on Barenaked Ladies and Kids In The Hall. He now takes on one of the most popular Canadians ever, with his latest book, John Candy: A Life In Comedy. Paul discusses the process of getting to know the larger-than-life personality that was John Candy, and learns that John was more than just a comedic genius. Paul is also the host of the⁠ Record Store Day Podcast⁠, and he's got a few amazing stories to share with us, including his encounters with Neil Finn of Crowded House. This episode is sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠⁠The 80s Cruise⁠⁠⁠⁠. Use promo code "WDDIM" to receive $250 in onboard credit. Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The80scruise.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for all the info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For anyone who lived through it, or for those who just love the sounds that defined it, the 1980s were a musical lightning strike. The (Mostly) 80s Music Podcast: What Difference Does It Make? is a deep, personal excavation of that era, hosted by Dave Sloan and Holly Cantos. This isn't a simple nostalgia trip or a countdown of chart-toppers. Instead, Dave and Holly use their genuine expertise and passion to guide conversations with the very people who created the decade's soundtrack. You'll hear directly from the artists, producers, engineers, and label insiders, getting the stories behind the songs that you won't find in a standard biography. Each episode feels like an intimate backstage pass, uncovering the creative decisions, the industry shifts, and the personal anecdotes that explain why this music still resonates so powerfully today. The podcast thrives on specificity-maybe one week features a synth-pop pioneer explaining the gear behind their iconic sound, while another sits down with a session musician who played on a dozen classic albums. It’s a celebration of craft and context, asking and answering the question embedded in its title: what difference did these people and their work truly make? Listening feels like joining a detailed, enthusiastic conversation between friends who just happen to have incredible guests. The result is a richly layered portrait of a decade, built one fascinating story at a time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

A (Mostly) 80s Music Podcast: What Difference Does It Make?
Podcast Episodes
Valentine's Day 80s music favorites [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:02
We at What Difference Does It Make love love and what better way to say it, than with a song from the 80s? We discuss a number of our favorites that make us feel all warm inside. Happy Valentine's (and Gal-entine's) Day!…
Arielle Nissenblatt Podcasts On This And That [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:45
Arielle Nissenblatt, Founder and Head Curator of Earbuds Podcast Collective AND a 2026 Podcast Hall Of Fame Inductee, joins our podcast to share her origin story, and insights into the industry. She then steps out of her…
Andy Greene: Rolling Stone Magazine's Secret Weapon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:46
Andy Greene, Senior Writer for Rolling Stone, has been with the storied magazine since 2004. Andy shares with us his origin story of how a shy, young boy from the suburbs of Cleveland finds his way to New York City to wr…
1989 KROQ Countdown [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:53
And so it begins again, as we start our look at the top 106.7 songs played on radio station KROQ in Los Angeles in 1989. Upcoming episodes will feature ten songs each and a special guest, but for this episode, we’ll look…
Pop Culture In 1989 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:29
The year 1989 was more than just the number...another summer...the sound of the funky drummer. It was the year we first fell in love with The Simpsons, the Game Boy, and The Arsenio Hall Show. It was also the year of ama…
80s Rock Star Commercials [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:52
Back in the 80s, we thought they were selling out. Turns out, they were ahead of the curve. Rolling Stone’s Andy Greene rounded up some of his favorite commercials featuring 80s rock icons from David Bowie and Genesis to…
Bill Janovitz Lets The Cars Story Be Told [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:57
New York Times Bestselling author Bill Janovitz is a founding member of the Boston-based band Buffalo Tom. Bill's latest book on fellow Boston musicians is called The Cars: Let the Stories Be Told. It features a foreword…
New Year's 80s Music Favorites [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:02
Another holiday classic filled with some great 80s music! We celebrate our new year's traditions, new year's resolutions, the history behind toasts and of course, all our favorite music we play to usher in the new year.…
Christmas Music Favorites [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:56
What Difference Does It Make, the 80s music podcast, celebrates our favorite 80s Christmas songs. Holly tells us how she wooed her future husband with some skiing lessons and we also do a wrap on a couple old school hip-…
Happy Holidays 80s Music Favorites [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:05
It's the holiday season once again so Holly and I present to you this timeless classic episode...now with actual music! Dave's favorite holiday song is "Fairytale of New York" by The Pogues. Holly goes all in on Chanukah…