16 - Josh Finlayson, Part 2: Collaborator / Consigliere

Employee of the Myth

Whether it's creating Skydiggers classics with his long-time musical compadre Andy Maize, co-writing songs with heavy-hitters in Nashville, or composing music for television, Josh Finlayson places a high value on being a collaborator. In Josh's words, "...no one has the best ideas always. Anyone can have the best idea at any given moment, and to recognize [that] is what being a good collaborator is all about..."
Aside from his 30+ years creating with Andy and Skydiggers, one of Josh’s most significant collaborations to date was with his good friend, the late Gord Downie of The Tragically Hip. Josh co-produced and performed on Gord’s first solo album, Coke Machine Glow, and remained a bandmate, creative sounding board, and trusted ally—witnessing Gord's fearless strength and boundless creative energy—until the singer's death in 2017 from brain cancer. In this episode, Josh opens up about that relationship, and what he calls "an incredible journey".
Songs used in this episode:

• "The Talk of the Town" - Tom Wilson (Dog Years, 2006)
• "Chancellor" - Gord Downie (Coke Machine Glow, 2001)
• "Every Irrelevance" - Gord Downie (Coke Machine Glow, 2001)
• "River Don't Care" - Gord Downie (Away is Mine, 2020)
• "Hotel Worth" - Gord Downie (Away is Mine, 2020)
• "The Stranger" - Gord Downie (Secret Path, 2016)

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Employee of the Myth is brought to you by Skydiggers Productions
Featuring: Andy Maize and Josh Finlayson
Producer & co-host: Joel Stewart
Host and Editor: Jane Gowan (Music Buddy)
Audio Engineer: Tim Vesely