Trying to Holla at Me: The Story of TLC's 'No Scrubs'

This week on Encore, Ruby Carr has chosen some of her favourite episodes from seasons 1-6 ft. Myles Galloway! Hear the stories behind 'Call Me Maybe' 'Hey Ya!' 'Steal My Sunshine' and 'Dancing on My Own'! New Episodes of Encore return August 7!

Check out our FULL Unedited interview with the wonderful Chuck Comeau of Simple Plan! Chuck and Ruby look back at the incredible period of time that was Simple Plan's 2003-2005 and the creation and success of 'Still Not Getting Any'. Chuck tells ruby stories about the album, it's hit single 'Welcome to My Life', working with Bob Rock, shooting the video for 'Welcome to My Life' and why Tom Delonge is an absolute sweetheart!

This episode of Encore is brought to you by All Your Friends Fest - June 28 and 29 in Burl's Creek, ON - Get Your Tickets Formed when they were just thirteen years old by lead vocalist and guitarist Pierre Bouvier and Drummer Chuck Comeau in 1993 - it’s hard to believe that just 8 short years later Simple Plan would be signed by Major Label Atlantic Records in late 2001 - and by early 2002, their first single - the aptly named ‘I’m Just A Kid’ would make huge waves on both Canadian and American radio - fitting in perfectly with the sound of the Holy Trinity of Pop Punk: Blink 182, Sum 41, and Good Charlotte. After the success and exposure of I’m Just A Kid, Simple Plan was in pole position to become Canada’s new pop-punk sweethearts. Pop Punk was evolving, you see; the band’s stock was high, and it was a case of staying relevant, or being left behind.  This is the story of Simple Plan's Welcome to My Life - as told to Ruby Carr by Simple Plan's own Chuck Comeau! Written by Clayton Taylor for iHeartRadio

TLC are one of the most commercially successful GROUPS of all time.  TLC came from out of nowhere in the early ‘90s to dominate R&B, hip-hop and pop simultaneously. They won a bunch of Grammys, had multiple #1 hits, and completely changed music in the 1990s. But unfortunately, with all of that came A LOT of drama and heartbreaking tragedy.  This is the true story of TLC's No Scrubs, with newly unearthed audio from the band themselves! Written by Cam Lindsay for iHeartRadio Canada

If there’s one thing you learn about hit songs while doing this podcast it’s to ‘never underestimate the power of a good hook - at any cost’  From songs in our archive like LEN’s Steal My Sunshine, to Avril Lavigne’s Girlfriend, and even songs we’ve covered this season like Backstreet Boys’ I want it That Way or Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit; It’s proven time and time again that intelligible lyrics are quite simply not one of the key components of a good pop song - as long as some combination of words sound good on a beat - who cares what they are!?  Reminder - Howie D LITERALLY told our host Ruby Carr to her face that Backstreet Boys purposely kept lyrics in I Want It That Way that didn’t make any sense. Why? For the vibes, duh. And it’s certainly not just lucidity of thought that can be sacrificed at the altar of catchy hooks and anthemic refrains - and warning - I’m about to sound like a total grandma right now - But Have You Heard Some of Those Lyrics? Yes, I know I’m not really telling you anything you don’t already know, but it’s actually kind of perversely funny to think about so much of the subject matter across all genres of music that we will happily sing or hum along and vibe to, thanks to the power of the killer hook. One such example is of course the topic of today’s episode - Snoop Dogg and Pharrell’s 2004 Hit ‘Drop It Like It’s Hot’ - A Number 1 hit on the hot 100 pop songs for three of its outstanding 30 weeks - with lyrical content so questionable - it has not one but TWO radio edits - a normal one which cuts out swears - and an Extra Clean version for everything else… but we’ll get into that. This is the story of Snoop Dogg and Pharrell's Drop it Like It's Hot! Written by Clayton Taylor for iHeartRadio Canada  

In early 1990, Nirvana were ready to start working on their second album. Their label Sub Pop recommended a producer named Butch Vig, who had produced heavier underground bands like Laughing Hyenas and Killdozer. They met up with Butch at his Smart Studios in Madison, Wisconsin to begin recording, laying down eight tracks before they had to head out on tour for six weeks. When they returned home, they made the difficult decision to fire their drummer Chad Channing. Around the same time, Kurt and Krist were thinking of leaving Sub Pop, as the label was facing some financial trouble. When it came up that Sub Pop had begun talking to major labels about some kind of deal, Kurt and Krist felt they might be better off just signing directly to a major label.  While in L.A. for label meetings they caught a gig by a punk band called Scream. Kurt and Krist were impressed with their drummer Dave Grohl and they kept in touch. When Scream broke up, not long after, they called up Dave to fly out to Seattle and jam with them. Within two minutes of playing, they knew Nirvana had found their new drummer. Gary Gersh at Geffen Records was one of the record executives looking to sign Nirvana. He had seen them play in New York with Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth, who Gersh had signed to the label. Thanks to their encouragement, Geffen signed Nirvana to a deal on April 30, 1991.  Nirvana managed to convince their new label that Butch Vig was still the best producer for the next album, and with a budget of $65,000, they headed to Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, California to make it.  This is the story of lead single Smells Like Teen Spirit, with newly unearthed audio from the band! Written by Cam Lindsay for iHeartRadio Canada.

  You know, one hit wonders get a bad rap.  Chumbawumba’s Tubthumping, Crazy Town’s Butterfly, Snow’s Informer, - heck even Plain White Ts’ Hey There Delilah are just a few examples off the top of my head of gimmicky little songs that were the hottest songs in music for a number of weeks or months, from bands and artists that could have been all the rage - but fizzled out of the mainstream after just a single, solitary hit.  With that fizzling out often comes a sort of cultural negativity - like “oh you liked that song? Gross - They’re a total flop. And yes I know - plenty of artists have gone on to create cult-followings post their mass-appeal ‘moment-in-the-sun’, and not everyone can or even wants to be Taylor Swift; but in a way, that’s kind of my point!  A hit is a hit, and most of these artists shouldn’t be written off as ones who simply didn’t have what it takes; and certainly shouldn’t be maligned musically.  Not for nothing, I’m willing to bet that at almost any wedding you’ve ever been to - some of the biggest cheers of the night came when the DJ dropped the needle on a one hit wonder. And sure - you can chalk a bit of it up to a carefree mix of booze and irony, but even a guilty pleasure is one that brings joy. One such example of a ‘one hit wonder’ by an artist that truly deserves their flowers is Vanessa Carlton’s quirky 2002 piano hit ‘A Thousand Miles’; and that is exactly what we’re going to do today.  This is the story of A Thousand Miles with newly unearthed audio from Vanessa Carlton herself. Written by Clayton Taylor for iHeartRadio Canada.

How many Shanias do you know of? Is there such a thing as another Shania? Because when you say the name Shania, there really is just the one. Shania Twain is without a doubt the greatest Canadian country singer of all time and arguably the person responsible for helping country music cross over into the mainstream - but her journey was not an easy one - and... her name wasn't always even Shania! This is the story of Shania Twain's 'Man I Feel Like A Woman' with newly unearthed audio from Shania herself. Written by Cam Lindsay for iHeartRadio Canada

Is there anything better than a song that pops up on the radio, a bar or a club - or even unexpectedly in a playlist, and it just makes you happy? I mean, I know we’re in the business of documenting hit songs here on encore - but I’d argue that the first seconds - scratch that - milliseconds of Sean Paul’s super-hit Get Busy are some of the most euphoric moments in all of music.  There’s just something about that call-to-action ‘Shake that thing’ intro, the doubling up of syllables in Kana-Kana, and Ana-Bella that captivates you - even before the rhythm hits. I bet - and I totally didn’t research this - Get Busy is the most fully listened to three minutes and thirty seconds in all of music; because once you press play - there ain’t no WAY you’re shutting the song off until it’s over. This is the story of Sean Paul's Get Busy - with newly unearthed audio from Sean Paul! Written by Clayton Taylor for iHeartRadio Canada

What would you say is the greatest music video ever made? Rolling Stone argues that it’s “Formation” by Beyoncé for its statement on black American history. Esquire says it’s “Weapon of Choice” by Fatboy Slim. You know the one where Christopher Walken dances and levitates? Sure, that’s fun. The AV Club insists that it’s “Sledgehammer” by Peter Gabriel, which for years was revered for its groundbreaking stop-motion animation. All of those publications picked great videos, but they are also just flat out wrong. Because the answer to that question is easily and without a doubt “Sabotage” by Beastie Boys. Yes it’s incredibly goofy and sure, it might seem insignificant compared to something like “Formation,” but it’s “Sabotage”! By Beastie Boys! But “Sabotage” isn’t just a music video. It’s also a total banger that still feels fresh and relevant after 30 years. It helped influence the rap-rock revolution of the late ‘90s, it provided countless memorable moments in film and television, and it brought the Beastie Boys back into the mainstream after they nearly sabotaged their own careers in the late 1980s. See what I did there?  This is the story of Beastie Boys' Sabotage, with newly unearthed footage from the band themselves. Written by Cam Lindsay for iHeartRadio Canada